Still waiting for my SMS from the junta

[Chuck Bao]

So, what’d you do if you were part of a military junta and afraid of a popular uprising after an ad hoc supreme court ruled to dissolve the largest political party with 14 million members and ban the party’s 111 executives (mostly pre-coup, elected members of parliament) from politics for five years?

In Thailand, you’d send everyone a SMS. Last week, the military junta (called Council for National Security, or CNS) asked all mobile telephone operators to send the following text message to their 30 million subscribers, or almost half of all Thai people.

"All Thais should embrace HM the King's words of advice. Be conscious. Cherish unity. Be sensible and respect laws...from CNS".

The mobile carriers aren’t or couldn’t send that message out in one go. It’s taking a week or so to reach everyone. I’m not sure why. It could be that my carrier was previously owned by the junta-deposed prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Anyway, I haven’t received my SMS yet and I’m feeling left out. Maybe I won’t be conscious, or sensible or respect laws until I get mine.

I mean, it’s a bit odd when coup-makers think they need to send text messages to people about respecting the law.

I hate SMS. Maybe, I’m an old fuddy duddy, but my carrier is the worst at giving out my phone number to spamers. Now, I guess, junta spamers.

Anyone else have gripes about SMS?

[royalfan5]

Sorry, my local Junta sends me a 6 pack and a dozen roses every month. I find it gives them a human touch.

[yermom]

thankfully i've only gotten like 2 junk text messages

[Chuck Bao]

The fault my be partially my own. Every form I fill out, they always ask me for my mobile number.

I know that it is expensive to send SMS, but I think, in some cases, the advertiser worked out some discount with my carrier. So, it's my carrier's fault too!

I'm not sure about the junta's message. Maybe, they're planning to use my tax money to pay for informing me about the need to play nice.

[soonerboomer93]

actually, it's not expensive to send sms


I get my spam in korean, so I just ignore it, sometimes I might ask, but mostly, I ignore it

[yermom]

actually, it's not expensive to send sms


especially since you can send them over AIM or from web forms...

[Chuck Bao]

So, should I feel better about my tax money being put to good use?

Or, should I feel worse about giving out my mobile number all over the real world and cyber world?

[yermom]

i try not to give mine to anyone...

[soonerboomer93]

mine is on my business cards, and well, i'm not sure how many filipina and korean females have it