madmitch

They could do all this in a couple of days if the system allowed it. Five more weeks allowing a caretaker government to make decisions with no mandate from the people is quite wrong. The whole Thai electoral system needs a revamp, but it probably won't happen under this new PM and his new gang of cronies.

Today Sreetha will be elected PM. Early Parliamentary debate will indirectly involve pardon of Thaksin. Royal pardon officially occurring next month. Out of his luxury cell in the Bangkok Hilton within a month. All pre-planned and pre-agreed with the Parliamentary partners, the uncles and someone else. And they all live happily ever after.

Could it be that a BJT/PP coalition with support from the senate might be the best option for Thailand? A minority Government would not last very long. A no confidence vote does not include the senate. Another election, followed by an MFP landslide, especially as the senate's PM voting power finishes next May and all would fall into place as if should have this time round. Perhaps I'm just fantasising as the so-called elites will find a way to retain power whatever.

Do the cops have to pay for them or are they issued free? And do they keep the same uniform when they have put on several extra inches around the belly?

The article is about outbound tourism. I think the posters so far have only read the headline! Edit apart from Bangkok Barry who posted as I was writing!

Yep. Over 60 is too old for regullar Government employees but the norm for MPs, especially cabinet ministers. Prawit is 77, the speaker is 79 and the rest keep the local hair dye shop in business.

It's must be quite depressing for the younger generation to look at the picture above and see a table of twelve sixty plus men. Yes, that's the demographic that again is going to have control of the country.

Have they ever heard of redaction? Not difficult to publish a report but hide names.

They would probably pay and subrogate against the welding company. However would any sane underwriter take on the risk of a Thai fireworks factory? For that reason alone, I doubt they have insurance.

The TAT calculator was worn out after calculating 234,035 visitors. You can't expect such adelicate, complicated machine to do two jobs in one day, do you?

Those that think it's just draft dodgers can't have been to Karon or Kata in Phuket, where Russian tourists are by far the biggest in number. Typical two week holidaymakers, alongside a suspicious few that extend their visas again and again????

But who's the body? IIt'll probably consist of military/royalist stooges and we'd be back to square one. Fortunately they will have no say in a future prime minister unless the constitution is amended.

Borrowing from loan sharks, friends and family hardly gets a mention in the article but it's a major problem. They borrow with no idea how they will repay, then borrow from someone else to repay or simply don't bother.

The Thai lottery needs moving into the 21st century. Has anyone ever watched the Thai lottery draw? It goes on and on and on and on......... Complete snoozefest.

I don't get why the senate were allowed a say in whether Pita could stand a second time. They are not elected Parliamentarians and this wasn't a vote for PM as such. But I obviously don't know the ins and outs of the clause in the constitution that gives them such powers. Anyway, there's a precedent set now: if Sreetha gets the coalition nomination and fails, he won't be able to stand again in the event of a new coalition. The worry about that is who would stand? And this is where the likelihood of the olld guard regaining power comes into play. Dreadful situation!

So the caaretaker Government are still making rules two moonths after been ousted in a general election!

Do they get a monthly supply of hair dye as one of their perks?

Thailand is unusual in that the truth is no defence. Loss of face trumps the truth in Thailand! These laws need urgent revision if free speech is ever properly allowed in Thailand.

I still haven't worked out why he was not charged with standing as an MP while he may not have been eligible. Criminal record and fake degree. He must have known these may have got him disqualified. I have now worked it out: he was a member of the right party!

Early days yet. I anticipate relative calm if the coalition gets the PM job, even with a PM who isn'f from MFP. I expect angry, violent protets if Prawit or similar get the job, which will be escalated further if Pita is disqualified and/or MFP dissolved. Watch this space.

Perhaps the article should read a very small percentage of the younger generation as about 99% of young Thais could only dream of owning such a timepiece!

I hope whoever gets into power rips up the draconian defamation and ridiculous computer crime laws and replaces them woth something out of the 21st century!

I think if this happened nothing would get done in Parliament for several months and there would be a no-confidence vote a few weeks before the senators complete their tenure. (senators don't have any say in a no confidence vote BTW). This would force a general election and next time round, if the timing is right, there will be no senators to block the way for a progressive government to take power. Of course, all the other obstacles will be in the way (EC, Constitutional Court, interfering serial complainants etc) but that would be one major hurdle out of the way. Could a year with the fat, sleepy general in charge be worth it?

Those who abstained are spineless, those who failed to turn up are just pathetic. The required vote number should take into account those not in the chamber, so 75 absentees should mean only 338 votes required. Still wouldn't have made it today but would have been a lot closer. Not that these unelected military stooges should have a vote anyway but it is currently the law....a bad law.

It's also highly undemocratic. If they were an elected body then perhaps it would be acceptable but they're not. They are extremely biased in favour of the military and the monarchy. The real job of an upper house is checks and balances. This is impossible with a group entirely selected by one side of the political spectrum.