Misterwhisper

The Pheu Thai Party Secretary-General who resigned last week, Supol Fong-ngam, is a constituency MP from Ubon Ratchathani.

The aide to the Pheu Thai Party Chairman Chavalit, who resigned last week, Chawalit Wichayasut, is a Party-list MP for the Pheu Thai Party.

Chawalit was also the Pheu Thai Party's Deputy Secretary-General.

In combination with last month's resignation of the Pheu Thai Party MP Chairman Chalerm the Party has lost it's:

Party Chairman

Party Secretary-General

Party Deputy Secretary-General

Party MP Chairman

have thus decimated the Executive Board of the Pheu Thai Party.

They have all been "de-listed" from the new Party-list MP roster.

.

Who needs an "executive board" if you have "one Thaksin"? Too many cooks spoil the broth anyway...

"New" politics, indeed.

"We want an election, but only on our terms and if we can be assured to win. Otherwise, we'll just throw a tantrum and call a boycott, too."

How can people like that be taken seriously? A 5-year-old has more sense than some of these politicians; yellow, red, gray, green, blue, chequered or any other colour. They're all howling for democracy, and when a chance presents itself, they're not willing to participate. Thai politics over the past few years has become a matter of boycotting, whining, mud-slinging and generally juvenile behaviour.

Ooops, I might be wrong there. I think it's always been like that.

Political parties in Thailand emerge overnight like mushrooms in a damp forest, then vanish equally fast, just to see the light again under a different name and with people at the helm who in a western country each would look at 25 years in jail for malfeasance, mismanagement, corruption, embezzlement and ineptitude. If a politician in a developed coutnry would jump parties as often as many of our local clowns do, they would lose every credibility (or what's left of it) and nobody would vote for them ever again. If somebody joins a political party, they do so because they can identify with that party's platform; and perhaps that is where the root problem lies: political parties in Thailand have no platform to speak of. Instead, political parties are formed around a core of one, two or several "veteran" (cf. above: malfeasance, mismanagement, etc) leaders. People do not vote for a political agenda but for a person, whichever party they may currently belong to. it's difficult to comprehend from a western viewpoint, but that's how it works (or, actually, doesn't).

My grandfather (may he rest in peace) once told me: "Boy, if you have the chance to vote, do so. Even if you are not a political person, vote for the political party that you think does best represent your needs and wants. Don't vote on what they promise you in terms of benefits, because little of it will materialize. Stick to reason, look at their different platforms and agendas. And respect the outcome even if your party does not gain the majority of house seats. But if you don't vote, the supporters of extreme right-wing or left-wing parties will go voting for sure. And if they win, you cannot even claim that you've tried to prevent them from gaining power."

My grandfather grew up under the Nazi regime. I never asked him whether he had voted for Hitler or not. That wasn't the point he wanted to make anyway. It was clear to me that - under a democratic form of goernment - I had the duty to vote in order to ensure democracy; not boycott an election.

I strongly urge Thaksin to stay out of politics - Thai and otherwise.

How dare I, huh?!

"After leaving the Army, she studied at the University of Birmingham in England and got her second master's degree in international relations."

Must agree with poster JusMe here. That is a very quick Master's Degree from a reputable British university not known for peddling its degrees. Is the single, non-corrupt, young-generation lady sure she has been to Birmingham and not just to Khao San Road?

Also agree with JusMe that it is strange that she is still carrying her military rank, although she has resigned. But perhaps there are different rules in Thailand and people can hang on to their ranks/titles for ever and ever. After all, we are living in the "Country of 100,000 Generals" (or thereabouts) and know what an important role titles and uniforms play in peoples' lives. Heck, even school teachers are furnished with uniforms here, shoulder boards and all.

And once again, the image of Thailand is being eroded!!!!

Have you noticed something? It's mostly the Thais themselves who erode the country's oh so precious image - constantly, methodically, ignorantly.

Another question: For long have the police known about that lottery before they were practically forced to step in due to the media exposure? It's a rhetoric question, I know.

Whew, hopefully THAT is not hurting Thailand's image....

"One positive tourism trend are expectations that business owners will raise service fees approximately 5-10%,..."

Why is this a positive trend? Given the strong Baht, it'll make prices even more expensive for tourists than they already are.

Sounds like the same elderly couple as in the story several weeks ago.

I am still asking why all these deaths occured at the same hotel. There are several other hotels and guesthouses in the same area, whose guests would have had the opportunity to unwittingly gorging themselves at a night bazar food stall selling "toxic seaweed", and yet deaths were only reported from that hotel, the Downtown Inn.

Could the authorities please identify that stall, so we can avoid it?

This whole story stinks.

THIS is tarnishing Thaiand's image, and NOT some inebriated teenagers dancing topless during Songkran celebrations.

Hm, shouldn't Jatuporn be in prison anyway for basically ordering his redshirt supporters to burn down Bangkok during last year's unrest?

What's to be worried about anyway? Possibly having a prime minister with no previous experience as a politician/MP whatsoever (well, she probably would have slept through most sessions anyway)? The fact that she is Thaksin's youngest sister and surely will help the Messiah to finally find his way back home and save the country? The idea that all top positions in Pheua Thai's election list are occupied by relatives of Thaksin with Yingluck at no. 1?

All is right as long as it serves the purposes and intentions of the Big Benefactor and Financier, without whom this so-called party would not even exist.

Hail, Yingluck, the Graceful, the All-Knowing, Shining Beacon of Democracy, Protector of Her Family's Truth...

...and role model for everyone who is used by a relative to represent what they are not.

Too sad. Thai grandpas are discouraged from indulging in their beloved bottle of 'lao khao' in between penitent visits to the local temple and screwing some young girls under the pretense they are high-ranking generals?

Wel, as long as the young ones can have fun....

Seems like some Pheua Thai members are still not comprehending that their party is Thaksin's personal instrument just as much as Thai Rak Thai was. If His Excellency Thaksin does not want a certain person as a PM candidate, then so be it. Instead they act like little children and threaten to lave the party. Who cares? Thaksin? As long as the man pulls all the strings from self-imposed exile and the majority of other MPs are his willing lapdogs nobody lifts an eyebrow if one or another party member defects to another party. By the way: that is what Thai politicians are doing anyway all the time.

"...and pushing for an amnesty for everybody charged with politically linked offenses..."

Surprise, surprise, we didn't see that one coming!

From the Encyclopeadia Thaksiniae: "everybody = I, I, I and then everybody else"

I am (not at all) surpised that these boiler room operations still find victims. But then again, the Nigerian scam has been going on for several decades now. As long as there are naive, gullible and greedy people out there, they will continue to operate. After all, they wouldn't if there weren't any potential victims, right?

If I book a sightseeing tour with any tour company I expect to be taken around in one of that company's own vehicles (including a guide) and not be forced to resort to public taxi transportation (and pay the inflated fare).

Likewise, if the U.S. Navy (as mentioned in the article) arranges beforehand bus transportation so their sailors can get to a predetermined destination, then that is at the sole discretion of the U.S. Navy.

I find it outrageous that this so-called taxi co-op should have such leverage and that local authorities are permitting themselves to be bullied into that sort of shady "50/50 agreement".

If taxi "co-op" (i.e. "Taxi Mafia Inc.") drivers decide to waste their time waiting hours after hours for cruise ships or other vessels to arrive just to find out that the majority of passengers have already made transportation arrangements, then that is their problem. But to come up with demands of "sharing" passengers 50/50 is simply outrageous, disadvantages passengers because it deprives them of their free choice and just once again goes to show who is running that island.

To be frank, I am getting a bit tired of all these hubs Thailand aspires to. It all seems hot air and nothing substantial. Health tourism hub, education hub, transportation hub, film production hub (yeah, right, with all those restrictions imposed by the Thailand Film Board!), local wisdom hub, alternative medicine hub, traditional medicine hub, procesed foods hub, etc.... and now a creativity hub. Give me a break already!

When I moved into my new (rented) house, I tried to load the washing machine for the first time and immediately got an electric shock, realizing that it wasn't grounded. Have since made sure to have all electrical appliances properly grounded - even if it seemed that they already were. Not taking any chances. Even the electrician I called (a Thai, by the way) shook his head in disbelief and said he's surprised nobody has ever been electrocuted.

I once even saw a grounding cable fixed to a gas pipe running outside a house! Honestly!

How is it possible that people are actually still believing this troll when he makes statements like:

"I will revive Thailand within six months. After the first three months, the headache will be gone. The following three months, people will have money to spend, lots of money in everybody's pocket..."

Alas, his "solutions" appear to be rather murky:

"He proposed that farmers should be issued "cash cards" to be used in buying production tools. 'Farmers don't have to be in debt anymore. They can their own creditors...' he said, without elaborating."

A lot of hot air without substance as usual. Too bad so may people put futile hopes in the fairy tales they're being told of Thailand magically transforming into a land of milk and honey by the good graces of this self-styled savior.

It's about time for the man to shut up. But then again, he might know something we don't. After all, he seems very confident that he'll be back in Thailand before long:

"Any district that can win an election will see me spending the night there as a gesture to pay back poliltical debt..."

"I am concerned that these people are attempting to circumvent the rules by marrying innocent Thai women."

"Innocent" like in "I used to work in this redlight district bar and frequently went with patrons to have sex with them in exchange for money. Now I have hooked that old fool and I am going to milk him for every cent he's worth"?

"'But if there are clouds, it's not going to be that hot,' the bureau said."

What an incredibly scientific observation. It's a bit like saying: "If there's no rain, the weather might be rather dry."

They also better familiarise themselves with all those restrictions put up by the Thailand Film Office before they commit possibly millions of dollars to filming in the country.

I spoke to a Thai businessman yesterday - who happens to be a friend - and he thought that there would be a coup some time soon.

Why did he think that?

Because he is Thai. He probably also frequently consults famous monks and even more famous fortune tellers. Thais are a paranoid bunch and it goes through all levels of society, but ESPECIALLY the higher echelons.

If I am remembering it right, didn't Thaksin also play down any coup rumours...?

Oh, my! And that on top of locally-grown veggies contaminated with all sorts of chemicals, hormone-infused pork and chicken, a generous dose of MSG in practically every bowl of noodle soup (and other dishes as well, mind you) and wonderfully healthy Kr***y Kr**e doughnuts and other trendy foods? Soon an entire nation will be sterile because of those potatos, I am certain.

96.3% of ABAC polls are fundamentally flawed

87.1% of ABAC polls are conducted on the college grounds

The list could go on...

And 99.473 % of ABAC pollster distribute their questionnaires and conduct their surveys in the very same short soi where their so-called "Research Center" is located. So much for a "countrywide" survey.

I also recall the time when an acquainted ABAC student called me, asking me to fill out a questionnaire. It asked questions about the use of beauty products amongst Thai females. I pointed out to her that I was male and not Thai. She kept begging me though, saying she'd fail her class if she didn't submit her survey within a certain time frame. So I succumbed, put myself in the shoes (size 4 1/2) of a Thai female with aspirations of becoming whiter than Michael Jackson and completed the questionnaire. She was delighted. I felt guilty.

ABAC polls are a joke.