bannork

Amand's government after the coup of 1991 was a massive improvement on Chatchai's corrupt regime .

But he did return and later violated his bail conditions by flying to the Beijing Olympics and never returning. I think it's fair to assume the authorities wanted him gone as judging by the amount of luggage he took, it was plain he wasn't coming back soon

I didn't realise that Kanchanaburi and Samut Prakan were in upper Thailand.

How do you know that?

Back up plans usually involve 'persuading' opposition MPs to switch sides. Such folk are known as cobras, and the carrot and stick approach may be used. The carrot is obviously financial inducements or offers of lucrative government positions, the stick is threats of harrassment/ possible prosecution for skeletons in the closet.

Ain't too proud to beg.

I read that Settha joined PT on condition he got the top job. It makes sense. Use Paethongthang as a Thaksin brand to win the grassroots support and then let Settha as a successful businessman, run the show

The cost of stupidity.

The conservatives know they're going to get hammered in the election yet they still hope Prayuth or Pravit can be PM. How? The constitution doesn't limit the length of time that a new government must be formed within post election. So Prayut continues as a caretaker government, he's got the senators, the MPs from the present government. All he has to do is 'persuade' enough PT MPs to switch sides, as they've done before, and hey! Bob, or rather Tu, is your uncle again. I hope I'm wrong but the deliberate loophole of no time limit to form a government is a worry.

Oh dear! The staid Democrat Party, conservative to the core, devoid of any catchy slogans since time immemorial, have finally found a gimmick. Are their polling figures so bad this is all they can think of? They have some decent folks in their ranks but they just can't grasp the winds of change. The young will vote for MF or PT, the grass roots will vote for PT. The conservatives will vote for Prayut or Pravit. There's no one left to vote for The Democrats. Voting for Prayuth as PM will turn out to be their death knell. Just a few MPs will be left post election, plus thousands of illegal sex dolls crying out for legitimacy.

It's Settha's opinion but he's not the owner of PT. In the end the man in Dubai, the owner, will see post election which way the sand is blowing and build his castle there.

Not again! https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65358070

Russia's suffocating total control of the arts. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65347833

'Honestly occifer, it wuz jus the one' Do they have lao khao in Russia?

Loved his Barry McKenzie cartoon strip in Private Eye back in the early 70s. We learnt some wonderful vocab- A technicolour yawn ( throwing up), point percy at the porcelain, etc. His Dane Edna persona was so funny, his timing and the hilarious put downs.

Pardoned Wagner convicts return to terrorise home towns https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/22/alcohol-and-prostitutes-wagner-convicts-pardoned-by-putin-return-to-terrorise-home-towns

In my experience there are usually power cuts following the first storms of the year, but by May the authorities have got their act together Owl, have you noticed the street lights are on in the day on the road from Phen into Ban Dung?

Another nice drop of rain, Owl. Shame the electricity has gone off but that's par for the start of the rains. Expect it to come on about 2.00 am

Oh dear Nigel, back to Reading 101. The article mentions Brexit trade barriers on the first page and later on it quotes a retailer saying shortages of some vegetables and fruits from Spain are an indirect consequence of Brexit. Farmers/ wholesalers will sell to the most accessible market first, ie the EU. Countries outside are at the back of the queue