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From this clip on Thai Rath TV this morning, it looks like the pickup just ploughed into the song-theow. In my experience van drivers are amongst the most dangerous on Thai roads, hurtling from lane to lane and tailgating in their bid to deliver and earn their commission as quickly as possible. The cries and wailing of grief of relatives or friends of the dead were unbearable to listen to ( on another channel).

I agree with you! The Senate has no say in Parliament's confidence debates. I was pointing out the debates had occurred in the previous Parliament and in fact PT blocked MF from grilling Pravit

There were a few no confidence debates and votes in the last Parliament. In fact Pheu Thai prevented MF from grilling Pravit by not giving them enough allocated time .

Meanwhile it seems The Democrats should be down another man.

Whoever is PM, the numbers in Parliament won't change unless MF are dissolved. Meaning MF and PT alone possess a majority in the House, so any bill to entrench the old clique's power can be easily shot down. However if part of the deal for Thaksin to come back is a condition that PT will support the junta parties, then the only hope is MF win by a landslide in the next election. A lot depends on the conduct of PT, could they even support an extension of the senators' powers? If so, Thailand is screwed

Thaksin ( PT) needs Pravit in the government for him to come home so PT must be in the government too . To maintain Thaksins liberty, I'm sure (PT) will continue to kowtow to Pravit and the establishment. PT will become the new populist conservatives, hoping to keep the working class happy with various schemes. They will need 4 years for this so I expect the next government to try to run the full course if Toni come home. If he doesn't, then wrangling between the greedy factions will spell doom for them I believe. . Bhumjaithai are already arguing with PT over ministries they want to retain!

Your repeating your error . Criticism of Thaksin doesn't mean defence of the establishment. And now Toni's queueing up to join the establishment.

The classic defence of Thaksin's extra judicial killings, the Nuremberg argument: ' He was only obeying orders'

'My love is vengeance that's never free.'

Absolutely, Thaksin doesn't care about democracy or broken election promises. The thing is, can he trust the deal makers? Undoubtedly there will be lots of conditions regarding 'parole'. Any transgressions, real or perceived could see immediate recall. Plus he has many enemies in Thailand. Better to keep singing karaoke abroad.

Are you happy, red forever, that Thaksin's teaming up withe coup makers and the military backed parties, you know the military who shot dead 99 red shirts . Are you going to burn your shirt in disgust at this betrayal?

If I recall correctly a large number of those seats are still under investigation for alleged electoral violations.

You keep making the same mistake, accusing those who dislike Thaksin of being junta lovers. Both are/ were bad for Thailand, but when the chance comes for a progressive, reformist party to become the government , what does Thaksin and his party do? Turn their backs on them and snuggle up to the junta loving parties.. That's despicable Tony, to a tee.

Jim, Thaksin is joining the junta boys. Are you happy he doesn't care about the coups and the lives lost of his supporters?

I know you're upset your hero didn't come home as you predicted on his birthday, but now his daughter has been to see him, who knows? Perhaps she told him how much it's going to cost to come back, how many watches to buy all round. Thaksin is a heartless blastard, 99 red shirts died at Ratchaprasong, many spent years in jail, their families suffering and what does he do? Shakes hands and joins with the coup leaders and its backers, the arch enemies of Pheu Thai. All so he can come back himself. Pass the sick bag, Alice

Jeez Jim, you can be annoying with your own clueless remarks. Of course it's assumed all round that no action was taken against Thaksin and his extra judicial killings because he thought he had the go ahead from a speech made by a higher authority on his birthday a few months earlier, complaining about the scourge and wide availability of drugs. The speech of course made no mention of the methods that Thaksin and the authorities employed The tactics that Thaksin used were those of a police state. Authorities using state approved violence and murder and for that Thaksin should be in jail

The report into the killings ( see below) was suppressed, no doubt because the authorities didn't want to investigate their own. http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30057578). In August 2007, the military-installed government of General Surayud Chalanont appointed a special committee to investigate the extrajudicial killings during the 2003 war on drugs. The committee's report - which has never been made public - said that of 2,819 people killed between February and April 2003, more than 1400 were unrelated to drug dealing or had no apparent reason for their killings. Human Rights Watch, ‘Thailand: Prosecute Anti-Drugs Police Identified in Abuses,' February 7, 2008 (online at

No charges because the establishment supported the judicial killings. Here's Wan Nor, the current House Speaker, giving carte blanche to the killings https://www.omct.org/en/resources/urgent-interventions/thailand-anti-drug-war-leads-to-mass-arrests-and-extrajudicial-killings

Yes but the eye hospitals in the Thai jails aren't so good..

'Whatever will be, will be' sounds somewhat fatalistic. Shouldn't Toni be back in Thailand by the 24th, according to the latest itinerary? They should be playing something more upbeat such as ' Going home' by Ten Years After.

By the way, Pita means prosperity in Thai!

They knew full well the establishment would come after them, they had their forerunner FF as an example. But they saw how much of a popular sentiment they are riding From FF obtaining 80 seats 4 years ago to MF nearly doubling that with 151 in May. They are the flagship of reform and every Thai knows that. I read an interview with Pita where he said he didn't regard politics as his final career, perhaps this explains his willingness to take on the establishment, nothing to lose. Unlike tired veterans of PT like Phumitam, beholden to Thaksin and the establishment, Pita and MF can tell it like it is, and by doing so and reiterating their demands for reform, can make them commonplace.

Please give some examples.

Everybody knows MF are being persecuted, as FF were, the establishment are scared stuff of them. They've conducted themselves well throughout this sorry saga depriving then of governance. Their parting shot to the duplicitous PT was spot on- ' This proposed coalition is not a reflection of the people's choice'. I hope they've prepared a reserve party in case the establishment really goes for them and dissolves the party on the grounds of aiming to ' overthrow the monarchy'

No he's not. He may be 100% devoid of any morals or ideals but he ain't no fool. If he and Newin's family aren't allocated the A grade ministries they want ( loads of money!!!), then it may be difficult to vote for any PT Prime Minister. Know what I mean, Mr Thaksin?