bannork

Apparently MF wanted Bhumjaithai in the coalition to balance out PT, and to vote for Pita as PM but Nevin rebuffed them Pravit, by the way, has seemingly gone to the UK and won't be back till June 25th. Now who could he be meeting?

Click on the link below to get more details

Most people commenting here are thinking about Thailand rather than any effects on foreigners. And a party of youthful, hopeful, intelligent, forward looking individuals is a whole lot better than stern faced retirees in charge with nothing to offer the young

Going back to the UK after many years away, friends recommend I get a police clearance certificate in Thailand before I leave as employers in the UK care industry will demand it A couple of queries: 1. Can I obtain this at Udon Immigration rather than going to Bangkok? 2. Is it only valid for one month? Thanking any useful responses.

You're talking about senators, not MPs!

According to Thai Enquirer

Look at the situation from the old guard's point of view. Numbers wise ( MPs), it's hopeless, the military backed parties are even facing more investigations regarding their MPs' election than MF and PT! So, what to do, subtly? lol. Work on PT. ' You're feeling sore, right? You lost to those young whippersnappers who want to destroy Thailand as we know it, right? Here's the deal, we vote for Settha as PM, the big boss can come back provides he behaves himself, and PT, along with our boys, vote down any ' troubling' legislation proposed by the upstarts. What do you say?'

Sadly I don't think so. Yesterday Phumtham said it had been conceded to MF but today he backtracked after Adisorn objected. Imo opinion MF should insist as the senators' won't let Pita be PM

A majority of the MPs facing possible red or yellow cards are in the military backed parties. MF have only 7 MPs under investigation. If MF is dissolved, the MPs will have 60 days to find a new party. I expect one is already prepared as MF was to accept FF MPs. Dissolving the party or not voting for Pita will only increase support for MF I think the old order know the jig is up so they'll use PT to neuter any radical ideas proposed by MF

One of the most beautiful songs written in my view.

Catchy rhythm/ groove.

Why the rich and powerful fear MF

Oh dear, a conspiracy theorist. ITV have long ceased to be a .media company. Pita and MF have spent the last few days going down a storm in the country from the south to the north, meeting business and community leaders, and holding rallies in local stadiums. Large, enthusiastic crowds greet MF, if Pita is a plant, he's out of control!

Hey Jim, your hero first got rich through a monopoly, and guess who with? The military. I remember the phone charges were extortionate, 500 baht a month if I recall correctly, but there was no rival. From Wikipedia: Advanced Info Service (AIS) was given a monopoly contract by Thaksin's military contacts in 1986 and used the GSM-900 frequency band. AIS grew rapidly and became the largest mobile phone operator in Thailand

It's not the end, but there's definitely danger in our desperate land.

One of the problems for the old guard is the dissipation of the ubiquitous charisma that was skillfully employed throughout Thailand as long as anyone can remember. Then they're only left with guns as their answer.. Oh wait! Perhaps they can persuade Tony to be their new poster boy. It will end in tears, theirs

Indeed, if the conservatives have to turn to PT for help, they're desperate. That's where a deal could have been struck. 'A nod, a wink, okay we let you boys run the show and let Daddy come back, but no funny stuff, right? No radical ideas.' But looking at constituency MP candidates, PT could lose a few more seats to MF. Thai Srang Thai led by Sudarat are not fond of PT though they are in the coalition together. My point being, PT may get the premiership but be a minority in the coalition.

Oh come on Jim, Thaksin did everything for himself. Like most Thai millionaires, the idea of philanthropy was alien to him. I don't hold with the idea that FF needed Thaksin to come into existence. The young and not so young, were sick of the red/ yellow conflict, seeing one side as beholden to the military and conservatism whilst the other were beholden to the family clan of a billionaire. They want change and they see it in MF

Jim, he certainly didn't look after foreigners, increasing the minimum amount of money for retirement visa to 800,000 baht from 200,000 baht. No foreigners were granted residency under his Interior Minister, Purachai's, watch. He refused the UN's request to investigate his extra judicial killings. And when his former American business partner tried to sue him for breaking their contract, he told him, TIT, this is Thailand Of course his job was to look after Thais, the name of his party told that, Thais Love Thais, but he certainly made life harder for many farangs, forced to leave their Thai families because their pensions didn't meet the raised minimum requirements.

A couple of shots of good whisky and those power chords hit home.

He and MF are fighting now. 3 days ago in Phuket, meeting local representatives, discussing solutions, followed by a rally in a stadium to rapturous applause from locals. The same yesterday in Lampang and today, Chiang Mai. Large, enthusiastic crowds. He's laying out to the Thai people, these are the issues that affect you, we will deal with them. All of the appearance of a government in waiting, waiting to hit the ground running . Momentum maintained. So when they ban Pita, by the letter of the law or the senators' innate dislike of democracy, the establishment's game to maintain power at all costs will be exposed for the sham it is.

I think Pita and MF are doing exactly the right thing now. Acting as a government in waiting, they are touring the provinces, promising to solve local grievances and boost local economies. Rapturous receptions in Phuket, Lampang and now Chiang Mai. They've lit a fuse and regardless of Pita's fate, the future belongs to this party of meritocracy, as opposed to the dinosaurs with their family dynasties and military connections.

http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/journals-magazines/article2/special-report-extrajudicial-killings-of-alleged-drug-dealers-in-thailand/extrajudicial-killings-of-alleged-drug-dealers-in-thailand/

Thailand was called a police state under Thaksin

Because he might invoke a higher authority who had mentioned the scourge of drugs in his annual birthday speech. But Thaksin, being the idiot he is, adopted his ' sales' approach to the drugs war. Nunbers of arrests, 'shot dead by other gang members' were issued to local authorities, if target numbers weren't reached, they faced threats of transfer.. In some places, boxes were placed in fron of police stations where citizens could anonymously leave names of drug suspects. 'What a way to get rid of that rival phone repair shop. I'll put his name in the box' Many were executed extra judiciously.