bannork

You're wrong OMF.The Black May protests of 1992 were a genuine manifestation of the outrage of the Thai people at Sujinda becoming PM The protest movement cut across classes and city/ countryside differences. Like you, I hate Thaksin and consider PT nothing more than a vehicle to return Thaksin. Prayuth has survived all these years because the middle class hated Thaksin too so they put up with the coups. However, many yearned for reform as seen in FF's popularity. To my surprise, Pita seems to have carried that flame onwards with MF, though I'm not sure how well they will do in rural areas. I think a dissolution of MF would spark mass protests, the young, the educated, are sick of living in the past. I don't think the authorities dare dissolve both PT and MF. If anything they'll go for the latter, hoping PT then team up with the old guard to form a government. That would be a real test for PT. If they did that they would be permanently scorned by many but if they refused, demanded a new election or formed an alliance with the party/ parties that accepted MPs from the dissolved MF, then who knows? So much depends on the numbers post election.

A Russian delegate misbehaving at an international meeting, enhancing their gangster state status

RT has more idiots than Fox News

I'm planning on returning to the UK permanently in 2 months, I renewed my retirement visa just over a month ago so I'm still under the 800,000 baht maintenance rule. I've just realised buying a plane ticket will take me slightly under the 800,000 baht. My question is do the banks inform immigration if someone's funds fall below the 800,000 baht minimum during the three month period post visa renewal?

Interesting reasons why May 9 Victory Parade is being scaled back https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65465978

Jim, Pheua Thai have just told voters to vote strategically to prevent Prayuth's return. In other words don't vote for Move Forward, it's a wasted vote. I told you before, PT don't like MF who are the real deal wanting meaningful reform. PT don't want significant change in Thailand, just offer the peasants some crumbs and try to bring back the paymaster. What are you going to do when Pheua Thai team up with Pravit? Send your credentials to the house of detention? ,

Sadly Ravip, that video is unavailable. Try again with a link

A leading Democrat boasted to me once that southern voters were much more politically savvy than those in other regions. He told me about coffee shops in the south where politics is debated daily amongst locals. Thaksin could never make inroads here, he proclaimed. Southerners won't fall for populist tricks. Yet it seems many have taken the coup leader to heart. What happened to their political sophistication?

Proof you can check out of Thailand but you can never really leave.

We had our wonders in the UK, an embarrassing overflow of talent from The Beatles, Stones, Floyd, Led Zep, The Who, Hawkwind, etc to the folk talents of Roy Harper, Fairport, etc. But for me, conscious of how small the UK was, to hear those US bands from the West Coast, with their sense of space and country imbued in their music was a joy indeed

74, this album was big. Many a spliff was rolled on its cover. LPs had many uses.

Lol, subliminal for sure, zzaa09. The question is, is that the case now regarding a significantly large percentage of Thais? And worryingly, as military power has become concentrated, could that lead to catastrophe?

Anand was not responsible for Black May. That was Suchind's greed. If Anand had resigned as PM the military would have replaced him with a right winger. Anand was held in such high esteem that he was reappointed PM after Suchinda's fall. But it's sad to see Suchinda to this day still walking the streets freely after the Black May massacre.

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.