virtualtraveller

Wondering why his head is still on his body now that the deadline of 31/12/2013 has passed????

If it looks like a democratic election, even a farcical one, their official line obviously would be to support the process. Unofficially, they realise there's a lot more to this. And they probably hold out this twee notion of dialogue towards a peaceful election as a superficial solution.

Police and Military are SUPPOSED to be loyal to the government.

And the govt is supposed to be loyal to the nation, not the Shinawatras. The hatred against the police rests on decades of watching the mafia group suit themselves and make a mockery of the law, and that can't be easily reversed. They are not only hated for being allied to Thaksin but for not serving the country professionally. Reform of the police and law apparatus is paramount, and obviously the police are going bat for the side that resists that the most.

It's an expensive waste of time but maybe necessary for the country to have some official numbers on all this. If more than 50% of the voters in large swathes of the country vote no or 'no-show' then we have a referendum result for reform then election. It's a given that Isarn will all show up to vote, they've been 'told' to. Their opinion counts less because they let themselves be 'told what to do'.

Not surprising, I find Google Drive often hangs, and even Adwords sometimes doesn't work, come on GOogle if you want to monopolise the world make sure it's reliable. Man I hate them!

Must admit, I laughed my head off, what's the chance of them successfully enforcing these. Only thing I can think of is that when they finally get the situation under control, if ever, and it's over they will be able to indict all sorts of people for breaking these laws. It just gives them a legal angle to implement their absurdity and pretend that the law now suddenly counts for them.

For a minute there I thought she was going to instruct them to tell all the soldiers whom to vote for. I bet that's what happens in the police. I think it's an abuse of her present caretaker authority to use the army to try and 'make her phoney election work'. Even if it's just to tell them all they must not boycott the vote.

Gosh, all these violations of articles. It's a petty challenge. Only thing to say is that an election cannot happen fairly in Bangkok when a SoE prevents parties from gathering to campaign and rally. Using the SoE to manage a unstable situation seems reasonable. And stopping a govt from trying to organise an election safely is not a violation.

The real issue is, does Peau Thai have an advantage from skimmed rice scheme money?

Suthep and co can all go home now, they must be getting tired, the next shift (from the North) is due. After that it will be the rubber farmers and corn farmers, and rural doctors. And still this govt can insist 'we come from elections', lets have an election.

If it weren't for the military in Thailand back in the sixties we might all be dirt poor communists. Send the average red shirt leader on a tour of the poorest parts of Vietnam to get an idea how they ended up on the right side of history thanks to 'military', never forget that.

The US intelligence attaché in Bangkok would have briefed the Obama administration on things even we don't even know in the public domain. They know Thaksin runs the show, they know he's no angel (just like Noriega et al), they play the diplomacy card well to suit their Asia-pac ambitions, they realise it's a good idea to stay on the Shinawatras good side, given they are the most likely to be democratically elected, they stop short of condemning the street protests since they already got their fingers burnt in Egypt and Syria. Whether or not democracy is working well in Thailand is not their concern, as long as it looks democratic and not being monopolised by extremists.

When Obama met Yingluck it probably become immediately apparent to him she wasn't terribly switched on politically.

The US Govt reps in Bangkok will be hoping for stability, no extremists, no civil war, no coup (would have to condemn it even if it was a solution), no drawn out mess that they have to become involved in. Either way, they are likely to get their military favours from one side or the other. Don't peeve either side off too much.

Now the people in the north are being told it's all the fault of the protesters and of the EC. They prevent the government from paying the rice farmers. Some actually believe that.

It is the same arrogance towards the people in the north as the BKK elite showed for ages. Thinking the people can be fooled with cheap talk. Now the largest part of the electorate is becoming aware of what happened. They understand the shinaclan is telling them crap. Beware when the ricefarmers go to confront the government. There'll be a run on flights to Dubai and all caretakers will be gone.

But the missunderstood fugitive will not be home for them. They expired same as the gigantic ricestocks.

But how many of them will vote for the PTP again, because:

a ) The Democrats are discredited since a long time there and it is hard to put all the old believes and feelings away.

b ) the local headman tells to vote PTP

c ) they'll handout 500 (or maybe this time 1000) Baht which is often seen as show of kindness

Precisely.

Suthep should suddenly announce he is going home, apologise, gain some credibility for being negotiable. Let the boycott election go ahead and see how many rice farmers boycott. Then rest his case. Come back after the election with fresh demands, now that we've let Yingluck prove she's no longer as loved as she thinks. If they do this a few days before the election very little Puea Thai money would have been dished out.

She is absolutely correct: If you want to bring down the Shins and the PT government, vote them out. All but 28 seats will be up for grabs on Feb 2nd. Get off the streets, give Bangkok residents their streets back and go back to democtratic campaigning.

Erm Pedr, there's a little question of the missing 200 billion baht unaccounted for from the rice scheme. Even if 30% of that was skimmed off to dish out in the right places, I know where my 'money' would be at the bookies office.

And the way the rice scheme is going, if there was less 'money' involved and more 'common sense', sure we could vote the Shinawatras out!

The only sincere thing this govt has shown is their desire to win over as many votes as possible by whatever means. Everything else is a dirty game.

Another sad attempt to pretend she's in control. Call it what you will but when you are one of the main protagonists yet you and your party sit at the top table like this, directing the agenda, no one is going to take you seriously. Meanwhile, outside the country is in the midst of revolution and you're acting out this silly charade.

Surapong could issue Suthep with a Thai passport for when he has to go into exile, though it's not possible currently since the complex is surrounded. The charade plot thickens