SABloke

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I don't particularly care about Thaksin, but I take great joy that this will give Prayut and Prawit an ulcer!

 

 

BTW, it seems like the courts have ruled 'against' the Junta a bit recently, more than I remember from the early days after the coup. Anyone have any idea why? Coincidence or on purpose? Any thoughts? Any significance?

 

 

 

It's like when the NLA vote 187 - 3 for something - it's to make it appear like a legitimate entity. Everyone now and then the courts will acquit an enemy - especially if that enemy is already guilty of other crimes and not in the country. The want to look impartial.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“Sometimes, it is not about the value of devices. It’s more about belief, just like when you buy Buddha amulets,” Surasak said. “

Next time Thailand's in a war, I'll send this guy to the frontline with a pellet gun. It's all about belief, right?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“Officials who used this device found it worth the price. But some people see the price as too high.” 

Difficult to respond to this. Let me just quickly hammer a nail into my head. *tap* *tap* *tap*. Ok, I'm sufficiently dumb enough to respond:

"Some people" - well, even the guy who sold it thought the price was high BECAUSE THEY WERE FAKE! And the officials who used them were probably too scared to tell the higher ups that they didn't work. And the higher ups? Well, the current Minister of Something (who gives a shit anymore) famously came out and stated that the devices did in fact work even though the seller admitted they were fake. ?

Great. Fears that nobody had are now allayed. ??

2 hours ago, webfact said:

...stems from the common perception that cops are corrupt and opportunistic.

Perception? Surely you mean 'fact'.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

But police officers couldn’t demand bribes if people were obeying the law in the first place. 

Ummm...not true. Corrupt police officers can and will do whatever they want.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

typical Thai habits of driving without a licence, buying cars for underage youths, 

The first point is "typical" - the second, not so much. This writer lives in a bit of a bubble I think.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The proposed heavier penalties would of course hit underprivileged people worst, and sometimes they do need to drive without a licence.

Why?

2 hours ago, webfact said:

When the procedure is slow and difficult, involving considerable time and challenging tests

That's how other countries remain out of the top spot for road fatalities. Worthwhile goals often require hard work. And spare me the "Thailand is a poor country" crap - there are 102 countries with lower GDP per capita (i.e. "poorer") than Thailand and they're all managing to "lose" to Thailand in the road safety race.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He said he would submit to the Cabinet for consideration as quick as possible the plan to use 3 billion baht budget to buy 680 fishing boats from their owners in a bid to reduce the excessive number of fishing vessels in the country.

I wonder how many committees monitored this "plan". Also, another nice round figure - I'm always amazed at how things in Thailand always cost a nice round "billion number" when the government's involved  ? 

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

These are just some of the expenditures noted from this particular story; members who read the news regularly know that there are many, many, many other spending announcements.

 

Where is all this money coming from? 

I'm inclined to believe that they're just that: Announcements. They're not going to follow through with all these projects, so there's no need to actually find money to fund them. This government lies about EVERYTHING - why would they be honest about development projects?

32 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

When the current lot finally allow an election it may be the last one for a long while.

 

The election has already been held on a one person one vote basis. The current PM won because his is the only vote that counts. The result has not yet has not yet been published but he will win.

 He won't win. That would be too obvious. Remember: the junta will be counting the votes and they have 60 days to announce the results - they will give PTP the most votes, but not an absolute majority (say 35 - 40%). The opposition parties will then form a coalition and select Prayuth as an outside PM.

And if they don't form a coalition, which leads to a hung parliament in terms of PM selection, the matter geta deferred to the Senate...so Prayuth becomes PM.

Of course the army chief can be trusted. ?

And then there's this part that is more pathetic than anything else, really...

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

An aunt of Khacha, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the family would seek Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s help in getting to the truth.

She's drunk the kool-aid and actually believes Prayuth gives a damn.

31 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

An elected, accountable person who talked to his or her constituents would know that this was a good thing that was supported by the people. The arrest would not have happened or if it did, it would have been already reversed.

I agree with the sentiment of your main post, but this part is categorically untrue. There are pages and pages of articles about gross injustices practiced by Thai authorities under elected government: Tsunami volunteers, mushroom pickers, and refugee boats pushed out to sea but to name  few.

A lot of 'ifs', 'coulds', and 'woulds' sprouted by this Deputy Dunce...he should find a job teaching the 2nd Conditional. 

43 minutes ago, webfact said:

They said farang (western caucasian) men and Thai women were petting and engaging in acts of a sexual nature.

I'm reading "acts of a sexual nature" as kissing and/or grinding.

Sounds like the most boring orgy ever - actually, it doesn't sound like an orgy at all.

Seriously, Pattaya may be seedy in parts, but I doubt there's a hotel that will allow customers to openly F*** in its pool.?

Nobody in this apathetic nation ever questions "Why?". Why does it take 90 days after publication in the Royal Gazette? Why does an election have to take place 150 days after that date? Why, if 90 and 150 are maximum time frames, do things never get done in less time, since there is no restriction in doing them before the absolute last day? 

27 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Like saying air is important for breathing, but his vacuous nature sucks it right out of the room.

 

I was told that years ago that a system was installed to help ease Bangkok traffic congestion, but the BiB saw it as a threat and somehow was able to defeat the system.   Not sure if it was true, but seeing police every evening yelling into radios always struck me as an overly simplistic approach to a very difficult problem. 

 

 

I reckon you're thinking of the fully automated traffic lights. The head honcho forced everyone to use manual instead as the traffic situation in BKK was "unique" and automated traffic lights couldn't accommodate for different volumes of vehicles from different directions.

I swear the idiot thought that the lights just split time equally between roads and that that couldn't be adjusted.