Thait Spot

IMO the only problem I see with this article is the fact that the Gov't bought the rice at a price higher than the market is right now. So no matter how much they sell, there's no way to fund all the payouts.

Any which way they try to spin this they're screwed

The Rice Scheme is a clear Pyramid Scheme, the farmers input x amount of wealth (in rice) expecting to get 2x in return while the money generated by the scheme is actually

In other countries the scheme itself, let alone any corruption, would be the subject of a criminal investigation.

Tell as where are you from and we will tell you how much your government spend for a agriculture subsidy and how much they loan for that.

Can you name one country paying 40% above World market price (besides Thailand) to their farmers? I thought not.

Can you prove these payments 40% above market price for thai rice? BCAA receipts are OK, i think you do not. Whats is source of your information?

The world mate.

Go look in Blomberg or the Thai commodity exchange

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I'm sure the police can see where his phone went as well as those of his associates

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That's just silly. So according to that interpretation of the constitution, a caretaker government has in fact, zero authority to do anything?

They are authorised to continue in a minimal role (necessities) only. Minding the shop, basically.

Apart from access to the stock and cash register

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Another interesting question is how can an 'appointed' Senator who has been clearly relieved of his/her duties when the parliament was dissolved have standing to petition the CC? Seems like the CC will take a case from just about anyone! Anyone know where the queue is?

I think you're making this up. The senate has not been dissolved.

Secondly, any member of the public can join the "queue"

Thirdly it makes no reference to taking the case to the CC

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So now the caretaker government has two pupet masters, The one in dubai and then ............

He said the US State Department has strongly condemned the outlawed activity in Thailand and called on the Thai government to take legal action against offenders.

So now they are taking orders from the USA, <deleted> what a load of BS and lies that guy spouts. Thought they didn't like it when falangs tell them what they should do!

I very much doubt an official of any country would say that

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stay retired - nothing worse than someone who "used to" be something start meddling when there day is over

Like Thaksin?

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This mean that they will continue performing their duties until the new cabinet is formed. It does not mean that they still have authority to perform duties under the Constitution

How can they perform their duties if they don't have authority to perform their duties?

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

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So who has the authority to restore order in the event of civil disobedience? Only the army? Interesting he didn't say.

Please note that since the trumpeting and fanfare of the state of emergency that not one single thing has changed.

Restore order my @rse

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Typical bias yellow judge nonsense.Part of the democratic reforms proposed by both sides should include purging the bias judiciary, EC, "checks and balances" etc and replace them with neutral, objective people.

So, a retired judge airs his opinion and you want to bring down the remaining pillars of society?

Tarit is first on the list for the glue factory by a country mile

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I think they might be trying to say that they still have to perform the duties of the ministers (as caretakers) but do not have status as ministers. Since only the PM can call a SOE and she is not PM, only 'filling in' for PM, she can't call one.

But not sure if that is right or makes sense either. Wouldn't all of the other duties be for ministers and PM only also? or are other duties spelled out as for ministers and PM or 'others, as authorized"?

A caretaker puppet with a caretaker organ grinder

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Does the caretaker prime minister have the authority to unilaterally resume being an official prime minister without being sworn in by HM? According to alot of forum members her brother did have that authority, so surely his sister should also? Or was the coup removing an imposter prime minister that had no authority to be in that position?

You've answered your own question at the end.

There was no coup at all - its a malicious ubiquitous red myth

Just the boys in green out on jolly

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Is that a bad photo or is Surapong looking a bit worst for wear ???? ......

I'm convinced he's an alien

He must have blood like creme de menthe

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Chalerm has assumed the role of scapegoat.

Is that a promotion from drunk skunk?

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The drafters of the constitution were obviously not logicians. Mind you, a "caretaker" government can continue without the House... mmm... maybe they were

Also, where does the 500 come from, I thought there were 480 MPs - and 95% of that is 456. I may be wrong - have to dash now!!!

My error - yes 500 - was 480 in the constitution text.

A constitution should be written as one would a computer program, ensuring that there are no infinite loops or dilemmas. Amendments serve the purpose of 'debugging' the code, or sometimes clarifying words that have attained a new meaning (possibly due to technology). As there is one important part of the Thai constitution that cannot be discussed, it seems pointless to discuss any of it in great detail. Indeed, the apparent dilemma in the above article is a false dilemma as there is an obvious solution that cannot be discussed.

There is, I think, a more interesting dilemma. The Prime Minister must be an MP, but the Ministers don't have to be. So, if the House of Representatives cannot convene because there are not enough MPs, new by-elections need to take place, but in the meantime the PM is no longer an MP. This seems to leave it open that the PM may have to step down even though the caretaker government is still in place. A decision to replace a PM can be taken by the National Assembly which would then consist of just the Senate. :-) I may be wrong... again ;-)

The PM is a party list candidate.

How can the party list be calculated until the by-elections have taken place?

Interesting

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Surely much more likely to be Northern 'insurgent groups' since it is the protestors getting killed....

I keep hearing this, but it seems to me that in recent weeks - as in the past - there are more fatalities on the red side. These people aren't committing suicide.

Your figures are wrong

And the police are now questioning Ko Tee over a number of attacks

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Animal Farm meets 1984

How very Orwellian

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The only interest the Yanks might have is in checking the evergreen Surapong's availability for MiB IV

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He want them drink under the table...

That's not a bad idea.

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Sending Chalerm as a diplomat is ridiculous

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Brilliant deduction Watson. Now can you tell us some thing we don't know. Like who did it.

I think the media has more sense than some. They will wait for the facts

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A bizarre take on Oedipus.

The mum and dad have suffered enough. Leave them in peace

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If the EC lacks the authority to issue the loans to the farmers, who is authorized to do so, now with out risk of sounding stupid, how come this has just been realized , the EC should have advised the caretaker government of this when they first asked, so the question is , who has the authority, would someone put their hand up, clear the accounts and let the PTP pay the farmers what they are entitled to , so who is going to make the call. Christ what a dumb mob of idiots.

That one is simple.

The square faced one, who claims to have single handedly repaid the IMF debt (but actually moved it to the BoT) can pay it himself.

If he needs a few extra baht to do so, then there must be plenty of cronies that have skimmed enough to help the gravy train from derailing

War room?

Has the government declared war on its own people?

That's a shocking term to use

This Constitution was voted in by Referendum, so if anybody wants to make changes to it, it should be done via referendum, again, after the changes have been discussed and voted on, bring it back to the people.

I wonder why the PTP weren't confident of having their amended constitution approved in a referendum (which they had the chance of doing)?? Just what was to be lurking inside it that the people might not like I wonder??

Two things.

Firstly, kurtgruen, the constitution may have been voted in by a referendum (disregarding the conditions under which that happened) but I don't recall the Junta having a referendum before they amended the 1997 constitution - a condition that was imposed on the PTP if they wanted to amend the 2007 Junta constitution. Double Standards?

Secondly, SICHONSTEVE, the Constitution Court told that the PTP had to have a referendum before amending the Constitution OR amend individual sections within parliament, which they attempted to do, until the dems started throwing lawsuits around.

Are we clear now?

Now you're being nonsensical.

The 2007 constitution was changed by referendum thus raising the bar of democracy even higher.

The thought that a bunch of anarchic lesser primates could change the constitution without doing so over a large bunch of bananas defies belief. The protocol has been established