Thait Spot

^"A standing MP, who was put in power by election"...No he wasn't. Parliamentary machinations don't count. Supporters may wish to cloud this thing by referencing it as an election, it doesn't fly. Every one in the know, knows what happened. Until he wins a national, popular election he has not been elected. To confer such honour on him is far-fetched. I know Parliamentary systems, so don't even think of trying to normalize his elevation to the Prime Ministership via their procedures.

His alleged murderous intent is all wrapped up in his refusal to negotiate an offer to an agreement. He knew the consequences and took them, albeit at other's direction IMHO. He wasn't flying solo...far from it.

A majority of MPs (representatives of the Thai people) decided they wanted him to be PM.

Isn't that what democracy is all about?

Sent from my HTC phone.

Done in an army base. A current member of this coalition and the Thaksins last government said he was made "an offer he could not refuse" most on here will know what that means...still doing business under the cover of the same umbrella

All coalitions are made by horse trading. Enough of your false disdain already!

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Blackmail for what. The coup makers need to be brought to justice. That hotline from ? to the army needs to stay silent for ever

Removing article 309 won't bring the coup makers to justice. Do you seriously think that the aim of removing 309 is to do that?

If 309 is no longer valid then yes it will be possible to bring charges against the coup makers...Do I think it will happen no but it will put an end to the coups and effectively the Dem party. Oh forgot it will bring the messiah home. No one wants reconcilliation, its been tried before and another blood bath insued. It win or bust for both sides. Looking like there will only be one winner.

Nice to see you're so full of Christmas bonhomie and more than a dollop of turkey guano

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One can spin it every way times a million, but a coup-based constitution is coup-based.

I am not aware of any nation, who when they rectified a self-serving coup for the perps., via a return to Electoral Democracy, let the equally self-serving constitution remain the law of the land.

Just doesn't happen!

I shall spin it another way. If there was never a coup, there would never have been a constitution. You're just picking and choosing the coups you like!

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Not to mention 16 of 18 Thai constitutions have some basis in a coup in their recent pre-history.

And the faux shock as if this were something unusual here is disingenuous.

There are some on here that 'coup' about like a massive flock of pigeons. Even Jatuporn seems quiet in comparison.

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You are fixated with the grenade injuries to the army and completely ignore or belittle or make fun of civilian casualties through your various posts that I have come across, why is this?

Obviously some connection with an army at some stage, compassion over civilian deaths has been driven out of you - its just collateral damage to you isnt it?I can show you images of deaths of red shirts shot in the head and killed by military snipers that look a lot less pretty than the grenade casualties you keep on bleating on about, "even though none of them are red-shirts" but I'm not into that sort of sick point scoring world that you inhabit.

"Bodies have been moved, arms may have been moved"Pathetic arguments and one tried at the time by the Army propaganda spokesman. Want to explain this sequence of events - see/google for "nick nostitz in the killing fields"

This is the evidence covering the death of Charnnarong Polsrila, subject of the first inquest. He was shot and killed by the army, apparently the round shredded his intestines. He was photographed by Nick Nostitz posing with a wooden catapault. His body was removed eventually by other people braving and getting hit by army fired rounds for all of the time they were at the "barricade". The video is 7 minutes long.

Armed Terrorist my Ass!

Yet according to the Abhisit agreed rules of engagement this guy was a "legitimate" target. I wonder if the Criminal Courts will agree with that "arrangement"?

We shall ultimately see what the courts make of it. Don't be surprised if they turn around very quickly and refuse the cases for a whole heap of sensible reasons such as cases brought against Abhisit the individual.

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No. He had the explicit help of the police, a luxury Abhisit was denied.

Did the Chief of Police call potential TRT coalition partners to his personal residence???? LOL

I'm sure the Damapong household hosted way, way more meetings than the army ever did bin that respect. Get real

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One can spin it every way times a million, but a coup-based constitution is coup-based.

I am not aware of any nation, who when they rectified a self-serving coup for the perps., via a return to Electoral Democracy, let the equally self-serving constitution remain the law of the land.

Just doesn't happen!

I shall spin it another way. If there was never a coup, there would never have been a constitution. You're just picking and choosing the coups you like!

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We, the Pheu Thai party, believe that it would be a rather nice idea to rewrite the constitution. We would like to set up an independent Constitution Drafting Assembly to disappear for some time and come back with a document that will miraculously make being a Thai somehow better than it was before.

This reminds me a bit of the album cover for Pink Floyd's Animals and quite a few of its lyrics.

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Sounds to me like the Thai government has been gilding the lily with its employment figures and financial reporting.

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Otitis Media to the rescue

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>The Democrat Party in both its' opposition to changing a coup-rooted charter, and Abhisit's persistent efforts to change the conversation to Thaksin within constitution amendment discussions, is amplified in this article. It won't help them broaden their political appeal nationally......This is too bad, when a two-party political system is desirable. When one Party is not in an electively competitive position, does a disservive to Electoral Democracy.

>Constitutional reform was a basic plank of the PTP which led to their election - the Democrat Party lost - so get over it already....... Also, to link oneself so closely to a coup-based document, also strongly serves to associate them with the coup-based administration. It seems that distancing oneself from such undemocratic practices would be good for future political success. Broadening political appeal should be job #1 for the Democrat Party IMHO. Their strategy in this instance narrows it.(116)

You are doing an extreme disservice to a document going back many decades. The Constitution does not have its "roots" in the 2007 changes to it. Referring to it as you have done is an insult to Thai history.

Now please inform us all exactly what changes will be made and how it will benefit the Thai people because I don't think you know.

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What changes will be made in light of why they need to be made, have not been pre-determined.

The need for changes however, are self evident, as listed below:

The present constitution does not support political parties but undermines them.

Under the constitution, procedures to create independent organizations and select their members lack public participation and go against the principle of democracy.

Independent organizations and the judiciary are allowed to operate without a system of checks and balances, which adversely affects the justice system and results in double standards.

Moreover, the constitution is undemocratic as it resulted from the 2006 coup.

The charter creates divisions among the public, which necessitates drawing up a new and a more democratic constitution.

Political parties are indeed supported provided they don't break the electoral law especially electoral law.

So 'self-evident' that they cannot be listed by the assembled intelligentsia of the PTP.

Independent organisations such as the UDD that neither elects its leaders nor was elected by a single voter yet wields undue power over an elected government.

The checks and balances are needed to prevent rogue politicians from removing them or putting patsies in charge of them.

Your comment about the constitution is straight out of the red book and holds no weight whatsoever. The vast majority of it stems from the birth of democracy in Thailand.

The charter creates zero division among the population who care not a jot about it as it has zero impact on their lives.

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At the moment my shiny new desktop wireless keyboard is missing letters I have typed, putting extra letters and spaces in at random and I now have to check every word one at a time.

I need to get this fixed as it has taken me 5 minutes just to type this post. The wireless mouse is a problem too.

Soak it in brine for a few days, that should cure it.

I agree about having some stuff pinned in the foodies section.

P.S. if both keyboard and mouse are misbehaving, it could be the wireless receiver, have you tried it in a different USB port>

It is an HP ENVY desktop 2 months into a 3 year warranty. I think the receiver is builtin somewhere plus the mouse and keyboard are less than a metre from the computer.

I will be chasing the supplier VERY soon.

Keep mobile phones and cables away from the mouse and keyboard

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Thailand’s revenue from tax collection in the first two months of the 2013 fiscal year, or October-November, reached Bt321.2 billion, or 8.5 percent higher than the target, mainly due to the government’s policy of tax refunds for first-car owners, the Finance Ministry announced.

How can tax collections increase mainly due to "refunds?" It doesn't make sense.

I took it to mean that the manufacturers have sold many more cars than forecast due to the tax break. However that tax will be paid out and therefore should not be counted.

Positively Orwellian

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I'm sure this government can claim a large number of world records.

The cabinet with the most unelected members

Highest number of MPs with criminal records or with cases pending

The most failed policies

The most tax payers' money wasted or corrupted away

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They are counting revenue that will need to be paid out again. This should be accrued. Not doing so provides a false record.

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I am surprised given that the police force are in the reds pockets (according to TV) that the police have not picked these lot up yet...............

The answer you seek is in the OP

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Where do all these billions of dollars come from?

It's the sort of money that could have gone an awful long way to putting in a proper permanent bus lane in throughout Bangkok. Not one that can be ignored, but one that is strictly enforced. Would get the buses flowing well and would snarl up private vehicles even more. Incentive for people to start using public transport more.

I heard somewhere that the cash would have funded another rail line

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I return your challenge and would ask you to identify 5 pro-red shirt posts on this forum. Similarly I'd ask Tatsujin, our resident troll, to stop making smarmy comments about other members and actually start contributing to these threads constructively.

You throw around the terms red apologists, red sympathisers etc with absolutely no basis. It's just a childish way at avoiding tackling the actual points raised. I actually believe that many on here sympathise with no political party in Thailand but recognise the hypocrisy on both sides and simply support the ideals of democracy.

Avoiding the question, making false accusations and throwing an insult in too.

You obviously categorise yourself as one of the red underpants brigade and one can readily see why. Must have been to one of the boot camps.

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Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's legal adviser Noppadol Pattama, who chaired the meeting with the panel, said Pheu Thai was clear about holding a referendum in order to push for the writing of a new charter. He said the party would not focus on amending certain articles, because it would only confuse people.

Why do they say former? As far as I know Noppadol is Thaksin's long time right-hand man, spokesperson and lawyer. And this man is chairing a meeting on charter amendments.

Have a nice weekend everybody!

Noppadol, Ying luck and I have something in common.

We all got the same amount of votes

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The truth will set you free, so to be fair:

I retract my post #3 about 'parential guidance'. New information has come to me with many thanks to a traveller.

"Kunakorn was raised by the Bangkok-based International Islamic Relief Organization. Organization official Suchada Satangdee said the victim usually disappeared from the care centre and she did not know how he turned up at the scene of violent street protests.

She said Kunakorn was a child with disabilities and suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder."

http://www.mcot.net/...99#.UNSW2Xcf1nU

I do feel sorry for the boy who was at the wrong place at the wrong moment. I feel less sorry for the red-shirt taxi driver who run out of the house to see who was shooting, not because he was a red-shirt, but because being an adult and red-shirt he should have known to be careful in that area at night.

The taxi driver's parents shouldn't have allowed him to hang out with that mob

What??

Haha!

Read post 3

The BP has an article with the new tax percentage rates.

Summary:

150-300k: 5%

300-500k:10%

500-750k:15%

750-1mil: 20%

1mil-2mil: 25%

2-4mil: 30%

4mil up: 35%

No real mention of the deductions.

Are votes proportionate?

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Just wild generalisations, try sticking to the facts. The vast majority of protesters actually had no assault rifles, no grenade launchers and actually comprised many women and children. They were about as aggressive as most people's grandmothers are. There was a small minority violent element who the military apparently missed completely, choosing to shoot people that were neither armed, or in some cases even involved in the protests.

So (this will be interesting) how many of the reds did have assault rifles and grenade launchers according to your estimates?

The vast minority as all the actual evidence suggests. From yes and no answers with no discussion permitted to citing specific numbers in an incident involving 100s of 1000s of people... do you also wantt gps coordinates for these armed elements and perhaps names and addresses?

How many would you venture based on actual evidence Yoshiwara or is the onus of proof one sided much like the insults?

The "vast minority"!!!!!!!

That must be the funniest thing I've read this year!

Hahahahahaha

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Does this apply to the south too?

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