rickirs

I don't agree with Satish's involvement with anti-government protests given that its by the permission of the government that he has resided in Thailand. However, suspension of his deportation based on his pending appeal to the King seems just a reasonable judicial procedure. To deport him before a decision by the King would be an affront to the King's authority and by the Court's suspension, the government saves face by TEMPORARILY removing responsibility for delaying the deportation. Of course there is no legislative or judicial deadline for the King to make any decision, maybe next year? The larger question is wjether Satish in the interim can continue his anti-government activities or should that also be suspened? I think the latter.

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Putin reminds me of Hitler. Hitler started by taking back Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia) and Austria, both territories that the German Reich has lost in the First World War in much the same way as Putin has taken land in Abzhazia, South Ossetia and Georgia and next the Crimea. In the 1930s, other world leaders allowed Hitler to take back Sudetenland and Austria, taking the attitude that it was just poor little Germany trying to get back land that they had (possibly unfairly) lost. In the same way, world leaders have allowed Putin to take whatever land he likes, but the Crimea seems to be a Poland moment. When Hitler tried to take back Poland, World War II broke out. Tolerance came to an end. I think Merkel is now saying that tolerance of Putin's actions have come to an end too.

Remember Hitler was also elected by the people. He was not a dictator proper. Again Putin is the same.

Just for the record President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler as chancellor of Germany. Hitler was not elected.

"Mr. Issara has refused to surrender himself to the police." This attitude of refusing to comply with law enforcement seems to be a common element among the PDRC. And people actually support these accused to take over the government representing democratic principles. It looks like there will be a repeat of 2007-2010 violence if Democrats come back into power by circumventing once again a democratic system of government and the Constitution.

Let's see how long EC approval lasts before Suthep files a complaint before the Contitutional Court to hold EC approval unconstitutional. I am surprised that the EC didn't insist on a royal decree before it would even consider the reshuffle.

In other breaking news, the Chatuchak Market has announced a weekend sale on many thousands of miscellaneous branded items just recently purchased from unidentified sources.

Most of these "proposals" would fall into the category of being unconstitutional that would trigger dissolution of the Suthep "shadow" government also being proposed as well. So I wouldn't be surprised another corruption fighting proposal will be that all judges who have or might rule in favor of the PTP will be deemed "corrupt" as well based on "secret evidence" that only Suthep possesses and be immediately removed from the judicial system to be replaced by candidates from the People's Committee. The Democrats are like thieves calling for law and order.

When you compare the half hour or more that CNN spends on reporting and interviewing on the Ukraine protests and the Venzuela protests compared to the five minute prepared Q&A with Yingluck, you'd have to admit that CNN doesn't display any concern with Yingluck's government. And yet CNN does a very competent job with other countries to dig into all the underlying corruptions and abuses of governments. So why the disparity in reporting? When the Democrat anti-government protesters support a former dictator-style government that operated similarily to current Venzuela and former Ukraine governments, was displaced by a democratic process, and continues to oppose a democratic rule of law, Thailand only deserves lip service. I've watched BBC, Al Jeezera News and China News who give even less attention to Thailand's anti-government protests than CNN.

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shame the pdrc has to employ those knuckle draggers as guards....... pathetic.

Now, now. Some of them are professional soldiers and special forces moonlighting with all their military-issued gear and weapons. It's good to know that Suthep appeals to all professions because he is such a democratic leader.

Much to Chiang Mai's relief.

Once you leave the store with prepared food without checking it, who's to say the food wasn't contaminated by the customer later. in this case the customer retuns 2 HOURS later for an ice cream sundae? That is suspicious.

Judges should be stuck with police "protection" like everyone else. Then maybe they can do something to make that organization more effective and professional. Frankly, another indepdendent organization is the last thing Thailand needs. But maybe the judges can hire Suthep's armed guards, even the military doesn't bother them.

'....final outcome is still pending in the Supreme Court." If he had worked for the PTP government and Suthep filed a complaint against him, the Supreme Court would have a ruling within a day. The Thailand Court system seems to have very peculiar priorities.

“...shocking corruption conspiracy in the country’s energy sector that has exploited the country’s wealth for over a decade."

So the guilty would include the PDRC administration as well as the PTP administration. Good to know that the PDRC will be just as tough on itself for contributing to national corruption as on the PTP.

How about continuing to delay the car refunds and use it to pay the rice farmers now? Their need is more critical that to first time car buyers. Then as rice is sold the car refunds can go out.

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The Constitutional Court's long-awaited ruling today on the 2 trillion baht bill will be a seminal event and the first major volley in the series of legal challenges that the former Yingluck administration faces. If the Constitutional Court deems it unconstitutional, Suthep's suspicions regarding Pheu Thai's response will be spot on. If he is, and Pheu Thai defies the court once again, then that establishes a precedent too frightening to contemplate - a situation where a Constitutional Court ruling is simply ignored, and law itself is seen to be dismiss-able. That is the climate that Pheu Thai and the UDD have been so careful to prepare. It should scare everyone. So, the focus should not be whether Suthep manages to get hundreds of thousands on the streets or even only three or four people. This has never been about Suthep, or the numbers on the streets, or the numbers of tents erected in Lumpini Park. If it was, this movement would have been a non-event from the word go. It hasn't though, and that is because it is a movement of beliefs, not numbers. And the thing about what the PDRC has been consistently right about, and why they have struck such a deep chord in Thai society - is that each day we see actions from Pheu Thai that illuminate the very abuses of power that the PDRC speaks of. Todays' ruling - and Pheu Thai's reaction to it - will indeed be the game-changer. And for those who are skeptical about how the public feels about this throughout the county - need only cast your minds back to the days and weeks following the passing of Thaksin's amnesty bill in the middle of the night.

Quote: " it is a movement of beliefs, not numbers"

Yes Scampi, for once you admit the truth. The belief is the the amart has to control the country. That ordinary Thais are not part of this belief system is indicated by the lack of numbers supporting Suthep and his backers. The protest sites are now occupied only by those paid to be there. Ordinary Thais have sussed out Suthep long ago.

Hold on, you can't say that. You will hurt the feelings of some on TVF that claims the "majority" does not support the current Govt.

He is absolutely correct... the vast majority do not support this government and wait patiently for their ultimate removal and hopefully some very long prison sentences as a bonus.

8 million votes from the 40 million who were able to vote. is 20% of the popular vote.

The other 8 million in BKK and the south have yet to vote and I doubt the PTP will get a single extra vote. So about 15% want them and 85% don't.

But then again I assume this math is not above you... It is just another case of lying when you have no defense. Your 'Thainess' is blooming.

And that's why Thailand needs never-ending national elections until Suthep thinks there'll actually be one where PDRC can get a majority. He just needs a final push.

"those who passed it should show responsibility to resign if it was rejected as practiced by all legislatives in the world, but he said this caretaker would again show no responsibility, he said." Other government administrations don't resign just because offered legislation doesn't pass. Suthep best stick to how Thailand law works and forget about trying to make paralelles to real democracies.

"With such possibility of defiance of the law, of the court, and repeated wrongdoings, it was necessary to have a final push to overthrow the regime, Suthep said." So Suthep sees himself as the legal law enforcement and Court of the land to decide guilt and punishment, even without the use of his People's Committee. He is about as fascist as was Mussoulini.

Seems Thailand should just abolish the parliament system of government and substitute the Court System to govern the country. It seems to be making all the decisions for both left and right on a daily basis. And since no one court is bound by any other court decision, just "cut to the chase" and eliminate all the different courts and retain only the Supreme Court. It is the only institution that has authority over all Thailand institutions anyways except for the armed foces. The Supreme Court members are all appointed by the King so in essence Thailand would return to a pure monarchy form of government. Since the armed forces pledge allegiance to the King, you have political harmony and political opposition parties would cease to exist. Surely not as strange as how the current goevrnment system operates now.

"Explosive Ordnance Disposal superintendent Pol Colonel Kamthorn Uicharoen said EOD officials had cancelled their inspection at the site after they were informed by the PDRC guards that it was not convenient to let them in."

PDRC controls the crime scene but complains about incompetent public investigations. In this case it appears that the bomb may actually been accidentally triggered by the PDRC who now needs to rearrange the "evidence," maybe thrown in a PTP membership card.

No matter how the court rules, it will be providing sopme useful guidance on foreigner stays in Thailand, subject of course to appeals by either side where legal precedent is irrelevant. If the court rules in favor of Satish it may mean that a foreigner's term of stay in Thailand may entitle them to "residency" without following the residency regulations. Of course such a foreigner would have to be deemed a "good person." A favorable ruling would also mean foreigners are entitled to the same freedom of speech enjoyed by Thai citizens. An unfavorable ruling just means the status quo determined by current rules and regulations in place. Apart from the ruling's affect on Satish, a win-win for the rest of Thailand's foreigners.

Some serious reforms in the structure of the government, its relationship with the various independent court systems, and independent agencies will require changes in the constitution. That will add another one to two years to Suthep's 18 months. Organized public protests may further impact any reform timetable. Can Thailand basically be stateless over that entire period or in the hands of an unelected administration before the nation's infrasturcture, economy, and Thai baht collapses? A less aggressive reform plan focused on a few fundamental changes may be more healthy for the nation than a grand sweeping change.

The Constitutional Court renedered the State of Emergency toothless. Oddly without doing so during the Democrat administration - guess its a matter of "connections." The military operates independently of the government and police; decides its own conditions for action. So removal of the SOE hardly seems critical. Now that PDRC has left some of its protest sites, maybe the PTP can move in with their protesters and have army bunkers protect them too.

Forming a club to help combat the competition is a very worthy and tourist friendly effort to gain back customers. But to characterize foreign-owned companies established legally by using a Thai nominee as the cause for losing customers is wrong. Thailand set up such corporate arrangements to attract foreign investment while keeping 51% control in Thai ownership and now it's working against 100% native-owned businesses.

Something else that is also wrong is that this club is a for-profit orangization. So why would police or any other government agency be part of the club? Their membership or representation in the club seems to be a conflict of interest that is immediately biased towards foreign-owned companies.

There is no excuse. There are special toilet papers for septic systems that shouldn't degrade the system at all. While they are not like the 3-ply, baby-soft, super strong normal household toilet paper, they get the job done.