Suffinator

RIP Democracy

A UNITED Nations expert on freedom of expression, David Kaye, yesterday urged Thailand to distance itself from the prime minister's intimidating statements against freedom of press, and take immediate measures to allow space for debate and freedom of expression.

Simple solution ... SANCTIONS!

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said recently that journalists who criticised him or "caused divisions" could be "executed", and that he enjoyed "the power to close down the media, arrest people, or order people to be shot".

And this coming from someone who now has absolute power without oversight or restraint.

"There is no sense that General Prayuth spoke in jest," the expert said. "But even if he did, the idea that the killing of journalists - let alone shutting down of media - can be a laughing matter is reprehensible."

He should have continued and pointed out that freedom of the press are the very pillars of democracy and ultimately do not allow politicians to act in a subversive manner for their own personal gain.

I wonder how the international community is going to react. Will they sit idly by and watch a dictator rule with impunity as they did with Burma or will they have learned the lesson and start piling on sanctions in an attempt to bring back democracy?

I wonder how long it will take Prayut to once and for all silence the press ... the amount of power he now holds with no oversight or restraint is frightening.

We can thank our lucky stars we are not Thai and that the opportunity to leave is merely a matter of choice.

Come on Japan ... what say you?

They should do for everyone, why to profile based on the color.

If race is motive, look like Thai police needs a color blind test first!

Didn't take long for someone to use the race card.

They have every right to target the Africans. They hardly come here to open legit businesses.

And you know this how?

Racial profiling and racism is for the ignorant. This clearly shows just how racist Thai society is. How and why they ever signed the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights is beyond me.

Considering my work which is internet based there is without question a problem with Nigerians but certainly not every Nigerian on the planet and therefore to target these people is again a pure act of racism.

Funny how the Thai women complain of being scammed. They should consider that it takes a special type of person to be scammed ... A) the very stupid and; the very greedy.

Defending the flight on its Facebook page, Orient Thai Airlines said its pilot and flight attendants have strictly abided by the aviation safety measures.

Does that include the strict safety measures that need comply with by the UN?

So the pilot had to perform an emergency landing where no emergency was present?

Seriously you couldn't make this up.

I see many people posting here saying they wouldn't fly with Thai Orient (formally 1-2-Go but changed after the fatal crash at Phuket). Personally I would get on any aircraft operated by a Thai carrier. Considering their obvious care for the safety and that they are more than willing to sweep such under the nearest rug is just asking for trouble.

Yet more news that will circulate around the world and show what a pitiful state Thailand is in due to on-going corruption and ineptness.

I for one would avoid any Thai carrier like the plague and considering the number of lost and downed planes of late who in their right mind would book a flight with an airline which is allowed to flout international safety standards because the gov and their departments couldn't give a rats a*** about safety ... as long as that money keeps rolling in and jobs can be awarded to incompetent family members and connected friends who cares.

Maybe it's time all countries banned Thai carriers until they are able to conform to international standards.

20 to 30 minutes is far too long. Considering it's the same old regurgitated nonsense every week this could be reduced down to less than a minute.

Everyone wants to be paid more but will anyone realize the consequences? Higher wages will lead to higher food costs etc; in other words the basic cost of living will increase as inflation rises. On top of that the labor market will take a huge hit once foreign run businesses decide that cheaper labor can be found in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos etc.

Annual wage rises are acceptable but these must be kept in line with the economic realities. If you want to decimate a country's economy then raising minimum wages to an unrealistic level is certainly a good way to start.

Yes you can do many things @7/11.

90 day report i do not think so. You go to immigration for your annual renewal, and they say you never report.

I do it @7/11 where is your receipt, sorry they not give receipt. You have to pay now .

Not a good idea for farangs , to many things to go wrong. You are reliant on a cashier who is not interested in doing things to help you

Just collect all those complimentary stamps as proof of reporting ....

Mr.Don expressed the view that such problems still exist in Thailand as a result of a lack of direct control and close monitoring.

Whilst others feel it's because those in power often have their snouts in the trough. It's common knowledge that the powers that be are aware of who owns and operates the fishing industry and who is involved in the human-trafficking so yes it could be argued that this was due to the lack of control.

You have to ask the question ... to what despicable depths can a nation and its people sink to in order to profit from the misery and often death of another human being.

There's only one real way to stop this on-going atrocity and that's for the U.S, U.K and EU to level sanctions banning any type of Thai fisheries product to be imported.

He also called on the EU, which seeks to give Thailand a yellow card for unsatisfactory human trafficking suppression, to give careful consideration to Thailand's strong intentions.

I intended to be a billionaire by the age of 25 so was rather disappointed I only make a couple of million ... the truth is that without ACTION nothing can be achieved and that the road to gold is paved with good intentions.

Often is the case that the Thais take all the flak and blame for this and yet whilst the Western nations take the moral high-ground condemning the practice they do NOTHING to stop it. This simply goes to show that all countries including Thailand are complicit in this heinous crime.

Maybe the Thai authorities could ask for assistance from western nations in the help to eliminate human-trafficking. Maybe it's time for the laws to be enforced or changed so that the perpetrator spend a minimum of 30 years behind bars and have their assets removed.

There are lots of ways to tackle crime of all types but unless there is a willingness with positive action then all you are left with with the hollow words ... strong intentions.

Lt. Gen. Kampanat also revealed that his forces have been monitoring the activities of underground resistance groups and will primarily employ peaceful negotiations to resolve unrest.

Does he mean people who believe in the right to democratic elections, freedom of speech and a free press?

Scary times for those who live there; even more worrying for those who cannot leave.

There are talks from some believing that Thailand could be the next Singapore if they had a gov willing to act for the people and whilst it must be said that Singapore was highly successful I doubt those running Thailand could mirror its success.

Now living in very dangerous times. It certainly spells the end to any idea of democracy.

You would catch me dead flying in any Thai carrier. Considering the recent UN reports I'm amazed any can travel over U.S, U.K or EU air space.

Daily clap trap.

So what are we looking at here if found guilty? 30 years + ... of course not ... it's a transfer to an in-active post. As a side note ... I wonder if they are going to book him for illegal gambling while they are at it?

THE suppression of human trafficking will be made a national priority on Friday to avoid the risk of Thailand being downgraded under an international protocol against trafficking, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said yesterday.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the TIP Level 3 was the lowest level a country could achieve ... if that is in fact the case how on earth could it get downgraded?

It's a shame that more time isn't spent on the real issues instead of attempting to make other political parties looking bad on Facebook. Seriously ... get off your mobile phones and try being proactive; that's the only way to solve this problem as finger pointing never achieves anything.

He said any officials found benefiting from human trafficking would also be punished.

I have a problem with the words 'found' and 'punished'. It's common knowledge who the main perpetrators are and yet nobody is 'found'. The few that are 'found' are generally low level lackeys who are invariable moved to in-active posts ... hardly any form of punishment is it.

As with the aviation issues it appears nothing ever gets done until they are threatened with sanctions that ultimately threatens the in-flow of money. It's about time the U.S, U.K and EU stepped in and piled on sanctions so that the message is crystal clear ... no right minded human being will tolerate those who abuse the human rights of others especially when that group is vulnerable.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely ... this mantra has invariably proved accurate and is the most insidious and dangerous pursuit any person can seek.

It's beginning to look like he'll do anything to suppress the people's right to freely express themselves, demonstrate and indeed criticize and yet Prayut remains convinced this is a form of democracy.

Let him do what he wants and we'll see how long an oppressive regime is allow to operate that violates basic human rights before sanctions start getting piling on.

I fail to see how any of this can be for the good of the Thai people.

And people often have asked me why I don't fly with any of the Thai based operators.

Let's be honest flying for most is worrying enough without having the knowledge that it's being run by stupid people who really don't care.

Thailand has been long heading down a path that leads to no return and yet just to save face they blindly keep walking. It is of course their own country and if they want to sink it it is of course entirely up to them and if they are capable of nothing else they at least we know they are capable of plunging a country into complete and utter disarray.

So effectively NOTHING was learned by the last major flooding. This goes beyond mere incompetence it's a farce of the highest order and yet the worse case scenario is being transferred to another department.

I would use the word 'Morons' but that would be berating the intelligence of a moron.

And that folks is the bell tolling the end of democracy or rather what little there was of it. Like or loathe the press a free press is the very pillars that uphold democracy and make governments conduct their actions with a degree of accountability.

He asked if the media would take the responsibility if the European Union stops buying seafood products from Thailand because of the Thai media’s negative reporting about Thai fishing industry. So what is Prayut suggesting .. bury the truth in order to protect the fishing industry? Does it not concern him that human rights are being abused? Would he submit himself to the kind of abuse those on the trawlers face? I think this is probably the most revealing and damning thing Prayut has said to date for it suggests that money above all is far more important than people. It's time Change.org produced a petition to the EU calling on sanctions and embargoes.

W H Auden - Stop All the Clocks ... this could be aptly be narrated for the death of democracy:

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.