Suffinator

"The airline is facing tough competition due to more players in the market especially low-cost carriers. Budget airlines and premium rivals are stealing THAI's passengers through their attractive promotions," a shareholder told the airline's executives at the annual meeting last Friday.

And there is the Thai mentality. Never mind about fair competition because they know they don't have the smarts to compete and therefore consider it stealing. Considering how corrupt the society is they would certainly know all about stealing but unfortunately NOTHING about fair and open competition.

The state enterprise should also give shareholders some assurances that its financial status was viable, the shareholder added.

These shareholders are delusional ... haven't the grasped the concept of 'investor risk'? You would think they would be dumping THAI shares and buying up share in competing airlines but no ... cry like babies and demand the gov help.

Another shareholder urged the airline's executives to reduce or end management by third parties especially politicians because these people have come and interfered with operations.

Well they got that part right in part ... welcome to cronyism and graft.

They wondered why THAI allowed its sister airline, Nok Air, to form NokScoot with a foreign partner instead of a local partner, reasoning that the new airline's income would not be added to the Thai economy, but would go to Singapore. A group of shareholders is preparing plans to frame this issue.

Maybe, just floating an idea here, that management realized that their foreign partners had more of an idea on how to make and run a profitable airline. Singaporeans are not subjected to cronyism or graft and therefore are free to WORK for their money.

The disposal of old aircraft was also raised at the meeting, which noted that some other airlines such as Etihad were also placing aircraft on the market at very competitive prices. If all of the old planes cannot find a buyer, they can be pawned at a local bank for cash, they said.

Who would want to buy a plane that has been badly maintained and is now only fit for the scrap yard. They need to stop moaning about other airlines and look at the real issues that has effectively bankrupt THAI.

It's the same old story all over Thailand. They love to talk about what's wrong, point the finger of blame at other authorities, but nothing ever gets done. Samui, like Phuket which has turned into a toxic cesspit, will continue down this road as long as the good old MONEY keeps rolling in from tourism.

I've traveled the world but few places compare to Thailand as being nothing short of a garbage dump. Look at the mentality ... I've seen Thais stand not a foot from a trash can and yet the prefer to throw their garbage on the ground.

In my days on Phuket it was nothing unusual to see rats crawling all over the place, especially in restaurants in the Town.

I would say that they ought to be ashamed of themselves but you can't shame the ignorant and uneducated. Take a walk anywhere in Thailand and there are dogs shitting, people throwing garbage on the floor, rats running around restaurant tables ... any they have the audacity to call Thailand a high class tourist destination ... it's cleaner in my toilet and by a remarkably long way.

It's a shame and another reason I left ... I just didn't consider living in a shit hole as a nice place to live but I guess there are some that like it that way.

So it's taken them 2 and a half years to finally get what will be nothing short of a circus underway. Well that gave them plenty of time to pay off all the right people as as the OP states .... The negligence charge carries a maximum penalty in Thai law of 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to B20,000 it'll be a 20,000 Baht fine.

Reporting on the case has been hampered by the reluctance of court officials to allow journalists into the courtroom.

Yeah can't have those pesky journalists reporting the truth now can we.

This case sinks of corruption from the top to the bottom.

Another delusional statement. The fact remains that laws are already in place but as usual corruption prevents enforcement.

"I have been working for the past six months and have accomplished a number of things. People know that the government is sincere and intends to resolve this problem."

Says who exactly? Oh yeah that would be the junta propaganda machine which effectively means squat diddly. I for one will believe in the 'accomplishments' when they actually materialize and I'll believe in the 'sincerity' when Prayut subjects himself to public scrutiny and full transparency on his assets. Until then it's all BS.

FARCE!

In time-honoured Indonesian tradition the real scumbag crooks become multi-millionaires while those pawns who do their bidding get shot. Ghastly cess pit of a country.

Once again Prbkk we see the effects of corruption and those in the know are fully aware that Thailand's corruption issues pales into insignificance compared to Indonesia.

Darwin

The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has claimed it has been able to effectively address a number of social issues in the past 6 months, particularly human trafficking problems.

It hasn't addressed anything other than finally owning up to the despicable way in which humans are used and abused for profit and they only did this after the US put them on T3 and the EU issued a yellow card.

In terms of anti-human trafficking efforts, the Ministry has successfully rescued Thai fishermen falling victims to human traffickers in Indonesia and removing street beggars nationwide

And yet in other news there's still between 2,000 and 4,000 (depending on the articles you read) that remains to be rescued ... the couple of hundred they did rescue now appears to be a paltry figure and once again the truth emerges to see the bigger picture that Thai officials have attempted to whitewash over with their usual rhetoric of 'look how great we are'.

As for the beggars ... every country has the same issue to some degree but in Thailand that is exasperated due to the inequality of living standards and the clear lack of state care.

So effectively the OP is just more propaganda that is full of holes ... or rather lies.

Yet again ... brake failure. I wonder how close he was traveling behind the taxi. Considering their love of tail-gating I suspect he was inspecting the contents of the taxis trunk.

Can't comment ... laughing too much from all the comments posted. Some very creative.

Of course a few aptly pointed out correctly that wherever there is religion there are delusional people. Still if if gives the poor folks some type of hope and comfort who are we to deny them.

One has to wonder how or why the BOI would think this is a great place to do business. They are all hotbeds of corruption, teeming with human trafficking, forced and child labor. Most willing to sacrifice the entire environment for the smallest of profits. What are they thinking?

On second thought its a perfect fit and logical choice.

Why wouldn't they like it? It's a home away from home environment and one they completely understand. Profits before humanity!

Ex-US envoy pushes for lowest ranking as 'many of the problems still remain'

It's nowhere near enough and as we have seen it's largely ineffective without follow up. What needs to be done is for western nations to blank ban all Thai exports and revoke their UN membership. Leave them out in the wilderness for a year or two and see how quickly they change their ways.

"The problem is so egregious that the US Department of Labour has officially highlighted Thai seafood as a tainted commodity," he said.

And yet despite the clear evidence the US, EU, UK and other western nations have turned a blind eye to it and continued importing fishery products from Thailand. A truly shameful act which makes them as guilty as Thailand as perpetrators of the crimes against humanity.

However Matthew Smith, executive director of Fortify Rights, a US-based group that works to prevent and remedy human rights violations, told the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee that Thailand prosecuted fewer human traffickers and complicit authorities in 2014 than it did in 2013, despite a greater number of people being trafficked in the country over the past year.

So for all of Prayut's rhetoric it is now a clear fact that he is incapable of turning his worthless words into measurable action. What a surprise. Shocking I know but there you have it.

Many Thai, Myanmar and Laotian fishermen still suffered terrible work conditions, according to Sompong Srakaew of the Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation.

But do the military and elitists really care whilst living in their guild cage where their very own vast fortunes have been built upon the misery, suffering and even death of others ... we all know the answer to that one.

How low can you sink as a human being when to profit from the misery, suffering and even deaths of children. I'm not a believer in religion but there's a big part of me that hopes that hell really exists and that there is a special place waiting for all those who have profited from what is the most heinous of crimes.

Enforcement of the new laws will not be as strict in the beginning, so operators have some time to adjust to the new system. More laws may be introduced in the future to further tackle IUU problems.

And there you have the punchline ... make news laws in an attempt to avert and EU import ban but don't bother about enforcement. It appears once again that there are those who refuse to give up those brown envelops.

The questions begs to be asked ...

1. will the 'adjustment period' be extended indefinitely if they can't adjust?

2. who is going to enforce the laws? Would these be the same corrupt official now controlling the ports?

If this is Prayut's attempt to appease the EU I think he's going to have a hard time selling it.

How can Thailand's economic woes be averted ...

1. Devalue the Baht

2. Read the numerous UN declarations that Thailand is signatory to; most importantly those on Human Rights and then adhere to them. Change the laws so that Human Traffickers and those enslaving people (notably in the Fishing Industry) face the death penalty and that businesses are stripped of all their assets.

3. Change the laws so that corruption is punishable as an act of Treason with a minimum of 25 years imprisonment with ALL assets being confiscated.

4. Reform education. Swallow your stupid pride and go talk to Finland and follow their education model; labelled as the best in the world it makes only sense to follow it and implement it.

I'm sure there are others but surely Prayut wants, ney demands, reform .... alas none of the above is likely to change until the EU, US, UK and other nations slam the doors in their face and refuse to do business with them until they comply. Their UN membership should also be revoked until they are able to comply.

The underlying issue here is that they appear incapable of long-term critical thinking where change is consider progressive; they appear to only focus on the here and now and like a cowboy builder botch a job so that it looks fine on the surface but underneath the house is collapsing.

All these issues are nothing new and it's now turning into a crisis as they attempt to divert economic disaster and yet despite all this Prayut and his merry band continue with their rhetoric that the EU is not going to impose a ban because we are putting plans together ... you know the problems so plans only play a minor role; what the EU wants is for action and history clearly indicates that such is not a strong suit of Thailand, it's leaders or people.

What is really shameful is that there are a number of decent and highly educated Thais out there; ones that are not and cannot be corrupted but unfortunately most of these have been accused of Lesse Majesty offenses and live in exile. These people are vilified because the elite have no intention of real change as it's not profitable. They will carry on putting a band-aid on a gaping wound and cry like babies in the hope that sanctions will never be applied against their inhumane and despicable behavior.

He said PACC secretary-general Prayong Preeyachitt met him on Wednesday to provide more evidence as requested. He claimed he also asked Prayong to check if there were more corrupt officials linked to those on the blacklist and why none had been prosecuted before.

Seriously, you need to ask that?

One word adequately sums up the OP ... DUH!

He said the government would have to bring in new blood to replace fired or suspended officials.

Time at the trough for the next generation of family member then?

If they EVER produced an accurate list and decided to imprison the lot then the only solution would be to build a wall around Thailand and declare it a penal colony.

he department said today it faces too much resistance to removing the revenue-generating wildlife from the temple and community.

And once again the Thai authorities clearly state that the well-being of animals and indeed humans comes far behind that of making money.

Frankly ANY tourist of person visiting this or other such establishments are devoid of any humanity. This is one industry that the world should boycott.

The Royal Thai Navy has formally submitted a request to the government to buy submarines for its submarine division, which has lacked a single vessel for the last 64 years.

So let me get this straight ... they have a submarine division but no subs? One would think that the solution is to disband the division and save the taxpayer a load of cash. Besides that what in gods name are they going to do with a submarine? I'm sure I read that there weren't any waters in Thailand deep enough for them to be effective?

So, 64 years without a sub and this division has been paying Navy personnel for a job that is in all logistical terms obsolete.

Admiral Kraisorn Chansuvanich, commander of the Thai navy, said he hopes the cabinet will deliberate on the request soon, because submarines are needed to bolster Thailand’s armed forces.

For what event dear Admiral? Who or rather which country poses such a threat that would require a sub that effectively you won't be able to use?

"Neighboring countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore have had submarines in their arsenals for many years," ADM Kraisorn said. "Now that I am here, I think it is a part of the strategy to improve our armed forces.

Ah I see, my question above is answered ... other countries have them so I want one ... yes the old 'Keeping Up with the Jones's' attitude but I doubt that such a cost could be justified. .... what is worrying here is your final statement of above in that you only 'think' it's part of the strategy ... are you in some way suggesting you don't actually know?

As usual nothing here has been thought through and frankly there is no justification as to why Thailand would need to spend such a vast sum of money on something that A) they don't need and; won't be able to use effectively. After not having a sub for 64 years I think any sane individual would say there is no necessity of it.

As usual it's all about Money and Me ... pure greed. If they don't like their occupation then find another job. Unfortunately they know all too well there are not many jobs that allows them to earn a living whilst being able to sleep most of the day.

Lazy and stupid only beings to describe them adequately.