NongKhaiKid

Congratulations to the NY Times, this is good, responsible journalism. Thai media please take note.

I presume the author of the piece will not be used by NY times again and irrespective of whether his article was deliberately biased or simply poorly researched resulting in glaring inaccuracies I wonder how he can be managing editor of a magazine called Foreign Affairs.

Good question. Maybe you should write to, and ask, Gideon Rose.

Just say, for me too, Tepperman seems nothing more than a politically appointed twit,

And would be better writing about illicit foreign affairs of the sexual nature instead of Number Two

At a serious journal.

I'm presuming you know something of this publication and the owner so can i ask is it something of a respected publication and taken seriously ?

Tepperman certainly did it no favours by his article on Thailand and it being corrected in a newspaper like the NY Times

Yes. It is very well respected and deserves it, I think.

When I was young, about 18, about 40 years ago, I first read this journal.

It was also a way for those in government to voice their opinions or become better known.

I think people like President Ford contributed an article.

Maybe, probably, he had someone write it for him, or maybe he wrote it himself.

As you say, it is good when the newspapers police and correct themselves when they error.

And to error is human.

To err Divine.

Thanks very much for that.

I'm not saying I have never heard of the magazine as probably over the years it's been quoted on the likes of CNN and more than likely contributors have been interviewed.

If Tepperman had somebody " ghost " the article for him he deserves all he gets and can't wriggle as it went out under his byline and if as wrong as this one was it's self inflicted injury.

Congratulations to the NY Times, this is good, responsible journalism. Thai media please take note.

I presume the author of the piece will not be used by NY times again and irrespective of whether his article was deliberately biased or simply poorly researched resulting in glaring inaccuracies I wonder how he can be managing editor of a magazine called Foreign Affairs.

Good question. Maybe you should write to, and ask, Gideon Rose.

Just say, for me too, Tepperman seems nothing more than a politically appointed twit,

And would be better writing about illicit foreign affairs of the sexual nature instead of Number Two

At a serious journal.

I'm presuming you know something of this publication and the owner so can i ask is it something of a respected publication and taken seriously ?

Tepperman certainly did it no favours by his article on Thailand and it being corrected in a newspaper like the NY Times

Another official nightmare. Disciplinary investigation Yes, dismissal or worse Highly Unlikely !

Just as well for Jatuporn and co., that inciting riot and arson isn't regard as terrorism just the right to protest, peacefully.

Isn't it? Why has Jatuporn been charged with terrorism then? (I disagree with both charges btw, although if it came down to it, I'd definitely say Jatuporn was closer to it than the rubber farmers).

I was being sacrastic but it doesn't matter what he and others like him have been charged with as do you really think they will ever see the inside of a court far less have to defend themselves against possible conviction ?

Of course, Jatuporn's already seen a stretch of jail, unlike any of his opponents. You're right though, I don't see the UDD cases going too far under this government but then I don't see the PAD cases (another postponement yesterday, what's that? the 30th time?) or any cases against Abhisit or Suthep moving on too far either. I'd be very surprised to see any of these people actually in the dock. The court will likely throw out these terror charges pretty quickly. Hope so anyway, it's a nonsense charge by someone with an axe to grind. How biased is the judicial system? Well, it's fair to say the DSI does the government's bidding, as it did for the last government. I wouldn't call the police exactly neutral either. But based on cases during this government, I haven't seen too much indication that the courts are biased. At least not biased in favour of the government and allies anyway. After all: Jatuporn had his MP status revoked, Jeng Dokjik was jailed, another relatively prominent red shirt locally was jailed yesterday for three years for insulting Prem etc. Whilst despite the threats against social media etc, I can't think of any cases to date where any government opponents have been jailed - I may have missed something though...

Yes the legal and judicial system is erratic and unpredictable to say the least. In my time here I have heard so many times that powerful Thais are reluctant to hound each other as they may need the favour returned one day although it's usually in connection with corruption, misconduct, abuse of power and the like.

Politics can be different as getting political rivals or opponents out of the way helps consolidate real power especially when there's an agenda.

The Thai FDA said that there was no problem with the rice that was rejected by the customer in the USA, if so than why?

The US FDA has ordered every port such as in New York and Chicago to confine Thai rice for random inspection. If the agency finds Thai rice with problems such as contamination, fungus, mold, or over-fumigation five times, the importer would be ordered to refuse Thai rice from exporters.

The source said that such stringent inspection has created concern among American importers as well as Thai rice exporters. Importers could easily turn to order rice from other rice export countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia.

You are so right so has Thailand finally admitted a consignment to the US was rejected because he initial reaction was that it didn't happen ?

No, I do not know anything more than what's reported which is only a small but important part of the business.

It's good to read your wife's view especially taking a neutral point of view. It's very refreshing.

Where I live the people are overwhelmingly red, not everyone is but they never express any views in public that I can see. Come elections there are no Democrat or any opposition banners or canvassers and further out into the rural area the totally red villages warn non-red, non-PTP not to go there as their safety cannot be guaranteed.

Sounds like phuket and the treatment of anyone aligned with Ptp

Great thing this democracy and free speech, divide a country up by colour coding and declare no-go areas for other colours.

In Thailand where nothing and no one is truly independent the Speaker is a disgraceful case in point.

Far from being a neutral arbiter, adjudicator tasked with ensuring House business is conducted smoothly, fairly and in accordance with accepted procedures he is unashamedly totally biased and prepared to do whatever it takes to look after his parties interests.

WE should not be surprised however as it's all part of the PTP total control policy.

Go on tell me what has he done that is 'unashamedly totally biased". I presume you have some first hand experience and not just snippets from articles? Oh no, they took a break and the opposition recommenced the discussion after the break. Yes that sounds hugely biased and totally unacceptable. Do you actually know whats going on in the parliament?

I do not.

Maybe smutcakes don't

But you, NK-kid, do you?

My wife is 100% Thai, very interested in politics, and what we might call neutral.

But she feels shame about the way the coalition in which PTP is the biggest is making a mockery of what democracy should be.

And indeed, she is very much annoyed by the speaker of the house who will not let a single stone unturned to silence the opposition.

He, and PTP, and the redshirts, are using intimidation in and outside the Parliament to further their doubtful causes.

Including the degrading of the law-giving body of the land to call in the law-enforcing body.

Shameful, and a massive loss of face for Thailand.

No, I do not know anything more than what's reported which is only a small but important part of the business.

It's good to read your wife's view especially taking a neutral point of view. It's very refreshing.

Where I live the people are overwhelmingly red, not everyone is but they never express any views in public that I can see. Come elections there are no Democrat or any opposition banners or canvassers and further out into the rural area the totally red villages warn non-red, non-PTP not to go there as their safety cannot be guaranteed.

In Thailand where nothing and no one is truly independent the Speaker is a disgraceful case in point.

Far from being a neutral arbiter, adjudicator tasked with ensuring House business is conducted smoothly, fairly and in accordance with accepted procedures he is unashamedly totally biased and prepared to do whatever it takes to look after his parties interests.

WE should not be surprised however as it's all part of the PTP total control policy.

Go on tell me what has he done that is 'unashamedly totally biased". I presume you have some first hand experience and not just snippets from articles? Oh no, they took a break and the opposition recommenced the discussion after the break. Yes that sounds hugely biased and totally unacceptable. Do you actually know whats going on in the parliament?

Like everyone else I rely on what I read, see and hear and it's got more to do than calling a break.

I suppose you are going to say all the reporting on parliamentary business is biased against him and PTP

Not at all, but you write with 100% certainty on the issue as if you were there- i would presume that given your 100% certainty that he was acting in an unashamedly biased way that you had some additional verifiable information on his actions. If you are just relying on that article i think you comment is a bit OTT, no? There is nothing really in it to justify your response.

I thought it was clear that i have seen more than one article but it doesn't fit your argument.

I'm happy to agree to disagree.

In Thailand where nothing and no one is truly independent the Speaker is a disgraceful case in point.

Far from being a neutral arbiter, adjudicator tasked with ensuring House business is conducted smoothly, fairly and in accordance with accepted procedures he is unashamedly totally biased and prepared to do whatever it takes to look after his parties interests.

WE should not be surprised however as it's all part of the PTP total control policy.

Go on tell me what has he done that is 'unashamedly totally biased". I presume you have some first hand experience and not just snippets from articles? Oh no, they took a break and the opposition recommenced the discussion after the break. Yes that sounds hugely biased and totally unacceptable. Do you actually know whats going on in the parliament?

Like everyone else I rely on what I read, see and hear and it's got more to do than calling a break.

I suppose you are going to say all the reporting on parliamentary business is biased against him and PTP

The majority of these results are nothing knew and are repeated in poll after poll year after year as Thais rightly complain about abuses of power, the disparity between rich and poor, cronyism, the poor being kept down and so on.

None of this will concern the government who will be quite happy with support for transparency and good governance which is all the window dressing is about. They will hold their forum, Tony Blair will ramble on although I doubt the average Thai will know who he is, how lucky they are, but the bottom line is nothing will change.

This government has it's own agenda and despite being encouraged to listen to minority views there's no chance of that, they want full control and they want what they want, when they want it and woe betide anyone or anything that gets in the way.

Old soldiers in Thailand never die but they do get into politics, get seats on company boards like Thai Airways or get comfortable, well paying sinecures where their name as a consultant or whatever is enough, no need to actually do anything.

Just as well for Jatuporn and co., that inciting riot and arson isn't regard as terrorism just the right to protest, peacefully.

Isn't it? Why has Jatuporn been charged with terrorism then? (I disagree with both charges btw, although if it came down to it, I'd definitely say Jatuporn was closer to it than the rubber farmers).

I was being sacrastic but it doesn't matter what he and others like him have been charged with as do you really think they will ever see the inside of a court far less have to defend themselves against possible conviction ?

Does that mean they werent students at all but former students?

Sounds a bit like red schools, teaching students from a particular political prospective.

Sounds like someone's making it us as they go along.

When will we see the prosecution of the reds who fired the missiles at the white masks gathering?

In order to prevent double standards.

This is what it boils down to and the expressions " anti-government " or " anti-red " immediately demands attention and action.

Such attention will never be given to the activities of the reds who are anti everything that does not fit their views and who know they can act with impunity as the government has shown time after time they will not take action against them.

I don't know who writes her speeches but I am sure she doesn't do it personally, probably has little or no input.

It reminds me of the move ' Anchorman : The Legend of Ron Burgundy ' where his female rival screws him up by altering his script on the auto-cue when she was told he reads anything put in front of him and so it is with YL.

If she read in advance what has been prepared for her and was in the least bit intelligent she would refuse to read it as she looks and sounds stupid time after time.

Apart from the total control aspect and no doubt having a lot to hide what's the government worried about ?

They should know by now that no matter how tasty a subject is the Thai media aren't noted for shaking it, in depth reporting or follow up investigations.

I do believe PTP are so touchy that even the mildest criticism stings and has to be dealt with, again it's a matter of national security.

In following this story, it appears that to deny the rice was returned to Thaland is denial of the truth. The intial rejection was due to odor and appearance. The US importer refused delivery and by doing so, probably demanded redress via a preformance bond that was a part of delivery contract. Your rice is suspect thus the buyers will set the standards, not the commerce ministry.

Makes no difference what the local test shows, the denial to a containation is not addressing the orginal rejection, just more double talk by another incompentent. Its over, done with, take your lumps and move on.

If this is an accurate story it represents true " Thainess " where an American importer rejects a delivery of rice and Thailand says " oh no you didn't ".