PilotEd

This is a rigged impeachment by the Abhisit forces known as the yellow shirts. They just don't want to give the poorer people a bone ever. Instead like all the wealthy folks around the world they are not content with owning 99% of the wealth - they want it all. Greedy bastards!

Now why don't they ask the upcountry rice farmers how much better their lives are under this PM.

Business people predictably are happy with oligarchys..

Actually this decision will only galvanise the people of Thailand at the next election.

More red shirt sacrificial lambs going to jail for standing up for their democratic while the yellow elite hide behind their faceless men and walk free will give the people more reason to reject those who instigated the robbery of power of two democratically elected leaders who won with the greatest majorities in Thailand political history.

This might seem harsh now but the world is watching and Thailand has been widely condemned for their actions.

Quite rightly the PTP are biding their time and these actions will only swell their numbers at the ballot box.

I find your appraisal of the situation facile.

PTP has lost significant traction upcountry. The rice scam fiasco severely damaged them.

Dream on. Come live up country like I do and you will see that the Red Shirts are gaining in strength. They are smarter than you give them credit for and they know who represents their interests and not the interests of the elite Bangkok minority.

I do live upcountry you have it wrong.

Well, as I said: Dream on. If and when there are democratic elections we will see which of us is right.

Any Yellow shirts going to be in cell with him or are they completely innocent of any wrong doing.

It seems to me that Suthep was doing plenty of inciting.

There is a key paragraph in the article that seems to be overlooked:

"Once the election is held, Thaksin's name will continue to be sellable in the North and Northeast, except if the military-installed government can solve the economic problems of rural people. If that happens, Pheu Thai's chances of an easy win will have to be re-evaluated."

But I don't think the yellow shirts and their friends in the military are interested in helping anyone but themselves.

If they just could get it through their heads that helping the rural folks who are struggling, it not only would benefit themselves but the country as a whole.

It just seems that the greedy won't give up any of their material position and possessions. And most have more than they can spend in their lifetime.

BTW - this is true all over the world, not just here in Thailand.

That ostrich does indeed seem to be hurrying to a business meeting.

I had a similar experience many years ago with the Avis rental agent at Don Muang. He tried to get me to pay 5000 for damage that was listed on the sign out sheet saying that I made it worse which did not happen. I think he was counting on me needing to catch a flight but that was not the case so I waited him out while he threatened to call the police. He finally said that he would let it go this time as it wasn't serious.

I am sure this was just some Avis worker trying to get some pocket money as I am sure this is not Avis policy.

Well we now know which side the EC and their masters are on.

Indict the populists and slap the hand of the representative (Suthep) of the elite of Thailand.

I have no brief for the Shinawatra family but at least when they lined their pockets they also helped the lower classes.

Now if they would do the same about the ivory trade.

Save the elephants

This is, I am sure, inaccurate as I'll bet they did not bother to poll persons outside of the Bangkok elite.

If there is a fair general election the red shirts will win again.

But I will also bet a new constitution will rig the voting so that it is not one person one vote.

In spite of what the elites are saying, every country is ready for democracy, the education level of the populace not withstanding.

Show me a politician in any country who's wealth does not increase while in office and afterwards. Just look at U.S. senators, representatives and even supreme court justices.

In and of itself it does not prove she did anything wrong.

I am not defending her actions while in office but her increase in wealth is not evidence of wrong doing.

Yet TG has the highest prices. Where is the money going.

More overpaying of the elite bosses I suspect.

I am a Royal Orchid member but usually fly other Star Alliance members.

This is simple - 20 year olds and common sense are an oxymoron. We were all there at one time.

I have seen Brits, Americans and Aussies of the same age group behave similarly although I must say that the Russians seem to be the rudest among the rude.

They just shouldn't rent motor bikes to anyone under 40.

And, BTW, curtail the driving of vehicles to Thais under 18.

Here's the key phrase:
"The National Energy Reform Council will meet early next week on downsizing the Oil Fund to benefit the general public in terms of the cost of living"
In other words the price of energy is going to rise for the rural poor so the elites can save a bit on their taxes.

The biggest problem I have with the Chinese tourists is their rudeness.

Culturally they may be used to tight quarters and pushing and shoving but they should leave that behind them.

I have stayed at hotels that include breakfast with the accommodations. When there are Chinese there you are lucky if you can get near the buffet tables.

I have problems walking and have been knocked over twice.

At the omelet tables they shove in front as if you haven't been patiently waiting your turn.

And this behavior carries over into other aspects - checking in/out etc.

To the poster who called the PTP "commie" I suggest you look up just what communist implies.

The only reason I can think of for your reasoning is that you are part of the moneyed class and that the Shinawatras and the PTP used populist policies to redistribute some of the wealth of Thailand down to the rural poor who constitute the bulk of the population.

Stalin and Mao were not true communists because Marxist theory says the ruling of the nation is to be in the hands of the proletariat not the military as both of those did.

I happen to believe that communism is totally unworkable but some socialism as we see in places like Denmark and Sweden does help the general populace. However that requires that folks like you pay a little of your wealth (taxes) to help those less fortunate than you.

First of all the posters who called attention to unlicensed drivers are absolutely correct but it must also include uninsured and underage drivers.

As to police corruption, the excuse that police are corrupt is because they are underpaid just doesn't hold water. In NYC, LA, Chicago etc. The police are paid well and are very corrupt.

The answer lies in ridding corruption from the upper classes. No getting away with murder or driving while texting and underage and killing 16 people.

When the elite take responsibility for their role in Thailand then we can deal with police corruption.

I don't see anything wrong with "buying" votes with populist policies.

I did not support the government of Yingluck but she was elected by the people.

Remember that Thailand is mostly poor.

This is and has been about the elite trying to help themselves and enrich themselves at the expense of the majority of Thais.

When is the NCPO going to allow CNN, BBC etc. to come through?

I can still get world news via internet so the ban is ineffectual.

However, I still like to see the videos of events around the world.

They can always block segments they feel harm their progress.

#86:

I was going to try to sort out your dependence on the Kool-Aid fed to you but then I remembered George Carlin's advice:“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”

Try actually reading the constitution and especially the wording of the second amendment.

The yellow shirts remind me of the Tea Party in the USA. They actually believe by putting the elites in power the benefits will filter down to them.

But time and time again we have seen that trickle down economics only works for the elite class and the rest of the people get trickled down with urine.

I don't like the Thaksins any more than most yellow shirts but the only way to democracy is with elections. An appointed council (of which I am sure the equally corrupt Suthep sees himself as the leader) is not democracy. It is an autocratic oligarchy.

I hope the army sets up elections quickly.

A few years ago my wife, a licensed Thai national, was hit by an unlicensed driver driving an uninsured pick-up that wasn't his.

He gave the police 10000 THB and suddenly the accident was her fault.

Fortunately, we carry the first class insurance so it took care of car repairs, medical expenses (both she and her mother were injured) but it did effect our insurance rates.

As other persons have said in their replies, the first thing to address is getting rid of unlicensed, uninsured drivers as well as underage operators.

Our daughter is anxious to drive our car but knows clearly that until she passes a drivers test and gets her license, she is only allowed behind the wheel for her lessons with a licensed driver.