In Town

"the Pheu Thai party issued a statement criticizing the military’s overacting in the use of a large military force to lay siege to Mr Wattana’s house and whisk him away to an undisclosed destination"

this is the Phew Thai's explanation of how the Junta provoked Mr Wattana on face book giving them no choice to arrest him, now Phew Thai and Yingy have lost face due to his arrest and crying like stuck pigs,Mr Wattana was just sitting there minding his own business that it was all the Juntas fault and over reaction with a large military force. booo hooo hooo!!

This from childish/immature people who have been controlling and manipulation political events since TS became a fugitive.

I say round up all of the Phew Thai and put them in a dungeon and throw away the key, then maybe some things may change in Thailand, not all but some.

You may get your wish. It seems they will round up all people who question the regime (on Facebook or elsewhere) and lock them away. When they have all been locked up and dissent eliminated you will finally achieve the country you desire, and perhaps deserve.

Ha ha ha... Good joke!

I would comment of the truth of Jatuporn's statement, but I guess that would be illegal. Suffice it to say that the truth is out there...

Or when the green shirts opened fire on unarmed civilians? Here is an interesting quote: “The Commander of the Thai Army has ordered every division of the army to help promote a right understanding [about the draft constitution] among communities on a regular basis to keep people informed and updated,” said Sirichan.

From the article:

“When I was taken into the vehicle, my face was covered, and on top of that, a rubber band was placed over my eyes, so I couldn’t see anything,” Sirawith, 23, said in the video. He said the vehicle drove him around for a long time, with about 20 turns taken before he was taken out to a place he reckoned was a field.

“They dragged me into a grassy jungle … and forced me to squat, but I refused.”

At that point, he said, the men kicked him down onto the ground.

“Then they walked to me and began verbally reprimanding me: ‘You want to become famous? Why are you talking with journalists? Are you conspiring with journalists? You have no religion or faith? Do you know your duty? What have you done for the country?’” he said. Asked by an unidentified fellow activist in the video whether he was physically assaulted, Sirawith said he was struck and kicked. “They slapped my head once. Hit my back once and kicked once. That’s three,” he said. “Then they used something to stick at my body,” adding he was unsure whether it was a wooden stick or a gun barrel.

But junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree this morning admitted that the military was behind the arrest. Nevertheless, he claimed that the soldiers acted in accordance with the law, and in a dignified, non-violent manner. “The soldiers treated him with honor. There was no violence as alleged by someone who tried to distort the facts,” said Col. Winthai, adding that the soldiers have the authority to make the arrest because Sirawith had an outstanding warrant issued by the military court.

Col. Winthai also told reporters that Sirawith has been “increasing his provocative behavior” in recent days. “I believe those in the society that have been following the news are conscious of this,” the colonel said. “However, in order to avoid creating a negative image or feeling towards security officers, especially now that those with ill intentions are attempting to exploit the issue, security officers are proceeding with everything with caution.”

The pro-democracy activist, who incensed authorities last month by trying to lead a group of activists to the scandal-plagued Rajabhakti Park in Hua Hin, said he was eventually taken to the police station.

Criminals should be arrested. But in this case it seems the criminals were doing the arresting!

Holy s**t! Taken to a field and forced to kneel while being accused of traitorous behaviour for investigating corruption. Simulating extrajudicial execution technique is one way of "attitude adjustment". The way you know this was officially sanctioned is that they then dropped him off at the police station. Holy s**t!

Now although I am very much not a junta supporter I would not take the word of this movement that he was abducted. Difference between abduction and apprehended. He was after all wanted by the military court on a BS charge.

This did not look like an arrest, but more like a kidnapping.

Keep digging boys.

Then share a link to the video and I may feel differently. All I see is a photo of a pick-up truck.

Here is a link to the article: http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/5784

And here is a link to the video: https://www.facebook.com/newdemocracymovement/?fref=ts

He will disappear if world does not respond to political crisis in Thailand.

Yes, I think it very likely he would have "disappeared" if the snatch had not been witnesses and videoed.

Snatching student activists of the streets! And so the next phase begins..

Will they admit to having him?

Will they make public where he is?

Will he be allowed a lawyer?

Is it snatching if he has been summoned by a court and refuses to turn himself in ?

(if they deny having him and not sending him to that court but keeping him locked up somewhere I will agree with you but so far that is not clear yet)

Well, it is certainly an irregular method of arrest. Could they not have just gone to one of his classes or his dorm and arrested him in the light of day? Why snatch him off the street in such a threatening way, unless the snatching itself is part of the "attitude adjustment". I cannot understand why they are after him at all, since the stated intention of this "government' is to end corruption, and all he was doing was investigating allegations of corruption. They should be encouraging that.

I just pray he will not "commit suicide", or slip on a bar of soap, or fall out a window.

Ha ha. Machine for an election that will never occur. They may be hollow, or built by the British bomb detector firm. Cheaper they are, the more profit for everyone involved!

Okay. I guess what I mean to say is that it is ironic that Issara and the yellow shirts would object to the US acting towards Thailand in a patronising way, when they themselves are patronising to rural folk.

Some of these people must fear the coming purge, and some must be regretting throwing in with the mad hatter. Interesting days ahead if we have serious splits in the regime.

40-50 senior military officers the police have told the BP in an article this morning - not sure if this is shaping up as a purge or a turf war.

If I were one of those officers I would be thinking about getting on the right side of history, the right side of the population, and the right side of the international community (particularly the human rights NGOs), as it is too easy to slip on the soap or fall out a window or simply disappear in this country. Better to be high profile and have someone looking out for you than an anonymous sacrificial lamb.

Some of these people must fear the coming purge, and some must be regretting throwing in with the mad hatter. Interesting days ahead if we have serious splits in the regime.

I have always thought that punishing dishonest parties is a service to the public...or am I wrong?

In a democracy aren't dishonest parties punished by lack of voter support and/or campaign funds? Or if the party leadership has violated laws, they are charged and prosecuted under a constitutional rule of law. What does suppression of party votes have to do with punishment of alleged dishonest parties?

Neither the MMP or MMA has anything to do with punishing dishonest parties as presented by the CDC. Both systems are designed to merely minimize a large, well-funded political party from gaining a mandate in the legislature and allowing to some extent of recognition in elected positions for the minority of different voter groups. Both systems are the opposite of the republican "winner take all" elections.

How many democracies do you know that would allow a convicted criminal fugitive to run their government, pay ministers and party MPs a salary to do as told and populate senior positions with inexperienced unqualified relatives who'd do as told?

Are you referring to the current PM? I don't think he has been convicted in court yet of buying politicians or nepotism, but Thai courts are not perceived by some as particularly rapid, so it may only be a matter of time.

The intent is to weaken PT, but it will not work as they expect. PT will win the most constituency seats, and will be the second highest vote getter in seats won by the democrat party, so they will get list seats for those votes as well. In the end there is no way you can change the election system to provide a different outcome. If most people vote for PT then they will win under any system that awards seats for the same amount of votes, so they will need to change the system so that the Democrats can win seats with fewer votes than needed by PT. That will be the next "reform".

Election dates please ?

The Deputy PM told the US Ambassador yesterday elections would be held by May 2017.

No the statistics I posted are rock solid. Google it.

Here it is in a nutshell:

Republicans increase the national debt more than Democrats do, and contrary to popular belief, Democratic Presidents are more fiscally responsible than Republican Presidents.

Okay. Google to the rescue. Here is one from the famously conservative New York Times: http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/16/what-is-driving-growth-in-government-spending/?_r=0

$18,422,792,500,500 and growing.

http://www.usdebtclock.org

Since 1960 the US debt was increased on average by:

Republicans 85% each.

Democrats 29% each.

Ronald Reagan was the king of running up the debt 186%

GW Bush comes in 2nd 101%

Now you know.

Hilarious made-up statistic. The growth in debt is driven by unfunded entitlements enacted by Democrats. Republicans (RINOs) also create debt, because they are in coalition with the corporations (as are Democrat politicians) that fund their campaigns, That is why when politicians reach Washington they become exactly the same, supporting endless war and using workers money to buy the votes of non-working voters.

$18,422,792,500,500 and growing.

http://www.usdebtclock.org

I support them. What's not to like? Reduce debt, slash spending, lower taxes!

What's not to like?

Off the top of my head

1) They have turned the US congress into a complete cluster&^k where virtually nothing gets done, by refusing to compromise even a little with other elected officials who do not share their fundamentalist views

2) They have brought the US government to the brink of defaulting on its debt a couple of times now, actions which have cost the US taxpayer billions of dollars, and have cut a couple of percentage points off economic growth rates. They have done this apparently because they are too stupid to understand that the debt ceiling has nothing to do with future spending decisions, it simply allows the government to pay for past spending decisions. As someone who worked hard to accumulate a decent retirement fund for myself, I am getting sick and tired of these morons putting it all at risk by threatening to tank the global economy out of pure ignorance.

How's that for a couple of things not to like?

Hmmm.

1) You think a small minority of representatives can screw up Congress? Without them Congress would be great? That's a stretch.

So, they should express an opinion shared by a fifth of the country, at least? Isn't fundamentalism relative?

2) I think your statement questionable. You prefer to pile up debt for your children to unfairly fund your retirement? How selfish. You don't think the debt ceiling has anything to do with future spending? I think it does, as if you don't raise it they don't have any money for future spending, but perhaps you are an intellectual economist.

I support them. What's not to like? Reduce debt, slash spending, lower taxes!

Leffe is good, the others, not so much...

Leffe is not bad, but have you tried other Belgian beers?

Yes, I love Belgian ales. Chimay and Duvel. Cannot stand Stella...

Red it is! Everyone should join in to show distain for oppression and support for freedom.