Fat Haggis

OK I give in. The Junta is evil!

I have always stood up for Prayuth and his vision for Thailand, but this is one step too far, and coming on top of single gateway, this reeks of paranoia.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

I believed that the General started out with good intentions, but starting losing his way early on when he probably realised that running a country wasnt quite as easy as running an Army, where people did what they were told.

He quickly stifled any dissent and didn't like criticism, whether it was nasty and vindictive, or constructive, The Army is as autocratic as it comes, and there he would never have had his commands questioned, stepping up to the big chair and running the country where the people are not conditioned to follow his commands is a big big big reality check.. And he doesn't like it.

The economy is in tatters. Along with many other countries, but the constant referrals that "Thailand " is different or that people don't understand is old and boring, they understand just fine, it's burying your head in the sand and habit the wrong people at your side that hasn't helped.

Don't make promises that you can't keep, and he's doing this now, instead of listening to the voices of the people, he's silencing these voices, he has a "how dare they speak to me in that tone? How dare they question me? "

A great leader opens his heart to people, accepts their criticism, and does what he can to resolve thier concerns and their issues, a great leader is tolerant of fools, but is firm, but fair and friendly in how he deals with them.

A great leader reaches out and helps, and puts themselves in the shoes of the poorest person, and tries to see things from their perspective.

A great leader allows opinions both good and bad, a great leader should be strong enough to debate with confidence, without making threats about "shooting people" or have them whisked off in the small hours for a week of Army bullshit to have their attitudes adjusted.

A great leader doesn't suppress information, he encourage people to see the good and the bad. A great leader tells the truth.

Prayuth doesn't fall into a great leader category, neither did Thaksin by a long shot. Both let power corrupt them, more so Thaksin, as he skimmed and scammed the country blind.

Thailand needs a mans man, one who understand the people, and puts their needs before his own, and it needs someone that the entire country looks up to, admires and respects.

Perhaps that person hasn't been born yet?

Let's be honest about all this- the reason Thaksin keeps coming up is the fact that he has tried to manipulate the elections and the governments to suit his own agenda. The last government tried to push through an amnesty bill- simply so he could return. He can return today if he wants to. Every Thai has the right of return. If he was interested in helping the country and he felt he was right, he would return to fight his case and conviction in the courts. Instead, he sits in luxury in another country and uses his wealth to continue his manipulation. When he was in power he used policies that were not sustainable in the long term to try and solidify his agenda. That agenda is greed and to solidify his Clan's power for their future- not the countries.

The other side is not without sin . The have not presented any programs or leadership that gets any buy in from the majority of people. They can't seem to find a leader that connects with all the people in every region. Part of this is that- during an election- messages cannot be brought to all sections of Thailand due to organised and often violent opposition funded from abroad by you know who.

What do you have left? The military . And they have the difficult task of sorting out this mess and trying to transition the country into one in which fair elections can be held. The General needs a chance to try and sort everything out and has not had enough time to do so. Even Western governments like the US and UK need time when they come to power to get their agenda passed. This normally takes years before any real change is noticed. Too many people in Thailand expect the General to do everything immediately If he used Section 44 for every decision, while quick, what would the outcry be then?

Thaidream is one of the few posters on Thai Visa who posts with intelligence and not prejudice. You are 100% right and you have expressed what is undoubtedly the case. Well done.

At least you're admitting to having a prejudice, and to a degree Thai dream is spot on, right up to the part about the military, the military are at the centre of everything, staging coups is about the best thing their military does as they keep staging them.

The minute the Military begin to be held accountable for their actions and coups will be punished accordingly, then Thailand stands a chance of moving forwards. The military are at the centre of every domestic issue, and have been since the 1930's, they are the common denominator in all of Thailands power struggles, not Thaksin, and the sooner some folks here realise this the better.

The army only care about two things, protecting the monarchy, and I hope this isn't breaking the rules here by saying that, and the other one is themselves.

They don't care about the general population, they care about what happens to them next.

They are a very large part in Thailands internal problems.

No need for them if YL had not brought up the amnesty, that is what fired it all off. Without it there would not have been street protests and no reason for a coup. The army only stepped in when the previous government made such a mess that people rose up against it. Without the violence from the reds there would still be no excuse (but again the bombings and shootings gave the army the perfect excuse).

The army just took advantage of the situation that was created, I do wonder what they would have done if the PTP had not offered them this golden opportunity.

Really? And here's me thinking that the protests in 2014 were all about stopping corruption ? Also pretty sure that the amnesty bill was killed off at the end of 2103 due to the backlash that happened during the first round of protests around November/December. And after Yingluck dis loved Parliament according to the constitution, to call for a General Election.

All done with the Royal Decree, which kind of makes me wonder why Suthep and his goons were not charged with LM , well we all know why don't we

The Army deployed on the streets early on, with a mandate to protect the "people" but the people they didn't bother protecting were the people trying to cast votes.

You had a democrat leader who didn't turn up for the party as he knew they'd be squashed like bugs, so his bottle went. Enter the Generals pit bull Suthep, who is ON RECORD as stating that him and Prayuth had been conspiring since 2011 to over throw the Shins, soon after that Suthep "decided to become a monk!!"

He does his penance but now is getting restless as none of the reforms his good people , his chosen group , want before any election happens again, time is running out for the Junta, they have already broken their initial elections soon promise, Suthep and the mental monk are now getting more and more vocal, but oddly enough it's not seen as political, and the junta allows them to stir the shit.

Where is the reconciliation fitting into all of this? The only time this country will be united is why a sad and dark occasion happens, but it will be only grief that unites them, and afterwards, the real power struggle begins.

This whole divide goes way way way beyond any amnesty bill mate, and I do believe you're not naive enough to not know this.

Have you never wondered what would have happened if the Army had protected the polling stations like they should have done, or had the spineless abhisit had actually believed that the PTP were done.

The polls and the kool aid drinkers keep churning out stats to make it sound like Prayuth is a Demi God and saviour of the country, but he and the likes of Surhep will keep putting off elections indefinitely. Well till after th dust has settled and the spoils have been divided ...why do you think that is?

Perhaps, just perhaps the good General and all his cronies really aren't as popular as they believe they are, as they keep changing the goalposts, doesn't sound like the actions of a confident man to me, sounds more like the actions of a desperate man, leading desperate people,who will hold on to the bitter end, just like Yingluck tried to do.

Personally I can't wait to see the courts treat and handle Prayuth and his cronies the same way they've treated the shins, over their abusers of power, article 44 being the ultimate abuse.

Somehow there's more chances of THAI airways A380's being flown by pigs than expecting Prayuth to keep to his word, and step down after elections, you might believe in him Rob, I don't, he's not fit to run a country, you don't get the support of the country by introducing bone ideas, like the single gateway, banning alcohol within 300M of schools without first having done feasibility studies. He's doing nothing to get the country to endear to him, when he locks people up for having "negative thoughts about him and his government" that sir is not how a great leader treats his people, that's what people who are certain word we're not allowed to use are

I have a feeling that the junta are pissed off over pictures posted of Prayuth on the podium talking to what appears to be a pretty much empty forum, most of the seats were empty.

In other words his audience were pretty conspicuous in their absence, and they hailed his visit a rip roaring success, I also wouldn't be making a big deal about the picture with Obama, he's a throbber. A Muslim kid builds a clock that looked more like a bomb timer, gets berated in the press and Obama invites him to the White House, then a former Army Veteran saves dozens of lives during an attack on a school by a radicalised "person" and not a peep from the POTUS other than to once again try to blame it on something else!!!

Prayuth and his lackeys still need to understand that they're still nowhere near as popular in the playground as they claim to be!!

That's not true. Obama praised the aforementioned veterans on the train.

Did they get an invite to the Whitehouse ?

Did Obama praise Mr. Metz for his courage in stepping in front of the gunman that same day?

Has he even praised him, or gone to visit him in hospital to say his actions that day saved many lives?

But a little kid who built a clock that looked more like a bomb is treated like a King for the day?

Let's be honest about all this- the reason Thaksin keeps coming up is the fact that he has tried to manipulate the elections and the governments to suit his own agenda. The last government tried to push through an amnesty bill- simply so he could return. He can return today if he wants to. Every Thai has the right of return. If he was interested in helping the country and he felt he was right, he would return to fight his case and conviction in the courts. Instead, he sits in luxury in another country and uses his wealth to continue his manipulation. When he was in power he used policies that were not sustainable in the long term to try and solidify his agenda. That agenda is greed and to solidify his Clan's power for their future- not the countries.

The other side is not without sin . The have not presented any programs or leadership that gets any buy in from the majority of people. They can't seem to find a leader that connects with all the people in every region. Part of this is that- during an election- messages cannot be brought to all sections of Thailand due to organised and often violent opposition funded from abroad by you know who.

What do you have left? The military . And they have the difficult task of sorting out this mess and trying to transition the country into one in which fair elections can be held. The General needs a chance to try and sort everything out and has not had enough time to do so. Even Western governments like the US and UK need time when they come to power to get their agenda passed. This normally takes years before any real change is noticed. Too many people in Thailand expect the General to do everything immediately If he used Section 44 for every decision, while quick, what would the outcry be then?

Thaidream is one of the few posters on Thai Visa who posts with intelligence and not prejudice. You are 100% right and you have expressed what is undoubtedly the case. Well done.

At least you're admitting to having a prejudice, and to a degree Thai dream is spot on, right up to the part about the military, the military are at the centre of everything, staging coups is about the best thing their military does as they keep staging them.

The minute the Military begin to be held accountable for their actions and coups will be punished accordingly, then Thailand stands a chance of moving forwards. The military are at the centre of every domestic issue, and have been since the 1930's, they are the common denominator in all of Thailands power struggles, not Thaksin, and the sooner some folks here realise this the better.

The army only care about two things, protecting the monarchy, and I hope this isn't breaking the rules here by saying that, and the other one is themselves.

They don't care about the general population, they care about what happens to them next.

They are a very large part in Thailands internal problems.

In other words, they manufactured the opportunity themselves ?

Sounds like Ianf was there on the ground risking his life to deliver what was going on, and that's why he seen it differently from pretty much a majority of the other journalists too.

There is no doubt as to what the red shirts were doing, but the trouble with sycophants is that they have drank so much official kool aid, it stops them from looking at things with an open mind.

I am truly grateful that I've only live here approaching 4 years as it must have been horrendous for the entire expat community under the Shins, their lives must've been one of fear, what with 90 day reporting and not being able to own their own land... Things are so much better now......oh wait, it's just exactly the same.. In other words most are just bitter and twisted lonely old men stuck in Nakhon Nowhere without much of a life, and it's easier to blame others for their miserable existence.

I known plenty of people who have lived here 15 years plus, whose lives are pretty much the same as it was the first weeks of arriving here, their biggest complaint is the value of the baht, and big C or Tesco lotus not having a decent curry powder!!! The majority are smart enough to keep their noses well out of Thai politics, and leave that to the locals to fight over, why bite the hand that feeds you?

Please tell me about the Human Rights abuses under the current Junta, about the camps run by Military men, please tell me about the huge wealth of the current Police and Military when you are using the words corruption.

Please highlight where I've said Thaksin was better too.

You asked me if he's better or worse than the junta, no they are both the same, both power hungry who forgot their ways, and reasons for getting into the big chair.

I must have missed the part that Thaksin invented corruption in Thailand, it was there before him, it's there after him, he just simply took it to a higher level.

But he's not in charge now is he? Your beloved Junta has been running the show for 18 month now, has corruption ended? Of course not, it goes on daily, just because it's not in the news, doesn't mean it's eradicated, people only get to hear about the scales AFTER those involved get caught/found out.

What happened to these big lists of corrupt officials that went to the PM, it died a slow death and it was "trimmed down" because of the juntas curent agenda.

Please tell me about the Hughes increase in article 112 cases under this junta, most of which are politically motivated.

Please tell me about the murders of innocent people in the south by the Army, you are calling Thaksin a murderer, so would it be fair to call Prayuth the same? After all, many people were killed who were innocent under his command down there, and again recently when he was PM, fairs fair eh Ian?

Both Thaksin and Prayuth have taken the piss out of the very people they swore they were "doing it for" both deserve each other in the hall of shame for egomaniacs!!

I have a feeling that the junta are pissed off over pictures posted of Prayuth on the podium talking to what appears to be a pretty much empty forum, most of the seats were empty.

In other words his audience were pretty conspicuous in their absence, and they hailed his visit a rip roaring success, I also wouldn't be making a big deal about the picture with Obama, he's a throbber. A Muslim kid builds a clock that looked more like a bomb timer, gets berated in the press and Obama invites him to the White House, then a former Army Veteran saves dozens of lives during an attack on a school by a radicalised "person" and not a peep from the POTUS other than to once again try to blame it on something else!!!

Prayuth and his lackeys still need to understand that they're still nowhere near as popular in the playground as they claim to be!!

I would also ask that if there is 'rising anger' - is someone winding them up?

Of course there is, they're called " The Junta" !!

Please tell everyone what steps have been taken by the current bunch to bring about peace and reconciliation ?

Constant locking up of "attitude adjustment" for having opinions that differ from the big Pooh bear?

Paranoia and lack of self control are creeping into the way in which the current establishment are going these days, they can't stand criticism, and have thrown more teddies and spat more dummies out in the past 10 months than the previous year.

Can't stand the heat? You should have stayed out of someone else's kitchen General!!

The junta would love this to happen, as it's just another excuse to hold onto power indefinitely.

Every single person who has a little knowledge about Thai history knows exactly why the Junta need to be in control of the country, or at least have their puppets controlling it.

Everything else is smoke and mirrors.

Half of me hates the fact that I'm even responding to this.....but really how many more 'I Love Everything That Happens' Dusit polls do we have to endure?

If the the PM said the earth was flat, guarantee you a Dusit poll would confirm that 96.65785368653% of the population agreed with him

So would a few posters on here, and that's the alarming part!!

United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) were such a hurry to deny that the bombings were not connected to the group when no fingers have been pointed at them.

Yeah, right, no fingers have been pointed. Haven't you been reading the news lately Mr. P?

They deny it for the same reason your side of the political divide denies it when they are accused of something. It's a political game both sides play. Haven't you been paying attention? Do you really think your "innocent" little remark will fly? Oh, the games children play!

................"Oh, the games children play!".................. So these games that children play, are they the political games both sides play ?

If so, does that mean we are to give the same innocent little remarks that come from the UDD similar consideration ? Anyone who has lived in Thailand for the past 10 years or so does not have to be told that. Unfortunately for the UDD terrorist acts are to be forever associated with their name.

Pretty sure that of the current regime can state that the targeting of innocent people at the Erawan shrine wasn't an act of terrorism, it would pretty much make similar acts of deranged red shirts as non terrorist/terrorism related.

Try looking up the definition of terrorism, most of the definition is omitted to fit into a political agenda here in Thailand.

Anyone who can't see this as a further, and more sinister method of controlling the population, with a greater suppression of information. Whilst ramping up the propaganda to support their actions, really do need to give themselves a good hard shake.

Do you honestly want the Junta to have unfettered access to your private emails ? Whether the contents are about business or pleasure.

The country is heading into darker and deeper waters, and the kool aid is rotting some brain cells.!!!

Yes, I have asked often what was so horrendous about their lives under the PTP Regime that made life for them so unbearable that this current crowd of muppets are doing differently.

I've yet to see a credible response, in other words the majority are really just whinging old men with pretty much zero life beyond their 4 walls, that they're not even allowed to own, even under this fantastic lot of life changers!!!

Most would be lost without Thai visa as a conduit to moan and whine how hard it was to survive under the PTP, like they personally suffered hardship!!

.................""in time of war, losses will be unavoidable"........................

By "losses" I hope he is not referring to the Government's popularity, because I don't think there is any to lose !

And another Junta fanboy sees the light

Got news for you and it is all bad. I was never a "Junta fanboy", except in the tiny little minds of those who are desperate for someone to argue with.

(They labeled anyone who hated the Shins, like myself, as Junta supporters so they had someone to flame and ridicule.)

In saying that I will never lower myself to the level of a one-eyed, rabid Junta basher. I do see more and more faults in the current Government, the longer they are in power, but I cannot believe some of their crazy announcements are serious, they must be "red herrings". This latest fubar, the single gateway internet Titanic, is a classic example.

I can see good in bad in both "sides", although there are very little good traits in any of them. Sadly, the current Government's only opposition is riddled with power-hungry criminals who will do anything to get their greedy noses in the trough. As they have proved in the past.

Unfortunately Mike, prolific posters here labelled anti junta critics as red supporters too, which again was far removed from the truth.

As each day passes, instead of looking towards a way in which to give the country back to the people it so staunchly claims its protecting, is, the population, the further away it's becoming with stall after stall after stall, promises broken already and it really isn't going to get much better.

Some are starting to see the wheels wobble, others are more staunch in their support of the current regime where there is zero transparency !!

What goes around, comes around and it's not going to end well for the current snouts in the trough.

What a crock of shit, the majority of the country more likely hadn't a clue he'd gone!!

They do love these back slapping self serving Sunday polls don't they?

Perhaps the Dusit people should run a similar one about the PMs sneaky introduction to a single gateway Internet system and if they thought they was a good idea too!! ?

The article in today's BP says it all really.

The Junta are pulling the wool over people eyes and have been lying constantly since day 1.

Perhaps the RTP forensics teams just binned the blonde hair as they kept trying to get DNA from it, and no results were coming through............because it was from a blonde wig

BritTIm "By far the most likely explanation of the DNA evidence is that the hoe was not the murder weapon. On the contrary, it appears Hannah and David were trying to use the hoe to defend themselves. "

I agree , they would pick up anything on the beach to defend themselves if they were under attack . But was it David or Hannah that used the hoe, both their DNAs were found on the handle ?

Perfectly good explanation, apart from the small detail that these types of Hoes are not randomly lying on a beach in the wee small hours of the morning.

The final moments of their lives may have been, but it's becoming increasingly more obvious that the initial assault began a good distance from the final crime scene.

There are several police reports that Hannah had managed to run upwards of 50 metres from where her body was discovered, her and David were more than likely accosted/attacked on the pathway, and not on the beach, and the focus has always been where the bodies were found.

Big mistake, or done on purpose, there's 2 crime scenes, only one was ever investigated, as it appeared stage managed to fit into the RTP investigation.

The significance of the alleged report of hearing a commotion from the French girls would also tie in with the initial assault happening close to their accommodation.

Those who have been on Koh Tao should know this too.

The reports were dismissed and never investigated for a simple reason, it never fitted in with the original RTP "findings", anyone who has walked along that footpath towards the main pier also knows there's always some sort of construction going on, and lots of little houses too, a perfect place to grab something to defend yourself such as a hoe!!

You simply do NOT find such tools lying on a beach, the RTP and the prosecution would like people to believe this to be the case, but only the gullible would swallow this.

Nope, 2 crime scenes, one the focus of attention, the other carefully "tidied" up, to cover tracks, nothing presented by the RTP as a motive makes sense as to why the B2 went out their way to not just "rape and murder" two innocent lives, but to inflict such injuries on both victims, sorry but they would have seen literally thousands, if not, tens of thousands of beautiful female tourists during their time on Koh Tao, day in, day out, week in, week out, year on year out, and we are led to believe that that just randomly decided to rape and murder Hannah and David?

Nobody else see how far fetched this is? (Rhetorical question) I know many here have seen through the RTP and prosecutions versions of events, now let's hope the judges do too !!

The single gateway is more than likely already in place, you think the powers that be give a toss about what people think?

It's smoke and mirrors nothing more!!

Plenty of them were posting in the Koh Tao threads, but seriously Mike, you know yourself there's plenty kool aid drinkers here

I read that saying Ms. Yingluck indeed likes to drags things into the next decades or so. After all when she asked for justice she didn't mention in which year.

Yep, talking about dragging things out, when's the next election supposed to be?

If you're as smart as I believe you are, the single Internet gateway is a big clue that the Junta are not going anywhere anytime soon, they're never going to relinquish their control, it's just all smoke and mirrors with them.

As soon as they also change this incredible sue/counter sue laws the better, it's like listening to children argue in the playground, and all the time, reconciliation is the furthest thing on anyone's mind.

According to a recent tweet,Documents have been "leaked" to show that Prayuth already ordered a single gateway as far back as August, and it was to be in place by end of September.

Don't be surprised if it's already been introduced!!!!

Many friends of mine have been complaining about their internet connection over the past 2 months has been dropping in and out with more frequency, when they never had problems for years before.... Coincidence?

Troll alert!!

This should be setting alarm bells for a much bigger picture, the Junta are here to stay, forget elections in 2017, these bozos are going to remain the power holders in this country indefinitely.

Anyone who sees this differently has their head buried in the sand, and will be fluent in Ostrich in no time at all!!