Eric Loh

31 minutes ago, fullcave said:

It's not about religion it's about money and power. 

It’s about corruption and self enrichment. 

49 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

Well now el, your so vocal, such strong comment. If your so serious about this how come your idols did nothing to reign in the military and it's spending? They had some 12 to 14 years to change this picture (and many other pictures, examples: education and police reform). They did nothing, totally nothing.

 

 

That’s diversion at the highest order like the General. Fools seldom differ. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“The country can call troops out any time of the day for a mission. If you downsize the armed forces, who will help out in times of disaster?” asked Prayut, who himself was once an Army chief.

Bullshit at the highest order. As an army chief he should have his intelligence apparatus to know any immediate and imminent security threats and there are none except for the insurgency in the southern provinces that require professional trained soldiers; not conscripts. 

He should know as a General that the political and security contexts have changed from what it was in 1954 when the Military Service Act for conscription was promulgated. Conscription is not applicable in current context. 

3 hours ago, Lungstib said:

Well, how about that, a parliament

With due respect, this is not a Parliament but the NLA. Vast difference. Parliament has elected MPs while NLA has junta appointed rubber stamping stooges. 

Parliament by by law will be dissolved before election and thereby can’t legislate new laws. The NLA break all those rules. 

Central banks manipulating their currencies downward to gain export competitiveness. Sound a simple strategy. If every central banks can do that, it really re-set the new level and a race to the bottom. Maybe there are other fundamentals in play to determine currency rates. ???? 

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Import tax and greedy monopolies. Plus the belief that all foreigners are rich and willing to be fleeced.

There are local alternatives. Try 'Amoy' baked beans instead of Heinz Beanz. 

5 hours ago, jayboy said:

The widespread experience of participation in debates of this kind (except in the US where the custom is now entrenched) seems to be that participants will join if they perceive it be to their advantage in doing so. General Prayuth (correctly) probably sees no upside in debating with rivals - only downside, and therefore almost certainly will not do so.

 

 

The EC got his back and they will now look into the 'legality' of his participation in the debate. ???? The EC verdict is predictable and he take no part in the debate as it's deemed illegal.  ???????? He will then react that he was actually looking forward to the debate but alas he has to accept the ruling. ????

5 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

most of the companies that I see in Mataput appear to be Chinese and Japanese Thai joint ventures, such as the Siam Japan Steel Company.  I think that the Thais have it covered.  We underestimate the solidarity of the South East Asian countries at our (the west's) peril.  

I do get your point about ASEAN and their free trade AFTA agreement. Investments in ASEAN will get the benefits of no tariffs and a 636 million customers. However each countries will also want FDI to provide employment and new technologies. Thailand will have to find the type of investments that will fit well in their economic strategy and find ways to attract them to invest. Maybe automobile where Thailand has a good head start and supporting suppliers network and resources which other ASEAN countries may not have that eco-system. That's why the talent and vision of the leaders will be put in question. Certainly we can't find that in generals like Prayut and Prawit. 

3 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

Is that your economic analysis or your political analysis? In either case the content is clearly not your writing style, again the deliberate construct of others for a purpose. 

 

 

You don’t read well. It’s not my analysis but the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Your full unadulterated adoration of the junta in full display. 

21 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I live slap bang in the new EEC.  if appearances are anything to go by, the  future looks very bright indeed.  The government are developing the EEC into the Thai equivalent of Silicon Valley and the signs of that transformation are everywhere, not least in the new road constructions going on, the development of U Tapao Airport and the Mataput Industrial complex.  

You can build the infrastructure and that's the relatively easy part but can you attract the investments which will factor in political stability as key component of their investment decision. Not withstanding that you need competent and talented ministers and bureaucrats to come up with a enticing package to attract big corporations to invest. There are lots of competitions in the region including the China's Greater Bay Area which will be Asia's silicon valley and countries in the region building their own investment hubs. All eyeing and laying the red carpets for the precious FDI. 

What matters are what the Thais think of their economy. According to the Thai Chamber of Commerce, half of Thais surveyed felt that the current economic situation is poor and heading in the wrong direction. Biggest concern is political anxiety that impacts the people and investors' confidence. The coming election is no panacea erasing this anxiety with the constitution and the 20 years strategy locked and handicap any new confidence of good policies. The likely Parliament gridlock and the dire coup warning by the Army Chief add to the political uncertainty and anxiety. Thais feel that the economy is not equally distributed and doesn't match the cost of living. Last year consumer confidence index dropped and most felt that the economy is bad and getting worse. All is not well with the economy last 5 years and looking forward don't seem to see any silver lining. More must be done to erase the political anxiety starting with controlling the power of the military. Then possible some hope. 

Reasons for Prayut not to take part in the debate and making a fool of himself are flying in thick and fast. 

Today, the Palang Pracharat party’s deputy leader Natthaphol Teepsuwan said he was confident that the current prime minister would participate in the debates, but the party would like to consult with the Election Commission first to ensure there would not be any legal issues if he were to do so.

The party’s spokesman, Mr. Kobsak Pootrakul, added that, as many people appear to want to find fault, his party wanted to make sure that it would be legal for a serving prime minister to help campaign for the party’s candidates.

He may do what he do best to exercise his article 44 to ban the debate reasoning it will cause confusion to the general public. 

36 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Somchai taxi at top of Soi 5 was giving evens on a coup befor end of May

Will be hard for those imbeciles to manufacture reasons for a coup. The reds and yellows are done and have wised up taking to the streets. 

11 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Oh you mean those who have deliberately slept through the reasons for the last coup... criminal dereliction of duty comes to mind.

Criminal dereliction of duty comes to my mind of this junta seizing power and their governance including a few blatant watchable cases.  

3 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Ohh your awake el, but sadly not the point, your usual...

Sorry that you not awake to see the point. Sometimes I wonder who is awake and who has slept through the last coup. 

8 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

you can say the same about most countries politics, one they get voted in they are all the same, never listen to the electorate who voted them in (or not voted in, in certain countries, hint hint), look at the UK, for example, nearly 3 years of dithering about, and absolutely nothing achieved, MP,s with their own agenda,

Not sure most countries staged coups whenever their government under-achieved. Rather insane reason that you gave. 

25 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Who do you think runs the press here? 

 

The media has no choice but to jockey for them and spread their lies and fluff. 

Here are the reasons why the press are handcuffed to express freely 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30346296