Eric Loh

Not often but this one law I fully support. Very much similar to laws in Malaysia and Singapore and contribute to the countries political stability. Still the law is render useless if the enforcement agencies and the courts act idiosyncratically and have their own agenda.

Najib is finished and this news will not vindicate his image even just a bit. Still a big sword of Damocles hand over his head with the WAJ report and his latest handling of the racial altercation. Critics blamed him for using race to rally Muslim support. He may survive until next election and by then Umno and his alliance will be gone.

Thawatchai is just behaving, acting and speaking like his boss. Blames on political parties involved in bombs, students demonstration are just normal modus operandi of a failing government.

Somkid, mastermind behind Thaksinomics, populist policies, OTOP, small enterprise funds and growth of the agriculture sectors. If the rumour is true, that would make Prayuth eat lots of humble pies as he opposes just about all of the above.

I wont get too excited with this news. The army still have the allocated submarine budget and will spend it whichever way they want. The Mercs and the BMW are just on hold too. The submarine budget is part of the defence budget worth 207B for 2016 which have been approved by the NLA. It will get spent someway or the other and nothing from this treasure trove will revert back to the people in need.

Doubt Prayuth will eat humble pie to have the debate. That's an admission that he and the coup were failures. If he done this early from the beginning, it would mean a whole lot different. Of course Ahbisit will attend but he really has lose his credibility by twice boycotting elections. He is part of the problem,not solution. Yingluck must stay away from this hypocrisy and remain the only person mandated by the people against the other 2 who do not have the legitimacy from the people.

As I said yesterday, I await Thawatchai Samutsakorn's arrest for starting rumours which lead to civil unrest etc.

That plus a defamation suit from the pro-democracy student and parent for untrue comment about brainwashing by foreign element. He act and speak just like his boss.

Power corruption is just as bad as money corruption. What are you going to do about it,Sir?

I don't know but I think a lot of People (especialy in the english speaking world) don't understand the law for "Freedom of Speaking"!!!

This don't give you the right to write bullshit and UNTRUE articles about another. If the article is TRUE, everything must be proovable. So the journalist can give all names from the involved navy staff to the court.

But if him can't him has a problem because him wrote bullshit about the navy.

So easy is it!!!

Based on what was mentioned, PW merely quoted from a Reuters article. If the Navy feels that it is lies, they should charge Reuters directly, for the actual article. Just my 5 cents.

The junta did initially pursuit to go after Reuters but was dropped. Now the paragraph in Phuketwan was a direct word-to-word extract of the Reuters report and yet they are pursuing them and not Reuters. I think the case will be dropped just on this technicality.

A pure waste of tax payer money. Bet they come back with glowing report of well treated repatriated Uighers and a choreographed meeting. Hindsight can be a bitch.

GSP is a privilege extended with conditions that include political and economic reforms. The junta shouldnt be too cocky especially the junta leaders in critizing US and should follow the election roadmap diligently or this GSP door can slammed right on their faces.

Whatever happen to the house built on encroached illegal land by the former junta PM. Case went limp quickly.

Does anyone with any real sense actually give a damn?

Actually someone did. Not just idea but actually a blueprint to build satellite cities in the province of Nakhon Nayok. Modeled along the line of Tama district to the west of Tokyo. Connected with roads and rails and incentives thrown in for Bangkokians to move out. Low property prices, tax breaks with facilities like schools, hospital etc. Pity the '06 coup stopped this project in his track and we continue to sink.

Compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others??? Not a chance from an uncouth, arrogant and pompous person.

So the South situation is not improving as claimed by Deputy PM and Defence Minister Prawit.

A nice piece of junta PR work at damage control to arrest fast declining support. Does have a nice ring to it and appeals well to the population. Wouldn't happen and certainly not during this junta term. Best they do is lay out the framework, avoid implementation by passing to next government to legislate. They can then blame the next government and claim some credit. Only the gullible and the die hard supporters will buy this news and will sing praise of the junta.

What Prayut tells is surely not Political Correct, but it is true

Good grief H90. You are totally confused with the term politically correct and the appropriateness of the speaker. He is the PM and should be careful and have the smart to avoid expression that may marginalized particular group of people. He represent the country in the world arena and stupid off the cuff remark like this bring shame to the country.

I don't need any sweet talking politicians, I need honest one. The true often hurts. Contraception is not allowed. And you have some Imam in Europe who are boasting about the degenerated western and how they'll win with the wombs of their women.

So what Prayut tells is complete true or at least a valid concern even you don't like to hear it.

Those are not honest but degratory words spoken by most uncouth person and certainly not from your Prime Minister. He is an arrogant and pompous and unbefitting to assume the high office. He is an ambarassment every time he speak. That is true even if you don't like to hear.

What Prayut tells is surely not Political Correct, but it is true

Good grief H90. You are totally confused with the term politically correct and the appropriateness of the speaker. He is the PM and should be careful and have the smart to avoid expression that may marginalized particular group of people. He represent the country in the world arena and stupid off the cuff remark like this bring shame to the country.

Here is one strategy from the Economic Book for Dummies. Political stability and sustainable democracy devoid of coups.

When you have a large export industry it also helps to be on speaking terms with your overseas markets rather than effectively frozen out of bilateral trade talks.

So true when export of goods and services represent 75% of GDP. Double whammy when you have so less friendly countries that you can discuss to increase export when your traditional importing countries are slowing down Plus foreign investors that will increase your export for the future will be scared off by political instability. When export declined, most countries will be organizing trade delegations and finding new markets. Just how many countries have the current PM visited for trade? He is a hostage of his own action.

Here is one strategy from the Economic Book for Dummies. Political stability and sustainable democracy devoid of coups.

Yingluck? Umm why? She will be in jail soon for the rice scheme scam if not then people should stop paying taxes and do anything illegal as previous government did. This is red media pushing her back into the face of Thais she screwed over and tried to have poor brother return without charges then do what he did all over again. Thai media sux

My suggestion to you if you Thai, don't vote for Yingluck or PT next election. If you non Thai, your opinion here is welcome.

I am only an inexperienced farang observer, and can only assess this from a common sense point of view.

To me, the prime minister seems an honest man who sincerely wants to clean out the stinking corruption which has spread like an evil cancer throughout the Kingdom over decades. He has a huge task, and he wants to get it done military style.

That's a problem.

He rarely smiles. He looks uncomfortable in public appearances. He has no 'spin doctor' attributes to soothe his critics or the media. In fact he is a sitting target for anybody waving banners extolling the values human rights, free speech, democracy etc.

Fact is, nothing will ever change in Thailand unless someone like Gen Prayut takes the helm, something like the style of Lee Kuan Yew.

An early election and a return to civilian government will perpetuate the staus quo. The same greedy mafia will return, whatever colour they wear, and we will go backwards.

Opposing Gen Prayut at a time when he is trying his limited best to put things right does therefore not make sense.

The 14 students only added more to Thailand's already negative image, fed the international media a juicy human rights anti-junta story, and harmed tourism.

I do not see what they achieved, and more of the same will make it much worse.

Meanwhile, the possibility of a collapse in the Chinese economy looms. Combined with the Greek situation, this is very scary.

If China goes down, we are going to need all the stability in the world, not young students creating unrest.

My feeling is, let the prime minister do his job. Then let's judge him.

But not now.

I respect your opinion. Just that you can't judge honesty and integrity when you restrict and disallow others to question you. Even so when you armed to the teeth with draconian laws like 44. Lee Kuan Yew reference was rather poor. We have a popularly elected legitimate Prime Minister whose policies were supported by the people compare with a Prime Minister who came to power without popular mandate and through the barrel of the gun. Lastly China will not collapse and far from the situation in Greece. Greece economy is not even bigger than California and have no impact on the world.

This is cynicism to the extreme.

They are trying to use Yingluck for their own purposes.

The anti-democrats have finished a Constitution by and for themselves and have stacked a senate with their own.

With that anti-democrat foundation in place, they can now appear to be inclusive and re-conciliatory.

A phony and manufactured, cynical effort to the max. I hope the PTP/Ms. Y and Co. don't suck into this idiocy

What is especially a slam against one's intelligence, is they think people will see AV's participation as constituting political diversity. Shows how arrogant they are if they think no-one sees through such a sham.

Getting back to that stacked senate...I was amazed yesterday to see some Posters trying to find some redeeming value in that, and actually defending it.

Unbelievable.

Really a sham talk much in line with the repeated double talk by the junta of allowing space for opinions and the infamous "I am a soldier of democracy" quote. Unfortunately if invited, Yingluck have really little choice but attend or the junta propaganda machinery will be running overdrive to discredit her again. Our own residents here will also have a field day. Off course the junta poodle will attend as he is beholden to the establishment and a good photo opp (sic). However I doubt the talk will happen and if they allow, will be highly restricted in certain sensitive subjects. Yingluck can then find the reason to not :suck into this idiocy" and give this a pass.

He got to do something to ward of the daily deluge of bad news. Even the weather don't spare him. Perhaps consult Sondhi who know a thing or two in deflecting bad karma.

One wonders what input Yingluck would be able to offer, perhaps she could give some tips on growing mushrooms.

After all its not much different to how she and her party ran their Government and treated the Thai people. Keep them in the dark and feed them on bovine manure.

Presumably she has been invited because she among all leading politicians has the most legitimacy, having been given a mandate by the Thai people in a fairly conducted democratic election.I doubt whether she has a political future but even the military government understands her appeal and popularity.It is sensible to seek inclusivity.

Your mean spirited and unpleasant attitude is not representative or helpful.Fortunately those in office understand these things better than embittered foreigners.

Yes of course. And added to the reasons she has been invited are her impeccable oratory skills, extraordinary ability to think on her feet and make snap decisions, remarkable debating skills and her deeply engrained love and concern for the poor people of Thailand which caused her many sleepless nights.

What has that got to do with legitimacy and popularly voted by the people.