Eric Loh

The establishment rule is pretty clear.Charter can't be amended but can be shredded.

This looks like a long drawn out situation and will not end well for the junta. The students can't be free as they have been formally charged and have to go through the judiciary process which can take time. They refused to be pardon by Article 44 and refused bail. The junta has taken the short end of the stick. These are students have a good record of activism against issues such as environment and corruption. Some of their parents supported the PAD and PDRC. Their bravery will win lots of friends especially the student fraternity. Now that the General has admitted discomfort in arresting, it will only embolden the students and supporters. With th economy in a shamble and fast receding and protests of other natures appearing everywhere, it will not be a suprise to see a united form of protest soon in Bangkok. Looks like the peace and order that the coup claimed to achieve is now looking rather shaky.

Whole lot of generalization by Khun Niphon. Find this hard to agree with him if you consider that the rainfall in 2011 up to mid 2014 was higher than normal and the dams were filled to requirement and plenty of water for rice farming. Just how did management in 2011 affect current water situation. This drought only started to manifest end 2014 when the related agencies started their warning on the management of the dam water volume. You mean to tell me that the Irrigation Department in 2011 saw the drought happening in 2014 and gave that much early warning?

Has this economic czar make any significant contribution so far. He move and talk fast as I didn't see the first and second waves.

If one can get beyond political divisiveness, the lawsuit is a fair test of NBTC using Prayut's advice as to what defines freedom of expression. NBTC refused to detail how any of the broadcast content violated existing organic law other than to draw on Prayut;s vague generalizations insinuating the need for peaceful content.

Even the Democrats and PDRC have pressed NBTC for clarification of what exactly was forbidden in the broadcasts as they did not want to breach the law in their own broadcasts. The NBTC refused to further comment. Prayut on the other hand denied he has no connection with the NBTC decision to shutdown the station and would not detail what specific content violated the law.

The success of the lawsuit will only be in its acceptance for trial. The Thai courts too often will delay proceedings for years even to decide whether to accept a case for trial, much less the time to issue a decision on a case. But it is in the best interest of the Thai public to see this case go forward.

There is no fair test but discrimination considering the right leaning ASTV have also mocked the NCPO like in their parody on Saran Chuchai and they don't get shutdown.

Tsipras kind of remind me of Mahathir, Malaysia PM during the Asian Financial Crisis. He did'nt bowed and defied IMF tough loan terms and introduced controversial currency controls which effectively isolated Malaysia from the global economy. Credit to him, he did brought Malaysia out of the crisis and he remained in power.

Straight out of the playbook of the Singapore government to get the courts hit the pockets of the protagonists hard to curtail their activities. This court fines and new laws for protests will hopefully avoid the type of violent protests, occupation of public and vital installations and not allowed protests to be hijacked by 3rd party for their own agenda. Protest should be allowed as enshrined in the constitution but should not be prolonged and unlawful acts should not encroached on public rights. If this is what Prayuth is trying to achieve, I will applaud him. If he denounce further coups, I will bow to him.

you mean protests should be allowed as long as we can ensure that they don't change anything. The dream of every dictator....

You mean the current Adminstration, answer positively yes. Careful with the D word here. However in the free world, protests are aimed to press for new election. Here in coup land, protests are front for the establishment to re-establish that they remain relevant and dominant. Well except for the 2010 protest, it did not result in a coup as the incumbent is the establishment.

Got to applaud the military for staying in the barracks and being apolitical. Thailand can learn from Greece on how to break a political impasse.

Straight out of the playbook of the Singapore government to get the courts hit the pockets of the protagonists hard to curtail their activities. This court fines and new laws for protests will hopefully avoid the type of violent protests, occupation of public and vital installations and not allowed protests to be hijacked by 3rd party for their own agenda. Protest should be allowed as enshrined in the constitution but should not be prolonged and unlawful acts should not encroached on public rights. If this is what Prayuth is trying to achieve, I will applaud him. If he denounce further coups, I will bow to him.

I plead in your honest and earnest effort to seriously fight corruption, please do not neglect power corruption. Corrupt individuals exhibit moral deterioration by using their power to benefit themselves and their kinds. Its showing up more and more as each day passed.

But it was OK when they were elected, even by the party list?

It was OK as long as long as it is within the law. You break the law and you are duly punished as in the Thawil case. Contrast that with the coup breaking the law under Section 113 of the Thai Criminal Code, they cant be punished because they tore up the law and granted themselves amnesty which except the junta from guilt and liability. You cant live in denial all the time.

More of the unbelievable red-shirt hypocrisy.

"Corrupt individuals exhibit moral deterioration by using their power to benefit themselves" : after the amnesty bill which is the whole reason we had a coup in the first place, you should be too ashamed to try and criticise others for the same thing. Pheu-Thai tried to use their power to give themselves amnesty for 25,000 cases of corruption.

Can you even see it ? - or are you blind with your political bias ?.

I think you see it, but your personal moral standards are so low, you don't care. You just want them back in so the chance of a gravy train is on the menu again.

Try selling another brand of snake oil John. You got to be joking to said the coup was because of the amnesty bill. You exposed yourself to be a fraud telling us you been here for a long time.

Now back to the amnesty bill; it is within the parliamentary system and the constitution for the legislature wing (parliament) to pass a bill. Happens everywhere in the world.It is simply not illegal. In our case, public anger was aroused and the bill withdraw. Drawing similarity, the coup tore up the constitution and again it is within their power to grant themselves amnesty. Same same but difference is that public opinion and opposition are not allowed. That's the moral issue.

sue them PAD for everything they have! they occupied the airports not fearing any punishment whatsoever. now, hit 'em where it hurts!

In normal circumstance, PAD can turn to their hordes of hi-so supporters to donate for a worthy cause. Bit more difficult now as Sutherp has milked the yellow supporters dry and the donation accountability still hovers in their mind.

I plead in your honest and earnest effort to seriously fight corruption, please do not neglect power corruption. Corrupt individuals exhibit moral deterioration by using their power to benefit themselves and their kinds. Its showing up more and more as each day passed.

But it was OK when they were elected, even by the party list?

It was OK as long as long as it is within the law. You break the law and you are duly punished as in the Thawil case. Contrast that with the coup breaking the law under Section 113 of the Thai Criminal Code, they cant be punished because they tore up the law and granted themselves amnesty which except the junta from guilt and liability. You cant live in denial all the time.

I plead in your honest and earnest effort to seriously fight corruption, please do not neglect power corruption. Corrupt individuals exhibit moral deterioration by using their power to benefit themselves and their kinds. Its showing up more and more as each day passed.

I see nothing wrong for the student movement to get any sort of help even though they did not solicit for any. They are brave and are sacrificing their lives for a noble cause of raising awareness of power crazy generals and totalitarian rule. What they have are only their voices but enough to rattle the junta and have the army chief spinning conspiracy theories.

Corruption to be tackle comprehensively? Khun Sansern, what about the Parliment clock system which the OAG detected for corruption or the high-tech microphone overprice. Perhaps more selective than comprehensive.

Just the first feeble beginnings of something that will one day become massive.

Probably joined by those who have reached the poverty pain threshold like the farmers and workers who are struggling to make ends meet with current wages.

There is already a Master Plan on Water Resource Management with exactly the same recommendations and more. Don't be embarrassed to copy the 2012 plan. It save lots of time.

You don't think any plans drawn up by Yingluk and her 40 Thieves will be viewed with suspicion? Their plan to increase rice exports was a real winner.

The junta did copy the infrastructure plan. Didn't they? Village funds and healthcare too. No suspicion on these? OK, rice policy not the smartest and rightly so, she been punished and paid her dues.

There is already a Master Plan on Water Resource Management with exactly the same recommendations and more. Don't be embarrassed to copy the 2012 plan. It save lots of time.

No better time than junta time to get the casino off the ground. Can't do that during democratic time as it will jeopardize the popularity of the ruling party and you will get the demonstrators on the streets. No better time for the Generals to rake in good money when you have absolute power in the NLA and NCPO.

Desperate attempt to try gain sympathy and to be look as victim. Sorry no one falling for that old trick and most will be disgusted with such silly attempt to ask for donation of 7M. These PAD leaders are not paupers by any standard. Maleerat ex-senator, Chamlong ex-governor and Sonti media tycoon can easily come up with that sum.

I thought Sondhi was already bust. Didnt Thaksin refuse to write off his debts back when he was PM, thus rather starting the whole PAD business?

He was busted during the Tom Yam Kong financial meltdown and was given a very generous "help" by the Krung Thai Bank. That generous bank President was eventually fired by Thaksin and that started the PAD madness. In fact he gained lot of wealth from his massive PAD supporters which help his media and satellite businesses to prosper. So in short, the 7 M Baht is chop suey to him.

He declared loudly and proudly that "Thai democracy will never die because I'm a soldier with a democratic heart". Yet on such a momentous occasion to mak the birth of democracy, he ban all celebration and activities.

Desperate attempt to try gain sympathy and to be look as victim. Sorry no one falling for that old trick and most will be disgusted with such silly attempt to ask for donation of 7M. These PAD leaders are not paupers by any standard. Maleerat ex-senator, Chamlong ex-governor and Sonti media tycoon can easily come up with that sum.

This will not end well. The anti junta crowd will love it !

No its not the anti junta crowd its everyone with a brain cell. Let me explain, the government control the water in the dams. It is clear that they let too many water out and now there is a shortage. On another level the problem was caused by the present government dumping the K water tender for flood control. This tender included a water management system which would allow the government to manage floods and droughts much better. There are so many departments involved in managing water in this country that its impossible to do it correctly. This government said it will reform the country, why dont they reform the water management in the country. Strategically its the most important resource and at present its mismanaged.

Just like the previous government was held responsible for the 2011 flood this government must take the responsibility for the mismanagement during this drought. Do you know that at present 30% of the irrigation water in the country go to waste because flood irrigation is widely used. The dear great leader the other day said more water storage must be build, thats in correct, they must just assist the farmers to develop better irrigation systems that will save 30% of the water and then no new dams are needed.

Lets now look at the article. They say the farmers must not plant their crops and at the same time they say they will get no assistance from government. If you were a farmer what would you do ? If you plant you still have a chance of making some money, if you don't plant you get nothing. So the logic option is to plant. The lack of understanding farming and human nature by our dear great leader and his 10 000 dwarfs is astounding.

Remember them they took away the rice subsidy they said they will lower seed, fertiliser and chemical costs for farmers. Do your own research, but I can tell you now it didnt happen and due to this the government is losing the trust of the farmers. I might also add that +- 40% of Thai's are involved in the agricultural sector and they represent more than 40% of the voting power. Every time they lose an election the votes was bought, but this is not true. The truth is the junta like the Dems before them is pushing away voters by their total lack of understanding the majority in this country.

Excellent summation of the dire situation. The drought due to El Niño did not happen suddenly. The authority have this information and rightly so, called the Irrigation Authority to draw up a plan and submit to the NCPO. That was last year. Since then, nothing was heard of what the NCPO intend to do with the plan. The release of water from the dam was poorly managed from last year. The junta drop the ball and should take full responsibility for mismanagement. However I doubt the NACC will charge them for negligence.

Looks like the queue for cash compensation is getting longer. Rice farmers, rubber farmers, fishermen, lottery vendors, street vendors and jobless graduates. No escaping for Prayuth to bring in more populist schemes which he was against when he took power.

Good grief. The cabinet getting desperate now and they are still considering. Did the drought only started yesterday and don't they know this is El Niño year? Mismanagement or neglect. Take your pick.