Eric Loh

Is Obama invited to the Kings Birthday celebrations? Even if he was, would his wife let him come?

You should know better that the King Birthday invitation list only goes out to the royals of other countries.

I wonder where these guys were when the rice scheme and constitution amendments were proposed by the previous government(s).

Maybe they feel safer now to protest???

Same for all these newspaper reports and comments, didn't see anything when the previous people in power were enriching themselves at the cost of

the people with no voice

These are students you are talking about, you do know that don't you?

I think I read it in the article, but I think you don't understand what I am trying to make clear, do you?

Glad that you clarified who you refering but I am not sure what you trying to say. The Din Dao student activists were against the blanket amnesty and were quite vocal on this and also spoke against many Thaksin capitalist policies. As to your other rant about not seeing newspaper and people with no voice, I wonder how the previous government collapsed without the help of highly bias media.

I think Prayuth took offence to the student calling him power crazy. Perhaps he should self reflect and try to analyse what the students are trying to say.

If we play the game of odd man out, then Thailand will be left standing when all the neighbouring countries have casinos. Even straight-laced Singaporean of all religion and social activists were against the casino project in the early stage but have softened their stance now after seeing the amount of tax revenues and the strict rule enforcement. Who would have thought that Muslim majority Malaysia will have the first casino in this region. Now Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines will have their casinos. It is not a matter of will it happen but rather when. PM Lee took his bold step in 2004 in producing a concept paper and rest is history. Will Prayuth have the fortitude to do the same? I think so as the monetary rewards are just to big to be ignored.

I was talking with some senior Singapore businessmen last week and mentioned about this. They believed, purely from a business and economic view, Thailand would take considerable business away from other countries by having casinos. They said this would hurt Singapore and benefit Thailand.

A different question is why we have a chief of police, an extremely wealthy one at that, about to retire who suddenly decides he should campaign for legalized gambling and casinos. Who were the owners of those illegal casinos that were shut down? They were never identified and prosecuted.

He can't or actually won't make a decision when it is his job but is happy to decree how things should be that suits his agenda. Must be going into politics. PTP's next minister of justice 555

Not only direct casino businesses but the indirect like MICE etc and tourists which jumped substantially after the casino started operation. Singapore simply can't compete with Thailand offering a variety of attractions.

We know no one even the self professed good people will lobby such enormous undertaking without getting some kind of reward. Thainess.

If we play the game of odd man out, then Thailand will be left standing when all the neighbouring countries have casinos. Even straight-laced Singaporean of all religion and social activists were against the casino project in the early stage but have softened their stance now after seeing the amount of tax revenues and the strict rule enforcement. Who would have thought that Muslim majority Malaysia will have the first casino in this region. Now Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines will have their casinos. It is not a matter of will it happen but rather when. PM Lee took his bold step in 2004 in producing a concept paper and rest is history. Will Prayuth have the fortitude to do the same? I think so as the monetary rewards are just to big to be ignored.

This from Wikipedia 'In 1923, gambling was briefly legalized in the then-British colony of Singapore, but the experiment led to gambling addiction and increased crime, and gambling was criminalised again within three years.^[5]'

And the article in it's entirety https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_resort from which you will see Lee

legalised some areas for Casinos against massive public opposition, so Prayut/Somyot won't give a rat's

anyway. Why? Again, 'Reforms' Pfft.

Those posters for any extension of endemic and destructive gambling practices here really should get out

more. Or perhaps they're missing their flutter on the gee gees at Ladbrokes of a morning

You really should read from more current statistic like the recent Survey on Gambling participation that revealed only 14.7% of Singaporean visited casinos frequently. Also a survey by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) that shown little changes in problem gambling pre and post casino.

If we play the game of odd man out, then Thailand will be left standing when all the neighbouring countries have casinos. Even straight-laced Singaporean of all religion and social activists were against the casino project in the early stage but have softened their stance now after seeing the amount of tax revenues and the strict rule enforcement. Who would have thought that Muslim majority Malaysia will have the first casino in this region. Now Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines will have their casinos. It is not a matter of will it happen but rather when. PM Lee took his bold step in 2004 in producing a concept paper and rest is history. Will Prayuth have the fortitude to do the same? I think so as the monetary rewards are just to big to be ignored.

Why no Bangkokians and the opposition parties complain about the Royal Irrigation Department for mismanagement discharge of water resulting in drought like they furiously did in 2011 for flood. I would guess that Bangkokians lifestyle are not affected by the drought and really have no concern for the suffering poor. The poor has really no voice now. The RID with their resources at hand should able to forecast the drought and yet they release water during the wet season as normal.

What mismanagement? They are managing the water. Did you not notice the relative lack of rain. It is now the wet season, a very late and lackluster one!

You don't solve the problem now when it's dire. Whatever happen to the NCPO master plan on water management that they ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to submit last year when 33 dams were adequately stocked with water and only 4 were relatively short. Where is Prayuth big reform plan on water management that he proposed in 2014. Too busy with fixing the lottery price? Easier to blame the weather.

Unfortunately the rain god El Nino doesn't always co-operate and not even this PM can make rain from nothing.

But don't let the truth of facts get in the way of your anti government rant.

The truth of the facts are that I am talking about dam management on water release and the fact that the NCPO and PM have paid lip services so far as regards to the water situation. They have all the facts about El Niño and what they do with the information reflects on their ability to prioritize urgent matters and not arranging deck chairs or fixing the lottery price.

What direction is Thai economy heading will depend on how desirable is Thailand for investments. Uncertainty disencourage investment and hurt economic growth. The coup brought uncertainty with a unstable political environment and stagnate structural economic reforms. To make matter worse, we have a lame and ineffective cabinet that gives us no confident that they can solve our economic woes.

Why no Bangkokians and the opposition parties complain about the Royal Irrigation Department for mismanagement discharge of water resulting in drought like they furiously did in 2011 for flood. I would guess that Bangkokians lifestyle are not affected by the drought and really have no concern for the suffering poor. The poor has really no voice now. The RID with their resources at hand should able to forecast the drought and yet they release water during the wet season as normal.

What mismanagement? They are managing the water. Did you not notice the relative lack of rain. It is now the wet season, a very late and lackluster one!

You don't solve the problem now when it's dire. Whatever happen to the NCPO master plan on water management that they ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to submit last year when 33 dams were adequately stocked with water and only 4 were relatively short. Where is Prayuth big reform plan on water management that he proposed in 2014. Too busy with fixing the lottery price? Easier to blame the weather.

Why no Bangkokians and the opposition parties complain about the Royal Irrigation Department for mismanagement discharge of water resulting in drought like they furiously did in 2011 for flood. I would guess that Bangkokians lifestyle are not affected by the drought and really have no concern for the suffering poor. The poor has really no voice now. The RID with their resources at hand should able to forecast the drought and yet they release water during the wet season as normal.

Forget this red/yellow thing.

A convenient obfuscation thing for the anti-democrats.

They don't want to be seen as anti-democrats...Better to use affinity clothing colors to mask that reality.

[/quote

Scoff at such superficial attempt too. These are only foot soldiers who have no influence over events last 10 years. You want reform and reconcilation, get the heavy hitters involved. One party may not want to admit involvement so really an exercise in futility.

"bid to increase state revenues. They argue that the huge amount of money Thai gamblers currently stake in foreign casinos could be kept in the country...."

So what they're saying is, let's us fleece our own citizens, why only foreigners enjoy this privilege?

Also, since when tow wrongs make it right? one wrong when people lose money in casinos

and the second wrong, the Thai government want a piece or all of it....

If it wasn't for past governments throwing zillions away on a hare brain schemes and

pissing it to the wind for result other the being a populist move, Thailand would have

trillions in it reserves by now.....

Thailand does have trillions in reserves. In fact almost 5 trillions. Read bit more before spouting nonsense.

The more you think things are going to change, the more they stay the same. Everything is going according to plan to benefit Samart/M-Link JV waste to Energy Plants to burn this waste. M-Link used to belong to Shin Corp but recently they changed the name to Ferrum and is part owned by Pol Gen Somyot Pumpanmuang. He was appointed by the junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) chaired by Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Don't expect things to be done out of the goodness of the junta's heart. Leading statement like this leads to project that ultimately benefit someone monetary. Anyway, his proposal is only half the solution. What about policies to reduce and recycle waste. Not mentioned obviously.

The junta government can scheme for all they want, ultimately it's the economy or rather the rapidly deteriorating economy that will have the biggest say. Every government in the world will sink if the economy tanked and there are lots of noises and signs suggesting that we are heading in that direction. Voters will vote where their stomach takes them. Farmers north and south are hurting and feed up with the government impotency whose only plan is to plead for delay and reduce planting. SMEs which employed most of the working population are going out of business due to depressed sales and cash flow. What the use of all the meaningful reforms when the citizens are struggling to make ends meet. History here have shown that coups are bad for economy and that is what happening now.

Perhaps there are matters more than the eyes can see. Somyot was appointed by Prayuth to be the hatchet man of the police corruption especially those ally with Thaksin and also aimed to go after Thaksin. If he has a change of heart, it is not his decision. Looks like a handshake in the background.

Your comment concerning protestors is very strange. You mean protestors didn't have war weapons? Or do you mean that it is not fair that the army had more weapons than the protestors? The protestors should have had more weapons so they would have made a better chance beating the security forces if that's what you mean. That's correct.

No war weapons were found on the protestors that got killed. That include the nurses, journalists, taxi driver etc.

This is a no brainer article.

How on earth anyone could have been happier with the dark violent days of terrorists committing near daily attacks on protestors in the name of a government that refused to arrest a single person for them.

Most people don't like innocent men, women and little kids being killed by terrorists while the deaths were cheered by the 7% radical fundamentalists. Pre coup - not one arrest. Not one and democracy no where in site.

Now we have peace in Bangkok, a pathway to the first democracy Thailand will see (yes, yes, elections) and criminals being arrested for doing bad things against a majority that were previously ignored (YES< YES elections. I get it) and allowed to be killed with complete impunity by government that had no intention of arresting their own terrorist supporters who were not surprisingly run by an accused terrorist criminal leader.

So in summary we have peace, pathway to democracy and reform (3 fingers if you will) or we have an unelected accused mass murderer, accused terrorist criminal fugitive running a party that allowed terrorists to kill anyone that dared practise their democratic right to protest. (YES yes, protesting is a democratic right) while ignoring the majorities wishes on an amnesty with one hand while turning tax payers money into bio fuel with the other.

No brainer really and if I say Prayut I would be part of that 93% majority that tell him that I am happier too. My wife is happier and my kids are no longer getting intimidated and our family threatened at any university by reds that decided we were not allowed to see Ahbisit speak because he was the opposition. An opposition of which is a fundamental part of democracy. (yes, yes elections) blah,blah, blah.

Good post! Let me shorten it a bit for you. We all know, what you are saying anyways:

"No brainer....blah blah blah!"

See? Just one line and all is said!

This is a no brainer article.

How on earth anyone could have been happier with the dark violent days of terrorists committing near daily attacks on protestors in the name of a government that refused to arrest a single person for them.

Most people don't like innocent men, women and little kids being killed by terrorists while the deaths were cheered by the 7% radical fundamentalists. Pre coup - not one arrest. Not one and democracy no where in site.

Now we have peace in Bangkok, a pathway to the first democracy Thailand will see (yes, yes, elections) and criminals being arrested for doing bad things against a majority that were previously ignored (YES< YES elections. I get it) and allowed to be killed with complete impunity by government that had no intention of arresting their own terrorist supporters who were not surprisingly run by an accused terrorist criminal leader.

So in summary we have peace, pathway to democracy and reform (3 fingers if you will) or we have an unelected accused mass murderer, accused terrorist criminal fugitive running a party that allowed terrorists to kill anyone that dared practise their democratic right to protest. (YES yes, protesting is a democratic right) while ignoring the majorities wishes on an amnesty with one hand while turning tax payers money into bio fuel with the other.

No brainer really and if I say Prayut I would be part of that 93% majority that tell him that I am happier too. My wife is happier and my kids are no longer getting intimidated and our family threatened at any university by reds that decided we were not allowed to see Ahbisit speak because he was the opposition. An opposition of which is a fundamental part of democracy. (yes, yes elections) blah,blah, blah.

I have to give you credit. You work very hard to convince yourself that this junta will be better than all the others.

Thaksin and his PT party had created a breeding ground for corrupt politicians, criminals and violent protestors. The Junta has already done a lot to try to clean this up. Under PTs watch you could basically throw a hand grenade into a group of protestors. And If the protestors were anti PT protestors, Yingluck and her team didn't care and therefor wouldn't investigate the killings.

So...before Thaksin...no corruption, right?

Or just a tiny bit?

Maybe?

And before Thaksin, there were no violent protests?

Ever?

And people got killed and no one really investigated?

Never?

Surely there was corruption before Thaksin. But Thaksin's party took it to a different level. One example, a crooked rice policy (designed to enrich cronies) and fake contracts have cost this country 13 Billion USD in 3 years. This is unprecedented in Thai history. You need more examples?

Thaksin has also taken Political violence to a new level by allowing protestors to be armed with war weapons.

So you admit there was corruption before Thaksin but somehow these corruption never ever been investigated by the judiciary or by corruption agencies. Wonder why? So your claim that it is unprecedented really sound hallow.

Just to mention few examples like the highly controversial 1.47T Baht Thai Khem Khaeg or 200B rice guarantee scheme or even the free 2,000B check to the poor making less than 15,000B monthly by AV government. Never investigated. Wonder why?

I also wonder why protestors were majority killed if they armed with war weapons.

If the rumours in the press are to be believed, there's more chance of another coup than there is an election.

Anyway, Thailand isn't ready for elections. Thai people have been failed time and time again by what some people in the country try to pass off as 'democracy'.

Democracy as it is known in the west, is very much a western ideal. Look at the countries in this region, most don't operate a full democratic system.

With many of us commenting here no doubt coming from democratic countries we all wish Thailand too could be democratic but Thailand needs a total change of its political landscape and a much greater idea and understanding of what true democracy is - something which will take generations to achieve.

Just because you hold an election doesn't necessarily mean you live in a democracy.

There's no quick fix for Thailand on this one.

Much relieved to know that this opinion is from someone who is not eligible to vote.

Brother of PM one of two in line to be next Thai Army chief

Also known as Anti-coup-insurance..................

Anti coup insurance from nepotism or croonyism choosing from the same Butapha Payak Group. As if there are no other capable generals not in the blood line or from the same group to be considered. Then there are the unexplained assets from these 2 generals that are still unaccountable. Pot calling the kettle black.

Eric, what do you mean by "Pot calling the kettle black." ?

That term would only apply to someone who attacked the Shins for being crooked and denied the Military were the same.

The vast majority of the posters on this site who are anti-Shin and point out their criminal ways will also say the same things about the Military Junta / government.

You are another one of many who thinks the anti-Shin crowd are pro-Junta.

Just who are these anti-Shin / pro-junta posters ?

You just define the idiom perfectly. Junta said coup is due to widespread corruption, nepotism and croonyism of the previous government. Low and behold, the junta is acting exactly the same way with nepotism and croonyism and unexplained wealth. That pretty summed it up and nothing to do with taking Shin or junta side. You are not pro Junta; suprises me but all good that you see the hyprocisy and hope you recognize that coup is just a proxy of the establishment.

Brother of PM one of two in line to be next Thai Army chief

Also known as Anti-coup-insurance..................

Anti coup insurance from nepotism or croonyism choosing from the same Butapha Payak Group. As if there are no other capable generals not in the blood line or from the same group to be considered. Then there are the unexplained assets from these 2 generals that are still unaccountable. Pot calling the kettle black.

Seems to me that they are desperate to stop the red-shirts gaining power again, as they would if there were free and fair elections.

The ruling elite are desperate.

Time and history is not on their side.

Think it is more than that especially the very fragile next 2 years. Everyone knows but can't talk. The military need to be in control or all hell will break loose which made the yellow and red shirts looks like a school boys brawl. Conclusive conclusion that the establishment cronies in the government will steal democracy for another 2 years of junta rule.

Populist policy? Doubt NACC has any comment.

Is this some kind of cruel joke that the junta is playing? They suspended the 350M B flood mitigation project which include Bangkok and now try to salvage a bad decision by appearing to be helpful. Why is this government always behind the curve and consistently doing damage control. The BMA after the big flood has already planned a mitigation project which include drainage tunnels, repairing the dykes, better pumps etc. That was a full 3-4 years ago and yet no urgency by the government to approve the project. Now that Bangkok is being flooded twice, he offer to help. Pathetic that what it is and goes for just about everything happening now.

Lost count on just how many PDRC supporters in the junta government. Sombat, a close confidant and strategist for Suthep. No wonder people speculate that both camps are in cahoot.

If Thailand is serious about ending the last 10 years+ of political chaos, they must completely purge the knuckle-dragging savages that have embedded themselves in the political framework of the country...America has even supported some of those knuckle draggers and ignored their bypassing of democracy to push lucrative foreign business deals through.

Popular sentiment separated from the rule of law is simply another form of dangerous tyranny and thaksin's 7% hardcore followers prove daily that the country is far from ready for elections by continuing to call for them merely to take advantage of the fact that there are major flaws in the system easily exploited by criminal elements and foreign interests.

The majority (not the 7% majority) are sick and tired of coups ergo reform is desperately needed before elections so that democracy is never bypassed again by a certain group after elections or if it is the group is held to account by strong checks and balances.

If you hate coups you too would want reform before elections.

So easy to shout from your roof about reforms or have the junta chief talk about reforms. But what reforms? You know something that we don't? You supporting something that are so abstract which you yourself have no clue about.