Eric Loh

It would also be nice if the red leaders were asked to explain :

Why they were there in the first place ?

Who provided the funding for their riots ?

Who supplied the weapons to the men in black (who didn't exist) ?

Why they accepted Abhisits offer of early elections then next day reversed that decision ?

On whose advice was that decision reversed ?

How was it possible for them, the leaders, to emerge from the riots a millionaires ?

There are also many other questions that come to mind, for instance one of them could be asked :

Why have you not taken responsibility for all the arson as you said you would when you urged your followers to each bring a bottle to fill with gasoline ?

I'm happy to see some people remember what really happened...and are not just bashing .....and shooting there heads of...great.!!!

Oh, you mean the official scripted version.

Red shirts said they didn't burn down Central World (your ''scripted version'' of events)...video is released clearly showing red shirts burning down CW. So are we on the same page, or are you going to tell me that the video footage is fake???

Allow me to refresh your memory. The Thai court had aquited the 2 remaining Redshirts and 2 juveniles accused of burning CW. There were photo or videos of Redshirts holding something which was later indentified as fire extinguishers. Further, the military took over the burning. So the juror is still out there as to who touched CW. Now we are on the same page.

M-79 grenades and RPGs qualify as an "odd pistol shot"? And the men photographed moving through the red ranks with assault rifles, should we all ignore them?

This is exactly the problem, people mix up many different incidents all into one as justification for the shooting of innocents. Yes, the Red Shirts took it way too far, there was extreme violence occurring in the city and that needed to stop. However, randomly shooting into a large group of people killing photographers, medics and other innocents was obviously not the right way to deal with it, and I find it incredible that anyone could actually think otherwise. But, some do, likewise some feel that a million civilian deaths in Iraq was in someway justified by the breaking of Saddam's regime.

As you have just arrived, unless you are a reincarnation, you should do some research before posting.

The only ones doing random shooting into crowds were the men in black, those of us who were here at the time remember the photos and videos of the men in black jumping out from cover and letting off a mag of automatic rifle fire in the general direction of the army then jumping back again.

We remember the grenades deliberately fired at the sky train station which killed a lady and injured several others.

We remember the reds teaching children how to fire home made rockets in the general direction of the army.

We remember the attempts to set fire to a fuel tanker in front of a crowed apartment building.

We remember the grenades fired at the fuel tanks at Don Muang airport.

Yes there were 2 photographers killed, one by mistake by the army, this came out clearly at his inquest and they never denied it, the other we don't know who killed him, it could well have been one of the armed reds.

Just who shot into the temple is still unclear in spite of an inquest being held.

Neither do we know how many of the others killed or injured were victims of the armed reds.

As you are appear to be an expert on riot control could you please tell us the correct way things should be handled when armed rioters are shooting and firing grenades at an army and the civilian population with the leaders extoling their followers to turn the city into a sea of flame.

"Just who shot into the temple is still unclear in spite of an inquest being held".

The inquest by the Criminal Court concluded that the shots were fired from the direction of the soldiers on the flyover. What's so unclear about this? You are generalizing and assuming too much.

That is correct up to your assumption that because the shots were fired from the direction of the skytrain and there were soldiers in that vicinity. it was the soldiers that fired the shots.

There were photos and video of men in black who were also in a position where they could have fired the shots into the temple.

The only clear thing that came out of the inquest was the type of weapons used and we know that type were in the hands of both the army and the men in black.

It should also be mentioned that the army's testimony to the inquest was disregarded.

It is those who want the army to be responsible who would ignore any other possibilities..

Unclear!! Read the extract below from the Criminal Court.

"The South Bangkok Criminal Court ruled that six persons died in Wat Pathum Wanaram during May 2010 political violence were shot by the soldiers; five were shot by the soldiers situated on the BTS sky train track while the other one was shot by soldiers stationed on Rama I Rd".

Don't be silly and qoute me that the army disregard the inquest.

No, the uprising was not peaceful but, does that really justify the indiscriminate shooting of over 2000 people including the deaths of journalists, tourists and paramedics? Not in my opinion, in my opinion shooting into crowd of people with automatic weapons is far worse burning and looting and the fact that the odd pistol shot was coming out of that crowd did not justify randomly shooting at all of them.

M-79 grenades and RPGs qualify as an "odd pistol shot"? And the men photographed moving through the red ranks with assault rifles, should we all ignore them?

This is exactly the problem, people mix up many different incidents all into one as justification for the shooting of innocents. Yes, the Red Shirts took it way too far, there was extreme violence occurring in the city and that needed to stop. However, randomly shooting into a large group of people killing photographers, medics and other innocents was obviously not the right way to deal with it, and I find it incredible that anyone could actually think otherwise. But, some do, likewise some feel that a million civilian deaths in Iraq was in someway justified by the breaking of Saddam's regime.

As you have just arrived, unless you are a reincarnation, you should do some research before posting.

The only ones doing random shooting into crowds were the men in black, those of us who were here at the time remember the photos and videos of the men in black jumping out from cover and letting off a mag of automatic rifle fire in the general direction of the army then jumping back again.

We remember the grenades deliberately fired at the sky train station which killed a lady and injured several others.

We remember the reds teaching children how to fire home made rockets in the general direction of the army.

We remember the attempts to set fire to a fuel tanker in front of a crowed apartment building.

We remember the grenades fired at the fuel tanks at Don Muang airport.

Yes there were 2 photographers killed, one by mistake by the army, this came out clearly at his inquest and they never denied it, the other we don't know who killed him, it could well have been one of the armed reds.

Just who shot into the temple is still unclear in spite of an inquest being held.

Neither do we know how many of the others killed or injured were victims of the armed reds.

As you are appear to be an expert on riot control could you please tell us the correct way things should be handled when armed rioters are shooting and firing grenades at an army and the civilian population with the leaders extoling their followers to turn the city into a sea of flame.

"Just who shot into the temple is still unclear in spite of an inquest being held".

The inquest by the Criminal Court concluded that the shots were fired from the direction of the soldiers on the flyover. What's so unclear about this? You are generalizing and assuming too much.

>>She insisted that she had performed her duty in honesty and in the service of the people who had voted her party into the office and inconformity with the Constitution, laws and regulations.<< Quote

She forgot to mention that her "honest services" cost the taxpayers 600+ billion baht!!

For goodness sakes! How many other schemes have burned and failed in the past? The navy has a submarine dock and no submarines, an aircraft carrier with no appropriate aircraft and so on! Stuff happens and it happens in every country, not every government scheme works.

This is a feeble attempt to defend an ex PM, who totally failed to manage a government. Never mind the submarines and aircraft carrier schemes, and it happens everywhere.. OK on this scale you name the countries . ??? and what sort of governments were they ?? for a small country like Thailand it could not have survived under the PTP Shins with losses like this, and you and some of your followers wanted an early election to allow her to get back in if my memory is correct.

There are many government schemes that cost big scale lost. Failed border scheme in UK cost tax payers 500M pounds and nearer to Thailand, Malaysia 1MDB financial mismanagement cost the tax payers close to 450B Baht lost. Plenty of large scale loss if you care to goggle by governments. I don't see any leaders being charge for dereliction of duty. Corruption, yes as happen in Taiwan with President Chen. It was proven in court and he is in jail. if Yingluck is proven with evidence that she was linked to any corruption, she deserved jail but certainly not for negligence.

Martial law means the "Government" can do anything they damn well want. No repercussions, no oversight, no consequences after they leave governance.

And Election collection means that the protesters and its opposition leaders can hit the streets whenever THEY want, too.....

Either way, no matter who is in power, this country is still screwed within their own 2 anti-anti agenda parties, where the people in power o any party will never ever ever get punished but rewarded with inactive life post pensions....

How would you deal with a totally corrupt, money grabbing, self interested government like the Yingluck government? Remember governments are supposed to serve the people.

Just vote them out, that simple.

The essence of education hinges first and foremost on the traditional values of Buddhism, respect for the king, the monkhood, the teachers, and the family (in that order) through the rote method. Whilst indisputably very noble, these features are the main hurdle to the implementation of modern educational methodology and the development of a more engaging approach to communication while also retaining Thai cultural values.

Students are not encouraged to develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Teachers will avoid introducing dialogue into the classroom or eliciting response from the students; to give a wrong answer would be to lose face in the presence of one's peers, a situation that in Thai culture must always be avoided.

The General also wants the "12 Values" implemented into the Thai syllabus. State agencies have also produced a poem, song, and 12-part film based on the teachings.

The Super-board is to take over the role of the Education Ministry?

Sounds like some dangerous reforms for students in Thailand.

Critical thinking and developing not only the minds but also the challenging of moral application of students is very important in a childs development. A good education system will also challenge the political process. These areas may be missed with the new regime' education model.

I don't know the model or what is in it, but one can only think of what the regime' plans may be.

Just a side thought to this is how will they implement a new education model down south? The current model has caused a lot of problems in that area.

Yes I agree.

Critical thinking is one of the basics of the scientific method so on so many levels how can they truly progress with out it?

Teaching ethics and respect need to come from the basis of logic.

There's plenty of logical argument for respect and ethics but not nuch on the basis they propose!

Critical thinking? Really an oxymoron now as its disencouraged by the Junta. You know what you get with a junta government revamping the education system. Lots of yes sir and no one allowed talk. Perhaps the General PM should be exemplary by allowing others to express and not shut out those who ask questions.

Tragically, it proves that subsistence farmers have been commiting suicide irrespective of who is in power.....

And to add that farmers all over the world need subsidies and welfare as no one can fight against weather condition and fluctuating prices.

If you put this abduction and the murder threats to Khun Prayao, mother of the victim Nurse Kate by people claiming to be military personel, it really reflect badly on the junta especially now that they are in absolute power. Certainly not a blunder but a planned attempt. Thankfully this was exposed by the press which will somehow safeguard her life.

........Just freeze her bank accounts, pull her Passport, and kick her ass in the klong......Its the sub-prime ministers

that did all the bad deeds, She is simply a victim who lost control, and the little munkskins took advantage of an opportunity to screw the farmers out of money. I'd hate to see such a pretty lady end up in jail/ prison. Not a very

nice place for a lady. Put her under house arrest. and bar from any Government job for the rest of her life.

Yingluck isn't the victim of the corruption. She was responsible to make sure that it didn't happen since she was the chair of the National Rice Policy Committee.

So the head of the police should be put in jail as the police are still corrupt and the head of the army should be charged because people in the military are still corrupt, and the head of etc.... should also be put in jail......

They should go after those that were and proven to have undertaken corrupt action which they are, it is simply impossible for the head of huge state departments to take responsibility for corruption below them.

If they have proof YS was corrupt charge her, no problem. If they have proof she was aware of certain people being corrupt charge her for whatever law this breaches.

Bare in mind however that as an example the police are still horribly corrupt, shall we throw Somyot in jail? Bare in mind the military are hugely corrupt, should we throw the head of the army in jail...Good luck...

Corruption is rife through all state and private organizations, so you either have to punish them all, or you will be accused of cherry picking persons which is whats happening now.

No, you have to punish the cases that can be proven.

Of course those that are proven but it would not take a sting of biblical proportions or huge levels of investigation to find corruption in any of these organizations, that is of course if they had the will to do it.....

Let's see how things progress. Top cops have already been taken down...

The case at hand now is one that has been on the international radar for a few years. It plays into both the need to address corruption as well as reform.

House cleaning always takes time

Rice subsidies cost the country 682B Baht loss in the last 10 years and 4 governments. All mired and accused of corruption. House cleaning just started and it's selective targeting for a political agenda.

Why only a non-elected govt can keep order?

This means all elected governments cannot ensure progress?

Seem you have difficulty in differentiating a military government with martial law and an elected government.

If there is anything that will guarantee no reconciliation it's taking YL to trail over this. It's vindictive and misguided.

I refuse to believe she profited from any of this or ever had any intention to profit from it...why would she...she already has enough money. I also will not believe she did anything with malicious intent and those are the only reasons she should be found guilty if either of those two can be proved beyond any doubt. She might be blamed for poor judgement, for being naive, for not listening or not acting fast enough or just not being very bright, but none of those are jail-able offenses. This is simply an out-of-control, rabid government out to get Thaksin anyway they can and if that means putting his sister in jail in lieu of him then that is what they will do.

The charge is negligence and not corruption. There are no evidence connecting her to corruption. If negligence was the charge, then there are a laundry list of past PMs that have schemes mired in corruption. The Thai Khen Khaeg which cost 1.49T B by Ahbisit, Chuan's Phuket land corruption and even Chavalit financial crisis debacle were result of negligence. The Supreme Court has the responsibility to accept the case and the verdict will tell if this is another purge attempt on the Shins or if proper due process of law was practiced, rule her not guilty.

Whatever anyone else did or didn't do isn't worth chicken shit. This case is about Yingluck and the way she managed her flagship rice financing scheme, to which she appointed herself chairperson.

She says on FB, or at least her ghost writers do, that she always acted honestly as PM.

Eric, do you believe that to be the case, that Yingluck always acted honestly, which means always told the truth too?

No it's not chicken shit. It's selective punishment. It's kangaroo court and a well laid out plan from the start to get rid of the Shin. I would also add double standard and bias courts. What will be fair will be the court verdict of not guilty or the corruption agencies pursue the other corruption filled schemes. Oh, by the way, I believe she acted honestly too. Of course you disagree and that's your prerogative. I have taken my stand.

If there is anything that will guarantee no reconciliation it's taking YL to trail over this. It's vindictive and misguided.

I refuse to believe she profited from any of this or ever had any intention to profit from it...why would she...she already has enough money. I also will not believe she did anything with malicious intent and those are the only reasons she should be found guilty if either of those two can be proved beyond any doubt. She might be blamed for poor judgement, for being naive, for not listening or not acting fast enough or just not being very bright, but none of those are jail-able offenses. This is simply an out-of-control, rabid government out to get Thaksin anyway they can and if that means putting his sister in jail in lieu of him then that is what they will do.

The charge is negligence and not corruption. There are no evidence connecting her to corruption. If negligence was the charge, then there are a laundry list of past PMs that have schemes mired in corruption. The Thai Khen Khaeg which cost 1.49T B by Ahbisit, Chuan's Phuket land corruption and even Chavalit financial crisis debacle were result of negligence. The Supreme Court has the responsibility to accept the case and the verdict will tell if this is another purge attempt on the Shins or if proper due process of law was practiced, rule her not guilty.

That's one quick way to become a pariah state and not recognized by the global community and possible trade sanctions with an unelected PM. Time for the NLA and the CDC to start thinking for the country and not for the minority group of mandarins.

Martial law, detention without trial, abduction, toutured prisoners and set up incriminating props; the junta has a credibility problem when dispensing information. It's now one way street, absolute rule and a police state. This self designed happiness can deteriorate badly very fast.

Let's see. They used their public trust as officers of the government to make a 'sale on paper' at below market price and well below the price the government (taxpayers) paid for it and the rice, while never leaving the warehouse, is resold, at a discount, back to a Thai company (with strong links to Thaksin Shinawatra) to be sold in Thailand in competition with all the other rice the government needs to sell. (a true government to government sale sees the rice leave and be consumed in another country) In the process they made millions off the taxpayers who subsidized the rice they sold. What a beautiful scam and the Yingluck government would have been able to keep it secret if not for their failed attempt to whitewash Thaksin's sins through the 'blanket' amnesty that got the public riled up and protesting in the streets. The government may have still survived to cover up their wrongdoing but for their UDD hired guns throwing hand grenades at the protesters which eventually involved the Royal Thai Army. There are still a lot more of Thaksin's turds clogging the toilet and it is dirty business for the current government to clean it up.

A rather small detail have been left out like the court have not accepted the case and the no one have been convicted yet. Oh, even the judges have not been appointed. Nice piece of useless essay though.

Should a temporary fill in pm and the army be making such huge long term expensive commitments? Shouldn't such thing wait until there is an election and a government is elected. I thought Prayuth's only goal was reform and reconciliation. He appears to have got derailed on his objective or he plans to stay around forever.

Surely it is just a continuation of Yingluck's fast train plan .

So why do they need to wait for another government

And it would appear cheaper

Remember she illegally past a bill to borrow 2 trillion baht with 3 trillion interest over 50 years

Luckily it was stopped by the Constitutional Court before PTP could get their grubby hands on it and use it to cover up some of the losses on the Rice Scam.

Sure China will make money in lots of ways - inflated construction cost, maintenance and training fees

At least there shouldll be a lower level of corruption as there will be a lot less off the budget finance and closed books.

One would expect that China will be paying fees for their freight when shipped across Thailand to ports or to Singapore. It would actually make sense for China to use Dawei Port in Myanmar as shorter shipping distance to Europe, Mid-east etc plus a shorter train trip.

In your wisdom, do you see any difference between Yingluck's loan and Prayuth's loan. And you positively sure no grubby hands by the junta? Please talk sense.

Here we have the CDC visiting German to learn about their election system that was designed in 1945. Amazing.

If there are undercurrents, the investors will have the best feel. Foreign direct investment and even domestic investment dropped by half. The stock market tanked today. The PM is surrounded by yes men and is out of touch with reality.

Don't Government to Government contracts needcto be vetted by the foreign trade department and the respective embassies? Are staffs from these institutions also being implicated? Certainly not a water tight case. Can go either way.

Like a good soldier, he is just following orders. Not much different from Yingluck.

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As always, Gen Prayut makes another unrestrained attack on the US in defense of his military-led government. His inelegant and bombastic condemnation of the US comes on the eve when a Thai delegation is going to the US to argue fair and balanced treatment on Thailand's listing with Tier 3 countries. This delegation was going to "help" the US understand that Thailand is meeting all its obligations in stopping and preventing human trafficking.

"We told them Thailand is unlike others." Thailand doesn't need US democracy but it wants unrestrictive access to all US markets.

So fine, the US is also unlike others, will also stand behind its democratic principles, and impose Tier 3 sanctions on Thailand because it DOES UNDERSTAND what Gen. Prayut stands for.

Yet the USA is quite happy to support a coup in Egypt, quite happy to support the King of Saudi Arabia that "bastion of democracy" and several other countries including supporting the people opposed to the Syrian government, it supports the Israelis against the palestinians and yet you say that the USA will stand by its "democratic principles".

How many countries has the USA invaded in the last 150 years quoting "democratic principles"?

Add Singapore and Malaysia, both have elections but in reality they are a farce, and both countries nowhere near real democracy. Does the USA say anything? Never seen it.

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I agree with him. The US has the worst form of democracy where a government can be bought and paid for. It was the same in Thailand also so hope he changes it for the better.

And while were at it, how come the US is / has been totally quite about 'democracy' in Singapore and Malaysia?

Don't you get it. Singapore and Malaysia have elections; we don't. USA have always spoke strongly against Singapore and Malaysia about the need to improve public participation and freedom of expression. They particularly single out the harsh ISA and the Public Order Act. These strong condemnation has influenced the thinking of the locals and beginning to be manifested in election results. That's what needed, voters being informed and making decision at the ballot box.

Malaysia ' s present system of government started with a coup in 1969 and they are doing ok.

Poor attempt in re-writing Malaysia history. Government of Tungkul Abdul Rahman didn't conceded the government to army takeover. No General was appointed Prime Minister. The National Operation Council was formed to handle the racial riots and Tungkul resigned for Abdul Razak to take over. They are from the same Alliance party which is now called UMNO.

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I agree with him. The US has the worst form of democracy where a government can be bought and paid for. It was the same in Thailand also so hope he changes it for the better.

And while were at it, how come the US is / has been totally quite about 'democracy' in Singapore and Malaysia?

Don't you get it. Singapore and Malaysia have elections; we don't. USA have always spoke strongly against Singapore and Malaysia about the need to improve public participation and freedom of expression. They particularly single out the harsh ISA and the Public Order Act. These strong condemnation has influenced the thinking of the locals and beginning to be manifested in election results. That's what needed, voters being informed and making decision at the ballot box.

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As always, Gen Prayut makes another unrestrained attack on the US in defense of his military-led government. His inelegant and bombastic condemnation of the US comes on the eve when a Thai delegation is going to the US to argue fair and balanced treatment on Thailand's listing with Tier 3 countries. This delegation was going to "help" the US understand that Thailand is meeting all its obligations in stopping and preventing human trafficking.

"We told them Thailand is unlike others." Thailand doesn't need US democracy but it wants unrestrictive access to all US markets.

So fine, the US is also unlike others, will also stand behind its democratic principles, and impose Tier 3 sanctions on Thailand because it DOES UNDERSTAND what Gen. Prayut stands for.

Yet the USA is quite happy to support a coup in Egypt, quite happy to support the King of Saudi Arabia that "bastion of democracy" and several other countries including supporting the people opposed to the Syrian government, it supports the Israelis against the palestinians and yet you say that the USA will stand by its "democratic principles".

How many countries has the USA invaded in the last 150 years quoting "democratic principles"?

Add Singapore and Malaysia, both have elections but in reality they are a farce, and both countries nowhere near real democracy. Does the USA say anything? Never seen it.

Really a desperate attempt by you to try made your argument. Put it up or shut up with your accusation that Singapore and Malaysia elections are farce. They may not be the prefect democracy but the citizens take their decisions to the ballot box and the military know their roles and responsibilities.