Piichai

Chalerm and son arrested.

Made my day!

What's your source??? Son, which one? He's got two.

Check the TVF Live Feed.

Will they let Suthep out for his victory party or will they keep him in custody in the army camp?

I don't think anyone should see this as a victory. It certainly won't help the Democrats. Suthep may see it differently but I think Abhisit is smart enough to see the dangers. He didn't support the last coup so there's no reason to suppose he'll support this one either.

I think the General has let his expectation of getting things done when he wants them cloud his judgement. These sort of negotiations need time to work and he hasn't given that.

I suspect the meetings aren't over yet. Prayuth may give them a little while to stew.

"Niwattumrong is in the American Embassy"

"Talking of a government in exile via the American Embassy"

This could get ugly. Either Kristie, Obama, etc. will denounce the coup along predictable lines (we know what's best for democracy so do what we say, etc.) or they might actually get involved in trying to restore Shin-puppet rule and allow Thaksin robot Niwattumrong to hide in the embassy, which would be a very big mistake.

Kinney has denied reports.

There's a good chance the US won't use the C word.

They leave the Senate in place as the functioning legislature. Not very bright if they want genuine reform/reconciliation.

Why not?

It's not like Thaksin doesn't have a voice there...

..and the caretaker cabinet stays in place? That is implied in the last statement on the constitution.

What constitution?

Good move. That is why he is a General.

He may have cost Thailand quite a bit in aid including

military aid.

By US law the USA must now suspend aid starting with military aid anytime

a country is taken by military coup

Only if the US calls it a coup.

You might recall a recent case when they chose not to.

song, "where have all the (PTP) flowers gone, long time passing" alt=thumbsup.gif>

How's things in that parallel universe you inhabit? Sky got pink spots?

This is about pulling them all into line. Prayuth famously dislikes Suthep intensely. Although maybe not in your part of the cosmos ....

Suthep already showed he was willing to compromise when he aligned with the Senate.

However, Thaksin did say today that PTP & UDD would not compromise, and instead fight to the finish.

Just in. the TV Suthep fan club are holding a celebration meeting at a plush location that cannot be disclosed

I do like the red ribbons hanging from your pocket....very very becoming....not

Hope his rear will not be tempted to eat the stool-classy shoes by the way-very upmarket place to meet.

Looks more like the Reds crying in their beer. Explains the red ribbons...

Populist policies, are not a problem, they're what parties do to make peoples lives better. You'd have to be dumb to do unpopular policies!

Sometimes doing the right thing isn't popular, but that doesn't mean it's any less right.

The effect of Thaksin's policies are that he can't pay the rice farmers, he can't pay the first-time car buyers, he can deliver tablets to the children, and raising the minimum wage such a ridiculous amount has ended up hurting the people that needed it most.

Fine upstanding citizens these two are. Look at the lovely uniforms, the braiding, the medals. they must surely have the nations Interests at heart. Maybe the NACC got it all wrong. How can a lovey looking uniformed person smiling do any wrong?

Off with their heads if they are guilty! Off with them then!

that would be the only way to usurp corruption here!

This is why people fear martial law and what happens if the opposition gets to appointed an unelected PM like what Suthep wants. Didn't he come out saying that he was okay with summary executions if elected officials?

If executions are the only way to keep those convicted of abusing the public's trust out of government permanently, maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.

This 'compromise' of appointing a so-called neutral PM is simply kicking the can further down the road. The simmering anger and frustration of the UDD will worsen and nothing of substance will be achieved. In 12-18 months or less this will erupt once again.

If you haven't noticed, the playing field has changed.

After weeks of refusing to meet, PTP & UDD were at the table yesterday. That should tell you what they think of the military.

And if the Reds choose to make problems in 12-18, the military will still be there.

Again, its hard to see how railroading change is going to be palatable for all Thai's.

Of course those who have benefited from corruption won't like it, but it must be done for the good of the country.

There is only one way to go forward- election,election,election. If the Thai people are not allowed to decide their own future thru the ballot box the same old scenario will keep repeating itself. Thailand has to learn to grow up if it wants to be considered a democracy. /quote]

The Thai people been allowed to decide their own future thru the ballot box for years and the same old scenario has indeed kept repeating itself. Only reforms can make it change.

The latest guilty Shinawatra fraudster, Monthathip Shinawatra

She's no Yingluck!

A good start and hopefully they will keep it up but I wouldn't exactly call it a 'huge' seizure.

It's considerably larger than anything the police have found recently.

Even Korn, one of the more respectable Democrats openly admitted that in the last Election, where Yingluck and PTP won, the Democrats spent MORE in vote buying than PTP

Korn did not say that.

As it has been pointed out before, although political parties may declare what they spend on advertising and campaigning, it's ludicrous to think PTP would declare how much they spend on vote buying.

Not even Thaksin knows as he has no idea how much is skimmed off the top.

There were some hard-to-read but potentially significant signs today. I was expecting to hear confirmation of the Royal Proclamation, but this does not seem to be deemed necessary despite the announcement of nationwide martial law. I was also intrigued to see the colour of the ribbons worn by one of the regiments on duty..

Doesn't one particular regiment usually wear the ribbons?

Daily political shootings and bombings would constitute a state of emergencies in most western countries I am sure. Like the British military were deployed to Northern Ireland.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

In most western countries, the civilian government would still have control over the military in those decisions. Here, the army acted on its own. The army started shutting down TV and radio stations. Recently, it said it would monitor social media and that any gathering or movement against the martial law is outlawed. A total and unnecessary breach of freedom of expression.

Having a civilian state is vital to democracy and we do not have one.

Having a civil population is vital as well, but not much evidence of that at the moment.

Insurrection means violent uprising.

Some would think we have that with the Reds. Others might think we have that with PDRC. Either way, the military has their excuse.

A lot would think there has not been one. By international standards, there has not been one. The military does not have their excuse.

Tell that to the parents of the murdered children.

The military had a reasonable concern, what with the millions heading to Bangkok from the north.

And now we have news that Reds are hiring people to build bombs for them, presumably as Darwin has taken care of their in-house bomb builders.

And the almost daily attacks on the peaceful protesters certainly sounds violent to me. Especially that one with the M16 and M79s.

It's not hard to see the military's actions have been measured. Gotta give them credit after the Reds saying they were going to kidnap Prayuth's daughters and all...

We had an election which international observers said was broadly fair, and as we all know it was voided by the court. Make no mistake that election would have brought the PTP back to power. It does not matter how many spoilt their votes; under the democratic system they had the opportunity to cast legitimate votes and did not - because they knew what the outcome would be. Now we see prevarication, evasion, delay - anything to stop the Thai people having the opportunity to express their will, because they outcome will not be the one the ruling elite desires. The violet ribbons worn by the solders says it all. The usual suspects can dress this up any way they want, but their support for totalitarianism is all too obvious.

People spoil their ballots because they were forced to vote and they didn't want to.

Nobody was forced to vote, they chose to vote and in doing so exercised their democratic rights.

Spoiled ballots and no votes are a valid expression and send a message that a part of the electorate are unhappy with the choices offered to them.

What was particularly shameful were the attempts to disrupt the poll by a minority through intimidation,

We will never know how many people did not cast their votes because of this.

People in Red villages are forced to vote.

And how many no votes and spoiled ballots were in the recently annulled election?

But don't worry, Thailand will have elections again. And with the proper reforms, there won't be wholesale raping of the country - no matter who wins.

The Army should be supporting elections not trying to stop them from happening. You the Army gave their support and did something we would have elections. However, is that is real goal?

Their will be no elections before reform - plain and simple!!! Get used to it!! .

But a reform giving benefits to who?

The little news that trickle trough the censorship is clear. This is an establishment coup. Is it preventing bloodshed? In the short run sure. If the elite threads a set of reforms down the majority voters heads to prevent them from electing the wrong government - you can only guess where it is heading from there. This might have widened the divide in Thailand even further.

First it was a judicial coup. Then it was a military coup. Now it's an establishment coup.

That's why I love mankind...

It's not political reforms that need changing, it's the bigoted attitudes that many Thais have for each other that needs to change first, and that ain't ever going to happen.

When I was born, my city had separate drinking fountains for blacks and whites. Not any more. It took education and time, and a strong stand from the government that this indeed must stop.

Leaders should lead; not rape the country.

Who does it hurt to require transparency? Who does it hurt to get rid of those who abuse the public's trust?

"He also urged a new government to draft a policy to regulate the price of 2014 off season rice, leaving the decision of whether or not to continue the rice mortgage scheme, to the administration."

Dream on. The rice scheme is dead. No govt is going to reintroduce such a colossally inept piece of economic stupidity again. Market prices from now on i should imagine..

Methinks you may be underestimating PTP!