EnglishJohn

"It calls on the Thai authorities to overturn convictions and sentences, to withdraw charges and to release individuals and media people who have been sentenced or charged for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression or assembly."

Who is giving them their information ?. Who are these individuals and media people who need to be released ?. How many have been even been sentenced and charged ?. I wish the EU had paid more attention during the amnesty disgrace and ensuing protests.

And to those who think the amnesty the Junta gave themselves for performing the coup is in any way whatsoever comparable to the amnesty bill : pop down the hospital and see if they've got a spare brain you can have. The notion is ridiculous. Of course their first job is their own protection - but they didn't do it to cancel 25,000 pending cases of corruption against themselves. As things move on, your excuses to vent spite and hatred are getting weaker and weaker and your real character is showing through.

There is plenty of evidence that the military coup has inflicted billions of dollars damage on the country.Is it possible that those responsible and those backing them can be called to account, possibly through confiscation of assets and financial compensation?

As to the Yingluck issue, the rice price support policy (misconceived and poorly administered) has legitimacy given the government was democratically elected.Similar schemes operate elsewhere notably in the US and Japan.I don't see why Yingluck should be responsible personally.If she was involved in corruption (no evidence at all) or even colluded in others' corruption (evidence needed), that is a different matter and she should be made accountable.

The judicial waters are however muddied as other members have pointed out, and nobody seriously contends the whole process is not politically motivated.

Well, lowering myself to your nonsense logic, Yingluck is also responsible for the coup because of the UDD terrorists her government sent to murder protesters and also instructing the police to allow them free and easy access to do it.

So add your 'billions' to her bill.

"the rice price support policy (misconceived and poorly administered)"

Of 600 billion spent, only 100 billion made it to the farmers. Poorly administered indeed ! .

Do you not know this fact, or do you know it and choose to ignore it ?. Never mind : keep your fingers in your ears and your head in the sand.

the reason they can't meet their demands is that the gateway is already in place

Any evidence of that, or is it just your usual nonsense presented as fact again ?. Did you just decide it yourself because your internet is slow and your posting rate has suffered ?.

If it is just a blatant lie, I would say those kind of comments are exactly what Thailand does not need. There are plenty of people here spitting froth over their keyboards in rage because they believe anything they are told if it suits them.

Apparently you are allowed to take a gun with you as long as the police can't explicitly find evidence that you did it deliberately - so just use the same excuse.

That's why they didn't take any action against Thaksin's chum the ex-police chief.

And these jokers are why many of us have these stun-guns in the first place. They get away with making it up as they go along.

.. mmm .. errr .. Junta ... army more corrupt .. bangkok elite .. coup lovers .. Prayuth's outbursts .. People Disappearing People being arrested People being taken in and told off .. bangkok elite (that one is their favourite so I put it twice) ..

It seems our Pheu-Thai supporting friends are lost for words in this article - so I'll save them the bother and sum up the only things they ever say myself.

This would never, ever have happened under the last lot.

This amnesty would have been made already if Thaksin had not made his cronies commit that disgusting abuse of power and change it in the early hours. And in doing so, he threw all those people supporting him who would have benefited under a bus purely for his own benefit. Such is his regard for his followers.

People should realise that there will never be reconciliation while Thaksin is in the picture. He will not let it happen. He is finished and will never come back if it does. He needs red-shirts to hate his enemies - and luckily for him it seems there are plenty of those who are still gullible enough to believe his lies without being able to see right through them like other people can. Or maybe they do see through them- but he is their best chance to get rich, and I have seen enough posts here to know hypocrisy is no problem at all to the average red-shirt.

Will Yingluck go to jail? Very unlikely. Actually how many rich Thais are there in jail? Not many. Thus why did Taksin run away? Suppose it must be about loss of face?

The case Thaksin was convicted of was a minor almost trivia case when compared to the very serious charges he faces and would have to go to court on if he were here. E.g. the Krungthai Bank case were co-defendants got very long sentences.

He ran to avoid all of those.

He ran to fight another day. He'd have been a dead man if he'd stayed.

So why didn't he come back when PTP were in power and face the charges then ?. He would every protection money and power could provide.

The answer is clear to anyone who is capable of thinking about it : he is guilty and he knows it. No amount of hypocrisy on your part can change the obvious.

The real question is why the BBC are making such controversial political comments at all.

They are supposed to report the news, not take sides. No doubt our resident red-shirt Mr Head had a hand in this somewhere.

How times change.

39 years ago it was the Army murdering people standing against it.

In 2014 it was the government which their victory ultimately put into power who were murdering innocent protesters - and it was the Army who moved in to stop it.

It may have looked like 'democracy' 39 years ago but their ideas stopped then. Just because you oppose a military government, it doesn't automatically mean you are 'democratic'. When they say 'democracy' they mean it in the same way that the Chinese do.

The “Citizens Against Single Gateway: Thailand Internet Firewall” needn't shutdown the military gateway as a symbol of protest. They can attempt to steal sensitive military and State information and simply reveal it a la WikiLeaks and Snowden style.

They're initial denial of service attack may have also included insertion of malicious code vis a vis phishing, fake web sites and e-mail attachments that could allow backdoor entry into databases and control features. Thailand may enter the digital era in ways it never intended.

And so spoken by someone who reads about something someone else did and thinks it's easy.

You have no clue what you are talking about do you ?. What amazes me is that you are confident (or do I mean ignorant?) enough about it to make a post like that. Did you just put your buzzwords in a bag, shake it up then write them in the order you picked them out again ?.

Growing number of educated middle income Bangkok citizens getting annoyed with the junta. Their support base is fast dwindling. Bad news for Suthep and the Dem Party.

.. and what ? - you think they wish they had Pheu-Thai back ?.

Not a chance. Pheu-Thai were poison and the country is better off rid of them. You people don't care at all about what they are protesting about - only that they are opposing the Junta.

What you are seeing is the same type of people who stood up against the amnesty bill taking a stand against the Junta when they get out of line. This kind of thing is exactly what the country needs and if you cared to notice, you will see that the Prayuth is concerned about it. What happened to the 'absolute dictator' using article 44 you all screamed about when he invoked it ?.

This is the kind of pressure needed to push the Junta to get to elections as soon as possible. I just hope they get the reforms right so Thailand does not have another Parliament full of dirty cronies.

But don't for one minute think any decent minded Thai thinks things were better under the last lot.

People keep referring to ' the rule of law ' when the term is not strictly relevant in Thailand. Thailand does not have a jury system and all decisions are handled by judges. In making their decisions they have carte blanche to interpret both the law and the alleged offence to such a degree that many of their decisions are so divorced from a strict and unbiased application of the written law that justice becomes a victim of political correctness and cliquey loyalties.

This is the Thainess which is not to be confused with civilized practices elsewhere.

One can only imagine the extent of the 'jury nobbling' if it were.

People would start to look at jury service as another way to make some money through corruption. Just like joining the police.

The root of the problem is that the majority of Thais are corrupt and don't care. Justice would be worse in this country if they had a jury.

notice the empty seats during Prayuths' speech at the UN

Now that really does tell its own story, looks like most people decided there were more important things to do than listen to some hypocritical spiel from the good general, wonder if this will be published in the Nation and the other Thai press...?

The only story it tells is your own ignorance. Do you think it was standing-room only for all the other speakers ?.

You should see the Houses Of Parliament in the UK most of the time. Similarly deserted. MP's only turn up for the bits which interest them - and take it from me, nobody outside the country is interested in Thailand. Least of all UN officials who aren't even responsible to an electorate. Everybody know it is just a typical, corrupt third world Asian country.

This article has absolutely nothing new. The USA have done what is required according to law and apart from that, it is business as usual. The media are right to keep up the pressure on the Junta to hold elections, but treating the readership like ignorant children does not gain them any respect.

People should read 'The Korean War' by Max Hastings if they want a historic example of US foreign policy over the years in Asia. They will back whoever is best for USA business interests : his morale and ethical position towards his country is not important. Sygman Rhee was appalling and no doubt was a role model for the bogeyman. Anyone remember the USA 'Free Trade' bill he tried to railroad through Parliament just before his removal ?.

Thai newspaper published this cartoon 2 days before the cartoonist had his attitude adjusted.

It parodies the latest "suspect" being offered up to the public.

The authorities are trying to link the case to the Red shirts ("This goat is red") - Red shirt Uigurs?

ThaiRathCartoonScapegoat.jpg

So a red-shirt drawing a cartoon automatically makes it true does it ?. Because they are always honest and trustworthy right ?.

In my experience, every act of violence I have seen in Thailand (except the South) which approaches that of terrorism has been done by red-shirts. Whether it is judges pressured by intimidation mobs and death threats, shooters hiding in the midst of their own protesters, grenades/fire bombs at the house of newspaper owners who don't print the right message or people firing M79's at women and children.

And they deny every single one. How many times does it have to happen before you might realise which section of society are the ones who might do this ?.

And how do you explain how the bomb factory was set up long before the people got deported ?.

The most logical explanation in my opinion at this point is an attempt to sabotage the tourism industry and pressure the Junta for an election whilst getting the blame laid on the Uigurs (who, being of a terrorist bent themselves, were quite willing to go along with). I don't think the rank-and-file leadership of the red-shirts/UDD are in on it though - the risk of exposure of such a heinous act should any of them speak out would be too great. It was arranged within a very trusted inner circle.

Once again a totally simplistic presentation by Mr D. J Head. Of course the case is not yet solved, who were the principal organizers, where does the money trail lead, what was the true motivation ? Don't waste our time by just repeating what we already know Mr Head.

Unfortunately the BBC prefer to give facts rather than fairy tales, hence no positive conclusion from JH

Ha ha ha - how long is it since you watched the BBC news ?.

I watch it every evening when I am in the UK and I am increasingly aware that the country is being fed a 'version' of the truth it wants the people to believe. It is shocking to find out certain facts via the internet which they decide to omit. There is a very specific agenda they follow.

Mr Head was a guilty of that as anyone. A good example was the murders of the protesters. He NEVER mentioned that it was the government supporters killing peaceful protesters. His story would go something like "Anti-government protests turned violent resulting in xx deaths.". Clearly leading the reader to think the protesters were responsible.

He is a disgrace to the truth. Like many journalists in my experience : they all have a personal agenda and Mr Head has a history of conflict with the 'non-red shirt' part of Thai society.

So the U.S. President is polite ... Sometimes a hand shake is just a hand shake

I don't think it was meant as an endorsement of all the general has done or will ever do..

Of course it is also a sign that the U.S. Does not completely condemn the general and consider him 'persona non grata' either

Just seems a normal polite greeting between the President / PM... Just what one would expect given the situation

Quite wrong. A handshake in this environment is very significant.

All the fuss is because we have been bombarded by the Thai media with claims that Thailand is an outcast in world politics after the coup.

It has clearly touched a nerve of some people here : another small part of their lies and hypocrisy has been exposed for what it is and they respond like a schoolboy in a tantrum.

To the rest of us, it has been quite clear all along. The USA have done the exact minimum they have to do by law when dealing with a military Junta. They know full well what a bunch of dirty scumbags Thailand had before.

Despite all the fevered rantings we read here, red-shirt leaders will will not order anything significant without the order (and more specifically funding) from abroad. Revolutions take place by people who are fighting for a cause, not just to reinstate corruption.

Bogeyman would like to disrupt the economy to put pressure on the Junta to hold elections before reform is complete and give the next bunch a fighting chance to get around them. People should know by now that any reforms which are not already law will be repeatedly delayed and never get passed.

But he also knows that Prayuth bites back if he does anything : his face is still smarting from having his police rank removed so publicly.

And of course that-which-cannot-be-discussed might happen soon leaving the possibility of a huge power vacuum which might be a golden opportunity not to be missed.

So everything depends on whether bogeyman thinks he can get away with it. I don't think he can and he will wait patiently until the election then start the next election-corruption-protests-coup cycle. He will need his paid thugs again at that time and doesn't want his loyal servants locked up in prison when the time comes.

Meanwhile the red-shirt supporters who still think he is going to make them rich any time soon have been sold down the river ...

Hilarious. There was a poll the other day which reflected badly on the Junta and you people were all over it saying how it proved how bad they really are.

Now we have one saying something positive and you are all over it saying how it is all lies and propaganda.

Your opinions are truly priceless. And worthless.

Sooner or later you will be on a database. It happens in every country.

They might want to use it to identify UDD terrorists for now, but as time goes on those primitives will eventually disappear. Thailand is slowly changing and it is not in the direction of the communists. And when the bogeyman takes his final trip downstairs to the hot place, nobody will be there to give them a higher level strategy and they will recede to small time corruption amongst themselves.

What they will really use it for is turning you into a cash machine. Computers will check you paid what you are supposed to and start fining you if you don't. They will gradually transfer the workload of checking everyone pays their tax to the citizen and automatic fines will become a large part of the revenue.

It's already happened in the UK - but I think Thailand has quite a few years before they can manage to implement something like that. I doubt many members of this government can even understand facebook.

I must say when the PM took power I thought he had balls although letting this slime stay in office and furthermore letting his crony take over has answered my questions..

The great changes that never happened

Let's say he got rid of the current police chief, who would replace him ?.

An Army man ?. That would have the red-shirts screaming for blood long before he was removed from office because he had absolutely no clue what he was doing.

So it would have to be another policeman. Which one should the poor PM (who you seem to think should wave some magic wand) choose ?.

Remember: You cannot progress in the Thai police unless you are right in on the corruption. The whole organisation works on the 'troops' splitting the proceeds with their boss. Any righteous cop who refuses is going precisely nowhere. They are not called 'tomatoes' for nothing - they are completely representative of the ethics of your average red-shirt.

Prayuth has realised he is powerless to sort them out barring sacking the entire organisation and starting afresh. He is hoping that if reform of the dirty cronies in Parliament can be achieved, it will filter down over the following years.

Of course it will never happen. It's clear to me that most people here (including every red-shirt) don't even think corruption is wrong. It is just easy money and they all want a bit. Once the army step down, the biggest task will be setting everything back the way it was. Just like after the last coup.

What a good boy, daddy will be pleased. So will the coppers.

I wonder if it's enough to make the Redshirt angle and leads disappear. I can't believe all the rozzers think it is the Uighur minority to blame, and must have been curious at the very least, by the strong of coincidence around Mr T about to lose his police ranking, the rice mortgage case against lil' sis, other lieutenants of the UDD and PTP being hounded out of town and the implications of the draft constitution, to wonder if the bombing had anything to do with the man in Dubai? But now Oak may have made the inconvenient loose ends just wither up, like a rice stalk in the December winds.

Exactly what I was thinking. I don't buy the 'Uighur's did it all themselves' at all - how come they had the bomb factory all set up long before those people got deported ?. And we have a guy who has made a full confession - but he did it to return a favor for a mate ?. Jesus - I wonder what his mate did for him to make it worth put a pipe bomb in a tourist hot-spot in return. No motive at all and no Mr Big in sight.

The angle on the red-shirt bomber must have a few people sweating. This might just be the ticket to have that line of inquiry dropped.

So when this gateway is officially scrapped, I hope all you people who cry 'liar' like an 8 year old at just about everything Prayuth says will come back to this thread and apologize to him for your comment and publicly eat a bit of humble pie.

I will make a point of reminding you if you forget.

I will do likewise if the gateway which filters all the in-country traffic in Thailand actually goes ahead.

It only applies to those of you with any decency. Those hypocrites who have no ethics and quite happily do anything underhand need not bother. We don't expect it from you. You can just ignore that you are wrong yet again and carry on just the same in the next thread.

"Thai politics hovers among several layers of truth"

Obviously written by a journalist defending his industry. Thai politics is several layers of lies. The truth is lost the moment after it happened. I have never known a country where lies are so freely and readily spoken with no apparent conscience or concern for ethics.

I wonder if Jonathan Head has read this article. His 'lies by omission' in his BBC reports during the last protests were disgraceful. Reports like "Anti-government protests turned violent and 10 people were killed" does not accurately describe 10 peaceful protesters being murdered by government-backed terrorists with M79 grenade launchers.

Yes, Im sure if they are willing to pay 150 mil Baht people will come to Thailand. Would even do it myself but require a bit more to meet the junta and shake his hand or a bit less if I can have 2 minutes of free speech.

So what exactly would you say in your two minutes ?.

What liberties have you been deprived of which you had before ?. Maybe you own an M79 and got put out of work ?. Or maybe you are a rice-miller whose profits have dropped sharply ?.

Would you talk about the people who have gone missing ?. Oh, there aren't any. I bet you wish there were so you could complain about it.

Would you talk about wanting 'democracy' ?. Do you seriously think you had it before when every MP voted for the disgraceful amnesty bill because they were ordered to by Thaksin for his own personal benefit ?. Where a deputy Prime-Minister said "We don't need to worry about minorities. If they don't like it, they can vote us out" ?.

Did you go out and protest against the amnesty bill ?. Or the attempt to take massive loans off-budget ?. Did you voice concern that the government were murdering protesters to try and scare them away ?.

Even if you had your 2 minutes, I'm quite sure we would just get more of the same meaningless rhetoric we see here all the time which you just copied from some other red-shirt forum. You pretend you are championing some 'noble cause' but in reality you want everything back the dirty and corrupt way it was before.

If an egg sells for B3.5, just how much profit motive is there to make plastic eggs?

BTW fried eggs, in the shell?

LOL - another Thai news story which does not stand up to any scrutiny whatsoever.