DennisF

So the leader has still not solved the government lottery scam?

No but he is at least doing something about it and has changed the quota and driven the price down and now is inspecting the big sellers. Seems all is going well and real action is taken. You can fault them for many things but this is actually working.

IF it is followed through then you are correct, I think this resounding success may give him an elevated place in Thai history.

In the meantime.. back in the world of death, scams and poverty for the masses.. nothing changes.

Cheap lottery tickets will not save the economy or bring happiness to the people, guaranteed.

Every time one of these idiots opens their mouth they prove they are not fit for purpose.

Time for an election methinks.

'Kinell... quality or quantity???

I am confused

The portrayal by a bangkok based media as the poor as scroungers radically undermines the facts..

In the 'good old days' that the military is trying to return us to.. The 80s and 90s.. The rural economy received 5 - 10% of the countries budget allocation..

In 2001 that had risen to 16%.. and now it is in the low to mid 20% range.. Bangkok has 16% of the Thai population and 70% of its tax revenue.. Isaan has 30% the countries population and gets 6% of its revenue !!! A bangkok Thai gets 100's of per cent more proportionally spent on them.. Bangkok gets 400% the education budget per child.. 16x the medical spending per person..

But as Thailand works mostly on consumption taxes even tho income tax payments from the poor is low they contribute too.. VAT makes 50% of the government revenue and the poor pay that dis-proportionally than the rich.

Yet the yellow media would have you believe its the poor wanting handouts.. How about reducing the bangkok budget to nearer equality to the rural budgets based on populations..

These numbers are no longer a secret to the poor.. They know they are being given the crumbs while being accused of asking for too much.. The insult that is being told to live a 'sufficiency economy' while single shopping malls in bangkok consumer more electricity than entire provinces in the North is just stunning hypocrisy.

Those balances will be redressed.. either safely and calmly in the ballot boxes, or more dangerously outside of them.

How about the budget gets divided based on tax income, sounds fair to me most of the tax is paid in BKK and most of the money is made in BKK seems fair that most of it is spend there then too.

Based on population, of course not based on where the tax income is derived. That is much fairer investing in a place that makes money vs giving money to a bottomless well.

Please quote your sources and some actual numbers.. 30% of the countries population, issan, receives just 6% of the expenditure.. Given consumption taxes make the largest single section of government revenue I would assume 30% of the countries population contribute more then 6% of the budget..

The statement that issan is asking for handouts is simply a crock.. Isaan is asking for a fairer rebalancing of the budgets.. And when Tacky did that, diverting just a few fractions of the government budget into infrastructure and investment in the poorest, the country boomed.. If you want to create a strong economy you create a strong middle class.. You do that by investing in the poor, and the whole country then benefits.

Can you please refrain from bringing basic common sense into the discussion?

It adds nothing to the argument and could even curtail it.

Seeking a candidate to love, voters find Clinton one to like

​i don't know why

her hubby left a bad taste in monicas mouth.

You know this from personal experience???

WOW!

Did he bite you too??

Really!?

The whole corruption machine is just waiting to get back into gear when the RED Shirts are elected again by the Issan people.

Also, Thaksin 'Square Head' will be allowed back and given a Free Pardon!

All the work of the good General/PM will be lost.

An Election ( regardless of so called democracy ) is the worst thing that can happen,

Yep, he cleaned the beaches.... not to mention drove down the price of lottery tickets.... oh no.. thats WIP.

If this is REALLY what this man thinks and he is willing to get to grips with actually turning rhetoric into action

then I am all for it.

Much of what he says is spot on, but, I agree he did not touch on all the issues.

One step at a time maybe.

We hope.

I fear that violence is a real possibility.

I fear more that that violence and Thai against Thai will result in a North Korea style country

even faster than many are already anticipating.

There will be no criticism or opposition that will go unpunished.

The Commissioner General has said that he will carry on the work of the former Commissioner General Pol Gen Somyot Phumphanmuang,

<deleted>

I rest my case

Because you are in Thailand, and she knows a lot of things here that you don't know.

If I tell my wife I want to do something and she says no, I will always listen to her as she knows about things here in Thailand I do not know.

Every time my wife suggests what I should or should not do in Thailand, I always listen to her, although I still want to know her reasons.

After ten years here together, she has never been wrong.

After ten years here you still need to be told what you can and cant do, by your mother wife?

Try reading my post again, I understand that some posters come from countries where English is not their first language, and may not quite understand what I have written about. nothing wrong with that.

I is very inglish and I agree its time for you to grow up

This is a case where the translator was neither skilled nor brief.

Let me give it try.

The Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center's (SBAPC) held a workshop. 100 people attended. The Secretary-General encouraged members of the media to use social media channels to effectively communicate with citizens.

Slightly innacurate.

What he said, and I precis, is

" Flook facebook and the truth tellers, I'm a general, you will write what I tell you to. Nothing more, nothing less. If I don't like it, there are still inactive posts avaiuable."

I wonder how much tea money a coffee shop has to pay?

Charlie 1, do you reckon that the stuff I've written is a load of rubbish ?

Do you accept that Cambodia, Laos and Burma will never try to boot Thailand out of whatever club they're in ? Do you accept that those three countries basically need Thailand's roads to do their trade between them ? So ASEAN can never boot out Thailand ?

Do you accept that it is Vietnam and the Phillipines who have got a dispute over whatever islands with China ? And that Thailand has NOT got any disputes over land or islands with China ?

Do you accept that China is building a railway line in Thailand ? And that no railway line is being built in Vietnam and Phillipines ? Do you accept that it is Vietnam and the Phillipines who are sending their workers to Thailand, and that it is not the other way round ? As in no workers from Thailand will be going to Vietnam and the Phillipines under the new rules regarding freedom of movement of skilled workers in ASEAN ?

The Nation mentioned "was it a good idea to express affection for a country that is in conflict with our regional neighbours?".

Well, it's only the Phillipines and Vietnam who are having conflict with China. Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, NONE of them has anything against China ? Do you accept that ?

After all the above points, do you accept that ASEAN needs Thailand more than Thailand needs ASEAN ? Do you accept that it doesn't really matter even if Thailand did slightly offend certain ASEAN countries because of their over-friendly comment towards China ?

Thailand doesn't send workers to other countries because it hasn't got any to send.

Sorry people, duplicate post.

Nation Newspaper, shut up. Shut your mouth, and stop printing such ridiculous stories.

Do you really think that if Thaksin or Abhisit were back in charge, oh, Thailand would not be so close to China ?

You want to call this a 'grave mistep' ? I say that it is you who is more likely to be making a grave mistep by printing such a silly opinion. Okay, what exactly are you trying to say ? You wrote "our Asean neighbours were already aware that China enjoyed a close relationship with Thailand". Well, yes, everybody already knows that. Is it dangerous for Thailand to say this, and say it to ASEAN ? Off-course not. ASEAN already knows. You want to talk about Thailand's spirit of solidarity with ASEAN ? Was it good to show affection for a country (China) that is in conflict with THailand's neighbours ? What nonsense are you on about ?

Get real, China is the big dominant power in the Far East, and ASEAN is actually powerless against China. ASEAN needs Thailand more than Thailand neeeds ASEAN.

Nation Newspaper, if you look at a map of the area, you will notice that Thailand sits between Burma, Laos and Cambodia. Basically, any club involving them three needs to have Thailand in it. Otherwise, Thailand will simply not allow the other three countries to trade (using Thailand's roads as road freight). So, if Thailand pulls out of ASEAN, then three of ASEAN's countries will have a massive problem. Also, the Phillipines needs Thailand more than Thailand needs them. ASEAN's rules means that skilled Phillipinos will be allowed to enter into Thailand and work, and those Phillipinos will benefit massively if they can can enter Thailand. You really think the Phillipines will be willing to pull out their future skilled workers from Thailand because they are offended by Thailand's actions ? No way. Phillipinos are not stupid, they're going to want to keep their skilled workers in Thailand. It's almost as absurd as trying to claim that Poland might pull it's workers out of England. It will not happen.

About China. Thailand's ace card IS China. Vietnam and the Phillipines have their territory disputes with China, yes, they are closer to China. Thailand does not have such disputes, hence, Thailand gets on with China. Good. Hence, Thailand will benefit by being China's launch-pad into ASEAN. Vietnam and the Phillipines might try to do a partial block of the Chinese goods being imported, they won't do it though. But if they did, the Chinese goods will simply be transported to Thailand, and then re-routed to Vietnam and the Phillipines.

So, Nation Newspaper, stop trying to say that Thailand should be worried because ASEAN might be offended by some comments made by Thailand. Thailand has very little to fear. ASEAN is scared, not Thailand.

I have, never ever, read a more stupid comment in my life...

You should check out some other threads, gosh, you have a treat awaiting you

I hope eventually the P.M. will realize just how bad this case is making Thailand look and just throw the lot of murdering scum in jail for many years along with their supporters. Then tear the structures of the island and return it to the animals who deserve it.

This goes too high up for that.

Village Headman is a Suthep guy.... For a small amount of time I thought the General was really committed to righting Thailand's wrongs.. That didn't last very long. He is probably the only one at this point who could really get to the bottom of David and Hannah's horrible end... Yet nobody has much hope for change anymore.

Everyone knows the dangers of traveling here are high.. Add to that crimes continually go unsolved when privileged people are involved and people start to see they're not safe here.. They don't matter here only their money.

Me too, me too.

"that an unnamed Myanmar friend who got the phone from the suspects told police he destroyed it, before putting it in a plastic bag and discarding it at the back of his home."

Can you spot what is wrong with that statement?

Pol Maj-General Suwat Jaengyordsuk said

Given the RTP behavior in the case to date, any statement that has the words Police and said in it, is highly dubious and can most likely be regarded as false or a fabrication.

No surprise that the "Myanmar friend" is unnamed eh?

Just a question, but when are you going to add something meaningful instead of attacking anyone who does not believe that every Cop in Thailand is Corrupt?

I will answer for him. if I may be so bold.

It will probably happen a few minutes after you do.

Here is a question: Why is the Myanamar friend 'unnamed? Did they forget his name?

@ GB

No I am not flaming, just stating facts.

So far as your unwarranted comments go, please do not get into an intellectual war with me, you are not even equipped for the initial skirmish.

Lets stay on topic, its about 2 people who were brutally murdered, even as a new poster you should have sussed that by now.

Here we go.

"Police in Thailand said today they had identified two men they wanted to speak to as part of the inquiry into the murder of two British tourists. One of the suspects had been questioned while the other had left the island where the killings took place.

In the latest in a series of claims from the police investigating the murder of 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, Lt Gen Panya Mamen, a senior southern police commander, said the suspects were related to the village leader on the island of Koh Tao.

There is more than one, said the police chief, according to the Thailand Public Broadcasting Service.

TOP STORY

VIPs gather for opening of second Suez Canal - but doubts linger over security

Reports said one of the men had been detained and questioned before being released, while the other had gone to Bangkok. The police chief said they were liaising with officers in the capital to try and detain the second man.

The questioning of the possible suspect came after police said forensic tests had revealed DNA samples recovered from Ms Witheridges body belonged to two different Asian men and that these people were now their main line of inquiry.

Post-mortem tests carried out on Ms Witheridge and Mr Miller showed the young woman died from severe head wounds while the man had suffered head injuries and then drowned in the ocean after being attacked in the early hours of 15 September.

David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23 David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23

Their bodies were found less than 100 metres from the location of where a beach party had been held the night before. Police said a blood-stained hoe was found near the bodies and officers suspect it was the murder weapon.

Thai police have been criticised for the swerving nature of their investigation. Initially, migrant workers from neighbouring Burma were said to be the most likely suspects before police said they believed other British tourists may have been involved. They now again believe the killer, or killers, were almost certainly Asian.

Read more:

David Miller's father: My son died a hero

Hannah Witheridge's family 'broken' by tragedy

Police said they were also looking at evidence that may suggest the killings were carried out as a result of sexual jealousy. Police said they looking into claims Ms Witheridge and Mr Miller had argued with a Thai man in a bar before they were killed.

News of the arrest came as a British man living on Koh Tao revealed he had been forced to flee the island after being threatened by local mafia.

Sean McAnna, 25, who comes from near Glasgow, was a friend of Mr Miller. In a series of posts on social media he claimed local thugs he believed were responsible for the killing of the tourists had threatened to hang him.

I genuinely thought that was the day I was going to die, he told the Daily Telegraph. I genuinely thought that this was me dead. That I was gone.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Thai police denied the existence of a mafia on Koh Tao, an island in the Gulf of Thailand that is known as a diving resort."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/thailand-beach-murders-police-identify-two-suspects-over-deaths-of-hannah-witheridge-and-david-miller-9751056.html

(Mod's... Not sure if independent is ok, if not apologies!)

Ok GB... Read it slow and then try and offer your take on this news... I would be worriiedd!

Yeah! And what I told Boomer that they did look into this.

You didn't happen to notice the date of this article and that this was written on September 23, 2014 did you?

The date is a deflection from an apologist. In 10 months NEITHER of the original 2 suspects have been convincingly exonerated, 'they didn't do it' statements by a discredited organisation does not hold water.

Hi guys , had a few days holiday thanks to a word I used

Surprisingly, the apologists seem to have forgotten my questions, so I will, at the risk of appearing Old n Grumpy, like our new verbose poster, I will repeat and add to them:

1. Why did JTJ blatantly lie about the original investgators transfer, we know it was not mistake because he is so meticulous in his research.

2. Why dos he quote ad nauseum the familys statement that was issued so long ago when they have issued new statements that indicate change?

3. Why is AG so concerned about the life of an original suspect?

4. According to another poster AG has started telling porkie pies too, is this a new apologist trend?

5. Why did the headman say his son had left early in the morning to get back to university for exams?

6. Why did he retract that statement and insist his son had not been on the island for 2 weeks ( or 1 month in another news report)?

7. Why was the original suspect so hard to get hold of fo almost a week?

8. Where did he go?

9. Why did his inseparable gf complain on her facebook page that she could not contact him?

10. Why did his relative make a statement that he was with her in Bangkok when it was proven SHE was in Pattaya?

11. Why is there so much weight being given to the DNA tests when they have been shown to be absolutely without any credibility.

Trial by social media is not pleasant for anyone who is innocent and one has to feel sorry for NS if indeed he has had no part in this terrible crime but, he is the architect of suspicion, he has done nothing substantial to prove his innocence and has had many opportunities to do so. Similarly the Scottish Paedophile who when panicked let some phrases slip that cannot be retracted and he needs questioning, seriously.

Thats all for now folks except to mention that I will not supply links to our new but prolific typist old n grumpy or anyone else.

Reason: There are 2 types of posters on here, The genuinely concerned and the simply curious.

The genuinely concerned know where the links are.

1.Does any rational thought really matter? Yes it does..a LOT

2. Police clearing him, That works.

3. Video of him in Bangkok, A few seconds when there should be a lot more but hey.. see number 2.

4. DNA tests clearing him, Not independently verified and no where where criminal DNA testing was licenced, but hey, see number 2.

5. Phone records that he was in Bangkok Can we see them? Can we prove it as his phone?? No? Ok see number 2.

6. there is no evidence that can prove his innocence (a bar not even required in a court) . No but there appears to be a LOT of circumstantial evidence that should be properly investigated. Failing that see number 2.

to the conspiracy theorist. On there other hand there is no rumor or speculation they will not say is fact to show the defendants are innocent. None of us know, ( and that includes you and the other shills) if they are guilty or not but would like ALL suspects to be properly investigated. If thats too much we will have to go back to number 2 eh?

You have no face left here John. better you find another hobby I think.

To Balo:

Strangely enough, according to that page which is not as credible as stickman, it as the Thai authorities who tried to close it down.

Do you not wonder why or do you assume they were trying to protect their citizens from slander and libel. not to mention defamation which they cannot

sue someone in America for, at least with the same ease?

Wow, even more made up stories.. maybe!

JTJ now states that the sperm samples were collected and DNA typed BEFORE the B2 were arrested!!

HOW DOES HE KNOW??

Is he part of the investigation team or is it more speculation/lies that he cannot substantiate?

Tiome for this object to leave methinks.

He has no face on this forum, none at all.

Just a quick search on the internet resulted in numerous ways the police allegedly tortured these two. Are there more claims?

interrogators said they would kill them

The interrogators told them to confess to the crime, and threatened to cut off their limbs, put them in a bag, and dump them in a river if they did not.

The police also threatened to tie the two boys to a tyre, pour petrol on it, and set it alight.

he was beaten and threatened with electrocution after refusing to confess

they had been scalded with boiling water during a police interrogation

they were forced to confess to the crimes after police punched and slapped them during interrogations.

They covered our heads with black plastic bags and threatened to stab us with a nail-like object

withdrawn their confessions claiming police beat it out of them.

As a side note, the health of the suspects was checked by at least three doctors from different organisations, including the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, who did not detect signs of physical assault.

"We prosecutors pay more attention to witness statements and evidence (not confessions)," said Thawatchai Siangjaew, director-general of the Office of Public Prosecution Region 8.

"More importantly, forensic evidence and statements given by medical doctors are treated as the most important elements when we decide whether or not to indictsuspects."

I think Water Torture, Electric Shock Torture, and Stripping them Naked and taking pictures of them to post on the Internet were some more they came up with. Not sure if anything is left besides Medieval Torture ones?

Glad to see you to fools get some pleasure out of this event. Karma has a funny way off catching up with people so consider that.

I agree, its interesting to observe the intellectually barren gaining pleasure from other peoples misfortune and imagining even greater ills befaling them.

Maybe its a rare sexual kink? I dont know.

I see that the now troll with zero credibility due to his lies (JTJ) is back again with even more imagined truths.

AT NO POINT did the two accused ( who may well be guilty) say that they had been scalded with boiling water.

This as a claim made ( and proof shown in photos) by 2 of the football team that were playing in death island.

If I am wrong, give me the official link, remembering that I have been following this case from day 1 and have a very good memory, as well as links.

Perhaps we can expand my questioning further to those that think it has been a perfect case:

1. Headman states that his son went back to Bangkok as he had exams to do. Apart from the classmates who say he did not turn up for them WHY would his father then retract those statements and say his son had not been on the islnd for 2 weeks ( 1 month in another interview that may have been misinterpreted)

2. Why would his 'inseparable' gf post on her facebook page that she had not seen him for 3 days and could not contact him?

3. Why would his female relative say he was with her in Bangkok when it was proven she was in Pattaya?.

4. Why did he go 'missing' for a week almost?

5. Why would the policeman in charge of the case ( before being abruptly transferred ( WITH NO PREVIOUS NOTICE that can be proved) state quite firmly that he had EVIDENCE that IMPLICATED both the headmans brother and the headmans son?

6. Why would a chat with them clear that ( as he described) incriminating evidence) their involvement?

I have more but I think thats enough for now except to quote JTJ's post which said ' dont feed the trolls'. For those not familiar with trollesque I will interpret: 'Oh, sheet, I've been rumbled, I'll exit with an insult.'