Lovekorat

Maybe the conversation ( not reported in a Thailand of course) will go......

General on being reprimanded about human rights..." Do you know who I am!!!!"

UN....nope, never heard of you but we know WHAT you are, now go and have an election"!

Well as you are moving the country towards democracy perhaps the first thing you should realise is that democracy includes the right to have an opinion and express it in a non-violent way.

Your need to say that 'no action' will be taken and the forbidding of public meetings that are in opposition to military rule just underlines what a lot of people think that you are as interested in installing democracy as you are in getting rid of corruption,

Did anyone really expect anything different.?

Why are they not held on remand then in court and then prison?

Transferred?

So they keep all the money they've made from human misery and go off somewhere else to set up another scam, or maybe still receive a backhander from their previous arrangements.

So much for clearing up corruption mr general.

UN?

Yeah right

This bloke certainly has some opinion of himself.

An unelected general of an army.

Not a politician.

Unless he's sponsored by the Chinese of course

Good or bad at least they were VOTED in.

Voting....remember that?

Having surrounded himself with 'yes' men and hysterical opinion polls and reporting all is well to the 'real' power brokers ( it's not him) in Thailand he claims outsiders don't understand.

I think it's you mr general that doesn't understand.

But it's ok, as long as the power stays in the control of the junta all will be well.

Thailand knows best. We understand that a lot of our people are happy to live in the 13th century. They are happy. They like me.

Sorry....but I think not.

There will come a point when it's going to come crashing down and then what?

Will the people you 'care so much about' be free from corruption and incompetence?

Have a look around you mate,

It ain't working.

But there is this growing feeling I think that you don't care if it works or not.

Shame for this beautiful country and the majority if it's people

This will all be fixed in advance.

Yes, he will be derided , scorned , mostly ignored and probably laughed at for what he is, but Thai people will never hear of it.

The UN have got more pressing concerns than to worry about him, even though he seems convinced he is a world player. Like how to make it look like we are actually doing something to sort out a world in crisis and turmoil.

Thailand and him are an irrelevance.

I expect someone will say 'sort your life out' to him and that's it.

The headlines are written, by a controlled press, and he will ride back like King Arthur to his Camelot.

Few people here any the wiser for the reception or non-reception he really got.

Bit like the North Koreans returning 'triumphant' from the World Cup but without a win.

Does that include his own department?

I think the majority of the UN know exactly what this is all about.

They are politicians.

They know exactly how to manipulate and stall processes they don't like.

They are much better at it than our general is.

This will go on and on inserting clauses they know are not acceptable knowing it will be rejected

Oh dear rejected again well have to start again, sorry no election date yet.

Just a guise to hang on to power for as long as possible.

Most people realise this.

Send in the clowns.......ooh they're already here!

What's that swooshing sound?

Oh it's Thailand disappearing down the drain.

Well surprise surprise!

But what do you expect from in the main a largely ill-disciplined bunch of morons let loose in a killing machine.

No sense of what's right or wrong!

No courtesy to others!

Some with no licences let alone insurance.

Unsafe vehicles

A get out of my way attitude

Speed limits...what are they?

And of course the police doing such a wonderful job enforcing the laws of the road ( are there any here)

Well at least Thailand has one thing it can be proud of. It's not much good at anything else.

This country just sinks deeper and deeper.

Making a Thai lose face?

What dace is there left to lose, a pretty high percentage of the world laughs at what goes on here anyway.

I'm afraid there is no face left to lose.

Hasn't the guy the intelligence to write his own thesis?

Obviously not.

Says a lot doesn't it.

So what exactly is he saying?

Democracy is unfair to the people????

What do you mean he 'sounds' like a nutjob?

Every time he makes one if his profound statements it just gets worse

I am not sure if it's just the general and his cohorts or whether this applies to all Thai people, but there seems to be a problem in differentiating between political differences of opinion and political turmoil.

If a party or a group of people come out strongly against a policy and campaign against it, that is not political turmoil that is democracy.

People allowed to have opinions and voicing those opinions.

It doesn't mean the country is in turmoil.

If the general thinks he is going to get every Thai in agreement with him he really is in cuckoo land.

Political turmoil occurs when violence or subversive persuasion is used as an opposition. That has been the case here in the last of course, but people dealing in violence should be dealt with by the law and people still allowed opinions.

The General has taken power ( not earned it) and expects everybody to think he's wonderful and agree with every utterance.

Firstly not everyone thinks, or ever will think , he is wonderful and second proper democracy is accepting people will disagree with you and respecting their opinions and their right to take up an alternative position.

He has got to learn to trust his people. Allow them the freedom to make their choices and then accept their decision without anymore military intervention,

If he is doing a good job he will be elected. If he is viewed as a poor leader he will be out.

Or maybe he cannot stand the thought of the latter.

Personally I would be quite surprised if Thai's were actively involved in the bombings. The reason people make reference to the 'no Thai's would ever commit such a crime' refers to the idiot who made such a comment in the hours after the Ko Tao murders.
Some Thai's , like some in every country, are quite capable of terrible crimes. I remember the young girl raped, murdered and thrown off a train. Wasn't the guilty party Thai? So such despicable acts are quite possible by Thai people. But unlike in the crimes in Ko Tao ( in my opinion), I don't think Thai's are involved in the bombings.

It really is a strange one this. Usually there is a motive for such an act. As no firm and clear motive for the bombings has been established something doesn't feel right about it. Why a Hindu shrine to get Chinese, if that was the motive? They could have hit a Chinese temple. If it was aimed at tourists there are busier places. Aimed at Thai's...why? And again there are busier places.
These acts are rarely random and usually have a purpose. Until that is clearly established then to me something doesn't feel right

Does his satisfaction extend to the police taking the reward money for a job they are paid to do in the first place?

It's in the papers in Europe.

Mr PM...people, you know , those people you are trying to attract as tourists, are laughing at you and your administration.

Your status has been reduced from others having a very low opinion to that of Mr Bean.

Ok, sorry people.

Can I just understand this.

The police or someone or some members of the police force have been given this money for doing what they are paid to do. Catch criminals.

Is that right?

If that is the case then isn't this the ultimate insult to Thai people?

The police showing Thai people they are absolutely untouchable.

Effectively the police are saying we'll have that thank you very much.

Who's going to stop us taking it?

So while our corruption busting General is running around shutting down a few jet ski providers and dodgy shops his man in charge of his police force is giving a load of cash to his mates.

And then to add insult to injury, announces it for the whole world to know.

And our leader does nothing?

How much longer are Thai's going to put up with this sort of behaviour and attitude or don't they care?

Or maybe I am missing something in which case I apologise.

So does it work in reverse?

If the police cock it up they have to pay money back?

If so there are going to be endless claims against them for their 'professionalism'

No doubt at the conclusion of his statement he turned to his mates and said ' we got any Burmese kids in Bangkok? '

If all this wasn't so serious it would be funny.

Have you ever come across a more inept, contradictory, hapless bunch of loons anywhere?

Not the work of Thai's but you can't rule out foreigners. Well if it's not Thai's and it's not foreigners who the bloody hell is it?

Have the guilty ones escaped from Area 51 ( oh sorry that place doesn't exist does it.....bit like Oswald shot Kennedy)

I should imagine every deranged nutter in the world who wants to kill or maim for whatever reason is looking and saying let's go to Thailand...do what we like....they're not going to catch us are they!

Mind you judging by the roads here most of the deranged nutters are already here!

Police take note!

We'll bugger me with a fish fork!!!!

I am so surprised

Wasn't nepotism a charge made against previous administrations....you know the legal ones

Oh as far as football in Thailand is concerned it all goes far deeper than just him and his mate who 'own' Thai football.

Not the people's game here.

If only the fans knew what was really going on.

Let's have a look at one or two or perhaps 90% of the clubs and see what's going on.

Oh sorry I forgot, with the exception maybe of Thai Port FC they are solely owned by the Army, the Navy, Politicians and other such like.

Where' s the nearest carpet for sweeping under????

I always enjoy a good laugh over breakfast.

And this lot provide one nearly every day.

The information that corruption is down presumably coming from the accounts of these people logged under corrupt payments received?

Reality check needed please.......oh and by the way please don't treat us as idiots by publishing this rubbish even though it is funny

Thailand is NOT a Muslim country, therefore if they want to build a bacon factory they can.

Why is it that Muslims always want to insist you live by their rules.

Being a Farang there are things I disagree with here but I don't start this nonsense ( or throwing bombs at people because I can't get my own way)

If Muslims want to live in a Muslim society with Muslim rules why don't they go to a Muslim country?

There are some very pleasant alternatives for them....Syria maybe or Iraq.

Fun, peaceful places.

Sorry, Thailand is very predominately Buddhist and whilst it should respect your rights to worship however you please that does not mean they have to adhere to your 'rules'

I read people imploring the UK government to get involved.

Beyond asking the question there is little they can do.

Most countries, UK included, have access arrangements but can only assist in case of emergencies, death, serious illness, war etc.

It is not feasible or practical to allow foreign police forces to come and investigate a crime in another country.

If that were the case then policing would descend into farce every time a foreign national was killed with other police forces charging all over the place.

You can show interest. Ask questions. But that's about it.

And that has to be right.

The Foreign office will tell you this. They cannot get involved in solving crime outside of the UK unless specifically asked, just to attempt to alleviate suffering of relatives where they can.

Now, the Thai police do seem to have made a mess of this in so many ways and I am sure there are those who are staring in disbelief but there's not a lot the UK can do.

The UK police were 'allowed' to come here of course but maybe only allowed to see what they were shown which might have been not much.

However we have heard very little since.

Have they got something?

We don't know but whilst the UK police themselves have not in some cases been shown to be perfect they are very good at spotting inconsistencies and bad practice.

My guess is they have got something. The defence team have been informed and advised and we are waiting for the 'hammer to fall' at the appropriate time.

Interesting things are now being dragged out. Didn't check CCTV at the pier, DNA doubts, no investigation of the rumoured altercation at the bar, clothing on people seen rip inning away onCCTV not matching the Burmese boys may all be questions being suggested by the UK police based just in observation of how the Thai police conducted the investigation.

I say again 'may'.

Just in passing about the rumoured altercation. Wasn't there CCTV footage of Hannah leaving the bar pursued by what looked like an irate guy who seemed to be shouting and pointing at her?

Maybe there was a problem in the bar, a rebuttal of an unwelcome suggestion or advance and she stormed out?

I can't believe her friends or David's friends have not been interviewed by UK police and if so, well.

I still think this will end up with the case being thrown out on a technicality.

Maybe corrupt and unsubstantiated evidence,

The court is clear. The Thai police let off the hook. The boys freed. Then it can all just go away.

No 'loss of face' for anyone.

The aftermath.....

Hannah and David's families have no closure. The bar is still open. There are still murderers on the loose to do it again, those that have covered it all up free to just carry on and the police allowed to get ready to pursue their next 'investigation'.

I think this has reached the stage where there can be no satisfactory outcome unless the boys are found unequivocally guilty using verifiable evidence.

Somehow that looks unlikely.

My scenario..

Someone of 'some local influence' tries to pick her up in the bar.

She refuses and leaves.

His mates laugh at him and he rounds up friends to go after her.

They find her on the beach and attack her.

David, looking for her, hears a girl in trouble and goes to help.

A couple hang on to her while others, probably at least 3 go after him and kill him, then return to Hannah.

That makes at least 4-5 involved. Not just 2.

The principle agitators hop a boat and get out if it.

The rest, Sorry, don't know anything. Maybe it was those Burmese guys on the beach.

There are people who know though aren't there.

Just a thought.

Well I am not talking from a position of strength having only lived in Thai for 18 months but I think most of it is good. Of course the roads are bad and their are some that try and screw you ( isn't there in most places) and I don't like the idea or practise of a military government but I am a guest so you just get on with it.

I think too many people like to knock it.

The other countries, well I e been to Laos...not impressed

Vietnam was stunningly beautiful, maybe more so than here, but it is a bit more expensive. But I loved it there. The people were lovely, the roads worse (yes) and is a country that is growing fast.

But they do bring a bloody live snake to your table if you unwittingly order it!

But Thailand is good.

I like it here.

Can't see me returning to Europe except for a holiday

It seems to have taken a long time for the penny to finally drop on that one.

But are they going to include the 'alleged' corruption in the police and the army as well?

And who is it that will go after corrupt authorities?

The very people who may be implicated themselves if corruption were exposed?

Not going to do it are they.

Corruption is endemic in all societies.

If any society creates a culture of corruption it is very difficult to eradicate.

A breed of 'untouchables' emerges that control and manipulate.

Not just in Thailand.

Look at the monarchy in the UK or the powers that be whoever they are ( not the president because he doesn't control much at all) in the US.

They are in a position to do what they like to whom they like when they like.

And then create a situation where the subservients cannot do anything because they are implicated and thus controlled.

On a more mundane level look at FIFA. They thought they were untouchable. 'Step ladder' still thinks he is.

Corruption is everywhere I am afraid and it takes a brave man or woman to confront it.

We will never rid ourselves of it at the top because ultimately the top 'are' the untouchables and are invisible to the rest of us.

But you can make an attempt at lower levels.

Maybe a start would be to take all internal power away from the army and let them concentrate on defending the country ( though against who , given the size of it I cannot imagine)

Second, give internal authority to the police, ensure the ordinary policeman gets a reasonable wage. He is supposed to be putting his life on the line isn't he? You might have to get rid of a few though. And then if they are found corrupt, hammer them with 30 years.

Have them swear a new 'oath of allegiance' to King and country with penalties made clear.

Make the same order on local government officials with the same penalties.

Same with the courts and judicial system.

Oh and do something about the families who 'run ' the islands and other places ( and their 'out of control' family members) who also act like and believe they are untouchable.

Am I living in dreamland?

Probably

Might be a start though.

Is there a more vile and disgusting organisation than the catholic Church .

In fact looking at the world today aren't most of the problems caused by organised 'religions'?

Glad I am not affiliated to any of them

Hey mr pope.....elvis didn't leave your building he was never in it!

Oh and while you're talking about the poor.....are you opening up the vatican vaults to cough up a bit you moronic hypocrite!