waldroj

Sadly, the "questionable" success of this pact has already been determined:

• government negotiating with group that does not carry weight on the ground;
• BRN (the main actor in the three provinces) left out of negotiations.

"...Chaichinda has expressed confidence that the government will be able to arrest Phra Dhammajayo..."

Has he staked his reputation on it ???

"... Declining to say if the new format would help to solve the issue of officers paying for promotions, the source said the order was obviously aimed at decentralising the administration of the bureau systematically..."

Likely to also provide more equitable "wealth-sharing" opportunities for RTP...

(Source http://2bangkok.com/page/2)

"...The 'authorities' originally touted the move in the interest of national security and said a person would only be tracked should he or she overstay their visa or become a criminal suspect..." !!!

"...defenders say morale and mistrust run high..."

Should read, "...offenders say morale and mistrust run high..."

As for the comment by Ms Umavadee Mitkul (in the Khaosod English article) that “Every baht that made the temple was from our pockets...So we are here to protect what our own money has built", one wonders whether she also considers this includes the ฿1.45 billion the DSI alleges was embezzled from the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative ??? (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/aec/30288778).

Maybe, it's time the whole  Dhammakaya Foundation made a hasty exit from the country ???

The contents of Dhammachayo's voice bubble says, "I would like to call on all my followers to come to cast a vote to leave Thailand naja" !!!

"...junta insists no change to road map..."

No change needed (it's only their touted metaphoric-concept after all, and according to them, its destination is a democratic Thailand).

However, to follow this roadmap and reach the destination, is seems the country will still need to traverse a surprisingly-endless array of obstacles and pitfalls that seem to appear without warning, and leave the whole process of reform and "reconciliation" dangling precariously on the point of tumbling into an abyss !!!

Tasman Bridge 1975 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDaVhDIR-I0).

"...He said the prime minister had made it clear that no one is above the law and everyone must come under the law..."

Everyone, it seems, except those covered by a certain self-serving blanket amnesty under their Interim Constitution (to be perpetuated under the so-called "people's" Constitution, whenever it finally gets promulgated) !!!

Whilst it's almost impossible to have any sympathy for the Dhammakaya followers (who appear to be in open defiance of the Law), no matter which way you look at it, it's equally difficult (through Western-eyes) to have any sympathy for those purporting to be the upholders of the Law.

"...Media organizations are getting increasingly desperate for worthy news as the latest instalment in the saga of the arrest of the chief monk at the temple continues..."

Short of telling porkies, it's pretty hard for the media to report anything that isn't deemed (in the evening rant) to reflect badly on the junta and its cronies.

Apparently (according to Prayut), "...there have been many news reports unfairly criticizing the work of the 'government' and omitting factual information, that in turn leads to public misunderstanding..." (https://is.gd/jkuaSP).

The sad fact in this case too, is - the chief monk continues to elude the authorities !!!

"...98.1% are employed..."

Impressive !!! But, how many are gainfully employed ???

Popping zits, or using LINE on a smart phone all day, doesn't count.

"...Juntong stressed that Khon Kaen needed to protect the environment and suggested the province build the city for sustainable development..."

What about the rest of the country ???

"...Thailand wants to boost protection of its vast maritime resources on both sides of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and to secure the sea-lanes of communication..."

"...social reconciliation and unity..." on MY terms !!!

The epitome of a spoilt brat.

One can only imagine what he was like as a kid.

Nah — We still can't see him...!!!

"...the revisions would have no impact on people in general..."

Holly crap - they've spun yet another web across their "pathway" to democracy !!!

17 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Fantastic Fellow by any chance?

Far from... 

Only two words are needed to describe this oaf. 

Both begin with "f" !!! 

"...the forensic officers who handled the crash evidence did not testify as prosecution witnesses..."

Maybe, the RTP lawyers decided that it was, "Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt" ???

Looking more likely that RTP could have trained monkeys to do a better job than the two "forensic" police officers cited by the group calling itself the Anti-Corruption Network Foundation.

28 minutes ago, brucec64 said:

Unfortunately, defamation and/or libel, can still apply even if true, according to Thailand's outdated defamation laws.

 

Section 326. Defamation

 

Whoever, imputes anything to the other person before a third person in a manner likely to impair the reputation of such other person or to expose such other person to be hated or scorned, is said to commit defamation, and shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding one year or fined not exceeding twenty thousand Baht, or both.

 

Hopefully, they can argue Section 329!!! 

A person, in good faith, expresses any opinion or a statement:

1. By way of self-justification or defense, or for the protection of a legitimate interest;
2. In the status of being an official in the exercise of his functions;
3. By way of fair comment on any person or thing subjected to public criticism; or
4. By way of fair report of the open proceeding of any Court or meeting

shall not be guilty of defamation.

"... A recent case in which massive fraud was suspected to have taken place during entrance examinations led the public to heavily question police integrity..."

Seems, this is the response to suggestions of police reform.

It is pertinent to point out that an antonym of "reform" is "corruption".

Regardless of what anyone may say about balanced management of the lower Mekong, the unfortunate fact of the geography of this river is that "...about half of its nearly 5,000-kilometre length...is under Chinese sovereignty..." (https://is.gd/gBD116) !!!

The "gravity" of this situation is that, those nations downstream of the Lancang have little or no influence in how the river dragon chooses to control the hydrological cycle of its river. Accordingly, it is naive to suggest the fate of the river will be changed forever (by so-called mega-projects and developments initiated by governments of lower-Mekong countries), when that fate has already been sealed thousands of kilometres upstream !!!

"...The NACC is known for its lengthy effort in processing complaints from the public and a lack of high-profile successes..."

Sadly for Thai people, as is the case with so many of their "Public" institutions, they have a corruption watchdog with a history of NONACCOMPLISHMENT !!!

It's time somebody woke up.

"...

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Harris will later meet junta leader Prayut in Bangkok.

Guaranteed to be a four-star union full of hyperbole and rhetoric (and, many would say, other copious outpourings) !!!

"... Police say he was the intended recipient of the drugs...He was found in possession of 278,320 baht, 31,700 roubles and $100 US..."

Surely, this must have only been a down payment (approx. $8,600 US) if 2.3 kilos of cocaine is involved ???

See http://www.narcoticnews.com/drug-prices/cocaine/asia/

So, as Suriyasai sees it - "...In today’s world, you cannot ignore the people, and their participation any more..."

Unfortunately, while most TV members would agree, is seems there are few (if any) among the junta and its cronies who share this view.

Worse still, apart from a lot of propaganda, it's hard to identify any tangible reform progress that has been made since The Nation first reported on Prayut's three-step roadmap back in May 2014 (https://is.gd/9ej2Td). In hindsight though, we shouldn't have expected too much, as that report noted that "...reconciliation would not include changing bureaucracy structure..." !!!

So, it's Thailand's ageing population that's putting the strain on an underfunded health scheme.

Apparently, the NHSO submitted a ฿164-billion budget request, but ended up getting just Bt151 billion - a shortfall of ฿13 billion.

Ironically, on January 24 the junta approved ฿13.5 billion in funding to support the navy's purchase of the first of the three submarines, with the total cost of the three boats being ฿36 billion (https://is.gd/12xqfx).

Still, I suppose it's a question of priorities - perceived military threat v's actual citizen's health issues !!!