halloween

So is it harder to believe in Slender Man, an unnaturally thin, faceless creature who preys on children, and who only lives 300 miles away in the Nicolet National Forest, or some god in the sky? Slender Man's on the internet, and he's scary and exciting.

While I fully agree that coal-fired power stations are the cheapest way to produce 24/7 electricity, I'm not so sure about the headline. The last station where I was employed used bag filters to reduce flue gas particulates to near zero, but SO_x and NO_x emission limits were expressed as ppm. If the blend of coal being burnt at any one time caused those limits to be reached, the simple solution was to increase the flue flow by further opening the bag filter temperature control dampers. the ID fan worked a little harder, the flow increased and the ppm came back within limits.

There are also heavy metal toxins in the ash and dust, concentrated over background level when the coal is burnt off. The metals and ratio vary with the coal source, but Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Cd are typical ranging down from ~100ppm for Zn to low single digit ppm for Cadmium. The ash and dust are normally pumped as a slurry to a sealed base storage dam and the slurry fluids recovered and re-used, or mine voids are filled if available. Either way, proper handling and monitoring is desirable.

Re: the method of reducing SOx/NOx you described...

"The solution to pollution is dilution."

(this was a common joke in my environmental engineering classes)

It's also how they make low nicotine/tar cigarettes. Little holes are placed in front of the filter so that the testing machines suck in air to lower the concentration. OTOH smokers soon work out, perhaps even without realising it, that placing the holding fingers over the holes makes drawing easier and gives a better result.

Why is it such a big deal to you as well Halloween? Seems to me you like to comment on this subject more than what Juttaporn has done, Will it make you sleep better at night? You're obsessed with Thaksin, as much as Prayuth is.

There's a few factors involved, such as the degree of stake you have in this country, whether you are prepared to speak out against the powerful, the level of criminality you are willing to accept, and how outraged you get when you see the "amply rich" stealing from those with very little. Probably comes across as obsession to the "I'm all right Jack" crowd, and those blinded by the shining light of Thai "democracy".

Because it's only the democratically elected who steal from the public in Thailand, right? The unelected police, military, lawyers etc. are all squeeky clean?

Have I ever claimed that? Most corruption is done covertly. I know of only one criminal with the hubris to blatantly abuse his position for self benefit on a huge scale. Even after he was toppled and convicted, he is allowed to pay MPs to vote to his command, dictate policy, appoint leading power figures and continue to bleed the country. why do you find that acceptable?

No coal fired power plant should be allowed to

Operate unless fitted with scrubbers as ha been

The case on the West for the past 30years..."For

The safety of the Thai People and environment

Get with the program"!!!

Power stations in NSW and Queensland are not fitted with scrubbers for very logical reasons which apply equally well for Thailand. The overwhelming major reason is that Oz anthracite is very low Sulphur content, and it's likely that will be Thailand's source. Secondly there is no huge concentration of coal-fired stations as there is in Europe. And the most obvious is that the very low level of emissions will not blow over somebody's farmland, but fall into the vast Pacific.

While I fully agree that coal-fired power stations are the cheapest way to produce 24/7 electricity, I'm not so sure about the headline. The last station where I was employed used bag filters to reduce flue gas particulates to near zero, but SO_x and NO_x emission limits were expressed as ppm. If the blend of coal being burnt at any one time caused those limits to be reached, the simple solution was to increase the flue flow by further opening the bag filter temperature control dampers. the ID fan worked a little harder, the flow increased and the ppm came back within limits.

There are also heavy metal toxins in the ash and dust, concentrated over background level when the coal is burnt off. The metals and ratio vary with the coal source, but Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr and Cd are typical ranging down from ~100ppm for Zn to low single digit ppm for Cadmium. The ash and dust are normally pumped as a slurry to a sealed base storage dam and the slurry fluids recovered and re-used, or mine voids are filled if available. Either way, proper handling and monitoring is desirable.

"The court ruled that Mr Tarit transfered his subordinate, Col Piyawat Kingket, to a lower position job in the DSI in March 30, 2012 was illegitimate and an act of power abuse, and stemmed from conflict in working."

I don't like tarit and do think he belongs in gaol but this hardly seems to be the sort of offence that should result in a 2 year sentence.

I think you must understand that this is a government official moving another government official which could be used to manipulate power and control by placing his own people into those position. It seems he was removed when he was handling a case which Tarit may have wanted a different outcome or to stop the investigation.

Then he should be charged and, if found guilty at trial, gaoled for corruption.

If someone is moved because their superior is unhappy with the job they are doing it shouldn't result in gaol time.

If they move an employee to allow a crime to happen/allow a criminal escape punishment, then the charge should centre around their complicity in the crime, not the moving of the employee.

No evidence that he was complicit in the crime, though it appears he may have been part of an attempted cover-up. Again.

There is no random checks.There i always a reason for it.

Must be my ugly mug they don't like. Or all the SE Asian passport stamps. My bag gets scanned more often than not.

Will the courts address every grievance government employees have?

In the case "after the colonel’s transfer, he petitioned to the Office of the Civil Service Commission’s Merit System Protection Committee which ruled the transfer was illegitimate. Besides, the permanent secretary of Justice had also scrapped the transfer order, and reinstated him back to the position with instruction that any transfer of senior official must be considered with caution."

So the complaint was accepted, processed and concluded by internal grievance procedures. The employee was reinstated. Perhaps the only thing missing is a letter from Tarit to the employee appologizing for the incident or a warning letter from Tarit's manager placed in the administrative file for Tarit's next performance evaluation. Why did this then have to go to the courts when it was resolved?

What this court has done is essentially micro-managed the employee-employer relationship irrespective of procedural safeguards to address employee grievances. The end result is that truly unfit and unprofessional employees will be untouched. It's not worth a manager's risk to their own security to take issue (in Thailand called "conflict") with any employee performance. So the Thai government is left with a broken chain of command and an unaccountable workforce.

As usual, biased and with no relation to the facts. There was no employer-employee relationship, they were both civil servants. The senior demoted the junior without justification as ruled by both the appeals panel and the departments oversight permanent secretary.

But, but, but just because a senior officer rides roughshod over a department's rules and regulations is no reason he should face the consequences. Well, not when he's the ruling party's lickspittle anyway.

Maybe this new police chief,will have the balls to strip Thaksin

of his police title.

regards worgeordie

don't you believe ther are some other more useful tasks to take care, do you ?or do you want a cop chief so paranoid and maniac as your divine savior of thailand ????

If he is prepared to apply the law equally to the rich and powerful, who cares. Or would you prefer someone's lackey?

Maybe this new police chief,will have the balls to strip Thaksin

of his police title.

regards worgeordie

IMHO that requirement of the position would have been made very clear before the job was offered.

Seems a lot more qualified than somebody's cousin.

"Renewable is like a supplementary food; it's not a main course and it's usually more expensive."

Expert engineers telling like it is, with no dog in the fight. If my electricity bill doubled, it wouldn't bother me at all, but for most Thai families it would be a serious problem.

In what other country do those convicted of crimes and sentenced, then actually get bail? What a complete joke the legal system is in Thailand, it really is ripe for reform.

Canada, USA, India. That was a 2 minute google search.

I haven't done any google searches but are you quite sure they get bail after being sentenced, in the countries mentioned in your post.

Bail in most countries comes after being arrested and charged, and only if you fit certain guidelines.

Yes, he is wrong. In the states it would be called a furlough. You do not get bail after being sentenced, you only get bail until you've finished go your case... Then, Remand.

"Once someone is convicted of a crime, its more difficult to obtain bail. Its not impossible, but bail requirements are tougher. The presumption of innocence no longer applies. It doesnt matter if the conviction was in federal or state court." http://criminal.lawyers.com/criminal-law-basics/obtaining-bail-after-a-conviction.htm

BTW Remand is being held in custody after being charged but before conviction.

I read the same article. Context matters. They're saying if you have a prior conviction you can still obtain bail in a new case.

Once you are sentenced for a crime you serve that time, no bail. Ever. You can get a furlough if a loved one dies, that's not bail. You can also in some cases be on bail during an appeal.

In the states, you do nothing t get bail once you're ordered to jail. You're either serving what was ordered or being released due to over crowding, possibly on electronic monitoring... But you don't get out on bail once you're doing your time.

Google more.

If you read the same article, which I very much doubt, how did you miss this

"Bail Pending Appeal

If a convicted defendant is sentenced to prison and seeks bail pending an appeal, the judge must also consider the merits of the appeal as well as the defendant’s risk of flight and dangerousness. Essentially, the judge must find by clear and convincing evidence that:

• The defendant isn’t likely to flee
• The defendant isn’t a danger to the community
• The appeal isn’t a delay tactic
• The appeal raises a substantial question of law or fact likely to result in reversal, an order for a new trial, a reduced sentence or a sentence that doesn’t include a prison term"

No-one is asking them for their accounting for the last 15 months,

hmm, that is not what the English grammar in your post says, are you a native speaker?

AFAIK, the huge losses WRT the rice stocks - even after the junta investigations were well below 0.1% which in turn is well below the thresholds of 5% contained in the law. That sounds like a "huge loss" and "criminal negligence"...

Why do you not recognize the political vendetta in all of this?

"And why aren't the people who managed the program able to present an accurate accounting? Isn't that THEIR responsibility?"

Where is the problem with my grammar? I know you are often deliberately obtuse, but try to grasp that a government operating a multi-billion baht scheme over 3 years should have accurate accounting of every payment and all income during their period in office. It has very little to do with degrading of rice stocks, and every thing to do with explaining where a huge sum of money went. That the sum can't accurately be determined is due to the lack of adequate accounting, and yes, that is criminal negligence.

Prosecuting criminals is fine by me whichever side of politics they stand. OTOH you take the typical red view that "we done nuffink rong" even when the crimes are obvious. But you're not a PTP/Thaksin supporter, right?

the problem with your grammar is that you don't understand what YOU wrote.

none the less, do you think less than 0.1% is a HUGE loss?

do you think that there is no political vendetta being waged by the NACC and the junta?

I'm all for prosecuting corruption. I believe that I've said that a dozen times already. I'm also sure that there was corruption in the workings of the rice program under PTP. But that is more due to the fact that corruption is pervasive in Thailand.

I am also clear on who is on the NACC and who put them there and clear on why they do what they do now.

And recognizing that is not being a PTP supporter, it is being realistic about the morons who are running the show at the moment.

yeah, so never mind...

Enlighten me. How do I not understand what I wrote?

In what other country do those convicted of crimes and sentenced, then actually get bail? What a complete joke the legal system is in Thailand, it really is ripe for reform.

Canada, USA, India. That was a 2 minute google search.

I haven't done any google searches but are you quite sure they get bail after being sentenced, in the countries mentioned in your post.

Bail in most countries comes after being arrested and charged, and only if you fit certain guidelines.

Yes, he is wrong. In the states it would be called a furlough. You do not get bail after being sentenced, you only get bail until you've finished go your case... Then, Remand.

"Once someone is convicted of a crime, it’s more difficult to obtain bail. It’s not impossible, but bail requirements are tougher. The presumption of innocence no longer applies. It doesn’t matter if the conviction was in federal or state court." http://criminal.lawyers.com/criminal-law-basics/obtaining-bail-after-a-conviction.htm

BTW Remand is being held in custody after being charged but before conviction.

The reform is that they are aware of the criminal actions of the PTP ministers involved and are preventing that from recurring.

In one word; yes. Billions have been stolen in Thailand every year for eons and no coup has ever done anything to change that. But since the PTP was involved in the rice deal (read; bogeyman in Dubai) then all reason goes out the window.

Stealing billions of baht without repercussions is acceptable to you?You stick with the reds, you will fit in well there.

Oh, there should definitively be repercussions - the legal and constitutional way. Are you saying the military should step in every time someone has their hands in the till? You do know your championing eternal military rule, don't you?

You stick with the brown shirts - you're perfect together.

I understand that you have reading and comprehension problems, but when the question was

"If we had an amnesty instead of a coup, PTP's appointed criminals would have stolen billions of baht with no repercussions.

Would that be acceptable to you?"

Your reply was "In one word; yes" Now you insist " ...there should definitively be repercussions - the legal and constitutional way."

How hard is it to understand that an AMNESTY removes all the legal and constitutional repercussions?

BTW No, and no I am not.

Ok, here's something for all you "legal experts" to mull on. The courts later ruled the land deal by his wife was "Null and Void". Legally, that means it NEVER HAPPENED. She gave the land back, and she got her money back (plus interest), and that was the end of it. For those of you unfamiliar with legal jargon, if the deed is null and void, that also means all actions leading up to the deed also legally NEVER HAPPENED. Therefore, Thaksin's conviction for illegal actions in relation to this case should also be null and void as, legally, THEY NEVER HAPPENED. In most civilized countries, if this had been the court ruling, his conviction would have automatically thrown out.

I'm not defending him, but merely pointing out the law. Or rather, what SHOULD be the law. But this is Thailand, where the law is applied arbitrarily in far too many cases.

Seems a lot of Americans think their law should apply everywhere, much like a lot of muslims want shariah law everywhere. Most of us don't want either.

Thaksin and his wife are the same legal entity, so she had to get written permission from him to buy the land. Him granting that permission was abuse of office, as advised by his lawyer. The purchase was made null and void (very generously IMHO), does that void his abuse of office?

In connection to this thread:

what is actually the limitation period for all his "crimes"? Would he be allowed once to enter the country as a free man? Or is he life time banned from coming home

There is SoL for a convicted fugitive. Whether the SoL apllies to his other cases, where charges have been laid but court proceedings halted by his absence, is another matter.

Reform?

They're selling some rice. How is that 'reform'?

The reform is that they are aware of the criminal actions of the PTP ministers involved and are preventing that from recurring. If we had an amnesty instead of a coup, PTP's appointed criminals would have stolen billions of baht with no repercussions.

Would that be acceptable to you?

In one word; yes. Billions have been stolen in Thailand every year for eons and no coup has ever done anything to change that. But since the PTP was involved in the rice deal (read; bogeyman in Dubai) then all reason goes out the window.

Stealing billions of baht without repercussions is acceptable to you?You stick with the reds, you will fit in well there.

In what other country do those convicted of crimes and sentenced, then actually get bail? What a complete joke the legal system is in Thailand, it really is ripe for reform.

Canada, USA, India. That was a 2 minute google search.

I haven't done any google searches but are you quite sure they get bail after being sentenced, in the countries mentioned in your post.

Bail in most countries comes after being arrested and charged, and only if you fit certain guidelines.

"Bail after conviction" is a simple search.

Reform?

They're selling some rice. How is that 'reform'?

The reform is that they are aware of the criminal actions of the PTP ministers involved and are preventing that from recurring. If we had an amnesty instead of a coup, PTP's appointed criminals would have stolen billions of baht with no repercussions.

Would that be acceptable to you?

No-one is asking them for their accounting for the last 15 months,

hmm, that is not what the English grammar in your post says, are you a native speaker?

AFAIK, the huge losses WRT the rice stocks - even after the junta investigations were well below 0.1% which in turn is well below the thresholds of 5% contained in the law. That sounds like a "huge loss" and "criminal negligence"...

Why do you not recognize the political vendetta in all of this?

"And why aren't the people who managed the program able to present an accurate accounting? Isn't that THEIR responsibility?"

Where is the problem with my grammar? I know you are often deliberately obtuse, but try to grasp that a government operating a multi-billion baht scheme over 3 years should have accurate accounting of every payment and all income during their period in office. It has very little to do with degrading of rice stocks, and every thing to do with explaining where a huge sum of money went. That the sum can't accurately be determined is due to the lack of adequate accounting, and yes, that is criminal negligence.

Prosecuting criminals is fine by me whichever side of politics they stand. OTOH you take the typical red view that "we done nuffink rong" even when the crimes are obvious. But you're not a PTP/Thaksin supporter, right?

If I am correct in assuming the work conflicts had to do with Tarit's abuse of office, Col Piyawat Kingket may be a name worth remembering.

Because they are fairly sure that China is involved in the deal and not some Thai-Chinese criminal hiding out overseas.

And that makes it different exactly how?

The rice will be exported.

Well, as you are fond of saying; time will tell.

I'm quite sure that it won't be sold at far below cost price, and then re-sold on the local market at a huge illicit profit, as the latest government has learned from the corrupt activities of the elected preceding, and likely taken measures to prevent that happening again. It is called reform.

In what other country do those convicted of crimes and sentenced, then actually get bail? What a complete joke the legal system is in Thailand, it really is ripe for reform.

Canada, USA, India. That was a 2 minute google search.