Old Man River

I have no such problem. I rely on The Weather Channel! Super accurate forecast.

Wunderground Bangkok, which was bought by its main competitor, TheWeather Channel. So, they may be one in the same,but I still use Wundergroud.

Maybe these internationally accepted satellite weather forecasters are the social media being complained about.

The long term goals of the US is to continue to exercise its influence in Asia. With the obviously resurgent thinly veiled neo-colonialist agenda of China, the US can ill afford to exercise any policy that will cause it strategic loss.

All the whispers of downgrading ties and canceling of Cobra Gold, are just the US trying to exercise some form of control as it has done in Asia for as long as it has been here.

The US has long had the ability to exercise different ways of dealing with the autocratic regimes in ASEAN and this should not change.

Regardless of everything presently happening, Thailand is still the US's staunchest ally in South-east Asia. As history has shown, irrespective of the present regime, this should never be compromised for the good of all concerned.

Asia appears to be more closely defined as "related to the South China Sea".

There was a good article in Stars and Stripes (I think it was April 11th), that specifically addresses Thailand.

The plan was to build a canal from Ranong to the Anderman Sea which is on and off the cards regularly but it would be better than this idea!

I'd give a lot of weight to what a leading marine biologist like Thon Thamrongnawasawat has to say.

While I also liked the Kra canal plan, the money to be made is from the ports, not from the passage of ships through a canal a la the Singapore ports near the Malacca Straits. Hence, if they did the canal they would still need a port system.

Are you listening to me members?

The EU, will impose a ban on exports from Thailand in 6 months.

I keep saying that over and over again.

Even our PM, has realised that by now.

Good for him.......he's learning..................

It's the fishing industry that needs to learn something... In seven months time they could all be going broke. They better wake up.

Incorporate in countries with no bans and export from there.

I take it you mean import to a country with no bans?

But then that country will cop the bans instead of Thailand and i assume they will not want to cripple their own fishing industry (they would have to have one as a means of export). I can´t see any country wanting to go down that path and invite Thailand´s problems on themselves...

Are you listening to me members?

The EU, will impose a ban on exports from Thailand in 6 months.

I keep saying that over and over again.

Even our PM, has realised that by now.

Good for him.......he's learning..................

It's the fishing industry that needs to learn something... In seven months time they could all be going broke. They better wake up.

Incorporate in countries with no bans and export from there.

What does this have to do with the defense ministry?

We had a coup last May and one of the most powerful generals in Thailand, the Defense Minister, has openly said he expects the government to do what previous governments have not. Now, if you are the Ag minister or any minister, are you going to tell him you can't?

Thailands fishing practices have decimated the fish stocks right around the country, you only have to go look at what they bring into port and the size of the mesh they use. Thais simply take everything, they do not use size limits so they strip the whole area of sea life including the future breeders then complain when they are not able to make a living due to their greed. Even watching the locals take every tiny fish they catch from jetties is shameful, they fill buckets with 2" babies, nothing is thrown back to grow and breed. I have not fished here for over 12 months as it simply isnt worth it, we go to what would be a great fishing area in Australia and do not even get a follow up because all the fish have been removed by using such fine mesh and also due to the water being so badly polluted. I rarely eat seafood here as it tastes do bad, you can taste all the pollution from the water it lived in, it is the worst seafood I have ever tasted, you only have to look at the colour of the gills on the fish in the markets to see how bad it is plus you can smell it in the flesh.

Problem is no one cares, the fact they are removing all the undersize future breeding stock, fishing in marine parks/protested areas does not come into it, all that matters to them is how much money they can make. Until this changes nothing will improve, no one wants to have to police the marine laws same as the road laws, easier to just complain than actually do something physical.

Besides Thailand, what other countries are fishing this way? Also, it seems like this isn't a new way for Thai's to fish, so why are the EU only now bringing this up? Was it communicated. to YL when she was PM (is it political?).

With the American military firmly placed in Australia with permanent bases the lose of Thailand as a good friend isn't a major drama. Plus the USA has bases in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Philippines so they aren't to far away from Burma or Thailand.

The US may also negotiate leases for several of its former naval bases in Vietnam to help keep the China Sea open to international traffic and challenge illegal Chinese oil platforms off Vietnam on contested resource areas. Thailand with the shallow Sea of Andaman offers little geographical advantage.

Thai based airports to support Chinese carriers and voila.

With all this mega projects about the only thing the the pm is waiting for, is another loan from the World Bank or IMF, there is no way the country can afford all these projects,

Thailand PLC is not doing well without all these additional spending.

Military personnel are military men, not politicians. history has a habit of repeating itself.

There is the new Chinese infrastructural bank, supported by many western countries, for projects just like this.

That will probably be Satahip (berths would be widened).

Satahip? Berths may be widened, but the Gulf of Thailand will remain too shallow for submarine deployment - have to be on the Andaman side, surely?

You are right probably right. Is it too shallow for modern day war ships as well?

Certainly not too shallow for destroyers and smaller vessels that are all that may be required to defend Thailand's territorial waters from Cambodia (overlapping maritime claims)... But aircraft carrriers? Submarines? Makes no strategic sense.

For Thailand, I agree. I just wonder with the U.S. pulling out as the check and balance, if given Thai approval, how wide a door opens for the Chinese as it pertains to the Gulf?

This guy is definitely settling in for the long term.

Once they sniff that trough, there is no turning back.

Plus with A-44 in effect, he will never answer for his "crimes"...

The project, which ultimately will include ports in Pak Bara and Songhla connected by a land bridge (rail) and oil bridge (pipeline) appears to be going forward. Over 80% of Middle Eastern oil headed to China, SK and Japan goes through the Malaccan Straits.

The PM has said several times Thailand needs to be more like Singapore, and Singapore makes huge amounts of foreign exchange with its adjacent port system.

If transport costs can be lowered as projected using the Thai transportation system, Thailand cannot afford not to do this.

I wasn't talking about this project in particular...

BTW, how many pristine beaches has Singapore got near their profitable port system ??

I can't remember ever being at a beach in Singapore, but they keep building hotels.

That will probably be Satahip (berths would be widened).

Satahip? Berths may be widened, but the Gulf of Thailand will remain too shallow for submarine deployment - have to be on the Andaman side, surely?

You are right probably right. Is it too shallow for modern day war ships as well?

This guy is definitely settling in for the long term.

Once they sniff that trough, there is no turning back.

Plus with A-44 in effect, he will never answer for his "crimes"...

The project, which ultimately will include ports in Pak Bara and Songhla connected by a land bridge (rail) and oil bridge (pipeline) appears to be going forward. Over 80% of Middle Eastern oil headed to China, SK and Japan goes through the Malaccan Straits.

The PM has said several times Thailand needs to be more like Singapore, and Singapore makes huge amounts of foreign exchange with its adjacent port system.

If transport costs can be lowered as projected using the Thai transportation system, Thailand cannot afford not to do this.

That will probably be Satahip (berths would be widened).

You only need to spend a few minutes on google to find out what the rest of the world thinks of this man's grasp on all matters economic. It was about a decade back when he almost took down the whole Thai economy.

Incompetent is one if the more charitable words oft cast in his direction by wiser minds.

All matters economic? Seriously?

He placed capital controls on the equity markets, an error he righted within a few hours. Some short term investors lost a lot of money and some fund managers were embarrassed, but the guy was open minded and quick to right his decision. Within a few days the markets had returned to normal.

That was years ago. He has been in positions of authority for many years so what are the "all matters economic" you are referring to?

Since Thaksin came into office in 2001, proclaiming himself an education PM, little has improved in the field of education. It must be because the civil service hasn't changed. Thaksin and all of his 'puppet' governments used to change Educations Ministers at least every six months to give each of them some time to feed at the trough. It's kind of impossible for a Education Minister to get the civil service to respond when the civil service knows the minister will be replaced soon. There was no expectation of change. Now, utilizing Article 44 of the interim Constitution, Prayut has put the fear of losing their jobs on the table if things don't improve. That is something the complacent civil service is not used to. As for inviting Farangs, who, admittedly, generally do a better job at education, they wouldn't be listened to so it is best to have Thais reform Thais. Motivation is the key and job security can be a good, if harsh, motivator.

I fully agree and would add to it they take a close look at the bureaucracy. How many administrators does it take?

As already pointed up by many weaker baht would solve exports problems.

Rising prices coupled with bad exchange certainly of no help for exports or tourism

Don't know if the Generals have an idea on how to do this? or what would happen?

The BOT is working on weakening the baht via cutting their policy rate. This has nothing to do with the generals.

Wow, they just realised that public buses are speeding.........

Did they notice, by any chance, them driving on the right hand lane?

And what are they going to do about that for the rest of the year?

Nothing as usual?

You don't NEED to reply to every single new item, especially as you are always complaining about the country.

This is a step forward. Thailand is behind our own countries but lets support her and not bring her down with every post.

I know changes happen slowly, but of the 2000 + speeding public buses, how many do you think were pulled over?

This word "willing" seems to have been cherry picked and dropped into the headline to get our attention, and perpetuate the characterization of an aloof Junta, seemingly giving its approval of this nomination from their self-appointed seat of ill-gotten power.

When I read the source article, however, the only full, direct quote from the Minster using the word willing is: "I insist that our government is willing to cooperate with every nation. We do not have bias against anyone," said Maj.Gen. Kongcheep Tantrawanich.

So, this word "willing" was extracted and appears to have been used (twice) in a dishonest way, in order to create or perpetuate another meaning. Why would Khaosod English do this?

And that is the problem. It is not possible to "cooperate with everyone." Doing so means you are cooperating with some at the expense of others. Thailand has chosen Russia, China, and North Korea over the US, Europe, and Japan simply because to further Russia and China's interest, they are going against the West. They have chosen. So be it.

The U.S. and other Western countries trade with Russia and China as well.

What will be interesting is to what extent the TPP has on Asian trade.

Here is the million dollar question. Did they nominate Davies because of his knowledge of the diplomatic wheel used to talk with N. Korea? If so, they are comparing Thailand's gov to N. Koreas gov!

Which everyone in Thailand knows is not accurate as a comparison to assign this guy Davies! Right????

I would think his posting to Thailand has as much to do with North Korea as it has to do with his position before that as Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency. In other words, nothing.

He is a seasoned diplomat.

At the end of the day where does the loyalty of Chinese Thais lay?

They are the rulers of the country are they not?

Their loyalties, as Thai's, is to Thailand.

Where does the loyalty of the HK Chinese lay? The Singaporean Chinese? The Malaysian Chinese? You get the picture.

Seriously 100. That's all they can manage! And it doesn't seem from their talk much will be done to them.

That's 100 more than the previous government found.

Might this FINALLY be a good enough reason to cancel our friend in Dubai's diplomatic passport? Of course it would be better to drag him back here in irons to be publicly flayed alive, but at least cancelling his diplomatic passport would be a start.

As far as I know that would be 'passport', not 'diplomatic passport'

It was returned to him by his sister 3 weeks after she became PM.