Srikcir

Education appears not to have been fully appreciated by the Prayut regime as (macrotrends.net) a percentage of total general government expenditures on all sectors ( healthcare, education, social services, etc.). 2021 was about 14.5% compared to about 18.4% in 2017. This suggests a "Take from Peter to pay Paul" budget shift to other sectors like healthcare that the government promised to better fund. But without any increase to total government funding.

I'd like to know what is being used by way of supporting data to prove long term foreign residents will spend less out of Thailand by paying 1k exit fee. You can't debate what doesn't exist.

Democracy over absolute rule can be very dark indeed for those who lose power. But maybe now it's time for the electorate to prevail.

"A Thai court on Monday issued an arrest warrant for fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after he failed to turn up for a defamation case filed against him by the army." Ref. OCTOBER 12, 20152:07 AM UPDATED 8 YEARS AGO "Arrest warrant issued for ex-Thai PM Thaksin over court no-show" The Army that subsequently overthrew an elected government!?!

Is this an admission that the "courts" are politically biased when they should be nonpoltical and independent of the outside "conservative forces?" As for being unacceptable to the "establishment," Isn't that an election issue for the electorate to decide?

I'd think it's required that the former coup leader designated as a "Good Person" must remain in Thailand so "opportunities" are not missed in the event of an unfavorable election result.

"Only a progressive socialist, who never had Econ 101" KRC executive director holds OhD. In economics from MIT. See also "4 Myths About Raising the Minimum Wage" by Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, currently Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkely and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center, named one of the most effective cabinet secretaries of the twentieth century. See also "The 7 Most Dangerous Myths About a $15 Mimimum Wage" by Tim Worstall published in Forbes, Senior Fellow of the Adam Smith Institute on the subjects of Environmentalism and Economics, degree from the London School of Evonomics and Political Science. See also ETC. many more economic experts with similar conclusions regarding many myths related to raising minimum wages. Your economic expertise? And in all the alleged negative effects of not raising the minimum wage, there is never mention of freezing or lowering pay for executives/CEO's who more than often increase their salaries annually far beyond the rate of inflation while contributing virtual nothing towards sales and services that are the basis for company income.

Somehow Prayut's level honesty reminds me of POTUS Nixon who said, "I am not a crook."

Here are some common debunked myths about raising the minimum wage: "Five myths about raising the minimum wage — debunked" Marc Stier | 10/19/2019 https://krc-pbpc.org/research_publication/five-myths-about-raising-the-minimum-wage-debunked/ Originally published by the PA Capital-Star on October 3, 2019. MYTH ONE: “The minimum wage was never meant to be a living wage. It’s primarily for young people starting out.” FALSE. MYTH TWO: “Raising the minimum wage just increases the price of goods across the board.” FALSE. MYTH THREE: “Raising the minimum wage will hurt people earning $12, $15, $18 an hour right now.” FALSE. MYTH FOUR: “Raising the minimum wage will destroy small businesses.” FALSE. MYTH FIVE: “Raising the minimum wage will lead to job loss.” FALSE.

My thought was that such a proposal might be considered vote-buying similar to PTP proposals that should fall under EC scrutiny relative to the upcoming election. But without such review the EC determines that the validity of the Prayut caretaker government's budget proposal just prior to an election falls to the government's Cabinet? So effectively bypassing any vote-buying investigation? PTP should too take this issue to the Office of the Ombudsman and Constitutional Court.

Interesting that the often-cited alleged pro-military influenced Court* might rule on the alleged complaint after it investigates a complaint related to a military opposition party. That would be an amazing feat of unbiased review. In Western parlance "judge and jury" would be the same party, albeit there are no jury trials in Thailand. Would there be any doubt in the Court's decision against the PTP based on evidenced produced by the Court itself? * under the 2017 Constitution written by the junta.

Where was BOT for this: "Government agencies and state enterprises have been instructed to devise New Year gift ideas for the public that will not be seen as vote-buying tactics." and "... gifts should help stimulate the country's economy, like the 'Let's Go Halves' co-shopping subsidy scheme and the 'We Travel Together' tourism promotion campaign." Oct. 25, 2022 "Thailand eyes new stimulus as New Year gifts for the public" www.nationthailand.com Goose and Gander.

It will be interesting to see if and what the Thailand Human Rights Commission says. The new constitution written by the former junta requires any public position taken by the THRC must be reviewed and approved first by the government to assure that it does not damage Thailand's reputation. As such I expect silence from the THRC.

Max depth 80m. Use would have to be in the Andaman Sea which has a total Thailand coastline of about 949km covering 6 provinces. Other than their tourist value, not much really of any military significance.

Planet Earth and it's called humanity. 90-100% of Muslims nations circumcise that include Christians. In the US it's 58-70%. It's called religion (more accurately cultism) and typical of every faith some actions reflect symbolic aspect of its teachings. As such religions are generally not known for biological, scientific or intellectual precision. Take a wafer at communion? Hey, eat a sandwich for substance or chew some gum. Go ahead, touch my head. Spit and say "pu pu pu" after receiving good news. The Bible says genocide and slavery are justified.

There is no place overland east and south to seek asylum (ie., South Korea, Malaysia) without going through authoritarian regimes, especially nations that want trade with China and will sacrifice human rights to do so. Otherwise, going west I imagine the Chinese borders are fairly well monitored. Northern Mongolia might as well be a vassal state of China.

Coup, torture, dictator should be 4, 5, 6?

As the EEC was the "brain child" of NCPO Chief Prayut and his 2014 handpicked House and Senate under Article 44 (absolute power), it behooves him to expedite these EEC projects previously (I presume) budgeted for FY 2024 (Sept. 2023-Aug. 2024). While a new pro-liberal, pro-democratic party/coalition might take control of the House in the upcoming election, altering the current spending bill can still be stalled in a pro- military Senate. So why accelerate? For FY 2025 any budget alterations will be too late financially. The only thing that comes to mind is IF Prayut and "associates" might lose "conservative" (pro-military) control of the government and not be able to benefit PERSONALLY after the election, even if the current projects continue to be accelerated. And the Thai electorate continues to be shut out.

The EU is just chasing butterflies. Diplomats doing their job talking diplomacy. 2014: in response to Prayut's military coup, the EU (sorry delayed edit because of login issues) suspended all official visits to the country and shelving important agreements to back up calls for an urgent return to democratic rule. (no return until the 2018 election announcement) 2017: the EU resumes political contact at all levels with Thailand after PM Prayut announced a general election in Nov. 2018. But the government would not end a political ban that would allow political parties to campaign ahead of the vote. And the government controlled the Senate which will be allowed to vote for PM should there not be a 51% majority in the House for PM. The House pro-military coalition passed several amendments to the Political Parties Act that made it easier for small political parties to gain minor number of seats (diluting seats a new party could take), and harder for new large parties to garner large number of seats. Then after the election what appears to be a pro-military controlled Constitutional Court (oddly remained in place despite the military dissolving the 2007 constitution and rewritting one of its own) moves to disqualify the leader of one of the new larger political parties. But the EU just saw an election in 2018 being announced and quickly resumed all suspended relations with Thailand Prayut government. A Paper Tiger.

A society issue. Remember this opinion by PM Prayut: "Thai could supercede English as the dominant world language .. " "..one day Thai will be the world's lingua franca (sic )" Jan. 12, 2017 www.khaosodenglish.com "RAO TUM DAI: THAI COULD BE WORLD'S NEW ENGLISH, PRAYUTH SAYS"

If by "English you mean "British" okay that seems low. But I'm sure Americans would be close to zero.

If by "English you mean "British" okay that seems low. But I'm sure Americans would be close to zero.

Depends on your time and finances. But consider ocean cruises from Thailand. For example: Oceania Cruises Viking Ocean There is also a waterway cruise: Avalon Waterways

More freedom? Recall Thailand's Computer Act that had been created by a pro-military Parliament and used by the Prayut government to "unduly restrict freedom of expression." www.icj.org The Government can also bring criminal defamation against social media posters for anything that might damage the reputation of Thailand. There are no published guidelines for what constitutes "damage" or " reputation." Thailand's ranking in the 2022 Freedom on the Net score was 39 out of 100 (100being most free and 0 being least free): Obstacles to Access 16/25 Limits on Content 14/35 Violations of User Rights 9/40 39/100 www.freedomhouse.org

To the contrary, many Thai economists have for the last 4 years or so try to convince PM Prayut that Thailand to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). But Prayut has resisted. China cannot be a party to TPP. TPP prohibits explotive forced labor, human trafficking, rights to collective bargaining, prohibits employment discrimination. Not conditions that Prayut can politically tolerate?