bamnutsak

Well that was a brief honeymoon. Back to the mistress(es) in what, a few weeks.

The Netflix adaption of The Three-Body Problem is coming in January 2024. A truly ground-breaking SciFi book series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lj99Uz1d50 (Yes, there is a 30 ep Chinese version.) I reread Foundation a few years ago, when I heard HBO was working on it. I like the HBO series, so far. I mean it's challenging to adapt the books given the scope 550 years, entire known universe).

Yes, very impressive. I can see why the Old Guard fears him.

Did he give a birthday speech last year? Prayut said HM King told him not to use lese majeste laws against civilians; opposition calls for its abolishing June 15, 2020 King Vajiralongkorn has instructed the Thai government not to use Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code, or the lèse-majesté law, to prosecute civilians, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said on Monday. “You can see that today that we have not been using 112 at all.” he told reporters on Monday, “You know why? It was because the King was kind enough to instruct that it should not be used.” https://www.thaienquirer.com/14457/prayut-said-hm-king-told-him-not-to-use-lese-majeste-laws-against-civilians-opposition-calls-for-its-abolishing/ Fast Forward (new MFP party name?) to November 19 2020, yes five months later... PM Prayuth promises to use ‘all laws’ against Thai protesters Rallies calling for Prayuth’s resignation and reform of once untouchable monarchy began in July. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Thursday the government would use all forms of legislation against protesters who broke the law, as demonstrations calling for his removal and reforms to curb the powers of King Maha Vajiralongkorn that began in July, continued to escalate. Activists voiced concern the prime minister’s comments could signal the resumption of prosecutions under some of the world’s harshest laws on royal insult. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/19/pm-prayuth-promises-to-use-all-laws-against-thai-protesters It's this sort of capriciousness in "using" the law to suppress free speech that is vexing.

Banana republic-y headline. Meanwhile to the east, new PM gets 113% of the vote, and to the west refugees stream in, in a looming humanitarian crisis. While Thailand takes a six-day staycation to "celebrate". Well his "best" got Thailand into another Constitutional Crisis. All he had to do was allow a second vote, which Pita would have lost. Then PTP would have put forward both of their candidates, and lost two votes. OK, maybe Wan Noor got everyone to point B faster, albeit by accident and incompetence. Who knows what carnage he'll wreak as Speaker going forward? He should resign ASAP.

IMO PTP should put forward Srettha, assuming MFP remains un-jettisoned, for a vote. The Senate would not vote him through. After that, I guess PTP + BJT + ~ 165 ish Senators puts them over the top. And they'd have a majority (assumes PP, UTN vote with them) to pass legislation. Then the courts and commissions will wipe MFP out of the history books. And the old Senate will choose the new Senate, nepotism would come first of course. If you blinked you missed the "reforms".

I believe in second-chances, but this looks bad. Kidnapping and blackmail. A twelve year sentence in 2011 means he's been out what ~ 5 years? That said, maybe Pita didn't do the hire, but rather depended on someone else to handle that task. If so, I might fire that person. Given the villains most of the regime and politicos have on speed dial this one is bad, but not overly alarming, IMO.

I would think every airline has guidance, and training, for these types of situations. IMO, I'd just leave the guy in the seat, and keep him happy (limited alcohol obviously), while advising FRA on the situation and that they should have police (BPOL) available to arrest him, or at least escort him off the aircraft. I'm honestly not sure on the criminal jurisdiction issue, but I think it's Thailand and TG, so not sure if the German state can arrest/prosecute.

Are these aliens, arriving by UFO? Or the CIA, in Black Helicopters? If she's such a great pyschic she should have known that haircut would be a bad look. And she would have won the lottery a few times and been able to afford something more fashionable than a jumper made from what looks like tin foil.

No.

No tip for the EMTs. Hopefully.

There is a long, long, long public history of the Ombudsman (actually a committee) ignoring or not pursuing complaints. Often, when going up against the regime they claim they do not have "the authority" to do anything. AFAIK, they do not have any power or authority. All they can do is refer or reject "complaints". This is a ceremonial vestige from Olde Siam, where one could petition the King. Yes, in your case they pushed back on a minor unelected government official. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Big Joke was right. Big Joke shooting controversy linked to the new ฿2.1 billion biometrics immigration system contract https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2020/01/11/national-police-chief-immigration-biometric-system-big-joke-shooting-lieutenant-general-surachate/ Although every national police chief got to the top by doing dodgy things, and then insuring generational wealth for his family. And quite a few anger the wrong crowd/family who extract retribution down the road.

I would have thought that there was extreme pressure to get something, anything done before the King's Birthday and a longish weekend. But now it seems like everyone is looking for a pass, like Thai schoolchildren who clearly can't finish their homework, to avoid casting a pall over the celebrations. Oh well.

Think of the "Ombudsman" as a One-Man Committee. In Thailand the first response to an issue is to form a committee. No power or influence, ceremonial at best, always ignored. Just another in the sea of voices expressing "concern" about certain issues. A gnat on the backside of the buffalo which is the current Thai administrative state. Annoying? Maybe. But easily swatted away with a swipe of the tail.

From the linked article... “But we cannot be in this deadlock forever and eventually someone will have to sacrifice or compromise to move the country forward,” the MP said by phone. Of course no one EVER suggests that the Senate do the sacrificin' and the compromisin'. How odd. It's always the people who have to sacrifice and compromise, never the powers that be.

"Criticism" becomes a crime. How unexpected. Those who have been ridiculed, bullied or defamed via social media may file a complaint at the local police station all 24 hours a day. "Ridiculed"? Dangerous territory. The Computer Crimes Act, as has been "updated" by the Prayut regime needs to be reviewed, amended and possibly eliminated.

I doubt that the proposal to consider this amendment would have even been allowed for reading as the first order of business was to vote on the PM. After that it COULD be considered. That said, it still may not have passed. And even if it had, the Constitutional Court would have struck it down as they've indicated they would previously. Six months after it began, the contentious constitutional amendment process in the Thai parliament ground to a halt on 17 March when the draft bill on amending the 2017 Constitution was rejected in its final reading. This came after the Constitutional Court ruled that the approach taken in the bill would be tantamount to abolishing the existing constitution, and that such a drastic move required a national referendum in order to be constitutional. So hang on to your dollars, days, and barn doors. Even if you think you've found a loophole, various functions of the regime will justify striking it down.

"Asked". Useless. The NACC is where people in power have cases sent to die in the dark. The NACC is still two-years in on an investigation of Ruangkrai Leekitwattana with no results obviously. He should file complaints with the House Speaker, and the Election Commission,

Yes. MFP must be eliminated entirely. Party banned. Principals banned lifetime. A few leaders will be charged with 112/116, and/or forced/allowed to leave the country. It will be ugly.

Not sure, you need the same Kool-Aid that luckyblock token drinks. I'm more interested in his pitch that Pita is a "Manchurian Candidate"? Much better than some reality-challenged buffoon here suggesting Pita was a "Ivy League Trojan Horse".

Prawit is the sentimental favorite, payback for his years of suppression, and has climbed to the top of leaderboard significantly today. PTP will have to give up the PM, but will demand significant troughage in return for laying down. Bonus: Thaksin gets a Royal Pardon and can return home, unscathed, in this two-player deal with management. MFP will need to be erased, using the "Law", "Courts" and "a commission or two".

He's Prawit's 'fixer'/henchman so we may want to get prepared for the "compromise" candidate, Prawit to jump to the top of the leaderboard.

Of course they can. These coalitions are non-binding.

From the article, which is a bit one-sided and apologist for the regime (and riddled with errors and falsehoods).... However, the current Prime Minister General Prayut Chan ocha, in 2020, announced that the lèse-majesté provision would no longer be enforced at the personal request of His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn or Rama X. He reversed course later that year in the face of street protests which erupted in the middle of 2023 demanding constitutional reform and which became increasingly violent with intense clashes seen in Bangkok with officers of the Royal Thai Police. This clearly highlights the issues with 112. Enforcement is capricious, and the current status of of enforcement is divined by Prayut, on any given day. So the public may be confused as to what's acceptable today vs. yesterday. And any citizen, presumably of a certain status and political leaning, can file a complaint against any perceived "enemy". The court cases are opaque to the public, and the outcome is pre-ordained. People are held for weeks, months without bail, while convicted seditionists (Suthep + Gang) are released on bail within 30 hours. The sentences are barbarous. ( The obvious exception being the recent acquittal of five charged with impeding the Queen's motorcade, which was hailed as a "landmark" decision.) This "law" is used to intimidate anyone who is deemed to not be suitably subservient. If an institution is not strong enough to withstand a hand gesture, a crop-top, or the words of a 15 YO young woman then Houston, we have a problem.