Jim Waldron

Starting to get personal now! It appears that Sudarat Keyuraphan, the leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party is expected to lodge a criminal complaint against the Election Commission and its secretary-general. Sudarat will allege that the EC’s actions surrounding barcodes and QR codes on ballots constitute misconduct or negligent performance of official duties under Section 157 of the Criminal Code. Section 157: Whoever, being an official, wrongfully exercises or does not exercise any of his functions to the injury of any person, shall be punished with imprisonment of one to ten years, or fined from two thousand to twenty thousand baht, or both.

Here we go again! This isn’t the first time Thanu the Lawyer has taken issue with barcodes and QR codes on ballot papers. Back in 2016/2017 he mounted a similar argument that machine-readable codes could, in theory, undermine ballot secrecy. At the time, the claim was that such markings might allow ballots to be traced, even if only administratively. That challenge ultimately went nowhere, with the Courts maintaining that the codes were for logistics and internal control, not voter identification. Now, nearly a decade later he's at it again, this time asking the Central Administrative Court to halt certification of results by the Election Commission. One is tempted to say if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!

This whole episode is less about one crude video and more about what it reveals about leadership (past and present). The video is not ambiguous. Comparing a Black former president and First Lady to apes is not satire, it is one of the oldest and ugliest racial stereotypes in Western political culture! The fact that it circulated from an account belonging to Trump is troubling enough. The refusal to acknowledge the obvious when confronted is worse. When Obama speaks of a loss of “shame” and decorum, he is pointing to something structural rather than personal. For most of the post-war period, presidents understood that the office imposed constraints and that even in attacking the opposition there were lines one did not cross. That members from both sides of the government now feel compelled to criticise the video shows just how far outside normal standards this fell. By contrast, Trump’s response of “I didn’t see the racist part” together with and no apology follows a now-familiar pattern of deny knowledge, deflect responsibility, blame staff, move on. It is a leadership model built on "perpetual plausible deniability". But the buck has traditionally stopped at the Resolute Desk, not at an unnamed aide’s keyboard. What is perhaps most striking is not that partisan loyalists will defend anything, every political system has its tribalists, but that the bar for presidential conduct has shifted so dramatically that this becomes just another news cycle. Fifty years ago, this would have ended careers. Today, it is waved away as “fake outrage”! Obama’s broader point is harder to dismiss, when politics becomes performance art, a “clown show,” in his words outrage becomes oxygen, and responsibility becomes optional. That may appeal to the loyal supporters, but it corrodes institutions over time. For those of us observing from this from outside the U.S., the concern isn’t about left versus right. It’s about whether the world’s most powerful "democracy" still expects its leaders to behave like custodians of the office or merely as combatants who never concede error.

Harrisfan, As a scientist, you should know that your data does not tell the true story! Regional trends in Thailand do not determine global climate physics. The strongest warming is occurring in high-latitude regions due to well-understood feedback mechanisms such as Arctic amplification. The fact that tropical warming is smaller in magnitude does not invalidate global warming, it simply reflects spatial variability in climate response, which is predicted by climate models and observed in global datasets.

I’d have to say that Merz’s comments are difficult to dismiss. People sometimes forget that NATO has never been just about protecting Europe. Since 1949, it has also been central to a U.S. grand strategy of preventing any hostile power from dominating Europe, and ensuring that confrontation with Russia is collective, not unilateral. Undermining alliance credibility doesn’t just unsettle Europe, it potentially weakens America’s own forward defence posture. If Europe can no longer trust the U.S. commitments, deterrence itself is weakened and the U.S. must either accept higher strategic risk or be prepared to act alone (as it may have to in Iran). Compounding this even more, Rubio’s remarks about shifting global dynamics have wider implications. If the U.S. security guarantees in Europe begin to look conditional or transactional, it's allies in Asia and Oceania must also be wondering where they stand. An uncertainty could embolden China to test and strain U.S. alliances in the Indo-Pacific region. So, unless the U.S. genuinely believes it can confront both Russia and China without reliable partners, weakening its allies trust looks less like a "recalibrated approach" and more like needless self-inflicted damage!

“Volunteering” for compulsory service… is that an oxymoron like "army intelligence"? If you have to do it, calling it voluntary feels like spin more than reality! The army’s brag about hitting 105% of target looks less like a sudden surge of patriotism and more like a mix of pre-election politics and economics. In the lead up to last Sunday's election the media was swamped with patriotic rhetoric pushing the “serve your nation” angle. And, as Emdog observed above, the economy isn’t exactly booming, so job prospects for young men isn’t great. At least, military service comes with a regular paycheck, allowances, training, and benefits. For many, that’s a safer bet than trying their luck in a shaky job market. So, while the numbers look impressive, it might be less about national pride and more about practical survival heavily influenced by the pre-election hype and a lacklustre economy.

So, the BBC article is alleging that the officers' testimony didn't match the video. According to ICE acting director Todd Lyons, the two immigration officers appeared to have provided "inaccurate testimony". Consequently, the charges against Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis have been dropped. Meanwhile, the two immigration officers have been placed on Administrative Leave pending an internal investigation. How "inaccurate" their sworn testimony was will determine if their employment is terminated and if they then face criminal prosecution. One has to suggest that, in light of this, the comments by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about an agent being "beat up" and lucky "that he made it out alive" might also be somewhat inaccurate. The real scandal here isn't just that the two officers may have provided "inaccurate testimony". It's that the DHS and politicians who push the "insurrection" narrative, without waiting for the facts, continue to do so with impunity.

Chasing yacht tourism may look lucrative on paper, but the environmental costs could be devastating for Thailand’s Andaman coast. As noted by Brown et al., (2025), it's coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and local fisheries are already under stress from coastal development. Added to this are further climate change, and geological risks. Adding marinas (especially the large-scale ones for luxury yachts) means dredging, land reclamation, and heavy boat traffic. All of which will further stress the fragile ecosystems and the livelihoods of the coastal communities. Seeking to attract wealthy yacht tourists may seem appealing, but any benefits are most likely to be concentrated among a few, while the ecological costs (the loss of biodiversity, water pollution, shoreline erosion) are permanently borne by everyone else. And when luxury tourism inevitably shifts, marinas risk becoming expensive derelict sites that the government must clean up. Thailand’s maritime future depends far more on healthy oceans than on catering to ultra-high-net-worth individuals. If economic sustainability is truly the goal, safeguards must be binding, transparent, and community-driven. Without genuine accountability, this initiative risks becoming yet another short-term dream with long-term scars for Thailand. Reference cited: Brown, B.E., Dunne, R.P., Arthur, R., Baird, A.H., D'Souza, E., Khokiattiwong, S., Lunn, Z., Namboothiri, N., Patankar, V., Phongsuwan, N., Putchim, L., Tanzil, J.T.I., Thongtham, N. and Wagh, T. (2025) 'Revisiting the Coral Reefs of the Andaman Sea – Factors Affecting Resilience, Recovery and Reef Refugiau', in Todd, P.A. and Russell, B.D. (eds.) Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, Volume 63. Boca Raton: CRC Press, pp. 1–41. Online at https://share.google/h6tKnBYIIj9s8tIjf, (Accessed 14 February 2026)

Having to defend the use of QR codes on ballot papers is not unique to Thailand! Australia, the US, India, Switzerland, and the Philippines also use QR codes or barcodes on ballots. Their election authorities have had to argue the same case that these codes are nothing more than administrative tools to prevent fraud, track ballots, and make counting more efficient. And just like Thailand, critics in those countries raise doubts about transparency and secrecy. But despite those concerns, their systems continue to operate, and the codes are generally accepted as part of modern election management. I think the key point all countries (including Thailand) make is that QR codes don’t record how anyone votes. Instead, they are safeguards to ensure ballots are genuine and properly processed, thereby reducing the risk of counterfeit ballots or administrative errors. So while skepticism is natural, the controversy is unwarranted. The EC has not done anything unusual or sinister. It’s simply followed a practice that’s already in use elsewhere, and it's defending it just as other democracies have done.

So, the BBC is reporting that Trump’s tariffs are hitting ordinary Americans hardest, with higher prices borne almost entirely by U.S. consumers. Meanwhile, exporting countries seem relatively unaffected and can shrug off the measures. This raises an interesting question for those ASEAN NOW Forum members who have been highly critical of Thailand’s populist policies, arguing they distort markets and burden taxpayers. As I see it, Trump’s tariffs are essentially a populist move too, being sold to his loyal supporters as “protecting American jobs”. BUT, as the BBC article shows, they’ve left the American public footing the bill while foreign exporters remain largely unscathed. If populist policies in Thailand are condemned for being unsustainable or harmful, shouldn’t the same critique apply to Trump’s protectionist tariffs? Or do some of those critics of Thai populist policies see a difference between domestic populism (like subsidies or handouts) and international populism (like tariffs and trade wars)?

Scrapping the “endangerment finding” doesn’t repeal the physics. Greenhouse gases either trap heat or they don't. Decades of peer‑reviewed science says they do! Policy can shift, but atmospheric chemistry remains unchanged. Allowing U.S. cars to become less fuel‑efficient when overseas markets that demand cleaner vehicles is guaranteed to hurt American auto sales abroad.

So where does that leave the sister now that the Dear Leader has given the daughter the nod? If Ju Ae really is the “successor designate”, you’d have to assume the senior party and military figures have given their approval. Dynastic logic favouring direct descent over sibling succession. So, what does this mean for Yo Jong? Will she become regent and loyal guardian, or will North Korean history repeat. Jang Song Thaek and Kim Jong Nam come to mind!

Thailand’s Public Health Ministry deserves credit for proactively steps wanting to protect the health of Thai pilgrims during the Hajj. With over 7,000 Thais taking part this year, the risk of infectious disease transmission in such a large event must be taken seriously. Although mandatory, vaccinations against meningococcal disease and influenza are a no brainer. They are internationally recommended by health authorities including the Saudi Ministry of Health and WHO, for anyone attending mass gatherings like the Hajj. This program seems quite well planned, providing free vaccinations, health screenings, and medical teams accompanying the pilgrims. It also provides post-travel monitoring for conditions like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, which has been reported in Saudi Arabia but not among Hajj pilgrims themselves, and carries a high fatality rate. The fact that these services are free, and with certification completed in a single day, shows efficiency and care for the community. Critics may try to spin this as unnecessary or even sinister, but the reality is that meningitis and influenza can spread rapidly in crowded environments, and outbreaks during Hajj have occurred before. Preventive measures will save lives, thus ensuring Thai Muslims can fulfill their religious duty safely and return home healthy to their families.

I see nothing sensational in China’s reaction to the Thai election! There were 2 points in the article that I thought were interesting. The first is the talk of “deepening the China‑Thailand community with a shared future”. This seggests to me that China is signalling that cooperation will continue regardless of which coalition forms government. The second point, stressing stability, is in sharp contrast with Washington’s style, which often frames statements around democratic values and governance. China's tone seems more about maintaining the status quo while keeping projects moving. Surely, if Anutin does become the PM, his fluency in Chinese is a real asset. Direct communication at the highest level can only strengthen ties and reduce misunderstandings in negotiations.

This news item reports that the travel insurance company refuses to pay, citing Tiger's involvement in a "dangerous activity"! Meanwhile, The Examiner (an online Thai News website for foreigners in Thailand) its reporting that according to his father, Kieron Duggan, the crash occurred during an overtaking manoeuvre. They go on to say that "... Mr Duggan was passing a car when another motorcycle crossed the road. As a result, he was thrown from his bike...". With Thailand’s roads being among the most dangerous in the world, and motorcycles accounting for the majority of accidents, that’s a pretty compelling reason why insurers take such a hard line. That said, this must serve as a stark reminder to tourists especially, of what can happen if they plan to ride in Thailand. Interestingly, all I could find about motorcycles from my own country's online advisories to its citizens visiting Thailand (under the heading Safety) is: Road accidents are a significant cause of injury. Be alert on the roads, including wearing helmets on motorcycles and motorcycle taxis.

Approximately 400-600 commercial vessels transit the English Channel daily. So, while the geopolitical angle is one thing, the article underplays the immediate safety risk in such a congested seaway. This is one of the busiest and most restricted shipping lanes in the world. Putting old, poorly maintained tankers into that environment is, first and foremost, a serious hazard to navigation, compounded further when vessels deliberately switch off AIS and lack proper insurance. If one of these ships, in its efforts to avoid detection, were to lose power, collide with another vessel, or run aground, the issue wouldn’t just be sanctions. It would be oil on beaches and chaos in one of Europe’s main trade arteries. And if they’re operating without recognised P&I cover, who pays for the cleanup? This isn’t just about geopolitics. It’s also about environmental and maritime safety risks, and in the Channel, there’s very little margin for error.

Based on what is publicly available at present, the EC has not yet released certified, final constituency-level figures for the 10 seats in question. Without the official margins, it is not possible to determine objectively whether the results in each constituency meet the normal criteria that would justify a recount. In that sense, it is too early to be calling for recounts across all 10 seats before final certification. Under Thailand’s electoral framework, the EC must first confirm and certify the official results while reviewing any formal complaints. Once the final margins are known, the EC can then assess any PP petitions against the size of the margin and any verified discrepancies in the count. If the certified figures show narrow margins or material inconsistencies, the EC has clear legal authority to order targeted recounts. If not, the results stand. In the end, the issue is less about perception and more about allowing the statutory process to run its course.

“... request information about the purpose of transactions...”. So basically, every time you go to deposit or withdraw cash, you’ll be asked why you’re doing it. That feels pretty intrusive, imagine explaining to a teller that you’re taking money out “to support my mia noi”! Worse still, imagine if the teller is a friend of your wife! This risks turning routine banking into an interrogation, and most people won’t appreciate being quizzed over their own money. Then there's the bit about “...processes to support honest customers...”, how exactly will they do it? If someone gets flagged for a perfectly normal transaction, will the bank have a fast‑track way to clear them, or will you be left waiting waiting waiting while their transaction is investigated? You couldn’t design a better system for intrusion and inconvenience if you tried. All this will do is adversely affect ordinary people, while the criminals will just find another way to move their money. More bureaucracy, and more delays for customers.

Reading this, my immediate reaction is that it highlights the entrenched two-tier system in Thailand. The “haves” seem to enjoy every benefit without delay, while the “have-nots” are left to eke out an existence, while having to wait for basic and essential entitlements like dental care or pension adjustments. It’s not just about inefficiency, it’s about fairness, dignity, and whether social safety nets actually serve the people they’re meant to protect. The criticism directed at the SSO feels very familiar. I'd argue that similar systemic failures aren’t unique to Thailand. Australia’s Centrelink is a prime example. Centrelink's infamous Robodebt scheme, which used flawed automated debt recovery processes, wrongly accused thousands of welfare recipients of owing money. The fallout was devastating, causing financial stress, mental health crises, and tragically, even suicides! A Royal Commission later found the program unlawful and deeply damaging, exposing how bureaucratic rigidity and lack of accountability can turn a social service into a source of harm rather than support. What the SSO issue shows is that whether in Bangkok, Canberra, or elsewhere, the underlying issues are the same - inefficient management, failed oversight, and a culture that prioritizes administrative convenience over human welfare. Reform efforts like those being proposed by the Progressive Social Security Team are vital, but they must go beyond surface-level fixes. As the Robodebt fiasco has shown, transparency, accountability, and a genuine commitment to protecting the vulnerable are non-negotiable!

What’s striking about this latest advisory is how it underscores the U.S. acting alone (just like Venezuela), seemingly on the whim of its administration, and without international backing. If push comes to shove, it won’t be a coalition standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States. This time, they’re on their own in another Middle East confrontation. That raises the sobering question as to whether the American people are truly prepared to accept the losses that could follow if this gunboat diplomacy escalates into outright conflict. History shows that questionable intelligence, and hasty decisions, have led to costly entanglements before. And yet, here we are again, with the risk of repeating the same cycle. The real debate shouldn’t be about whether Washington should threaten Iran. It should be about why U.S. citizens aren’t demanding proper justification before their country risks lives, resources, and credibility. Without that accountability, the danger is that the U.S. finds itself fighting alone, paying the price for decisions that were never fully explained to its own people. Let’s all hope that Türkiye, Qatar, Russia, and Egypt can convince Iran to accept a diplomatic path before it is too late!

I hate to go against the flow of this discussion, but my Web searches reveal a slightly less severe situation for our American friends. While there is no denying that the U.S. labour market is weaker than it was in recent years, and that hiring has slowed noticeably through 2025–2026, the data do not show a collapse into widespread job losses or a severe recession. Job creation remains positive overall, and the unemployment rate, although higher than its recent lows, is still within historically moderate ranges rather than crisis territory. That said, it may be premature to assume we’ve seen the full economic impact of current trade policy. Tariff effects typically filter through supply chains, investment decisions, and hiring plans over time rather than immediately. Similarly, large-scale deportations could influence future growth, wage pressures, or inflation, particularly in labour-intensive sectors. The overall effect would depend heavily on scale, timing, and how the domestic labour market adjusts. So, it might still be too early to tell! For those interested, the sources of my response are: Mutikani, L., 2026. US job growth likely picked up in January; unemployment rate forecast steady at 4.4%. Reuters, 11 February 2026. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/us-job-growth-likely-picked-up-january-unemployment-rate-forecast-steady-44-2026-02-11/(Accessed: [today]) [for unemployment level, weak job gains, benchmark revisions] Mutikani, L., 2026. US job growth stuck at stall speed in December; unemployment rate dips to 4.4%. Reuters, 9 January 2026. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/us-job-growth-slows-december-unemployment-rate-eases-44-2026-01-09/ (Accessed: [today]) [for evidence of slowing job growth] Associated Press, 2026. US job openings fall to 6.5 million, fewest since 2020, as labor market remains sluggish. AP News, 5 February 2026. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/1304701fb238015de750a931c4175579 (Accessed: [today]) [job openings and continued labour market weakness] Investopedia, 2026. Goldman Sachs issues warning: job market shifts against college graduates. Investopedia, 11 February 2026. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/workers-who-attended-college-are-being-hit-the-hardest-by-unemployment-11903139 (Accessed: [today]) [for stratified unemployment trends in specific demographic groups] Michelena, G., Ernst, C. and Bertin, P., 2025. Tariffs and labour markets: The employment impact of the recent trade conflict. arXiv:2512.11578. [for evidence from economic modelling on tariff impacts, including lagged and distributional effects] Journal of Policy Modeling, 2025. The impact of US deportation policies on the US, Canadian, and Mexican economies. Volume 47, Issue 4, July–August. [for modelling evidence showing possible labour-force and GDP impacts from deportation policies]

The grand jury decided not to indict him, which in the U.S. system means prosecutors did not proceed with criminal charges. Whatever opinions people may have, that is the legal position as it stands. Apart from the personalities, this case highlights a deeper tension in American life. The First Amendment protects people’s right to speak freely, including arguing passionately about politics. The Second Amendment protects the right to own firearms. Both rights are strongly defended and deeply entrenched. But when a heated political argument, alcohol, and a loaded gun are involved, there is a hard reality - in a clash between words and a weapon, the weapon has the final say!

The fact that AMLO can consistently fill these auctions with luxury cars, watches, and designer goods shows there’s a steady stream of people willing to gamble on illicit wealth. One notable example was no less than the Supreme Patriarch candidate Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn (Somdet Chuang) and his vintage Mercedes-Benz, which was seized in 2016 after allegations of tax evasion, casting a shadow over his nomination. But it’s not only individuals who take such risks. Also in 2016, 100 NGV buses ordered by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority were seized by Thai customs. Although they were claimed to have been manufactured in Malaysia, they were actually made in China and then re-routed through Malaysia to avoid higher import duties. Customs seized these buses at the port, sparking a dispute between the supplier, the Treasury Department, and BMTA. That contract was worth billions of baht!

Would Russia risk a new front while still engaged in Ukraine? Historically, Russia has been cautious about engaging in simultaneous conflicts. In World War II, the Soviet Union only moved against Japan after Germany was defeated. That precedent suggests Russia may hesitate to stretch its military further while the Ukraine war continues. General Kristoffersen’s comments should be treated more as a potential scenario than a stark warning.

Another “big bust” with four arrests and seized assets on display! But surely a scam operation of this scale doesn’t run on just four people. Recall back in January, when Thai troops and police uncovered that sophisticated scam compound in Surin, complete with fake police stations and offices? Despite the extensive evidence, no arrests were made in that raid (Bangkok Post report here: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3181628/scammer-hideout-at-chong-chom-border-dismantled-extensive-evidence-linked-to-crime-syndicates-found). Either these highly-publicised raids are only scratching the surface, or worse, scammers are being tipped off before the raids occur. When you see millions stolen and only a handful of arrests, it’s hard not to be just a little suspicious. Photo: Teeranan Nandhakwang Facebook account