mfd101

Golly, there are more Thaksin-haters out there - well, out there on AN at any rate - than I had imagined.

That would be fine if his exile & convictions were not the outcome of 2 different military coups, against his government in the first instance and against his sister's in the second. He may well have been guilty of all sorts of sins & crimes but people rabbiting on about how he should suffer the punishments dolled out by unconstitutional means are hardly in a position to preach virtue.

Both the bureaucratic boss AND the spokesperson? She is going to be busy!

Probably to let him be, as long as he plays no further role in politics. Thais are ready to move on and, depending how the current semi-new government pans out, they'll vote next time in overwhelming numbers for fundamental reform of all Thailand.

Only some people. People who find it hard to move on and hope for a better future.

That depends on how you read the complaint to which the CC was responding.

Occasionally the CC gets it right. Perhaps things are looking up ... or the wind blowing in a new direction ...

Just say No. Very politely to the parents, very sweetly to your girl. Over to them.

Useful change in salary payments for government officials (who often seem to an outsider like 90% of anyone in Thailand who earns a salary). Given the inability of so many people to manage money - yes, even government officials! - paying them every fortnight rather than monthly makes sense.

Which might suggest that actually changing the Constitution might stretch out in to Never-Never Land.

Of course. Just wait for the real thing.

Ping! went Ping Ping.

One set of metaphysical concepts has about as much value and as many contradictions as another ...

Such useful advice! I imagine he was a highly successful PM in his day (he got 6 years, I see, in 2 doses).

I've been using the same mug shot for the last 5 or 6 years ... Just about time for a new one next month, I think. (So hansum!)

In terms of its capacity to project power or to influence anything at all beyond its own borders, Thailand could scarcely be described as a 'middle power'. Small, incompetent and inward-looking would be more accurate. But nothing is achieved without optimism and aspiration.

It will be interesting to see how 'family' is defined. My Khmer peasant family here in south Surin consists of: 2 grandparents (my FIL & MIL) in their 70s, 6 sons & daughters from this marriage in their 30s & 40s (ignoring another approx. 8 sons & daughters in their 50s from previous marriages), 4 husbands & wives of the daughters & sons (marriage here is matrilocal), & 9 children & teenagers, and that's ignoring assorted cousins in a village where just about everyone is 'cousin of Yong' (my MIL). And guess who gets to keep all of that lot on the not-quite-stable financial road. I'll certainly be looking forward to the government's monthly brown envelopes.

So how do you cope with governments in Western democracies where 'no relevant expertise' is the norm for all Ministers & Prime Ministers/Presidents? Funny that.

Basically I was too busy slaving my guts out to notice, first climbing the academic ladder of pretentiousness, then the Oz federal bureaucracy's slippery & dangerous ladder ... Happiness (love) came to me late, at age 62. Now quite content with life amongst the Khmer peasants of south Surin - cuddles every night, books all day. What's not to like.

59% of the votes to MFP. Quelle surprise!

What a load of codswallop!

Yes yes, just give them time. Surely the point of what the NEW Minister suggested was to soften up the admirals (and the military more generally) for the upcoming bad news ... Gently gently catchee monkee! Or would you prefer another coup?

No, only the engine-free variety.

Time will tell. At least he's making the right noises. But, as with all elected (or semi-elected) governments, turning good intentions in to good real-world outcomes is a longterm project, longer than any government other than the authoritarian actually gets ...

True, though EVs exploding is an unfortunate way of putting it. ????