mfd101

Well at least he made it out again.

New government to Military: See! We're trying. Germany: You've gotta be joking! New government to Military: Oh dear! No go, I'm afraid. We'll just have to cancel the sub.

What do the crossed arms mean? Cross my heart and wish to die?

On the other hand ... After a decade of the dinosaurs, this new mob - and particularly the PM - has a feeling of being open to new ideas, trying new things, looking for new ways forward for all Thais. Which I find refreshing. Of course it may be just window-dressing and come to nothing. But I find the never-ending cynicism of the all-knowing ANals a bit tiresome. Let's try a little optimism for a change.

Workers of Thailand, Unite! You have nothing to lose except your lethargy.

Funny how all this comes out just after the Government of Dinosaurs has finally disappeared in to the history books ... So the issue for the new Government of Hopefuls is to pursue the matter with great energy, changing the relevant time-limiting laws as necessary so that Boss and the others can receive the justice they all yearn for.

Tourism is the lazy country's way of running an economy. Over-reliance on tourism leads to nothing good. Ecological devastation among other ills, and low skill levels. Confirming Thailand's longterm Second/Third World status.

I think they've got a fair idea. It's called MFP.

I think they've got a fair idea. It's called MFP.

Making decisions and anything changing in the real world are 2 different things. If nothing changes when the Minister issues an order, where does the responsibility lie? With the Minister who's ignored? or with those who ignore him?

Such confidence as was shakeable has already been shaken, I think. Full pardon for T in, say, 3 or 4 months won't surprise any Thais and won't change attitudes towards the government one way or another. The pardon will come from on high in any case and people will be waiting for real-world performance from the government.

Seeing is believing. Trust depends on performance but too much cynicism leads to nothing other than corruption and passivity. Condemning them before they've even found where the loo is is a bit silly. Doesn't serve any useful purpose.

As in most Third World countries, the basic mission of the Thai military is (whether explicitly or not) something called 'nation building'. Which is not surprising given that it is often - at least in theory - the only national institution with the resources, capability & discipline to carry out 101 tasks that noone else can do. If you live near the border (as I do) just about every government employee - including school teachers - is a military officer wearing a uniform. Does this improve the lives of the natives? No but it certainly improves the lives of the government employees ... So it becomes integrated into daily life, both for the citizens and the government, and the inevitable slide in to politics & graft gets under way. Nothing will change in terms of overbearing military presence at all levels of national life until this is fixed. It will take decades.

Potentially the situation sets up an interesting power tussle down the track between S & T once T's on home leave ... At the moment though S is wearing the pants and making the most of it. If he's clever enough, he can take over the reins permanently by asserting his power as PM while privately keeping T happy by frequent private consultations with him (Student/Master relationship). T is never going to have an official role ever again.

From one extreme to the other! Political skill consists in (1) NOT promising what cannot be done for good reasons or bad (2) delivering what you reasonably can and making the most of it. Which means you have a pedagogical role, teaching The People what's doable and what isn't and why.

The new government could do with all of this, and including the bureaucrats (at every level).

Clearly my daily reading of FAZ is getting out of hand.

Mask cheap or free. Helmut expensive.

PM's bags under the eyes getting bigger'n bigger.

It's called: Spreading the risk. ????

We shall see.

Only in Thailand. It's part of what makes living here worthwhile. No end of entertainment.

There is a reasonable argument in favour of conscription, namely that it offers to poor & uneducated peasant boys (my b/f was one) a window on a new bigger world of which they have no prior knowledge or experience. Whether that counts as a counterargument to those who see conscription - not unreasonably - as supporting military authoritarianism and threats to democracy depends on the circumstances at any particular time. The point is that, like most important issues in government & life, it's not black'n white.

Just calming the boys as PM & new Minister ease themselves in to their new chairs. Perfectly sensible. It's what they will do that counts, not what soothing words they offer in the meantime.

So what did he say in the Thai original?