mfd101

Do you have the faintest idea who Thanathorn is?

It is measured productivity that makes nations rich or poor. Thais are (mostly) poor.

In post-Christian Europe many heterosexual couples now go the civil route rather than the marriage route (which is associated with religion). In France for example the number of couples who are 'pacsés' (Pacte civil de solidarité) now equals the number who get 'married'. This transition has no doubt been made historically easier in France because since the C19th everyone had to get married and registered by the local mayor first (the only marriage recognized by the State) and then they could traipse off to church for a religious ceremony if they wanted to. Much the same is happening in other modern countries (eg Australia) when young people reject all the huha and the expense of a 'traditional' wedding.

Enough to make us all throw up.

I've lived in Surin province since late 2015 on OA. Since the health insurance ruling came in I have had cover from PC, which at my age (now 74) makes sense (though it's expensive). It had never occurred to me that I might be exempt from the requirement & Surin Immigration has never indicated otherwise. I'll ask them when I do my annual renewal in October (not that I'll dish the insurance, but it does give me more flexible options for the future).

Procrastination is an art form in Thailand: Never put off today what can be put off tomorrow.

Precisely.

The House of Representatives did, lead by MFP & PTP. So no point in bitching about him. He's doing his best in impossible circumstances.

It is also possible that guidance be provided by HM in his speech this Friday. That may be the only way forward.

"Make me PM or I'll retire!" That'll make them sit up and take notice.

That rather depends on how he assesses where the balance of self-interest currently lies. In any case it's not obvious that principle will enter in to his considerations.

QED.

When living in Thailand it's important to maintain your sense of humour.

That's all fine if what you want is never-ending cynicism & manipulation. In which case why not just vote for the Democrats or PTP? But Pita & MFP have already changed Thai expectations of what is possible. Yes, they may fail at the end of this particular race. But not perhaps the next one. Thailand now has possibilities of change & reform that it didn't have only 2 months ago. All achieved by Pita & MFP. And yes there could be another military coup but my guess is that it'll be much more bloody than the last multiple times and the Thai people won't give up as long as they have a Pita as hero or martyr.

I think most of them know it already. Whence the way the votes went at the May election (so many weeks ago now!).

Too many fingers in too few pies. Meanwhile the voters go hungry.

On the principle that the punishment should fit the crime, one can only hope that the criminal instrument he used was of sufficient quality and proportions to merit the savage punishment he will no doubt receive.

Nice move. The backwash is building. Puts the CC on the spot: (1) they have to move fast before next Thursday, if only to say No; (2) they'll have to explain themselves to The People. Not to mention HM. His birthday and birthday speech are on Friday ...

Much of politics - everywhere - is about symbolism, either literally or metaphorically. And what is the symbolism for? To influence people's emotions. And why is that? Because most human beings act on their emotions.

Hypocrite.

As anyone knows who bothers to visit an Isaan village any day of the week, the 1% official unemployment rate is entirely fictitious, being based on those few who bother to enroll on the government's list. Much of Isaan survives in the informal workforce, doing odd jobs around the place for minimal or sub-minimal wage or just a mid-day meal. (I know because I employ them & pay them a decent day's wage as well as a meal.)

Would be good to see those stats in detail ...

Only the lending institutions (ie banks) can correct the situation over time by tightening their lending rules. For example, here in Isaan not lending to people who have no or no regular income ... In a culture where poor people are the majority and the middle class is small and weak, failure to think about tomorrow or the next day let alone next year is the norm. Take the money and run is the basic attitude.

Before the election there's nothing hard to do a deal with or on, as amply demonstrated in May. Noone (least of all PTP and perhaps including even MFP) was expecting the election outcome that actually arrived. Lesson no. 1 of politics: Deals can only follow the election not precede it.

Good for him. Will be interesting to see what if anything follows. Remember that optimism is empowering, pessimism is disempowering.