Samui Bodoh

The "plan" isn't a blueprint for reform, the "plan" is merely an excuse for meddling in the affairs of a civilian government should one arise.

20 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

There are no plans to reform the military, and the police reform was outside the scope of the 20-year national plan.

Does anyone really believe that neither the military nor the police aren't in need of reform? Anyone?

This is simply an excuse for interference, created in advance so that the vested interests can whine, whinge, threaten and complain at will. 

It is quite easy to predict the future if the PTB aren't happy about something, "the Government has not followed the reform plan and thus is dissolved". Choose your poison if it is by coup, court-ordered, or other.

Same Same but Same Same

I find it interesting how... insignificant the Dems seem to be these days and how diminished Abhisit has become.

Having followed the political development of Thailand for many years, I find it difficult to accept that the Dems are a spent force, but I really do not see (at the moment at least) how they can generate excitement for their ideas and/or party.

Democratic? It is difficult to take them seriously based on their boycotting of elections when they clearly were going to lose; being Democratic means fighting an election WITHOUT a guarantee of victory. 

Decentralization? Can anyone name a Dem policy on decentralization? I can't and I am a bit of a political junkie. Anyone?

Rights? See Democracy above. Anyone?

General policies? I can't name a policy that would be a 'signature' policy for the Dems. Anyone?

Civilian government/rule? Sorry, but there has been too much support for the military over the last decade or two; the PDRC/Suthep was the Dem party with extra money for mob-renting. A policy for civilians? A policy to lessen the role of the military in Thai politics? Anyone?

The current Dems seem to be like an (excuse me) old 'working girl' who still retains a few of her old customers but doesn't realize that she will have no new ones. She will be on stage for a while, however...

Hey Thailand!

Why don't you start with repairing the garbage incinerator on the island of Samui? The local government has been simply piling up rubbish for several years and recently unveiled a 'new plan' for the trash; they plan to put a tarp over it.

Clean up Koh Samui now!

A poster above remarked on the 'honest' government officials.

There are no 'honest' government officials.

Does anyone believe that the ones who aren't stealing directly from the children aren't aware of the people who are? We have all seen the offices and we have all seen how the Thais interact. I seriously doubt that the theft is "unknown", rather that the theft is "unremarked on".

All those "honest" government employees are complicit as well.

And complicit as hell.

Good article.

In these days of the Internet and the ability of anyone to compare a local situation to other localities in a country, it beggars belief that people in the NE are not aware of the disparities.

Which begs the question; why do people still question the choice of the people of the NE to vote for 'their' parties (currently the PTP) and not for Bangkok-based parties or entities like the military?

I am constantly amazed by this unfathomable lack of understanding...

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

“This retiree is facing a separate probe for an alleged grave disciplinary offence, as he is believed to have stolen about Bt4.8 million from the state budget. He returned the money after his action was exposed,” the source said. 

This is what is so very, very wrong in Thailand.

If I were to rob a corner store, I would (rightly) be arrested and likely sentenced to jail for the crime of theft. However, if I were a State Employee and I stole the exact same amount of money, I could simply return it and that would be the end of the matter (if it even went that far).

Respectfully Thailand, you have this backasswards! A State employee receives many guarantees including a job for life, medical care at a superior level to the general populace and a pension, among other perks. In return for this generous employment package, there is a granting of 'trust' for State employees, and when they break that trust they should be dealt with more harshly rather than more leniently. 

The second matter in this story is the Ministry of Education in general. As the article notes, there are already several cases of theft and embezzlement at the Ministry and I strongly suspect that if investigations continue, there will be many, many more. This lack of honesty and management, combined with the proven lack of ability in delivering a quality education to the children of Thailand, has reached a point whereby one has to wonder if the current leadership of the Ministry at both national and provincial level are able to reform it.

I would argue that they are not able to reform it.

I loathe Article 44, but in this case I would use it to fire the top 50 people at the national ministry offices and the top ten people at all the provincial offices immediately. Simply put they have already demonstrated that they are unable to run the ministry effectively and achieve proper outcomes, so out the door they go. Then, I would follow up on reforming the entire Ministry and I would use a chainsaw to do it.

The lack of a proper education system in Thailand is a clear and present danger to the future of the country and should be treated as such.

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

The party’s leaders also called on the NCPO to stop using its absolute power under Article 44 and respect citizens’ rights and freedom as well as the new Constitution now that the election was approaching.

 

Chaturon Chaisang, a key member of the party, said that NCPO leader Prayut may have an ambition to return to power. But he should stop sabotaging the political system, Chaturon said.

The above is the right tack to take for the party, actually the right tack to take for all the parties.

If the PTP and all the other parties meekly accept that the Junta has absolute authority to set rules and regulations governing the election, then it is likely over before it begins. Parties that do not like the Junta should be stating loudly that any election that doesn't have consent on the rules will not be seen as legitimate.

The one and only reason that the Junta is even talking about an election is that they want to have some form of legitimacy. And as this is the one and only reason, this is the leverage that the political class has; only they can give legitimacy to a process.

I would actually advise the parties to take things a step further. I would point out that both Thaksin and Yingluck were elected in a process that was generally seen by all as fair and legitimate, and challenge them to meet the standard set. This will both annoy the Junta (good thing) and create a benchmark for a clean(ish) election. 

If the Junta is allowed to set the rules unilaterally, then all of this is a waste of time. 

31 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Tend to think if businesses in general have not moved with the times and the trends to cater for the current main market movers who are the Chinese it is really their fault and should not be complaining but finding out why they are not attracting the money.

I can't really argue with your post, so I won't try too much.

That said, it is easy to say that they should adapt and re-engineer their businesses. The reality is that for many it isn't really possible; if you have been running a small Mom-and-Pop shop for twenty years and a 7-11 opens next door, what are you supposed to do? Economic theory says close and do something else, but the reality is...?

If you are running a small restaurant and then tourists start eating only at their hotel, then economic theory says close the restaurant and do something else, but... what?

If you are running a bar or a working as a hostess, then suddenly your customers only have a drink at their hotel or at 7-11, then economic theory says close and do something else, but...what?

The point that I am trying to make is that Western tourism, for all its faults, spread money around to the proverbial 'little guy' quite well (at least here in Samui). The Chinese version of tourism doesn't seem to do that well, and some Thais are asking "why do I tolerate traffic jams/crowds/rude behaviour/etc. if I don't see a benefit?

Sometimes economic theory collides badly with facts on the ground...

... and people get angry with all the implications of that....

I can't really comment on the hotel occupancy rate; I'll leave that one to people who know better.

The issue that I see and hear about from friends in the tourism business is where the money from the Chinese people is going. To oversimplify a bit, it seems that certain hotels, certain tourist sites, and certain shops are doing very well.

However, as I chat with friends in the business, from shop-keepers to market stall people to small restaurateurs, they are really getting pissed off. The complaint that I hear is tourists come but spend no money at my (place of business).

I suspect that this is going to be a big issue; I can't argue with the numbers of Chinese people, I think the numbers are large and growing. BUT, if the money isn't spread around a little better, you are going to see a lot of unhappy people. And when Thais achieve a certain number of unhappy people, actions/protests start to occur.

Tourism is a great business for a country like Thailand, but only when it benefits large numbers of people. The trend here seems to be lots of money going to fewer and fewer people; that isn't sustainable on a social level.

If the wealth/profit isn't spread out better, trouble will ensue...

Thailand and Hoteliers may want the Chinese over the Western tourist(s), but the Thai little guys see where their money comes from...

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

While the Trump administration speaks of an immigration "crisis" on the border, U.S. Border Patrol statistics show the fewest apprehensions of illegal immigrants on the border in 46 years. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2017, there were 303,916 such arrests, the lowest level since fiscal 1971.

This is just Trump trying to appeal to the white-skinned, nationalist vote that has infected the Republican party; claiming 'invasion', despite the evidence against it (see quote/numbers above), by brown and black people heartens some white voters. It is disgusting.

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

His plan to deploy troops comes after his failure so far to persuade either the Mexican government or the U.S. Congress to fully fund a wall he wants to build along the border.

 

At the same time, the Republican-controlled Congress has failed to meaningfully overhaul U.S. immigration law, despite demands from Trump for a deal.

This is where the problem lies; Trump the "Deal-Maker" has failed to achieve anything in terms of immigration despite many opportunities. This is an issue that could be fixed greatly with a congressional agreement, but whenever an agreement approaches, Trump runs away because he is scared of the angry white people in hoods. 

Trump claimed during the election that he was a 'Deal-Maker;, but has yet to demonstrate it.

What are you waiting for? 

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

THE PUBLIC Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) yesterday proposed that the Social Development and Human Security Ministry punish 96 state officials allegedly involved in irregularities at dozens of provincial protection centres for the destitute. 

 

Under the proposal, the officials would be subject to disciplinary punishments ranging from transfer to dismissal with pension or dismissal without pension.

While I am glad to see that some bureaucrats are being accused and readied for punishment, I am rather confused.

If I were to go to 7-11 and steal money from the cash register, I would (rightly) be branded a thief and likely go to jail. These bureaucrats stole money allocated for the destitute in Thailand, yet going to jail is not one of the punishments being considered. Why is this theft being considered as something 'less' than theft?

In my view, theft by a State Employee is worse than theft committed by an non-state employee. They not only stole, they also broke the public trust given to them.

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

The PACC investigation against the 96 accused found links to three high-ranking officials who had worked at the ministry in 2017, one current official at the ministry and another retired official. 

 

The commission will submit the names of these five high-ranking officials to the ministry for its investigation, and to the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for a separate inquiry, PACC secretary-general Korntip Daroj said.

This is the most worrisome aspect to the entire scandal. 

The NACC, fresh from NOT acting in the matter of General Rolex, is unlikely to act in this matter as the accused (high-level bureaucrats) are needed by the 'Greens' as political allies. At a time when the 'Greens' are seeking allies in the bureaucracy to stay in power, a prosecution of senior bureaucrats is extremely unlikely.

The military stated that they staged their coup to "clean up corruption". It is clear that the onset of this scandal pre-dates the coup but this inaction and lack of effort at cleaning it up makes a mockery of their claims.

To sum up, the criminals will likely be let go in the name of political expediency, as usual.

A final reminder; the theft here was of funds allocated for Thailand's destitute. People who steal from the destitute are a special kind of evil, and if there is an afterlife I hope they burn in hell.

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday dismissed a concerted call by major political parties to lift a controversial junta order that prevents political activities.

It is just going to get louder and louder... and that is a good thing.

The rationale behind the coup, for those who supported it, has vanished and there really is no good reason anymore for the Junta to stay in power. 

It is pretty clear that Prayut desperately wants to stay in power (despite his denials), but it is also becoming more and more clear everyday that there is a groundswell against this idea; for the first time that I remember, the Dem party came out yesterday to say that they will not support him.

Thailand is entering a critical and dangerous time. It seems to me that the Junta is no longer wanted and that the people are regaining their voice and confidence, but on the other hand it is difficult to dislodge the military simply because it is difficult to know where to put them. 

The immediate road ahead requires skilled political tacticians to manage things to a proper conclusion, but I don't see any of them on the horizon.

These are very dangerous times and I fear violence and bloodshed are quite possible... 

34 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

“I don’t have any feeling about them.

I bet this is BS

I bet that Prayut thinks of both Thaksin and Yingluck every single day and every single night, wishing that the Thai people liked him as much as they love them.

The sad bit is that they never, ever will.

sob...

10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

“I don’t have any feeling about them. They should have been ashamed. They broke the law and they still dare to go out,” the prime minister said.

Hmm...

You broke the law and go on TV every week.

What's the difference?

The way to deal with this issue is very simple.

The parties, if at all possible jointly, state repeatedly that the Junta is creating an unfair system and that a government created from it would not be 'legitimate'. Or put another way, say (politely of course) that the Junta is cheating.

If the political parties accept the Junta's authority to do as they please in regards to the election, the election rules and what constitutes an acceptable outcome, then it is over before it begins.

The Junta is doing this because they want 'legitimacy' and for no other reason. Therefore, the proper response is to deny that 'legitimacy' unless there is a fair process.

Political parties; speak now or forever hold your piece! If you participate in an unfair election, then you will have acquiesced in an unfair result. And if you acquiesce to an unfair result, you only have yourselves to blame.

It is either act now or shut up.

If (God forbid!) I were given the use of Article 44 for a day, I would fire the top 50 people in the Ministry of Education as well as the top 10 people in each provincial education office. The people at the very top and their immediate subordinates have created an education system that does not work and that is beyond repair by them.

Next, I would swallow that old Thai pride and ask countries in the region to lend Thailand some of their education experts to reform the system; Singapore, S Korea, Taiwan and Japan would be on the top of that list.

Following that, I would empower headmasters of schools to be able to hire and fire staff, BUT I would also tie their compensation to the performance of the students. There is a danger of schools simply 'teaching to the test' under this system, but the state of Thai schools is so desperate that I would risk it.

Finally, I would give parents (nationwide) a ruddy good talking to regarding the education of their children and the role of parents within the system.

After the completion of these initial steps, I would really get at reforming the system!

Do I think any of this is going to happen? Sadly, no.

The phrase "sticking one's head in the sand" is reverberating around my head...

Sooooooo

The average Thai student failed in every subject at school.

There is a simple equation for the benefit of education in a country; if a country has a good education system, it will have a good future (whatever that may be). if a country does not have a good education system, then it will not have a good future.

Again; the average Thai student failed in every subject at school.

God help Thailand.

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

“As the evidence now links to officials of higher rank than the centre-director level, the legal actions to prosecute them per the criminal code will be forwarded to the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission [NACC],” Kornthip said. He added that the accused senior officials’ supervisors would also be asked to launch disciplinary investigations. 

I am glad to see some action (any action!) taken against corrupt bureaucrats, but I find it a little hard to believe that centers in all provinces have been adequately investigated in such a short time. 

Even worse, the phrase " ... the accused senior officials’ supervisors would also be asked to launch disciplinary investigations. ..." says to me that things will simply be covered up at the higher levels. If, as the claim seems to be, that the 'low-level' people managed to set and run a national scheme of industrialized theft, why would anyone believe that the higher-ups didn't know AND could be trusted to run a clean investigation? Or that they would actually "launch disciplinary  investigations"? The FAR, FAR more likely answer is that the higher-ups ran and benefited from the theft. And, we all know what happens when the NACC gets involved; cover-up unless you are an opponent of the Greens and Yellows.

I smell the old Thai cover-up for the people of higher rank. Thailand seems to have any number of independent organizations when it suits them, but seems unable or better said unwilling to use them when they might actually be useful and do some good.

If the higher-ups get off as usual, what was the point of this?

And a final reminder; this wasn't theft from a transport budget line, this was theft from A.I.D.S. patients, the handicapped, the elderly who don't have money; this is/was theft from the most needy, the destitute in Thai society.

Truly disgusting.