Kiwiken

The same sort of threats were made when NZ banned Nuclear armed and powered ships. Bring it on Obama you are winning the Brexit vote for the Yes to leave

......8 kilometers....!!!

"At 800 metres, it is longest such passageway unearthed."

Yes .8 of a kilometre still some tunnel you got to dig it. All for a buzz and a lot of Brain cells. Still each to their own

Reading the draft Constitution it is clearly designed to allow Gerrymander by the ruling elite and Military. Hardly Democratic by any stretch of the imagination. I am suprised they are not suggesting a 1 party state. As in Any Country they will get away with it for a while but sadly in the end after much disruption, oppression and dear I use the R word things must change. I would hate to see US style democracy but the Westminster system is a good model which Thailand. Could use as a corner stone. Open and transparent is the only way Governments can function. They should look to Myamar as an example of the road not to follow.

How can Thaksin be accused of anti Government Activities. Yingluck is the lawfully elcted Prime Minister and The PT Party the legal Government. Those who call themselves the Government are Usuurpers and militarists interested only in feathering and protecting their own nests. Had Yingluck's Government fallen in an election then all the charges and accusations might have some recognition Internationally.

All the talk and finger pointing is just a shuffling of the Deck and the only Ones losing are the Thai People. Only a matter of time before they change the name back to Sayam

I repeat my post in that look at the history since 1932. Whenever change threatens the status quo. I.E that the Elite and the status of the Military in the Country. There is a Coup or impeachment of the Government. And the new Government is appointed by the same people "In order to return stability and Democracy." They want free and fair elections as long as they can control the outcome. The problem with Thai Democracy is that it never went far enough in that it had no checks and balances on Government. Nothing should be able to be concluded behind closed doors . Only with transparency can Democracy truly flourish. The cycle they have continued does not bid well for the future. And from what I have seen the danger is a 3 way split when the current Monarch passes. I pray for longevity for him

The most interesting thing is that Bangkok like My home City of Christchurch is build on a swamp and near the sea. So in the event of a sizable quake they can look forward liquifaction as well as wide spread building collapses. Fun times to come. I pray I never see.

The most interesting thing is that Bangkok like My home City of Christchurch is build on a swamp and near the sea. So in the event of a sizable quake they can look forward liquifaction as well as wide spread building collapses. Fun times to come. I pray I never see.

Whenever there is something to do with the Shinawatras the haters come out. Since 1932 Thailand has followed an ever diminishing circle. Democracy needs to grow. Thaksin was not proof Democracy fails. Just proof Thailand needed more checks and balances on Government. No matter what anyone says in the end the people will decide. We as Foreigners can but watch as this unfolds. Time it may take but the seeds are already sown.

Maybe many in Thai did not know him because first he was Prince and then he was AFKAP and then he was ummmmm forgotten. Liked some of his music rest in peace

Donald Trump = ha ha ha sorry this is thai visa = 555 Actually Yingluck can come be NZ PM She is tastier than what we have on offer

1974 got My motorcycle license in NZ, Learners first which required no practical then 6 months later sat full licence. Motorcycle cop following me for my road test said if I had rode through every red light he would still have passed me as an idiot in a car did an unidicated U turn right in front of me and I had to do some quick maneuvering to avoid being knocked over. There were no restrictions on Bike size back then. Now LAMS license restricted to 500cc and under. After 2 years can buy bigger bike. I have had fun in Thailand on the 125's but miss My Harley so love it when home

Well when you consider the corrupt US backed puppet Government of Batista which had embraced the Mafia. And considering 56 years of Sanctions I think the Cubans have done well. How much better life would have been for them and how much less tension if instead of persecuting Cuba the Americans had admitted their mistakes and worked on reconciliation with the Cubans. Think on it no missile crisis and certainly not the problems in Central America. Now they are warming again to Cuba as they are to Vietnam. Positive orientated but not weak Diplomacy works much better than rusty Sabres do.

I really like the words used ....we will urge the opposition to do the same

This stinks of another Vietnam ideological BS with the USA taking sides and believing this is the best option

They are all Syrians just like modern day Vietnam ....let them sort out their own issues and stop giving them arms as this escalates the problems and create a need to Attack scenario

Spot on. Russia should stop bombing innocent civilians. Leave Syria to the Syrians and stop supplying them with arms. Same goes for Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The Kirkuk-Banias pipeline runs from Kirkuk in Northern Iraq, to the Syrian town of Banias, on the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Lebanon. Ever since US forces inadvertently destroyed it in 2003, most of the pipeline has been shut down. While there have been plans in the works to make the Iraqi portion of the pipeline functional again, those plans have yet to come to fruition. And Syria has at least 2.5 billion barrels of oil in its fields, making it the next largest Middle Eastern oil producer after Iraq. After ten unproductive years, the oil companies dependent on the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline’s output are eager to get the pipeline operational again. The tension over the Syrian oil situation is certainly being felt by wealthy investors in the markets, who are thus dictating US foreign policy.

It is all about Oil. The people = squat

My Thai Sister explained to me. She said you not understand Thai way. People on land (Farmers) are stupid therefore should not have vote. People of Krung Thep old educated Ruler understand how to run Country therefore they should have vote not stupid Country people. See simple.

I know the children of some of these stupid people. Many of them are the first in their families to finish secondary school and now have graduate degrees. My favorite has barely literate parents, she is now studying for her PhD in Chemistry in South Korea on a full academic scholarship.

I'm only a generation removed from these farmer's children. I have three degrees; none of my grandparents finished high school.

I did not say I agreed with her. In fact My answer was if you believe they are not educated enough then it is your Duty to ensure they do get a level of education that allows them to understand. A wiser person than I said "You can fool all of the people some of the time and Some of the people all of the time. But you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." The new Generation are not as silly as the Elites believe.

The lowest gun crime rates in the world are in the UK and Japan where regular police do not carry firearms!!!! sadly beneaneath the propaganda of T.A.T. the 'land of smiles ' is not so good under the surface!!!

UK Gun ownership only 6.7% Thailand I believe much higher(somewhere around 13 million firearms). NZ Police also not armed and despite 22.6% ownership also a low rate. Maybe because of relative ease to get a firearm in LOS that these things happen a little more often

1905 a Tsarist fleet destroyed at Tsushima by the Japanese, 1940 The Fins inflicted a huge defeat on the Soviet Armies in the Winter War, 1941 the Germans attacked a Soviet Union in the middle of a re equipping program with new Officers coming on stream. Before US and British aid arrived they stopped the Germans at Moscow. Yes lend lease helped but a revitalised Soviet army bled the Germans dry. Now after years of neglect the Russians are reequipped. Maybe they are not as well equipped as the USA do not under estimate your adversary. National pride is one thing. Nationalistic arrogance is another.

Nope. Not quite right. The Germans were famously stopped by autumn rains (read MUD), and then a Russian winter which the Germans weren't expecting (they thought they'd be in Moscow before that.). Some bad decision-making with Hitler over-ruling his generals helped the Soviets as well. And you already mentioned the river of aid received from the US and Allies. Finally, the U.S. entry to the war after December 7th was an answer to Stalin's (and Churchill's) prayers. "Lend Lease" was a whole new ballgame from that point. The Russian defense tactic was simply to sacrifice oceans of manpower to slow down the Germans and let the cold and impossibly long supply lines do the rest. It worked, not by a lot - some historians say they came within 10 miles - but it worked.

No. The Russians are not now "reequipped". There's been some relative improvement since the Soviet demise certainly, but by no means a return to the Soviet order of battle. Putin would be reasonably adept in an old Soviet-style command economy, but Russia now has a money economy and Putin is way out of his depth, not to mention scraping by on shriveled financial resources. The real danger with Russia now is Putin himself, an ego-centric autocrat with a Napoleon complex: he wants to resurrect the Soviet Empire. Such men are dangerous when they wield power. Others are correct however in assessing Obama as way over his head in this arena. He won't stand up to Putin, and that only encourages a personality like Putin's. Much like Hitler was enabled by non-committal, conflict-averse Britain & France in 1938-1939, still weary from WWI and willing to overlook almost anything to avoid another European war. That's Obama to a 'T'.

I agree generally but....

1) The Americans did not come to help us until over 2 years since the war started

2) USSR and Germany were allies during that time

3) only after Hitler concluded that he would never be able to invade Great Britain ( thanks to the RAF) did he turn East.

Thanks for the lend lease!

We only recently managed to pay back the war debt!

Again, please read the history ?

A point on the difference in fighting in Russia. Up until the invasion of the Soviet Union German losses were some 98,500 dead. In the first 3 months of Barbarrossa it exceeded 98,500, The soviets fortified Cities and forced the German to fight Street to street. 3,850,000 German Soldiers died in Russian campaign. Some 400,000 in the Western field. Yes a lot of Russian hardware now seems inferior to Western equipment but look at who is using it when you engage. Perhaps a better quality of Pilot in a Russian aircraft would be a different story. In the end it is not the technology but the quality of the man /woman using it

Clashes between Gangs is not just a Thai problem. Certainly does not dissuade me. There are a lot more good thai people than bad

My sympathy to the Japanese people affected by these quakes. I know it is only a matter of time before my home City of Christchurch cops something similar. The tectonic plates seem definitely to be on the move

Those who long for a return to the old days of Empire will be sadly disappointed. Most Commonwealth Countries having been shut out from trade with the UK have found other Markets. Entry to you UK for many from the Commonwealth blocked so the old ties are unravelling. We still have some affinity to the Queeen but the days of Where Briton goes so do we are long over and ne'er to return. Briton is better off in Europe

1905 a Tsarist fleet destroyed at Tsushima by the Japanese, 1940 The Fins inflicted a huge defeat on the Soviet Armies in the Winter War, 1941 the Germans attacked a Soviet Union in the middle of a re equipping program with new Officers coming on stream. Before US and British aid arrived they stopped the Germans at Moscow. Yes lend lease helped but a revitalised Soviet army bled the Germans dry. Now after years of neglect the Russians are reequipped. Maybe they are not as well equipped as the USA do not under estimate your adversary. National pride is one thing. Nationalistic arrogance is another.

Nope. Not quite right. The Germans were famously stopped by autumn rains (read MUD), and then a Russian winter which the Germans weren't expecting (they thought they'd be in Moscow before that.). Some bad decision-making with Hitler over-ruling his generals helped the Soviets as well. And you already mentioned the river of aid received from the US and Allies. Finally, the U.S. entry to the war after December 7th was an answer to Stalin's (and Churchill's) prayers. "Lend Lease" was a whole new ballgame from that point. The Russian defense tactic was simply to sacrifice oceans of manpower to slow down the Germans and let the cold and impossibly long supply lines do the rest. It worked, not by a lot - some historians say they came within 10 miles - but it worked.

No. The Russians are not now "reequipped". There's been some relative improvement since the Soviet demise certainly, but by no means a return to the Soviet order of battle. Putin would be reasonably adept in an old Soviet-style command economy, but Russia now has a money economy and Putin is way out of his depth, not to mention scraping by on shriveled financial resources. The real danger with Russia now is Putin himself, an ego-centric autocrat with a Napoleon complex: he wants to resurrect the Soviet Empire. Such men are dangerous when they wield power. Others are correct however in assessing Obama as way over his head in this arena. He won't stand up to Putin, and that only encourages a personality like Putin's. Much like Hitler was enabled by non-committal, conflict-averse Britain & France in 1938-1939, still weary from WWI and willing to overlook almost anything to avoid another European war. That's Obama to a 'T'.

When you threaten anyones territory they will respond. Kaliningrad or Konigsberg as it was know in the time of Prussia is Russian territory. 70 miles off the coast would be considered Russian . As 200kms off NZ is territorial. Unarmed aircraft hardly a threat and the US ship would have detected that early . Hence why fire? The Russians were just playing and the US Captain kept his head and did not get baited. Kerry's statement is also just postering. Frankly all a storm in a teacup

1905 a Tsarist fleet destroyed at Tsushima by the Japanese, 1940 The Fins inflicted a huge defeat on the Soviet Armies in the Winter War, 1941 the Germans attacked a Soviet Union in the middle of a re equipping program with new Officers coming on stream. Before US and British aid arrived they stopped the Germans at Moscow. Yes lend lease helped but a revitalised Soviet army bled the Germans dry. Now after years of neglect the Russians are reequipped. Maybe they are not as well equipped as the USA do not under estimate your adversary. National pride is one thing. Nationalistic arrogance is another.

USA defense spending $560 billion. Russia $60 billion.

Arrogance would be putting the two in the same league.

Just a point if US spends US$560B and Russia only US$60 which is the most militaristic. Russia has been invaded 12 times in its history but only invaded outside twice. The USA has physically involved itself in more outside wars and proxy wars than Russia. The big point of interest to the too of them is Syria Why?=Oil.

The statement said that Kerry said by US rules of engagement but does that conflict with International rules of engagement?

My Thai Sister explained to me. She said you not understand Thai way. People on land (Farmers) are stupid therefore should not have vote. People of Krung Thep old educated Ruler understand how to run Country therefore they should have vote not stupid Country people. See simple.

You can vote for fait accomplis or have the old constitution amended to give you a fait accomplis. Sounds like Democracy to me