stoffel45

BBC say that the French are saying he was not among those arrested.

BBC are finding it hard to call this man a terrorist of any description. If he is dead too many in BBC would be too sad to report it and would then refer to him as a martyr.

Its pretty much impossible to stop terrorists like this unless their friends or family report them in. Even if they were interview by police, with no evidence of anything but just a gut feeling, no one can do anything.

We are living in an increasing violent world, hate to see events like this spread to Asia.

I am afraid your opinion is shared by too many unthinking people in Europe.

It is rarely friends and family who report terrorists. Most good intelligence comes from informers who specialise in muslim infiltration.

The major problems the EU face come mostly from the untended borders. It's not just terrorists.

Drug purveyors and vendors can bring their muck in from a thousand ports and distribute these with ease - because there are NO Borders.

Human Traffickers can collect high value underage children from Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, drug them and put them into the back of a van knowing that there are NO Borders between them and their brothels in Amsterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Brussels, Paris etc.

Arms dealers - buy their weapons openly in Kosovo, Albania, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia - rockets, grenades, AK47s, HKs, explosives and distribute these to gangsters or the islamic community in any city they want to create murder - and they do so with impunity BECAUSE there ARE NO Borders.

So when the disgusting "Government of Governments", the EU Commission, echo Angela Merkel and tell us that they cannot even look at the possibility of considering the re-introduction of Borders - because it is the single greatest achievement of the EU - it is time for a nation's people to leave the EU as quickly as possible.

We learn today that the two brothers who masterminded the Paris murders had already been interrogated by the Belgian Police - but they had not mentioned the dangers to the French authorities.

To just close our eyes to the coming full horror of islamic terrorism - of which the people of Thailand are daily victims - is dangerous.

Blame America, They started it!

Even when it has nothing to do with America - blame America.

Modern EU style.

There was a time....long, long ago...before the farmers and the poor were ripped off with T's Rice Scam....when this headline would not have read ".....amid hundreds of supporters" but "thousands".

Best move over Mr T - l'il sis needs a small palace near a shopping mall in Doobs.

In 10 years the EU will not exist.

Perhaps Germany, Holland and Austria may form some sort of political federation, though Germany's experience with the EU may deny them this route.

Will it be a mess when the EU collapses?

Yes, but the extent of the mess depends on the goodwill of the existing countries. Certainly if Governments can agree to take the politics out of the EU and leave only the Market it will be a major step forward.

Prior to the dissolution of the EU it is certain that a number of countries will leave. The people of Britain and France are not the only ones who feel the EU is a major disadvantage and threat to their sovereignty.

The euro will go first. Unless the countries of the EU go into a full Union, fully controlled by Frankfurt and where all "income" and expenditure is directed by Frankfurt - then the euro must collapse.

Such a prescription which is being pursued by Germany fully and France less than half-heartedly could result in major conflict.

The creation of an EU army is a primary goal of Germany (the latest excuse is to deal with the migrant problem - though how soldiers and tanks can handle that I do not know.)

Regardless of suspicions related to Germany - an EU army will cost a great deal in tax. The idea that it will be free because most of the states have their own armed forces is of course ludicrous.

The EU does not serve a common purpose other than its own Agenda. It is a self-serving organisation.

I can't see it hapening.....too much loss of face?

The loss of face to the Prosecution in obstructing an acquittal is even greater.

The longer this goes on - the worse the Prosecution and the Police appear to be.

Whether the Burmese 2 will be acquitted or not, the guilty ones can rest assured that they will not be prosecuted.

Certainly no police officer or indeed anyone in Prosecution will be interested in re-opening this case.

Let's just hope these lads can really have a Happy Christmas.

Air France is NOT a good airline. However it is no less safe than say Lufthansa - the insurance companies carefully monitor maintenance regimes.

I live in Belgium.

Thai International is the only non-stop flight to Bangkok. It is a lot better than some posters say in terms of service and amenity. Because we prefer to fly Business class, THAI is really expensive compared to other really good airlines - and with three of us travelling.....

Emirates stops in Dubai - but leads the way in comfort, service and amenity.

KLM's Schipol is a short hop from Belgium - there is a good train service at Schipol but the appalling Belgian railway stations with frequently broken escalators and no elevators means lugging 70 kgs of luggage up many stairs.

With KLM you are directed to their AF link ups. Brussels - Amsterdam - Paris - Bangkok and from Paris on the return leg you are dumped on to one of the awful trains which are usually on strike.

Alitalia - Brussels to Rome - and then you would think on to Bangkok - but NO. From Rome you fly BACK to Paris to board one of Air France's horrors and thence to Bangkok.

Air France - their service at best is intermittent. Their cabin staff manners need a lot of improvement. The food is frankly disgusting. An annoying waste of money.

They are annoyed that airlines like Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Turkish airlines are passengers' first choice.

To gain passengers they mess with schedules to make the preferrred airlines' times more inconvenient.

THAI - if you brought your fares into line with other airlines - your seats would be full with real paying passengers.

Her enemies are so thick they cannot see that going after Yingluck is entrenching her support.

Yingluck has become far more than a proxy for her brother: she has a very different persona and where there is political support for Thaksin, there is a deep love for Yingluck.

So, Squeegee, Yingluck should just get away with anything because she is a Shinawatra?

Or is it because her brother's rice scheme to enrich himself and his supporters backfired - and resulted in the suicides of several people?

I think the "deep love" for Yingluck is purchased.

The very word Shinawatra smells in the nostrils of all decent Thais.

Looking at the record of thousands of children, over 80% male children, who were abused by Roman Catholic priests, in parishes all over the World - one wonders how the Roman Church can throw out the hypocrisy, that it, the Church, is somehow separate from the majority of its priests.

One could almost suggest that it is a homosexual organisation.

Weird how the article calls them both migrants and refugees. They are economic migrants who need to be treated as such quickly.

This monster The bureaucrats have created is already out of control and the open borders idea isn't even a month old yet

Germany is now in charge of the EU. OK, she allows France a few crumbs, but not more.

This ridiculous "refugee" problem must be stopped and reversed.

Those allowed in as "refugees/ asylum seekers" once processed and found wanting for their self-descriptions - must be returned to their countries - forcibly if necessary.

For many in Germany today, Angela Merkel's attempt to be the "Mother Theresa" of the EU - as she was depicted on the front cover of der Spiegel - is just a ploy for her to get a Nobel Peace Prize.

Alas it is her countrymen and women onto whom she has sicked these people.

So what really happened.

She wants a Nobel Peace Prize - and SO when she saw the numbers crossing the Mediterranean - she said WILKOMMEN.

Cheap labour is another incentive, since Russia foiled Germany's attempts to 'annexe the Ukraine'.

Interesting, that the 'Red Shirt' movement is furious at "inuendo" directed at the Shinawatra movement - when nobody has suggested that Thaksin or his Red Shirt movement is involved.

Is it possible that they are protesting because they know they are involved?

she is a total joke, thinks because she come from a hi-so family that has wealth she does not have to accept the blame when she was the one in charge of the scheme. She never attended the meetings,m was told countless times it was corrupt but refused to take any action about any of it and now that she is finally being called to face the music starts crying foul. Amazing how the thai elite think they are all above the law, cant wait to see her sorry ar*e thrown into jail and huge fines issued, couldnt happen to a nicer family.

Seajay, I agree......BUT.....

If she is guilty (did I say If?) then she's going to get a bill for a few hundreds of billions of baht and Big Brother won't like that.

Confessed?

Really? I mean really and truly, "It was me what dunnit guv."

Or is it just, yet another of those "special confessions", written by the interrogator and signed by the accused.

A Koh Tao confession is after all a confession, obtained freely and without any duress.

Thaksin's instructions to Yingluck's mob to rob the farmers of their rice - was looking at the billions in profit and not the consequences of the Thaksin action.

When the farmers went against Yingluck's "Government" it was a hard day for the "Red Shirts".

When Yingluck was found guilty Red shirts in Sukhothai and Pitsanuloke were chasing them all over the place.

Pheu Thai sacrificed its redshirted followers for money - I am sure very few people were really surprised.

It's not a case of Thaksin telling the Red Shirts to "Play dead" - most of them deserted and killed the movement.

OK a few are left - but most will get short thrift if they try and tell the people of Isaan and the North that Thaksin loves them.

And try and get descriptions right....

Thaksin is a fugitive convicted criminal living in Dubai.

Who is going to win the battle of the smoke screens on the Erewan bombing atrocity?

The Police who are hell bent on laying false trails - especially those which could lead to somewhere in the Middle East - or Army Intelligence who will follow where the trails lead - regardless.

No wonder Thaksin is showing signs of panic.

Chiang Mai is closer than KL.........

Dubai may be too close for comfort?

High volume - Low Value.

Mass Chinese and Indian tourism is HURTING the Thai Tourist industry.

I was on Pattaya Beach a couple of weeks before the "Jet-ski" (temporary) ban.

I was selfishly delighted to see there were very few farang tourists.

Notably the deck chair lines were much shorter than normal (all that trouble to put back the unused ones?).

On "Pratamnak Beach" there were no jet-skis for rent (5 days). On JomThien beach a few - but no one was interested.

The empty beaches are nothing whatsoever to do with a "Jet Ski Ban."

The 'emptier than normal beaches' are due to a shortage of tourists.

The "Slugs" - those loathsome coaches full of rude tourists who travel in packs - don't go "To the Beach". In Pattaya they just cross the beaches to "get to the island".

So thank God they are not a market.

The Russians were sunk by their rouble and they've gone.

The Euro folks - well their money is in nearly the same boat as the Russkies and is sinking fast.

So no - it is NOT the Ban on Jet Skis, nor the military Government, not even the Bangkok bombings - it's money and it's going to get worse next year.

THAI are in trouble - difficult to make a profit with half empty flights and loads of freebie folk. They could bring in a lot more people if they just got in line with the other airlines - but that extra 30% is a killer.

Well, he wouldn't be very good mastermind he stayed and hung around to be captured would he now? he's be a dead

mastermind.....

or.....and no I don't believe this has the standard, "It was us" trademark of the myriad muslim groups -

"The Mastermind", seeing the rotten empire he created falling apart - could be pulling the strings in .....starts with a D.... with 5 letters.

The authorities, especially the BIB would keep eyes off any clues which lead back to "The Master Mind" in D....

These supporters of casinos wouldn't happen to have fitted out venues and trained staff ready to roll when the law changes would they?

I hope you are not referring to the Peach centre in Pattaya....or the Gems World building.....

It's amazing how many very large and greatly under used buildings there are .....

Re. I am more interested in seeing more done for the protection for animals in the wild where populations are suffering through habitat destruction and poaching.

​The two are inextricably linked. The reason there is hardly any wildlife left in the forests is that they have been poached both for the tourist trade and the Chinese medicine trade. Baby elephants are now being poached from Myanmar to satisfy tourist demand. Despite efforts by the current government corruption remains the biggest problem. Endangered species and their parts are smuggled across the Mekong River daily, particularly in Nong Kai and Nakhon Phanom provinces. How does this happen? The commanding officers of the agencies employed to stop the trade are paid off. The profits in wildlife, drugs and dogs are huge. Straight officers are warned off interfering by their superiors. That information comes directly from the Navy's Mekong River unit officers and border police and livestock officials. In Thailand you don't have to look hard in any tourist resort to see photographers offering tourists the opportunity to have their photo taken with a wide variety of protected species. More warning signs should be placed in airports and in resorts advising people not to encourage these people. The police and armed forces need to get trusted commanders on the border to stamp out the smugglers. Maybe form a special unit to control the border who are only answerable to Bangkok.

Accurately described Junk1e....it would be wonderful if your ideas came about.

Visiting July and August 2015.

Can we buy a Thai Sim Card?

What is the best way to do this?

Can we have a Thai person buy the card prior to our arrival?

Quality of service more important than cost - visiting Bangkok, Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Pattaya.

Thank you in anticipation,

Last year was a terrible year for MAS.

Yet I do not anticipate Russia accepting responsibility for it's part in the shooting down of MH17 any time soon, let alone paying any compensation.

Especially if it was the Ukrainians - right now - it's 50/50.

They should give every passenger a life jacket as they board these old decrepit boats.

The main ferries have life jackets but it's up to the passengers if they choose to wear them.

Travelling on a Ferry from Koh Samui, I noted that there was a limit of 287 passengers allowed passage.

We counted over 580 with a margin of 10% because of people going to the toilets and cafe bar.

Most lifejackets were stowed in the Main Cabin in lockers which were behind a huge mound of suitcases and backpacks.

When I asked a crew member where were the lifejackets he didn't know. I caught up with him and he then asked some "more important" crew member who also didn't know.

Overloaded, no accessible lifejackets in an emergency and not a care on the way to the Bank.

Safe in the knowledge that in the event of 300 or 400 lives being lost - that "they" could take care of it.

What incentive is there for a Ferry Company to 'do the right thing?'

It is normal for the Police, unfortunately, to make a mess of the crime scene - not to destroy evidence - but because they don't care about it too much.

Once the Police have chosen their "suspects" - regardless if they are even possibly guilty - it is very difficult to suggest to the Police that "it could have been someone else."

One just meets a brick wall.

Defence teams are ignored for the main part. If a member of the appointed Defence team interviews witnesses they are told by the Police to stop - because ALL witnesses are Prosecution Witnesses - automatically.

Critical evidence is withheld until the Trial begins - literally in the Court room when the evidence is presented and can no longer be withheld.

Any and all defence lawyers argue that this ploy is to prevent the Defence from preparing a case.

When asked by the Court does the Defence wish to rebut this evidence and the Defence say that the Police denied them access to it - it is marked down against them and innocent people go to jail.

What I can say is that it makes the life of grossly incompetent investigating officers more comfortable.

Hopefully the close attention of the International Media and Rights Groups will help to shine a true light on this case.

If the Police have built a case to frame these suspects because 'there were people of influence to protect" or because they are just incompetent then let it be shown to the whole world - not just to save a couple of potentially innocent lives but to bring into total disrepute the normal standards of the Thai Police.

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I totally agree with you. I live in Belgium and in this country and in France, but generally in the EU - everything is the fault of the USA.

They can't manage their toxic euro - that's the American's fault. Germany brought down the Ukraine's democratically elected Government then started a Civil War against Russian speakers. That's the USA.

The EU bought a Nobel Peace Prize because only the EU kept the peace in Europe.

Now the Germans want an EU Army? What for one wonders.

What they hope to do is to have ONE single country - called Europa - (same as Hitler called it) which is a NATO Partner.

Thanks for your post Zydeco.