herfiehandbag

It would be very difficult. But once they are safely ensconced then there will be time to spin it, and perhaps arrange a more desirable long term outcome. Personally I suspect that, if the regime is not toppled by a popular uprising, it will attempt to rule by "State of Emergency" until such time that they can cobble together ( Gerrymander) the election/senate result they want, which will put them ( they imagine) in the driving seat for another 4 years or more. It won't end well, it will be very messy.

Yet again, must we point out. The results of the election were known within hours of the polls closing. A working coalition was established within days of the results being known. Delays are being continuously initiated in an attempt to undermine that coalition, which was the result of the electorates expressed opinion. Your use of manipulated statistics to post in support the blocking of the government which the people selected is a disgrace, coming from one who chooses to portray himself as a champion of democracy. You are little more than a schill for the Fascists!

Maybe they will be able to use their police offices, masquerading as consular offices, which we tolerate in the UK?

He probably was, and almost certainly Ryanair will not take him again Yes, and well done to the young lady who stood up to him. A combination of too many blows to the head, too much booze and too many steroids no doubt.

I wonder if his primary legacy will be: "at least he made the trains run on time"!

The open politicisation of the Judiciary is probably the biggest single actual threat to democracy in the United States. It seems to allow for judges, at all levels from district court benches to the Supreme Court to be appointed on the basis of their political leanings, and in cases which may have political implications, it seems that there is a catalogue of suitable judges to be chosen from. Heaven knows I have reservations about the selection process for the judiciary in the UK, but open, brazen political partisanship does not form one of the criteria!

You may have lived here too long...

The face of the fishing village was changed for good a very long time ago!

Parliament meets on 13 July. Pita and MFP are blocked by the Senate. Protests on evening of 13 July. Parliament meets again on 19 and 20 July. Pita and MFP continue to be blocked by Senate. Protests continue and increase. State of Emergency declared on morning of 21 July. Protests continue. Caretaker government remains in power under S of E indefinitely. "It's a coup Jim, but not as you know it!"

They think that they can control it. I doubt that they can. What if nobody listens anymore?

He really shouldn't be so hard on himself - the "right people" got there in the end. This time around it is proving a tad more problematic...

Not quite - as a left footer (RC) I wore a set of Rosary Beads around my neck, tucked inside my tee shirt. A Saudi liaison officer officer objected and complained. He also complained about Chaplains visiting. When it started he and his air-conditioned Land Cruiser disappeared "ganz schnell"!

When seeking to "qualify" electoral results it is a common straw clutched at by those who seek to refute the democratic result to include and assume the numbers who for whatever reason didn't vote as supporting one side or another. You have, for several weeks now, been banging a number of drums as loudly as you possibly can, to drown out one simple unassailable fact. Pita, and MFP got more votes and seats than anyone else. He moved rapidly to form a coalition, which the election losers are doing their absolute best to split whilst remaining in power, in direct contradiction of the will expressed by the electorate when they voted. You talk about protracted coalition negotiations in other countries, you talk about the archaic processes dictated by the US Constitution to determine transfer of power. You ignore, and come up with ever more specious reasons to ignore the simple truth. The results of the election were unambiguous and known within a couple of days. The resulting coalition was in place and ready to go within days. The election losers remain firmly in power.

I was a bit miffed when Desert Storm kicked off as well. Taken from my comfortable sociable existence to spend months living out of the back of a Land Rover in a searing hot sandpit run by arrogant incompetents who thought that they could order us around, ban beer and even our religious practices, and all at the constant risk of having the United States Air Force unload their bombs on us because they thought... And I was on the coalition side!

Take it a step further - who owns (and therefore controls the editorial policy) of the mainstream print and broadcast media. Don't look at the individual politicians, because obviously they would be committing the ultimate wicked immorality of owning shares in a media company, a foul depravity before which all must shudder, but rather look at the power blocks which support them.

Nice haircut in the front row. I wonder which bit of the "people" he is from!

I would like to think so, but I really expect that the wheels will come off!

I should imagine they would really like it - they have plenty of their own people they like to lock up!

I opened a standard savings account with KBank. They asked to see my passport, and some form of ID which had my address on it. Fair enough, I showed them passport and both car and motorcycle driving licences. They solemnly photocopied every single page of my passport (including front and back covers - every visa, extension and entry and exit stamp, going back to 2014) and front and back of both driving licences. They then asked me to sign and date each sheet. Amongst my several (some would say many) peculiarities my signature is quite simply my name, Christian name, middle initial and Surname written in my normal, very simple and clear, quasi italic handwriting. No loops, flourishes or underscores. This confused them - it could not be a signature!

I started reading this thread, and like several was considering what if anything I could contribute to giving advice to a chap who is struggling and asking for help. I read his last post and thought sod it, he is on his own.

In many countries, perhaps most countries where the executive is selected by the parliament, the transfer is effective within days. This bunch are continuing on their merry way, totally ignoring the fact that they lost the General Election emphatically two months ago. I suspect that their initial plan is to simply continue to ignore that election, initially citing confusion (real or imagined) amongst the coalition in parliament, whilst they beaver away manufacturing other reasons to delay. They have to fight a rearguard action until the new Senate is selected (May 2024?), when, on ground of their choosing, they will magnanimously allow fresh elections. They don't seem to need, or care about, parliamentary support - if all else fails declare a State of Emergency and rule by decree.

It does seem that the onerous restrictions applied to the Thaksin and Yingluck government's, when they were in place as "caretaker governments" do not apply to Prayut and his gang. I can't imagine why not - unless perhaps it is tacit acceptance by "the establishment" that they are not really going!

You would never have thought that he had lost the election two months ago!

One of the problems I would suggest is that there are so many different groups and agencies which make up the "Security Forces". Conventional army, Rangers, other militias, paramilitary groups and of course all sorts of police units. This being Thailand this alphabet soup of acronyms will all operate as autonomous groups (personal fiefdoms) with different priorities approaches, funding and loyalties. The one thing which will unite them will be a reluctance to take instructions from a civilian government in Bangkok, especially a "progressive" one. Getting this paramilitary smorgasbord under control will certainly be an uphill task!

Presumably if they refuse vaccination then they will go unvaccinated; risk contracting COVID, or perhaps "getting it worse". If they have, or contract COVID, then presumably they will receive whatever is the current treatment. I'm not a doctor, and have not, to my knowledge, had COVID, so I don't know what the current treatment is.