herfiehandbag

The youth have raised a challenge. I agree with your analysis of Pita Limjaroenrat and the party he leads. But he, they, are a challenge to an autocratic elite, who are supported by an entrenched bureaucracy and a comic opera military and police establishment, more interested in self enrichment and personal power than any notion ( or real capacity) to serve or defend the country. They may/ will seek to defy that challenge. The first tools to call on will be their Election Commission and their judiciary (I use the possessive pronoun advisably); the second may be a manufactured "fake" popular movement ( they have some form there); the final would be outright physical oppression, although I have doubts whether the military (and certainly not the police) have the stomach for that any more. Sadly the "glorious day" may be a while off. I hope not, but...

As ever, may I start by declaring that I am an outside observer. I have two "takes". The first is that as that as the members of the court are effectively political appointees, their likely and proven political reliability, in the view of unscrupulous and partisan politicians, far outweigh any reservations on matters of either legal experience and wisdom, (looking at some recent appointments) or financial integrity. To paraphrase: "they may be corrupt/inadequate bastards, but they are our corrupt/inadequate bastards"! Secondly, tenure. Life tenure was not a major problem when life expectancy was limited to the mid sixties and early seventies. Appointments were made late in life, and nature would sort out any problems. People live far longer, and appointments are made younger, so terms of 20 to 30 years are possible. A corrupt (or indeed inadequate or politically driven) judge, actual or suspected, may have 20 more years to live, and sit, and no mechanism to review him or her.

"Election vote for Move Forward may have been a cry for help from voters mired in short-term debt". In which case we should ignore all this election malarchy, and rely upon the "good people" to take care of us ...

Laying down a marker. Oh how I am looking forward to the selection of a Vice Presidential Running mate for Donald Trump! A three way catfight between Marjorie " impeach the FBI" Taylor Greene, Lauren " public urination" Boebert and Keri " vaseline on the camera lens" Lake. Perhaps Rudi " what's that trickling down my face" Giuliani could be persuaded to host a TV debate, live from the car park of the dildo warehouse. It would be awesome!

A really good hotel would have a coffee shop to go along with their fountains and marble. I wonder, did you try a friendly smile at the staff, and explaining that you really like your coffee hotter. As I am sure you know - you frequently tell us how long you have been here - a smile goes a long way. I frequent a couple of establishments where the staff wear green polo shirts. I ask for hot coffee and get it. They smile too!

It was a bit more than the referendum majority though wasn't it - there was the large majority in the December 2019 General Election, which was effectively fought on Brexit. I do understand that the election result is an inconvenient truth when you argue that the Brexit Referendum gave no mandate for actually enacting Brexit ( other than the clear majority of votes across the UK in a poll with a remarkably large turnout). The canard that it was " only advisory", well that duck was shot by both government (Cameron) and opposition announcing that they would abide by it. The Liberal Democrats stood on the platform that the referendum should be ignored, and look at what happened to them! I have strong reservations about Farage, particularly when he transfers his attention and commentary to the US political scene, but on this he is quite right, the Tories have failed on Brexit. They had the tool and the mandate to make a much better fist of it than they have, faffed around on the fringes and failed dismally.

Nothing about exempting tin foil from VAT either, which must be disappointing. By the way, there are 250 senators, not 100. At present he needs the support, or at least the abstention of 66.

Which, lacking a mandate, and far from having even a working majority in Parliament will be unable to govern. Massive protests and dissent. A coup by the end of the year? But will another coup be able to stifle the protests?

According to a report I saw the French are giving them Mirage 2000 fighters - no longer in use with the French but still a potent bit of kit. Pilots are already training in France. 40 aircraft I heard.

According to one American TV political pundit this could end his legal career. I have to say, I rather thought it had gone west a couple of years ago - after that hysterically memorable news conference in the dildo warehouse car park! He must be one of the most unlikely Lotharios in the whole catalogue of American political sexual athletes! The thought is enough to make your hair dye run!

I think not. If it was aliens they would have zapped him with one of their Jewish space lasers. My money is on him having been beamed up to one of those Chinese weather balloons that the Biden administration are encouraging to roam the skies of the US. Maybe they thought he had the hard drive from Hunter Biden's laptop.

Anutin is a political tart - he will go where the money is for him. It will take a bit of the shine off MFP/PTP if he is along for the ride, but if they are serious about really changing and reforming Thai politics and indeed society they must realise that it will take more than a single term in office; and they must, can only, start by breaking the power of the dinosaurs. That means breaking the Senate's grip, which means raising 376 votes in parliament. Then they can start to reform.

They want you to use an agent. Agents are lucrative.

I don't believe he is one of the most honest and straight talking Thai politicians you'll ever meet. He shouts a lot. He was a pimp on an industrial scale and a thug, a gobby pimp at that. He talks a lot about corruption, but all his ventures were mired in corruption.

There is nothing wrong with optimism or idealism - in fact optimism, I have always felt, is one of the more attractive aspects of the Thai "national character". And Buddhism, still basically adhered to in this society is a pretty idealistic creed.

Mind you, several tens of millions espoused the mantra "ein Reich, ein volk, ein Fuhrer" not so very long ago...

Goodness me, I hope so. I have been watching this Pita Limjaroenrat fellow for a while now. He presents as a decent, liberal minded individual with a wide range of views on Thai society. He is a successful businessman, which is probably a better preparation for running a government than being a retired General with no real combat experience! He also seems to listen to other people's views, and discuss rather than dictate solutions.

If you are a Thai speaking asset manager, based in London, Zurich or New York business will be brisk for the next few months!

But, as ever with Thai politics, will they be listened to by those "born to rule"?

Back last year do you remember when a certain large and distinctive motor car was booed and heckled by protesters? Cameras clearly caught the occupants with a remarkable "rabbits caught in the headlights" look about them. I wonder if that look is being seen again?

Well given that the EC has 60 days to certify the results, presumably not until after that has happened, and the new parliament meets. When it meets it selects a new Prime Minister (of course any coalition negotiations will take place before then). That is when the Senate can swing into action. All very leisurely to one like me who is used to the way elections are held in the UK. Voting on the Thursday, Result usually known by dawn on the Friday. If the incumbent is defeated the removal vans are in on Friday morning, the successor appointed by the King around midday, major ministerial appointments announced by the evening, the rest of the cabinet squared away over the weekend and all up and running by Monday! I am sure most other democracies are the same. We certainly don't leave the defeated party in power as a caretaker (with their paws on the machinery of power) for the next two months!

A lot of the routine security work - borders, counter terrorist patrolling, checkpoints, searches and cordons is done by the "rangers" - locally raised and trained militia, mainly ex conscripts. The Army rather avoids such squalid matters.

So one can form one's own views on where " he is coming from", leaving aside that he is flavour of the month on Fox!

My daughter is planning to go to Mae Fah Luang University here in Chiang Rai. She is starting M6 tomorrow.

Pedantry I know but there is no such thing as a Military-Industrial complex. There is virtually no indigenous defence industry, just about everything for the military is imported - even the berets issued to the youngsters in the school cadet forces are made in England! As far as "sources of influence" are concerned the military is "stand alone".