stevenl

Its an english newpaper aimed at expats, they should be able to report on it.... If not in print atleast on the site....

Also it seams strange that I can't find any informaiton on the PhuketGazette website, maybe they are not reporting during the holidays?

People are talking about the political strife and airport close down but nobody mentions the fact that many currencies are going bad against the baht and this makes things seem expensive

I am surprised that you had to give a series of 5 tetanus injections.

Not only are they good for your budget but they are the only company on the island which can give so much flexibility!

You could do a 2 days 1 night liveaboard or 3 days 2 nights liveaboard.

Diveshops can get them for you, but maybe they're for sale somewhere else as well.

that is still almost 100% profit so not so bad..

No. Next to new Tesco

Channelnewsasia is just reporting that the PAD will leave the airports and all flights will be resumed.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp.../393672/1/.html

Surat Thani or Trang.

Hope situation don't degenerate!!

hi angiud i am due to leave cold and foggy uk on the 8th of dec for thailand would you or anyone else like to hazzard a guess as to my chances thanks from ausan

I'm sure that is the total for airline take off and landing fees.

Somchai won't resign unless he's told to by Thaksin and Thaksin won't tell him to. This is part of Mr. T's strategy. After the last coup the Army were hailed as national heroes for getting rid of Mr. T and his corrupt cronies for the benefit of the country. Now Mr. T will have his revenge on the army. By telling Somchai and his police buddies to do nothing with the PAD protesters Thaksin is forcing the army's hand against their best judgment. With the airports closed this can not be allowed to continue indefinitely like the occupation of Government House. Thaksin must be very pleased the PAD has made this move to the airports. Somchai will sit on his hands as long as Thaksin tells him to.

The army can't justify a coup as easily this time as Somchai hasn't done the things Thaksin was accused of. All Somchai is guilty of is being ineffective and stubborn. Hardly reasons for the army to justify a coup. Anupong no doubt realises this and is backing away from a coup because this time around the army will not be seen as the good guys rescuing the country. Even freeing up the airports of PAD protesters would be hard for the army to justify as reason for a coup both locally and internationally. Righfully this is the job of the police. Somchai and Anupong both must know this.

IF THE ARMY STAGES A COUP IT GIVES GREAT CREDIBILITY TO THAKSIN'S CLAIMS THAT THAILAND IS UNDEMOCRATIC, THAT HE IS BEING PERSECUTED FOR HIS POLITICS AND THAT THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM ARE UNFAIR. BY STAGING A COUP THE ARMY PLAYS A LOOSING HAND IN THE GAME THAKSIN IS PLAYING WITH THAILAND AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

Thaksin's game plan is for the army to stage a coup and discredit themselves in the process particularly in the eyes of the international community. There will be casualties but probably not by the army but by the as yet unidentified bombers among the PAD crowd planted there to make things worse than they otherwise would be. It won't matter who's responsible for the protester casualties the army will be blamed by the pro-government crowd and it will stick. Thailand becomes more fractured in the process. The more fractured Thailand becomes the more power and appeal Thaksin has to return as the mesiah. Thaksin wants to be begged to return, as in "Please come back. We need you. All is forgiven."

The only value in a coup is if the army takes the opportunity to clean up the rotten political core of this country. It proved too difficult last time. It can't be done without exiling, jailing and killing and it will take years. Certainly a lot longer than the time in which the international ciommunity will expect democracy to be restored. What's needed is something like a 10 year transition period where those who are corrupt want to leave can do so in the first few months after which a "Truth Commission" is empowered to investigate and punish the corrupt who remain. So it should be "pack your bags, go now and never come back, or stay and accept the consequences." At the same time the civil service should also be purged of anyone with a political connection or who was politically appointed. When elections are finally held anyone who has previously been a politician or has political connections should be banned from being a candidate.

Sound extreme ? Sure. But without it any house dissdolution, coup, new election, new political party or anything else will have no effect beyond the short term. Given that the extreme solution needed has absolutely no chance of happening why do the PAD, the army or anyone else bother ? Nothing they do will change anything, unfortunately. Democracy will not function in Thailand until the economic shackles, and with them educational and intellectual constraints, are removed from the voters.

Sorry PeaceBlondie, I didn't manage to get even one in.

Well put.

And for once Thaksin is right: Thailand is undemocratic. But: it has never been a real democracy anyway, so what is there to lose?

Something needs to be done right now, and the only option is a coup or resignation of the PM. The latter will however lead to problems again within a few months, the former in maybe a few years.

any attempt to take over an airport is considered a terrorist act.

To me, this word means nothing these days.

My car used to be insured by QBE. Since I bought a new one, I have the one year free insurance with another company, no idea about the name.

After the one year I will go back to QBE, very happy with their service in case anything goes wrong.

Obese Texans know Mexican Food. How do you think they got obese?

Drive around in the Chalong area, and you will see plenty of 'apartments' for rent. Thai style they will be under 5,000 Baht per month.

I think this time the liquor sales will stop for at least a day.

I'll report afterwards, but I think there is no chance whatsoever of sales being stopped.

I'll give your bread a go one of these days.

I have been looking for the same thing.

After some research, my conclusion was: either buy in Bangkok or make it myself.

I think this time the liquor sales will stop for at least a day.

A bit of a travel just for a beer.

I can always buy a beer at one of the local stores. No problems there.

At the moment from what I hear Vientiane is the easiest place to get it. Also Penang will work if the paper work is 100% in order. Don't know how the situation is at the moment in e.g. Singapore.

you on drugs? or just way out of touch

He does have a point IMO though, that in the present society, with everybody wanting more and more every day, people tend to loose their perspective. And in the long run it simply does not work, there is not more and more for everybody on this earth available, society is slowly but surely killing itself.