jonclark

But this is how it works in Thailand.

Once the compensation has been paid the state is absolved of blame. So whether the people given the compensation are relatives of tak bai, or the UDD once they accept the money, the case is closed and those accused of the crime can carry on.

You take the money and accept that those who committed the crime will forever walk free or you reject the money and try for a conviction. The latter has a very slim chance of success while the former allows you to rebuild your life.

Now, just wait for the next flood.

Have u ever been to Phuket ??

Too many Farangs, not suited for Thais.

Looks like we have successfully colonized Phuket by keeping the Thais away !!

Totally get what your saying GK and completely agree with your points.

But if as you stated the Dems borrowed vast sums (the majority of which probably need repaying, unless they repaid it all during the term of their administration) and now PTP are borrowing equally large sums give or take a few billions, if you put the borrowing of the Dems and PTP over the last few years togetherl that adds up to a lot of national debt.

Surely given the debts inherited by PTP from the Dems they should be borrowing less and would aim to be more fiscally watertight and accountable. If you have large debts is making them larger by borrowing more good economics?

Cambodian criminals carry weapons. Surprising? Armed Cambodian criminals resist arrest. Surprising? Armed Cambodian criminals resisting arrest get shot - well that's just got to be racially based slaughter bordering on genocide. That is incredible. Literally.

In Thailand armed Thai people resisting arrest get shot if poor or bail if rich, go figure.

My guess is the rules will just apply to the 8 member countries of ASEAN and there will be plenty of fine print/devil in the details.

What about a 15 year old Singaporean based registered company that is 100% foreign owned that wants to expand into Thailand

Silly question probably but can't they be arrested without being shot??? Or is this just a case of the army protecting the interests of someone higher up who wants to sell the trees themself? Seems a bit heavy handed to shoot someone for stealing wood though.....

I always find it staggering that no one really cares - especially the Cambodian and Thai governments about these deaths. If say the UK police had shot 38 poverty stricken foreign nationals encroaching onto UK territory , the investigations, enquiries and prison sentences as well as a complete over haul of the police service would follow.

Here nothing, silence and complete indifference. That in itself speaks volumes for the national character of all Thais. So much so that I'm not sure who it pity more, The families of the deceased or the Thais for their silence.

Are you sure 'uplifting of standards of tourism products and services' isn't a mistranslation of 'uplifting of prices of tourism products and prices' given the final line in the OP

He anticipated that Thailand will earn 2 trillion baht from the tourism sector in 2015

I know which of the two (standards or prices) is easier to raise to meet an earnings target.

Rather puts the pressure on the government to do something about it.

And what are they going to do?? Those involved had made many millions of baht and can easily flex their new found financial muscle to avoid persecution. There is as much chance of those involved seeing the inside of prison as Taskin has.

So I ask you what are they going to do to claim back the Thai tax payers money that has been unlawfully stolen and punish those responsible and complicit in this corruption. My bet is pass a couple of bits of token legislation promising to eradicate all future corruption leaving those guilty of past corruption free to enjoy the spoils of their crimes.

So glad my hard earned tax money is being used to support these people.

Good, I'm glad she has been given this position, she's worked hard for it with her patronage. And before anyone jumps down my throat, lets all remember this (technicalities aside) is what the majority of Thai people voted for so enjoy your salvation, I hope their kids get the education and future life their parents voted for. No regrets, pity or anger just acceptance of the truth. Thailand for the Thais - They're welcome to it, enjoy

Edit - spelling

70 percent? No way.

"Regarding the performance of political parties, the ruling Pheu Thai Party was rated at 5.28 out of 10 points, the coalition parties at 4.37, while the Opposition Democrat Party got 3.55 points.

Nearly three out of four persons -- 70.4 per cent of the respondents -- say they want Ms Yingluck to continue her work, and only 9.8 per cent said a Cabinet reshuffle is necessary."

The Nation yesterday

The poll is obviously flawed then. She would never get such a high percentage in an actual election.

The poll isn't flawed. A particular person's reading of it is flawed. 70% of the people don't want a cabinet reshuffle, and want her to continue her "work". Basically, they don't want someone else from PTP in her position.

Indeed what are the alternatives - Chalerm, Jatuporn, as PM sweet Jesus what a disaster that would be.

Duh - Jurgen Whats the title of this article?? Here's a quick refresher " Thai Governments Approval Rating Drops" Clearly people are delighted, over the moon, absolutely ecstatic with this government, in fact it is clealry exceeding all expectations......Not!

If you think a drop in approval means people are happy with the government well good for you. This government is fast catching up to the Dems in the race to the bottom. But you probably think that's a good thing.

Remember - When the governments approval rating drops, that does not mean people are happy with the government. It means the opposite - They are unhappy.

Sleep well

Duh Jon, are you new here ?

So many times with the Nation, we have the big headline saying something and when you take the time to read the full article, it says something completely different.

70% of the people want the current government to stay. So far people have tried to spin bit and parts of the article but nobody contest this figure.

70% of the people want this government to stay ! If they were not happy, do you think they will say they want this government to stay ?

70% ! Again we are going to fight over the definition of a landslide.

70% How high the figure should be to qualify as a clear majority ?

Jurgen you are clearly slow

70% of the population do want Yingluck to continue. But I was talking about the government not Yingluck - See your mistake, off you go back to school

Sorry, I am completely confused by this - One confesses to 'gang robbery causing death' the other says he wasn't involved.

So my questions are this - How many people were in the supposed gang?? Can a single person be a gang? How does an entire gang sit on a single Honda Wave?? (No police motorcycle display photos please.)

Put simply the one confessing has directly implicated the one denying the charge as he was (by driving the motorcycle) part of the gang and thus had a part in the robbery and resultant death which his friend has confessed to.

No translation mistake, 70% of the Thai population is satisfied with the job of the government.

And if I read the poll right, Yingluck personal score is 54% .

In an earlier post regarding a announcement from Mr Amsterdam, I was saying that the opposition should be really desperate to try to make such a big thing of what was basically a non event. WIth figures like that, I can understand why the opposition is now running in panic mode.

70% Don;lt want a change

This only means they don't want the 'world class trouble' of a change of government at this time.

this means no more riots and relative calm, most want that.

But the real story is not the percentage wanting a period of stability,

but the lack of government and ministers personal approval in general.

"...High profile Deputy Premier Chalerm Yubamrung topped the achievement list of ministers with 22.3 per cent -- less than one in four respondents -- voicing approval, followed by Deputy Prime Minister/Interior Minister Yongyuth Vichaidit at 5.1 per cent.... "

The most in your face active guy is a paltry 22%

and her deputy incharge of keeping the country running is a pathetic 5.1%

Yes folks the SECOND best Govrnment Minster is getting FIVE point ONE percent approval.

All the REST are so far below him to not even warrant being mentioned.

But on the overall you have to accept that people are happy with this government.

Duh - Jurgen Whats the title of this article?? Here's a quick refresher " Thai Governments Approval Rating Drops" Clearly people are delighted, over the moon, absolutely ecstatic with this government, in fact it is clealry exceeding all expectations......Not!

If you think a drop in approval means people are happy with the government well good for you. This government is fast catching up to the Dems in the race to the bottom. But you probably think that's a good thing.

Remember - When the governments approval rating drops, that does not mean people are happy with the government. It means the opposite - They are unhappy.

Sleep well

The UK's rather lacklustre recent attempt at a Royal barge procession could have taken some pointers from the Thai one.

Or vice verse - good to see the public participate in the UK barge precession - just a thought.

5 posts without somebody noticing in the article the words British company, A new Thai visa record for the most posts without Brit bashing and I thought it was just our crappy olympics breaking new records.

What do you mean "our crappy olympics" Show some pride in your country boy for holding a fantastic London Olympics. Brits are always so self deprecating.

Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear. Tell me Korn didn't say or do that. Tell me The Nation didn't print that. Tell me TV didn't post this. Now if Buchholz doesn't dig out that tired old photograph of Pol. Col. Thingummy dressed all in red with a "funny" caption my day would not be complete.

Note to Korn: Psst, Blue is a democrat Party colour, Blue is a colour on the national flag. People are entitled to dress in Blue too.

What a complete waste of space.................

I waiting for the yellow shirts to don red shirts at their next mass rally at which point would they be red shirted yellows or fake reds, fake yellows or just colour blind - very vexing....

Or perhaps it just goes to show that a persons colour is irrelevant - it's whats on the inside that counts.

Having 6 solders patroling on 3x honda waves is seriously flawed, to a terrorist it's like shooting fish in a barrel, never seen the like of it, proper protection - vehicles - planning and execution is the answer along with Helicopter patrols and covert surveylence, what on earth are these army chiefs thinking sending young soldiers out on motorbikes.

What evil men do

Good point imagine the uproar if US / UK soldiers where ambushed and killed in Afghanistan whilst they were on patrol on a Honda Wave.

Raiding the coffers.

There will be none left soon and huge debts

And the sad irony of the whole thing is the middle class and elite (dem voters) will be more financially insulated from this fiasco, whilst the poor downtrodden PTP voters will be left scratching their heads wondering why it is so hard to put food on the table.

I remember the old saying - 'give em what they need not what they want'. The public wants ipads, phones and credit cards. What they need is a government free of corruption.

has our man in Dubai not been paying his bills I wonder

they certainly havent parted ways on moral grounds

They haven't parted way : " ... Amsterdam said, adding that Thaksin remains a client of the firm."

Most probably, due to the current situation, the lobbying services are no longer needed.

Good to note too that the former prime minister, was convicted in absentia on a conflict-of-interest charge. It's a legal blog so there a bit more precise in their wording that our Sondhi's boys. The only thing Thaksin has ever been convicted for is a controversial land deal To be even more precise, for a land deal his wife did when he was in office.

At least you are acknowledging him as the criminal he is - allbeit to a lesser degree as some of the more vocal anti-taksin posters here - Just glad to see a pro taksin poster such as yourself admit his criminal background and the 2 year sentence he's on the run from - Well done Jurgen!!, who says reconciliation can't happen? Actually don't answer that.