jonclark

"...Veera said the red-shirt movement would not organize a mass rally that day because the assets case was just one of several cases which proved the double standard law enforcement."

So if Taksin is found innocent, this must prove the double standard, which veera mentions, so the reds are in favour of double standards???? Or does the double standard only apply if a guilty verdict is the conclusion

jonclark: That's a good question and one I seldom see asked and certainly haven't seen answered. One thing is for sure, they will be a group that will be hard to 'buy-off.'

Let me take a stab at answering that question, with my biased POV.

To start with, the PAD is not a spontaneous citizens movement such as the Democracy Movement - a minority at that.

It was fabricated by some key movers and shakers in the aristocracy and elite to be their proxies.

The PAD has sponsors who can advance or retreat as they see fit.

Someone in authority must preface any future election with guarantees from all sides that the loser will stay the loser, especially if it can be shown that the election had some transparent legitimacy.

The sponsors of the PAD, who most likely are few in number, will need to agree. And if they decide to accept electoral results pre-emptively, the PAD will not be allowed to do their thing.

The PAD is not an uncontrollable rabble group. They are tightly disciplined and controlled by a very few.

IMHO

This would only work on the basis of all parties adhereing to this 'gentlemans agreement', personally i think, if an agreement was reached before the election, one of the following could be the possible scenarios we would see.

a) all sides agree and the election is held peacefully, transparently and with minimal vote buying, cohercion etc. A stable government is formed.

the dems agree to the agreement, the reds buy votes and form a governemnt, the dems cry foul play and the yellows come out on masse

c) the reds agree to the agreement, the dems stage the results and form a government, the reds cry foul play, return to the streets and we carry on, with the EC muttering in the background

d) both sides agree to the agreement, neither keeps its word, both cry foul play, a government is formed which spends most of its time defending how it got into office and not much changes for the general publics hopes and aspirations.

e) As with d, except at some point another coup happens.

A gentlemans agreement would be good, but both sides i feel would exploit it to their own advantage

And lets be honest, all the parties affilliated to either the red or yellow movement are s**t. But this is politics, in the UK both the Conservatives and Labour are s**t

There are very few ideology driven political parties left which put the publics best interest before their own.

What I want to know is once the reds get into government, how are they going to pacify the yellows, who are bound to come out on mass and paralyze the country. Obviously the red won't use ISOC as they have stated many times that it only encourages violence whan the dems use it against them??

Hi.

While i am VERY strongly against immigration restrictions and forceful repatriation of refugees, what is it the U.S.' business to say "they are being forced to return against their will"..???

Hey U.S.A., i've got news for you - look at your very own southern border and check if some Mexicans are maybe "forced to return against their will" before you start messing in other countries' affairs.

Oh forgot, you always prefer to mess in other countries because that is more convenient than at home.

Tsk tsk tsk.

Thanh

There is a difference - Mexicans are mainly economic migrants - Karens are forced to flee for fear of persecution. As far as i know not many Mexicans are forced in becoming child soldiers, are subject to systematic torture, and have their women folk raped by the vindictive Mexican government when the US repatriates them. If you have evidence to the contrary Thanh please share it.

Whilst you may think the U.S is meddling, it's merely voicing it's concerns, as Thailand does with some frequency to Cambodia.

Over a 1'000 generals !!! What do they do?? That must be more generals per capita than any other country in the world.

Why can't the government just give him his money (did he not make most of it legally)?

Why do they have to make so much problems... Invite Thaksin back, have a new election (1 person 1 vote)... Get the UN or someone inn to control the voting... The losers would bend down and agree to work for the best of the country, improve the lives of all Thais.

I think that the current government is worried that Thaksin would win again, even if he has been out of the country for several years... Last time there was an election, who won? (yes, everyone buys votes, that is how they do it here).

PS. Do you guys think that Thaksin got a fair trial?

Is this whole thing just a power play from him in hope that he will get his money?

Why are they still holding his money? If he evaded Taxes, deduct that, send him the rest and tell him to never come back.

I think most of the problems now are fulled by the newspapers so they can sell more, stop writing about this, don't let people read about everything (NO MORE FREE PRESS) and it might go away, or will it?

I feel sorry for Thailand, BUT, what comes around, goes around...

The reds want Thaksin back as they get a share of his/Thailands money passed down through the heads of villages! Simple as that.Its all about greed.

I'd say it's more about poverty, than greed. If i didn't have enough money to cloth or feed my kids, i'd do whatever i takes to put shoes on their feet and food on the table. The comments about greedy thais when direct to 'reds' are always interesting to read as they are normally posted by people with enough disposable income to buy a computer, rent an ADSL line and who have enough free time to be able to join these discussion. Namely middle class 'yellow' supporters.

If this new army is the 'peoples' army i guess this infers that the current army is not . Clever name - use an army to divide the conscripts in the 'real' army from their rulers - divide and conquer.

Wonder if or where Sah Deang will fit in??

holy cow - The government could go broke ! No wonder they want Taksins money

Bag of <deleted>

Couldn't of said it better myself

What I can't understand is why they bring the owners sexuality into it???

Unfortunalty the probelm isn't going to disappear, with the world population predicted to double between now and 2050 to a whopping 18 billion or so...

Less than 9 billion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population

Exactly 1 + 8 = 9

Sorry, you're all wrong it wasn't shit, it was just my wife's cooking. I'm saving desert for Taksin (It's Spotted dick)

Many countries have problems with illegal immigrants. Just look at Calais in France, the Mexican-American Border, Christmas Island (Australia). Not too long ago, several Chinese illegal immigrants died on their way to the US. The issue about refugees and illegal immigrants has been too politicized. Countries bearing the burden of refugees and illegal immigrants would rather see this "problem" disappear. As far as Thailand is concerned, it is not their problem. The Hmong refugees from Laos was a result of the Secret War the US wages in Laos. So the US should take care of that problem.

Unfortunalty the probelm isn't going to disappear, with the world population predicted to double between now and 2050 to a whopping 18 billion or so, sticking your head in the sand, denying all responsibility and blaming someone else just ain't going to work. Thailand like all the worlds countries are going to have to accept their fair share of migrants, be they political or economic.

Or offer financial insentives for migrants to stay in their country

But hasn't the US of A also acted like a bully? The US of A has supported dictators like Marcos, Manuel Noriega, The Shah of Iran, why even Saddam Hussein. Even Hamid Karzai is said to be a puppet of the US. Isn't that a act of brutalizing people of those countries? By supporting these bullies, the US of A was itself a bully.

Now, that Okinawa has elected an anti-US Base mayor, the US is in danger of further loosing ground in Asia. It has lost it military base in the Philippines and Thailand.

Does Asia really need the US as a counterbalance to China? Well that would depend on what the US is prepared to give.

I think asia needs a counter balance to china, is the US the right counter balance, probably not, but is there another country with the political, economic and militry might like China. No.

Like it or not, asian countries may have to accept, however grudgingly that the US is needed. If China were to extend it sphere or influence, without the counterbalance i'm sure human rights, censorship etc would suffer. In the same way that globalization when on a ten year spree, when the world was left without a counter balance to the US as the only superpower.

If asian countries lined up to follow china, economically and politically then one party politics would become increasingly prevelent. Would it be worth it to hang onto the coat tails of a economic juggernaut? Maybe, but in 20 years time when the balance of power shifts once again, what will the social costs be?

As for what teh US has to give, well not too much, as it is Asia best interest to have the US as the natural counterbalance, and take the middle path.

"Mr Carlsson in his bed at Phuket International Hospital, where he was treated for a compound fracture to the right leg."

Appears they managed to put the cast on the wrong leg, what were they thinking?

No wonder he looks so pi**ed off lmao

Wonder who gets to pay for the danage to the car?? Probably Mr. Carlsson

Strange question, especially since the term farang refers to effectively any white skinned fella / gal (french, swedish, russian, israli, german etc.).

There are various cultural traits within the different caucasian groups, that make them behave differently in different situiations, whereas most Thais see all farangs as the same, physically, emotionally and culturally. Often this results in conflict or misunderstanding.

I think the OP would have been better if he asked - Do Thai people like Russians / English / Finnish etc. and vice versa - At least that keeps it to a nationality vs nationality type thing.

But either way its a devisive question which assumes people to believe the typical negative sterotypes portayed in the media and by gossips

If Thailand wants a more balanced and equal relations with the US, What is Thailand prepared to give?? as well as take?

Pesky termites have got into the roof and have been having a good old munch. To cut a long story short, the roof needs replacing. Does anyone know of a good roofer / handy man in the Ekami area? Tried half a dozen from Yellow pages, but it seems Ekami is just too far for them (work must be good) and they've knocked me back. Need to get this foxed before the rains start. Please PM me.

No shit Somchai!!

If we were all as wise as you the world would be a perfect place

This case highlights the shambles of the Thai legal system, surely selling Valium without the receipt of a prescription is a graver offense, considering the pharmacist should be aware of the legal framework which surrounds his profession. Not gonna defend the kid, other than remind everyone that we were all young once and lacked sufficient life experience and often made stupid mistakes.

I'd be interested to see or hear the NZ side of things, press reports etc.

You'd imagine the general Thai way of finding a middle path, without conflict would have won through here on what is clearly a minor and insignificant lapse of judgment on the young boys part and a law which has rarely been enforced on the polices side.

Think this may be a pretty one sided fight and these comments cast serious on his claims of innocence regarding the recent grenade attack

Pay off your debts, it's the honest thing to do and you don't want to burn your own bridges. You never know when you may need them again. I'd be interested to see a foreign debt collector turn up in thailand and start demanding payment - On what legal authority, fairly sure there is no inter government policy on such matters. Can see the police wanting to get involved in that, far too much work

16 million dollars for a whole city!! Holy Cow - Amazing Thailand Amazing Value - Can I have two please???

If the offences occured in Thailand and they are thais what has it got to do with the bloody americans.

I would speculate, quite alot, as the funds were transfered from America, by americans, using american banks.

"...Prosecutors added that the suspects opened bank accounts in Singapore and the United Kingdom to receive the corrupt payments..."

So, part of "the American system" was involved, making the business of the Americans. Or do you think the Greens entered Thailand with a suitcase with $1.8 million dollars in it?