Journalist

^ Its for the courts to decide !

Aware of that. I asked for your opinion.

I think its okay to 'urge' but not to 'demand'.

Urging does not strike me as being the act of an insubordinate subject, and is suitably fawning and non-insulting, whether directed at Kings, Popes, The Lord of 10000 years, The Mikado, or the Son of the Sun.

^ Its for the courts to decide ! (Though Rule #15 of the Forum means I can't print my opinion concerning the impartiality of the Thai Courts)

However, 'urge' is to 'demand';

what

'beseech' is to 'order'.

Its a significant difference to what the B.P reported.

The word Thaksin used in the Sky News interview is "urge" . Its there in black and white.

Which I think we all know does not mean 'demand' ......

It's sufficiency economy, my friend. After 2 am EVERY girl in Cowboy appears just as beautiful as top dancers at 10, why pay more if you can drink beer instead?

Waiting until 4, on the other hand, is not too good for my old bones, I lose my mojo.

O grasshopper.....

Sufficiency economy is trying not to urinate in Thermae in order to save 5 thb

The definition of affluence is buying the (THB 50?) one month all-you-can-wee pass at the same place.

But then, do we even know all the evidence against him or are we limited to thinking that a single sentence in a single newspaper is all the evidence there is against him?

do you have any reason to doubt the report from the bkk post, any evidence to counter the basis for the police charge ?

Do I have reason to believe that the total of all the evidence was more than 2 sentences in 2 different publications (admitting my earlier 1 in 1 was in error) that was reported by the Bangkok Post? Yes. I think what Bangkok Post published in their very short article was just a very small portion of the total amount of evidence that was considered.

So we agree then John, that the Sky News report that conjures up the word 'demand' - but not in a quote, is a frivolous charge of LM. ("I never said that" being the obvious defence)

Voice files and reporter's notes would have to be produced in court, as it would need to be sub poenaed. So as an exhibit, it wouldn't necessarily appear in the charge sheet.

BKKPost =

Thaksin demanded through Britain-based Sky News and the Financial Times that

'His Majesty the King intervene in political unrest in Thailand or people would be killed.'

A particularly poorly conceived sentence.

Since it goes counter to 60 years or more of SPECIFIC royal prerogative and is beyond presumptive.

Completely ignoring protocol issues, this was over the edge and no question.

This quotes a PUBLISHED synopsis of Thaksin's statement, not actual words.

Precisely. It is not a quote.

The reporter used the word 'demanded' . Sky News may be on the hook for LM unless they can come up with the audio file or reporter's notes showing that has TS using the word 'demanded' .

The charges are frivolous.

Again, have you made been privy to all the evidence that the charge is based upon?

Yes.

The average Thai wants

Decent education system.

Good secure jobs

Economic expansion

Peace and security

Good healthcare

A functioning community

Longer opening hours in Soi Cowboy

An effective police force

Transport

Reduced pollution

(my highlight above)

Come on, you slipped that one in, just for certain parts of the farang community, didn't you ?

But you forgot longer opening-hours for bars, and lower alcohol-taxes, for both Thais and farangs !

Oops, that was a cut and paste from my party manifesto.

What Thais want most is for Farangs to be able to buy property.

...no, wait, thats not right either,.....

When I load the forum, I get a large font invitation to

GAY THAILAND HOLIDAY.

I'm not saying that I wouldn't enjoy a gay Thailand holiday - (one is always curious abut such backdoor shenanigans), and I am a user of Thaivisa advertisers' products, especially Thaivisa travel. But if i'm using Thaivisa at work, such an uncloseted invitation might make me a laughing stock if colleagues see it !

If they manage to make reforming politics a part of a national discussion, it doesn't really matter if they win or not, the society will move in the right direction, what more do you want?

The average Thai wants

Decent education system.

Good secure jobs

Economic expansion

Peace and security

Good healthcare

A functioning community

Longer opening hours in Soi Cowboy

An effective police force

Transport

Reduced pollution

Whereas reforming politics is just one issue, and it seems to be their sole pet project. You estimated a vote of 30-40% for PAD. I think thats a high-side estimate for a new party with one policy avenue.

The charges are frivolous.

But that doesn't mean that in the stacked legal system of Thailand he won't be found guilty. To add to all his other convictions - the magnitude of which which seem to bely the accusation of him being the most wicked and corrupt Thai of all time.

Still it gives the international press more with which to laugh at Thailand, and gives the expats the opportunity to press caps lock when typing 'convicted'.

They (The Police) need good evidence against TS, if they can prove it beyond reasonable doubt then the Red Shirts will lose interest in him, and things might quiet down again.

But getting proof and showing the Thai People the proof, is going to be difficult

not at all....the citation says that the alleged offence was in interviews given to news agencies in mid April.

So, its little more effort than getting the articles and reading them. The Police say they'll file them on friday

Can we do that? Can we wait one day before the Police files that evidence and we declare him guilty?

So, we're all agreed then. We won't wait and read the evidence. He has guilt written all over him.

Lets light the torches and go and set fire to Baron Von Shinawatra's castle.

What does the new party stand for?

If it is just electoral reform...new politics, then it may not do very well.

Voters don't like 'one trick pony' parties in General Elections. Parties that campaigned in the UK on a proportional representation platform didn't do well in General Elections. Voters have broader issues on their mind, and electoral reform doesn't usually rank high.

Won't the news agencies also be charged if they published the comments.

^Thailand is being increasingly perceived as a borderline failed state.

That may seem like overkill by those of you living peaceful and quiet lives there, and it may well be the case that the place functions fine, but perception counts for a lot.

Which reconciliation. While the government may want reconciliation, the red thugs and dear leader Thaksin want to grab power.

So how reconciliation should happen?

And the circle keeps turning.

Of course Democrats want reconciliation, they're in power. They want reconciliation without giving that power up. And the Reds will say 'We don't want to be reconciled to anything. We just want your power'

And then if the other lot are in power, they will feel exactly the same way and they will say they want reconciliation, and the PAD will reform and say ' We don't want reconciliation. We don't want you in charge..'

And the circle keeps on turning......

I haven't seen this debate progress one millimetre forward in months, nay years.

"I can see the red thaksinocrats chanting victory"......

Reds and their political wings are not allowed to be victorious in general elections either now or at any future time, or, more importantly do anything to disrupt the core money flows.

Yes, a number of triumphs of civil disobedience will be won, but as long as the primary money streams are left intact, those victories won't be seen as a great sacrifice by those whose bank accounts are remorselessly ticking upward.

Koo, what were the reds doing there attacking the summit in the first place? Do you think that is admirable? An international summit for peace and economic cooperation. Attacking Asean, you attacked Thailand. Please, not another, airport yellow excuse.

Was the 90 year old red shirted lady who attacked the conference venue in her wheelchair ever identified?

It was that image, together with that of poor diddums Kasit not wanting to get his tootsies wet, that render Thailand an international laughing stock in Asia. No wonder our leaders don't want to change their schedules to return there pronto.

Is it the scene Journalist talked about?

That image just can't be spun positively, can it !! It will haunt him for the entirety of his short (but pointless) political career.

Koo, what were the reds doing there attacking the summit in the first place? Do you think that is admirable? An international summit for peace and economic cooperation. Attacking Asean, you attacked Thailand. Please, not another, airport yellow excuse.

Was the 90 year old red shirted lady who attacked the conference venue in her wheelchair ever identified?

It was that image, together with that of poor diddums Kasit not wanting to get his tootsies wet, that render Thailand an international laughing stock in Asia. No wonder our leaders don't want to change their schedules to return there pronto.

Won't be surprise if this is true.

He can built his dream kingdom there.

When he was boss of Man City, he expect the players to 'wai' to him.

Now, wonder what he will expect those working on the island do when they see him?

A wai is an entirely polite Thai greeting. It is not subservient or fawning. Though you're trying to insinuate it is, and a folie de grandeur on his part.

I hear Donald Trump is also averse to hand shaking. Given the amount of germs and bacteria transmitted when people wipe their bottoms then shake someone's hand, it seems like a smart move to avoid it !!!

So, .....who shot JR?

(...I mean , who shot Sondhi?)

Wasn't it the Great Serpent himself then?

Posters seemed to know at the time that the shooting was the work of the cloven hoofed Satan-Goat....for example....

"While Thaksin was clearly not the man directly behind the trigger, he bears at the very least moral responsibility for allowing this to happen. If the man has any conscience at all, he will talk to his supporters and vehemently denounce this attack, and request they refrain from any more such atrocities."

Doesnt Thailand have some elderly actor that can become Prime Minister, a singer like 'Bird' or a model like 'Look-ked'

Like the Philippines it can have celebrity politicians that everyone likes to vote for.

^Certainly god help the expats, because Purachai would clean the place up and that would be curtains for naughty nightlife.

Thailand doesn't need to be run for the benefit of CNN or the BBC (as someone alludes to above). Its run for the Thai people.

A new period of ultra-nationalism is on its way and Thais showing the love for Thais !

I read in many articles that it is 90% Thais who enjoy this "naughty nightlife"... Indeed Thai love Thai!

I think social conservatives would just ban our expat nightlife - maybe it'll go 'off-neon' or just disappear.

Then the BBC and CNN really will be showing the hot love to the Thai PM who declares that Thailand's most vulnerable, its daughters and sons are verboten. Thats not because the BBC empathise with Thai provinces but because they want to stick it to the westerners who enjoy a few bottles of midnight Singha.

Its such an easy thing to achieve, a few rolls of barbed wire. It annoys the Police colonels intensely, but the Police are so out of favour now anyway, who cares about their payola?

^Certainly god help the expats, because Purachai would clean the place up and that would be curtains for naughty nightlife.

Thailand doesn't need to be run for the benefit of CNN or the BBC (as someone alludes to above). Its run for the Thai people.

A new period of ultra-nationalism is on its way and Thais showing the love for Thais !

Purachai for Prime Minister !