JAG

Frankly it would save a lot of time, money and effort if the Prime Ministerial entourage were to be filmed boarding their aircraft at Bangkok, exuding confidence and bonhomie. They could then nip down to a quiet beach somewhere, lie up for a few days, and then return in triumph, issue a load of statement to the effect that various European leaders understand their efforts, agree with the roadmap and so on...

No one outside Thailand will take any notice, and they control what is said inside the country...

34 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Indeed. And a certain PM too!

 

And at least these guys weren't looking at porn like some previous MP's. 

Ah, a well crafted "But, but, but Thaksin post!

Such a rare genre nowadays...

?

6 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Motor cycle taxi fares and coffee shop prices are meaningless indicators of the economy, neither one pays taxes because they don't make enough money hence they are not even in the Thai economy per se.

 

The sales Director is slightly more useful, Elizabeth Arden, Nivea, L'Oreal or similar? But if it was one of the zillion of Thai/Chinese cosmetic companies that have sprung up, it's probably in a similar category as the motor cycle taxi, that space has become overpopulated and many will not survive.!

Your second paragraph ( cosmetic sales) rather illustrates the problem with the argument which has ranged over the last twenty odd pages. The OP is about what most Thais think. Only a very small proportion of Thais buy cosmetics from Elizabeth Arden, Nivea or L'Oréal. The vast majority buy from the" zillion of Thai/Chinese cosmetic companies that have sprung up." Similarly, few shop in Robinson's or Central, eat in McDonalds, or have significant amounts invested in the SET, either as individuals or as members of Pension Funds. To use all these as measures of how well the economy is doing, for most Thais, is missing the point.

Very very many scratch a living as peasant farmers, supplemented by wages (minimum) from day labouring jobs, often unsure whether they will have any cash next week. Those employed in factories and in construction are usually so miserably paid that they have no surplus cash. They may (do) have little money, little purchasing power and little industrial muscle to improve their lot, but you cannot claim that as they don't  pay taxes because they don't make enough money  they are "not even in the Thai economy per se."

They are just as much part of the economy as the monied are. They are the "most Thais" for whom the economy is not doing well. They are the ones which it is leaving behind. This has huge social and political implications which if not addressed will some day really hurt the economy, and by extension the relatively small number that you might classify as being" in the Thai economy per se."

Now some may dismiss that as socialist/communist anti capitalist claptrap. It is neither, I am neither. But I do realise, and I think history has shown that if you ignore such a significant economic underclass, and do not improve their lot, then things have a habit of turning round and biting you on the bum!

18 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

Will this lead to a change in the lack of traffic law enforcement on the roads.

 

That's the big issue.

14 minutes ago, madmitch said:

They just don't get it, do they?

With ever idea, procurement or study suggested and followed up comes a budget. With a budget comes immense opportunities for those associated with it.

That's why, in just about every area of official activity, there is this unending stream of frankly daft proposals and ideas. It really doesn't matter if they ever come to any sort of fruition, no one cares and often no one checks. The budget is all.

Bootleg copy of "Grand Theft Auto"?

18 minutes ago, Cranky said:

They are very successful because of all the money shipped in by brasses for Mom and Pop to splurge on pick-up trucks, motorbikes, mobile phones and flash houses.  

Perhaps that could be described as "the view from the barstool".

"All the women around me shag for money."

"Most of the (western) men I know here pay to shag."

"Therefore all new consumer items which Thais purchase are funded by the women shagging."

Lord help us!

3 hours ago, webfact said:

National police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday afternoon, after flying back from his mission to collect the monk in Frankfurt.

 

He left shortly after his arrival, avoiding the large media presence at the airport.

...

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees the police force, said yesterday that he was informed Chakthip would remain in Germany until the monk was handed over to him. 

 

“He is waiting to escort Phra Phrommedhi back to Thailand,” General Prawit said yesterday.

 

He is in charge of overseeing the Police activities, and he doesn't even know where the National Chief of Police is!

9 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

The junta doesn't run the economy, BOT is the main steward of its performance and they independent. Government acts on recommendations and findings of the central bank, the government doesn't just arbitrarily do "stuff" to make it better or worse.

I'm sorry but the Government is very much"arbitrarily doing stuff" which affects the economy. They are very proactively investing, and working hard to coral private investment into, a number of government (junta) sponsored and inevitably government (junta) run projects. They are doing so without any democratic oversight, effectively by decree.

These projects are overwhelmingly concentrated in areas which provide such popular support as the government (junta) enjoys. They are projects that are overwhelmingly significant because they will benefit the government (junta) various support bases.

A Prime Minister , with a mandate and program which had been chosen in an election in which he (or she) had stood against others and won a majority of votes would perhaps have grounds to complain, and may find some sympathy.

A Prime Minister who appointed himself, having seized power in a coup in order to forestall an election and subsequently has effectively ruled by decree, can also find sympathy, it's in the dictionary between...

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

I read much (or most?) of the fake "large" crowd that he mustered up were white house interns looking for a break from work and free food. Happily, people are getting what an intentionally divisive TROLL "trump" and there will be a large political backlash against his party in Pennsylvania, a hugely important state in the upcoming hopefully BLUE WAVE in Novermber 

 Before November, he is visiting the UK in July.

There is something of a debate within the country as to what would be the proper response from the crowds when his motorcade passed. Should they all go down on one knee, (subtle), "moon", (crude if funny) or (my personal favourite) stand in total silence holding aloft A2 pictures of Mr and Mrs Obama.

2 hours ago, Opl said:

President Trump made a big show of holding a ‘celebration of America’ after he is disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles to the White House, and with all eyes on him, the President Of The United States got the words to the national anthem wrong."



https://www.politicususa.com/2018/06/05/trump-national-anthem-wrong.html

What's his backing group called - "The Bonespurs"?

23 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

They might  as well go all out and build a group of nuclear  power plants.

 

 

It is very difficult to get the requisite quality of bamboo...