faranginexile

Perhaps they should listen to what he has to say first. There's plenty of time to get angry afterwards.

I don't think they are angry about what he has to say, but about the processes used to invite him to speak.

but I like your suggestion, is that a policy we should apply to all world leaders or just Israeli?

The three branches of government are separate but equal.

Congress has the right to invite whomever they wish to address their body. Why should they get the permission of the Executive Branch to invite a speaker?

Using your logic, the Judicial Branch might need to request input from the Legislative Branch as to which cases the SCOTUS should hear.

Following that same train of thought, the Executive Branch perhaps should have consulted the Judicial Branch to see if the many Executive Orders and Memoranda were Constitutional before the President signed them.

None of that happened nor is it required.

You illustrate why a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Yes, the three branches of government are separate but equal, and no, it is not chrystal clear that the invitation violates the Logan Act, but the procedure used by Boehner and Dermer to set up a lecture by a foreign head of government to a joint session of Congress is unprecedented. The Constitution and custom both vest the power of conducting foreign affairs in the President. You can argue that the inviation is not, strictly speaking, illegal, but you cannot pretend that it's no big deal. Because it is.

Slow poll day!

My guess is that the purpose of the poll, aside from public interest, is likely to establish the odds on a return/no return bet with any of the bookies or any of the casinos that do not exist

. . . And let's not forget Thich Nhat Hahn in Vietnam, not to mention the legion of monks in Burma and the Saffron Revolution.

LLiT: Welcome to Isaan. Always nice to see someone coming in with the proper attitude. With the baby on the way, and KK only an hour away, you may wish to consider building or buying there, for Junior's educational purposes. That, and there's likely more for you and the (soon-to-be) Missus to do as well. Never fear, grandma and grandpa will be visiting often enough. Just a thought.

I hope more Americans will come here. Hopefully all the anti-American Europeans will shut up finally about how much they "hate" Americans(translation--bitter jealousy). Just like in Germany, they will smile and pretend to be friendly until the Americans have their backs turned, but at least I won't have so many Eurobigots to contend with.

I wouldn't be so optimistic. Even after electing Obama twice, those Europeans with anti-American attitudes will continue to hate America. That sort of jealously and childish nit-picking by the anti-American Euros was one of many motivating factors for me to vote for Romney this time around (I voted Obama in 2008).

Regardless, we're stuck with him for another 4 years. I seriously doubt that this visit will do anything for the US. Then again, Obama doesn't care about the US anyway.

BTW, I wonder where Obama got the Obamaphone idea from? It sure worked well for him in Ohio....

The federal "Lifeline" program to which you refer was begun under President Reagan, and provided aid to low income people to have landlines in their homes. It was expanded to cell phones under George Dubya Bush.

You didn't have to tell us you voted for Romney; we could tell by your mastery of the facts. Don't tell me - you live in the Fox News Bubble.

Wow... Where did the US Army get the money?

It's always fun to spend money that's not yours.

15 + trillion in debt with an economy on the verge of collapse.

This might be a "feel good" story to some.

But as a man who is not proud to be an American citizen and taxpayer, I find it irresponsible, arrogant and ostentatious.

You know, my first impression was similar to yours. But upon reading the details of the story, I've come to think the goodwill built-up by not only the $50k, but also the relationships formed by the Thai and US military personnel building the school will in the long run more than make up for the relatively small expense involved. Especially when compared to the billions squandered and/or disappeared in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a bargain.

I got the warning, as did my wife. But no recall as of yet. Or a recall of a recall??????

If you scroll to the bottom of the alert, there is a note stating that "Due to a technical error, some recipients received this message - followed by a recall message - a few minutes later. Please disregard the recall message."

Kind of weird - someone went to the trouble of writing and blasting a recall, then the embassy withdraws the recall. Oh, to be a fly on the wall (or, in local jargon, "maew-mong").

This way, those who did contribute should be reimbursed by the bank as a gesture of good will and then the bank can seek fraud on its part as well as whatever internet laws are applicable to this case. This would be, to me, a good ending for all and none would be personally ripped off in this deal. It would also be good public relations of the bank to act in this way.

Nice idea and it would be good publicity for the bank.........See what happens though.

That would indeed be a good outcome. Unfortunately, however, a more likely outcome will be a rash of copycat scams that perfect the technique before the public become aware.

[sNIP]

30-something Royal Thai Police cops signed in a petition to defend her actions (a clear message is being sent). Come on, who does this sort of stuff in Thailand, unless they are each lined-up to collect a bag of money.

[sNIP]

Actually, according Drummond's report, the 34 cops who signed the petition - which included some very high ranking officers - did so in order to OPPOSE bail for the wife.

So the question remains, how does the lady get bail under those circumstances?

I am delighted to see that Thaivisa has dropped its former policy of 'not naming and shaming', by printing the name, age and photograph of this woman, who must surely be assumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

I hope soon to see the names and photos of the Thai CID officers who decided to drop the charges against her. Does any Thaivisa member living in Hua Hin have a camera?

While I have no problem with naming the alleged perpetrator, I note that the original post at Andrew Drummond has removed the names of the two friends, and substituted "Mr. A and Mr. B" in their place based on fears of retribution against the slain man's friends (see the "Explanatory Note" at the end of the post). I would encourage the moderators here to do the same.

Me thinks the US will have no choice but to refuse him a visa just to avoid embarrassing Thailand.

Especially after the VB favor.

Anyway it will be interesting to see what happens.

I belive like the UK the US will try remain neutral and simple refuse entry.

What ever never mind! the sun is shining and its a glorious day to to the beach and chill out!

This assumes that the US immigration has the wherewithal to keep track of all of Thaksin's various passports.

The day he gets his foot on US soil. I'll smile to Thaksin haters and say

Are you ok ?

lol

And what will you say when he's arrested, a la Pinochet?

This is a trap. This is the 2nd half of the Bout-Thaksin exchange deal. Thai government jet may be parked in US waiting already.

This is an interesting take on things. While it would be an elegant and appropriate payback for the Bout outcome, it would also appear to be exceedingly bad form to invite an exile to a government hearing and then arrest him.

But hey, it happened with Pinochet (and, with any luck, will someday happen to Little Bush if he ever dares to venture outside the U.S.), so it's not entirely beyond the pale.

Of course, the flipside to all this is that if they did invite Thaksin to testify - about the murderous protests he funded, no less - and then allowed him to come and go as he pleases, that would be quite an insult to a government that very recently did you a huge favor by extraditing Mr. Bout.

And by the way, this is all real. I just called the committee office and they confirmed that "something is going to happen" involving Thaksin on the 16th.

Wonder if the yanks still have a plane waiting for him?

The transit visas of the crew must have just about run out by now.

Cant help thinking he may not get much of a fair go in the good old US of A after all how many have they still got banged up in Git-mo and other more secret places for waterboarding and other arobic excercises.

Can't compare this with Gitmo. Most of those in Gitmo were involved in violent activities during the Afgan war. I don't agree with what happened there, but if you shoot at somebody, you have to deal with the consequences. Now they are crying their rights are being abused...what about the rights of the people who were shot or bombed by them? Two sides to every story...

As far as Viktor getting a good trial...for sure. He'll have the best lawyer money can buy, as he is a rich guy. The US legal system is fairly good...if you have the cash. And he sure does. It will be a trail for the ages. Maybe as good as OJ Simpson's!

Don't have all the facts, but heard that he was deep in the illegal arms trade at one point in time. Won't be surprised if the CIA was behind some of his dealings. There are many people who will get burnt by him talking. As long as he keeps the money flowing to the Thai's, his extradition case will remain in limbo for quite a while. If he does get sent to the US, I reckon he will find a mysterious and tragic end before seeing the inside of a courtroom.

This is, at its core, a tug of war between the Americans (who, via the CIA, have indeed had dealings with Bout) and the Russians (for whom Viktor is a quasi-governmental agency, funneling illegal arms money to the big boys), with various Thais both stuck in the middle and benefiting from it.

The Americans want to know what Bout knows about certain things - or at least want the leverage of the threat of finding out what Bout knows about certain Russian dealings. The Russians want to prevent Bout from falling into American hands, lest he be forced to spill the beans about what he knows.

The Thais want to avoid displeasing one or the other of their benefactors. Certain Thai factions favor the Americans; others the Russians. All are happy to continue being per$uaded to act in the proxy's interest, however, though that could end badly for someone if they can't make good on their promises.

Forced labor of 400 Thais on US farms? I believe the 400 went there at their own free wills.

But under false pretenses. Big difference.

Kenney's appointment is awaiting confirmation by the US Senate.

-redwood

In other words, she will be confirmed, why wouldn't she be?

Republicans in the U.S. Senate have been obstructing Obama's appointments in the judiciary and all agencies. It's what they do.

or some were thrown away by their owners to conceal their identity.

If that were the case, they would have been found everywhere, separately, and not in a cache as seems to be suggested by the story here, no?

"He denied his involvement with "any illegal or violent activities in the Kingdom of Thailand".

Thaksin went on to say that up is down, black is white, and the sun rises in the West.

I can't believe you are all getting your knickers in a twist over one person, who didnt actually do anything. It's not as if there aren't enough Thai idiots causing people distress on a daily basis.

Get over it.

He said he didnt do it. After the rant he obviously spewed in the vicinity of a camera, do you take his denial of involvement in the actual deed, as gospel? Many raise issue with farang in red or yellow cloth amongst either group. A more profound question would be, what is a farang doing in Red security black clothes?!?! That pushes the envelop right off the table, one might think.

He did indeed say that he didn't do it. But if a witness, say a Thai passer-by, were to say in court that he or she saw ol' Jeff lob a petrol bomb into the store, I for one would believe the witness over the wanke_r. Chances are that a Thai judge or jury would be similarly inclined.

With all the respect that is due the esteemed "analysts," they're wrong; the violence is, as a practical matter, over. Done. There may be an occasional flare or episode that will be attributed, rightly or wrongly, to Red vs. Yellow conflict, but the rage for this generation's protests has been essentially spent. Witness the 10 reds standing idly by as the barricades were removed by the authorities on the bridge in Chiang Mai.

But, hey, you can't blame the sages for their errant guessing. Their job is to tell us what we all just saw happen with our own eyes, and given the violence of the past week or so and the fact that stuff happens, the odds would have to favor more violence to come.

Only that's not what's happening or what we're seeing. Rather, the mood is more like the morning after a big wedding at which people behaved badly: best to put this behind us and pretend the best we can that none of it really happened.

You are all entitled to you views but really people, the city is burning and empty of all business.

The government killed over a dozn people in the temple-women and children.

It is going to get worse.

You were calling for war?

Well now you have it and the city is being destroyed.

The army should have NEVER moved on the people like this.

It was stupid.

You like the results so far?

Wait until it burns for weeks.

Call in the UN.

Not stupid, inevitable. The moment the reds set up camp at Lumpini, this result was inevitable; we only found out it had to happen when the Reds rejected the peace plan because Suthep had turned himself into the wrong cop shop. Then, we knew the Reds had no intention of leaving until Thaksin got his money or Abhisit's scalp.

You're also wrong about BKK or the country burning for weeks. It's nearly over already, and the few flash fires that erupt over the next few days will be extinguished quickly, and the looting arsonists incarcerated for a good, long time. Don't worry, though, you'll get to enjoy watching your red friends in prison blue cleaning the sewers for the next few years, while their leaders' money is used to rebuild the damaged property.

Bangkok's a big town; a few fires won't shut her down. hel_l, there are probably half a dozen decent blazes on any given day, red shirts or no. We'll be back to normal in no time, maybe even better than before, since there will be about 5000 fewer hoodlums walking around free.

Why is everyone condemning the red shirts? Are you all condemning the rioters in Greece, too? Those guys aren't even fighting for democracy. They were fighting for their own greed. At least the red shirts are trying to take back the country that was stolen by the military coup. I guess the guys with the biggest guns and tanks win, in this case that'd be the Thai govt. Very sad. And the Thai economy just went from bad to worse. But maybe that will be good for the dollar exchange. (J/K)

I am wondering why all the newly joined members always appear to be red supporters. I am yet to see a new member who was anti red.

Just very strange

They've been busy for the past couple months and couldn't post.

Why is everyone condemning the red shirts? Are you all condemning the rioters in Greece, too? Those guys aren't even fighting for democracy. They were fighting for their own greed. At least the red shirts are trying to take back the country that was stolen by the military coup. I guess the guys with the biggest guns and tanks win, in this case that'd be the Thai govt. Very sad. And the Thai economy just went from bad to worse. But maybe that will be good for the dollar exchange. (J/K)

Perhaps you should click on over to "GreekVisa.com" and find out. As for the reds, don't kid yourself - for most, this all about greed too -- "protesting" was a job, and nothing more (and probably the best paying job they'd ever had).

For what it's worth, just saw on Sean Boonpracong's FB page a reference to the "beautiful blue waters of Ko Samet." Could be he's there, could be misdirection, or could be en route to points unknown. Bottom line is that he fled the sinking ship like a rat.

For what it's worth, Sean Boonpracong makes a reference on his FB page to the "beautiful blue waters of Koh Samet" or some such. Could be misdirection, or he could be on his way to points unkown.