pitrevie

Rhetoric reminiscent of that  great liberator despot Mao Tse Tung

I agree for a great power the Chinese often resort to this juvenile and childish name calling. I still recall some of the names that Chris Patten the last British governor of Hong Kong was called, it was so childish. I often wonder how the Chinese would react if some of the main stream media in the west responded with the same silly name calling. Grow up china you are now one of the world's leading powers start acting like one.

From 2006

General news >> Saturday September 23, 2006 COUP AFTERMATH

Future looks bright after the coup, say astrologers

APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

Thailand will enjoy a brighter future and greater political stability in the aftermath of the coup while ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra will have to take refuge overseas for a long time, astrologers say.

Speaking for the first time after Tuesday night's coup, leading fortune-tellers shared optimistic views about the destiny of the country under the military junta.

Kitti Chaikijpinyo, of the Astrological Association, said from now on Thailand will enjoy substantial political and economic development because Saturn, Rahu and Jupiter have been moving into the right position, which would bring luck to the country.

Regarding the future of the ousted premier, he said, Mr Thaksin would not return to the political arena again.

''His zodiac can't get along with the country's star,'' said Mr Kitti. ''If he manages to make a comeback, he will be jolted by a similar crisis.''

Another astrologer who declined to be named, said everything was back on the right track after the coup d'etat.

''People will enjoy political stability and a healthy economy,'' he said.

The abrupt change of the political situation might be influenced by the recent demotion of Pluto's status from a planet to a dwarf planet, he said.

He agreed with Mr Kitti's prediction that Mr Thaksin would not come to power again.

However, the president of the Astrological Association, Pinyo Pongcharoen, thinks differently.

Stars told him that political conflict would drag on for at least another four years and would reach a peak in 2010, when another major political change would take place.

''I can't say whether it will be another coup d'etat in that year,'' he said.

But Mr Pinyo added that Mr Thaksin would not return to Thailand soon.

Astrologers have gained much credibility as many had predicted months earlier that the country would face a major political change in September, possibly through a military coup.

However, many of them refused to make a prediction on the country's future for fear that their star readings might be regarded as criticism of the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM).

Kijja Taweekulkij states on his fortune-telling website that he will stop forecasting the political situation for a while as the country was under the coup's rules.

''However, I can assure you that a group of people who destroyed the country will be heavily punished,'' he said.

I find that very reassuring now that the astrologers have pronounced, I will be able to sleep much better after reading that.

I think Kipling got it right the female of the species is far deadlier than the male.

Private ownership of guns should be outlawed . The Ruby Ridge, loony right arguments do not apply to Thailand.

All together now the NRA mantra, guns don't kill people blah blah blah

Until you mentioned it I had no idea a count was kept of likes and no I haven't rushed to see how many I have got. It reminds me of Facebook where a friend is constantly telling me how many likes he has achieved that day.

So do these 2 monsters deserve prison or the death sentence ?

The death sentence is the easy option but I was impressed with the judge in the last case where the only remaining member of the 9/11 terrorists was brought to justice. The government there asked for the death penalty. On May 3, 2006, a jury decided against the death penalty for Moussaoui. The next day, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. As he was led out of the courtroom, Moussaoui clapped his hands and said, "America, you lost... I won." Judge Brinkema responded by telling him that he would "die with a whimper" and "never get a chance to speak again." That guy is now going to be in that cell for the rest of his life, isolated from human contact and I think the judge got it exactly right.

Many thanks for that reply nottocus.

Does anyone have experience of the VOA at Vientiane International Airport. I assume that the VOA is available, can it be paid for in Thai baht?

I hold a UK passport.

I always got a laugh from my father. He has never exercised one minute in his entire

life. When I asked him why, he felt that it simply wore your body out faster.......

He is 89 and in perfect health, so maybe his theory is valid. Going to the gym

and stressing your body to the limit may not be as beneficial as it seems. Clearly

that was the case with this guy...

Montgomery once boasted to Churchill that he neither smoked nor drank and was 100% fit. Churchill replied that he smoked and drank and was 200% fit.

I think it would be far easier to ask the question is there any of the rice left that the Thai government actually paid for or has it all gone.

It reminds me of the story of King Canute.

lack of scruples in the banking sector

welcome to the real world WE HAVE KNOW THIS FOR DECADES

Couldn't agree more, even the Vatican bank was on the top ten list for money laundering at one stage which also involved the Italian Mafia. As for Europe and North America, is there any bank that hasn't engaged in illegal activities in recent years and had huge fines imposed on them? Probably top place must go to the Swiss and a few other similar countries that have accepted any blood soaked deposits no matter from whom and where. I am just surprised given the activities of the financial institutions in recent years they don't all relocate their HQ's to Las Vegas.

Try the "Box Wine" Mont Clair.....5 liters for around 1000 baht.

Oh dear!

Ah the old stack them high at the front ploy that should fool everyone.

Inter bank transfers in the UK used to take a couple of days but in other European countries it was taking a matter of hours and of course the UK banks explained to the then Finance Minister George Brown how difficult it was for them to do transfers so quickly when everyone knew the real reason. Brown threatened the banks with legislation unless they improved and since then the transfer from my UK bank to the Thai bank takes a matter of hours. It is credited to my Thai bank account on the same day it was debited from my UK bank account. So good old Mr Brown did do some thing right.

Why is nobody pointing the dreaded finger at him, is he getting special treatment already?

Yes but Stalin was quite happy to sign a treaty with one of those dictators in the belief that the capatalists west would tear itself apart without any help from him. Shame he didn't read Mein Kampf.

What you mean the same dictator that chamberline signed a pact with for "peace in our time" or Joseph Kennedy supported?

And is that the same Stalin who wanted to sign a pact with Britain and France, a desire the British took so seriously they sent their diplomats on a long slow boat journey to Russia? That Stalin? Of course there were always planes for hitler.

You were the one claiming that it was Russia that kept Europe free when it was Stalin's original intention to see Europe go under to the Nazi dictator and only when Hitler turned on him did he stop his day dreaming and realize that Hitler was a threat to the Soviet Union as great as to that of Europe. Far from keeping Europe free, half of Europe was given the Communist jackboot to replace the Nazi jackboot.

No, I'm the one saying that Russians saved Europe twice from megalomaniac dictators.

The USSR wanted buffer states between itself and the west due to it's experiences during WW1, the civil war and the Russo-Polish wars in the early 1920s when Russia was invaded and occupied by external forces. The last thing he and the USSR military wanted was a Germany occupying the whole of Europe.

The USSR tried to set up a pact with France and the UK to keep Germany at bay. This was treated in a dismissive manner by the UK who sent low level officials by boat [ a long slow journey] who had no power to conclude a treaty. Stalin recognised this for what it was, delaying tactics while Western Europe did what it could to appease hitler and avoid giving him cause to claim they were plotting against him by signing a treaty with the USSR. He did to the west what they were willing to do to him. I don't justify it but don't make out stalin was the only one looking out for his own position at the expense of others. Do I admire stalin, no I don't. He was a vicious, paranoid, murderous, sadistic thug.

What happened at the end of WW2 was a travesty but hardly surprising given the history of the past 31 years when Russia/USSR suffered four invasions and massive loss of life due to invasions from or backed by the west.

However all that is moot.

My original point was that to denigrate all Russians because of the actions of the more contemptible types is wrong and we should all remember the huge sacrifices ordinary citizens from Russia/USSR made in the past to defeat those who would have made Europe their empire.

I think maybe you should tell the occupants of the Soviet satellite states that they were saved from a megalomaniac dictator. However I agree with you about the sacrifice of the soviet people many of whom were also liquidated by Stalin but also gave their lives in a great struggle against Nazism.

another loser russian ''putin on the dog''..................if russia didnt have xxx porn star woman woman and gas for sale, they wouldnt have a freind in the world..

Funny how when a scumbag Russian is arrested, for some people all Russians become objects of contempt. Yet we forget it was Russia/USSR that defeated napoleon and nazi germany to free Europe from two megalomaniac dictators.

Yes but Stalin was quite happy to sign a treaty with one of those dictators in the belief that the capatalists west would tear itself apart without any help from him. Shame he didn't read Mein Kampf.

What you mean the same dictator that chamberline signed a pact with for "peace in our time" or Joseph Kennedy supported?

And is that the same Stalin who wanted to sign a pact with Britain and France, a desire the British took so seriously they sent their diplomats on a long slow boat journey to Russia? That Stalin? Of course there were always planes for hitler.

You were the one claiming that it was Russia that kept Europe free when it was Stalin's original intention to see Europe go under to the Nazi dictator and only when Hitler turned on him did he stop his day dreaming and realize that Hitler was a threat to the Soviet Union as great as to that of Europe. Far from keeping Europe free, half of Europe was given the Communist jackboot to replace the Nazi jackboot.

It does remind you of the statement by J Edgar Hoover of the FBI when he denied that there was such a thing as organized crime and that the mafia didn't operate in the USA.

another loser russian ''putin on the dog''..................if russia didnt have xxx porn star woman woman and gas for sale, they wouldnt have a freind in the world..

Funny how when a scumbag Russian is arrested, for some people all Russians become objects of contempt. Yet we forget it was Russia/USSR that defeated napoleon and nazi germany to free Europe from two megalomaniac dictators.

Yes but Stalin was quite happy to sign a treaty with one of those dictators in the belief that the capatalists west would tear itself apart without any help from him. Shame he didn't read Mein Kampf.

It does seem remarkable that Brooks was acquitted. I recall watching her in front of the Commons Select committee admitting to bribing a police officer in return for information and she thought that was legal.

I think it would be more to the point if the OP was to read

Chula academic calls for enforcement of the law.

Given the financial penalties imposed on banks in Europe and the USA for all sorts of dubious dealings with nary even one person having to spend time at HM's pleasure as we say in the UK the Thai banks have a lot of catching up to do.