assayer

Rice scheme burns out. Tablet maker bankrupt. First time car buyers not getting their rebates. That's 0/3 for the Shin populist promises! Well done!

The spin meister is back ...surely not even you could blame YL for this. Blame here is squarely with Suthep. No other explanation warrants consideration.

So, since Suthep helped to expose the rice scam, he is to balme for the G/G deal falling apart. ARE you for Real??

Fools on all sides of this chaos, and Thida is yet another of them. Horrible old witch who will make you feel like scratching your own eyes out if you listen to her for more than 2 minutes. Just another example of the mad people who try to be leaders in this battle.

The USA is also blessed with their own Thida. Her name is Hilary!!!!

Once again we see the true colours of the reds, they are the violent thugs and will kill anyone who op[poses them, even peacefull protesters. This is directly on yingluck and she is now responsible for this death. Comeon all you red lovers, start bragging how great you are now .

Please let me remind you once again. It was not Yingluck that started this problem, but his excellency the mouth from the south. So this death has to be directly his responsibility. If he had not started this problem, that man would still be alive and waiting for the next election whilst the Elected government would be getting on with running the country as they were popularly elected by a large majority to do.

All that has happened in this country for the past several months has been a chain of events which was started by Yingluck and the failed amnesty bill.

It was not Yingluck who said she would not resign

It was Thaksin who said she would not resign

Poor now even allowed to make her own decisions about her own life ..

YS ...... "Thaksin is it ok if I go potty now"

You have made an outrageous allegation here which is highly inflammatory.

You state "It was Thaksin who said she would not resign"

You have not put this as an opinion, you have not referred to unverified and therefore possible false newspaper reports from unnamed and unknown people.

You have made a claim it was Thaksin.

Please back up this absolute allegation you have made with unequivocal proof that your statement is 100% correct !

Why should he or I or anyone else have to give unequivacable facts in a foram format. This is the place to state rumors, facts or almost anything else you feel like stating!

Let me see if I understand this: one guy goes and talks (only talks) with girl, gets in a fight and is separated by staff. Not happy with that, fighter A shoots at talker/fighter B who runs away and is not hit. Fighter A figures Mr. P, being a friend of Mr B is a fair target and shoots him??? <deleted>? I would guess 9mm equals BIB. Knows that no punishment will happen, let alone being brought in. Maybe he will just "hear' and "acknowledge" the charges, as DSI seems to think is enough. Only in Thailand. Amazing Thailand. Can't wait for some idiot to post "but it's worse in USA".

This is an editorial thing. This sort of thing happens everywhere. The murder rate is not particularly high in Thailand. Not by world standards. It really reflects the sort of story the editors think will create good blog material. That's what comes to the fore. It's grain of salt time.

Its a good story from an editor's point of view. It is bound to create heat amongst a bunch of wanke_rs with nothing better to do than scoff at each other's opinions. OK OK

I'll say it before you do. Self included.

We don't even have the benefit of a bar to do it in.

If you really believe that statement maybe you should check this link!

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_wit_fir-crime-murders-with-firearms

Hmmm .... One hellava chess game ?????

You can't compare this <deleted> to chess - politicians from both sides are about as subtle as hand grenades and have the tactical thinking of a 7 year old with dyslexia.

It's all a game of "mine's bigger than yours" being carried out by playground bullies.

They should rename this place Kindergartenland.

Nothing unique to Thailand. Have you forgotten how the opposition in the "world's most powerful nation" recently shut-down government operations because they didn't like legislation introduced by the democratically elected party in power?

Perhaps DOCNO, you have forgotten that the Congress of the USA is a fully elected group. Which is divided into two distinct groups. And all laws must pass both the House and the Senate to be instituted.

You are right that in the Senate the ruling party is the duly elected Democrats, however, in the House the ruling party is the duly elected Republicans.

So, you see, there are two distinctly different governments in the USA and in Thailand.

Double post deleted

Get a life. Over a 100 years ago Thai women went topless in the street.

Better get out into the villages , they still do!!

Let's see:

The country does not have the money to pay the rice farmers as promised......

Money is finding it's way into a vacuum......

They want to undermine the Constitution.....and render the people powerless....

They want to "free" a brutal criminal, hang a halo on his head and bring him back.....

They want to float a loan in the billions of dollars......

Inept leadership flying all over the planet with a cut and paste happy face.....

Finger puppet politicians.......

Votes and thugs are purchased and following marching orders....

Sounds pretty much like Thai-merica

Except the media seems a bit more balanced here.....

LMAO

Protests cause number of foreign tourists to drop by 300,000: permanent secretary
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- On-going protests have caused the number of foreign tourist to drop by 300,000 so far, the permanent secretary for Tourism and Sports said Wednesday.

Suwat Sitthilor, the permanent secretary, said the drop of foreign tourists had caused the country to lose about Bt16 billion in what it should have received from the foreign tourists.

The damage would be higher if the protests continued until the end of next month, Suwat said.

But, But, But, They said there was no drop in tourism numbers, no hotel cancellations, and no loss of income!!!!!

Is this Axe the makers of over-priced BOderant?

Actually, I was hoping Yingluk might have booked herself (with taxpayer's money) on the first manned Mars landing. I'm sure she could justify it by the exchange of Martian canal technology and flood management for the Thai version of democracy.

On the bright side, it would scarcely affect her parliamentary (non)attendance record, and it has been proven that the country can be run via Skype.

Maybe yingluck could work out a world-to-world trade with the Martians . Giving them some of the extra water and rice that is here!

Travel-warning threat looms over tourism
Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The tourism industry could lose Bt25 billion in revenue next month if countries issue their highest warnings against travelling to the Kingdom, said Sugree Sithivanich, deputy governor for marketing communications of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

If that were to happen, the number of foreign arrivals in December would drop by 8-10 per cent year on year. That would mean that for the whole of 2013, the number of arrivals would be only 25.75 million, down from 26.1 million as projected previously.

If such a situation lasted into the first quarter of 2014, the number of foreign tourists could be expected to grow by just 7 per cent year on year. Previously, the TAT expected arrivals to increase by 13 per cent to 28.01 million next year. However, tourism revenue would be about the same as projected previously, with an increase of almost 13 per cent to about Bt1.326 trillion.

Still, Sugree said that if this scenario transpired, only one to three months would be needed for a recovery, thanks to the quick rebound of short-haul foreign tourists.

If the scenario got even worse, like in 2008 when Suvarnabhumi Airport was shut down by protesters, the tourism outlook would be hit even harder. According to the TAT's projection, the number of foreign tourists would plunge to 650,000 in December, a decline of 18-20 per cent year on year, with a corresponding revenue loss of Bt27.9 billion. As a result, the total number of foreign tourists in 2013 would be just 25.55 million.

Sugree said it was hard for the TAT to analyse the situation because the political landscape is still cloudy, as is the probable impact with tourism. The degree of its impact would depend on the situation. For example, if there are casualties or the use of tear gas to disperse demonstrators, the outlook still may not be too gloomy.

But if the situation escalated into civil war, that would put an end to tourism. It would take the industry at least six months to rebound from that eventuality.

So far, however, tourism has not suffered. There is no sign of any cancellations of hotel reservations.

The 27 TAT overseas offices have made a major effort to provide potential tourists with clear information about the situation. Arrivals from China, Singapore and Malaysia, which are among the key short-haul markets along with Japan, are still at a good level.

So far, the flow of foreign tourists into the Kingdom continues to rise. According to the TAT, arrivals increased by 17.08 per cent to about 26.171 million in the period from January to November 14 when compared with the same period last year. During the period, tourism revenue grew by 19.69 per cent year on year to about Bt1.177 trillion.

If that were to happen, the number of foreign arrivals in December would drop by 8-10 per cent year on year. That would mean that for the whole of 2013, the number of arrivals would be only 25.75 million, down from 26.1 million as projected previously.

So far, the flow of foreign tourists into the Kingdom continues to rise. According to the TAT, arrivals increased by 17.08 per cent to about 26.171 million in the period from January to November 14 when compared with the same period last year. During the period, tourism revenue grew by 19.69 per cent year on year to about Bt1.177 trillion.

Someones number don't make sense to me

To the experts out there..... I assume this government is finished and its just a question of time before they give in realistically how long can a government hold on in a situation like this?

The 'situation like this' is that the opposition are demanding that the government resign. That would lead to another general election in which the same government would be re-elected with a large majority. The protesters are being orchestrated by the ruling elite who simply can't accept that they have lost power to the people. The demonstrators do not represent the overall view of Thai society, just a narrow, largely Bangkok based elite and the southern moslems who are (some would say, understandably) anti Thaksin, following the 'war on terror' in the South - they are unholy bedfellows of the Yellow shirts.

so even if the government can't 'hold on' as you suggest, they will be re-elected.....or do the yellow shirts have another, more sinister plan?

After seeing the size of the rally groups(pro and con) I don't see the PTP winning another election at this time.

I hope they tell her where to shove her olive branch. Do olive trees have thorns?

No such luck

Nuttawut, who is also a red-shirt leader, said that Suthep's action is contrary to democratic principles. "Suthep said he would end the rally within three days. If he is to do that, then he must use a way that is outside the democratic system," he said.

He added that the government would do their best to protect the principles of democracy.

The red shirts would also protect the "elected government" of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

I am of the opinion that the peaceful rallys which Suthep is leading is a vital part of the democratic process. For without them there would only be one --(Thaksin)---God.

Yingluck and Puea Thai are not 'clinging to power' as mentioned above. They were elected just over 2 years ago by a large majority - they don't need minor parties to keep them in power. The yellow shirts are seeking to overthrow by undemocratic means, the elected government of this country.

How do you know that PT would be returned with a decreased majority? Has anyone actually asked the supporters of PT? I doubt it. Most polls are conducted in 'Bangkok and surrounding provinces' and are conducted on behalf of the polling companies by university students who barely speak the same language as the ordinary Thais.

Sorry, 46% is not a large majority.

What has swinging got to do with Politics or protests?

Politicians are all Swingers!!! They swing to the money!!!!!!

As for me, I came upon an even more unbelievable item on Facebook. It was a video clip created by a young lady called "Green", in which she invites people to join her at a "swingers' party [swapping partners]" for a fee of Bt500. Though in the clip Green says she has posted her phone number on the Facebook page, it was not included in the shared version.Did anyone get her number? I want it too!!!!

So I guess everyone here condones this action against the police. Would you say the same thing if it was in your country. You all should join the mob, you fit in with them

I do condone the action of the rally guards, who were doing their duty as a guard. I don't condone roughing people up unless it is called for by their actions. But, since this is Thailand, I do suspect the undercover cops were acting very highhanded as most of them do.

TAT: More American visitors in 2014

BANGKOK: American tourist arrivals will rise by 5.5% to 1.13 million next year on the back of the US economic recovery, says the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The TAT forecasts these American travellers will spend 79.5 billion baht, up by 8.23% from this year.

In the first 10 months of 2013, American tourist arrivals increased by 7% year-on-year to 670,000.

HMMMM My calculator must be broken. Can anyone else come up with 1.13 million Americans next year?? I figured it to 717000 using their percentage numbers.