pastitche

But you quoted me; if you want to argue with him about Thaksin's popularity feel free to respond to him.

You picked the argument. You quoted my response to Kerry.

But you quoted me; if you want to argue with him about Thaksin's popularity feel free to respond to him.

You picked the argument. You quoted my response to Kerry.

I was pointing out your continued obsession with the term majority. I am happy that you appear to accept now that the government has been legitimately elected, so we can live happily ever after

past itche, Lighten up, many posters are serious some are for a laugh, Many topics run into another, we can also assume there were other questions asked, although the topic is re cabinet reshuffle, the fact is she is ALWAYS dodging Questions, so that prompts other responses. Just sticking to the question all the time, shortens topics and gets then boring, as there wouldn't be enough other topics to SLAG Ha Ha

An interesting suggestion from someone who rarely if ever posts anything lighthearted.

Discussion on this forum is frequently ill-tempered, insulting and ill-disciplined. Having no personal allegiance to either of the sides in this conflict, my contributions are normally intended to ridicule the use of irrelevant soundbites

pastitche, why would it collapse in court,???? what court, under sisters guidance. ?? Poor illustration-bringing Abhisit into the frame. What happened Prior to the election, and during and post election, he deserves more than 2 years, Near NO bloodshed would have happened if him and his billions had kept out of it. (He did promise he was out of politics) but isn't just like the famous family promise.

I really don't know how to make it clearer but I will try

I am making no points about Thaksin and his guilt. He has been found guilty and sentenced. Nor did I refer to the events of 2010.

I made the point that "Thaksin thinks, Pheau Thai acts" can be construed in different ways because of the lack of conjunction between the phrases. It would collapse in any court because it is open to a number of interpretations and any prosecutor, trying to have PTP banned on that basis would recognise that it could not stand as evidence that he was involved in the management of PTP.

Unlike you I take no sides in the ongoing hostilities in here and what I post is frequently as in this case based on what the law in Thailand is.

You obviously responded to my earlier post without understanding its content; I believe you to be a native English speaker so I cannot understand why that would be the case.

Are you never going to accept the fact that a majority is a normal reference in a parliamentary democracy for the party that won the greatest share of seats?

Speculating about why people voted for PTP is is a fruitless task ; more fertile ground would be trying to find why they did not vote for the Democrats yet again.

I accept that the PTP won the election with a majority of seats and a near majority of votes.

That is a lot different than "the majority of voters want Thaksin back".

I never suggested that the majority of voters or even the majority of PTP voters want Thaksin back. I have no evidence to support or reject that proposition and to be honest, it does not concern me either way, although it appears to be a doomsday scenario to many posters on here. Thaksin is a corrupt politician , politicians everywhere are corrupt. His return or continued absence will not, I believe, affect my life significantly.

You didn't. Kerry did.

But you quoted me; if you want to argue with him about Thaksin's popularity feel free to respond to him.

Incidentally I have two nephews who were born in your native country; does that qualify me as a Dutch uncle too?

According to Wiki:

"Dutch uncle is a term for a person who issues frank, harsh, and severe comments and criticism to educate, encourage, or admonish someone. Thus, a "Dutch uncle" is a person who is rather the reverse of what is normally thought of as avuncular or uncle-like (which would be indulgent and permissive)."

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Dutch_uncle

Maybe I should ask your nephews

I, of course, am a Dutch uncle by virtue [sic] of being Dutch and an uncle, amongst others that is

Yes but in any English definition of Dutch uncle there has to be the possibility of being an uncle to Dutch children; that's how the language works. So I could be avuncular and still be a Dutch uncle

I do not really agree with this explanation, the second sentence can be correct, but not because of the first sentence. With English as second or maybe third language there is a faint possibility that I might be wrong

I truly admire your fluency in English, I wish I could emulate it in Thai; but you are wrong. "Dutch uncle" has a specific meaning in the sense that you use it but the words themselves can be combined otherwise with their literal meanings.

If I said to you that I got a French letter today, you could make two interpretations:

I bought a condom or

I received a letter from France.

English is in many ways an imprecise language and can be confusing. My nephews would call me their Scottish uncle. Speaking to them directly, of course, I would not describe myself as their Dutch uncle because that would be inaccurate.

However if I say to you that I am a French lover, it has two meanings:

I am French and a gigolo or

I love French things.

All completely off topic but perhaps the moderators won't object to a little friendly banter instead of the normal vituperation

As one British interviewer said "That was a very good answer minister, unfortunately it was not the question I asked."

What British interviewer, to whom and what does it have to do with Yingluck?

I believe it was Jeremy Paxman interviewing Michael Howard (who was described by one of his colleagues as having "something of the dark about him"). It has nothing whatsoever to do with this topic or Yingluck but ..........it's TV

A few of the interviewers from the 70/80s in the UK would have had her a blubbering wreck.

Interviewers in the 70/80s UK would have been sufficiently intelligent and politically sophisticated not to expect a PM to answer questions about a cabinet re-shuffle before it happened.

And they wouldn't ask the poodle of the PM. They would ask the real PM. But if I remember right UK had never a PM that controlled the country from Dubai.

The PM undoubtedly is a front for her brother but that is not the point of this thread - it is about whether it is acceptable for her to refuse to answer questions about changes to the cabinet. If the anti-government posters stuck to topic this thread would have died by now.

As one British interviewer said "That was a very good answer minister, unfortunately it was not the question I asked."

A typical tactic by ministers, particularly under Thatcher but not the case here.

A few of the interviewers from the 70/80s in the UK would have had her a blubbering wreck.

Interviewers in the 70/80s UK would have been sufficiently intelligent and politically sophisticated not to expect a PM to answer questions about a cabinet re-shuffle before it happened.

You are right on this topic, but on any other one, she'd be fish bait.

But of course the topic is about journalists asking about an upcoming cabinet re-shuffle, so perhaps you are starying off topic.

Just a wild guess it was one of many questions asked, instead of giving a smile and 1 or 2 minutes of her time she found a way out by picking this question to end the pressure. It is ironic that a very popular P.M( landslide )is not confident to answer questions that should be easy for her. it is nearly everytime she is confronted the brick wall goes up. What is up with the popular leader ???? she fears what ???

"Just a wild guess" - a very worthwhile contribution, I'll have to give that some thought

Agree Yingluck acts. as in acting out not for real, because what has she acted on. ??? I'm not saying she has not done anything, far from it, but what her party HAVEN'T done and should have done is another story. Do they understand what promises are ???? On topic, the reds are afraid of a bigger bloody nose if they go too far, hence the fear. They near got off scott free last time.

Ginjag read my post again. I was making a point to Ozmick that the phrase "Thaksin thinks, PTP acts" would collapse in court if used as a reason to ban PTP for his involvement in the party. "Abhisit thinks, Yingluck acts" was used as an illustration of how the meaning could be changed.

A few of the interviewers from the 70/80s in the UK would have had her a blubbering wreck.

Interviewers in the 70/80s UK would have been sufficiently intelligent and politically sophisticated not to expect a PM to answer questions about a cabinet re-shuffle before it happened.

Dont ask questions, just take photos

Ouch!

Yingluck is in a bit of a spot though. The political journos know their stuff better than she does so when they ask questions it must be like being back at school.

Where in the world do political journalists expect an answer from a Prime Minister about what will happen in a cabinet re-shuffle? If you know of any example, I would like to hear of it; However I suspect that you can't find any.

Are you never going to accept the fact that a majority is a normal reference in a parliamentary democracy for the party that won the greatest share of seats?

Speculating about why people voted for PTP is is a fruitless task ; more fertile ground would be trying to find why they did not vote for the Democrats yet again.

I accept that the PTP won the election with a majority of seats and a near majority of votes.

That is a lot different than "the majority of voters want Thaksin back".

I never suggested that the majority of voters or even the majority of PTP voters want Thaksin back. I have no evidence to support or reject that proposition and to be honest, it does not concern me either way, although it appears to be a doomsday scenario to many posters on here. Thaksin is a corrupt politician , politicians everywhere are corrupt. His return or continued absence will not, I believe, affect my life significantly.

One way to avoid a "judicial coup" is to obey electoral law, a concept PTP still can't grasp. IMHO it is only the fear of the repercussions that has prevented PTP from being disbanded for its blatant use of banned politicians in campaigning - perhaps that was the intent.

And yet the last Dem-led government wasn't disbanded for it's blatant use of a banned politician in the formation of it's coalition. Obviously it's a concept of electoral law that the Dems can't grasp too. IMHO it was only the fear of the repercussions (another election and another government formed by the party with the most MP's) that stopped that last Dem-led government from being disbanded.

As usual, you use flawed logic for a cheap shot. If a coalition partner has active involvement of a banned leader, surely it would be THAT party that would be disbanded. Do you recall any posters saying "Newin thinks, Democrats act" ?

I suspect you have never considered how easy it would be to show in court that "Thaksin thinks, PTP acts" is ambiguous enought to mean exactly the opposite from your interpretation (although I have no doubt that yours is what was the intended message for the masses); there is no overt connection between the two statements.

Consider this - "Abhisit thinks, Yingluck acts".....

See what I mean?

He or his family has won every election he ran in. Fair or not fair is a moot point. He won and your opinion of what the majority wants is not what has been shown in election after election. The only way the majority is defeated in Thailand is by coup. So man up and get ready because it is only a matter of time before the majority rules. Why Yingluck even talks to reporters is a mystery to me. No one has any real doubts about what's going on.

He hasn't got a majority vote in every election he's run in, and in the last election people would have voted for PTP for plenty of other reasons than bringing him back.

Are you never going to accept the fact that a majority is a normal reference in a parliamentary democracy for the party that won the greatest share of seats?

Speculating about why people voted for PTP is is a fruitless task ; more fertile ground would be trying to find why they did not vote for the Democrats yet again.

Public servant (or rather puppet servant) in a prominent position as a ''Prime Minister'' and she wants the press to stop asking questions concerning the rest of the cabinet puppets.

Wow, is not the man and the woman in the street supposed to know how devious this maladministration is, or can't she contact the puppet master ?

P.T. Democracy,

The fourth estate despite its faults is one of the front line defenders of democracy, truth hurts politicians with hidden agenda's and those politicians who are unable to act independently.

Why on earth do you expect an incumbent PM to announce changes to cabinet positions to the press, before the people involved have been informed? That happens nowhere in the world.

Thaksin must not be associated with Hitler.

He is a very evil man.

which one these two?

I think that you can tell the difference between a man whose regime was responsible for industrially-engineered genocide and Thaksin.

Not trying to defend Hitler, but the 'volkswagen' and the 'autobahn' were a good idea, even if followed through for more sinister reasons. K. Thaksin of course would never get involved or even dictate genocide, that's bad for business nowadays as all know. That would really hurt revenue and ROI. In other words, not to be done

Yes and Mussolini made the trains run on time

Incidentally I have two nephews who were born in your native country; does that qualify me as a Dutch uncle too?

According to Wiki:

"Dutch uncle is a term for a person who issues frank, harsh, and severe comments and criticism to educate, encourage, or admonish someone. Thus, a "Dutch uncle" is a person who is rather the reverse of what is normally thought of as avuncular or uncle-like (which would be indulgent and permissive)."

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Dutch_uncle

Maybe I should ask your nephews

I, of course, am a Dutch uncle by virtue [sic] of being Dutch and an uncle, amongst others that is

Yes but in any English definition of Dutch uncle there has to be the possibility of being an uncle to Dutch children; that's how the language works. So I could be avuncular and still be a Dutch uncle

Thaksin must not be associated with Hitler.

He is a very evil man.

which one these two?

I think that you can tell the difference between a man whose regime was responsible for industrially-engineered genocide and Thaksin.

The UK experts particularly liked the "1,000 Boats To Push Flood Waters From Chao Phraya River".

I must have missed that - where was it said?

Your funny bone must be out of order. That was a prime example of sarcasm.

Always glad and willing to offer free and unwanted advice and information, your local Dutch uncle

That, uncle, is where we disagree.This thread is supposed to be about the UK HPA's comments on Thailand's successful avoidance of serious outbreaks of disease during and following the floods last year - not the ineptitude of the incumbent government and its attempts at mitigation.

I really do have a sense of humour and my post that you quoted was a real example of sarcasm.

Incidentally I have two nephews who were born in your native country; does that qualify me as a Dutch uncle too?

The UK experts particularly liked the "1,000 Boats To Push Flood Waters From Chao Phraya River".

I must have missed that - where was it said?

It didn't sound like a commendation to me more like you blew it with the exception of health care and even that needs a little tweaking.

What was GB doing reviewing the handling of the flood. Are we going to be getting reviews from other countries?

No need for other reviews - we have enough experts on TV,as exemplified by your response. I suspect that if you rethink your reading of the OP the UK Health Protection Agency said nothing to suggest "you blew it". Nor would they ever comment outwith their area of expertise, unlike so many here.

A limited scope of observation. Focused in the health issues, '

not housing, work loss, water management or duration,

but simply on how the clean up and toxicity over-spill are handled.

And "United Kingdom health experts have cautiously commended... "

cautiously is left out of the title, leading to an 'as far as they have seen'

commendation not a definitive one.

You may not have noticed in your rush to judgement that this was the UK Health Protection Agency; why on earth would they comment on housing, work loss or water management?

I can only say that today I went with my wife to Makro and the price of beer is less than the last time (months ago I must admit - it's been too hot to do other than send her). So one of these women has been responsible for my overspending several hundred baht. Should I blame Yingluck or Mrs P?