paymaster

That Land Scandal just wont go away.

Who is on it? surely there must be plots and maps of the land in question. Been very hushed up since the first coup. when they took over the DSI and lately when the PDRC raided the DSI again.

Co-incidence that last 2 coups revolved around this land grab investigation?

Sutheps followers really showing that they do not understand him, and showing they are far from the level oc critical or anylitacl thinking required to move Thailand forward... as they are on Red side as well.

Problem is that the Educated think they are above the poor.... They are not. They think in the same way and have their opinions dictated to them by their masters.

The reform here needs to go way way beyond Thaksin, and well into the Forces and the backers.... Or else.. It's just another Coup and grab for power.

It's a Coup unless you reform the army and courts as well. Any offers from them..... 555555555555555 in your dreams

Very true but I haven't seen anything by the PTP government about reform of the courts or the army. Maybe I'm wrong or maybe they just cant do that. They have however sided with the army over the deaths in 2010. Despite all the evidence so far suggesting that the deaths so far investigated were caused by the army not following the ROE rather than being ordered by Abhisit and Suthep the army have an amnesty (in law I believe) and Tarit said the army wouldn't be investigated. So the PTP are as much puppets of the military as the Dems were alleged to be.

It seems to me the big worry is not about the reform of the Army but who will have the authority to appoint Gen Prayuth's successor in just nine months time. This will be Thailand's turning point. Democracy depends on this critical appointment. The military is holding the country together at the moment. If Gen Santhi Boonyaratgalin had not staged a coup democracy would be long gone. The term "President for Life" springs ti mind.

I feel sorry for her really. This was never her idea. Put up to it by her brother and thug mates.

This will be with her for the rest of her life. We all know how Thais feel about food. Especially rice!!

Did you see the crocodile tears and smirk performances?

I originally liked her, but it soon became obvious she is just a front, does as told, as no real interest, and skives off her duties as much as possible. Add to that the lies, even early on in her tenure (remember the 'my helicopter can't fly at night) and you you see the real character. The way she shoved her son in front of other kids to walk out with Chelsea, pushing some out at the last minute regardless of their feelings, demonstrates how family focused they are.

And clowns on here think that she actually runs the government and PTP have the peoples interests at heat!

The NACC probe into Shin corruption is overdue. Let's hope they have more teeth than the poor Ombudsman who's been waiting over 2 years for an answer.

If you're repulsed by the corruption practiced by elected governments of Thailand, wait till you see what a dictatorship established by the Old Guard will do.

In nine months time the Chief of Army, Gen Prayuth, is up for replacement. If the caretaker Gov't controls that assignment of a new Army head we could well have a whole new kind of Democracy that even publicus wont like.

Absolutely ridiculous! Everyone knows I was out shopping at the time.

Fire the bunch of them. Seems like the just don't want to do their job and trying to find a way out of it. If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.

The EC wants a meeting which, to me, sounds logical. Sadly she like you. She is nowhereman.

I like to see if Suthep has the balls to try it himself.

Don't talk about balls mate. Suthep is in town leading from the front. The other guy is nowhereman.

If they can't keep this little number on the rails I dread the day high speed rail gets the nod! Thailand is fast becoming the hub of derailments.

Hope the Thai people and all you foreigners living in Bangkok have a wonderful protest next week. You now see what type of mad man Suthep is. You will see how the Germans lived with Hitler. .

Hitler was elected. And build his private brown shirts.

So it better fits Thaksin and his red shirts. We'll close our company on Monday as all staff will go to the demonstrations.

So will it be paid leave? You better check they may just stay home and laugh at you for giving them off.

You seem to have little idea about how strongly many Thais feel in support of Suthep. The Bkk protestors are doing so without payment and in fact are contributing money and food to the protest.

The same contributions could not be asked of red shirt "supporters".

In my opinion the terminology "Taksin Shinawatra was overthrown by Royalist Generals in a coup in 2006." implicates a higher institution and should be removed.

This month is the month of 'make or break'. Please wait for a signal from us.

I'm gonna stock up on popcorn, because it will get get exciting this month .

What a sad post!! "Our" country might be on the brink of a civil war, and to you it is entertaiment!!

Shame on you!!

After all the inflammatory posts by many people one should beware of shaming anyone. The pot calling the kettle black comes to mind.

How in hell can you get away with destroying public property, inciting public unrest, intimidation and violation of ISA, and get released on a 3000$ bail??

Something very rotten in the state of Thailand!!

So what is new??

You regularly state that you are "no fan of the Shinawatras". Sorry, I don't believe you.

What time will it drop?

Don't be so flippant. Surely its more important to know what time it lands!

I suppose it is safe to assume that the Navy Chief has carried out a full and comprehensive investigation into the alleged Naval involvement in this tawdry affair.

The results of this investigation would no doubt have been passed to the PM and her approval sought, in her role as Defense Minister, prior to the Royal Thai Navy taking this almost unprecedented action against these journos.

Perhaps I should have started with " I assume it is safe to suppose". Then again perhaps neither is correct.

Dear Thai people! Please stop allow the leaders of both sides of the divide to use you as pawns!

It goes for the followers of madman Suthep as well for the followers of the wannabe Amart redshirt-leaders.

They couldn't care less about you!! You are just means used to retain their spot at the trough!

I know many Thais who would be highly offended by this post. Here are a few pointers.

Step 1. To avoid further inciting the divide do not use inflammatory terms. e.g. madman Suthep.

Step 2. Use language that cannot be construed as patronizing or condescending.

Step 3. Encourage thought and accept different points of view, even Thai viewpoints.

Step 4. Understand that many Thais actually consider the facts as they affect both them and Thailand

before taking any action.

Step 5. Accept that people the world over align themselves to a political doctrine.

I accept that you may well have the best wishes for the early resolution of this current dilemma

Because his sister and her government provided him with a diplomatic passport.

Again, even if this is true, it happened after the military dictatorship. It does not answer the question why he was never extradited during the military dictatorship.

Sorry, wrong again. There was a military coup which re-established an elected government in a very short time.

There was never what could be described as a dictatorship. A dictatorship is precisely what the coup prevented.

All stories have "history " to them. Please, diceq, if you really care about these matters please check the history.

The coup either saved or restored the checks and balances because they were exactly the targets the man from

Dubai was aiming at.

I suppose it goes without saying that the Royal Thai Navy has conducted a full and thorough investigation into this matter

and released all subsequent findings to the PM in her role as Defense minister prior to launching these legal proceedings.

Or maybe not.

I'm 20000 baht better off every month from when it was 43 baht to the pound.. So I hope it sinks and sinks..

Oh dear! Is that "I was" or "I'm"?

"Dodges" is a relative term. He's still looking at 50 years.

They're tricky the Thai BIB. Even if he got 800 years he'd probably die before his times up and Dodge it anyway.

Sounds like Toyota is getting in the same bind the USA car makers got into with dealing with unions and overpaying

I fail to see any link to union demands in this story. USA car makers got into a bind over reasonable wages/excessive profits/corporate responsibility.

They happily closed down car making in Michigan and surrounding states, destroyed coal and steel in Pennsylvania and destroyed the American

economy for excessive profits on the back of low wages paid in developing countries. No corporate responsibility to the USA on display there, only greed.

I don't know if it's true or not, but I've heard it said that all members of the Phuea Thai Party have their salaries supplemented by a certain fellow from Dubai.

If this is so a sort of Dictatorship already exists already and vote buying pales into insignificance. Does anyone out there know if this is true?

Thirty people have been killed in floods that have hit four provinces in the Northeast, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said yesterday.

The disaster is that 30 people are dead despite being assured that they would be prevented from being flooded. The Mitigation is that they are only poor peasants, not important Bangkok people.

Not sure that I agree that they are only "poor peasants". North Easteners took a couple of hundred baht each to ensure that the "important Bangkok People call the shots.

You know the old saying. People get the government they deserve.

Anyway I don't think that given the rainfall in the Thai terrain anyone could overpower mother nature on a rampage.

The same headline with a couple of word changes was used a fortnight ago! "Floods unlikely but Thailand must prepare for the worst".

How wonderful to be one of the self righteous! The majority of people living in Thailand would not dream of drinking and driving in any developed Country because of the high incidence of being caught. Here, the ball is on the other foot and sorry to say many fall into the trap of "no one will know", just the same as people ride bikes without helmets, buy land using nominees, do not pay taxes in Thailand that they should - I think that would probably encompass a very large proportion of those on this forum?

To be more practical, if he is an ex-serviceman, there are more options open than just the British Legion. Contact SSAFA, or Army Benevolent Fund or his Regimental Association. I am sure one or more would be able to come to his rescue. Chinese proverb, "many hands make light work".

Good luck Gerry and I hope you make a full and speedy recovery.

Thank you for confirming that "Here the ball is on the other foot'. Please, would you also confirm that the shoe is in your court. Thank you.

No doubt he's a wonderful man. I hope he makes it through this tough time in his life. Where are all the posters raising funds and donating money...you pack of hypocrites.

What a sad piece of kit you'd be. Apart from the fact that your the first poster, indicating donors might need a bit more time, your post would be

more likely to deter charity than encourage it. So what have you been doing since you left the Diplomatic Corps.

The brunt of the force delivered to the track goes to the sleepers and substrate as a pair of shock absorbers. Cheap steel must be REALLY cheap to be the culprit. I rode a train to Sirin two years ago, and there are places where the trains slow to a crawl because the sleepers are rotting out and the substrate is washing out...causing the trains to wobble from side to side on the way through the danger zone. Even expensive steel will buckle under these conditions. And, yes, I worked with railroads before. Standard flunkie. Maintenance is 70% culpable here--the steel is probably 30% (or less). Whenever I read an incomplete story, I always wonder who is being misdirected, and why. Some maintenance contractor could very well be a friend of the accusing party here... Just a thought. It's not a conspiracy. It's politics.

Resume rants.

I wonder if this is more a case of "incompletely reading the story" rather than "reading an incomplete story" . The article clearly includes both maintenance and ballast as causes

along with cheap steel. I am of course including ballast as substrate which I hope is correct. If so all the factors you mention are included in the article making it complete.

Rant ends.

Oh No. They better quickly revise the 2.2 trillion baht loan which includes cost for construction of the high speed rail. The estimate was based most likely on the rail cost with substandard steel. Perhaps yingluck can beg for an additional trillion to make sure the steel for the rails is adequate.

Off the mark a little Kirk. Estimates are always based on the best quality/highest priced materiel. The supply is always sub-standard low cost materiel. The gap in price between estimate and

supply = kick back, back hander, tea money, campaign funds, we're just getting our fair share or call it what you will.=CORRUPTION.