Goat Roper

I have a serious question for those with more knowledge about where the RTA recruits from?

If the RTA has a significant proportion of recruits from the North and East, as in Red areas, what do they think will happen if a civil war were to ever break out? Do you think these soldiers will stand and fight against their kin, or will the Army collapse and have many units classed as combat innefective/Non Mission Capable?

It's all very well saying things like "Send the Army In" but it's not really that simple, loyalties within the Army will be tested and stretched to the limit, how would you react if you were ordered to go and "Crush" a village that you belonged to?

Last thing Thailand needs is a civil war..

If civil war should breakout God forbid IMO it will be fought mainly for control of Bangkok and possibly Chiang Mai. I don't think there will ever be an instance of the military or others wanting to 'crush' a village as was done in Vietnam back in the day. The problem in a civil war is you won't know who the enemy is.

I hope F H that you are realizing what the one you have been supporting with your posts is trying to do to this country.

G R I suspect you are wrong there I cant see the reds wanting to take on the army or anyone else in their strongholds, likely they would go for soft targets and try to spread any opposition as thin as possible, things like disrupt power and water supplies, how would BKK go if the main transmission lines were down in several places ?

I see from the OP that their army is going to be trained by a retired General, he will know exactly where everything is and how best to disrupt.

Then there are the police, we saw where their sympathies lay in 2010, so far this time they have been completely useless including Tarit with his DSI and Chalerm with his SOE.

You are talking about terrorist attacks and yes IMO that is always a possibility but it will drag the issues out for a long time and the Thais have no stomach for prolonged attacks, if that is their strategy but I don't think that will happen only on a small scale. The red army will still in the end need to have control over Bangkok. The disruption of electricity and other utility's will not put them in favor of anyone, imo of course.

looks like she had a heavy night on the turps, what a face. Yes how dare the army set up areas to offer protection for non udd people, if the udd want to shoot or blow them up now it is very hard with the army there, they have to go. So the reds are women, tell that to the ones that shot/blew up the protesters, I dont know about women more like cowards hiding behind women and ko te is a drop kick, he starts all the bullsh*t then whinges when it backfires on him, thida wants to blame someone she look no further than her and the members of the udd that are calling for all this crap.

She does look bad, maybe she's been burning the midnight oil boning up on the Communist Manifesto and it seems it has taken it's toll on the old Communist woman.

RT@mpoppel: REU: RADAR INDICATED THAT MISSING FLIGHT TURNED BACK BEFORE DISAPPEARING-MALAYSIA MILITARY

Still no indication or news about a mayday?

I have a serious question for those with more knowledge about where the RTA recruits from?

If the RTA has a significant proportion of recruits from the North and East, as in Red areas, what do they think will happen if a civil war were to ever break out? Do you think these soldiers will stand and fight against their kin, or will the Army collapse and have many units classed as combat innefective/Non Mission Capable?

It's all very well saying things like "Send the Army In" but it's not really that simple, loyalties within the Army will be tested and stretched to the limit, how would you react if you were ordered to go and "Crush" a village that you belonged to?

Last thing Thailand needs is a civil war..

If civil war should breakout God forbid IMO it will be fought mainly for control of Bangkok and possibly Chiang Mai. I don't think there will ever be an instance of the military or others wanting to 'crush' a village as was done in Vietnam back in the day. The problem in a civil war is you won't know who the enemy is.

How does the Thai army excuse away and rationalize that they stood by and did nothing in December 2008 for a week when the PAD commandeered the Bangkok airport and closed down all traffic for nine days and stranded hundreds of thousands of tourists? How does the general view the army's culpability in this most serious breach of Thai security?

Or to go even further back in history when Field marshal Sarit Thanarat was Prime Minister of Thailand if a person got caught stealing they got a bullet in the head. Yea them Yellow shirts closed down the airport but that too is history.

Well, little sister has initiated what she hopes will be a military reshuffle. I predicted an attempted judicial reshuffle was the logical next step. And now surprise, surprise! Here it is. Hey TS, you're becoming VERY predictable. 'Need to watch that...

I saw in the local rag this morning that YL and her convict brother are attempting to sign up 100,000 "Volunteer democracy Guards" <deleted> is that?! My guess is that it is nothing more that Red shirts that will be given a shirt with lots of official looking patches on it plus some kind of Badge to flash. Possibly a whistle and a night stick, will go well with their uniform.

Noisy, shouting, queue jumping tourists can come from any country - but huge groups of noisy, shouting queue jumping tourists will be from China.

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This is very true, back in the late 70's early 80's the Japanese were a very difficult bunch to deal with and they certainly match your description above.

Last year I spent half the year off and on looking for double edge razors and double edge blades. My wife and I gave up after exhausting all the avenues we could find. I ended up ordering from Amazon and had it all delivered to my door no muss no fuss. BTW, the Feather blades I received were made in Thailand.

I feel sorry for the young Thai man who got ripped off so badly. This isn't about Thai vs. Pegot. It's a crime story, simple, and if it happened to you, you would be hurt as well. I think the perps of such crimes tend to think that the victims won't report them because they feel EMBARASSED that they were fooled. Most probably don't. I applaud this man for exposing himself to the inevitable ridicule of people thinking he's stupid. Scams like this rely on greed of course. The price was high enough that it COULD have been real, but low enough that it seemed a bargain.

Jing allows me to say one more time, "another greedy Thai without any street smarts". I don't feel anything for this Thai that got 'ripped off'. The Thais have a saying for this and if you have been in-country for a long time you will know the phrase and how the Thais feel about this kind of thing..

I don't really agree because the actual price he paid COULD have been enough for a REAL Rolex being sold be a financial desperate person. Now if he had paid 10,000 baht expecting a real Rolex, that would be another matter. If my life I have purchased comparable bargains that were real things. In fact I wouldn't be early retired in Thailand if not for such a major real estate purchase that was basically a steal.

Yes he sure could have bought a real Rolex for the same money but as I said, "No street smarts'. I think the image shown was a SS Submariner which I believe sells in an authorized Rolex dealer for about Baht 120K or a bit more.

Does anyone think - even for a second - that Thailand will change, or is it just a "lost cause"?

I think the corruption was more underground and on a much smaller scale pre Thaksin. Thaksin has taken corruption to a whole other level never heard of.

I feel sorry for the young Thai man who got ripped off so badly. This isn't about Thai vs. Pegot. It's a crime story, simple, and if it happened to you, you would be hurt as well. I think the perps of such crimes tend to think that the victims won't report them because they feel EMBARASSED that they were fooled. Most probably don't. I applaud this man for exposing himself to the inevitable ridicule of people thinking he's stupid. Scams like this rely on greed of course. The price was high enough that it COULD have been real, but low enough that it seemed a bargain.

Jing allows me to say one more time, "another greedy Thai without any street smarts". I don't feel anything for this Thai that got 'ripped off'. The Thais have a saying for this and if you have been in-country for a long time you will know the phrase and how the Thais feel about this kind of thing..

Russians keep them self to themself, however I find their manners to be terrible, same as Chinese or Japanese.

maybe different cultures but if you don't have the manners to queue up in an orderly fashion, then it doesn't say much for the culture and the people in that culture.

Saying that apart from lack of manners, I've got no problem with them.

They are not much better in their home country although I have not been there in fifteen years. I found them to be very rude and have no idea of western culture or how to conduct themselves abroad. I don't have any contact with them here so can't comment but I imagine not much has changed as far as their behavior is concerned. I can say the ones I did business with in Russia were total aholes. I am happy all that crap is behind me.

Can you be arrested for deporting foreigners for doing something they were told not to do?

The place is a circus and no wonder it is never going to move forward.

---------------------------

And as long as the Red Shirts are in power it will remain a circus !!!!

I have been living in this country for many years and to be honest with this crap that is currently going on I have developed the attitude that I don't give a Rat's what happens. It's all about money, power and nothing else and to hell with what is good for the country and it's people. Really sad.

And it's this kind of thing that keeps the ex-prime minister from meeting with the NACC ? So she looks at water and tells officials to do an efficient job. Big deal.

She is not the ex PM. That would be Abhisit. Suthep is an ex DPM. The always dignified and beloved Yingluck is still the PM of Thailand as per the applicable law. No court has said otherwise. Making a false statement, won't get you your military dictatorship.

Has it been determined by the courts that she is still the legitimate PM? I thought that had not yet been decided. Why is the PM not here in Bangkok trying to sort out this mess she created rather than inspecting water levels in essan? Doesn't really matter, it does not change her 'box-of-rocks' intellect.

It is decidedly creepy at this point to the extent that the ex-prime minister is going through the motions, and especially ironic that she is overseeing the mechanisms of what many in the Pheu Thai party feel to hold the trump card - the army. This " show " that Yingluck was engaged in comes at a time when Pheu Thai's relations with the army could not possibly be more strained. With the threat of the secession movement being fueled within the UDD, and with the army's anxieties over it being met with studious lack of action or concern by Yingluck and her former ministers - one of whom - Charupong - actually endorsed the UDD platform, which included secession - Prayuth must feel increasingly uncomfortable. The thoughts that must have swirling around the minds of those in that room must have been in jarring contrast to what was said.

I have a feeling that some a big part of the army is in her camp, but the Navy and Air Force on the other side, which makes the situation quite delicate. Remember, how Thaksin tried to eliminate the office of the Prem, before the last coup and how he put people that supported him in a position of power, in the Army. He didn't succeed the last time, but he has had a few years to stack the military deck more in his favor. Only time will tell, I guess.

YL and her brother are confident this government will weather the storm and will be able to run out their term in office. I will guess that they will. Thais love money more than they love country or anything(one) else.

Pattaya, big c, Rolex and 110000 baht sounds about right for parting with "big money"

Just another greedy Thai with not too much street smarts..

Can you be arrested for deporting foreigners for doing something they were told not to do?

The place is a circus and no wonder it is never going to move forward.

Then you should be deported as well for siding with RED SHIRTS , and the corrupt government of Yingluck .

Chalerm broke the law! There is a lawful procedure for deporting foreigners and he did not follow that law.

Great, it is time for the Judges to be held accountable for their decision, the law not properly or selectively enforced, is bad for the whole country, those that fail to observe the law no matter what colored shirts they wear must be dealt with in a fair manner by any court!

Cheers

and of coarse that includes corrupt MP's

So you agree we get rid of Yingluck and her corrupt government and then turn our attention on getting rid of corrupt judges

Only problem is Yingkuck is innocent until proven guilty... But hey good idea!

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Yingluck and her other MPs are a guilty as anything

why do you think they are trying so hard to not have to face the people of the justice system

It does not take much to see Thaskin has so much built up inside, this is it

he is shooting all barrels he must win of he will take his place in history as a dictator that lost his chance

Not to mention his family's fortune and their assets in Thailand.

In other countries, people get hung for this....

Yeah, hanging is appropriate for his atrocity of protesting corruption by the government. \sarc

So, your beautiful Thai government should behave the same as the other most repressive governments in the World, is that what you mean? You are letting your hatred of those against you beloved Thaksin get in the way of your humanity.

Huh? No of course it isn't appropriate, but it shows, that if the price is deportation, he might be considered to have got off lightly.

Maybe he would prefer 6 months in jail. I mean sending an SMS versus campaigning to over throw a government... Hmmmm

Mr. Satish might actually prefer a hearing in front of a judge and with legal representation. If the government has a case, he should be deported. Of course Thailand's justice system fares well when compared to N. Korea; what a silly argument. Illegal aliens, caught red-handed crossing the border, in the U.S. all get a hearing. Why don't you compare Thailand's methods of 'justice' to a developed country? BTW Mr. Satish is not an illegal alien sneaking into Thailand. Thailand is the only home he has known, having been brought here at age five. Having grown up here, he, mistakenly, believed he was part of the community. The Thais sure straightened him out about that. I know your love for 'Dear Leader' Thaksin has clouded your judgment, but really, to single this man out as an enemy of the government is petty and vindictive; a Chalerm trademark.

Like I quoted, it appears that it is done by committee. Remember when thaksins visa just got cancelled in the uk?

The home secratery just cancelled it. No word why. Cancelled. Tesco cashed in some big chips that day. I don't get this singled out business. If I as a white guy had gone there they would deport me too. Falangs aren't welcome at protests . is it hard to understand?

Thaksin wasn't a permanent resident of the UK, therefore a single immigration officer can cancel a visa, therefore not the same thing

The Indian guy is not on a visa he is / was a PR, in fact he has more right to be here than the vast majority of TV finest white middle aged bigots running around waving their 1year extensions and gloating over what has happened to this guy

I agree but I do wonder why after so many years of living in the Kingdom he has not become a Thai citizen? Is there something to do with his Indian passport or culture?

Everyone has there own reasons I guess, but not unique, I moved to a another country when I was young as my parents both became permanent residents of that country, both my brother and myself were nationalised at age 16 and became dual citizens, but my parents nearly 40 odd years later still haven't taken up citizenship in that country and remain PR even though they are entitled to citizenship

So what this guy has done is hardly unique

Do your parents have to endure the 90 day reports as well as the annual visa extensions'

One must keep in mind what the topic on the thread is that prices are dropping for rice in Thailand, and it is not because of a decrease in the international price, and the forces of supply and demand, it is internal monopoly on rice middleman that is taking advantage of the Thai Rice farmers.

When it cost more to produce the rice then you can sell it for it is time to look into other crops to grow or to leave farming completely and sell you crop land to developers!

Thailand has lost its ranking on rice exporting that it will never gain again by paying lower prices to the farmer!

Cheers

The reason why prices are dropping:-

Thailand has a rice mountain created by the government buying rice at a price that exceeded any achievable price on the international markets. Agricultural products are sold as price takers not price setters.

Before this scheme Thailand had a reputation as a reliable supplier of quality rice that had product for sale in all years. International markets were will to pay premium prices because G2G buyers were interested in food security for their own countries. This scheme had lead to a loss of confidence in Thailand as a supplier and therefor buyers willingness to pay a premium price.

The virtual withdrawal of Thai rice from international markets under this scheme has also encouraged other suppliers to increase their production as the withdraw of a major supplier ensured that the market would support a higher price than would have been possible otherwise.

Adding to the problems is the knowledge in the market that Thailand has a stock pile that it needs to dispose of ASAP. this strengthens that position of buyers in the market for Thai rice and will tend to depress the international and internal price of rice below what it would otherwise be.

If the real goal of this scheme had been to increase the income of rice farmers then there were so many better alternatives - OK they may not have had the same vote buying and skimming opportunities for government and supporters.

Metta

The only area of a little fact I find in your post, about the large sales of rice available from the Thai market, due to the inability of the care taken government to sell rice since December 9, 2013.

The opposition to rice sales by the anti government protesters and the EC refusal to sign off on loan to paid the rice farmers. Also PDRC yesterday protested in front of the Chinese Embassy in an effort to force them to back out of rice sales!

On Oryza.com carried a story about Thai rice exporters spreading rumors of low prices for rice, trying to buy the rice at a low price to sell later on in the year for a hefty profit, And the Thai government warning the Thai rice Exports could be reported to the internation agency , about spreading rumors to manipulate rice pieces.

There is a large amount of rice available for immediate sale , again the figures quoted at 15000 baht per ton is not Factual as no one in the Village received more that 12000 ($372.32) per ton, with the majority of local farmer paid 11,000 baht ($341.30) per ton of rice well below the international market price.

The over supply of rice is caused by the Care taker governments inability to sell rice due to the EC lack of action and PDRC protester, with the monopoly of the rice millers and buyer manipulating rice payments to their advantage.

Cheers

All's fair in love and war.

I was in Thawatsadu this morning getting some Jotun paint mixed up for my outside walls, whilst I was sitting on a the bench by the mixing machine there was a young guy speaking Thai to the paint assistant, he turned to me and in in English asked what I thought about his choice of colours for his room, we spoke for several minutes about that and where he stayed also where he came from, he told me in perfect English he was from an area close to the Black Sea and came to Thailand around two years back.

This young man had taken the trouble to learn English and Thai in the short time he had spent here, I regret I do not have any English friends including myself who have taken the trouble to learn two languages whilst living here.

It was very pleasant indeed to talk to him and find out more about why he came to Thailand to live.

I envy those types that makes an effort to learn the local language not matter their country of origin. I have an American friend that has lived in Thailand for 27 years and he cannot order a plate of rice in the Thai language.

Back from.singapore already?

Interesting that Thaksin has trusted him for the negotiations and not YL.

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It's becoming more and more obvious to me that this mess will end in a draw and this government will serve out it's full term.

My guess is that the PTP and the PM will be around an in control until the end of their elected term of office. Why you ask, because of money. I have often said that above all money rules this country. I will not be surprised at all if PTP continues to warm all the government seats for the next 18 months..

For those with a vengeance, there are no boundaries, there are no hospitals, there is no recognition of the principle of compassionate medical care, there is no recognition of the right of all people to be treated regardless as to political affiliation. For those with a vengeance, there is no tolerance for different opinions. Vengeance is practiced by those who are blinded by hate. But even though they are blinded by it, they still maintain that they can see.

I have witnessed on two occasions a Thai go ballistic over very trivial things, and it had nothing to do with loss of face. Be aware.

In other countries, people get hung for this....

Yeah, hanging is appropriate for his atrocity of protesting corruption by the government. \sarc

So, your beautiful Thai government should behave the same as the other most repressive governments in the World, is that what you mean? You are letting your hatred of those against you beloved Thaksin get in the way of your humanity.

Huh? No of course it isn't appropriate, but it shows, that if the price is deportation, he might be considered to have got off lightly.

Maybe he would prefer 6 months in jail. I mean sending an SMS versus campaigning to over throw a government... Hmmmm

Mr. Satish might actually prefer a hearing in front of a judge and with legal representation. If the government has a case, he should be deported. Of course Thailand's justice system fares well when compared to N. Korea; what a silly argument. Illegal aliens, caught red-handed crossing the border, in the U.S. all get a hearing. Why don't you compare Thailand's methods of 'justice' to a developed country? BTW Mr. Satish is not an illegal alien sneaking into Thailand. Thailand is the only home he has known, having been brought here at age five. Having grown up here, he, mistakenly, believed he was part of the community. The Thais sure straightened him out about that. I know your love for 'Dear Leader' Thaksin has clouded your judgment, but really, to single this man out as an enemy of the government is petty and vindictive; a Chalerm trademark.

Like I quoted, it appears that it is done by committee. Remember when thaksins visa just got cancelled in the uk?

The home secratery just cancelled it. No word why. Cancelled. Tesco cashed in some big chips that day. I don't get this singled out business. If I as a white guy had gone there they would deport me too. Falangs aren't welcome at protests . is it hard to understand?

Thaksin wasn't a permanent resident of the UK, therefore a single immigration officer can cancel a visa, therefore not the same thing

The Indian guy is not on a visa he is / was a PR, in fact he has more right to be here than the vast majority of TV finest white middle aged bigots running around waving their 1year extensions and gloating over what has happened to this guy

I agree but I do wonder why after so many years of living in the Kingdom he has not become a Thai citizen? Is there something to do with his Indian passport or culture?