Babcock

And also directly lying ,for over two years, to every Thai National that they were actively seeking Thaksins arrest as an Interpol Red Notice had been issued? The Democrat Party, hub of hypocrisy, yes that's them....................

Hypocrisy and lying never seem to interfere with your support and defence of PTP and Thaksin.

It's true though.

Kasit and Abhisit were always telling us there was an international arrest warrant out for Thaksin but there never was.

Interpol always got their man etc etc.

Mind you the party he left behind had members such as

Suriya Jungrungreangkit

http://medlibrary.org/medwiki/Suriya_Jungrungreangkit

whose only entry apart from a link to Thaksin's war with the private press

quote:

Born in Bangkok, he learned at the Triam Udom Suksa School, Phrayathai, and studied at the University of California, Berkeley, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering in 1978. After working for various car companies in Thailand, he was appointed as Transport minister on October 3, 2002. On March 11, 2005 he started the second term in office.

In 2003, Mr. Jungrungreangkit paid $95,200 for a lucky license plate for his son's car: 9999.

$95,200 for a license plate.

And the PAD are Anti american now believing in a global conspiracy to take over Thailand.

If you don't believe check out ASTV.

Did anyone tell them.

Here we have the yellow "rent a mob."

No reconciliation then.

There seems to be more support in LA than in Bangkok

Thaksin has sold his own sister and bargained with his sworn enemies to get what he wants. He has sold out Thailand and the Thai people to foriegn capitalist interests for the international support hes getting.

Where's the evidence?

On ASTV?

And the PAD are Anti american now believing in a global conspiracy to take over Thailand.

If you don't believe check out ASTV.

Did anyone tell them.

Here we have the yellow "rent a mob."

No reconciliation then.

There seems to be more support in LA than in Bangkok

Maybe you should listen more carefully. If you complain that the Bankster and Megacompanies buy the American politics and fight it, than you are actually pro American not anti. Anti American would be supporting that.

And when you look at Syria and Libya you know what they are able to do with peaceful countries.

The PAd now claim that Thaksin is at the head of a movement to topple the head of state and sell out the country. The CC found no evidence.

Sondhi used to claim that Thaksin wanted to remove ... , republicanism, privatise everything, bring in western democracy and then finally to turn Thailand into a communist regime.

Never showed any supporting evidence but by then the damage had been done.

The so called "Finland Accord."

The yellows.

They're citizens of the world's greatest democracy prrotesting against democracy in their home country. Supporters of the coup that ousted its own prime minister.

In Bangkok it's only a taxi ride to get to the demonstration for the yellows unless they are going up country to fight and shoot up the local people over derelict hindhu temples.

Here they're flying in from all points. Hiso's and their maids I guess. No Pad guard I warrant.

They or Abhisit and his party call it an elective dictatorship in Thailand but they themselves, as preservers of the status quo, refuse to reach out to the majority population of Thailand to offer a serious alternative instead they witter on about a supposed "golden past" where everyone knew their place.

They are antideluvian and they are not open to any reasoning.

If Thaksin didn't exist they would have to reinvent him you know "Danger at the door." Last refuge of scoundrels and all that.

And the PAD are Anti american now believing in a global conspiracy to take over Thailand.

If you don't believe check out ASTV.

Did anyone tell them.

Here we have the yellow "rent a mob."

No reconciliation then.

There seems to be more support in LA than in Bangkok

whoever they were all the CCTV cameras viewing the scen were inoperable/disconnected.

An amazing number of bullets were fired into the car yet Sondhi was relatively unharmed ( a bullet grazed his head quite badly) but his driver was seriously injured but by a ricochet.

I think it was a setup but by whom for whom remains the question.

I think he had something to do with it himself.

If he orchestrated it himself, then he should get some sort of an award for having gone through this just in the name of orchestrated theatrics

a millimeter or two either way and he's splattered like Sae Daeng

Well the initial wound is the one with 4 stitches isn't it?

That's what we saw initially.

However there was a bullet lodged in there wasn't there or shrapnel and my guess is they have had to make the long incision to remove the foreign item.

So it looks dramatic but it's his driver who was more seriously injured.

Why don't you post a picture of the bullet riddled car just to remind us how narrowly he apparently missed death.

Was it 70 bullets in the car or was it 200?

It looks dramatic, because it was dramatic. Anytime someone is shot in the head, it's dramatic.

I don't think he orchestrated it.

Far too risky to have bullets flying all around.

If one is going to fake an assassination, it's better to have a car, loaded with explosives but none of them connected, drive around your neighborhood without anything actually happening.

.

That's not true either.

It's funny this story.

Like children they had to embelish the lie.

I mean you (the other paper) accuse Thaksin of orchestrating the bomb plot against him but then you have to go further and then say much later after the coup that there were no detonators so the bomb couldn't explode anyway.

So the detonators had beeen spirited away.

Yet those arrested were no friends of Thaksin.

One of them used to be the driver for General Panlop Pinmanee, deputy director of Internal Security Operatons Command (ISOC), responsible for the Tak Bai mosque incident. He contravened orders to negotiate and stormed the temple. He wrote a book about it justifying his actions.

He fell out with the government.

The car had spent the night at the ISOC headquarters.

The car had been bought the preceeding day at a car auction.

Where and when was the bomb made?

Any guesses?

The truth was Thaskin left his house at 6am and the car with the explosives bombers was driving back and forth impatiently in front of his house at or near 8 am and security became suspicious and followed the car down the street to where it parked and searched it..

2 months later there was a coup.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/takbai/p2.htm

whoever they were all the CCTV cameras viewing the scen were inoperable/disconnected.

An amazing number of bullets were fired into the car yet Sondhi was relatively unharmed ( a bullet grazed his head quite badly) but his driver was seriously injured but by a ricochet.

I think it was a setup but by whom for whom remains the question.

I think he had something to do with it himself.

If he orchestrated it himself, then he should get some sort of an award for having gone through this just in the name of orchestrated theatrics

a millimeter or two either way and he's splattered like Sae Daeng

Well the initial wound is the one with 4 stitches isn't it?

That's what we saw initially.

However there was a bullet lodged in there wasn't there or shrapnel and my guess is they have had to make the long incision to remove the foreign item.

So it looks dramatic but it's his driver who was more seriously injured.

Why don't you post a picture of the bullet riddled car just to remind us how narrowly he apparently missed death.

Was it 70 bullets in the car or was it 200?

I'd like to see the evidence of the attempt to bribe court officials.

As I understand it the "cake box" story broke in the nation, nowhere else that day.

There were 3 trials taking place and it was assumed the thaksin case was the culprit.

No charges were ever laid against thaksin's lawyers though they were held without charge for 6 months.

A rather unusual trial don't you think?

You do know there´s a TV rule about posting false information, do you?

The Supreme Court "sentenced the former prime minister's chief lawyer and two assistants to six months in jail for contempt of court"

And your argument that Thaksin´s lawyers bribe was actually meant to be for some other case being handled by the court at the time is beyond ridiculous.

I´d be fascinated to know were you take your facts from.

You've just got to read this:

http://slimdogsworld...pastrygate.html

Who is the author of this?

Pichit?

.

I think it's safe to say it's not endorsed by the Nation.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255407220001

EC certifies 32 more MPs, 6 are UDD leaders

BANGKOK, 22 July 2011 (NNT) – The Election Commission (EC) has endorsed the MP status for another 32 MP-elects, six of whom are core leaders of the red-shirt group, while more MPs are expected to be certified later today.

Yesterday, the EC held its third meeting to deliberate on the MP status of elected MPs, during which the commission agreed to give approval to a total of 32 more people, comprising 26 constituency MPs and 6 party-list MPs.

All of the newly certified party-list MPs are core leaders of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) under the banner of the Pheu Thai Party. They consist of Mr Korkaew Pikulthong, MD Weng Tojirakarn, Colonel Apiwan Wiriyachai, Mr Wiphuthalaeng Pattanaphumthai, Mr Wichien Khaokham and Mr Pichit Chuenban.

Other UDD core figures whose MP status is still pending the EC’s endorsement include Mr Natthawut Saikua, Mr Jatuporn Prompan and Mr Payap Panket. Outspoken Pheu Thai MP-elect for Bangkok’s Constituency 12 Karun Hosakul is also awaiting his certification due to a flood of complaints against him.

The EC is scheduled to proceed with its consideration process later today. So far, the commission has endorsed the MP status for 402 MPs, which is still less than 95 percent of the quorum or 475 MPs; therefore, the parliamentary session cannot be commenced yet.

Well I've read the full report and it's a fascinating read.

I would have thought that if you are convicted and sent to prison you cannot stand as an MP.

whoever they were all the CCTV cameras viewing the scen were inoperable/disconnected.

An amazing number of bullets were fired into the car yet Sondhi was relatively unharmed ( a bullet grazed his head quite badly) but his driver was seriously injured but by a ricochet.

I think it was a setup but by whom for whom remains the question.

I think he had something to do with it himself.

I'd like to see the evidence of the attempt to bribe court officials.

As I understand it the "cake box" story broke in the nation, nowhere else that day.

There were 3 trials taking place and it was assumed the thaksin case was the culprit.

No charges were ever laid against thaksin's lawyers though they were held without charge for 6 months.

A rather unusual trial don't you think?

You do know there´s a TV rule about posting false information, do you?

The Supreme Court "sentenced the former prime minister's chief lawyer and two assistants to six months in jail for contempt of court"

And your argument that Thaksin´s lawyers bribe was actually meant to be for some other case being handled by the court at the time is beyond ridiculous.

I´d be fascinated to know were you take your facts from.

Yes I too have the BBC quote from Jonathan Head (2 LM charges against him, had to flee Thailand because Thaksin "bought the BBC")

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7473641.stm

rom the BBC 25th June 2008 Jonathan Head wrote:

Three lawyers representing the former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra have been sentenced to six months in jail for trying to bribe court judges.

The cash was delivered to the court hidden in a cake box.

The Thai media are calling it "Pastrygate" - and it has left Mr Thaksin with plenty of egg on his face.

Mr Thaksin, who was ousted by a military coup, returned from exile this year, but still faces several charges of abuse of power and corruption.

Two weeks ago, two lawyers walked into the Supreme Court, which is hearing a high-profile case against Mr Thaksin and his wife, and left a bag with court officials, telling them to enjoy its contents.

Inside was a cake-box - but instead of a cake, there were bundles of cash, worth around $60,000 (£30,500).

Suspicion immediately fell on Mr Thaksin's lawyers - but they insisted such a crude attempt at bribery was beneath them. More likely, they said, it was intended to discredit Mr Thaksin.

But, after a two-week investigation, the Supreme Court has found otherwise - it has sentenced the former prime minister's chief lawyer and two assistants to six months in jail for contempt of court.

Which leaves Mr Thaksin with a weakened defence team and a tarnished image.

I'd like to quote ablogger from the Guardian (contemporaneous)

4th september 2008 The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/03/thailand.manchestercity

ThaiCitizen

4 September 2008 11:50AM

Dear Mr. Fawthrop,

I am not defending Thaksin. However, I think those cases are political. For example, the recent verdicts on Thaksin wife is un-constitutional . His wife transferred some amount of her shares to one of her trusted relative and her trusted secretary as gifts. There is 'no' any profit made from the transaction. This ruling confuses some people who plan to give assets to their relatives. From now on, will it be lawful? Moreover, the transaction was done 'before' Thaksin took office. Court, however, sentenced his wife to the maximum penalty allowed based on the reason that

She was the wife of the 'would be' country prime minister.

Constitution does not allow courts to discriminate based on the status of the defender. How can she get 3 years jail sentence while others just got fined ?

The land deal is another bogus attempt. Every witness testified that Thaksin family never contacted any authorities before the bidding. And his family bought the land at the higher price than the market value.

The Shin-Corp deal is even funnier. Law does not tax any sale transaction on stock market. This law is very old. The purpose is to pull the savings into capital market. End up, he is the only one being charged based on moral ground not from legal stand point. I do not think he ever dream that this legitimate transaction could become a political case. I am an investor. I become confused on this double standard.

There are more if you want to hear. We, Thai is fixing the problem. Please look into details before making judgment.

I think Thaicitizen puts it most succinctly.

The facts are the lawyers went to prison following a 2 week hearing with only hearsay evidence.

The lawyer supposedly responsible disappeared but eventually was found holed up at Bumrungrad.

Charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.

They were all struck off for 5 years.

One of them subsequently has become a Pheu Thai MP.

There's a brilliant novel somewhere in all this.

I'd like to see the evidence of the attempt to bribe court officials.

As I understand it the "cake box" story broke in the nation, nowhere else that day.

There were 3 trials taking place and it was assumed the thaksin case was the culprit.

No charges were ever laid against thaksin's lawyers though they were held without charge for 6 months.

A rather unusual trial don't you think?

You do know there´s a TV rule about posting false information, do you?

The Supreme Court "sentenced the former prime minister's chief lawyer and two assistants to six months in jail for contempt of court"

And your argument that Thaksin´s lawyers bribe was actually meant to be for some other case being handled by the court at the time is beyond ridiculous.

I´d be fascinated to know were you take your facts from.

You've just got to read this:

http://slimdogsworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/pastrygate.html

It started out as an intriguing little tidbit, when it was mentioned in a newspaper that a lawyer

representing a "Big-Time Politician" was rumoured to have tried to have given a gift of 2 million baht

to the office of the Supreme Court. The money was evidently placed inside a box of pastries, and

Pastrygate was the term used for what was suspected as being an attempted bribe.

It all started on June 11th 2008 when the following was printed in The Nation:

Supreme Court president orders probe into report that Bt2 million given to court officials

Supreme Court President Wiraj Limwichai has ordered an investigation into a report that a lawyer put

Bt2 million in a candy box and gave it to certain officials of the Supreme Court.

Sarawut Benjakul, deputy secretary-general of the Justice Affairs Office, said Wednesday that Wiraj

appointed a committee of three judges to investigate the report.

Sarawut said he learnt that the court officials had returned the money to the lawyer.

No mention of who was involved, but at the time there were three very high profile cases shortly to

commence trial with the Supreme Court. Thaksin Shinawatra, and Watana Asavahame were due before the

Supreme Court Criminal division for Political office holders and Yongyudh Tiyaphairat was due before

the Supreme Court on a charge of violating the Election Act.

What was surprising about this case was that according to the Supreme Court, once the money was

discovered, it was photographed and then returned to the lawyer. It was only after the news was leaked,

that the President of the Supreme Court,Wiraj Limwichai ordered a full inquiry.

June 10th 2008, Lawyers representing Thaksin and Pojaman Shinawatra go to the Supreme Court to file a

request to appear at the Court. Later on the same day, the President of the Supreme Court appoints a

panel to investigate a possible bribery attempt.

June 13th 2008, Seven court officials involved with the incident give formal testimony to the Supreme

Court Panel

June 14th 2008, Preliminary findings by Supreme Court justices Mongkol Thapthiang, Weeraphol Tangsuwan

and Issaret Chairat indicated that the money was intended not for Judges but for the office staff at

the Supreme Court. The lawyer was summoned to appear before the investigating panel.

June 17th 2008, It had emerged that Thana Tansiri, a legal representative of Thaksin Shinawatra was

being implicated. Thana, when interviewed by the Investigation Panel tried to pass the incident off as

a case of his driver giving him the wrong bag, one with 2 million baht as opposed to a similar one with

pastries in.

June 19th 2008, Pichit Cheunban testifies to the Supreme Court Panel, denying any knowledge of the

incident, although he does concede that he was present at the Supreme Court building that day

June 25th 2008, Three lawyers who represented Thaksin Shinawatra, Pichit Cheunban (พิชิฏ ชื่นบาน), Thana Tansiri

(ธนา ตันศิร) and Supasri Srisawat (ศุภศรี ศรีสวัสด) were sentenced to 6 months in jail for violating court authority.

Only Phichit and Supasri were present at the hearing and both were taken immediately to jail, and an

arrest warrant was issued for Thana. Thana is married to Pojaman's cousin.

June 26th 2008, The Supreme Court requested that criminal charges be filed against the three lawyers

under article 144 of the criminal code (bribery of state officials).This charge carries a maximum of 5

years imprisonment. Thaksin and Pojaman Shinawatra appointed Anek Khamchum as the lead lawyer and

former senator Kamnuan Chaloptham as their legal representatives.

June 27th 2008, The Law Society of Thailand (LST) announced that they would set up a panel with the

possibility of delisting the three lawyers.

June 29th 2008, Preliminary hearings of the Ratchada-Phisek case started at the Supreme Court, where

witnesses, evidence and court schedule were decided.

June 30th 2008, The police were already announcing that there was probably insufficient evidence to

proceed with the criminal charges. On the same day Thana Tansiri was finally taken to jail, after

having been located at Bumrungrad hospital, Bangkok.

December 23rd 2008, the three lawyers were released from Prison, when the Police announced that there

was not enough evidence to proceed with a criminal prosecution. The police decision was made 2 weeks

prior to the three lawyer’s release, but the case was handed over to a public prosecutors' team, who

have made no announcement, but made no objections to the three being released.

As with many things surrounding Thaksin Shinawatra, this case revealed very few answers, but left lots

of unanswered questions. Throughout the period, Thaksin denied any involvement in the case.

December 9th 2009, Lawyers Pichit Chuenban, Supasri Srisawat and Thana Tansiri were banned by the

lawyers council of Thailand for violating the councils regulations and code of conduct. Each received a

five year ban.

July 22rd 2011, Pichit Chuenban was endorsed by the Election Commission of Thailand and became a Member

of Parliament, having stood as a party list candidate for the Pheu Thai party.

The evidence read out by the judge was all hearsay.

The evidence (the money)was not kept but handed back.

Here's a great quote from the time (contemporaneous)from Real life Thailand:

It all started on June 11th 2008 when the following was printed in The Nation:

Supreme Court president orders probe into report that Bt2 million given to court officials

Supreme Court President Wiraj Limwichai has ordered an investigation into a report that a lawyer put Bt2 million in a candy box and gave it to certain officials of the Supreme Court.

Sarawut Benjakul, deputy secretary-general of the Justice Affairs Office, said Wednesday that Wiraj appointed a committee of three judges to investigate the report.

Sarawut said he learnt that the court officials had returned the money to the lawyer.

ThaiCrisis said...

Indeed, it's surreal.

The "Pastrygate", ah ah ah, it's really too much.

What do you suggest ? They felt into a trap ?

I've got another hypothesis.

The whole story is Smoke and mirrors.

I mean the first... glitch was the fact that the delivery boys (the lawyers) weren't arrested on the spot.

Then, yes the amount is ridiculous. I mean... we are talking about Supreme Court here ! 2 millions would be for the secretary or the phone girl. ;-)

Then, now, look at the mass media hysteria ! In jail.

The people of PAD, and all anti-Thaksin are cheering up.

But wait a minute... who cares to send the delivery boy in jail ?

Who gave them the money ? That should be the point of any real and serious investigation.

I stick to my idea : the whole story is to entertain the masses.

But it's fundamentally bullshit.

Sondhi already has a 20 year prison sentence.

However don't hold your breath.

the first time he went bankrupt his former finance director was made governor of the bank he owed the money to and subsequently forgave him the debt.

That was a stroke of luck!

Sonhi thinks that "Freedom of the Press" means freedom to vilify,to make false claims, to conduct hate campaigns.

If someone is unable to obtain a fair trial and is subject to a dangerous environment ith his personal safety at stake , it makes sense to leave until the situation has calmed. If there is a political goal at stake, then there are valid reasons to continue the struggle elsewhere. Better to be alive and functioning than to be dead.

All that would be so much more plausible had Thaksin not stated throughout the whole court case against him that he believed in the justice system and would accept whatever their verdict was; would be so much more plausible had he not waited until he was found guilty to suddenly decide there was a conspiracy against him; would be so much more plausible had it not been his own party in power at the time; would be so much more plausible had it been the other side stuffing millions of baht in a box to pass on to the judges, to try and ensure a guilty verdict against him, not the other way round, as it was, him stuffing millions of baht in a box to pass on to the judges, to try and ensure a not guilty verdict; would be so much more plausible had he appealed the conviction; would be so much more plausible had he ever come out with evidence against the verdict and a proclamation of innocence - he never declares his innocence and his lawyers never speak of evidence that they have to clear his name.

On the one side there is a mountain of reasons to suggest his trial was fair, and on the other, there are fanatics that will never be able to accept guilt in what he has done, and always look for excuses.

Agree, he thought he could bribe the judges but he was wrong.

I'd like to see the evidence of the attempt to bribe court officials.

As I understand it the "cake box" story broke in the nation, nowhere else that day.

There were 3 trials taking place and it was assumed the thaksin case was the culprit.

No charges were ever laid against thaksin's lawyers though they were held without charge for 6 months.

A rather unusual trial don't you think?

Ta Lay Mhok as was!?

http://www.baantalaymhork.com/th/

It looks more like you who's been watching the Rambo.

Siriraj hospital burnt down.

I don't think so.

mosques torched?

I don't think so.

However back in 2006 there was a series of unexplained explosions around Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

One went off near the Saxaphone club causing serious injuries.

Another explosion inside a mosque in Chiang Mai.

The coup leaders at first blamed Thaskin supporters. The moslems.

Later the police blamed General Panlop ( you know mastermind for the car bomb intended for Thaksin earlier that year stored overnight at the ISOC headquarters.) He was the general responsible for the Tak Bai mosque massacre. Wrote a book about it justifying doing it and defying the ministry of defence who ordered him to negotiate. Word has it that the men inside the mosque were found with their hands tied and bullet wounds to the head.

There were 2 eyewitnesses.

1) in Bangkok an eyewitness saw a man hurl a grenade from an overhead walkway.

2) in Chiang Mai the caretaker of a mosque was blown up when he saw a man throw a grenade into the mosque injuring him.

At first the police blamed the caretaker claiming he was building a bomb inside the mosque. Mass protests followed as if a caretaker would build a device in a mosque.

To date no arrests.

You said that what was said at the rally was meant as a threat to the government.

So why the threats to Siriraj and the Mosques?

We all know who was in Siriraj.

And the Mosques? Pure fascism.

Your icons are tainted.

I just listed 2 known attacks on mosques.

Both attacks I believe perpetrated by the army.

In many quarters it is still being claimed that Thaksin ordered the attacks on the Tak Bai mosque when it is known that the Minister for defence ordered Panlop to stand down and he refused and carried out the atrocity.

I take note of your outrage about calls from the stage but they weren't translated into action and some would say these comments were made in the heat of the moment, made by very angry people who later may have regretted their actions.

Not so the general. Doesn't regret it a bit.

Denies complicity in the car bomb plot saying only that had he been in charge Thaksin would have died.

The car with its explosives was stored overnight in the carpaekof the ISOC headquarters. Know who they are?

Panlop after the Tak Bai mosque incident was sacked by Thasksin but reassigned as deputy director of ISOC.

ISOC Killers of communists etc and any undesirables where a wet job is required.

It looks more like you who's been watching the Rambo.

Siriraj hospital burnt down.

I don't think so.

mosques torched?

I don't think so.

However back in 2006 there was a series of unexplained explosions around Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

One went off near the Saxaphone club causing serious injuries.

Another explosion inside a mosque in Chiang Mai.

The coup leaders at first blamed Thaskin supporters. The moslems.

Later the police blamed General Panlop ( you know mastermind for the car bomb intended for Thaksin earlier that year stored overnight at the ISOC headquarters.) He was the general responsible for the Tak Bai mosque massacre. Wrote a book about it justifying doing it and defying the ministry of defence who ordered him to negotiate. Word has it that the men inside the mosque were found with their hands tied and bullet wounds to the head.

There were 2 eyewitnesses.

1) in Bangkok an eyewitness saw a man hurl a grenade from an overhead walkway.

2) in Chiang Mai the caretaker of a mosque was blown up when he saw a man throw a grenade into the mosque injuring him.

At first the police blamed the caretaker claiming he was building a bomb inside the mosque. Mass protests followed as if a caretaker would build a device in a mosque.

To date no arrests.

I do think that laws should be enforced.

I don't need to agree with every law.

Simple

disagreeing with a law precisely means that you don't think it should be enforced... that's what disagreeing with a law is.

you don't say i disagree with that law but i think it should be enforced...which is pretty much what you said.

Rubbish

the trouble is when you refer in your earlier post to calls from the reds protest stage at ratchadaprisek road for the burning down of Bangkok these were made as a threat , warning should the army come and attack these protestors as they had already done the month before at the Democracy monument causing 19 deaths and over 1000 injuries.

In other words AFTER the demonstration was declared illegal and Abhisit declared a state of emergency where the military had been given carte blanche to do what ever they liked ie with legal impunity.

We'd all seen what they had done.

It wasn't pleasant seeing military in plainclothes driving around Sukhumvit riding shotgun looking for reds to abuse.

Just like the one of their own who got shot up riding in convoy into his own forces roadblock and shot to death.

Military shooting indiscriminately down our street.

They turned Central Bangkok into a war zone.

And some of the people had the audacity to resist.

It didn't end well. More I fear to come.

Nothing New, We all know UDD / Reds are a bunch of gangsters and thugs but will they really do time in the country of corruption ?

you want to lock up half the population?

There was a War on Drugs under thaksin supported on all sides.

Whose idea was it?

To date there have been no convictions.

What have the courts been doing?

Thaksin was deposed in 2006 in a coup.

You don't read the news much, do you?

out on bail aren't they?

And shamelessly supporting a guy that is labeled by HRW as a human rights abuser of it's worst kind.

But who can stop a rich, corrupt narcissist what a propaganda machine working at full speed in a country where many have little education. Perfect playing field.

Off topic somewhat but which particular hrw are you talking about - there is a difference, but you must know that.............

Are you saying that I am lying when I say HRW called Thaksin a Human Rights abuser of it's worst kind?

Y/N pick one!

There was a War on Drugs under thaksin supported on all sides.

Whose idea was it?

To date there have been no convictions.

What have the courts been doing?

Thaksin was deposed in 2006 in a coup.

I don't think the judges of any court should be treated differently to the general populace. However, they should not be subject to intimidation and to argue that their reaction to intimidation is censorship is a totally false claim.

The real problem is that PT &, in particular, the red shirt leaders think that once they get into power they have a mandate to do what they like. It was exactly the same when Thaksin was PM & almost succeded in subverting all of the checks & balances that are a part of a democracy.

It is surprising that a group of posters on this thread (& many other threads) go out of their way to defend the red shirt leaders who have instigated far too much violence on behalf of their paymaster. The latter, incidently, has made Kork-screw into a millionaire who is following his leader in having asset declaration problems.

I would agree with you if it were a reaction only against the intimidation - eg: the charges related to threatening their safety.

But throwing in the other groups who demonstrated in front of the court, filed the charges, etc, that is IMO a real attempt at censorship.

As for your other characterizations of the government, that is just the standard dismissal technique used here to trivialize an elected mandate. Yes, any gov't with 300/500 seats has a mandate, and no, it is not true that the gov't can just do whatever it wants regardless of the laws.

And AFAIK, posters here do not generally defend the violence of the UDD, but they do generally defend the violence of the military... just that it is a different group of posters than you meant.

Yes, it may be over the top to charge all of them. But those who gave out personal details & incited people to commit violence should be charged. However to claim it is censorship is equally over the top & doesn't help your argument.

You say the government can't do whatever it likes & I hope you're right, but PT & all it's predecessors have always tried to do whatever they want. The CC is doing what it should do - rein in the government when it oversteps its power.

I see you've pushed the 'but the military button' which is not the subject of this thread. I've not seen many supporters of the military crimes at Tak Bai or Krue Be (spelling?). There are those who defend the military for clearing out the take-over of Ratchaprasong. Someone had to do it & as the police, as usual, refused to do their job, the military had to do it.

There was no police when the Reds started occupying Ratchaprasong. It was all part of the game to get the military involved (and to blame the military for the loss of people); carefully orchestrated by Thaksin. I have witnessed it with my own eyes (living in the area). Reds came, police left. There were weeks I couldn't find any police, only Reds "managing" down-town Bangkok. And it worked I guess when reading how much hatred there is (by some) towards the military for cleaning up the mess the Police left behind.

and there you sat fuming until the military turned up and shot up the neighborhood.

Well we're all taught that we should periodically look up from our screens and look into the near distance to re-focus the eye.

Perhaps get some perspective.

At least the LCD screens don't flicker.

Well I think the CC are setting themselves up for another fall.

Do you think mass arrests are the way forward?

The only "despicable" acts I see here are the the giving out of judges addresses and inciting violence on those judges - if that is the case and when proven - I still believe in trials unlike some of the "voices of reason" on here .

As far as the rest goes, the reaction to the symbolic "burning of coffins" is emotional hyperbole by people who really think that they are not "ordinary" people. As such the reports are ideal partners for the faux emotionality displayed on these forums - did you ever write to forums back home gushing "Punish these guys for their despicable Acts", actually you probably did.

Get over it, some red shirts burnt some paper coffins over their understandable frustration with the Judiciary getting involved where they shouldn't.

Don't you think that given the current political landscape here in Thailand, having groups of people, shown on TV, burning effigies of the judges as well as coffins was an incitement to violence?

Simply put, No. Did you see any violence happening as a result? If that was the intended result it seems to have been a resounding failure.

And you would feel the same if people started burning effigies of your family in such a way?

Well in my country the UK we had mass protests against the gulf war and effigies were burnt of our politicians but noone was charged.

The fact is the court is seen by a significant portion of the electorate as biased, corrupt and now it seems to think it has powers to interfere in the democratic process by potentially allowing frivolous charges (as we have just seen) to be made against the ruling governement to be pursued whilst

disregarding Article 68 of the thai constitution in the process. In short making up the rules as suits them and attempting to set themselves up above the law.

Their latest attempt at perverting the course of justice is to claim that any changes, rewrite to the coup imposed constitution will require a reerendum first on the need for any changes.

Actually that's why we had an election in order to make these changes.

The "Coup for the rich" didn't work but the right people for these didn't get elected (well they never can be can they) so extra parliamentary methods have to be used.

But now they truly have a foe in the redshirts who see right through them.

Amazing twister PPD is.

The only "despicable" acts I see here are the the giving out of judges addresses and inciting violence on those judges - if that is the case and when proven.

What is there to proof? We have all seen it with our own eyes.

As far as the rest goes, the reaction to the symbolic "burning of coffins" is emotional hyperbole by people who really think that they are not "ordinary" people. As such the reports are ideal partners for the faux emotionality displayed on these forums - did you ever write to forums back home gushing "Punish these guys for their despicable Acts", actually you probably did. Yes.

Where I come people get punished for despicable acts otherwise we would soon have a lawless state run by a few.

Get over it, some red shirts burnt some paper coffins over their understandable frustration with the Judiciary getting involved where they shouldn't.

I think they did more then burn paper coffins. UNDERSTANDABLE frustration!? You are amazing.

This court lacks credibility.

We saw in the videos uploaded on YouTube exposing their contempt for the pheu Thai opposition during abhisit's reign with their consorting with the dems and their open discussions of placing relatives in key jobs in the court after releasing text answers to admission exams for them.

The members of this court were installed by the junta after the coup precisely to prevent any reform to the coup enforced rewrite of the 1997 constitution.

Let's not forget also the unelected senators placed by the coup who resigned en masse days before their 1 term was due to expire and then en masse reapply and take up their jobs for a further term.

So now we have "contempt of court" charges from the constitutional court interfering into the democratic process.

An alignment of the pad, unelectable dems, unelected placed senators and unelected placed judges against an elected government.

This government is bad because the right side didn't win and then of course there's always the bogeyman/scapegoat to remind the dumber loyalist members of Thai society what the purpose of all this is.

I was coming through immigration 3 weeks ago from london. Luckily for me I had a Premier pass (bumped up by Eva to business class, thanks EVA) and I saw the horrendous queues in the first immigration hall. At least several hundred people queuing at 3 pm.

When I got to Premier there was a film crew filming a passenger arriving to get his passport checked by a "smiling" immigration girl.

If only.

I was second in queue of 2.

No queue for taxis as everyone else was still in immigration waiitng to get their passports checked.

My view is the staff were on a go-slow.

Loads of taxi touts in the airport and "TAT" staff.

They need to do something ASAP