yastamon

Just a bunch of political tit-for-tat, for Thai public consumption. I forecast within a month or so after the junta gets the desired public consumption it will quietly approve the resumption of the Cobra Goal exercise in Thailand because it's not only the U.S. that takes part/co-sponsors the exercise but a variety of countries in this region. Once an major military exercise moves to another country like Australia, or maybe even the Philippines, it can take serious effort to get it back.

Generally agree. Odds are it will stay in Thailand as Thailand will value its US relationships (read markets not just US but world) as much as the US values Thailand (read its safe foot in the door into SE Asia at Chinese expense) - one does not give away secure alliances that take years to build. What I see this as is not just political tit for tat for Thai public consumption but political tit for tat for world consumption. The US (even if it is for foreign policy) made a horrendous stuff up by calling the Thai's on the world stage not over the human trafficking issues which are fair enough but over the application of martial law which was fully warranted. Philippines are not mainland or central SE Asia which Thailand is and that is the card Thailand hold. And Australia are US bumboys already so there is no additional gain in moving a SE Asia exercise to Australia (they are Pacific not SE Asia) when there is plenty of other war games exercises taken between the US, Australia and others already. Forcing the US as the ring leader on the junta power grab to not necessarily apologise but to back off a little pokes the point at the EU and Australia also on the same issue. The Thai's have a good hand of cards, with China as their free Joker, but the Thai call is getting maximum benefit back on the martial law issue without trying to push the barrow on what should not be yield-able gains on the human trafficking issues. I would be making the US wait a bit longer but at the same time applying diplomacy to the hilt on Thai Martial Law 101 and the pre Junta Thai criminal governance.

The loss of Cobra Gold would be a loss for Thailand not the US. The location of Thailand is not of tremendous strategic value, especially with the problems with China being centered in the South China Sea. The Philippines is more important and central to US defense plans in the region which is why more exercises are held there than in Thailand and also why there is now a defense deal done with the Philippines.

The couple that tortured this girl need to be caught, imprisoned and never let out to see the light of day.

Force him to wear a mask like Hannibal lecter while he plays.

Some should tell Angelina that when you visit a country your supposed to take a T shirt home!

Only joking.

This woman has used in fame to bring forward the plight of the displaced and the underprivileged .

I have nothing but admiration for her!

And to say she looks scary is a low blow considering losing both breasts to cancer and even then didn't hide it but inspired millions of women to have regular check ups!

Just to be clear she did not have cancer she had a double masectomy because she has a gene that makes her chances of developing breast cancer higher, she did it as a preventative measure.

4,000 baht "per head." Tourists are always counted on a per head basis by Thais. Everything about foreigners is "per head."

Pattaya bargirls don't count heads!

I suspect that depends on which head they are concerned about.

booking my airline ticket right now and I got a fistful of baht to party with

I really have to see that film, I am dying to know if Angelina Jolie has cleavage or did they use computer graphics to put that in.

Hun Sen accused Thai troops of firing cluster bomb at Cambodian troops.

1) Does any one know if Thailand has cluster bombs?

2) Aren't cluster bombs dropped from planes?

Cluster muitions can either be dropped from airborne platforms or fired from ground platforms rocket or canon based. The thai government is it has any could procure them from many nations as they are manufactured by quite a few countries around the world.