News Critique

[The Snark]

Wednesday, March 14th - The headline news

BANGKOK - DEEP SOUTH ON SECURITY ALERT

Some seperatist group is celebrating it's anniversary. Well, yes, but the shoe shining event of the Pattani sewer divers has also caused a security alert. Come to think of it, a real headline news article in this day and age would read, NO SECURITY ALERT TODAY!

ICT MINISTRY BLOCKS PRO-THAKSIN WEB SITE

I'm not sure if this elevates or demotes Mr. Thaksin. Does yet another flakey, prone to crashes, loaded with inaccuracies and innuendo web site lauding the former premier and getting blocked mean the man is significant, or just rates him along with the 115,000 blocked web sites that toss porn and internet piracy around?

AUTHORITIES SET ONE WEEK SMOKE DEADLINE

Or what? They will threaten to block the smokes web site? Judging by the past affirmitive actions, they will probably form a subcommittee to investigate the possibility of fires creating smoke.

CONSTITUTIONS COURT GETS NEW STRUCTURE ASSENT

This is not another case of musical whoopee cushions, is it?

INTEREST RATES LIKELY TO BE SLASHED

Or lowered. Unless they decide not to.

OFFICIALS TO DECIDE ON FBA IN APRIL

This is good:

"The government plans to take 30 days to decide if it will use the new draft of the Foreign Business Act prepared by a group of National Legislative Assembly members."

Note the 'prepared by a group...' Anyone taking bets on the vested interests of these folks? WHOOPS! Can't say that! Might get sued.

CABINET ENDORSES ALCOHOL AD BAN

Does anyone out there know of ANYBODY who sees a billboard, TV ad or the like portraying booze and the person mindlessly turns about and stumbles off towards the nearest yadong bar? (Like the average American heads to Wallmart on command)

SEC SLAPS FORMER ASIA PLUS CHIEF OVER ILLEGAL OISHI TRADES

Forgot to pay the kickbacks? Darn! 1 1/2 days profit down the tubes!

And the ever-popular FOREST FIRES SPREAD NORTHERN SMOG

No, they make smoke. They add to the goo already in the air.

AEC TO GET HELP FROM POLICE

Is it safe to ask who? The rank and file folks, or the big cheeses who own all those hilltops, 6 car driveway estates, and 12 bedroom condos? We better not ask. Can we just say the AEC has hit a new low?

[Sing_Sling]

Cynic!

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

Why is it when people take journalistic pieces and try to interpose their own inane comments....its never funny, satirical nor incisive.

If people think they can improve on the media's output, please feel free to join it, we're always looking for new talent !

[h90]

blocking Toxins webpage is a very poor action. Looks like he has something true to tell, what the gouverment must block. Censorship makes everything even more interesting. Maybe the next step is to screen the libraries for his books and burn them?

Instead of messing arround with alcohol ban or censorship the gouverment should find some real wrongdoings by Toxin. That can't be that difficult. Now after 4 month they still didn't find anything???? Whats going on here??

[Barney_the_Dinosaur]

blocking Toxins webpage is a very poor action. Looks like he has something true to tell, what the gouverment must block. Censorship makes everything even more interesting. Maybe the next step is to screen the libraries for his books and burn them?

Instead of messing arround with alcohol ban or censorship the gouverment should find some real wrongdoings by Toxin. That can't be that difficult. Now after 4 month they still didn't find anything???? Whats going on here??

Because they haven't found something iron-clad to get a conviction. And that is bad news for the new regime. If they fabricate evidence, that isn't too smart either.

If he's acquitted of any charges levelled, a hundred thousand TRT supporters will be despatched to Bangkok in a nanosecond calling for free elections - which he'd win.

Khun Thaksin has a medium term plan for a return in any case. I'm sure you can all work out what the catalyst for that would be, but I can't spell it out online. If acquitted of flimsy charges, that reinstatement plan gets brought forward.

[jbowman1993]

I admire the government for doing their due diligence, and not rushing out some flimy charges that wouldn't stick. Slow and steady wins the race.

[Sing_Sling]

I admire the government for doing their due diligence, and not rushing out some flimy charges that wouldn't stick. Slow and steady wins the race.

[Sing_Sling]

I admire the government for doing their due diligence, and not rushing out some flimy charges that wouldn't stick. Slow and steady wins the race.

I agree, why the rush. get all the ducks lined up and then present the case with a fait accompli!

Edited March 14, 2007 by Sing_Sling

[h90]

blocking Toxins webpage is a very poor action. Looks like he has something true to tell, what the gouverment must block. Censorship makes everything even more interesting. Maybe the next step is to screen the libraries for his books and burn them?

Instead of messing arround with alcohol ban or censorship the gouverment should find some real wrongdoings by Toxin. That can't be that difficult. Now after 4 month they still didn't find anything???? Whats going on here??

Because they haven't found something iron-clad to get a conviction. And that is bad news for the new regime. If they fabricate evidence, that isn't too smart either.

If he's acquitted of any charges levelled, a hundred thousand TRT supporters will be despatched to Bangkok in a nanosecond calling for free elections - which he'd win.

Khun Thaksin has a medium term plan for a return in any case. I'm sure you can all work out what the catalyst for that would be, but I can't spell it out online. If acquitted of flimsy charges, that reinstatement plan gets brought forward.

With blocking they'll get critisied for censorship, in combination with no popular ideas (which Thaksin had 5 per day, Chang Mai would be already the Hub of smoke or something like that) it is the same dangerous

So Thaksin can claim in his populistic manner:

Thaksin didn't do anything wrong (as they couldn't show any case till now)

They restrict freedom of speech/opinion

They don't do anything for the country

And sure there will be enough who believe that, specially if everyone who believe it gets 200 Baht.