New Thai Prime Minister Faces Investigation Bangkok, Sept 29

[Plus]

Would you like to hear from me more often?

Sure, but not your "everyone, back to your hole" calls.

[Samuian]

Invistigated hay? The will probably fire him for being related to an x prime minister, or maybe he cooked some one a meal

completely wrong, distorted, too blatant and way too simple...!

PM Somchai is under investigation for holding shares in a company which does receive government contracts - NOT because he is related to a fugitive ex-PM!

And it wasn't about "cooing up a meal", it's again about being in office as a PM and violating the charter in having received money from another job and giving in evidence for his defense which was meddled with!

On another instance he has been sentenced for defamation 2 years jail, his appeal has not gone through!

If, please stick with the truth!

The whole scene is distorted and messy enough i assume.

[Artisi]

Samuian

I agree, far too many posters don't know or don't care about the truth - they just want to push their own narrow minded views.

[permanent_disorder]

I was laughing at the words "relatively minor failings"

They are all corrupt. Dig down on any of those with "relatively minor failings"

& you will find major failings.

At least the judiciary seem to have some teeth now!

Go judge!

Yep, could easily be a PR stunt by that "belgium whatsoever"...

when will "outsiders" accept that this is a genuine Thai-Problem which they will have to solve their way- a giant self cleaning process is on its way - otherwise the nepotism and thereof resulting corruption will bring down this country like a terminal

disease.

Alert

Ex-prime minister's sentence further entrenches criminal defamation and deepens threat to freedom of expression in Thailand, says SEAPA

(SEAPA/IFEX) - Thailand's Court of Appeals upheld a two-year jail term on former Thailand Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej for defaming a former deputy city governor, media reports said.

Samak, who stepped down in early September 2008 after another court found him guilty of conflict of interest, and his co-defendant, former senator Dusit Siriwan, were found guilty of defaming Samart Ratchapolsitte during their TV talk shows between 12 and 19 January 2006. According to Reuters, a judge reading the verdict on 25 September said there was no reason to suspend jail terms handed down by the Criminal Court.

The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) is expressing concern over the penalty of imprisonment meted out against the former prime minister. While the Samak defamation decision will have to be taken within the larger political contexts in Thailand, SEAPA believes that meting out a jail sentence for defamation will only further entrench criminal defamation in Thailand, further growing an existing threat to freedom of expression. While there are accepted limits to free speech, the penalty of imprisonment for defamation is excessive against any person, in any context. The criminal defamation case against Samak -or any other personality- will have implications beyond the personalities directly involved. It will set a chilling standard by which all Thai citizens, including journalists, writers, and oppositionists, will now also be held by.

....

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/97312/

[TAWP]

Of course jail for defamation is BS, and so have many of us said for years.

Not that some of you complained when Thaksin tried to use it as a tool of oppression of course...

[Plus]

Samak and Dusit made up a bogus story about city clerk receiving 7 series Bimmer as a payback for some shady deal, and they knownly broadcast that false accusation nationwide. Eventually they got convicted.

Didn't stop Samak for a second from assuming PMship. Never mind the sentence - he is a convicted liar. Then he tried to fool the court with bogus evidence in his cooking case.

I don't think anybody wants to see Samak in jail, but, his bearish behavior had to be stopped one way or another. The man has no decency and no shame.

[permanent_disorder]

Samuian

I agree, far too many posters don't know or don't care about the truth - they just want to push their own narrow minded views.

The brainstorming session on the ideas for new politics will kick - Now Is Time for New Politics

TOC

Chamlong said he’s confident that the so called “clapping hands army” will be the people that bring about phenomenal changes to Thai politics.

Almost every PAD protesters have equipped themselves with a plastic toy in the shape of hands in bright colorful colors. When jiggled, the plastic hands will, in effect, clap and make appropriate clapping noises. The PAD protesters who have been protesting for over 100 days would instead jiggle the hands to clap when they agree with what is being said on the stage instead of using their hands to clap, thus earning them the title the 'clapping hands army.'

[Samuian]

It's not funny. A lot of people forgot already how much power some 'streams' in Thai society got when the coup leaders changed the constitution. I remember that most Thai had no clue what the changes were all about....

The changes were pushed thru the throats of the people.

Time will tell.

LaoPo

Well guess someone 'fathered' it for "most Thai", cause they wouldn't have a clue anyway!

Who is selling his voice in elections, should know that he/she is doing something wrong...go out and ask some fella on the streets, what they think about receiving gifts, cash money during election time from parties!

Force fed....yes because it was an emergency and the patient was/is unconscious and in grave danger!

Or should they all say: "mai mee pen ha" and bring the grand master back, give him the reign and let them do whatever they feel just to do!?

I don't think that is any option!

It had to be done one way or the other... this was they way it had been decided, any other way would have been bad in the aftermath anyway - however!

May "they" should call you, attend the TV Forum for advice next?

Edited October 2, 2008 by Samuian

[younghusband]

Col has always been very pro-TRT/PPP, no-matter what he claims.

His lack of understanding that one cannot treat two bad sides equal, if one is in power, is especially noticeable. It's not a balanced equation.

And he likes to paint anyone that doesn't like TRT/PPP as pro-PAD (as so many others, like YH, PD), without realizing that during the second world war many different groups of ideology was part of the overall underground resistance network against the nazi occupation of France. It doesn't mean the liberals liked the communist groups, it just means one had to co-operate to get the current evil out of power. Deal with each other afterwards.

That is an absurd travesty of my position as I think even my most vigorous opponents would agree.However let that pass.

The original Russian revolutionaries, Mensheviks, took the position you advocate with regard to the Bolsheviks.No enemies to the left they said, we will sort them out afterwards.But it was Kerensky not Lenin that was consigned to history.Similar situations occur regularly-wartime Yugoslavia,pre Mao China, post war Eastern Europe.

What exactly is the current evil by the way?

[Plus]

No enemies to the left

You could easily apply this to anyone on this board, and replace left with right.

PAD is not going to take over the country or usurp constitution reform rpocess. I think everyone realises by now that they are in the "wind down protests and look for exits" mode. They will disperce once the reform momentum becomes unstoppable, though I don't really see them giving government house back to Somchai just yet, perhaps only in case of House dissolution.

[animatic]

At least someone is ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS.

They may not yet have solved the issues, but at least there is a dialog going on.

It may not be high level yet, but if it forces the higher level minds to give input

it has served a useful purpose.

It is a far sight better than just saying you are not coming up with

good enough answers. You are just nagging about the problems and have no answers.

SHUT UP AND GO AWAY, or I will shout at you and everyone else until you do

SHUT UP AND GO AWAY.

There are some with startlingly short sighted viewpoints.

There are some who are just constitutionally contrarians.

There are some looking with a jaundiced eye at the whole thing.

There are some saying; Any OTHER choices are bad philosophy of government.

There are some who want to discuss possibilities and see where they lead.

There are some who want to STIFFLE that debate for partisan reasons.

There are some who want to sow confusion and disinformation.

There are some who just can't deal with their side having lost.

There are some who can't read ANYTHING between the lines,

even when handed to them as whole cloth.

There are some filled with HATE, as opposed to optimisim.

There are SOME who act childish, while portraying

thoughtful, yet imperfect adults as being childish.

There are many I find quite interesting,

There are some I wish would find something

more useful to do with their time.

Edited October 2, 2008 by animatic

[younghusband]

No enemies to the left

You could easily apply this to anyone on this board, and replace left with right.

PAD is not going to take over the country or usurp constitution reform rpocess. I think everyone realises by now that they are in the "wind down protests and look for exits" mode. They will disperce once the reform momentum becomes unstoppable, though I don't really see them giving government house back to Somchai just yet, perhaps only in case of House dissolution.

Perfectly fair point and I agree your summary of the current PAD mode.

On the no enemies to the left topic, the one exception I'm aware of was Harry Lee in Singapore who ruthlessly and cynically used the communists and having achieved power crushed them.Good for him.

[TAWP]

What exactly is the current evil by the way?

"Whoever criminal that is currently in power."

Now the answer is timeless too.

[thaigene2]

Col has always been very pro-TRT/PPP, no-matter what he claims.

His lack of understanding that one cannot treat two bad sides equal, if one is in power, is especially noticeable. It's not a balanced equation.

And he likes to paint anyone that doesn't like TRT/PPP as pro-PAD (as so many others, like YH, PD), without realizing that during the second world war many different groups of ideology was part of the overall underground resistance network against the nazi occupation of France. It doesn't mean the liberals liked the communist groups, it just means one had to co-operate to get the current evil out of power. Deal with each other afterwards.

Spellbinding stuff Mr. Utah. You remember them good ol' days in 'Nam? No way you gonna vote for that pinko McCain, huh? Sounds like one of them froggy 'french fry' names to me. Yessir, it does. Uh huh.

[thaigene2]

Samuian

I agree, far too many posters don't know or don't care about the truth - they just want to push their own narrow minded views.

The brainstorming session on the ideas for new politics will kick - Now Is Time for New Politics

TOC

Chamlong said he’s confident that the so called “clapping hands army” will be the people that bring about phenomenal changes to Thai politics.

Almost every PAD protesters have equipped themselves with a plastic toy in the shape of hands in bright colorful colors. When jiggled, the plastic hands will, in effect, clap and make appropriate clapping noises. The PAD protesters who have been protesting for over 100 days would instead jiggle the hands to clap when they agree with what is being said on the stage instead of using their hands to clap, thus earning them the title the 'clapping hands army.'

...Since they've been conditioned since birth to clap on demand..

[Plus]

I guess you've been drinking last night, Thaigene.

[GungaDin]

Here's another blatant example of how ThaiVisa picks and chooses who can post 'News' articles in this Topic.

While no individual offence directed to GungaDen, this is a poster who has been a member only around a year or so, has less than 500 posts, but is allowed to post in the 'Thailand News Articles" thread, which by now - if you haven't noticed - is very pro PAD/Establishment and very anti-democracy.

Only Mods and 'some' other members are allowed to post News Articles in this Topic Area. Kind of funny/scary isn't it??

I've asked Admin why this is the case a couple of times - no response.

I can answer that!

I posted in the General Topics, I presume it was moved to News Clippings by a mod or admin.

I cannot and do not post originals in News Clippings..

This probably applies to 'some' other members' too

[lucjoker]

I am a belgian,and lived there 50 years,

i can tell you the belgian politicians are the worst

in the world,after the elections 1 year ago,

they still didn't form a decent goverment!

They are all too bussy pulling strings to come as

close as possible to the honney-pot !

Every year 80% of the honny is stolen by them !!!!

And than they can't run the country with only 20%,

and they raise the taxes!!!!!

Now i here they say the courts have too much power????

Imagine:you work whole your life to become a politician,

you use all the corruption and dirty tricks in the book to

achieve your goal,and then ,when you finally are close to the

big money,THE COURT IS ALLOWED TO INVESTIGATE YOU ???

THAT IS NOT FAIR! THE belgian- theft -tank says !!!!WHOA HO HO HA HA!!!!

[animatic]

Here's another blatant example of how ThaiVisa picks and chooses who can post 'News' articles in this Topic.

While no individual offence directed to GungaDen, this is a poster who has been a member only around a year or so, has less than 500 posts, but is allowed to post in the 'Thailand News Articles" thread, which by now - if you haven't noticed - is very pro PAD/Establishment and very anti-democracy.

Only Mods and 'some' other members are allowed to post News Articles in this Topic Area. Kind of funny/scary isn't it??

I've asked Admin why this is the case a couple of times - no response.

I can answer that!

I posted in the General Topics, I presume it was moved to News Clippings by a mod or admin.

I cannot and do not post originals in News Clippings..

This probably applies to 'some' other members' too

Thaigene I think it's poor hygene to FLAME the ADMINISTRATORS...

Don't poop where you sleep.

Maybe they don't answer,

because they don't want to TALK to you?

Edited October 5, 2008 by animatic

[AlKing]

Some say the new cases show that the courts are no longer afraid to challenge influential politicians.

Dead man don't fight back. Just blame everything on them. We have seen all these before, and we will see these again.

[Samuian]

Some say the new cases show that the courts are no longer afraid to challenge influential politicians.

Dead man don't fight back. Just blame everything on them. We have seen all these before, and we will see these again.

Sure, I can be proven dead wrong by time, who can tell?

But my vague estimate is that Thailand has arrived at a final turning point!

or is Chamlongs arrest and the request for political asylum by a fugitive ex-prime minister and his first lady, coincidental with today's 32nd Anniversary of the first uprising against military suppression and rule of money politics?

I don't think so....

[animatic]

Some say the new cases show that the courts are no longer afraid to challenge influential politicians.

Dead man don't fight back. Just blame everything on them. We have seen all these before, and we will see these again.

Sure, I can be proven dead wrong by time, who can tell?

But my vague estimate is that Thailand has arrived at a final turning point!

or is Chamlongs arrest and the request for political asylum by a fugitive ex-prime minister and his first lady, coincidental with today's 32nd Anniversary of the first uprising against military suppression and rule of money politics?

I don't think so....

I have noted that Thais, Chinese and many asians seem to love their chronological symetries.

This VERY might be something planned for it's timeline beauty and resonance with history.

Sort of like OJ getting convicted to possible life in prison,

on the EXACT 13 year anniversary of his aquital for murdering his wife an friend.

Now that IS ironic and iconic symetry for sure.