British actress Emma Thompson among invitees to reform talks in Thailand

[saltandpepper]

May I suggest to erect a huge circular tent on Suan Luang and to call it circus? Then bring in all those valuable guests, and let the show begin. No out come to be expected, except for a bit of photo op and more spent money for nothing.

[Jingthing]

Big mistake not to invite this dude:

Pee Wee Herman

[TackyToo]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

…as dead as Hitler, Stalin, Gaddafi and Idi Amin. That’s why they are not on the list. All well known for exceptional skills and experts in truth and reconciliation commissions.

But there is hope. More high caliber creators of unity and peace talks like Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir (Dafur), Goran Hadžic, Ratko Mladic (ex Jugoslavia), Felicien Kabuga (Ruanda), Joseph Kony (Uganda), Bosco Ntaganda (Kongo), Doku Chamatowitsch Umarov (Chechnya), Aiman az-Zawahiri (Afghanistan), are still available (some only via phone in).

As for the culmination of the event, preferably held in Dubai and broadcast live via skype, I highly recommend to posthumously award Conquistador Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro with the Thailand Peace Prize for reconciliation and international understanding.

[jayboy]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

Actually that's not the question.The question is whether she has anything to contribute that makes her presence worthwhile.

The fact she doesn't live here is irrelevant.Bill Clinton and George Mitchell didn't live in Ireland yet contributed enormously to the settlement in Ulster.

Indeed the fact they didn't live there and had no local associations or loyalties was helpful to their efforts.

As to Thailand there are hundreds of thousands foreign retired or current downmarket sexpats milling around with their Thai "families", some of whom have been here for years.I'm not convinvced their views are likely to be of much intererest or even coherent.

As to Emma Thompson I have to say the rule of thumb applies that luvvies views on matters outside their profession are invaraiably fatuous.She is a fine actress (made me blub in her performance in the little seen, "Wit", dam her).

Tony Blair is a different matter.Can't bear him myself but I can see that he might have something to contribute.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Actress = Someone who Pretends someone who they are not.

[GAZZPA]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

File her under - Hasn't got a clue

She is the Patron for the Refugee Council in the UK, she lobbies politicians on human rights issues and is a highly educated woman graduating from Cambridge. She uses her fame from acting to raise the profile of issues because she can. As she read English at Cambridge she is perfectly capable of pulling together information and studying the political situation in Thailand.

Of course she doesn't have the benefit of a "Thai Visa" education but no ones perfect.

[jbrain]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

Ssssth

[jbrain]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Don't forget to give some credit to Berlusconi

[NongKhaiKid]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

It may be a photo opportunity and a chance for some Thais to rub shoulders with some international celebraties, get an autograph and put the pic on your wall.

Exactly, it's only a massive and very ridiculous PR stunt.

If any of the guest speakers actually suggest the government is getting things wrong will they too be threatened with a lawsut ?

[Ricardo]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

I do believe so, and Nelson is reported to be close-to-death, but why should these inconvenient facts stand in the way of using their names & reputations, to enhance this Thai-government-sponsored reform-chat and help bring Thaksin home whitewashed & cleaner-than-clean ?

Actually thinking on, a dead invitee would be just the sort of critic PT would love to have contribute to this worthless PR stunt.

Quite.

And would also be less-likely to demand a fee, for showing up (or not).

[belg]

thais never listen to good advice farang of experts (floods : aka the dutch)

because they know everything better than anyone ...

but now they are seeking goody paid speakers to come rally for the "good cause" of bringing mister T back ?

[Pimay1]

I wonder if the Dear Leader will Skype into the meetings to enlighten everyone.

[Thai at Heart]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

She's not here to understand Thailand, she's here coz she understands human rights.

That's good then, when she's here she can demand that there is a full trial put in place for all those that were involved in the 2004 drug massacres. That will include Taksin of course.

She can ask Thailand to explain why the Rohingya refugees were towed out to sea and left to drift

She can demand to be told why the 34 children of Ahmadi refugees were held behind bars at the IDC for 6 months

She can demand an explanation as to why Thailand refused citizenship to thousands of Hill Tribe people that have lived in Thailand for decades and longer.....

She going to have a long list of things to ask about eh?,

Those are issues that Thailand should sort out. She isn't here to get to the nub of every single issue in Thailand, it is just that human rights are a recongised global right, and I am quite happy for her to lecture in Thailand on that issue.

Whether Thailand gives two hoots, but there is little to do with the concept of Thai human rights, for which Thailand should be proud, as you point out. This idea that universally accepted global rights somehow metamorph into a Thai-efied concept is half the problem. They don't want democracy, they want Thai democracy, they don't want human rights, they want their version of human rights. This endless revision to suit Thailand is why they continue to have one strp forwards and two steps back in the movement to democracy.

they don't want true democracy, they want Thai democracy. They don't want freedom of speech, they want freedom of speech under the control of Thainess. They don't want equality of rights they want it with a caveat.

[NongKhaiKid]

thais never listen to good advice farang of experts (floods : aka the dutch)

because they know everything better than anyone ...

but now they are seeking goody paid speakers to come rally for the "good cause" of bringing mister T back ?

Hope they apply for the appropriate visa and work permits

[F4UCorsair]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

And she must be remotely knowledgeable about some/any issues!! She's an actress!!

[Maggusoil]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

She's not here to understand Thailand, she's here coz she understands human rights.

Good old Magna Carter common law provides decisions made by a jury. Twelve good men and true.

Based on the premise, most people know the difference between right and wrong.

Dogs and babies know the difference between right and wrong.

Most people know what a human right is.

The English speaking world has had over 600 years of human rights guaranteed by the Magna Carter, to understand what those rights are. They are now getting smashed regularly by the new, corporatised government super bureaucracies.

It is not rocket science.

Whitewashing with the Amnesty Bill is a very real concern and what arises here, is that as foreigners in Thailand it is

difficult to say anything, which will ever make any difference.

One of the processes gaining a lot of ground in the West at present are the online petitions, making people's voices heard.

Without a real voice, Thais will be either brow beaten into submission or out on the streets with whatever weapon they

can grab at the time and whatever mob they can join. Along with the rent a mobs and all the others.

Emma Thompson? Should stick to acting. She's really good at it. Lets see what she says. If she says anything at all . . . .

[ronrat]

It could be a lot worse. Imagine the Thais getting a lecture from Bono. That is until he saw the bootlegs in Khao San road and goes off on that tangent.

[Scott]

A post with a derogatory spelling of a politicians name has been deleted.

[jcb2001]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

File her under - Hasn't got a clue

She is the Patron for the Refugee Council in the UK, she lobbies politicians on human rights issues and is a highly educated woman graduating from Cambridge. She uses her fame from acting to raise the profile of issues because she can. As she read English at Cambridge she is perfectly capable of pulling together information and studying the political situation in Thailand.

Of course she doesn't have the benefit of a "Thai Visa" education but no ones perfect.

She may have the best credentials in the world for dealing with human rights issues, but do you really think Yingluck and Pheu Thai will listen to her if she contradicts any of the government policies aimed at whitewashing Thaksin?

[Chao Lao Beach]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Isn't Hugo dead?

Ssssth

The final line up will be entertaining

[PhilipCook]

YL liked her in Sense and Sensibility and Emma's your auntie, she made the invite list

[Lancelot]

I hope that some constructivce movement towards reconcilliation occurs. I do admit to thinking this is more for window dressing and international consumption. the Thais are an admirable people; however, they are mostly unwelcoming to suggestions from foreigners...

[Bagwan]

Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela & Hugo Chavez would also be nice !

Garry Linacre, Harpo Marx, Spike Milligna (the well know typing error), Bill Cosby, Mrs Whitehouse - all are welcome. Discount all rumours that you won't substantially benefit in a financial sense.

[Bagwan]

I am just wondering when Tony Blair is going to pull out, perhaps he will develop a bad throat or something.

It's a pity that his father didn't pull out.

[Ianatlarge]

Anyone from tv invited?

[Bagwan]

I guess the question is: <deleted> does she know about Thailand? You gotta live here to be remotely knowledgeable about local issues.

File her under - Hasn't got a clue

She is the Patron for the Refugee Council in the UK, she lobbies politicians on human rights issues and is a highly educated woman graduating from Cambridge. She uses her fame from acting to raise the profile of issues because she can. As she read English at Cambridge she is perfectly capable of pulling together information and studying the political situation in Thailand.

Of course she doesn't have the benefit of a "Thai Visa" education but no ones perfect.

Thompson graduated from Cambridge University in 1980 at the age of 21 years. That indicates a BA (English). I wouldn't consider that being highly educated even though maybe Cambridge didn't handout degrees like sweeties as many do now.

[deecee10]

Emma Thompson has been invited because her father Eric Thompson was the English language creator of the television animation series "The Magic Roundabout" back in the 60's and 70's.

It appears that the Thai Government want to use the same title for their "Uniting for the Future, Learning from Each Other’s Experience" forum.

"Peace, man," said Dylan.

[JetsetBkk]

I always thought Thompson was an airhead. Here's a quote from Wikipedia:

Thompson has said of her religious and political views: "I'm an atheist; I suppose you can call me a sort of libertarian anarchist. I regard religion with fear and suspicion. It's not enough to say that I don't believe in God. I actually regard the system as distressing...

So I actually quite like her now.

[Pimay1]

Anyone from tv invited?

I think I got an invitation but my little dog Rambo ate it before I could read it.

[Chicog]

I'm waiting for them to add Mohamed Morsi, the master of reform and reconciliation.