Pro -red commie expats sure are silent about this one!

Lets see who can spin a twist to it and create a conspiracy.

Can't fool all the people all the time.

Why would any expat spend any time arguing either side? I do love watching expats take whatever side and get hot and bothered over something they can do nothing about, other than to at best influence their better halves decision on voting day. Our opinions are pretty much unwanted by either side (unless its the side you are supporting and then they may be tolerated) so why bother? I know the standard reply is, "because we want what's best for Thailand", however bitching on here either way is pretty unlikely to have an effect on that.

Dribbling your garbage on TV is "pretty unlikely to have an effect on" us either JB.........................

Perfect, as I pretty much don't care what effect I have on you old bean.

Think that was kinda my whole point........

even if the farmers get paid, they won't be happy to take less in the future. Whoever steps into the inevitable vacuum has to find a way of solving this crisis.

Pro -red commie expats sure are silent about this one!

Lets see who can spin a twist to it and create a conspiracy.

Can't fool all the people all the time.

Why would any expat spend any time arguing either side? I do love watching expats take whatever side and get hot and bothered over something they can do nothing about, other than to at best influence their better halves decision on voting day. Our opinions are pretty much unwanted by either side (unless its the side you are supporting and then they may be tolerated) so why bother? I know the standard reply is, "because we want what's best for Thailand", however bitching on here either way is pretty unlikely to have an effect on that.

Well you're on here bitching-ironically, 555.

We are free as long time expats to state our view/opinion. Some of us have resident visas/whatever.

If you're not happy sharing views and info, then just cancel your account.

I'm sorry I guess I missed the part where its sharing a view to bitch another side down. I'm not sharing a view, I wouldn't bother to have 1 in a system that doesn't want it.

If I did have 1 then I would vote for Yinluck, for the pure and simple reason that she is the only politician that has ever come close to making me do a sex wee! As my vote counts for nothing then I shall not bother.

If you'd vote based on the bang list, then number 5 party has a much better, younger, prettier and actual Thai looking female. And she might even have some smarts about her.

even if the farmers get paid, they won't be happy to take less in the future. Whoever steps into the inevitable vacuum has to find a way of solving this crisis.

Abhisit has suggested abolishing the rice scheme completely.

Anyone want to bet that all the farmers will vote for the Democrats in the next election?

Oh wait, betting is illegal in Thailand. My bad! You get the point...

I can't give you any verifiable facts or figures but for what it's worth, I am from the North and I have many very close friends who are from Isan.

The people I've asked say that as far as they know, everyone who has entered the scheme has been paid quite some time ago. They sympathise with the other farmers but are frankly a little bit surprised that they haven't been paid yet.

Of course, my sample is very small and I make no claims that it is representative of the entire situation, but it does demonstrate that payment has been rather patchy and perhaps hasn't gone on in a systematic fashion (or maybe it has been systematic, depending on how you gauge the scheme's motives at inception).

Those you spoke to "are frankly a little bit surprised that they haven't been paid yet." Those who haven't been paid are well past that state and into indignant, hurt, angry closing on furious, and getting near to "ready to kick the crap out of somebody."

Can you blame them?

even if the farmers get paid, they won't be happy to take less in the future. Whoever steps into the inevitable vacuum has to find a way of solving this crisis.

Abhisit has suggested abolishing the rice scheme completely.

Anyone want to bet that all the farmers will vote for the Democrats in the next election?

Oh wait, betting is illegal in Thailand. My bad! You get the point...

Are you under some strange misapprehension that PTP will continue it? Quite a few may well end up behind bars for supporting this criminal exercise.

It is interesting that this does not include farmers from the North and North East regions, possibly because of their loyalty to the PTP, but also possibly becuase they have been paid more than in the other regions.

It would be interesting to have clear figures on which farmers have been paid and which have not.

It is the duty of a government (rather than a single party or coalition) to govern fairly and equally for all of the countries constituents, whether they voted for a political party or not.

if there is evidence that the ruling party has favoured their supporters, then this is a clear case of dereliction of duty and would be a justification for the protesters in their fight against the current administration and its replacement.

A partisan ruling party is not a democracy.

For the PTP apologists - yes, this has been a feature of Thai politics and similar charges could be levelled against previous government, but that is NOT an excuse.

I can't give you any verifiable facts or figures but for what it's worth, I am from the North and I have many very close friends who are from Isan.

The people I've asked say that as far as they know, everyone who has entered the scheme has been paid quite some time ago. They sympathise with the other farmers but are frankly a little bit surprised that they haven't been paid yet.

Of course, my sample is very small and I make no claims that it is representative of the entire situation, but it does demonstrate that payment has been rather patchy and perhaps hasn't gone on in a systematic fashion (or maybe it has been systematic, depending on how you gauge the scheme's motives at inception).

My in-laws in Isaan, and their friends, relatives and neighbors all still waiting. Yet, all told to vote PTP by the Poo Yais on the 2nd.

Which probably means that the after the rice mills and connected big-time rice merchants have been paid the trickle down of money for the poor rice farmers whom the scheme was reportedly meant for in the first place has gone on according to lines of patronage.

This then points to another probability : that there isn't enough money to pay everyone and therefore money for the actual farmer constituents had to be prioritized according to connections and favours owed to the strongmen of those respective political fiefdoms.

Pro -red commie expats sure are silent about this one!

Lets see who can spin a twist to it and create a conspiracy.

Can't fool all the people all the time.

Why would any expat spend any time arguing either side? I do love watching expats take whatever side and get hot and bothered over something they can do nothing about, other than to at best influence their better halves decision on voting day. Our opinions are pretty much unwanted by either side (unless its the side you are supporting and then they may be tolerated) so why bother? I know the standard reply is, "because we want what's best for Thailand", however bitching on here either way is pretty unlikely to have an effect on that.

Well you're on here bitching-ironically, 555.

We are free as long time expats to state our view/opinion. Some of us have resident visas/whatever.

If you're not happy sharing views and info, then just cancel your account.

I'm sorry I guess I missed the part where its sharing a view to bitch another side down. I'm not sharing a view, I wouldn't bother to have 1 in a system that doesn't want it.

If I did have 1 then I would vote for Yinluck, for the pure and simple reason that she is the only politician that has ever come close to making me do a sex wee! As my vote counts for nothing then I shall not bother.

Gee, I bet this guy has lots of friends !

Gemini81

I dunno, I still quite like Maggie Thatcher. however in 45 odd years on the planet I wouldn't bother ever choosing from 2 sides of the same coin. Have not and will not ever vote, even if I could.

Vowing to overthrow the govenment is clearly not a violation of Article 68 of the Constitution based on the recent court ruled in favor of Suthep. So why not jump into the fray? Though I have to wonder just exactly how overthrowing the government gets the farmers a single baht for their rice anytime in the near future. If anything, the formation of a new government will take, according to Suthep, 12-18 months for new elections once he can figure how to prevent the PTP and farmers (irony) from participating in those elections....I mean reform government corruption.

Mikemac.

Brilliant, how do you do it Holmes........

I can't give you any verifiable facts or figures but for what it's worth, I am from the North and I have many very close friends who are from Isan.

The people I've asked say that as far as they know, everyone who has entered the scheme has been paid quite some time ago. They sympathise with the other farmers but are frankly a little bit surprised that they haven't been paid yet.

Of course, my sample is very small and I make no claims that it is representative of the entire situation, but it does demonstrate that payment has been rather patchy and perhaps hasn't gone on in a systematic fashion (or maybe it has been systematic, depending on how you gauge the scheme's motives at inception).

Those you spoke to "are frankly a little bit surprised that they haven't been paid yet." Those who haven't been paid are well past that state and into indignant, hurt, angry closing on furious, and getting near to "ready to kick the crap out of somebody."

Can you blame them?

Certainly not. In fact I really hope that they go the whole hog and that, fueled by all this pissed-off-energy, they will go ahead and help create the conditions for the lid to be blown off the truth.

The genie is coming out of the bottle and it's great.

Finally they wake up

Not really.

Are they aware that the rice pledging scheme has to end?

If the North Eastern farmers join- Goodbye to the Govt and chaos in Issan.

However they have not joined the bandwagon-one does wonder if they have all been compensated

My inlaws are from Issan. They are currently owed almost 260k from the government. They haven't been paid, but they are still very happy with Thaksin and are not angry.

Why? Because they only plant once a year, as do most of the people from Issan. They still don't really need the money. In another couple of months, if they still haven't been paid and everyone has visited loan sharks to get their crops going, you may start to see the people of Issan join in. That what is happening in the central plains right now. People took out loans from loan sharks expecting to be compensated, and they are becoming desperate as they have no hope of when they can pay it back.

For now, it is too early in much of Issan. Nobody is desperate. They may have not been paid, but they aren't really hurting. Yet. Sadly the farmers are part of a political chess game, and the suffering hasn't really reached Thaksin's core voting base yet. I'm sure the PDRC is well aware of this, and the longer it takes Yingluck to give up, the worse it is going to be for the PT. The protesters have time on their side. As for the farmers...I'm not sure any of the players in this really care how many kill themselves over unpayable debts. It is too bad it has to be this way.

Hello Isaanites, welcome to Bangkok. Hope you will not kill any of the 'amart' while you are despite your red 'leaders' ( aka terrorists ) yelling at you that you should do so for at least the last 5 years, especially considering it is their tax money that has paid for the scam that paid you far too much for the last 2 years.

Hope you will enjoy your stay and get what you are owed very soon. I also hope you will never forget what this government has done and will start to understand that the country can no longer be bankrupted to pay a lot more than your rice is worth to middle men who are already rich to make them even richer.

But maybe the government in the future can help you sell what you do produce at the world market price at the time...

Ok so now we have another group. Ok this is good. But the question is this. - WHO would step in to be the acting PM when she steps down????? NO ONE has said anything about this. Do you want suthep? Or how about that monk that is protesting as the acting PM?

Ok so now we have another group. Ok this is good. But the question is this. - WHO would step in to be the acting PM when she steps down????? NO ONE has said anything about this. Do you want suthep? Or how about that monk that is protesting as the acting PM?

Ah, how easily one dismisses another group which is anti-government.

Well, as the Bangkok Governor was forced to step down before registering his candidacy as lots of Pheu Thai people complaint about the unfairness, it might make sense to ask the same of our dear caretaker PM.

Whether or not I want Suthep is immaterial, he said he will not be involved in the 'peoples forum'.

BTW your suggestion of Buddha Issara as acting PM is tasteless. Monks may be activily involved in struggles for democracy, but they stay out of politics and not only because the constitution has it so.

Gemini81

I dunno, I still quite like Maggie Thatcher. however in 45 odd years on the planet I wouldn't bother ever choosing from 2 sides of the same coin. Have not and will not ever vote, even if I could.

She was a real leader, never was nor will be another quite like her.

I just responded to some posts on selecting PM's based on their shagability. To me, brains are important too..but, different strokes for different folks!

Finally they wake up

Not really.

Are they aware that the rice pledging scheme has to end?

Or perhaps take the middle way, and just reduce the pledging-price to something more reasonable, closer to the old Dem-policy perhaps ?

But there will still be the current ageing-stock mess, to be cleared up, asn all those medium-term bonds to be repaid over the next year or two, regardless of who's in-power.

Not all Isarn farmers have been paid as this recent (Today) image of a Sisaket farmer from Twitter sadly shows

https://twitter.com/SpringNews_TV/status/433889855706128384/photo/1

Who would want to run Thailand now? It's in such a mess, almost ungovernable.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

BTW your suggestion of Buddha Issara as acting PM is tasteless. Monks may be activily involved in struggles for democracy, but they stay out of politics and not only because the constitution has it so.

And dear Buddha Issara has done such a great job of staying out of politics.

Gemini81

I dunno, I still quite like Maggie Thatcher. however in 45 odd years on the planet I wouldn't bother ever choosing from 2 sides of the same coin. Have not and will not ever vote, even if I could.

She was a real leader, never was nor will be another quite like her.

I just responded to some posts on selecting PM's based on their shagability. To me, brains are important too..but, different strokes for different folks!

If we could genetically use the best bits of both, well hell that might just be worth arguing about....... Suthep and wingnut, nah I don't think so.

BTW your suggestion of Buddha Issara as acting PM is tasteless. Monks may be activily involved in struggles for democracy, but they stay out of politics and not only because the constitution has it so.

And dear Buddha Issara has done such a great job of staying out of politics.

Did he join a party? Did he join political rallies?

Pro -red commie expats sure are silent about this one!

Lets see who can spin a twist to it and create a conspiracy.

Can't fool all the people all the time.

Why would any expat spend any time arguing either side? I do love watching expats take whatever side and get hot and bothered over something they can do nothing about, other than to at best influence their better halves decision on voting day. Our opinions are pretty much unwanted by either side (unless its the side you are supporting and then they may be tolerated) so why bother? I know the standard reply is, "because we want what's best for Thailand", however bitching on here either way is pretty unlikely to have an effect on that.

Well you're on here bitching-ironically, 555.

We are free as long time expats to state our view/opinion. Some of us have resident visas/whatever.

If you're not happy sharing views and info, then just cancel your account.

I'm sorry I guess I missed the part where its sharing a view to bitch another side down. I'm not sharing a view, I wouldn't bother to have 1 in a system that doesn't want it.

If I did have 1 then I would vote for Yinluck, for the pure and simple reason that she is the only politician that has ever come close to making me do a sex wee! As my vote counts for nothing then I shall not bother.

I'm sorry, just what is "making me do a sex wee!" ??

so it be a case of all rice farmers that have died recently have committed suicide and the families will go to Bangkok with there death certificate to get 50,000 thb.

Bet that some PT leaders will stop eating rice soon and will only eat potatoes in the future, the rice has sickened their political future

Well you're on here bitching-ironically, 555.

We are free as long time expats to state our view/opinion. Some of us have resident visas/whatever.

If you're not happy sharing views and info, then just cancel your account.

I'm sorry I guess I missed the part where its sharing a view to bitch another side down. I'm not sharing a view, I wouldn't bother to have 1 in a system that doesn't want it.

If I did have 1 then I would vote for Yinluck, for the pure and simple reason that she is the only politician that has ever come close to making me do a sex wee! As my vote counts for nothing then I shall not bother.

I'm sorry, just what is "making me do a sex wee!" ??

I think Jeremy is telling us he has wet dreams over Yingluck..........................

Who would want to run Thailand now? It's in such a mess, almost ungovernable.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I nominate this lady. She will be able to get things done without having to run off on trips to buy shoes and handbags. She's got style, she's got taste, she's the it girl.

BTW your suggestion of Buddha Issara as acting PM is tasteless. Monks may be activily involved in struggles for democracy, but they stay out of politics and not only because the constitution has it so.

And dear Buddha Issara has done such a great job of staying out of politics. alt=rolleyes.gif width=20 height=20>

Hey Shannon, how about some decent constructive argument,, or is there none left from your side?