If Trump is re-elected what does it say about the I.Q of the average American?

[Baerboxer]

You are just playing with words!

..

- When they talk about 2014 GDP forecast (in December 2013), they surely don't refer to the political unrest during the two previous decades.

- When the gdp growth is only 1%, compared to initial forecast of 5.1% or 4%, it can only be because of events happening between the initial forecast and the end of 2014. So what happened in 2014?

quite easy to blame Thaksin for this one, none of the protests started before his name was added to the list of amnesty. This was done real late and was advised against by everyone.

This was the catalyst that started it all, this is what has brought down the government. There are even PTP sources that agree that his was the most stupid thing they did the thing that brought their corrupt government down.

That's right, it has been the initial catalyst, and a major mistake by the previous government.

However, as it has been withdrawn in November 2013, the 2014 protests had obviously another purpose.....

Another red lie. Many versions of the bill were withdrawn, which Yingluck proudly announced, showing how her government listened to the people.

However, the contentious bill, amended to free Thaksin of all outstanding crimes and conviction was never withdrawn. All PTP had to do was sit and wait for it to come back to parliament then vote it into law as it does not need to go to the senate again. People saw through this lie when Yingluck refused to comment on this particular version and her minions claimed, as usual, to just be following procedures.

Seems Yingluck's administration listened to their owner more.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Baerboxer

[Tatsujin]

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"... This case is under the public spotlight, so we have to speed up the decision ... "

By putting it off even longer, I wonder why ... ?

Cynics might suggest deals are being made behind closed doors to ensure nothing serious happens and ensure that a precedent isn't set that doesn't suit the incumbent PM and future PM and their minions.

Quite possible.. I mean what would the world come to if politicians have to pay back money lost and stolen. That would set bad precedents. We all know YL was responsible for the rice scheme that was proposed as self financing / budget neutral (for those that don't understand means it would not cost a thing and was not budgeted because budget was already in a large deficit). So when they are talking about a loss.. they are right as it was not budgeted even though proof came out it was costing money (700 billion or more latest count).

People involved were bullied threatened until the army came and shown the world what was truly going on.

Now this same army must have the balls to go after YL and her minions, and hopefully it does set a precedent so that bad politicians of whatever color will be held responsible for their actions.

(I wont hold my breath)

You mean the same Army that has now given the rice and rubber farmers a new gurantee pricing program that will further drive the national debt? The same Army that has created new subsidies for rice, rubber, and milk farmers? The military coup and its PDRC cohorts have cost the nation about 3.5%-5% GDP growth over 2013 and 2014 with a likelihood of low GDP growth in 2015. Will they be held accountable for such economic losses to the nation? I'm all for precedent but it has to be consistently and fairly applied.

I'm curious, how did you get to the 3.5%-5% loss in GDP growth over 2013/2014 ... and how can you blame that solely on the PDRC/coup?

You just need to do a little search on the internet with keywords: GDP, Thailand, Protest, forecast.

This is what I found. It's only on 2014, but it makes the assumption look reasonable:

First a report by the university of the Chamber of Commerce (not a red shirt nest, obviously), stating that:

(news from December 17th, 2013)

"The Economic and Business Forecast Center of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce forecast that the ongoing political unrest could inflict loss of over 200-300 billion baht on the economy with GDP growing less than 3 %."

They also declare "However, he said the center has forecast that Thailands economy should increase by 4-4.5 percent, lower than prior prediction of 5.1 percent, and the country would lose 70-100 billion baht because of the prolonged political protests."

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/protests-hinder-gdp-growth

Now if we look at the current gdp forecast for 2014, it's 1%.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/2014-growth-now-1

So 5.1% minus 1% is 4.1% loss of growth for 2014. For a GDG of around USD 400b, it's a loss of GDP of USD 16.4b, around THB 537b

If we take the corrected forecast they made (taking into account 70-100b loss forecast due to protest) of 4% it's a loss of GDP of around THB 393b

It would make more sense to use the 5.1% original forecast as it was made before the protest events untill December 17 2013.

And the key phrase in all of that was "ongoing political unrest" which would apply for at least the last two decades here and not solely laid at the door of the PDRC and the coup as was stated by someone in the previous post I replied to who has very large blinkers on ...

You are just playing with words!

- When they talk about 2014 GDP forecast (in December 2013), they surely don't refer to the political unrest during the two previous decades.

- When the gdp growth is only 1%, compared to initial forecast of 5.1% or 4%, it can only be because of events happening between the initial forecast and the end of 2014. So what happened in 2014?

Call it what you like, but for me, I wouldn't blame it on one single event, but rather the preceding 4 years or so and the simple fact that people were waking up to just how corrupt and just how much cash was being siphoned off by the Shinawatra's.

That wasn't the sole or only reason, there were others, all connected.

But if you want to blame the low GDP on the coup alone, you're more than welcome. I'm more of a "bigger picture" kind of guy.

[Tatsujin]

You are just playing with words!

..

- When they talk about 2014 GDP forecast (in December 2013), they surely don't refer to the political unrest during the two previous decades.

- When the gdp growth is only 1%, compared to initial forecast of 5.1% or 4%, it can only be because of events happening between the initial forecast and the end of 2014. So what happened in 2014?

quite easy to blame Thaksin for this one, none of the protests started before his name was added to the list of amnesty. This was done real late and was advised against by everyone.

This was the catalyst that started it all, this is what has brought down the government. There are even PTP sources that agree that his was the most stupid thing they did the thing that brought their corrupt government down.

That's right, it has been the initial catalyst, and a major mistake by the previous government.

However, as it has been withdrawn in November 2013, the 2014 protests had obviously another purpose.....

I'd suggest you take your head out of the sand and stop believing the lies so many here take as fact.

There's a "big picture" situation going on here right now, and which those events you mention were just a very small part of.

That "big picture" situation has been going on for decades with Thaksin right at the center of it and it is coming to a head right now as the events happening more recently should tell you, assuming you can take those blinkers off for one second and stop believing the lies that are spoonfed to "the masses".

[JAG]

"... This case is under the public spotlight, so we have to speed up the decision ... "

By putting it off even longer, I wonder why ... ?

Cynics might suggest deals are being made behind closed doors to ensure nothing serious happens and ensure that a precedent isn't set that doesn't suit the incumbent PM and future PM and their minions.

The concept of establishing a precedent is probably the one thing which is occupying the mind(s) of those who will ultimately make a decision. I very much doubt whether evidence, due process or proof of guilt really comes into it!

Let's not forget that in the medium to long term there are some very lucrative positions that will need to be filled.

Edited December 24, 2014 by JAG

[Wombat6]

I feel a bit sorry for Yingluck. Virtually everyone connected with the last administration was guilty of dereliction of duty for failing to take the steps they could to stop corruption. The charge is incongruous. Most of them were actually ENGAGED in corruption, it seems to me.

And the lot before them. At least we don't see any PT members hiding in a temple yet.

Only because ther isn't any temples in Dubai

[Baghdad]

Delay, delay, delay until its too late and she gets away with it

As long as Prayut is in power she is not going to get away with it

[whybother]

You mean the same Army that has now given the rice and rubber farmers a new gurantee pricing program that will further drive the national debt? The same Army that has created new subsidies for rice, rubber, and milk farmers? The military coup and its PDRC cohorts have cost the nation about 3.5%-5% GDP growth over 2013 and 2014 with a likelihood of low GDP growth in 2015. Will they be held accountable for such economic losses to the nation? I'm all for precedent but it has to be consistently and fairly applied.

The 2013 GDP growth was already crap before any protests started.

[whybother]

Obviously an open and shut case, because we all know that obviously Yingluck stole the whole 700bn, as some on here seem to postulate.

I mean, isn't there at least one absolutely honest witness anywhere in the country who can incontrovertibly convict her.

She has been charged with negligence, not theft (or corruption).

[cookee68]

Nothing new here we all saw this coming, even before they did

[Thai at Heart]

Obviously an open and shut case, because we all know that obviously Yingluck stole the whole 700bn, as some on here seem to postulate.

I mean, isn't there at least one absolutely honest witness anywhere in the country who can incontrovertibly convict her.

She has been charged with negligence, not theft (or corruption).

Exactly, but there are many on here who talk about obvious, open and shut corruption as though there is some mountain of proof that Yingluck herself emptied the treasury into her account.

This is not what is being chased in the courts.

[whybother]

Obviously an open and shut case, because we all know that obviously Yingluck stole the whole 700bn, as some on here seem to postulate.

I mean, isn't there at least one absolutely honest witness anywhere in the country who can incontrovertibly convict her.

She has been charged with negligence, not theft (or corruption).

Exactly, but there are many on here who talk about obvious, open and shut corruption as though there is some mountain of proof that Yingluck herself emptied the treasury into her account.

This is not what is being chased in the courts.

There was corruption in the rice scheme, which is why she is being charged with negligence.

[rubl]

Obviously an open and shut case, because we all know that obviously Yingluck stole the whole 700bn, as some on here seem to postulate.

I mean, isn't there at least one absolutely honest witness anywhere in the country who can incontrovertibly convict her.

She has been charged with negligence, not theft (or corruption).

Exactly, but there are many on here who talk about obvious, open and shut corruption as though there is some mountain of proof that Yingluck herself emptied the treasury into her account.

This is not what is being chased in the courts.

There was corruption in the rice scheme, which is why she is being charged with negligence.

Actually she being charged (by the NACC) for negligence because she was warned about corruption and losses and while stating that her government was listening, put measures in place, arranged financing, etc., etc., actually nothing seems to have been done.

Losses continued, corruption continued, lies continued. Negligence.