'Runway crack' Thai reporter finds redemption

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
'Runway crack' reporter finds redemption
The Nation

Court backs media role in historic ruling

BANGKOK: -- A recent legal victory of a senior journalist whose career took a bad turn following his Suvarnabhumi Airport "runway cracks" story is not just a personal triumph. His case made headlines a few years ago when then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra threatened to sue the journalist's employer for hefty damages in the wake of the runway report. The legal threat did not materialise but the reporter lost his job and blamed it largely on his Suvarnabhumi work.

The case highlighted the issue of press freedom versus "national interests". It also touched upon the complexities of media businesses operating under political shadows. That a media activist also faced a civil lawsuit worth hundreds of millions of baht during the same administration for linking government policies to telecom interests provided another example of how debilitating "compensation" demands could hinder journalists' work, whether they are functioning in a democratic system or not.

The Suvarnabhumi Airport was plagued with scandals during construction and purchase of equipment. There were claims of bribery or "under-the-table" money being paid in several stages of building Thailand's new international airport. Concerns were palpable at the time over whether substandard materials were being used or whether taxpayers' money was being wasted along the way. The senior journalist's report came out amid such public worries, drawing Thaksin's wrath. The reporter and his organisation later parted ways, on bad terms.

Obstacles to journalistic duties have evolved with time. Subtle deterrence has joined "mafia" violence and straightforward clampdown by the powers-that-be in blocking reporters' work deemed undesirable by vested interests. Many media outlets have found it hard to be professionally objective when huge chunks of their incomes come from the sources that reporters are supposed to be critical against, namely the government or big corporates.

In the past, ruling dictators sent troops to lock up press equipment. Equally effective these days is a threat to "stop advertising with you." When such a verbal warning, explicit or not, involves tens of millions or hundreds of millions of baht, media owners virtually have their hands tied. At a time when media outlets have evolved to become "empires", the need for money grows in proportion with their expansions.

Journalistically speaking, the good old days were when a newspaper's owner didn't care who would stop advertising, because the wage bills were small and there were always dignified means to make ends meet. Today, there are so many things to think about, not least how to pay reporters, who have been spoiled for career choices.

The Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the senior journalist, who wanted a sizable compensation from his former employer, acknowledged that he was simply doing his duty. It was a little ironic that the media organisation now needs to pay its former reporter who it allegedly blamed for the legal threat from the Thaksin government. It's also remarkable that a politician's legal threat eventually pitted a media group against one of its own reporters.

The court ruling upholds what has become a widely-accepted value. That value practically says that public interests are of utmost importance in journalists' work, and if those interests conflict with interests of organisations that employ the journalists, then so be it. The ruling represents a triumph of that value and should serve as a warning to all parties concerned in an era where media businesses get increasingly complicated.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Runway-crack-reporter-finds-redemption-30263790.html

-- The Nation 2015-07-06

[Jay Sata]

They were big surface cracks and damage.

Sadly Thailand hates the truth emerging.

[ChrisY1]

Well done the journalist...I remember the case and there was huge uproar from the Thaksin camp.......aside from the unending reports of scams over the airport.

Definately a correct judgement and hopefully, lots of lost face to the editors and owners of his former media outlet!

[rametindallas]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely free press, even though the need for peace and calm during this time of transition to a more legitimate form of democracy is much greater than during the Thaksin administration.

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

.

Edited July 6, 2015 by rametindallas

[oneday]

A great outcome in the current political climate.

[Seastallion]

Good decision that will hopefully make for a precedent that media companies will fear more than influential people with secrets.

It also highlights the absolute urgent need for a big overhaul of the defamation law.

[LannaGuy]

"blocking reporters' work deemed undesirable by vested interests"

and this doesn't happen now??? with no press freedom? what hypocrites

[gchurch259]

It is my understanding that, "the truth" is a good defense against libel and defamation charges/suits.

By the way, a completely unbridled media leads to what we have in the US today, one sided non-transparent reporting. I particularly hate these reports that are leaked from an unauthorized source. Rumor mongers !!

[MZurf]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely free press, even though the need for peace and calm during this time of transition to a more legitimate form of democracy is much greater than during the Thaksin administration.

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations! This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Edited July 6, 2015 by MZurf

[Roota]

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

No legal reason, probably just Thai etiquette. The name of the employer is a matter of public record (in fact most English-speaking readers would have first learned of the ruling from the Bangkok Post's own story), but the Nation doesn't want to look like it's rubbing its face in it.

Well done by the court and congratulations to Khun Sermsuk. The whole thing would have been settled a lot quicker if his former employer hadn't fought the ruling in his favour in 2007 by the Labour Court. That to me was at least as shameful as their total failure to stand behind him in 2005, as some very good evidence of the cracks had come out in the meantime.

[Ricardo]

"blocking reporters' work deemed undesirable by vested interests"

and this doesn't happen now??? with no press freedom? what hypocrites

But you must surely admit, that it's been some time since a PM sued for a billion Baht, as Dear Leader was wont to do on a regular basis ?

Very few (if any) of those cases were upheld, but he was still happy to continue the practice, in an attempt to muzzle his critics.

[Pimay1]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely free press, even though the need for peace and calm during this time of transition to a more legitimate form of democracy is much greater than during the Thaksin administration.

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

.

After it was verified that indeed there were cracks in the runways the employer went into the face saving mode. On January 31, 2007 they published an article defending the firing of Sermsuk Kasitipradit and news editor Chadin Tephaval stating Mr Sermsuk and Mr Chadin faced disciplinary action because an investigation committee set up by the company management had found that they did not perform their duty properly. The statement said Mr Sermsuk was not fired because he made mistakes in his reported story.

[rametindallas]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely free press, even though the need for peace and calm during this time of transition to a more legitimate form of democracy is much greater than during the Thaksin administration.

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations! This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations!

I totally agree but when has that ever applied to either you or any of the other members of the Thaksin Brigade. I'd dearly love to see you back that up with a link to a post where you have been critical of Thaksin's stifling the press that is as critical as you have been with the current administration but I know that's not going to happen. Hell, I'd be surprised if you could point out a link where you ever condemned Thaksin excepting as a pretense, to show you are fair and balanced, before you go on to attack the Junta or Abhisit and company which was your real target. Smokescreen, much?

This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Most likely you would read a lot more condemnation of the current administration if we weren't so busy combating the lies, distortions, deflections, and general propaganda from the ever-loyal, one-sided, Thaksin Brigade.

.

[LannaGuy]

"blocking reporters' work deemed undesirable by vested interests"

and this doesn't happen now??? with no press freedom? what hypocrites

But you must surely admit, that it's been some time since a PM sued for a billion Baht, as Dear Leader was wont to do on a regular basis ?

Very few (if any) of those cases were upheld, but he was still happy to continue the practice, in an attempt to muzzle his critics.

two wrongs don't make a right

[Muhendis]

The relevant part of the OP is the advertising revenue that controls the paper. There is no such thing as "free press". Newspapers are all about making money. Any news story that threatens that axiom is not likely to get published.

[biggles45]

"It is my understanding that, "the truth" is a good defense against libel and defamation charges/suits."

In most countries yes, but I dont believe it is so in Thailand according to several reports I have read. This is one reason why politicians love to sue, even if the slur on them is proved to be accurate they still win the case and it shuts the opposition up.

[Pimay1]

"It is my understanding that, "the truth" is a good defense against libel and defamation charges/suits."

In most countries yes, but I dont believe it is so in Thailand according to several reports I have read. This is one reason why politicians love to sue, even if the slur on them is proved to be accurate they still win the case and it shuts the opposition up.

Agree. The same MO is used in Singapore.

[razer]

Unknown to most ... press freedom is in the national interests.

[user82374298374]

It is my understanding that, "the truth" is a good defense against libel and defamation charges/suits.

You understanding is incorrect with regards Thailand and most other Asian countries. Truth is not a defense in defamation proceedings, which are criminal offenses in Thailand and most other Asian countries.

[realenglish1]

Having worked in the Western Media for more than 30 years I take my hat off to this guy. I hope the courts award him a handsome amount. Not so much for him as it would be a warning

for future employers to watch their step.

[FangFerang]

Things have changed so much now that.....

the article does not even name the guilty newspaper.

[Jimlove]

Congrats to the brave journalist - sad that the truth is so rare here ...

[Ulic]

Suvarnabhumi Airport, I shake my head. When a German review says it cost twice as

much for the Thai government to build as it would have cost to build in Germany

you know the fix is in. Big projects in Thailand mean big money in the feeding

trough for the connected hiso's. This poor reporter gets thrown under the bus

by his own newspaper. It comes far too late but at least he has vindication.

[sweatalot]

This was long due. Why did it not happen earlier.

I want freedom of the press. But if the press is bought and biased by an antidemocrat - is this freedom?

I understand the present government for being cautious.

[MZurf]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely free press, even though the need for peace and calm during this time of transition to a more legitimate form of democracy is much greater than during the Thaksin administration.

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations! This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations!

I totally agree but when has that ever applied to either you or any of the other members of the Thaksin Brigade. I'd dearly love to see you back that up with a link to a post where you have been critical of Thaksin's stifling the press that is as critical as you have been with the current administration but I know that's not going to happen. Hell, I'd be surprised if you could point out a link where you ever condemned Thaksin excepting as a pretense, to show you are fair and balanced, before you go on to attack the Junta or Abhisit and company which was your real target. Smokescreen, much?

This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Most likely you would read a lot more condemnation of the current administration if we weren't so busy combating the lies, distortions, deflections, and general propaganda from the ever-loyal, one-sided, Thaksin Brigade.

.

I can't be arsed to link anything because it's like debating with a 12 year old. Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine) but that in no way excuses anything that goes on today. Why is this so hard to understand????

[Ricardo]

"blocking reporters' work deemed undesirable by vested interests"

and this doesn't happen now??? with no press freedom? what hypocrites

But you must surely admit, that it's been some time since a PM sued for a billion Baht, as Dear Leader was wont to do on a regular basis ?

Very few (if any) of those cases were upheld, but he was still happy to continue the practice, in an attempt to muzzle his critics.

two wrongs don't make a right

Yep, sometimes the best one can hope for, is slow movement in the right direction.

It would be great to see the LM-law fall into disuse, for example.

[rametindallas]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely free press, even though the need for peace and calm during this time of transition to a more legitimate form of democracy is much greater than during the Thaksin administration.

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations! This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations!

I totally agree but when has that ever applied to either you or any of the other members of the Thaksin Brigade. I'd dearly love to see you back that up with a link to a post where you have been critical of Thaksin's stifling the press that is as critical as you have been with the current administration but I know that's not going to happen. Hell, I'd be surprised if you could point out a link where you ever condemned Thaksin excepting as a pretense, to show you are fair and balanced, before you go on to attack the Junta or Abhisit and company which was your real target. Smokescreen, much?

This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Most likely you would read a lot more condemnation of the current administration if we weren't so busy combating the lies, distortions, deflections, and general propaganda from the ever-loyal, one-sided, Thaksin Brigade.

.

I can't be arsed to link anything because it's like debating with a 12 year old. Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine) but that in no way excuses anything that goes on today. Why is this so hard to understand????

It seems you can't be 'arsed' to do anything but complain about the reforms the current government is passing or write hyperbolic statements accusing them of being nefarious. I'm sure Thaksin won't be offended by that drubbing you just gave him "Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine)" Oooh, you are so harsh. LoL.

Now give me some examples of anything the Junta has done that is anything like the Rice Support Scheme (ran out of money), or the populist First Car Program (ran out of money), or the Every Child gets a Tablet Scheme (ran out of money), but did want to spend trillions of Baht, OFF BUDGET, for High Speed Passenger Service part-way to Chiang Mai, did want to spend trillions of Baht, OFF BUDGET, for Flood Projects that didn't get proper public hearings or EIA statements, etc. or try to pass a law so the cabinet, without input from elected MPs, could sign treaties. Let me see the same parallels you are referring to.

Why is this so hard to understand????

What's so hard to understand is how that fevered brain of yours computes. It's like debating with a 12 year old.

.

[MZurf]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely free press, even though the need for peace and calm during this time of transition to a more legitimate form of democracy is much greater than during the Thaksin administration.

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations! This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations!

I totally agree but when has that ever applied to either you or any of the other members of the Thaksin Brigade. I'd dearly love to see you back that up with a link to a post where you have been critical of Thaksin's stifling the press that is as critical as you have been with the current administration but I know that's not going to happen. Hell, I'd be surprised if you could point out a link where you ever condemned Thaksin excepting as a pretense, to show you are fair and balanced, before you go on to attack the Junta or Abhisit and company which was your real target. Smokescreen, much?

This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Most likely you would read a lot more condemnation of the current administration if we weren't so busy combating the lies, distortions, deflections, and general propaganda from the ever-loyal, one-sided, Thaksin Brigade.

.

I can't be arsed to link anything because it's like debating with a 12 year old. Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine) but that in no way excuses anything that goes on today. Why is this so hard to understand????

It seems you can't be 'arsed' to do anything but complain about the reforms the current government is passing or write hyperbolic statements accusing them of being nefarious. I'm sure Thaksin won't be offended by that drubbing you just gave him "Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine)" Oooh, you are so harsh. LoL.

Now give me some examples of anything the Junta has done that is anything like the Rice Support Scheme (ran out of money), or the populist First Car Program (ran out of money), or the Every Child gets a Tablet Scheme (ran out of money), but did want to spend trillions of Baht, OFF BUDGET, for High Speed Passenger Service part-way to Chiang Mai, did want to spend trillions of Baht, OFF BUDGET, for Flood Projects that didn't get proper public hearings or EIA statements, etc. or try to pass a law so the cabinet, without input from elected MPs, could sign treaties. Let me see the same parallels you are referring to.

Why is this so hard to understand????

What's so hard to understand is how that fevered brain of yours computes. It's like debating with a 12 year old.

.

..but, but, but...Thaksin!

My cat has better debating skills than you.

[rametindallas]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely free press, even though the need for peace and calm during this time of transition to a more legitimate form of democracy is much greater than during the Thaksin administration.

p.s. is there a reason for not naming the media outlet who fired the reporter? I purposely didn't mention them by name in case there is some legitimate reason for not doing so.

.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations! This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations!

I totally agree but when has that ever applied to either you or any of the other members of the Thaksin Brigade. I'd dearly love to see you back that up with a link to a post where you have been critical of Thaksin's stifling the press that is as critical as you have been with the current administration but I know that's not going to happen. Hell, I'd be surprised if you could point out a link where you ever condemned Thaksin excepting as a pretense, to show you are fair and balanced, before you go on to attack the Junta or Abhisit and company which was your real target. Smokescreen, much?

This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Most likely you would read a lot more condemnation of the current administration if we weren't so busy combating the lies, distortions, deflections, and general propaganda from the ever-loyal, one-sided, Thaksin Brigade.

.

I can't be arsed to link anything because it's like debating with a 12 year old. Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine) but that in no way excuses anything that goes on today. Why is this so hard to understand????

It seems you can't be 'arsed' to do anything but complain about the reforms the current government is passing or write hyperbolic statements accusing them of being nefarious. I'm sure Thaksin won't be offended by that drubbing you just gave him "Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine)" Oooh, you are so harsh. LoL.

Now give me some examples of anything the Junta has done that is anything like the Rice Support Scheme (ran out of money), or the populist First Car Program (ran out of money), or the Every Child gets a Tablet Scheme (ran out of money), but did want to spend trillions of Baht, OFF BUDGET, for High Speed Passenger Service part-way to Chiang Mai, did want to spend trillions of Baht, OFF BUDGET, for Flood Projects that didn't get proper public hearings or EIA statements, etc. or try to pass a law so the cabinet, without input from elected MPs, could sign treaties. Let me see the same parallels you are referring to.

Why is this so hard to understand????

What's so hard to understand is how that fevered brain of yours computes. It's like debating with a 12 year old.

.

..but, but, but...Thaksin!

My cat has better debating skills than you.

My cat has better debating skills than you.

Have you been debating your cat again? Since you say your cat has better debating skill than I, does that mean sometimes your cat wins?

.

[MZurf]

The real shame is that his employer, whose responsibility is to report the truth, didn't back him up. If his employer had taken on the lawsuit, they would have eventually won and Thaksin would be paying them instead of them paying their former reporter. This case is a lose for the newspaper, who behaved in a cowardly way, a lose for the reporter, whose career was destroyed, and a lose for the Thai people, who had the truth kept from them. The only player in this story who didn't lose is Thaksin who got his retraction. "Justice delayed is justice denied" and this case has dragged on so long that no amount of money will restore this brave reporter's career/life. Now that he has won, will he have to sue, for years and years, over the amount of compensation?

If the Thaksin Brigade would acknowledge all the abuses of the free press in Thailand during his tenure as PM, they couldn't be so hard on the present administration. But since their DL is more important than full disclosure of the facts, I expect continued attacks on the Prayut administration, as though they are the only government to not have a completely

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations! This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Here's a novel idea for you; it's possible to "be hard" on both the present administration as well as the previous administrations!

I totally agree but when has that ever applied to either you or any of the other members of the Thaksin Brigade. I'd dearly love to see you back that up with a link to a post where you have been critical of Thaksin's stifling the press that is as critical as you have been with the current administration but I know that's not going to happen. Hell, I'd be surprised if you could point out a link where you ever condemned Thaksin excepting as a pretense, to show you are fair and balanced, before you go on to attack the Junta or Abhisit and company which was your real target. Smokescreen, much?

This fact seems lost on you and most of the other cheerleaders for the present administration.

Most likely you would read a lot more condemnation of the current administration if we weren't so busy combating the lies, distortions, deflections, and general propaganda from the ever-loyal, one-sided, Thaksin Brigade.

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I can't be arsed to link anything because it's like debating with a 12 year old. Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine) but that in no way excuses anything that goes on today. Why is this so hard to understand????

It seems you can't be 'arsed' to do anything but complain about the reforms the current government is passing or write hyperbolic statements accusing them of being nefarious. I'm sure Thaksin won't be offended by that drubbing you just gave him "Some of the recent administrations have set new standards for incompetence, nepotism and corruption (e.g. Mr Ear Medicine)" Oooh, you are so harsh. LoL.

Now give me some examples of anything the Junta has done that is anything like the Rice Support Scheme (ran out of money), or the populist First Car Program (ran out of money), or the Every Child gets a Tablet Scheme (ran out of money), but did want to spend trillions of Baht, OFF BUDGET, for High Speed Passenger Service part-way to Chiang Mai, did want to spend trillions of Baht, OFF BUDGET, for Flood Projects that didn't get proper public hearings or EIA statements, etc. or try to pass a law so the cabinet, without input from elected MPs, could sign treaties. Let me see the same parallels you are referring to.

Why is this so hard to understand????

What's so hard to understand is how that fevered brain of yours computes. It's like debating with a 12 year old.

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..but, but, but...Thaksin!

My cat has better debating skills than you.

My cat has better debating skills than you.

Have you been debating your cat again? Since you say your cat has better debating skill than I, does that mean sometimes your cat wins?

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Unlike you my cat knows he does not know sh!t and wisely keeps quiet.

Way past your bed time, boy - go to sleep.