All examples of the Army (one uniformed mafia gang, largely Tellow Shirt) cleaning out the sources of income of another uniformed Mafia gang (the police, largely Red Shirt). These are trivial examples that you give - I'm waiting for some real action on corruption. You know - whistleblower protection, an independent Corruption Commission, anti-corruption legislation with teeth that's enforced. The rest is just window-dressing

We never even had window dressing before lol. It's moving in the right direction. You can't expect the changes you want in a few short years!
I hope the general resigns and runs in the next election. I live in lower Sukhumvit and am over the moon about what he did there [emoji108]

Just now, zorro1 said:

You can't expect the changes you want in a few short years!

I don't expect such changes ever. Window dressing is all you're going to get; enjoy it while it lasts

I don't expect such changes ever. Window dressing is all you're going to get; enjoy it while it lasts

You got that right! The next totally corrupted sit on their hands government will probably see to that!!!

Abhisit is pathetic and a disgrace. For someone who enjoyed all the benefits of Western education - being tutored at Eton and Oxford in the grand European Enlightenment traditions of freedom of expression, liberty of conscience, political pluralism - to be giving a fig-leaf of cover to what is anathema to all fair-minded persons, truly is beyond the pale.

 

And while we are at it: who says that the Referendum vote for the 'Constitution' (which systematically removes EVERY single 'right' from the Thai people) was won? Are people really so idiotic (even on this Forum) as to take the word of a ruling elite who would not allow full and free discussion of the issues, either before or after the Referendum? Why should any of us trust a single word that comes out of their mouths? They have form. They have lied and lied and lied again. And they are still lying.

 

But oh, they 'won the Referendum on the Constitution', don't you know! Well, they can tell the lemmings anything, can't they? Who dares to challenge them? Who dares to probe and DEMAND independent verification of the Referendum result. 

 

No one. And they know it. So they can - and do - say anything they like. They are untouchable. 

 

But ONLY because the Thai people have chosen en masse to let them be untouchable ...

Abhisit is pathetic and a disgrace. For someone who enjoyed all the benefits of Western education - being tutored at Eton and Oxford in the grand European Enlightenment traditions of freedom of expression, liberty of conscience, political pluralism - to be giving a fig-leaf of cover to what is anathema to all fair-minded persons, truly is beyond the pale.

 

And while we are at it: who says that the Referendum vote for the 'Constitution' (which systematically removes EVERY single 'right' from the Thai people) was won? Are people really so idiotic (even on this Forum) as to take the word of a ruling elite who would not allow full and free discussion of the issues, either before or after the Referendum? Why should any of us trust a single word that comes out of their mouths? They have form. They have lied and lied and lied again. And they are still lying.

 

But oh, they 'won the Referendum on the Constitution', don't you know! Well, they can tell the lemmings anything, can't they? Who dares to challenge them? Who dares to probe and DEMAND independent verification of the Referendum result. 

 

No one. And they know it. So they can - and do - say anything they like. They are untouchable. 

 

But ONLY because the Thai people have chosen en masse to let them be untouchable ...

Yes, all true, except I wouldn't say that the people have chosen to let them be untouchable.

They acquiesce (which is not the same as choosing), because they know what the junta are capable of if challenged. The 2010 shootings were just a taster, but they sent a message which still resonates.

Abhisit knows it too, but he sees it as a price he is prepared to pay to get into the chair. I won't say to get into power because he will only be a puppet.

6 hours ago, Denim said:

 

He will never win unless he is the only candidate and it is made a criminal offense not to vote for him.

 

Even then he would fluff it and somehow manage to lose.

He does not need to win elections to become PM. He just needs to be nice enough with the Junta in order to get the votes of the unelected senate.

9 minutes ago, candide said:

He does not need to win elections to become PM. He just needs to be nice enough with the Junta in order to get the votes of the unelected senate.

It's no use being elected PM by the Senate only to spend the next 4 years being outnumbered in Parliament and every bill failing!

Any PM who doesn't have majority backing in Parliament is going to fail. The new constitution will benefit small parties to the detriment of the Pheu Thai and Democrat  parties.

If the military intend to keep control they could form a few small parties and then agree to join either PT or the Democrats post election to form a majority.

The bargaining power of the Senate could be useful there in bargaining over who should be PM and of course it would be difficult to change any part of the constitution for as long as the tenure (6 years?) of the unelected senators.

 

19 minutes ago, bannork said:

It's no use being elected PM by the Senate only to spend the next 4 years being outnumbered in Parliament and every bill failing!

Any PM who doesn't have majority backing in Parliament is going to fail. The new constitution will benefit small parties to the detriment of the Pheu Thai and Democrat  parties.

If the military intend to keep control they could form a few small parties and then agree to join either PT or the Democrats post election to form a majority.

The bargaining power of the Senate could be useful there in bargaining over who should be PM and of course it would be difficult to change any part of the constitution for as long as the tenure (6 years?) of the unelected senators.

 

I see the point. I am surprised they did not introduce some mechanism to allow this option to work.

7 hours ago, Denim said:

 

He will never win unless he is the only candidate and it is made a criminal offense not to vote for him.

 

Even then he would fluff it and somehow manage to lose.

All politicians have a bit of Wiley Coyote blood in them. Never sell them short. They can politically outbox The Great One when cornered or are looking for a new corner to hang out or hide in. The change sides faster than you change your underwear skid marks and all. They can be like political nomads at times wandering around the desert and then bang pop up on your telly pushing their flavor of the day in the hope they can spoon feed you.  

Edited January 6, 20179 yr by elgordo38

2 hours ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

"Continue"???

Geeze from the shoulders down you avatar looks like me.