At it again !!!

[ChoakMyDee]

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

And as I said earlier.. Those programs reward people who vote for them and people who didnt vote for them equally.. Sure you can argue that its appealing to a segment of society but thats still not the same as paying for a vote where only the person whose doing the buying and selling is getting benefits.

Yes, I agree.

My post was made in response to TanMan's post about democracy only working with a level playing field. You couldn't buy a vote for 500 Baht if everyone was equally wealthy because the 500 Baht would mean nothing. The same goes for a politician promising jobs to Canadians if they vote for him. People who don't need a job won't be affected so if everyone was equally wealthy then promises of money, jobs or other financial benefits wouldn't be effective. That's what I meant when I said it is the same; in that respect it is the same. As long as there are poor people in "democratic" countries then they can be bought the same as people in 3rd world countries. I can go into this in greater detail if you like but I think it is a wee bit OT.

[Red Bull]

Originally Posted by ChoakMyDee

The same goes for a politician promising jobs to Canadians if they vote for him. People who don't need a job won't be affected....

Not affected directly but there would be a huge indirect benefit to providing jobs. Less people claiming unemployment insurance, less homeless, these people who are now working are spending that money... the list goes on and on. These promises are there to stimulate the economy and increase the overall standard of living in Canada (though I really doubt any of these promises will be implemented post-election)...

[11]

While Moose election seems to have taken over from Thai situation - heres a economic update ...

SET - since 26/08 start of PAD protest has fallen 11.3%

THB - has STRENGTHENED 10 satang to 34.25 over this period.

THB 10 year Gov bond yields have held (astonishingly) steady at 4.10%.

(In comparison the Dow has fallen >8% in this period - all things considered Thailand is holding up reasonably well, despite the politicians being 'at it again').

[nelsonone]

so who would the BMs prefer Samak or Somchai????

[11]

Originally Posted by nelsonone

so who would the BMs prefer Samak or Somchai????

Neither - how about Lee Kwan Yew - what Thailand needs a benevolent dictator, and all the domestic options available seem intent on self agrandisment (along with self-enrichment).

[marc26]

Originally Posted by Red Bull

Not affected directly but there would be a huge indirect benefit to providing jobs. Less people claiming unemployment insurance, less homeless, these people who are now working are spending that money... the list goes on and on. These promises are there to stimulate the economy and increase the overall standard of living in Canada (though I really doubt any of these promises will be implemented post-election)...

but they will provide every single program to the useless drug addicted scum that roam Vancouver and do nothing but add negatively to society
make sure they have their mouth guards so they dont burn their lips on their crackpipes!!!

[ChoakMyDee]

Originally Posted by marc26

but they will provide every single program to the useless drug addicted scum that roam Vancouver and do nothing but add negatively to society
make sure they have their mouth guards so they dont burn their lips on their crackpipes!!!

Hehe, I had heard about the free needles when I lived in Victoria but the mouth guard is a new one to me.

[JayBee]

Originally Posted by ChoakMyDee

Yes, I agree.

My post was made in response to TanMan's post about democracy only working with a level playing field. You couldn't buy a vote for 500 Baht if everyone was equally wealthy because the 500 Baht would mean nothing. The same goes for a politician promising jobs to Canadians if they vote for him. People who don't need a job won't be affected so if everyone was equally wealthy then promises of money, jobs or other financial benefits wouldn't be effective. That's what I meant when I said it is the same; in that respect it is the same. As long as there are poor people in "democratic" countries then they can be bought the same as people in 3rd world countries. I can go into this in greater detail if you like but I think it is a wee bit OT.

There is a rather large difference between hard cash paid, and promises made. In US, once they are elected. politicians often ignore or forget about promises made. The fact is, that it would be impossible for them to make good on many, if not most, of their promises, because unless the economy is booming, you cannot cut taxes, and undertake large spending increases at the same time. Nonetheless, this is what many of them promise to do, time after time.

[ChoakMyDee]

Originally Posted by JayBee

There is a rather large difference between hard cash paid, and promises made. In US, once they are elected. politicians often ignore or forget about promises made. The fact is, that it would be impossible for them to make good on many, if not most, of their promises, because unless the economy is booming, you cannot cut taxes, and undertake large spending increases at the same time. Nonetheless, this is what many of them promise to do, time after time.

Well that is 3 different people telling me the same thing so I must admit defeat.

[marc26]

Originally Posted by ChoakMyDee

Well that is 3 different people telling me the same thing so I must admit defeat.

haha
i have been reluctantly admitting defeat my whole life
it never gets easy 55555

although i don't really agree with it, i do see your point
hell, at least the thai farmer gets his 500baht for whiskey, all we get in wst is reneged promises 5555

[slinggalin]

Would you guys say it's safe to travel there these days??????


Thanks much

[slinggalin]

Guess nobody knows

[11]

Originally Posted by slinggalin

Would you guys say it's safe to travel there these days??????

Yes - perfectly safe!

[snorter]

Things have taken a turn for the worse after the arrest of Chamlong.

Police have been trying to disperse PAD protestors who were blockading parliament. Reports of PAD protestors losing legs, police being stabbed and a car bomb killing an anti-govt protestor.

The maid watching NBT just now said a tank has broken down the door of the police headquarters.........I hope she's misunderstood!!

[landofsmiles]

Bangkok Post says 162 injured in crowd dispersal :-( 3 policeman shot in Parliament! and a woman dying from an explosion near the Chart Thai party’s headquarters.

[Dodger]

Ooops, I just told some guy he would be perfectly okay coming here in a months time, if the above and the footage I'm looking at on the news, not understanding what they aresaying, but loads of people being dispersed with tear gas, I might have been just a tad premature with my advice??

[ATMwalking]

Originally Posted by 11

Neither - how about Lee Kwan Yew - what Thailand needs a benevolent dictator, and all the domestic options available seem intent on self agrandisment (along with self-enrichment).

Isn't that what we thought we had with Taksin in the early days? He was so rich already, why would he bother with corrupt activities...

[11]

Originally Posted by ATMwalking

Isn't that what we thought we had with Taksin in the early days? He was so rich already, why would he bother with corrupt activities...

Yes - dissapointing outcome ... perhaps compulsory limit on assets allowed - over that cap then excess goes back direct to Treasury with a ban on overseas divestment. Cap on term of office - say 5 to 8 years tops - they usually go nuts after that long in power anyway!

[Datsun]

I land in BKK in 7 days

Where exactly are the parlament buildings in BKK, are they near the tourist areas?

[andmel]

Talked to my GF now, she is at Government House

she say 2 dead today.

Last thing she said before she ended the conversation was that she had pain in her eyes, I guess that means that teargas is used again.

[honkyjay]

whats the latest update ?

[snorter]

Originally Posted by honkyjay

whats the latest update ?

A couple of good links for updates:

Bangkok Post Breaking News

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/

[ChoakMyDee]

Originally Posted by andmel

Talked to my GF now, she is at Government House

she say 2 dead today.

Last thing she said before she ended the conversation was that she had pain in her eyes, I guess that means that teargas is used again.

My girlfriend talked about going to Bangkok to join the protest while I was working in Canada. I put a stop to that pretty quick.

[LivinLOS]

10 injured in bomb attack against PAD
source: The Nation THURSDAY Oct 30 2008

10 injured, an explosion damaged Constitution Court Judge Jaral's house, gunfire heard near Government House, one man found dead near Metropolitan police head office

A grenade was lobbed against security guards of the People's Alliance for Democracy at the Makkhawan Rungsan Bridge early Thursday morning, injuring ten of them.

The PAD guards filed complaints with police that the attack at the Makkhawan bridge came at about 3 am.

Pol Captain Pomphet Chotklang of Nangloeng police station said the bomb was an M26 grenade. A safety pin was found at the scene.

The bomb caused a small hole on the ground.

Six guards were rushed to the Vajira Hospital. One of them was severely injured. He is identified as Sathien Thapmaliphol, 43.

Four other guards received minor injuries and received treatment by the PAD medics.

PAD guards told police that the captured a man at 2 am after he carried a shirt soaked with petrol walking to the rally site at the Makkhawan Bridget.

Shortly after the man was captured, a motorcycle arrived and the pillion rider threw the bomb at the PAD guards.

Following the attack, the PAD stepped up security at the site.

About an hour after the bomb attack, a few gun shots were heard near the Government House.

At about midnight, a bomb was lobbed into the compound of the house of Constitution Court judge Jaral Phakdeethanakul, causing some damages.

No one was injured in the attack happened at Jaral's house on Soi Pridi Phanomyong in Bangkok's Klong Tan district.

Bomb disposal officers have yet to determined the type of the bomb.

Police Sub-Lt Somchai Saraket of Klong Tan police station quoted Jaral as saying he heard something falling on the roof and heard an explosion two minutes later.

The explosion caused a 50-cm-wide and 25-cm-deep hole in the lawn and shattered some window glasses as well as damaging an air-condition unit.

At about 5:30 am, police said a man clad in black was found dead on the a sidewalk about 50 metres away from the Misakawan Intersection behind the Metropolitan Police head office.

A policeman, who was stationed to keep security near the area, said he saw the man walking through the police line at 4 am heading to the Government House.

The man, Sungwian Rujimora, 46, appeared drunk and was heard saying "fight them".

He was found hundreds of metres away from the Government House.

Police said he was shot and beaten with hard objects.

[LivinLOS]

Pro-Thaksin general says more attacks against PAD to be made
source: The Nation/breaking news Oct 30 2008

Gen Kattiya Sawadiphol, a specialist of the Army, Thursday denied that he was behind the bomb attack against the People's Alliance for Democracy.

But he said the PAD would face more attacks and PAD guards would be killed everyday if the it did not stop occupying the Government House.

"In the future, the PAD may be attacked with RPG rockets, M79 grenades," Kattiya sad.

He said many groups were dissatisfied that the PAD became blatant and armed its guards as well as showing disrespect to many senior persons.

[marc26]

Ao went to get her police background check from Royal Thai police yesterday and she said that protesters had closed down the street

[11]

Mildly surprised that there's not been a coup or new Government formed while I was away ... still this makes for an interesting read ...

Thaksin Says He Could Return to Thailand With King's Clemency
(Taken from the Bloomberg News Sunday November 2, 2008)

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told about 100,000 supporters via telephone that he would stay away for 10 years unless the king showed him mercy or a majority wanted him back.

``The term of my legal case is 10 years, so that means they want to keep me out of the country for 10 years,'' he told a Bangkok stadium packed with his supporters late yesterday. ``Will you allow me to stay abroad that long?''
Thailand's Supreme Court found Thaksin, 59, guilty last month of helping his wife buy land from the government, his first conviction since the military ousted him in a 2006 coup. Thaksin skipped bail in August and fled to the U.K. with his wife, Pojamarn Shinawatra, who was sentenced to jail for tax evasion.

Thaksin's speech may inflame an increasingly violent political standoff between anti-government protesters who despise him and the ruling People Power Party led by Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, the former leader's brother-in-law. The mostly middle-class People's Alliance for Democracy opposes any party linked to Thaksin and has vowed to protest until the People Power Party is out of power.

``There are only two things that can bring me back into the country,'' he said. ``The first is the king's mercy and the second is a request from the majority.''