Suthichai Yoon's personal journal

Thaksin's oil search continues

2012-01-28T09:19:00.002+07:00

Thaksin Shinawatra is on the move again. He tells the Bangkok Post this morning that he is in Lebanon to "pave the way" for PTT Exploration and Production Plc to bid for a concession to explore oil blocks.

The Post said a source in PTT said the management was unaware of Thaksin's move -- and that it had not received an invitation to join the bidding from Lebanese authorities.

In a telephone interview with the Post, the former premier said he expected to meet with Lebanese prime minister Nijib Mikati.

He said the Lebanese government would favour deals with oil companies from Asia as it is not on good terms with the US.

He believes PTTEP, a subsidiary of PTT Plc, would be part of a consortium to win the bid.

Thaksin was recently also in Cambodia -- just as Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Vichakchaikul was talking about joint ventures to explore for oil in the overlapping areas in the Gulf of Thailand. He was last week in Luang Prabang of Laos. Nothing to do with oil exploration, obviously. He was seen in pictures making merits at temples.

Seksan, Thirayuth try to keep a distance from Nitirat Group

2012-01-27T16:46:00.003+07:00

The two leading activists of the 1973 student uprising, Seksan Prasertkul and Thirayuth Boonmee, have emerged to more or less dissociate themselves from the Nitirat Group, especially on the lese majeste law amendments.

Seksan's name was on the list of supporters of the 112 amendment spearheaded by the Nitirat Group. He said in a statement yesterday that he had agreed to let his name used in that context at the request of a respected senior person. "I also saw the proposed change as part of a general legal reform with a humanist touch. Besides, the important point was that the proposals were to protect the country's major institutions," he wrote.

Seksan said he was in no way a key member of the movement. "I considered it an expression of opinion. Society will decide whether to take it up ornot. Besides, I had no idea of pursuing it as a political move. I feel tired from the country's conflicts and would like to spend my senior years in solitude," he said.

Seksan insisted that he was in no way related to the Nitirat Group and has nothing to do with the other proposals enunciated by the group.

"I was briefed on the 112 amendment by a group of senior scholars who were not part of Nitirat Group and was approached on this particular issue only," he wrote.

Thirayuth, meanwhile, came out in public on the same day to suggest that the proposed 112 amendment could worsen the conflict in Thai society. He warned that neither side should claim exclusive loyalty to the monarch. All sides, he said, should shed their bias to reach reconciliation.

It was clear that Thirayuth, who said he had not offered any political opinion in the past two years because of ill health, wanted to avoid being seen to associate himself with the Nitirat Group as well.

Abhisit's new stand: We go for broke in next election

2012-01-26T11:53:00.003+07:00

It wasn't a big story in the local press. But it was nonetheless a very significant political story because Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader the Democrat Party, has for the first time made clear his next political strategy.

He told a party meeting recently that the only way to "detox" the "Thaksin Effect" would be for the Democrat Party to win the next election.

He was quoted as telling his party members in a serious tone: "And if we don't win (the next election), I will not form the next government again. And if we form the next government without winning the elections, I won't accept any position -- and the party should pick a new leader to replace me..."

In other words, Abhisit has declared a "Go-for-Broke" strategy. A tall order. But still a challenge that can't be ignored.

British paper concentrates on her "style."

2012-01-26T09:56:00.002+07:00

Daily Mail, India, says Thai Premier Yingluck is "suay, ruai, keng" (pretty, rich and smart) as described by some Thais. When she landed in New Delhi the other day, the Indian correspondent for Daily Mail did a "style" story on her.
Here is the link to the story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2091376/Coating-Thai-PMs-stylebook-Chic-Yingluck-Shinawatra-touches-Delhi.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Yingluck at Taj Mahal

2012-01-25T06:31:00.003+07:00

Premier Yingluck in front of the Taj Mahal in India. She arrived in New Delhi yesterday for a three-day visit that will include taking part in India's National Day Parade.

The premier says she is hoping to double the two countries' investment and trade during talks with India's leaders during the trip as part of the "strategic partner" arrangement.

The Thai prime minister will also attend the World Economic Forum in Davos after the India visit. A "Thai Night" event is to be held in Davos where about 1,600 dignitaries including 40 government leaders will be taking part in the annual forum. The European debt crisis looms large as the main topic this year.

Fireworks explode in Supanburi, at least 3 dead, scores injured

2012-01-24T22:06:00.001+07:00

New defence minister wants to be govt-armed forces link

2012-01-24T11:11:00.003+07:00

Premier Yingluck in the Air Force gear for the first time yesterday, flanked by the new defence minister, ACM Sukampol, and the RTAF commander-in-chief, ACM Ithiporn, once arc-rivals, and now seemingly having patched up.

The new defence chief officially took over the post today at the Defence Ministry where all the top brass were keen to demonstrate their "being together." ACM Sukampol reiterated that he wasn't trying to move the generals around. He has avoided commenting directly on whether he will push vigorously for the amendment to the current Defence Council law that deprives the defence minister of the aboslute authority to hire and fire senior military officers.

"I want to play the role of the middle man between the government and the armed forces," the usually blunt-talking general said.

How he will fulfill that self-imposed role as a negotiator will decide how long he can stay in the post.

PM Yingluck in her air force gear

2012-01-23T10:15:00.003+07:00

Premier Yingluck in her Air Force gear for the first time this morning -- at Chaibadan District of Lopburi province -- for the Royal Thai Air Force's annual "Air Power Show."

All the top brass, except for Army Chief Gen Prayuth Em-Ocha who was busy with another assignment in Lampang, were there. Deputy army chief Gen Daopong stood in for Gen Prayudh.

It was also the first official function for the new defence minister, ACM Sukampol Suwannathat (second from left in the picture tweeted by Post military affairs reporter Wasana Nanuam), who was formerly with the RTAF as well.

Immediately to the PM's left appears to be Gen Yuthasak Sasipracha, the defence minister who has just been "kicked upstairs" to the post of deputy prime minister.

The new defence minister has said he will be working closely with military leaders in all the branches. He has avoided commenting directly on speculation that his main item on the agenda is to rewrite the current law that gives the authority of hiring and firing of senior military personnel to the Defence Council instead of politically appointed defence minister.

He will have to walk a tight rope over this highly controversial issue. So far, he has adopted a soft approach despite his reputation as a tough-talking, no-nonsense sort of military officer.

Gen Boonlert talks about a coup....again

2012-01-21T09:04:00.003+07:00

Here is someone who would talk about a coup without any hesitation.
Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit, former rebel who had been jailed for taking part in a failed coup over a decade ago, is now a retired general. He is president of the Cadets College Alumni Foundation. He feels strongly that the current comments from certain quarters that he sees as being insulting to the monarchy shouldn't be tolerated by the military.

"If such comments don't stop, I think the military will have to do something," he said on FM1005's "Lab Luang Prang" weekly radio programme hosted by Wasana Nanuam and Patchara Sarnpimpa.

Wasana asked him whether by "doing something" he meant a military coup. The response was prompt. "Yes, I mean a military coup would be inevitable if the trend continues," Gen Boonlert said.

This, of course, wasn't the first time that the retired general had urged the military to take power when he sees that things didn't go as he wanted.

He had said it once, he would say it twice. "But I can't do it myself because I don't command any troops," he admitted.

The generals who are in a position to take that kind of action would never talk about it. Only those not in a position to do so can talk about it so daringly.

What the top brass say about each other

2012-01-20T12:22:00.003+07:00

The new defence minister, Air Chief Marshal Sukampol Suwannathat comments on Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayudh Em-Ocha yesterday:

"We are both straight-talking characters. That's why we can understand each other. That's much better than sweet-talking people."

Gen Prayudh comments on ACM Sukampol today: "ACM Sukampol is my elder brother. Brothers don't hurt each other."

When 'Pu" meets 'Prem'

2012-01-20T09:30:00.002+07:00

It was a much-anticipated scene: the meeting, albeit social, between Premier Yingluck Shinawatra and Privy Council President Gen Prem Tinsulanond last night at the annual "Army Day" reception party.

It was all smiles on both sides. Lots of pictures were taken. But there was not a single report in the press this morning about what they told each other....not even greetings.

Of course, both of them had known before hand that the meeting would take place. The fact that they did make the appearances and made great efforts to sport happy smiles underscores the attempt on both sides to show their readiness to at least put up a public show of civility.

Of course, scenes of red-shirt demonstrators lambasting Gen Prem in front of his house remain vivid in the minds of a number of people. Thaksin Shinawatra's famous allegations that "someone with extra-constitutional powers" had been plotting his ouster can still be heard from many quarters.

But Premier Yingluck has shown her flexible attitude over this issue from the outset. As soon as she declared her decision to enter politics, Yingluck has been saying that she would like to seek an opportunity to meet Gen Prem, who, before last night, had been keeping a cautious silence.

Will last night's meeting break the ice, leading to perhaps other gestures of reconciliation? If past Thai political practices were any indication, you will see a series of other gestures before a real compromise can be struck.

Yingluck 2 Cabinet: Catch me if you can

2012-01-19T09:17:00.002+07:00

Premier Yingluck Shinawatra says her first Cabinet has “already” been in office six months. It’s time to review, evaluated and shake things up.
Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva says this government started working “only” six months ago. If the premier feels the need to reshuffle her Council of Ministers, it probably means the Cabinet has missed its targets.
That’s how divergent the views are on the political scene. It all depends on where you stand and whom you speak to. In other words, reactions to the new Cabinet line-up (which has yet to be officially announced when I am writing this in the morning of Wednesday, Jan 18) are not only mixed, but are extremely subjective and partisan.
The strange thing about low expectations is that “bad” becomes “passable” and “mediocre” is automatically upgraded to “good” and the usual “acceptable” grading becomes “fantastic.”
Informed public discourse on the quality of politics has been banished from the conflict-ridden political landscape. If you are on one side, your reactions to everything that emerges from “your side” can’t be anything but positive. On the other hand, if it’s the other party that initiates certain activity, it would have to be downright ridiculous and terrifying.
I found it, therefore, rather amusing to hear those in the middle – trying to be “objective” about the whole political happenings – telling interviewers that the leaked list of the Yingluck II Cabinet “poses some very interesting challenging” to the prime minister.
That, of course, amounts to saying nothing. But trying to sound like saying something about nothing seems to be the new trend in a highly divisive society. You don’t want to be seen to be taking sides because you believe in “national reconciliation.” But when real reconciliation doesn’t happen, most people avoid making their opinion known.
They aren’t really members of the “Silent Majority.” Rather, they constitute the new class of “Muted Majority” who sit and watch in despair, hoping against hope that things will turn the corner, realizing, as Einstein once said: “You can’t solve problems using the same thinking as when they were created.”
The vocal commentators on the one side, not surprisingly, will tell you that Premier Yingluck is reshuffling her Cabinet to improve the performance after a six-month “probation.” That’s what a good CEO does in a successful business concern. That’s how her brother Thaksin had done before. You put more qualified personnel into the Cabinet to replace those proven unsatisfactory by the premier or the public. That’s call responsive government. That’s what every good prime minister should do.
Those on the other side cry foul, as expected. They immediately said in many cases, the choices of the new ministers reflect the usual “horse-trading” gimmicks. Political debt has to be repaid and favours have to be returned. So, it’s the qualifications of the individuals who count. It’s how the premier or her brother repays political debts that’s the main criteria for the new line-up.
They charge that the frequent Cabinet shake-ups doesn’t necessarily mean constant improvement attempts on the part of the prime minister. Rather, it shows just how much political debt has piled up on Thaksin whose main task these days is to pacify those who feel that the former premier owes them Cabinet, civil service and advisory positions for services rendered earlier.
And because you know that another Cabinet reshuffle may be effected again in May when some members of the 111 executive of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party are due to re-emerge from the five-year hiatus, there is little need to remember the names of some new Cabinet members, especially those named as deputy ministers. New names will soon replace the current ones anyway even before you have time to find out what their job descriptions are.
It’s therefore much more productive to ask who will be in charge of solving the major tasks facing the Yingluck government -- and how she goes about giving the public a regular score-cards of the performance of each Cabinet member.
Some of the main assignments for the Yingluck II Cabinet:
1. Who is in charge of measure to ensure that the Big Flood won’t recur?
2. Who’s responsible for the government’s economic policies to cope with the highly volatile international financial situation this year?
3. How does the new Cabinet implement the national reconciliation scheme which, despite all the promises, hasn’t taken any substantial shape in her first Cabinet.
If the premier could tell us who in the new Council of Ministers will carry out these major tasks (all clearly stipulated in the Policy Statement upon her taking office) and how we can grade their performances on a monthly basis, then we don’t even have to bother memorizing the names of the new Cabinet.
If we want to be realistic about it, the Thai public will just have to live with the fact that we will from now on have a new Cabinet every three to four months.
I know why this strategy will work brilliantly for the government. It’s the classic “Catch us if you can” gimmick all over again.

The Yingluck II Cabinet: Not all that surprising, except the timing

2012-01-17T21:15:00.003+07:00

The Yingluck II Cabinet is expected to be officially proclaimed today. When the premier was asked late yesterday whether the lists of possible changes in her Cabinet reported in the media earlier yesterday were more or less accurate, she said: "Oh! It's time for me to get out of here!"

An upset FM wants to confront ambassadors over terror warnings

2012-01-15T15:20:00.003+07:00

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovijakchaikul is miffed at the US, Australian and Canadian embassies in Bangkok for having issued their warnings to their respective citizens about "possible terrorist threat" in Bangkok without consulting the Thai foreign ministry.

Why the line of communications between the foreign ministry and the embassies failed is not clear. But the minister wants to summon ambassadors from the three embassies for a meeting to express his "disappointment" over the incident.

But then, it was later revealed that a total of about 12 embassies in Bangkok had issued such warnings without the ministry's advance knowledge either.

Now, will the minister call all the 12 ambassadors for a mass dressing-down session? Or perhaps the minister wants to check into what had actually happened between the ministry and the intelligence people?

Some of the envoys, if invited to the ministry, may have questions for the minister, such as: Deputy PM Chalerm Yoobamrung had told the press that the Thai government had in fact obtained intelligence earlier (even before the US embassy's alert) that some terrorists might have sneaked into Bangkok.

If that's true, why hadn't the ministry informed the embassies? If that's not true, why did the deputy premier say so to the public?

Perhaps, Minister Surapong may want to change his strategy. Instead of summong the ambassadors to the ministry for a not-so-pleasant confrontation, he might want to host a dinner to discuss just what had happened to their normal channels of communications.

Otherwise, the alleged plotters of terror might be laughing all their way to Khao Sarn Rd or Sukhumvit Soi 22 for some beer!

A 'suspect' identified in terror warning

2012-01-14T06:46:00.002+07:00

Thai police have released a picture of the "suspect" in the warnings issued by the US Embassy on "possible terrorist threat in Bangkok." He is identified in a Swedish passport as Atris Hussein, a Lebanese. He was detained at Suvarnnabhumi Airport on Jan 12.

Deputy Premier Chalerm Yoobumrung had said earlier yesterday that "two Lebanese" had been arrested in this connection. He then changed his remarks to say only one was "asked to come to testify." Later, a police spokesman said one foreigner had been "detained" and wasn't sure what charges to press against the suspect.

Defence Minister Gen Yuthasak Sasiprapa told reporters that he had received intelligence "one or two days" earlier about a possible plot of terrorism against Israeli facilities in Bangkok "because they were said to have killed a number of Iranians."

Chalerm said intelligence to that effect had in fact been received by Thai authorities even before the New Year.

It's not clear how Thai authorities will proceed with the case. US Embassy officials say the warning to American citizens in Bangko still "holds" and that it's "Thailand-specific."

US Embassy warns of "possible terrorist threat" in Bangkok

2012-01-13T15:14:00.000+07:00

Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens: Possible Terrorist Threat
January 13, 2012
This message alerts U.S. citizens in Thailand that foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok.

U.S. citizens are encouraged to maintain a heightened awareness when out in public; be alert for unattended packages/bags in public/crowded places and report any suspicious behavior to the nearest law enforcement personnel. We also encourage you to keep a low profile in public areas, particularly areas frequented by foreign tourists.

The American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy is located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok, and can be reached by calling 66-2-205-4049, or by e-mailing acsbkk@state.gov. The Embassy’s after-hours emergency telephone number is 66-2-205-4000. The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai is located at 387 Wichayanond Road in Chiang Mai. The American Citizen Services Unit of the Consulate General can be reached by calling 66-53-107-777 and by e-mail at acschn@state.gov. The after-hours emergency telephone number is 66-81-881-1878.

For the latest security information, you should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet website, where current Worldwide Cautions, Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings and health-information resources can be found. You can also obtain up-to-date information on security by calling 1-888-407-4747 (toll free) in the U.S. and Canada or, for callers in other areas, by calling a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

We encourage you notify us of your presence in Thailand by enrolling in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

Note: Due to a technical error, some recipients received this message - followed by a recall message - a few minutes later. Please disregard the recall message.

Chinese New Year Cabinet Shake-Up?

2012-01-12T07:02:00.002+07:00

The rumoured Cabinet reshuffle may materialize earlier than expected. Matichon Daily this morning even suggested that the changes will take place on Jan 23 -- just in time to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

The first reshuffle of the Yingluck Cabinet may be on a small scale, however. It may involve the replacement of the agriculture minister, Theera Wongsamut, under the quota of coalition partner, Chat Thai Pattana of Banharn Silpar-archa. The ruling Pheu Thai Party will argue that the change is necessary to improve the efficiency of water management in the new year after the recent devastating flood.

But it is also known that Banharn has negotiated for a delay in the change until later when a larger-scale reshuffle could be effected all at once.

Another possible change is the industry portfolio. Chat Pattana Party has let it be known that Minister Wannarat Channukul has been taken ill and doctors have proposed that he take a rest. It's not clear whether this party, under the control of Suwat Lippatapanlop, will name another candidate for the post.

It's not clear whether the rumoured shakeup next week will include the replacement of the finance minister as had been speculated in the past week. It could turn out to be a mini-reshuffle to let Pheu Thai reclaim the agriculture post to consolidate its control over flood management activities. Pheu Thai is said to have offered Banharn one of the three portfolios in exchange for the agriculture post: education, public health or social development.

It's going to be a very exciting Chinese New Year this year, politically anyway.

Abhisit: Let's make it two, not one, for each province

2012-01-10T18:30:00.003+07:00

Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva says each province should have two, instead of one, representative to join the new constitutional amendment assembly (CAD) so that no political parties could influence the outcome of the process.

The ruling Phue Thai Party has proposed a 77-member CAD, with each province electing one representative to the panel. The Democrat leader said today that despite the suggestion that "independent" candidates would produce representatives who aren't attached to political parties, it must be admitted that in reality candidates with political affiliation would stand a better chance than others to win the election in this case.

Abhisit therefore proposed that two representatives be elected from each province so that the influence of political parties could strike a proper balance.

"For example, if a certain party has 60% of the influence in a certain area, it's not going to be easy for it to get two representatives.The other party with a 30% popularity would get the second seat. Or if two major parties share a 30:30 influence in a constitutency, the one with 40% will get the seat instead," he said.

Observers see Abhisit's proposal as a strategy to ensure his Democrat Party stands a good chance to win the majority in the elections of representatives to rewrite the charter. In the North and Northeast, judging from the last elections, Democrat candidates came second in many constituencies. In the South, the Democrats believe they could sweep the first and second seats rather than ceding the ceding the second best to Pheu Thai.

Of course, Pheu Thai isn't naive. They could easily see through the Democrats' game plan. The name of the game is "democracy," of course -- but when it boils down to the bottom line, the real battle is all about how do you define "democracy" in suc a way that you will win the next elections.

If the PM had to make a choice between these 2 ministers....

2012-01-08T09:20:00.003+07:00

It's still a rumour, of course. But this morning's front-page report in Matichon Daily sounded a bit closer to some real decision by Premier Yingluck Shinawatra to effect a Cabinet reshuffle -- and it's going to be sooner than you thought. The next two to three weeks?

Finance Minister Theerachai Puvanartnaranubarn appears to be the main victim and the winner is none other than Deputy Premier Kittirat na Ranong, a close friend of the premier even before she became prime minister. If Matichon is right, Kittirat will take over the finance portfolio. His commerce post will be up by Yanyong Puangraj, currently the ministry's permanent secretary.

The reason cited by the report for the reshuffle is the conflict between Kittirat and Theerachai over the proposed emergency bills to transfer FIDF's debts to the central bank -- a move which has raised a huge controversy with the finance minister opposing the move while Kittirat insists on making the change.

Theerachai was conspicuously absent from the television programme on Saturday when Kittirat appeared with Dr Virabongsa Ramangkura, chairman of the committee charged with post-flood rehabilitation, explained the necessity of restructuring the debt burden in order that the government could make new borrowings to finance the large-scale reconstruction.

Virabongsa hit out at the central bank for behaving like an "autonomous state within a state." Kittirat was more diplomatic. It was rumoured that Theerachai, who had been invited to join the panel, made himself unavailable at the last minute.

If the Cabinet reshuffle does take place, according to Matichon, two deputy communications ministers -- Kittisak Hattasongkroh and Police Lt Gen Chaj Kuldilok -- may also be ousted. They have been at odds with their boss, Communications Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukampol Suwannathat.

Also, a close aide to the premier, Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisal, may be made minister attached to the PM's Office to be in charge of media and communications, according to the report.

The line between Bangkok and Dubai must be very very busy indeed these days. Thaksin Shinawatra, in his recent phone-in to Pheu Thai MPs, said if he hadn't picked up the phone from some of them, it was because of the rumours about the reshuffle.

So, perhaps, things are really shaping up for some changes in the Cabinet line-up. The merry-go-round has started to spin now.

Too close for comfort?

2012-01-07T11:57:00.002+07:00

He isn't prime minister anymore. But wherever Abhisit Vejjajiva, the opposition leader, goes, he is still greeted by some of his fans. This picture shows how intimate some young girls want to get to him. No security personnel around him? Apparently not.

Jatuporn meets Suriyasai: Soft sparring

2012-01-05T08:56:00.002+07:00

I just watched "Woody" getting Jatuporn Prompan (red-shirt leader) and Suriyasai Takasila (yellow-shirt core leader as well as green movement chief) on Channel 9. And it was refreshingly frank for both to shake hands to agree to disagree.

Could this be the first step (one of many, many) towards some genuine reconciliation on a bigger scale?

Jatuporn and Suriyasai were in fact working together when they were student activists. Jatuporn was at Ramkhamhaeng and Suriyasai was attached to Kasetsart. They were both campaigning against military dictatorship and were in fact members of the student movement that was instrumental in calling for elections.

But they split after Thaksin Shinawatra took power. The rest, as they say, is history.

While they were smiling and expressing nice, warm words for each other in the programme, moderated by Woody, the two did confirm their political positions that are still poles apart. Yes, it still centres on the man called Thaksin.

Suriyasai said if the Yingluck government continues to make Thaksin the core issue, it probably won't last long. It should in fact be pursuing the issues that had been highlighted during the Pheu Thai's election campaign.

Jatuporn insisted that the red shirts would continue to push for the fulfillment of the promises of fighting for democracy and equality. "Thaksin will get what the rest of the 64 million Thais get," he said.

Woody, who described the meeting as a "soft sparring," got the two to shake hands. And, as it appeared on television anyway, a good time was had by all.

When Asean secretary general tweets on flash-floods hitting his hometown

2012-01-03T10:30:00.007+07:00

Surin Pitsuwan, the native son of the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, and currently Asean Secretary General, has been tweeting from early morning from his hometown which is being wrecked by fast-rising flashfloods.

His tweets tell the story.

He asked: "What have we done to deserve the wrath of Nature?"

Another tweet: "OMG! It's coming very fast from all directions."

With another picture, Surin tweeted: "Young students are preparing for the worst."

Yet another picture taken by "Citizen Reporter" Surin carried this caption: "This 'was' our school compound until now. It's a lake!"

Another tweet from the Asean secretary general: "Water, water, water!"

New Year starts with specter of flood from Bangkok to South

2012-01-01T10:22:00.003+07:00

Picture taken by @mahan_mcot posted on Twitter this morning of at the Sugei Padi Market in Narathiwat...

2012 starts with natural disaster hitting the South. Heavy downpours on New Year's Eve hit southern provinces of Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, submerging many areas in those provinces this morning.

At 10.00 this morning, authorities at the southern commercial centre of Hat Yai Municipality raised the yellow flag as a warning for local residents to start preparations for moving things higher and possible evacuation if things get worse.

The specter of last year's severe flooding in the south has surfaced yet again, only a few days after Bangkok was declared "officially dry" by Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra.

It's an ominous beginning for the Year of the Big Snake.

Yingluck: Give me a chance to work...for four years

2011-12-30T18:01:00.002+07:00

It wasn't exactly her New Year's wish but Premier Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters today that she would like to ask for a chance to work until her four-year term is up.

It didn't matter that Government House reporters had just nicknamed her "Parrot." Nor did the opposition Democrat Party's spokesman's press conference on the same day calling her "puppet" of her brother Thaksin have any impact on Premier Yingluck's confidence that she could make it to the end of the line.

It was during an informal chit-chat with reporters that the prime minister raised the issue of her intention to stay in office for the full term despite critical remarks from the opposition and comments from certain quarters that her performance had so far been far from impressive.

"Give me a chance to do my work...until the end of my term," she said. You can't really describe it as a declaration of purpose. Neither can you say she was pleading with the press to be kinder to her.

How do we stop them from stealing flood-relief fund?

2011-12-29T13:04:00.000+07:00

The government says it plans to spend Bt800,000 million in post-flood relief and rehabilitation. The first question from a skeptical public is not how it is going to be spent. It’s how much of it will not be spent on the flood victims.
Thais have got used to stories about money from huge projects requiring large amounts of tax money being pocketed by politicians and bureaucrats who are so versatile in exploiting the legal loopholes that despite all efforts trying to keep corruption out of the way, they could always find a way of stealing the public’s money.
Premier Yingluck Shinawatra, whether she wants it or not, now gets an offer from the business community to help monitor the way the flood-relief budget is being disbursed.
In fact, the Counter-Corruption Commission (CCC) has on its own come up with a new tool to make all deals between government agencies and their contractors more transparent. For the first time, any firm that has won a contract from a government agency for over two million baht will have to fill up forms that detail their income and expenses and all financial items that are directly related to the deal. In an unprecedented move, the CCC even demands that the contractor show the “bottom line” of each government project. That means the public will under the new set of rules be able to ascertain how much profit (or, in that unlikely scenario, loss) the contractor makes, and why, and how.
At the same time, the “Anti-Corruption Network” which comprises the country’s biggest and most influential business, banking and industrial associations as well as other non-government organizations, has proposed to the Yingluck government to undertake three major steps to ensure transparency in the use of the flood relief budget.
First, the government must make public all details of projects that come under the scheme on a website to underscore the sense of accountability on the part of the government.
“Real-time” details about each project’s financial status, the median prices and profiles of the contractors must be made available to the public. The previous practice of producing such reports three months after the project was kicked off won’t be acceptable anymore.
The second requirement that the public wants implemented to ensure a high degree of accountability is that the government must put in place an audit mechanism that will check on every item of the project. Apart from the government’s audit agencies, the government must open the way for private-sector’s monitoring groups that should be allowed to participate in the process in an open and transparent manner. Anyone found guilty of breaking the budgetary spending rules must be punished.
The third part of the proposal is for the Cabinet to promptly set in motion the CCC’s new rules in checking up on all deals between government agencies and private contractors.
Do we know how our tax-money could be siphoned off to private pockets? The tricks and secret deals are no secret. The solution is how to keep track and snare the big fish.
Corrupt politicians and bureaucrats would try to circumvent the rules and regulations by resorting to “ special purchase practices” which under the long-established rules can waive the basic requirements of setting the “median price” for each tender for government schemes. In other words, under-the-table deals can be made and dirty money can be passed without being detected.
Duplication of tasks by concerned government agencies could open the way for corruption – and without an efficient evaluation system, the flood relief fund could be easily misspent.
Equally scandalous is the well-known practice of a politician or official farming out “projects” under the post-flood reconstruction scheme to their own dummy companies or cronies who have access to “inside information” on upcoming tenders for government contracts.
How effective this move to plug the loopholes against all those dirty hands in power remains to be seen. But one consolation, at least, is that the private sector has never been so aggressive in protecting the people’s tax money.
It is also the first time that the public’s distrust of how the Establishment spends our money in the name of helping our fellow countrymen becomes a matter of serious public and urgent concern

Is this serious?

2011-12-28T17:00:00.001+07:00

Of course, nobody takes this Facebook page seriously. But it could lead to real national reconciliation. Don't you think?

Thaksin tells his MPs: Don't call me, I'll call you

2011-12-28T08:49:00.002+07:00

Thaksin Shinawatra's cell phones have had lots of "missed calls" from Bangkok recently. He deliberately didn't pick up the phones. He knew they were from desperate MPs of his Pheu Thai Party with a very specific purpose.

"If I didn't answer your phone calls, please don't get upset. That's because there were lots of rumours about a Cabinet reshuffle and I didn't want to pick up the phones. Those of you who failed to get a Cabinet seats last time, just wait for the next round," he told a New Year Party's gathering of his MPs through Skype last night.

"I have kept quiet recently because I want the prime minister and her Cabinet members to devote their energies to their work to make the people happy," he said.

In brief, he was telling the Pheu Thai MPs: "Don't call me. I will call you."

What's so funny, Madame PM?

2011-12-27T10:22:00.003+07:00

It's not clear what made Premier Yingluck go into such an open laughter. Can't possibly be the news that the Government House Press Corp had given her the nickname of "Parrot" in their annual handing out of humourous labels to politicians. She has reacted graciously by saying she wasn't offended. "It's part of the fun and games," she said.

This picture from the front page of Thai Post this morning was taken while the PM was enjoying a bowl of noodle at the reporters' New Year's Party at Government House yesterday. The caption didn't explain why she was overwhelmed with a good sense of humour on that particular occasion.

Right or wrong, this is the Speaker speaking!

2011-12-25T16:19:00.001+07:00

"Once the House Speaker hands down a judgement, that's it. Whether it's right or wrong is something else..."

That's the statement from House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont which was today voted "Remarks of the Year" by Parliament Press Corp.

The Parliament reporters also gave him a nickname: "The Fake Hammer, Made in Dubai."

"Hammer" had been Somsak's nickname when he was deputy House Speaker and was then known for his decisiveness in handling House debates. He often used the hammer to put things back into order.

Now, it would be interesting to know his reactions to the reporters' tongue-in-cheek annual teasing festival

Ransom paid by Ital-Thai employees kidnapped in eastern Tavoy

2011-12-22T13:11:00.004+07:00

A road sign near Tavoy, a site of a planned special economic zone and deep-sea port.

A number of employees for the Italian-Thai Development Company (ITD) were kidnapped and 16 vehicles were hijacked for several hours on Tuesday by five armed men in eastern Tavoy, according to the Irrawaddy website.

Calling themselves the BBK, the armed gang released the hostages and vehicles a few hours later, but only after extorting 10,000 baht [US $300] from the workers, according to Eh Na, the editor of Thailand-based Karen news agency, Kwekalu who said he met with the hostages on Wednesday.

The employees were said to be mostly Thai and were working on road construction for the multimillion-dollar Dawei Development Project.

“In addition to the workers, the armed gang seized 16 trucks and three satellite walkie-talkies. They also extorted 10,000 baht in cash from the hostages,” said Eh Na. “They were all released at midday.”

The five armed men allegedly told the ITD employees that they each had to pay another 1,000 baht if they wanted to continue working on the project, the road construction phase of which is to link the industrial plant in Tavoy in Tenasserim Division to Thailand's Kanchanaburi.

Although Burmese government troops and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Brigade 4 are both active in the Tennaserim area, early indications are that the five armed men were not affiliated with any one armed group in particular.

Saw Kwe Htoo Win, the chairman of Mergui-Tavoy District for the Karen National Union [the KNLA's political arm], said the ITD had informed the KNU about the incident and that it was investigating who was behind the kidnapping.

“We certainly did not order our troops to do such a thing,” he said. “But we are checking into the incident.”

The KNU warned in July that road construction on the project should be stopped after local villagers complained that it would have a severe negative impact on the local population and the environment. Displaced villagers also said that they have not been compensated for the loss of their land and homes which were confiscated to make way for the mega-project.

In July, some 50 workers from the ITD fled from Tavoy to the Thai side of the border to escape fighting Burmese government troops and Karen rebels.

ITD's contract on the Dawei Development Project was approved in March 2010 by the Burmese military government. With an estimated cost of $60 billion, the industrial project will include a deep-sea port, a giant industrial zone, roads, railways, transmission lines, and oil and gas pipelines

Yingluck reveals 'the toughest part' of a premier's job

2011-12-20T10:33:00.003+07:00

What's the most difficult part being prime minister? No, not fighting floods. Nor is it running the Cabinet. It's responding to reporters' questions every morning.

That's what Premier Yingluck Shinawatra has told reporters in an informal chat over the weekend in Chiang Mai during a break in her northern visit.

Yingluck, according to Matichon, said she had to read newspapers and monitor morning television news shows to prepare herself for the questions from the press corps every morning.

"My trick is to anticipate the questions from reporters by reading the papers and watching TV in the morning. If I am late on any particular day, it's because there are lots of hot issues on the plate," the premier said with a hearty laugh.

One would assume the premier would have her assistants brief her every morning on the hot issues and the questions she could expect from the reporters. From what she told the press, that obviously isn't the case. Maybe she is crying out for help through this chat with the press.No?

A well laid-out front page for a 'well-planned succession'

2011-12-20T09:32:00.000+07:00

Jatuporn as government spokesman?

2011-12-18T15:34:00.002+07:00

It's more than just pure speculation. Jatuporn Prompan, Pheu Thai MP, red-shirt leader and outstanding public speaker may become the government spokesman -- especially if he is stripped of his MP's status.

The Election Commission has ruled that he is disqualified as MP because he hadn't exercised his voting rights in a previous election. The case now goes to the Constitutional Court to hand down the final verdict.

Jatuporn has warned that if his foes weren't careful, they would be making the mistake of edging him out onto the streets which could be more dangerous than allowing him to continue to be an MP. In other words, he could bring the mob out again if ousted from the House of Representatives.

It was at this time that rumours started to fly that Jatuporn as replace Thitima Chaisaeng as the government spokesman -- and Thitima, at least publicly, doesn't seem to mind.

"Khun Jatuporn is much more aggresive than I am. That would be good for the government," she said.

Red-shirt members have been increasingly demanding the rights to put their men and women into government positions claiming that they had been instrumental in boosting the chances of Pheu Thai in winning the last election.

Jatuporn hasn't made any comment on his next post. He seems determined to fight to stay on as MP until the last minute, failing which he could then plot his next big move. Being government spokesman may be one of his strategies to remain politically active. But then there are Cabinet posts and other portfolios that his supporters may be demanding for him. His stars are clearly rising.

In a new TV format, PM 'relaunches' her image-building campaign

2011-12-17T08:25:00.006+07:00

As I write, PM Yingluck is live on Channel 11 for her Saturday broadcast, with a new twist. She has decided to turn it into a "reality show" of sorts, with Suranand Vejjajiva, former PM's Office minister, as moderator.

Yingluck chose a familiar ground -- her hometown Chiang Mai to "relaunch" her weekly morning show which since she took office was restricted to a radio show. Today, it became a new television format, aimed apparently at making her weekly "meeting the people" programme more lively and picking up ratings.

After a flesh-pressing walk around Waroros Market, the PM sat down with Suranand for an interview -- basically on non-controversial issues about the government's activities.

In the background are the two Pheu Thai MPs, including Foreign Minister Surapong Vijakchaikul from Chiang Mai, and the provincial governor.

They talked about floods -- and the premier said she would like to see a totally dry country as a New Year's Gift for the country.

She talked about recovery from the floods in general terms. The infrastracture must be rebuilt. Foreign investors are still confident in Thailand.

The PM also talked about the paddy mortgage project, car insurance for flood victims, etc...

Suranand asked: Is life as PM different from life as CEO? "Very different. But both are the same: We need team work."

She was asked about evaluating the Cabinet's work so far. "I have to be sympathetic with the Cabinet members many of whom have been busy with fighting the flood. We have been only here four months."

Suranand was obviously trying to avoid asking the direct question of whether she was thinking of a Cabinet reshuffle which has been one of the hottest political topics in the past week.

Self-evaluation? "I think the people should evaluate my work," she said. "Obstacles shouldn't be considered problems. They should be seen as issues we need to tackle and resolve."

"Give us a bit more time," she pleaded.

Next year's challenge? "The world economy is the challenge. Thailand may not face the direct impact. We must build our own strength from within.We need to improve our productivity (she uses this word in English here)."

She was asked about her visits to various branches of the armed forces in the past week. "I am ready to work closely with the military," she said.

Yingluck revealed that she is going to meet Aung San Suu Kyi when she visits Burma next week.

Cabinet reshuffle: What has performance got to do with it?

2011-12-16T12:39:00.000+07:00

If news of a possible Cabinet reshuffle only three months after the Yingluck government took office hasn’t created any real public excitement, it’s simply because there isn’t anything to get excited about.
For one thing, when the first Cabinet was put in place, and the qualifications of each minister were examined, most Thais were resigned to the fact that they hadn’t been chosen for their ability to run their respective ministries in the first place. Putting the right person in the right job wasn’t the main consideration.
In fact, it was clear that those who became Cabinet members were picked because of their personal links to Thaksin Shinawatra either for political or economic reasons. Somehow political debt had to be repaid and services earlier rendered had to be returned one way or the other.
Therefore, from Day One, it was an open secret that the next group of candidates would be waiting in line on the merry-go-round to take up Cabinet and related posts. The original time frame was probably six to nine months before Cabinet changes were to take place. But the devastating flood accelerated the process, because a large number of the Cabinet members were caught totally unprepared for such a crisis. Others were put to the test on the spot – and there was little doubt that they failed miserably.
It’s a tough task for Yingluck to handle the presence of nominees of so many factions within the Pheau Thai Party, not to mention the obvious conflicts between ministers from coalition partners. Most of course are Thaksin’s direct choices but faction leaders have also been able to convince the former premier that they must be represented if the government was to enjoy any agree of stability. Then, there are members of Premier Yingluck’s own inner circle who never did have any direct working experience with the hard-core politicians.
Thaksin and Yingluck did try to recruit some respectable technocrats and professional business leaders to head the economic side of the management. But those approached, fearful of political interference, were demanding their own team to be brought into the Cabinet. The negotiations become complicated and got bogged down in the end. One or two candidates for the premiership (before Yingluck became the choice of last resort) who were willing to serve as Prime Minister decided to decline the offer due to the obvious risk of a close link to Thaksin and all that he represents.

Some analysts believe that any Cabinet reshuffle would have to take into consideration the composition of the two “strategic committee” set up by Premier Yingluck. In fact, it wouldn’t be a big surprise if Dr Virabongsa Ramangkura, head of the first committee (Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management), takes up a crucial portfolio in the new Cabinet line-up, such as the finance post or deputy in overall charge of economic affairs.
Dr Sumet Tantivejjakul, who heads the second panel (Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development) , isn’t expected to be recruited into a political post, however. He would rather remain a “non-political” figure providing advice to the Yingluck government – a equally , if not more, crucial role in propping up the government, whether or not the well-known technocrat himself intends it that way or not.
One major consideration in putting together a Yingluck 2 Cabinet is that the new line-up will have to be able to work with the two strategic committees which are seen, in more ways than one, even more important than the Cabinet itself. After all, the two panels – and not the Cabinet – are seen as the main image that could sustain the government’s credibility.
A Cabinet reshuffle is therefore in the works, not because a more efficient group of ministers will step in to make the business of managing the country work better but because promises of political largesse have to be kept – and everyone with any bargaining power is waiting for his or her turn on the merry-go-round.
Pheu Thai MPs were flying in droves to Singapore over the weekend, supposedly to lobby for new portfolios with Thaksin who later was said to have left for Cambodia allegedly to flee those seeking his favours. Premier Yingluck insists, meanwhile, that she isn’t considering changes to the Cabinet.
There is no contradiction here. Everybody can claim to be telling what he or she considers to be the “truth.” The only thing that matters is which “version” of the truth is being taken seriously.

Thaksin is reshuffling Cabinet -- on the run

2011-12-13T06:51:00.003+07:00

It looks like Thaksin Shinawatra is on the run -- while trying to work out a Cabinet reshuffle for his sister who is the prime minister and who has been saying nothing about the rising speculation about her new Cabinet line-up.

Thaksin was in Singapore yesterday. He was seen on a video clip at his daughter's wedding in Bangkok last night. Then, this morning, reports suggested that he was flying to Cambodia. Why? Press reports quoting sources in Pheu Thai Party say Thaksin was "overwhelmed" with all the MPs seeking meetings with him in Singapore asking for new Cabinet posts. He was, to put it mildly, fed up, perhaps. So, he decided to run away from all those currying favour with him. He is expected to be in Cambodia to avoid his own people. But then, he doesn't seem to be able to get away from them. In fact, it could get worse. Cambodia is much closer to Bangkok than Singapore. So, the rush will even bigger and rougher.

The press reports could be wrong though. Thaksin may have decided to move close to Bangkok so that he can meet more people talking to him about new Cabinet posts. He needs to be closer to where the action is.

Cabinet reshuffle? What reshuffle? The PM isn't aware of any.

2011-12-11T21:03:00.002+07:00

Someone snapped this picture in front of Singapore's Marina Bay Sands Hotel Friday amidst rumours in Bangkok that some members of Pheu Thai Party had flown there to discuss with Thaksin Shinawatra the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle.

The woman on the left does look like Yaowapa Wongsawasdi, Thaksin's sister, and the man on the right bears some resemblance of Varathep Rattanakorn, a former Cabinet member and a close aide to Thaksin. Whether they were there to meet the former premier or not wasn't confirmed although the speculation went so far as to pin down five Cabinet seats that were to be replaced in the new line-up that was supposed to be put into effect after the New Year.

I am not sure who the "sources" were. But it is clear that the rumours had been spread from with the Pheu Thai Party, most likely from those who would like to see changes made in the current Cabinet composition. Those Cabinet members "targetted" for changes have publicly said they aren't aware of any forthcoming changes.

Most significantly, perhaps, was Premier Yingluck's statement in response to questions from reporters about the rumoured Cabinet reshuffle. She said she wasn't aware of any upcoming changes -- and she insisted that no changes were being contemplated.

So, what were they doing in Singapore?

The total eclipse tonight

2011-12-10T21:51:00.002+07:00

Tonight's total eclipse took place on Dec 10 --- Constitution Day, also known as Democracy Day. Some political doomsayers were suggesting that this might be a bad omen since the "rahoo" which was "swallowing" the moon might be "eating up" the country's constitution as well.

Of course, I think they were simply over-dramatising the whole thing. Or perhaps, they were simply reading from the undercurrents in the political scene. One can never be too optimistic in analysing Thai politics.

Please change your mind, Madame PM

2011-12-09T13:49:00.002+07:00

The Thai Chamber of Commerce was hoping that Premier Yingluck Shinawatra would attend the annual conference to be held in Rayong province over the weekend. She has disappointed them by delegating Deputy PM Kittirat na Ranong to be there instead.

TCC's Deputy Chairman Pornsilp Patcharintanakul did not hide his feelings when he publicly told reporters yesterday that he was "deeply disappointed."

"I am not sure why the prime minister has decided not to come despite the fact that this is a very important forum for the country's leader to instill confidence among the business leaders, both local and foreign," he said.

He said the annual gathering of the country's business leaders was basically a non-political event. "It's important that the government and private sector work together to move forward together after the big flood. There are still many problems to be thrashed out. I hope she changes her mind," he said.

Who knows, if someone briefs the premier on the TCC's leadership's grumbling about her non-appearance, she might still change her mind. After all, she was a businesswoman before she became prime minister and what she lacks in political skill could be compensated by her business management experience. In fact, she should feel more at home among business leaders than politicians.

Keep prodding, Pornsilp.

The return of Arisman

2011-12-08T08:48:00.002+07:00

Check out my discussion with Nation Editor Tulsathit Taptim on the circumstances surrounding the return and surrender of red-shirt firebrand Arisman Pongruangrong who was denied bail yesterday. His lawyers are presenting a two-million-baht bond to seek an appeal for the bail again probably today.

Which way, Madame PM?

2011-12-05T13:00:00.003+07:00

This picture (Page One, Matichon, this morning) says a lot about what's happening in the country's political scene these days.

Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Yongyudh Vichaidit rides the tricycle while Premier Yingluck Shinawatra takes the backseat.

I could almost hear the imaginery conversation:

He asks: "Which way, Madame Prime Minister?"
She responds: "Keep going."

The actual scene took place yesterday at the "Beautiful Thailand" festival at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya to celebration His Majesty the King's Birthday Anniversary today.

Political art: Protest versus satire?

2011-12-04T18:24:00.003+07:00

I am not sure whether it's a case of protest versus satire -- or protest versus protest or satire versus satire. But the two gestures represent highly interesting political interpretations of the prevailing moods.

The left picture is supposed to be that of a female writer baring herself for a painting to show her reaction to the verdict of 20-year imprisonment term against 61-year-old Ampon Tangnoppskul (Ah Kong) for violating the lese majeste law. He was supposed to have sent text messages disparaging Her Majesty to the personal secretary of then prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in May last year as the government was confronted with the red-shirt protests.

The next day (today), this picture of a man baring himself for painting of words that asks former prime minsiter Thaksin Shinawatra to return to serve his jail term.

How these two pieces of protest art are related isn't quite clear. But the two pictures have certainly found their way into lots of social media sites in the past few hours.

The Big One...hopefully the Last Big one

2011-12-02T10:02:00.002+07:00

"The Big One" is out. It's a comprehensive record of Thailand's worst flood in 60 years. The publication, which has just hit newsstands, is a collection of all the pictures and stories about one of Thailand's worst natural disasters. It is worth keeping for posterity to stress the desperate effort to prevent the next Big One.

This special collection is published by Kom Chad Luek.

Can't the PM even get sick without any political implications?

2011-11-29T09:54:00.004+07:00

Can't the PM even get ill in peace? That's the comment from one tweet soon after news broke this morning taht Premier Yingluck was resting at Rama 9 Hospital after she went there last night with a bad stomach, probably as a result of food poisoning, according to Government Spokesperson Thitima Chaisaeng.

Thai politics is under a pall of suspicion. Two weeks ago when the premier failed to chair the weekly Cabinet meeting, a royal pardon decree draft was discussed, sparking a controversial debate.

This time, as soon as she let it be known that she wouldn't be at the weekly Cabinet session, Twitter and Facebook were immediately flooded with questions such as: "Any suspicious bill again?"

Of course, the premier is entitled to falling ill at times, especially in the wake of the severe flooding. She has been quite stressed, working hard on flood fighting measures etc...

So, let us all give her a break. She should be able to have a running stomach without a public uproar!

Pracha wins the battle but may lose the war

2011-11-28T10:23:00.005+07:00

The outcome of the censure vote at around 10.00 am today didnt' surprise anyone. The 273-188 vote was in favour of the target of the no-confidence debate, Police Gen Pracha Promnok, justice minister and director of Flood Relief Operations Center (FROC).

But opposition Democrat Party had, in submitting the motion, a more general objective: to underscore the Yingluck government's overall poor performance over the flood relief efforts. Revelations of political interference, misuse of donations, lack of coordination among official agencies concerned during yesterday's 14-hour debate (marred by protests by both sides) were damaging politically to the three-month-old government to a significant extent.

Pracha's an-eye-for-an-eye strategy by blaming the previous government under Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva for "conspiring" to hit the new government with an unusually huge volume of water from the two big dams didn't draw much support. In fact, Abhisit's counter-attacks were somehow more credible.

Pracha charged that Abhisit had deliberately left a huge amount of water in the two big dams, going into the general election with the plot to hit the new government under Pheu Thai Party with unprecedented inundation. "The Abhisit government knew that there would be a few big storms on the way. It also hatched a plan to store so much water that the new government would face a serious problem," Pracha said during the debate.

Abhisit wasted no time in hitting back. "That's a very ridiculous accusation. Is the government suggesting that we knew that there would be huge storms ahead. Is the government saying that the Democrat Party had planned to lose the election?"

The debate will put a dent in the government's credibility. The flood is still with us in many outlying provinces and parts of Bangkok. The recovery effort is still not well understood. Frustrated people are still tearing down Big Bags wall. Businessmen are still waiting for clear measures to help them rebuild their businesses.

A Cabinet reshuffle may be in the works to improve upon the government's image. Yesterday's censure debate may not have ousted the justice minister. But the prime minister certainly have been felt the growing pressure to do something about the performance issue.

Lots of hot air at today's censure debate

2011-11-27T14:17:00.003+07:00

Democrat MP Sathit Wongnontheuy shows a huge board of timeline of newspaper headlines on the flood situations to back up his onslaught against the government during the censure debate...

The no-confidence debate against Justice Minister Pracha Promnok, who is also director of FROC (Flood Relief Operations Center), that is still going on as I write this has all the trappings of a Sunday matinee.

The opposition Democrats were trying to find fault with Pracha's flood relief performance. Jurin Laksakavisit, who took party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's place in taking the lead in launching the verbal attack,attempted to add another volley: Pracha the justice minister's role in the Cabinet's confidential session over the royal pardon bill.

That drew strong reaction from the government's Pheu Thai Party leaders, spearheaded by Deputy PM Chalerm Yoonbamrung who denied that there were any ulterior motives in the consideration of the bill. Pracha stood up to declare that he had done nothing wrong and appealed to the House Speaker to consider whether such a sensitive issue that involves His Majesty the King's discretion should be raised in the House.

The government and opposition MPs then plunged into attacks and counter-attacks over the flood issue. Both sides had their MPs interrupt the speakers by presenting their versions of the facts.

At one point, controversial Pheu Thai MP Karun Hosakul stood up to challenge Democrat MP Sirichoke Sobha: "I challenge Sirichoke to quit as MP if he tells lies. I would step down if I am found to have lied."

The marathon censure debate is to end before midnight so that a vote could be taken tomorrow.

China can't save Europe. Only Europe can save Europe.

2011-11-26T19:10:00.000+07:00

Flood panels should incorporate reconciliation process

2011-11-25T09:53:00.000+07:00

This inundation “crisis” hasn’t created the reconciliation “opportunity.” On the other hand, the flooding may have in more ways than one deepened the conflict between the political factions in the country.
And for a day or two, the proposed pardon decree considered in a confidential session by the Cabinet last Tuesday in which Premier Yingluck Shinawatra was conspicuously absent threatened to neutralize all previous efforts at reconciliation. It wasn’t until former Premier Thaksin delivered a hand-written note from Dubai declaring his intention “to sacrifice my personal happiness in favour of national reconciliation” on Sunday that a looming new political confrontation was averted.
This state of thinly veiled showdown between those for and against Thaksin can’t be allowed to continue indefinitely if we were to return to any normalcy – and can really make post-crisis Thailand work as any civilized nation should.
The Truth Commission for National Reconciliation under Dr Kanit na Nakhon has been working quietly behind the scenes to bring about better understanding among the various factions within Thai society. It has so far laid the foundation of trust. It needs to get the facts of the violent incidents in the past years to the surface and, without pointing accusing fingers at any particular party, ensure that justice is done. It is also crucial that “transitional justice” is effectively implemented for the next step of reconciliation to be taken.
I see flickers of hope in the two flood-related committees appointed by Premier Yingluck to turn the natural disaster into a national recovery and reconciliation.
The two committees are: Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development (SCRF) headed by Dr Virabongsa Ramangkura and Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM) led by Dr Sumet Tantivejkul. The two panels comprise people of influence and reputation. They are supposed to be working on both the business of recovery and the tough task of planning for the future that would prevent this year’s major disaster from recurring.
But how could national reconstruction and future water resource management be taken seriously as “national strategies” that involve all segments of society if the country continues to be plagued by political divisiveness?
This could well be another rare window of opportunity for the two “wise men” to turn their non-political roles into some significant social contributions by reaching out to all groups of divergent political shades to get them to join in the nation-rebuilding effort.
There is little doubt that Yingluck was hoping that the appointments of the two reputable figures would strengthen the government’s anti-flood campaign but, more significantly, would also offer a major boost in political goodwill. Dr Virabongsa and Dr Sumet belong to no political factions and , as “experienced technocrats,” could enhance the premier’s credibility at a critical juncture.
The two can thus make a highly significant contribution to national reconciliation by appointing subcommittees that comprise people from all walks of life representing not only experts, business leaders but also the flood victims from various provinces whose views towards the powers-that-be are as diverse as the red-yellow divide that has plagued the country for the past several years.
The two panels have been promised non-interference by the political authorities and they are in a good position to bargain with a government that badly needs good, strong political props from non-political technocrats ready to risk their personal reputation by answering the “Help-Me-Please” calls from the premier.
If their mission isn’t confined to just helping the government tide over the flood, the two technocrats should seize this opportunity to assume the badly-needed role of “national reconciliator” by setting up broad-based working groups to brainstorm for ideas to cement efforts to rebuild Thai society in the post-crisis era.
It is sad but true. Without a real natural crisis, the political divide may never be bridged. Left to the politicians, one political crisis has only led to another without any hope of a real reconciliation in sight

Don't leak this. It's confidential.

2011-11-23T15:04:00.003+07:00

Premier Yingluck told her Cabinet yesterday to make sure that confidential discussions in the conference room must remain confidential. She regretted the fact that last Tuesday's Cabinet meeting's dicussion on the proposed Royal Pardon Bill which was supposed to be a secret had been leaked to the press.

How do I know that the premier told the Cabinet members not to reveal confidential topics in the Cabinet?

I read it in the newspapers this morning,of course.

Now, if the premier was absent from last week's Cabinet meeting, how did she know about the confidential discussion?

And how do you explain the fact that even when the prime minister told her Cabinet members not to disclose confidential remarks, it was still a well-known non-secret?

In other words, even the PM's instruction to her ministers not to leak confidential discussions was leaked!

Thaksin's hand-written 'Forgive and Forget' note from Dubai

2011-11-21T10:09:00.002+07:00

Thaksin Shinawatra wrote the letter from Dubai urging his supporters to "forgive and forget" for the sake of the country and posterity.

Thaksin: I don't want to be on the list

2011-11-20T11:44:00.003+07:00

Thaksin Shinawatra probably realizes that the prompt and strong reactions against his possible pardon being considred by his sister's government could boomrang badly. He despatched this letter this morning which was released by Pheau Thai Party's public relations department. The English-language text here is provided by the party's PR release.

20 November 2011

Dear Fellow Thai People,

As our country has been going through a crisis from the big flood, I am concerned and want our country and all Thai people to pass through this crisis quickly and that requires harmony and reconciliation in our country in order to overcome this natural disaster. I support all measures that will lead to national reconciliation and do not want to see any attempt that will sour the atmosphere and I am prepared to sacrifice my personal happiness even though I have not received justice during the last five years. I will be patient for the sake of the people.

As the Royal Decree which will provide for annual royal pardon is being proposed and as H.M. the King will become 84 years old this year, and as there has been rumor that my name will be included in the list of individuals to be proposed for royal pardon, I trust in the principle that the government will not do anything that will benefit me or any individual specifically. Moreover, any action to be taken during this period of time must be merely taken so as to bring national reconciliation to our country and to overcome the crisis due to national disaster from big flood.

As H.M. the King has been ill, we must certainly not make H.M. the King worried and I am confident that our Prime Minister shares my belief and intention.

With respect to Thai people who have supported and cared for me, please don't be disappointed as when the light of justice emerges, all will be settled as the country will not be under the state of conflict forever.

Finally,I call upon all parties who truly love Thailand to know the words forgive and forget by forgiving each other and forget the past in order to face new dimensions of tomorrow for the sake of our country and younger generations.

With Best Regards

Police Lt. Col. Thaksin Shinawatra

Is Thaksin in or out of the list?

2011-11-19T10:17:00.003+07:00

Thaksin Shinawatra told foreign news agencies that he had no knowledge of a bid for a royal pardon for convicts that may apply to him.

Reuters asked him whether he thought he would be included, Thaksin was quoted as saying: "I don't know. I don't think so. No one knows, because it was a confidential meeeting. It's at the full discretion of His Majesty the King."

And Matichon daily this morning said Premier Yingluck plans to announce that Thaksin, her brother, would not be included in the list of about 30,000 convicts expected to be on the list of those who may be given royal pardon.

Opponents, of course, would wait until it's final before they lend any credence to the reports. Rumours remain rumours and no one believes anyone else under the atmosphere of high mutual suspicion.

Time: Thailand on edge....again

2011-11-17T21:02:00.004+07:00

This will probably be one of the many articles in foreign news magazines on the new controversy over the possible pardon for Thaksin. The various analyses appear to reach a similar conclusion: Thailand's politics will hit another low point of confrontation yet again. We can certainly do without that especially in the midst of a devastating inundation. But then, politicians can't seem to stop stirring the pot at the wrong time for the wrong purpose.

How a Cabinet Secretary General answers unanswerable questions

2011-11-17T11:49:00.003+07:00

Cabinet Secretary-General Ampon Kitti-ampon was supposed to keep it all confidential about the amnesty royal decree draft raised in the "secret session" of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday. And he did a great job at answering all the questions from reporters without revealing anything.

Q: Was the amnesty decree draft discussed in the secret Cabinet meeting?

Ampon: I don't know.

Q: Is it a custom to announce amnesty for prisoners every Dec 5?

Ampon: Probably.

Q: Was it just a discussion or was there an approval of the proposed decree?

Ampon: I don't know.

Q: Will there be a press conference to explain the issue?

Ampon: I don't know.

Q: Shouldn't this matter be made public?

Ampon: I don't know.

Of course, he did know the answers to all the questions. He should probably have said: "I know but I can't talk."

But he insisted he didn't know.

Why did the PM stay overnight in Singburi?

2011-11-16T09:48:00.004+07:00

Did she deliberately stay the night in Singburi just to avoid yesterday's Cabinet meeting in Bangkok?

Premier Yingluck's aides said she had gone on a helicopter to Singburi with the intention of flying back to Bangkok Monday night for yesterday's weekly Cabinet's meeting.But she cancelled the flight back on grounds that the helicopter didn't have a night radar. But the army later said that the chopper was fine. It could have flown at night.

What was intriguing was that the premier had assigned Chalerm Yoobamrung, a deputy premier, to preside over the Cabinet meeting that, according to reports in most newspapers this morning, held a confidential session to pass a royal decree to hand down amnesty to convicts.

The amnesty decree draft stipulates that convicts who are at least 60 years old and have been sentenced to under three years in jail would be eligible.

More interesting than that, the draft does not bar convicts prosecuted for corruption from being granted the pardon. Neither does it require the convicts to at least partially serve a jail term before being eligible for the amnesty.

It was immediately clear to a lot of people that former premier Thaksin Shinawatra would be eligible. And that, naturally, created an immediate controversy all over the social media last night and the local newspapers this morning.

Reporters say all Cabinet members approached by newspeople this morning, including Chalerm, kept tight-lipped when asked about the hot story. Premier Yingluck was asked about that last evening. She would only say that she wasn't familiar witht the story. "Please ask Deputy Premier Chalerm about it." That's all she was willing to say.

Perhaps, the ongoing flood stories may be submerged by the amnesty decree report.

The flood blame game: Just kids' stuff

2011-11-13T10:01:00.000+07:00

The fiery confrontation last Friday between the Bangkok governor and the Irrigation Department chief at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) perhaps sums up all the reasons why the anti-flood exercise has been in a mess we are in today all the way from the top down.
In a national crisis, they were arguing heatedly over where a written request for more water pumps had been misplaced – and who was to be blamed for that.
With Premier Yingluck Shinawatra at the head of the conference table, Irrigation Chief Chalit Damrongsak addressed Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra who was sitting across him. He said the governor had one day earlier told the press that the Irrigation Dept had not responded positively to the BMA’s request for water pumps.
“I have checked and haven’t been able to locate the official letter from BMA to the Irrigation Department. The governor’s statement could therefore be damaging to my department,” he said, in a matter-of-fact manner.
Governor Sukhumbhand immediately turned stern. He said he hadn’t said the Irrigation Department hadn’t responded. “I am still waiting, still waiting, though,” he repeated.
Premier Yingluck looked puzzled, embarrassed and confused. She said, without addressing anyone in particular, that all parties concerned should work together.
Director of Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC), Police Gen Pracha Promnok, then chimed in to say that his office had not received any official written request from the governor’s office either.
The next day, Agriculture Minister Thira Wongsamut was quoted as saying that he had also looked into the matter and discovered that the BMA’s letter had in fact been delivered to the Interior Ministry, and not the Irrigation Department (which comes under the jurisdiction of his ministry).
“So, how can the Bangkok governor accuse the Irrigation Department of being uncooperative when he had sent the letter to the wrong place. Besides, even if the letter had got to the right place, we wouldn’t have enough water pumps to spare for BMA anyway. We are also short of pumps,” the minister said.
The arguments back and forth between the central government and Bangkok’s administration have at best been petty and irrelevant. The scene underscores the deplorable lack of cooperation despite the repeated assurances by both sides that they are “working closely together.”
After Friday’s incident, PM Yingluck admitted publicly for the first time: “We do have problems collaborating on technical operation and exchange of data.” Bangkok Governor, in a rare expression of agreement, confirmed: “We don’t have problems with long-term planning but we do have problems with short-term implementation.”
Conflicts aren’t confined to areas of anti-flood activity between the central government and Bangkok administration though. Within FROC, politicians of various shades clash over priorities and areas that should get aid first. There are also questions on whether Governor Sukhumbhand works in close tandem with his Democrat colleagues or not. He doesn’t seem to have worked out a coordination system with his own party leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, either.
The irony is glaring. The premier has invoked emergency powers under the Public Disaster Act that so that she could act decisively – and the first order was to get the governor to open up some sluice gates. The governor hit back by exercising his rights under the same law to instruct police to man the dike to prevent residents from tearing it down. Working at cross purposes seems to be the order of the day.
That’s why in the social media, people have been issuing warnings among themselves: “If the PM says it’s all safe, start packing. If the governor issues an alert, just flee!”

Girl on the bus can't quit

2011-11-10T18:13:00.003+07:00

Premier Yingluck rides the bus today on her way to distribute relief materials to flood victims after insisting that she won't resign despite calls from certain quarters that she should quit to accept responsiblity for the way the flood relief effort is being handled.

"I won't quit. The people have elected me to do the job. I can't abandon them," she declared, adding that crying isn't a sign of weakness. "Crying is about sharing the feeling of suffering with the flood victims," she said.

Strange though it may sound, a group of senators have come out against the premier's resigning "because she has to say on to take responsibility for what is happening."

So, whether you want her to stay on or not, she just can't call it a day...just yet.

Superman Virabongsa is back!

2011-11-09T12:36:00.003+07:00

Virabongsa Ramangkura, the man for all seasons, is back. This time he has been named chairman of the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development (SCRF) to help the government devise plans to rebuild the country after the floods.

How did he get lured back into an active role such as this one?

"I had no hesitation at all. Once the prime minister asked me, I accepted immediately because not accepting would mean I am without a heart and I wouldn't be able to sleep at night," he says.

Virabongsa had earlier been tipped to be a Cabinet member under Premier Yingluck. The deal didn't go through for some unknown reasons. But he was always waiting in the wings, ready for an advisory role such as this one.

"I am going to meet the Japanese ambassador to ask him to arrange for me to visit Japan so that I can ask Japanese business leaders on what they want us to do. Japan has been a good friend all along. During the tomyamkung financial crisis, Japan was the only big country that didn't hammer us," the former finance minister said.

Interestingly enough, Virabongsa will have two deputy premiers and finance minister under him in the committee.

Isn't that a big unconventional? "Well, the premier told me tradition is there to be broken anyway," he responded.

Pray, let the water levels subside

2011-11-08T14:40:00.002+07:00

Budhist monks are out in full force these days to help fight the rising floods. A few thousand temples have been submerged and monks in remote areas have suffered from the lack of daily food because local residents haven't been able to do their
daily rounds o alms-giving to monks after floods have hit many provinces.

Here, a group of monks from Dhammakaya Temple are performing their non-religious duty in relieving floods on Klong Luang Road.
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Flood brings tears to PM, more than once

2011-11-06T11:08:00.003+07:00

With tears in her eyes, Premier Yingluck Shinawatra met Nakhon Sawan residents yesterday to declare that she won't give up fighting floods, no matter how challenging the mission.

This, of course, wasn't the first time that the prime minister showed the soft side of Thailand's first lady premier. Her supporters say it's a sign of her passion and devotion to the people. Critics say tears don't solve problems, only well-planned execution does.

She confessed on her weekly radio programme yesterday: "I admit it's a very tough job. But I won't give up."

(Picture by Thai Rath)

Thaksin tells his daughter: Dad won't be home for the wedding

2011-11-05T15:10:00.002+07:00

Former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra has apparently told his daugher "Aim" Pingtongta
that he won't be able to come back to Thailand to join her wedding scheduled for
Nov 10.

In her latest tweet today, Pintongta wrote: "Although I hadn't expected Dad to come
to my wedding, hearing from him: "Aim, Dad won't be able to come to your weddin" was
nevertheless very disheartening."

She had on Nov 1 tweeted: "Ten days from now will be my Thai-style wedding ceremony. But my house is under 1.5 metres of water. Don't know where to hold the ceremony...yet..."

Please don't feed the animals but...

2011-11-04T12:39:00.002+07:00

This bold sign says a lot about the mood of people, especially those whose houses have been submerged under water.

Politicians have been putting their name tags on donations from the publid for the flood victims and pictures of those ugly acts have been posted all over the social media. None of the politicians mentioned has come out to apologize for their shameful acts so far.

In various zoos, signs go up asking people "Please don't feed the animals." But this
sign urges people to treat politicians in a different way.

FROC: How not to run a crisis management center

2011-11-03T11:27:00.000+07:00

Premier Yingluck has insisted that her approach to the ongoing severe flood disaster is “politics-free.” But there are no genuine signs of any real non-partisan efforts to overcome the country’s worst natural disaster so far.
Besides, the government’s style of crisis (mis)management has alienated most flood victims who couldn’t rely on timely information and guidance from the Flood Relief Operations Center (FROC) from Day One of the inundation.
FROC has failed miserably in crisis communications. The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. The central government represented by FROC and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have been at loggerheads despite their repeated public statements to the contrary.
Politicians have been rubbing shoulders and shouting orders at the FROC headquarters. They all had their underlings (mostly bureaucrats) lobbying for their own priorities which were to do everything possible to prevent their constituencies from getting wet.
FROC’s director, Police Gen Pracha Promnok, is justice minister who belongs to a small political party in the coalition. Most of the Pheu Thai Cabinet members, MPs and their advisers do not feel obliged to follow his instructions. Pracha himself isn’t known to have managed any crisis, big or small, before. And he could hardly expect Premier Yingluck Shinawatra to be by his side, making sure everybody follow the director’s orders. She has her own problems exercising control over her own party.
If things get messy at times, an efficient PR operations that communicate with the public on a timely and convincing manner might have saved the day. That wasn’t to be the case. Two spokesmen – also totally unprepared for such a critical campaign where credibility is the key – were put in charge of the telling the people what was happening.
They could have managed to muddle through had the decision-makers been clear and professional about what they wanted to tell an anxious, skeptical and scared public. That again was sorely missing. Nobody was sure who was in charge of FROC but it was clear from accounts leaked by insiders that the management structure was, to say the least, chaotic.
To be sure, there was no lack of experts on floods and water at the operations center. But their analyses and proposals sidelined by politicians who couldn’t agree on the course of action and were shouting conflicting instructions to the officials who were supposed to be responding to a rapidly worsening flooding situation in provinces north of Bangkok.
There was little doubt therefore that the two spokesmen, whose junior ranks carried no weight whatsoever in the government’s hierarchy, were making fools of themselves on television many times a day. They were saying the situation “is well under control” when in fact they didn’t really know what was happening behind the scenes.
One day, FROC’s Director Pracha read out a long report, ending by declaring that the flood situation was under full control of the government, adding somewhat wistfully: “But we do need lots of large-sized water pumps and I hereby ask the private sector to donate them to help in draining water.”
Things should have been the other way round, of course. One would have thought that if you were short of flood-fighting equipment, the first place to seek help would be the government. Now, the seniormost guy in the country’s top flood-relief agency was asking you to help provide them with water pump. And we were supposed to be in a real crisis.
The gravest failure in crisis communications was probably in the inability to help residents on different sides of the embankments to avoid clashes resulting in barriers to be torn down by angry people who felt they were at the wrong end of the problem. FROC was supposed to be the agency to mediate among the conflicting parties. Instead, some of the government MPs were engineering the confrontations themselves.
FROC has replaced the spokesman. Premier Yingluck says she is inviting Opposition leader Abhisit to join her in the flood fight. Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand is still giving his press conference in parallel with FROC’s. Confusion grows.
As I write this, the FROC’s spokesman was saying that government officials are to return to work on Tuesday after a five-day holiday to cope with the rising floods. But the Bangkok governor just announced that Bangkoks’s Talingchan and Laksi were now designated danger zones and everybody had to be evacuated.
One university lecturer just tweeted: “The central government wants us to go back to work. The Bangkok governor tells us to evacuate. Can’t they discuss it and agree on something and tell us what it is all about?”
Situation normal, all fouled up?

Bangkok Governor declares war on the capital's police to fight flood

2011-11-01T21:01:00.003+07:00

It's war for Bangkok Governor M.R.Sukhumbhand who last night invoked his special powers under the Disaster Mitigation Act to order the Bangkok's Metropolitan Police Chief to move in to stop local residents from destroying the water sluice at Klong Samwa.

He declared: "I can't trust the police unit that has been guarding the spot anymore. I need to exercise my legal power to order the capital's police chief to send his people to make sure nobody will damage the embankment because if it comes down heavy floods will hit Ramkhamhaeng and Ram-indra areas."

It was the toughest statement made so far by the governor who has obviously been at loggerheads with the central government over how to cope with the rising flood water levels in Bangkok.

"I don't have to seek the prime minister's prior approval. I have the rights to order police to do the job. I am not seeking cooperation. I am giving orders legitimately," he declared, after having ordered the evacuation of yet another area in the city, this time it's Bangkhen.

Obviously, for him, there was no pointing in hiding the fact that he and the government don't see eye to eye -- and that he had to resort to his own power to show the Bangkokians that he can take tough action that the premier has refused to do so far.

Will matters get worse for the inundated capital. We shall know in a couple of days. But I am sure it will get worse before it could get any better.
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New Thailand: Don't take us seriously

2011-11-01T10:48:00.002+07:00

I thought Thailand was ready for a huge remake when Energy Minister Pichai Narittapan told reporters two days ago that a meeting chaired by Premier Yingluck Shinawatra had agreed to spend about Bt900,000m to rebuild the country. The mega project was to be entitled: "New Thailand."

Wow, I told myself, this will fix every problem we can ever have in five years.

But both the PM and the minister disappointed be tremendously when they came out yesterday to pour cold water on their own scheme.

Premier Yingluck said: "The term New Thailand was just a play on words. Nothing serious."

Minister Pichai further killed my enthusiasm by saying: "New Thailand was just a gimmick."

Get real, please, my dear leaders.

Is this a scene from Thailand?

2011-10-31T10:26:00.002+07:00

This isn't the kind of scenes you usually see in Thailand. But pictures of flood victims scrambling for food and supplies are becoming a common sight. It's not only depressing. It underscores how the crisis isn't being handled the way it should. Donations from the public from around the country have been pouring in. The serious problem is the distribution system is far from adequate.

FROC is no frog. So, be prepared to relocate again!

2011-10-30T11:17:00.003+07:00

So, finally, the government's Flood Relief Operations Center (FROC) decided yesterday to relocate from besieged Don Muang Airport to the Energy Complex where the Energy Ministry and Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT)are based after it was threatened by rising flood waters.

It came after lots of face-saving talk about not giving up to the inundation by Premier Yingluck and FROC's director, Justice Minister Police Gen Pracha Promnok, though. Energy Minister Pichai came to the government's rescue by "revealing" that the prime minister had in fact planned to make the Energy Complex an alternative headquarters for FROC in the first place although that "Plan B" was never disclosed to anybody until after the fact.

It was embarrassing, of course, for FORC's leaders to remain at Don Muang while its news spokesman, Thongthong Chandransu, had already urged everybody else in Bangkok to move out of their houses in the wake of the deteriorating flooding situation.

How, in other words, can FROC remain where it was while telling Bangkokians: Get out before it's too late!

Well, better late than never.

But then, I hope FROC has mapped out its "Plan C" because being on Vibhavadhi Rangsit Road isn't all that safe from the rising flood water either. Since no one in Bangkok can be sure of anything about the water levels in the next few days, FROC's leadership had better not making firm statement about "not moving anywhere anymore."

That could be the ultimate embarrassment.

The many moods of a stressed PM

2011-10-28T17:14:00.001+07:00

Top brass get their feet wet

2011-10-28T10:43:00.002+07:00

The top brass got their feet wet now that they have ordered soldiers to come all out to help flood victims. Latest news says the army has ordered 50,000 troops, 1,000 boats and 1,000 trucks to help in the evacuation of flood victims now that the Flood Relief Operations Center (FROC) has announced a major evacuation plan to move people to evacuation shelters in nine provinces.

This picture, tweeted by Post defence reporter Wassana Nanuan, shows Defence Minister Gen Yuthasak Sasiprapa and Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha in a boat this morning to distribute necessities to affected residents in Bangyai, Nonthaburi province.

They don't seem to want to work together, despite the worsening flooding

2011-10-27T21:57:00.003+07:00

The central government and Bangkok administration continue to show they have yet to work in close consultation over the deteriorating flood situation.

Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra called a press conference just now -- and almost at the same time, FROC spokesman Thongthong Chandrangsu went on the air to announce preparations for a "worst-case scenario."

Sukhumbhand's warning was equally grim. He said water levels are expected to rise again tomrorow and Bangkok residents must remain vigilant. Thongthong delivered a dramatic scenario when he said people of Bangkok must organize themselves into communities and decide on "meeting points" where they can gather in case the inundation gets critical. They were told that they will be picked up by military trucks from the "meeting points" after which the Communications Ministry would deliver them to 9 provinces where evacuation centers are being set up.

When the two talked to the public at the same time but not from the same location, they obviously couldn't expect the people to be getting their messages simultaneously. I thought things were getting better between the central and Bangkok governments when earlier today representatives from FROC, Bangkok Administration and the Irrigation Department gave a joint press conference.

But a few hours later, things appeared to have come apart again.

And as long as they keep doing things their own ways, the public will stand to suffer.

Deluge can't cover up government's press clampdown

2011-10-27T21:07:00.000+07:00

Almost surreptitiously, the Cabinet on Oct 18 approved a proposed amendment to a piece of legislation that is unquestionably aimed at imposing new control on press freedom. Earlier suspicions of a clampdown on the media performing their checks and balances against the new government have been confirmed, much sooner than expected.
The Pheu Thai Party had campaigned in the election on the platform of “genuine democracy.” It has decried “double standards and injustice.” The rallying cry was for the “grass-roots” people to have a real say in running the country. The “elite” and “privileged” people who were controlling the channels of communications were to be replaced by the “real voice of the people.”
If that theme was based on genuine intention and political conviction, the new government should have made it a top priority to demolish all the rules and regulations that stood in the way of the common people expressing their opinion in such a way that they could do away with controls and interference in the people’s freedom of expression.
The proposed amendment to the Printing Act of B.E. 2550 by the Cabinet sends signals in the opposite direction. If passed by parliament into law, the new law will give the National Police Chief the power to censor, close down and threaten the constitutional rights of a newspaper with impunity.

The proposed change will put Thailand back many decades in terms of promoting the rights of the people to scrutinize the work of the powerful and to unravel the corrupt practices of politicians and bureaucrats.
In some respects, it is even worse than the original notorious Printing Act of B.E. 2484 which was the hallmark of press restrictions under military dictatorships. No periodical renewal of a newspaper publishing license was mentioned. Under the new amendment, every publisher must apply for permission to have his license renewed every five years.
In other words, the media will have to operate under the frightening threat of non-renewal – in addition to the constant possibility of being censored, suspended or closed down for publishing a story that could be interpreted by the “press officer” as “undermining the Monarchy, national security and law and order or the good moral of the country.”
In other words, we are in the process of being returning to the time when the government could use the police chief to control and threaten any publication that doesn’t toe the official line, pure and simple.
The Thai media organizations had fought long and hard to shake off the shackles of political interference and press censorship. It was a hard-fought victory when a democratically elected government and parliament agree to end the dark history of censorship by replacing the 1941 (B.E. 2484) Printing Act with the 2007 (B.E. 2550) Printing Act.
The significance of that legislative change in 2007 was that for the first time, the need to seek permit from the government to publish opinion was abolished. In its place, publishers only have to register with the Fine Arts Department (instead of the Police Bureau) to pursue their profession. Permission was automatic and since the law came into force, there has been a flourishing of publications of a great diversity that has helped lay the foundation of democracy.
Now, the new government seems bent on reversing that trend, despite all the public statements made by the powers-that-be on promoting the “poor people’s rights” to cultivate what they have termed “real democracy.”
Any move to restrict, control and subvert the role of the press to serve as the people’s watchdog and gate-keeper runs counter to the Constitution, of course.
That much-feared “tyranny of the majority” may materialize sooner than we thought it was possible. But if history is any indication, the fight for press freedom, especially in this digital media landscape, will be extremely robust. Politicians can try to control people’s dissident voice only at their own peril.

If you ask me, the governor wants us to get the hell out of Bangkok now!

2011-10-26T11:09:00.002+07:00

If it's any consolation, Premier Yingluck has just come out to say that there is a 50:50 chance of the whole of inner Bangkok being flooded although Suvarnbhumi International Airport will be protected at all cost.

Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand's statements aren't all that different. He said he approved of the Cabinet's decision to make Oct 27-31 public holidays because Bangkok's population is around 10 million and this weekend will be quite "problematic."

"So, my advice is that Bangkokians should take advantage of the holidays to leave Bangkok for the provinces," he said last night.

In everyday language, if friends ask you what the governor meant, you could say:
"He wants us to get the hell out of Bangkok..."

Now you see him, now you don't

2011-10-25T11:32:00.002+07:00

If you have been wondering why you haven't heard about Thaksin Shinawatra since the flood started a few weeks ago, stop worrying. He is present in a lot of ways...such as the "Hero" slogan in the T-shirt and signs saying: "With love and concern from Thaksin Shinawatra" mounted on trucks carrying public donations to flood victims.

Strange, though, that we haven't heard any call for him to come to the rescue of PM Yingluck.

Yingluck, Sukhumbandh together but are they on the same page?

2011-10-24T20:52:00.002+07:00

PM Yingluck and Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand were out together today to inspect flooded areas in the capital. Does that mean they have patched up and will be on the same page in fighting the rising water levels? Don't bet on it.

The Bangkok governor late last night called a press conference to issue a warning to residents in six areas in northern Bangkok about rising waters that could become "critical." He should have appeared on one of the TV channels to deliver that important message. He didn't go on Channel 11 which has been used by the government's Flood Relief Operations Center (FROC) on a 24-hour basis. The channel at that particular time was airing a normal, taped feature that had nothing to do with the floods. Governor Sukhumbhand later made a "phone-in" on Thai PBS to get his message to a wider audience.

FROC did come up with a later announcement supporting the governor's concern but that was about it. So, when the PM and Governor went out together today, it was mostly for a photo-op exercise. They have yet to give a joint press conference to show the Thai people in general that they are really working together with a common strategy.

So far, not so good.

Business as Usual

2011-10-23T09:59:00.002+07:00

This is what I call "Situation Normal, Business as Usual." And perhaps, only ordinary people, armed with a sense of inevitability, and the determination to overcome natural disasters, could overcome calamities much better than politicians who fear they have a lot more to lose than the rest of us.

Situation normal, all fouled up!

2011-10-22T15:01:00.002+07:00

Premier Yingluck spent only 13.26 minutes on her 30-minute weekly radio programme this morning. And she was supposed to be addressing a country in crisis.

She warned Bangkokians to start moving things up at least one meter higher. The flooding, she said, could last four to six weeks. She has invoked her power under the natural disaster and mitigation act so that she could give instructions to get watergates to the north of the capital to open up so that the huge amount of runoff could be drained into the sea -- through parts of Bangkok.

But she didn't say how -- or which parts of Bangkok would be affected -- and for how long.

Her brief message therefore did not sooth any troubled soul. Most people want to know how she will pressure Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbahdn Patribatra into allowing parts of Bangkok to be flooded so that the severe inundation to the north of the capital could be eased and that the expected long period of sufferings could be shortened.

A few hours later, Flood Relief Operations Center (Froc) Director Police Gen Pracha Promnok went on television to declared: "The situation is under control." But he said the government wanted the private sector to donate large-sized pumps "because we are short of big pumps that could drain water from flooded areas."

How could the situation be under control if the all-powerful government can't even find enough water pumps?

A classic case of SNAFU (Situation Normal, All Fouled UP)!

Bangkok has come under direct attack!

2011-10-20T08:47:00.002+07:00

Flood water from suburban Rangsit rushed into Klong Prapa this morning. That means Bangkok has come under direct attack. Bangkok is not safe anymore.

Areas on the outskirts of Bangkok such as Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani were infiltrated in full force yesterday. Water at the worst-hit area was as high as two meters or more.

Premier Yingluck Shinawatra was woken up in the middle of the night to join Police Gen Pracha Promnok, director of FROC, to rush to Klong Prapa, where tap water is produced for the whole of Bangkok and nearby areas, and admitted that things were getting worse.

Police Gen Pracha declarede: "We can't fight the huge volume of water anymore. Bangkok people must start moving things higher and ready for flooding."

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra has warned that seven areas in Bangkok are vulnerable and residents should get ready for flooding.

Things will get worse before they get better.

The naked MP goes after the flood

2011-10-19T11:12:00.002+07:00

Here comes Chuvit Kamolvisit, leader of the Love Thailand Party, who has gone at least half naked to help flood victims in Ayuttya province. People are asking where all the MPs are at this critical time when their voters badly need them.

Still unclear how much of a salary cut the government and opposition MPs will offer to contribute to the flood relief effort. But most people's representatives remain conspicuously absent from the scene of the deluge.

A hearty laugh and another 'I will quit politics' statement from her brother

2011-10-17T08:55:00.003+07:00

This picture from Manager Daily this morning shows PM Yingluck having a hearty laugh with her niece, Pintongtae (Thaksin's daughter) who was accompanied by her husband-to-be Nattapong (wedding ceremony in December) when the couple went to the headquarters of the Flood Relief Operation Center yesterday to donate materials for flood victims.

No, she hadn't read about Thaksin's interview with the Bangkok Post which this morning quoted the former premier as saying that Yingluck is now the Prime Minister and "It has passed my generation already, so my generation should not return to politics."

Thaksin said he had been "misquoted" by some international news outlets that he would return to lead the country again.

"What I mean is that I am in debt to the Thai people and whatever advice I can offer to benefit Thais, I will give. But I will let my sister do her job and will stay away from management. I will not interfere," Thaksin was quoted as saying.

Thaksin also said "Yingluck represents me" and she will not retaliate or engage in verbal battles with anybody.

He said he was confident he could return home without facing jail time. "I will go back where I belong although I don't know when and how..."

The former premier said national reconciliation was not a "mission impossible" -- if the major parties -- Pheu Thai and the Democrats -- can agree on three elements:

"The first is to set clear rules for politics. Second is that they agree to play by the rules and the third one is that the bodies overseeing the rules must be neutral and fair..."

He didn't say who will set the rules and who appoint the "neutral bodies" though.

Bangkok Governor's 'Listen to Me Only' statement may be aimed at many others

2011-10-14T12:04:00.004+07:00

Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra repeatedly declared last night: "Please, just listen to me, and me alone."

He was of course referring to the flood situation in Bangkok. If he had just said it once or twice, I would have considered it a normal kind of statement. But when he said it again and again and adding: "It's my responsibility to save Bangkok. It's the Bangkok people's mandate for me to do that. It's a sacred mission for me...," I began to think he was having problems with the government's Flood Relief Center, headed by Police Gen Pracha Promnok.

A few hours earlier, Science Minister Plodprasob Suraswadi had placed the country in a near panic by declaring that the dike at nearby Pathumthani had collapsed and people in northern Bangkok should evacuated immediately.It turned out to be a false alarm.

The Bangkok governor's "Listen to Me Only" statement underscores perhaps the fact that his office and the central government's anti-flood operations aren't really working as one. Political observers would naturally point to the fact that the government is under Pheau Thai Party and the Bangkok government is under the Democrats.

But then, it must be pointed out that the governor did addd, in case anyone was entertaining political thoughts: "I am working on the flood crisis withouth any political consideration."

Then came Premier Yingluck who announced this morning that the Thai people should listen only to Police Gen Pracha -- and nobody else (Minister Plodprasob included?)

So, if you take their public announcements seriously, you would only listen to Police Gen Pracha for anything not related to Bangkok and only to M.R. Sukhumbhand if it's about flooding in the capital. And if you still get panicky, it's your own problem.

Under or above water, honesty is still the best policy

2011-10-12T14:32:00.003+07:00

Some refreshing remarks from the Big Deluge: Science Minister Plodprasob Suraswadi has come out publicly to tell Premier Yingluck Shinawatra that she must "tell the truth" to the public about the serious flooding and that no matter how unpleasant the facts are, she must come forth with all that the government knows.

No doubt, honesty is the best policy. The only problem is:Does the government know ALL the facts in this fast-changing flooding situation though.

Plodprasob obviously practises what he preaches. He confessed that he and his officials had miscalculated the serious effects of the severe water flow from the North. "We failed to take into account the water that came charging in from the surface. We only looked at the water volumes from the river from the north. Now, we must re-evaluate the whole situation."

It was the minister who admitted a few days ago that the effort to build sandbag walls to fight the rising tide would be futile. Evacuation was to be the only practical solution.

It's a proven fact: No matter how hard you try, you can't beat nature.

What's a good soldier?

2011-10-12T14:17:00.002+07:00

A new image-boosting public relations campaign in the form of this video clip from the Royal Thai Army: A good soldier can do many things. No coup please!

Yingluck, Abhisit are really talking this time

2011-10-11T13:20:00.002+07:00

A rare get-together. Premier Yingluck Shinawatra and Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva are being briefed by Justice Minister Pracha Promnok, director of the Flood Operations Centre at Don Muang.

Democrat leader Abhisit arrived at the centre earlier today to submit his recommendations to the government. PM Yingluck came out to receive him and led him to join the high-level team monitoring the anti-flood operations.

What's interesting is that this picture was apparently taken by Panthongtae "Oak" Shinawatra' Thaksin's son, who later posted it on his Facebook explaining how the two leaders were meeting to discuss joint efforts to help cope with the country's crisis.

Who says politicians don't appreciate what national reconciliation is all about? The only pity is it takes a national crisis to hit home the issue.

MPs should contribute part of their salaries to help flood victims

2011-10-09T14:46:00.004+07:00

Whose car is this?

Ayuthya: The worst hit.

Pheu Thai Party's spokesman Prompong Thepparit says he will propose to the party's meeting to ask MPs to voluntarily have their salaries cut to contribute to the fund to assist flood victims. If that's passed, he will submit the same proposal to the whole House so that all MPs will follow the same practice.

I asked people in Twitter about how much they think the contribution should be: It's anyway from 30-70% of their monthly salaries.

Surakiart in a new role as 'honest broker'

2011-10-08T14:02:00.003+07:00

Surakiart Sathirathai, recently appointed an adviser to the Truth for Reconciliation Commission (TRC), doesn't believe that even if Thaksin Shinawatra and Gen Prem Tinsulanonda sit down and work out a compromise, Thailand's long-standing conflict could be brought to an end.

"The problem has gone much beyond that. Besides, that kind of a forum can't be organized either because a privy councillor can't get involved in politics in the first place," the former deputy premier told Matichon in an interview published today.

Surakiart believes though that a series of "unpublicized negotiations" could be held whereby five to six parties are represented: the yellow shirts, the red shirts, Pheu Thai Party, the Democrats, and the security side.

What about the "invisible hands?" Surakiart says if one talks about "invisible hands," there could be from many sides. "In fact, each party to the conflict all has its own invisible hands as well."

Yes, they will have to be included in the process, he says, stressing that some of the discussions may have to be done off the record.

What about the royal institition? Surakiarts believes privy councillors have nothing to do with politics.

There is even question about who he himself represents in this new peace-making role.
Surakiart reacted promptly to the question.

"This kind of questions shouldn't be raised anymore. People should stop following that line of thinking. I am not a new face in politics and I have a long record of academic work," he said.

Although his wife is related to Her Majesty the Queen, Surakiart says, "we never discuss politics. I have no connections."

Surakiart has obviously assumed a new role. He was once close to Thaksin. He also was seen to be close to the Abhisit government when he was made chairman of the advisory board of the Pheau Paendin Party. Today, he wears a new hat -- as an adviser to the national reconciliation body. Of course, he will well connected. And that probably is why he is proposing a new formula to make peace.

He knows the challenge is enormous though. "The problem in the past five to six years is that we haven't had a referee trusted by all the parties concerned. Everyone who has proposed a way out has been given a label. He or she has been inevitably branded as siding with one side or the other. Now, the Truth for Reconciliation Commission appears to be the most trusted body. That's why I feel more optimistic," Surakiart says.

He will have to prove that he can play the part of the "honest broker" effectively. That remains to be seen.

When Premier Yingluck turns farmer...in this ad

2011-10-07T08:53:00.002+07:00

Wow, Premier Yingluck as farmer looks very happy indeed. It's a half-page advertisement in the local newspapers this morning, Oct 7 to mark the beginning of the government's much-heralded Rice Mortgage Policy.

"Don't selll your rice if you don't get a good price. Come, mortgage your paddy stock with the government," declared the ad which urges people to report any corrupt practices in the process -- probably the weakest link in the programme which has come under criticism from several segments in society.

PM Yingluck herself hasn't said much about the project except to insist that it will go ahead. Bearing the brunt is Deputy PM Kittirat na Ranong who has sparred with all critics over the issue. He says he is confident all the past loopholes will be plugged and that all the possible problems raised by detractors will be addressed.

"Some people have tried to put pressure on the government, demanding a pledge that if the project doesn't work out, how would the government show responsibility. All I can say is that if it doesn't work, the government can't stay on," Kittirat declared on a few radio programmes in the past week.

Surely, the scheme will come under scrutiny every step of the way.

PM's Twitter account hacker may even get govt job offer

2011-10-05T14:45:00.006+07:00

A 20-year-old student of a well-known university appeared with ICT Minister Anudit Nakhothap in a press conference just now to confess that he was the hacker who had broken into Premier Yingluck Shinawatra's Twitter account on Sunday.

Ekawit Thongdiworakul,according to the minister,had committed the act out of "lack of foresight" and decided to give himself up. He wasn't arrested by authorities who had claimed earlier that they had "clues" to who the hacker was.

Interestingly enough,the suspect wasn't allowed to make any statement of his own during the press conference.

Panthongtae Shinawatra, Thaksin's son, meanwhile,was quoted in a Twitter message that the student had made a bad blunder without any ulterior motives. With such computer talent, he could probably help the government crack down on some questionable websites doing illegal things.

Who knows, this young hacker may have inadvertently stumbled onto a job even before he graduates.

'Shadow PM' hard at work

2011-10-04T06:31:00.002+07:00

In case you were wondering where Thaksin Shinawatra was as Premier Yingluck Shinawatra was frantically visiting flooded areas,stop speculating. He couldn't obviously "disappear" for too long.

Newspaper headlines this morning had him at least doing two things from somewhere out there yesterday. He made a phone call to try to settle a public dispute between one of his Pheu Thai MPs, Payab Panket, and his coalition partner Banharn Silpa-archa of Chat Thai Pattana Party, over the flooding situation.

Payab had led a group of local villagers to complain to the Irrigation Department accusing Banharn of having helped keep his Supanburi province from flooding, at the expense of other provinces nearby.

Banharn responded angrily by denying the accusation and wondering aloud why Pheu Thai's leaders had allowed at least one of their MPs to hurl such unfounded accusations against him.

Thaksin of course heard about the wrangle and promptly called the parties concerned to attempt at "damage control," according to Post Today.

Another headline said Thaksin also called in to make changes to a list of reshuffle of officials at the Education Minister although Education Minister Voravaj Apinyakul had made his first move-arounds for officials, Thai Post reported.

So, the "shadow prime minister" isn't too far away from where he considers to be trouble spots while the "official premier" is busy with her own problems.

PM Yingluck's Twitter account hacked!

2011-10-02T11:06:00.005+07:00

A lot of tweeple surfing Twitter messages this morning were surprised by some strongly-worded posts supposedly deliverd on @PouYingluck - Premier Yingluck's account on Twitter.

Wow! some real self-criticisms by the PM? Early soul-searching statements? A few of the remarks in the account were about how this government is mishandling the problems of the country.

Soon,the Twitter world was abuzz with questions: "Is the PM's Twitter account hacked?" or "Strange things are happening at the PM's Twitter account" and things along that line.

Within half an hour, the "PM's team" posted an urgent message, declaring that the prime minister's Twitter account has been hacked and that some of the messages posted this morning were fake.

Soon, Pantongtae Shinawatra, the PM's counsin (Thaksin's son) tweeted: "Some people with ill intentions against the country have hacked the prime minister's account on Twitter posting messages that are divisive..."

The PM was in Lopburi to inspect measures to help flood victims. She met angry villagers who have been badly affected by the damage done to Bangchomsri Water Gate.

Yingluck's first radio show: No drama, no blunder

2011-10-01T09:18:00.004+07:00

It's her first time on radio. And there wasn't any major blunder. Premier Yingluck passed the test although she delivered no real new substance or any memorable remarks. Yes, she closely followed the script. And that at least ensured that she didn't make any statement she wasn't supposed to.

Her voice was broadcast on radio and also on Channel 11 which used a series of nice looking pictures of the premier to help audience glue to the TV set. That's more or less what her brother Thaksin did when he was premier. Unlike Samak Sundaravej, another ex-premier, who went live on television with great relish. He didn't need a script at all and obviously his good ratings were also guaranteed because the public was expecting him to hit out at somebody somewhere every week.

As for Somchai Wongsawasdi, another former premier, I can't really recall his television show. If there was any, it must have been rather unremarkable, so much so that I can't remember him giving a weekly talk. But then, he wasn't there very long, was he?

Abhisit Vejjajiva, the immediate past premier, took to television like a fish jumping into the canal. Not only didn't he need a script, Abhisit could articulate complicated issues in simple terms with apparent ease.

But then, eloquence on TV didn't guarantee his popularity in an election. Yingluck didn't have to engage in any debate with Abhisit and she won hands down.

Which part of history do you want to delete?

2011-09-30T10:46:00.000+07:00

Despite the promise of a more inclusive government after Pheu Thai Party’s overwhelming victory in the election, national reconciliation doesn’t seem to be at hand.
Bipartisanship isn’t going to be the order of the day. Political appointments as rewards for “services rendered” and reshuffling of government officials that is based on personal loyalty rather than meritocracy may in fact make any talk of conciliatory attempts less credible.
Extreme proposals from both sides of the fence could in fact make things worse. Even a sweeping amnesty for both the reds and yellow shirts won’t reduce mutual suspicion.
Suspicion that every move by the government and its supporters is aimed at helping absolve Thaksin Shinawatra from guilt will intensify the conflict.
The controversial proposal from a group of seven academics of Thammasat University’s Law Faculty to “go back to Square One” by nullifying the Sept 19, 2006 coup and all its subsequent actions is a case in point.
The academics insist with great determination that they are simply campaigning for “people’s democracy” and that their move is in no way related to Thaksin.
But critics are quick to point out that the very idea of riding the “time machine” to return to the pre-coup situation and to consider everything related to the putsch null and void has inevitably revived the split in society yet again.
The proposal’s very brief concept is to reject the coup as illegal and therefore legal actions should be taken to arrive at the conclusion that the coup never happened. And there were no valid subsequent laws to legitimize it.
The pro-government elements welcomed the proposal almost immediately. They suggested that all the agencies set up by the coup leaders should be retroactively revoked, including the committee that decided to seize Thaksin’s assets.
That would automatically mean that all the verdicts by the Constitutional Court and Criminal Court for Political Position Holders against Thaksin and those concerned must necessarily be cancelled.
Those against the idea jumped on the proposal with a vengeance. They argued that the coup, whether they like it or not, was considered, as had been Thailand’s political tradition all along, legalised once a new constitution was drawn up, passed by the legislative body and even went through a public referendum.
They also contended that if the 2006 coup was to be declared null and void, what about the coups before that one? And if one were to take that line of argument to its logical and legalistic conclusion, the recent election that put Yingluck Shinawatra in the prime minister’s seat would also be considered unconstitutional. That could really turn into a real political mess.
In a sense though the “extreme” proposal from the “Seven Wise Men” does have its legal logic. If coup was illegal, umdemocratic and set a bad example for military officers with political ambition, then the latest act of forceful takeover must be dealt with in such a dramatic manner that no armed elements would ever dare think of staging another military takeover against a popularly elected government ever again.
But then, one can also argue that you just can’t turn the clock back and wave a magic wand to make bad things disappear from the history of the country just like that. The coup after all did take place. Bad things did happen. And if another group of people assumes power, they could change things around, and order legal actions to be taken against those “illegal acts.” But they can’t issue laws to make things disappear from the pages of history.
In fact, since the coup leader is still alive and in fact serving as the leader of a political party, there must be legitimate ways to sue him, send him to court and in the process all the bad, illegal things could be exposed. For if we were to declare that nothing happened on Sept 19 five years ago, how can we then punish the people who staged that illegal coup -- if we were serious about wiping out a dirty chapter in the country’s political, that is?
Come to think of it, if we really possessed that magic wand and could go back in time to make certain things disappear from our past, I would rather use it (provided that we could only use it once) to declare that the five years of severe social conflicts didn’t happen at all.
A huge blank of that part of our history would be much preferable to a period covering half of decade of dangerous, calamitous confrontations.
If things were really that simple...

Casino? What casino?

2011-09-28T17:41:00.004+07:00

Was Premier Yingluck Shinawatra caught by surprise when she read reports in the press this morning that the Government Lottery Bureau will propose reviving the casino project?

She said this was the first time she heard about it. And she was prompt to say that the concept of a multi-billion-baht "entertainment complex" to be located at Kula Ronghai Prairie in the Northeast "isn't on my government's agenda."

Why then did the bureau's chief, Mr Vanchai Surakul,make that public statement to reporters without having consulted the prime minister?

Nobody knows the answer. Perhaps, he is a quick thinker, a visionary who knows what former Premier Thaksin would like to see soon. After all, that's the controversial project that was first matched when Thaksin was premier. It never took off because of strong opposition from many quarters.

Or perhaps Vanchai was talking to Thaksin? Again, nobody knows for sure. It's not likely that a bureaucract, however well-connected and innovative, would raise this issue so soon -- just a month or so after the new government took office and amidst the frenzy of trying to work out how to implement the main election promises.

Now, the casino scheme wasn't even a Pheu Thai Party's election pledge. To float this hot and risky balloon is simply asking for more trouble.

Yes, Premier Yingluck has every reason to be puzzled over this "bright" but premature idea.

Why can't Abhisit be Shadow PM?

2011-09-27T21:50:00.003+07:00

Chai Rajawat's cartoon has his main character seeking wisdom from the "Sacred Shrine" again.

The Ghost is asked about Abhisit's decision to form a Shadow Cabinet to check up on Premier Yingluck's Cabinet.

"That's good. But Abhisit can't be the Shadow Prime Minister," declared the Know-All Ghost.

Why?

"That's because Thaksin has already taken up that post."

What about a soccer match between Yingluck Cabinet and Abhisit's Shadow Cabinet?

2011-09-25T11:38:00.004+07:00

The red-shirt leaders say after the Thai-Cambodian soccer match in Phnom Penh yesterday, the next step would be to hold similar matches in other neighbouring countries such as Laos, Burma and probably Malaysia, to enhance good relations between the two countries.

That should prompt a more relevant question: Why not organize soccer matches in Thailand for the sake of improving relations between the conflicting parties? Obviously, that's a more urgent issue -- and if sports could bring neighbours closer together, why not use them for domestic reconciliation?

My proposal is therefore for the Yingluck Cabinet to challenge Abhisit's shadow Cabinet in a soccer match in a friendly and constructive game that could raise a good sum of money to help the flood victims.

Natural disasters have after all helped solve age-old conflicts in a number of other countries before. What about Thailand now?

The real PM? Super-coach? The party's real owner?

2011-09-22T09:18:00.005+07:00

Thai Rath and Matichon ran a similar story reporting that Thaksin Shinawatra was on Skype joining a conference of Premier Yingluck's Cabinet yesterday at Pheu Thai Party's headquarters.

It wasn't just a "Hi!" kind of greeting. Thaksin spent about one hour, according to the reports, going into detail on what the ministers should be doing -- how they should handle the floods and what to do after the floods. He also told them to form committees to oversee the aid programmes for flood victims. He urged them to get experts to join their tasks, no matter which side they are on.

"You must be able to accomplish what you have promised to do," Thaksin said.

Of course, throughout all this, PM Yingluck was listening attentively.

It's not clear what role Thaksin was playing in that conference: The real prime minister? The party's owner? A PM's super-coach.

But then, does it really matter what you call him?

When home is just next door

2011-09-20T08:42:00.002+07:00

The Phnom Penh Post's headline in its online edition says it all. HOme is where you can greet your supporters -- and where the home owner sides with you against those at home.

What did PM Yingluck tell her brother?

2011-09-19T11:52:00.002+07:00

So, Premier Yingluck did get in touch with her brother Thaksin Shinawatra. Or that's why he told a group of red-shirt sympathisers who met him at a Phnom Penh hotel over the weekend.

This picture, published in Matichon daily this morning, confirmed that Thaksin had a series of meetings with his supporters from Thailand. But we have yet to see pictures showing his reported meetings with some prominent political figures from Bangkok and some well-known fugitives.

Thaksin did tell the supporters: "This morning, Prime Minister Poo (Yingluck) called me saying that she had not had enough sleep -- and that she was snowed under with work. She told me she was to be accompanied by the army chief to inspect the floods -- and that the military is offering good coopertion..."

The premier might have told Thai reporters that she wasn't aware of Thaksin's visit to Cambodia but she certainly knew how to call him on the phone.

Another meeting, another bear hug

2011-09-17T14:52:00.005+07:00

Less than 24 hours after Thai Premier Yingluck Shinawatra left Phnom Penh following a one-day visit, her brother Thaksin flew into the Cambodian capital late last night. While Yingluck and her husband only had an official photo taken with Hun Sen and his wife, Thaksin got a big bear hug from Hun Sen to emphasize the closeness of their relationship.

While Yingluck's official visit lasted less than a day, Thaksin's unofficial stay will be much, much longer. He may stay until Sept 24 to attend the soccer match between the "Red Peace" team from Thailand (comprising mainly red-shirt members) and the Cambodian Cabinet team. If that's the case, Thaksin could well be in Cambodia for nearly 10 days, giving lectures about the world' economy and conducting other as yet undisclosed activities.

It is clear that the new foreign minister, Surapong Tovichakjaikul, won't be asking Cambodia to repatriate Thaksin back to Thailand. He said: "It's not the foreign ministry's duty to do that." That, of course, is a far cry from his predecessor, Kasit Piromya, who made it her personal mission to go hunting for Thaksin around the world.

Premier Yingluck's official stand on Thaksin's legal status remains ambivalent. Whether she agrees her with foreign minister or not isn't entirely clear either.

Dr Ukrit denies all possible suspicious motives in new role

2011-09-17T10:19:00.004+07:00

Dr Ukrit Mongkolnavin, who has just been appointed by the Yingluck government to head a new "National Rule of Law Independent Commission," wants to make it clear that his 12-member panel won't touch any issue that is related to Thaksin Shinawatra.

The veteran academic-cum-lawyer-cum-politician, who turns 78 this year, of course realizes how sensitive his new posting could be, especially to those who immediately cast doubt on this move which could be seen to eclipse the work of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission headed by Dr Kanit na Nakhon.

Dr Ukrit was also quick to stress that is committee's work won't overlap that of Dr Kanit's. But it isn't clear what exactly would this new independent body will be doing apart from the general statement from th Cabinet that the panel will look into all legislative aspects to ensure that the rule of law is enforced whether in the executive, judicial or legislative branches. A very challenging tall order indeed!

Dr Ukrit realizes that critics will point to his close relations with Thaksin in the past. But he was quick to emphasize that he had decided to take up the offer "because the country has problems that need to be sorted out."

He will name the other 11 members of his commission, suggesting that politics won't be dictating his work. The former House Speaker is apparently trying very hard to impress upon all concerned that he intends to demonstrate how independent he is in carrying out this new task that has yet to be clarified to the public.

The rumours were good, the real news is bad

2011-09-14T22:30:00.005+07:00

At first, there were reports that Cambodia will release Veera Somkuamkid and Ratri Pipatwongpaibul from Khmer jail when Thaksin Shinawatra flies into Phnom Penh as a token of friendship from Cambodian Premier Hun Sen to the new Thai government.

Then, there were further reports that the "release" could take place sooner -- tomorrow (Sept 15) when Premier Yingluck flies in.

But it was with great disappointment that many Thais must have felt when the official word from Phnom Penh just now said that all those were unfounded rumours. Cambodia has no intention of doing so and the two Thais will have to serve at least two-thirds of their jail term before amnesty could be sought.

The two Thais were sentenced to 8 years in jail for allegedly trespassing into military sensitive areas.

So, in the end, Hun Sen, despite his nice gesture towards Thaksin and Yingluck hasn't really conceded on any point for Thailand. We haven't heard that Yingluck can get any assurances during her one-day visit tomorrow from Cambodia over the Khao Phra Vihear issue. Nor is there anything clear about whether the various border issues will get any closer to resolving some long-standing problems.

Hun Sen's brand of diplomacy is unusual in the first place. He decides whether to be nice or not with personalities not governments. He chooses to side with a political party over another in a neighbouring country openly. But then, you can't blame him. The serious conflict within Thailand has simply delivered Thailand to Hun Sen on a platter.