robaus

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-egypt-journalist-al-jazeera-0624-20140624,0,3702959.story The evidence against them included a strange array of irrelevant items, from videos of horses to a song by multi-instrumentalist and singer Gotye. The presiding judge told them in May that if they wanted copies of the stories that they allegedly fabricated, they would have to pay $170,000 – and then upbraided their lawyers for failing to do so. Prosecutors couldn't be bothered to offer proof that the reports were faked or that those charged had anything to do with the Muslim Brotherhood. One of the defendants has both Egyptian and Canadian citizenship and drinks alcohol, hardly the profile of a zealous Islamist. Another is an Australian who had been in the country only a few days when he was arrested. But it didn't matter. All three received sentences of seven years in prison for helping terrorists and undermining national security. One got an additional three years for possession of a weapon — a spent bullet casing he found at a protest and kept as a memento. Courtroom spectators were shocked when the guilty verdict was announced.

I agree ... an absolutely scandalous verdict and a farcical trial ...another country where in the eyes of the military the people made the wrong democratic choice in free elections.. So they staged a coup and held phony new ones instead. Obama last year threatened to cut the $1,5bn in aid to Egypt. I certainly hope he has done so. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/three-aljazeera-journalists-jailed-chorus-of-international-condemnation-for-egypt-trial--this-isnt-a-system-everything-is-corrupt-9558293.html "The prosecution introduced a variety of apparently irrelevant video material [a Gotye film clip] as evidence, including reports produced by Greste in Kenya, where he was based before his arrest. Miscellaneous footage of farm animals was also played, and an inaudible recording of students. In a crucial development on 1 June, technical experts commissioned by the court admitted that they could not say that the footage found in the team’s studio betrayed evidence of manipulation or misleading editing. They also said they did not speak English, the language of much of the footage. Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International said the trial was a complete sham. “Consigning these men to years in prison after such a farcical spectacle is a travesty of justice,†he said. “We’re very disappointed at this judgment,†said British ambassador James Watt, who attended the hearing. “From the start of this we’ve had serious concerns. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press is of fundamental importance to any democracy.†The journalists have been in captivity since 29 December, when they were arrested during raids on their studio in central Cairo and Baher Mohammed’s home. Mr Fahmy has lost full use of his shoulder due to a lack of medical treatment in prison. The journalists are expected to appeal. Andrew Greste said he looked into his brother’s eyes as he was lead away. “He’s not going to give up,†he said. After the defendants were led from the dock, it was quickly filled again, with dozens of white-clad prisoners, in another mass trial of alleged opponents of the regime."

..Big Brother is watching you! https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/world/a/24305450/thai-ex-lawmakers-vow-fightback-against-coup/ Coup-leading Army Chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha has smothered dissent, imposing sweeping controls of the media and detaining or warning hundreds of people to aver protest and political action. Thai police on Monday offered a $15 reward to anyone providing photographic or video evidence to help convict anti-coup protesters who have gathered in small but increasingly creative flashmobs. In the latest strike on freedom of expression, a lone man reading George Orwell's anti-authoritarian novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four" was arrested on Sunday.

Now we’ve either got one lying scumbag here or two. :liar: http://www.bangkokpo...-plotting-claim Prayuth denies Suthep's coup plotting claim Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has denied having talked or exchanged messages in private with Suthep Thaugsuban ahead of the May 22 coup. Published: 23/06/2014 at 03:52 PM Suthep Thaugsuban, left, and Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha (Bangkok Post file photos) Mr Suthep, leader of the opposition forces against the Yingluck Shinawatra government, said at a fundraising dinner during the weekend he had been advising the junta chief on how to unseat the Thaksin regime since 2010. Mr Suthep said he chatted regularly with Gen Prayuth and his team via the Line chat app and that Gen Prayuth told him shortly before martial law was announced it was now time for the army to take over the task. Suthep in talks with Prayuth ‘since 2010’ Winthai Suwaree, deputy spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), said Gen Prayuth told him clarify inconsistencies in the report. "Gen Prayuth insisted he had never talked or exchanged messages in private with Mr Suthep," Col Winthai said. "He said as leader of a security force, he had been assigned by the then government to persuade all groups to negotiate, a feat that had never been achieved," he said. "Yingluck Shinawatra, the government at the time, instructed the army to warn all groups to avoid breaking the law and protect the people," he said. "As chief of a security force whose duty is to comply with the law and state policy, Gen Prayuth could not have done so [talked to Mr Suthep confidentially]. According to sources, Gen Prayuth was "very upset" with Mr Suthep as the atmosphere is improving. ...well he would say that, wouldn't he! (Thank you Mandy) I despair for Thailand's future.

Suthep in talks with Prayuth ‘since 2010’ People’s Democratic Reform Committee leader Suthep Thaugsuban has been advising the junta chief on how to unseat the Thaksin regime since 2010, Mr Suthep revealed at the weekend. Published: 23/06/2014 at 07:15 AM He admitted for the first time he had discussed with the coup-maker Prayuth Chan-ocha strategies to root out the influence of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his allies since the 2010 political violence. Mr Suthep broke his silence at a fund-raising dinner on Saturday night at the Pacific Club in Bangkok. His remarks suggest Gen Prayuth has been actively plotting to bring down former prime minister Yingluck Shinwatra, including the period leading up to the coup when she was defence minister. http://www.bangkokpo...yuth-since-2010 ...Now we know why Suthep made his empty gesture to turn himself if he hadn’t toppled the government by the next weekend after his umpteenth mother of all rallies. He knew his mate Prayuth was about to do it for him. ...it stinks, eh! What would the reaction be if the Republicans lost yet another US election in 2016 as they undoubtedly will do if Hilary runs. So Jeb, Trump and McCain conspire with their mates in the army to stage a coup. The democratically elected government is sacked, citizens are arrested for making a scouts salute and the US Chief of Staff then appoints himself President for who knows how long to enact “reforms†that make sure the Democrats will never win another election. I eagerly await the Thai production of “House of Cardsâ€.

Unfortunately the Israelis do have a bad reputation when it comes to aggression and meanness. It could be due to their 3 years of brutal army service as an occupying power, followed by a gap year in which they have to budget tightly on to make up for lost youth. On the Annapurna trekking circuit in Nepal, outside many of the guesthouses there are signs â€No Israelisâ€. Tony Wheeler founder of Lonely Planet guide books in his autobiography said that most complaints LP ever received concerned Israelis. I have traveled with both the ugly tourist, and some extremely kind and generous Israelis.

...I am home, mate! I’m just balancing this lopsided debate. I find it weird that many of the good ‘ole boys on this site would go off like a pork chop in Jerusalem if the army took over from the democratically elected government in the USA, UK, or Aus. Yet they are singing the praises of a military dictatorship in Thailand on a daily basis. I don’t do mutual masturbation.

1984 revisited..... NCPO: It's not a coup The military had to "take over the administration" to restore national security and establish a sustainable democracy after social divisions are mended, according to National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak. “Don’t call it a coup. The military action this time is totally different from the previous successful coups since the 1932 take over. "Normally the civilian government sets up a civilian government, but now the military will restore peace and order, reconciliation, then elections and other systems to strengthen democracy,†Col Werachon told a jammed pack audience at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) on Wednesday night. Col Werachon repeated what the public has already been told, that the military had monitored the situation throughout the past decade of "a regime" that he did not mention by name. The military, he said, had communicated with the past government and the People's Democratic Reform Committe (PDRC) and tried to diffuse the conflict, but they had ignored all pleas he said. Col Werachon did not mention the name of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose influence was cited by the anti-Pheu Thai government PDRC as the reason for the six-month “Shut Down Bangkok†protest. NCPO: We'll mend social divisions, restore national security and establish sustainable democracy. He said the government was paralysed and there was no full body of any authority to approve a budget and enact law. "The aspect of a security impasse (then) was greater than the economic aspects as militants were waging violence. "We think that we could wait until Thailand has a more mature democracy - a sustainable democracy. We know of the consequences and we weighed between having flawed democracy and well-being and safety of the people. We chose the latter," the spokesman said. The NCPO would help build strong security for the nation with a new set of values for our own and the next generation, said Col Werachon. It was a daunting task, but until the divisions could be mended then the general election and other democratic forms could not fully take shape. He said despite the military intervention in seizing the administration of the country, Thailand still wanted to be a member of the international community, and that was why the military would like to seek mutual understanding from the foreign media as well as diplomats. Asked about the secrecy surrounding the location, lack of access by relatives and families of the political activists under detention or arrest, he said the military was operating within martial law, and asked the media not to call it detention. “We just asked them to talk, but yes the lodging might not be airconditioned. Some, we asked them to stay for a few days, some seven days and some could return home within a day, such as former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra who was invited for a conversation and having lunch. "Then, she was free to go back home on the same day,†said Col Werachon. He did not reply when asked if the summoning procedures and charging process could be more accountable and streamlined across all regions, as people in provinces got different treatment from the local military regional commander. He did not respond when asked why no asset scrutiny committee was set up, like the previous 2006 coup when the Thaksin cabinet members were investigated for their dubious wealth, or whether the NCPO would ask neighbouring countries to "extradite" those active in exile. “We will do things within the legal parameters. Any lawsuits that need to be made, will proceed. Any cooperation needed, a request will be made,†said Col Werachon. He also rebutted the notion that the NCPO chased after the red-shirts, "There's no discrimination here. The country needs to unite and the reconciliation centres are doing the job in all provinces," Col Werachon said. He emphasised that those detained were not political prisoners but people who broke the law and needed to adjust their attitude. There were 10 to 15 of them, he said. ..and we'll all live happily ever after, when the peasants are back in their place. ...what a laugh! http://www.bangkokpo...tally-different I reckon I could get this joker Werachon a job in Orwell’s Ministry of Truth. He’s reinvented “Newspeak†The army has soldiers on the streets, and have taken over the democratically elected civilian government but it’s not a coup..just like their martial law wasn’t a precursor for a coup. They’re detaining people because they express their political beliefs, yet they are not political prisoners. They are kept incommunicado in secret somewhere, but it’s not detention. Not even counting all his weasel words about the utopian “sustainable democracy†that Airstrip One is about to become...when Suthep and his cronies have dictated their “reforms†to Big Brother.

Junta to splurge on footie fest Football fans are likely to be able to watch all 64 World Cup matches on free-to-air TV after the military junta intervened in a dispute over broadcast rights. Published: 12/06/2014 at 06:04 AM The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) signalled Wednesday it wanted the public to be able to watch the games for free under its policy to "return happiness" to the country. http://www.bangkokpo...-on-footie-fest ...sounds pretty "populist" to me! ...

>>Suthep admitted ordering troops to shoot at rioters with shotguns, but at below the knee level ....Quite a momentous decision ordering troops to fire live rounds on your fellow citizens. Presumably such a strict order (below knee level) would be in writing...or is he just making it up to cover his arse?

Powerful stuff. Apologies. Didn't see this post or link to the three finger salute before I started a new topic on it. An army that fears a lone female protester making a 3 finger gesture is doomed to failure. Thailand ...Land of the Free??

Thailand ...Land of the Free?? http://www.bangkokpo...ree-finger-sign Army ponders arrest for three-finger sign The military's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is having a headache clarifying whether a person flashing the anti-coup three-finger sign is guilty, should be arrested and such gesture is doable. Army deputy spokesman Col Winthai Suwaree said the NCPO would first look at the intention of those holding up three fingers — a gesture used as an anti-coup symbol — before deciding on what action to be taken. An army that fears its own people is doomed to ultimate failure.

...CNN could be Cajun News Network. .here's the link. ...http://www.lanewsfeed.com/lake-charles/political-uncertainty-hurting-thailand-tourism-kplc/

Maybe the Thai military dictatorship doesn't give a damn about the chickenfeed US aid. I admire your optimism. Perhaps slowing GDP figures will impress you more. Let's just say the sooner they return the country to a fully functioning democracy the better for the Thai economy. BANGKOK (CNN) – Tourism represents a large cut of Thailand’s economy and it’s been strike tough by a new domestic turmoil. Thailand’s dwindle flies proudly above one a many famous traveller attractions. But today, fewer tourists are walking by a doors of a Grand Palace. Although it is low tourism season, there’s regard a enlarged domestic unrest, martial law and now a manoeuvre are denting a country’s appeal. Tourism accounts for about 20 percent of Thailand’s GDP final year. That translated into $73.8 billion and 2.5 million jobs. Bookings from unfamiliar tourists are down 21 percent given January, and that was before a coup. Those who are already in Thailand have had to change their plans, generally in a arise of a curfew. “At night if we was formulation to go out selling during a night market, or go out and have a splash somewhere, we couldn’t go out anywhere,†one lady said. “I wanted to try out a nightlife, so that’s a shame,†a male said. General Prayuth Chan-Ocha has attempted to control what’s being seen and pronounced about a manoeuvre by holding TV channels, including CNN, off a atmosphere within Thailand. But scenes are still being beamed out around a world, and a night time curfew is impacting both tourists and businesses."

Yes, you're quite right...Suthep and his yellow shirt cronies who have been holding Bangkok to ransom for the last 6 months and have stuffed up the Thai economy for the next 3 years should have been sent to re-education camps to learn how to coexist in a society of differing beliefs .

Thank you for your support, Worldfun.

Make that 3 out of 3 ..and travel warnings usually means travel insurance invalid. Tourism 10% of GDP. Better fix it soon, Prayuth...and fix it fairly! http://www.bangkokpost.com/lite/breakingnews/413000/62-countries-issue-thailand-warning 62 countries issue Thailand warning A total of 62 countries have issued travel advisories for their citizens planning on visiting Thailand, 19 of them with a red alert, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Published: 1/06/2014 at 03:48 PM Newspaper section: breakingnews The 19 countries which have issued a red alert - telling their people to avoid travelling to Thailand unless necessary - are: the United States, Spain, Italy, Finland, Russia, Greece, Hungary, Malta, Iran, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Croatia and Cyprus. The 43 others have warned their citizens to exercise caution while in Thailand by closely monitoring the situation and not getting near to protest sites.

>> “I often think that. While Thailand portrays itself as a developing country it thinks and acts like a third world one.†Agreed. >> â€What I do know is that the problem of corruption in developing countries simply cannot be resolved by applying structures that work in developed countries." ...Not sure what you have in mind, but I do not think abandoning democracy in the form of one man, one vote is a solution. That is the ultimate check and balance. No taxation without representation etc. That principle has been fought for and won down through history. Our American cousins should know that. Within the framework of many western democracies corruption, wastefulness and incompetence is widespread. From Dubya, Blair and Howard wasting $$ billions and thousands of lives in Iraq looking for non existent wmd..to Bill Clinton’s personal hairdresser grounding Air Force One, UK MPs claiming for a duck house in a pond expenses and the NSW premier “forgetting†he had received a $3,000 bottle wine by a lobbyist. Take your pick...some juicy stuff here... http://en.wikipedia....e_United_States http://en.wikipedia...._United_Kingdom http://en.wikipedia....xpenses_scandal http://en.wikipedia....l_controversies But we don’t abandon democracy. You have a free media and TV debates, to expose their cockups and let the people decide. Blatant vote buying. I am 100% for stopping that. But I don’t know how you would intercept the movement of 300 baht envelopes in the middle of the night in a remote village. If cases can be proven, then penalties for donor and recipient applied, including prison. Cap reasonable election expenditure by parties with full independent audits. Government recompenses parties 50% later in proportion to number of votes. Penalties applied for exceeding caps and illicit donations. Transparent list of party donors. Transparent list of personal gifts by lobbyists with capped amounts. The Al Capone solution. Set the tax office on the trail of dodgy politicians of all colours with please explain or assets confiscated. On the electoral system itself. Get a team of expert credible international psephologists to design a model or advise on a fair system that can accommodate polarised electorates..in other countries usually based on ethnicity such as Indians in Fiji, or tribal divisions in Africa. But in Thailand its euphemistically called old money vs new money...it ought to be easier in LOS. I hope Prayuth has some of these things in mind when he talks about reforms. If it’s just fix the system to get the red shirts and favour the yellows, then we’re back to square one.

Interesting article. If the army tries to “redesign the system so that the parties they don’t like cannot run the government.â€.. it's a recipe for disaster. I agree "this is no way to run a modern country."

Perhaps Thais who lose their jobs may not quite share your enthusiasm.

Robaus 2 days ago in another thread... >> If the present situation continues without fair elections, there will be.. 1. travel warnings that will put a larger dent in the tourist trade,(probably in place already, so 3 out of 3 in reality) 2. foreign investors will get the jitters, 3. and western governments will cease co-operation with a military dictatorship...and Thailand's growth is stunted. .. in today.. Baht slides as investors pull out $2bn Thailand’s baht headed for this year’s biggest monthly slide as a May 22 military coup prompted global investors to pull about $2 billion from the nation’s stocks and bonds. The currency slumped 1.3 percent in May to 32.80 at 9.54am in Bangkok, the worst performance in Asia, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It lost 0.7% this week. The 10-year bond yield climbed six basis points since April 30 to 3.93%, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “Foreigners have been selling bonds and stocks as we still don’t know when elections will be held and there remains concern about how the situation will develop,†said Kozo Hasegawa, a currency trader at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. in Bangkok. “That weighs on the baht and the baht may maintain a weaker bias for now.†Global banks from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to Morgan Stanley cut forecasts for Thailand’s economic growth after the nation’s political turmoil culminated in the military takeover. Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy contracted 0.6% in the first quarter as demonstrations hurt production and tourism. Goldman now forecasts a 0.5% contraction for the whole year while Morgan Stanley sees zero growth. http://www.bangkokpo...rs-pull-out-2bn EU wants early elections The European Union (EU) has warned Thailand that "only an early and credible roadmap for a return to constitutional rule and elections will allow for the EU's continuous support". EU High Representative for foreign affairs and security policy Catherine Ashton's latest statement on Thursday showed that the EU is following developments in Thailand. "Thailand must urgently restore the legitimate democratic process and the constitution, through credible and inclusive elections," said Ms Ashton. She urged the military leadership to free all those who have been detained for political reasons in recent days and to end censorship. “We call on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms must be upheld," Ms Ashton said. Diplomatic sources said the EU will be reviewing relations with Thailand. The EU-Thailand Partnership and Cooperation Agreement is not yet signed, and its ratification needs to be done by parliament and can therefore not proceed until an elected parliament is in place. http://www.bangkokpo...acy-in-thailand US already withheld cash (not much I know). I think by law US not allowed to donate funds and assistance to military dictatorships.

Maybe it's Prayuth and the NCPO that have seen the light. Thailand won't move forward without democracy.

Name a few.

The coup commander Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday "requested" that two of the country's best known military reporters stop asking "aggressive questions" at his press conferences and aides said the press "should cheer him on" rather than ask tough questions. The army ordered Bangkok Post military affairs reporter Wassana Nanuam and her counterpart at Thai Rath, the Thai-language daily, to report to coup headquarters, where they were escorted by senior officials to a meeting about the tough questions. ..more at.. http://www.bangkokpo...asier-questions Prayuth must have chosen “The Robert Mugabe and Colonel Gadaffi Guide to Dictatorship†for his bedtime reading. Presumably BBC’s Hardtalk is out of the question. ...pretty piss weak transparent leadership, eh. The Emperor's got no clothes.

The army is just pissing in the wind. Democracy may not be the most efficient form of government there is, but in the end it’s the best we have. You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. The minority cannot continue to disenfranchise the majority of Thai voters indefinitely. You can’t suppress freedom. The pressure cooker will let off steam. If the present situation continues without fair elections, there will be a few sporadic incidences of violence.. sufficient for travel warnings that will put a larger dent in the tourist trade, foreign investors will get the jitters, and western governments will cease co-operation with a military dictatorship...and Thailand's growth is stunted. You’re on the wrong side of history, Worldfun, Flash and Jitagorn...and you know it..hence your desperado name calling.