Chaovalit contacts Chamlong to disperse protest

By The Nation
Maj General Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy said Deputy Prime Minister Chaovalit Yongchaiyudh had his close aide call him up but had yet to discuss conditions that the PAD would agree to disperse its sit-in protest.

Chamlong said he was still waiting for advice from Chaovalit over the political impasse and the PAD would decide if it could follow his advice.

"We do not close all doors for negotiations and we are ready to talk to all parties,'' he said.

He said Chaovalit's aide and he had only talked about their well-beings.

Comment : Chaovalit have been secret supported to People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) so far, so its not surprise if Chamlong will be cheerfully accept to negotiate with Chaovalit. It's juggler!

Thailand's ex-PM Samak loses another court battle

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Thailand's Appeals Court upheld a two-year jail sentence Thursday in a defamation case against former Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who was recently forced to resign for violating the constitution.

Samak, who rose to his feet for the verdict, was stunned by the court's decision and lost his balance. Two court aides caught his arms to prevent him from falling.

The court said it saw no reason to suspend the jail term handed down last year by the Criminal Court, which convicted Samak of defaming a former deputy mayor of Bangkok during a television talk show in January 2006.

Defense attorney Prachum Thongmee said Samak would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

The Criminal Court verdict was in April 2007 and the sentence was on appeal when Samak became prime minister early this year. Samak, known for his sharp tongue, had been convicted three other times for defamation and given suspended sentences.

This time, the Appeals Court said it wanted to teach him a lesson.

"The defendant has repeatedly defamed others with groundless, damaging information," the court said in its decision Thursday, read out by a judge. "The courts have given the defendant chances to reform and change his behavior but the defendant has not changed. So there is no reason to reduce the punishment."

Comment : Samak and Dusit, political commentator dual, they 're in duty of mass communication, they aren't a politician, I don't understand, I have just found out that Its guilty. Before that, Sonthi Limthongkul the master of people 's alliance for democracy who has been hit in same accusation for many case, but he didn't found guilty, Thai Juctice had been verdicted that he was a Journalist who did his work by duty. Why ? Sonthi could do that but Samak couldn't. Sonthi is a untouchable man, isn't it?

The Secret Key of New Thai Cabinet

When I saw the news about New PM line up his cabinet, the name which make me wonder is Gen.Chavalit Youngjaiyuth the ex Prime minister in 1997, why he has just arrive on the scene.

For 6 month before,people alliance 's for democracy did assemble their mob at Rajdumnern Road, we saw advisers of Gen. Chavalit in there all the time. He has been involved this mob from the begining absolutely. He is near with Gen.Prem so far, Gen.Jumlong also. For now, he will joining with new cabinet, Its mean that Gen.Prem have wanted to control bypass to this government by him.

If Gen.Chavalit will be in the new cabinet, so no doubt, he is one of gang which behind the sence of these political turmoil. The elite political group have just wanted to some involve in Thai Politics.

Thaksin give nod for key positions in the new cabinet.

From Bangkok Post The Somchai Wongsawat cabinet line-up is beginning to take shape now that deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is said to have given his nod and blessing for the key positions. A source in the ruling People Power party said yesterday Mr Thaksin had approved the nominations of former president of the Siam Commercial Bank Olarn Chaipravat as finance minister, Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat as interior minister, and Chachoengsao MP Itthi Sirilatyakorn as transport minister.

Comment : Olarn Chaipravat is a keyman of the EGAT 's privatization which had a problem when its tried to be list in Thailand stock index in Thaksin era, you should know that the new Constitution 2005 which stem from 2006 the coup de'tat, when ministers stepped out from cabinet behind they can't to get their job which involve about their ministry for 2 years, so for the professional guru of any technician such a banker or academic in economics sector won't want to be a minister, It's really mad Constitution.

PAD's Guard Group Go Home

People 's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) had been going to the dead end, but they got a ladder to climb down, when Thailand have a new Prime minister who came from the South of Thailand, which many of PAD came from the South especially PAD 's Guard to be named "Srivichai Warrior", Srivichai is the ancient kingdom in the Southern of Thailand it had ever been located on Nakornsrithamraj province the home land of the new Prime minister.

When Thailand house of representative voted for him to be the new PM, everything changed, Almost Thai media have good reaction to him because his individual manner which friendly, politely, modestly more than Samak. In Thailand, a good manner is most important for politician which they should be practice to be expert like a member of Democrat party. Somchai Wongsawat had ever been a Judge, Somchai met the Chief of the prive council Gen.Prem yesterday who people belive that he has been supported PAD, as Arnun Panyarachun.

This is a game. 

Is Thai democracy really so bad? : Newmandala

Full Article : Click
.....The current political crisis in Thailand has been engineered by opposition forces who are determined to paint Thailand’s democratic system as corrupt and ineffective. One of the main goals of their recent political protests has been to create an atmosphere of political crisis that undermines local and international faith in Thailand’s democratic processes. The way the government has responded to some of these political challenges has made the discrediting job of the opposition forces that much easier.

Comment : They aren't determined but its mastermind is brazen, this crisis shown that Thai politician are just a bit factor of the political scene, they haven't been had real power. This crisis is abnormal, the highly person of Thai society have been involved in this crisis clearly, impossible that PAD group aren't backup.

But perhaps the “crisis” in Bangkok is taking place against an often un-recognised backdrop of satisfaction with the way the Thailand’s democratic system works. Of course there are other political sentiments. The paper by Albritton and Thawilwadee argues, at length, that there is a culture in Thailand “that promotes inequality as the foundation of the society” and which consistently paints democratically elected governments as lacking in moral virtue. These are the sentiments that the PAD taps into so effectively. But the broad-based satisfaction with democratic processes documented in the Asian Barometer surveys helps to explain why the PAD’s authoritarian “new politics” has such limited electoral appeal.

Comment : The master mind of PAD have a hidden agenda to discredit Thai politician, they would tried to control politician's power which further more in Thaksin's era.

Brother In Law of Thaksin is a New Prime minister

BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Legislators in Thailand elected the brother-in-law of a fugitive former leader as the country's prime minister Wednesday. from CNN

The Thai House of Representatives chose Somchai Wongsawat as prime minister Wednesday by a vote of 298-163. He is a deputy leader of the People Power Party and is the brother-in-law of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006 and fled the country this year just as he was to appear in court in a corruption case.

Comment : It's show that PPP have been united yet, among last week, we got
the news of conflict about members of PPP between Nevin group and Somchai
group, its not possible that Nevin who faith with Thaksin would betray him absolutely, Thaksin still have been had more power in PPP. For the acting of the last week its just a show.

Thaksin's still the Super Power for Thai Politics

BANGKOK (AFP) — Deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra will be consulted on who should become prime minister, after a court removed Samak Sundaravej over a cooking show scandal, the ruling party said Thursday.

"Thaksin's support will be taken into consideration, but will not be decisive in determining the candidate," deputy party spokesman Suthin Klangsaeng said.

"We have to listen to him, because Thaksin is still a Thai national," Suthin said.

Suthin said that in addition to Samak, the party was considering nominating Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, who is now acting prime minister.

Another possible candidate is justice minister Sompong Amornviwat, who is also seen as close to Thaksin.

The party was set to meet early Thursday to decide on the candidate, ahead of a parliamentary vote on Friday.

"I admit that this time, the candidate will not get 100 percent support from all members because there are factions within the party," Suthin said.

Comment : For yesterday, political speculators devined Banharn Silparcha might be a new Prime minister, but for now, its changed, because People power Party had a resolution that they will support Samak go on by vote to him back to be Prime minister tomorrow, for the only one reason why Samak is not give up,  before that, political speculators and Thai media devined that after Samak outed, PAD mob might be stop to protest and move from the Thai Government House where they have seized for many days but they 're not !

and then, Samak won't give up also, for the last meeting of People power party's member, so they decided to support him to be a Prime minister again, Goodluck Thailand, go to fight for their right, their people, itsn't to be a feudal class only. 

Thai PM 'must go' over cookery shows : Thai Justice Standard

ITN - Tuesday, September 9 11:17 am

Thailand's Prime Minister must quit because he violated the constitution by hosting TV cooking shows while in office, a court has ruled.

Nine judges have said Samak Sundaravej is guilty of conflict of interest after hosting commercial TV cookery slots.

However, Mr Samak's ruling People Power Party (PPP) has said it will renominate him as prime minister despite the verdict.

The PPP's continued support, which renders the court decision largely irrelevant, is likely to outrage protesters who have been barricaded inside Mr Samak's Government House compound for the past two weeks demanding his resignation.

Thailand has undergone three years of political turmoil and the stock market has fallen 24 per cent since the opposition People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) launched its campaign against him at the end of May.

Last week, as the crisis deepened, Mr Samak declared a state of emergency - that the highly-politicised army chose to ignore - when tensions resulted in the death of man during a street battle between pro-government and anti-government groups.

The main gripe of PAD is that Mr Samak is a puppet of Thaksin Shinawatra, who was removed in a 2006 coup as prime minister.

On Monday, Mr Samak testified in his own defence, denying any wrongdoing as the star of the shows Tasting, Grumbling and Touring at 6am.

He also attended a pro-government rally later that day and vowed not to resign or call a snap election.

Mr Samak said: "I declare that I will not dissolve parliament. I will not quit. I will fight on."

The political stand-off has scared away visitors to Thailand with airlines and hotels reporting cancellations as more countries issue travel warnings in the wake of his state of emergency declaration.

Comment : Constitution Cort of Thailand (Land of smile) verdicts by assemble used Thai Dictionary because standard of Constitution is higher than normal, as they didn't used labour law suit to interpret the words between "employee" with "freelancer", if Samak is employee so he 's guilty. If they used labour law suit then Samak isn't guilty because he 's just freelancer. Please understand, This is Thailand Standard, my friend. He was the first Prime minister of the world who outed because Cookery Show.

Thai PM's TV show could impact political future

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej awaited a court verdict Tuesday on accusations that his TV cooking show violated the constitution, which could see him forced from office, at least temporarily.

Thailand's Constitutional Court is set to decide later Tuesday whether Samak violated the constitution by taking money from a private company to host the "Tasting and Grumbling" cooking show.

Comment : It's very silly joke in my country for this case, law of this section was designed by dinosaur's thinking constitution maker who appointed by coup leaders in 2006. They didn't have any vision, object of this law aimed to Thaksin the only one enemy of them, and they thought the politician are bad, greedy, corruption, they have been need to get rid of them all.

If found guilty, he and his cabinet would be forced to resign -- something that protesters occupying the grounds of his offices have not been able to achieve since storming his Government House two weeks ago.

"Ready or not ready, we must wait and see," Samak told reporters as he toured a market in northeastern Udon Thani province, where he was preparing to hold a cabinet meeting.

Samak declared a state of emergency in Bangkok last week after the protesters clashed with his supporters in the streets, leaving one person dead and dozens injured.

Comment : Thai media suck, they never report anything about PAD is a crime who denied arrest warrant.

The protesters want Samak to resign, accusing him of acting as a puppet for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006 on the heels of demonstrations by the same group of activists.

But Samak's deputy Surapong Suebwonglee told reporters that even if the court decides against the premier, the decision would not necessarily end his rule.

The ruling six-party coalition headed by Samak's People Power Party (PPP) could vote for him to return as prime minister even if he is forced out by the Constitutional Court, Surapong said.

"We have not yet discussed this issue among PPP members because the party has not held a general meeting yet. But it's possible and allowed by law," he said.

The protesters, who call themselves the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), are pushing a broader agenda than just Samak's resignation.

They want to curtail Thailand's democracy so that only 30 percent of seats in parliament would be elected, which they say would restrict the influence of poor rural voters in places like Udon Thani, who have widely supported Samak.

PAD supporters say the change would ensure that Samak's allies cannot return to power.

"We're going to get them all out. They have to improve their morals," said Permpoon Kanchanastit, 66, a retired physician's assistant who flew from her home in California to join the protest.

Comment : PAD : Don't be serious, almost Thai people are watching you wait and see to do something that how to billing note, don't think that you can do everything by claim that the establishment backup to you !

Thai NGOs told people was chained by PAD

Somsak Boonngamanong NGOs from nocoup.org report that 10 people who came from Nakae, Nakornpanom province, North- east of Thailand to have been allied with PAD since 26 August : the day of seize Thai
government house, they asked him for help to bring them out from the government house because PAD's guard hadn't allowed them to back home and hold ID cards and cellphones of them, at this time the inner is change to bad ambience, by got hire about 300 per day but got it just 3 days only, now he didn't have money to fare back to home,  the man who called to Somsak told that he flee from PAD's guard to called to him by used phonebooth near the government house.

Somsak is NGOs who has been working with people in rural for long time ago, this information can be credible because many people in this mob aren't middle class or high class at all which go to this mob daily, some people came from rural and living in there many days. 

Thailand threatens jail for defaming king

From The Times

Until six days ago when the men in uniform led him away at Bangkok airport, Harry Nicolaides was just one more flamboyant expatriate in Thailand. He visited first from Australia five years ago, and made his living as an English teacher with a bit of writing on the side.

He wrote seedy columns about his escapades with Thai bar girls and serious articles about child pornography. He described himself as “an individual who achieved brilliance with raw talent and tenacity”. He liked to wear Panama hats and cream suits.

Last Sunday, as he was about to board a flight home to Melbourne, his career came to a crashing end.

Since then he has been locked in a cell - ill, scared and suicidal, and facing a 15-year sentence on one of the gravest charges in the Thai criminal code. Mr Nicolaides, 41, is not a drug smuggler or gunrunner, like plenty of the other foreign prisoners here. The trouble in which he finds himself is over nothing more vicious than an obscure and forgotten book.

Mr Nicolaides is the latest person to be charged with lèse-majesté, the crime of defaming the monarchy. In 2005 he published a novel entitled Verisimilitude, which contains references to rumours about the “romantic entanglements and intrigues” of the family of the Thai king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, and particularly his son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. The contentious material amounts to 103 words that could change Mr Nicolaides' life.

In an interview with The Times at the Bangkok Remand Prison yesterday, he said that he has suffered from a seizure and fever and has been unable to sleep in a cell that he shares with 90 Thai detainees, some of whom are hostile because of the charge against him.

“I've been getting icy stares from men covered in tattoos,” he said. “On the first night I would have committed suicide if I'd had the means ... I want to immediately apologise to the Royal Family for my reckless choice of words. I want to write a letter of apology, with the greatest humility.”

Mr Nicolaides says that before publication he wrote to Thailand's Bureau of the Royal Household, asking for their reaction to the contentious paragraph, and received no reply. He has raised 500,000 baht (£8,200) bail, but this was denied. It is unclear why he has been arrested this week after coming and going over the past seven months. But there seems to have been a general increase in lèse-majesté prosecutions over the past few years.

Within Thailand the law has made any discussion of the role and future of the monarchy impossibly dangerous. There seems to be no limit on what can qualify as insulting the monarchy. Jonathan Head, the BBC's Bangkok correspondent, is under investigation for lèse-majesté. Among the complaints against him is that a photograph of King Bhumibol appeared below that of a Thai politician on a page on the BBC website - rather than at the top.

Thailand's political turmoil shakes tourists and investors: analysts

Analysts predict sliding stock prices and cancellations of tourist bookings will only worsen as anti-government protests and a state of emergency in Bangkok continue.

"The current political problems will later cripple the country's economic growth," warned Kavee Chukitkasemm, assistant managing director at Kasikorn Securities.

Comment : 99% of Thai media would try to shut up their mount, because they were taking side already.

Thailand's stock market is down more than 26 percent since anti-government protests first broke out in late May, with the market's composite index losing 5.64 percent over the past week.

"The political turmoil has badly affected the travel and tourism business in Thailand," said Apichart Sankary, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, adding that the fall in numbers was already costing Thailand 400 million baht (11.7 million dollars) a day in lost revenue.

At least 13 countries have now issued warnings concerning travel to Thailand.

Prakit Chinamourphong, president of the Thai Hotel Association, said hotel cancellations had jumped since the announcement, adding that as high-season approached in October, hotels would face a critical test.

With no solution to the crisis in sight, real estate is beginning to also feel the effects, said Somchao Tanterdtham, president of the Thai Real Estate Association.

"We real estate operators have been more cautious for the past few months and delayed new projects, mostly owing to a slowdown in the global economy and high oil prices. But the political turmoil is now adding to our problems," Somchao told AFP. BANGKOK (AFP) 

Comment : Serve right my friend, some of them have been supported this mob for long time.

Thailand: What might happen next? BBC News

BBC News Page last updated at 14:31 GMT, Friday, 5 September 2008

Mr Samak holds a referendum

The prime minister has said he plans to hold a national referendum to try to defuse the crisis, asking people what they think about the ongoing protests.

But the earliest this could happen is October, because a referendum cannot be held until at least 30 days after being approved by the Senate.

Even if it gets Senate approval, and the protesters - from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - are willing to accept the delay, there is likely to be a lot of disagreement over the wording of the questions and the way the vote is organised.

Even the leader of the Senate has voiced scepticism that a referendum will be able to solve the crisis.

Comment : Referendum that will be a joke, PAD isn't accept surely because they didn't accept the election in Democracy, if the government win then they will cite that because Vote-buying.

The government backs down

If Mr Samak and his entire cabinet decide to resign, the protesters will have got what they want.

But the prime minister insists he has a legitimate mandate to govern, after winning December's elections, and is unlikely to just give up and go quietly.

Comment : PAD won't give up because they told that when the house of representative vote for the new PM which will get it from PPP absolutely, they won't accept also.

Mr Samak calls a snap election

At some point, Mr Samak may decide that events are serious enough to warrant dissolving parliament and calling another poll.

This is unlikely to solve much, though. The bulk of support for Mr Samak and his People's Power Party (PPP) comes from the rural voters who supported former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra before he was ousted in a coup and barred from politics.

These people voted for Mr Samak in December, and are likely to do so again - and if Mr Samak returns to power, the protesters are unlikely to give up their campaign.

They claim Mr Samak is just a proxy for Mr Thaksin - and will not be satisfied until he and his party leave office altogether.

The PAD leaders want a largely appointed body to govern the country instead.

Comment : Yes, I think so, PAD will be madly act until Thais who love PPP give up.

The protesters back down

It seems very unlikely that the protesters will just pack up and go home. They have brought tents, camping equipment and even portaloos to their sit-in at Government House, and show no sign of leaving.

Their resolve has been strengthened as Mr Samak's position has become ever more precarious. As well as the PAD, he is also under pressure from the main opposition party and the top army commanders.

Elsewhere in Thailand, others have joined in the anti-government cause, holding strikes and disrupting transport routes.

The protesters are therefore unlikely to give up their demands completely, but they may end up compromising on their call for the government to be replaced by a largely appointed body.

A spokesman for the PAD said on Wednesday that the group would accept anyone as an interim prime minister as long as Mr Samak went.

of PAD accepted before that they have a cost about 1 million baht per day to maintain this mob to go on, everything have a cost, you know, some people in ghetto community around Bangkok and rural was hired to protest in this mob by the mob manager,

Comment : It's not true, PAD is overtired because rainy climate is engaging them everyday and the big sponsors withdraw because they begin to know the truth that High level person isn't support PAD, they was betrayed by PAD leader all the time. This Mob have a cost,you know, Spokesman of PAD accepted before that they have a cost about 1 million per day to maintain this mob to go on, the main of this mob come from Santi Asoke group and EGAT's labour union mix with people from ghetto community around Bangkok and rural who was hired by the mob manager about 500 - 800 baht per day, others walk in by faithfulness or innocence or Fool.

Rifts behind Thailand's political crisis

By Jonathan Head BBC News, Bangkok

It has been nearly two years since an unexpected military coup deposed then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and appeared to freeze Thailand's democratic evolution in its tracks.The country has experienced 15 months of benign military rule, the drafting of a new constitution, and a general election which returned a party run by Mr Thaksin's allies to office.Yet there is still a sense of unending crisis, of a country still deeply polarised over the former prime minister and his attempts to transform Thailand.

The occupation of the main government offices in central Bangkok this week by protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has underscored just how difficult it is to end this turbulence.

Comment : Yeh Jonathan, PAD is the mob of elite and feudal in Thailand but was protected by Guard from the south of Thailand (low class but favour in Democrat Party) its backup by the same mastermind who toppled Thaksin in 2006'coup.

Firstly, the key PAD leaders, in particular Sondhi Limthongkul and Chamlong Srimuang, an ascetic former military general and mayor of Bangkok who played a key role in the anti-government protests back in 1992, remained virulently opposed to allowing any of Mr Thaksin's associates a role in government.

They have now refined their argument to propose rural voters in Thailand are too poorly educated to be allowed to elect a parliament, and that it should be a largely appointed body instead.

The PAD has also ridden a national wave of anxiety over the future of the monarchy, once 80-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej is no longer on the scene.

Its supporters believe Mr Thaksin and the PPP have a republican agenda - hence the sea of yellow shirts seen at PAD rallies, yellow being the colour associated with the king.

Comment : Republican Idea is very funny in Thailand, for Thais The King have a massive charisma hard to explain that why, Thaksin is a Politician who breath in and out is populism policy so he wouldn't even thought about it absolutely, but Thaksin was a more than ordinary politicians, he was got intrust by Someone to shift this country forward but the other part of the establishment didn't want him.

Thai PM picks new foreign minister

Samak Sundaravej, the Thai prime minister, has chosen Saroj Chavanaviraj, a former diplomat, as the new foreign minister.

Thai newspapers reported on Saturday that Saroj's appointment would be the third in seven months of Samak's troubled coalition government.

Saroj, 66, replaces Tej Bunnag, a career diplomat with close ties to the palace who resigned this week amid a political standoff faced by the government.

Comment : Tej Bunnag, he came from the palace which send him to clear the problem Pravehere Temple with Cambodia, but he was pressed by mastermind who backup PAD to resign, Saroj 's old burearcrat. This fight is stranger and poor but not too hard to understand.

Thailand to buy 40% more rice from farmers

By Amy Kazmin in Bangkok FromThe Financial Times 
Published: September 6 2008 03:03 | Last updated: September 6 2008 03:03

Thailand’s struggling government has agreed to buy 40 per cent more rice from farmers this year, a decision that could boost its popularity among rural voters as it prepares to face a national referendum aimed at ending an unprecedented siege of the prime minister’s offices.

The plan calls for the government to buy 3.5m tonnes of unprocessed paddy rice from farmers at a guaranteed price, up from an original planned 2.5m tonnes, the Thai news agency reported on Friday.

It appears to be aimed firmly at the same rural voters who last December helped elect the government of Samak Sundarajev, whose removal as prime minister is now being sought by a movement made up largely of Thailand’s urban elite.

The decision to help prop up rice prices was made as parliament appointed Prasopsuk Boondet, a former judge and now the speaker of the Senate, to mediate between the government and protesters occupying the Government House in Bangkok. Mr Samak also said he was considering lifting a state of emergency introduced this week that has failed to persuade thousands of protesters from the People’s Alliance for Democracy to end their occupation.

The PAD has vowed to occupy Government House until Mr Samak resigns. The Thai army said it would not forcefully evict the demonstrators.

Mr Samak has been on the defensive since August 26 when the PAD, which previously led mass protests against Thaksin Shinawatra when he was prime minister, seized his offices and demanded that he quit for being too close to Mr Thaksin, now in exile in the UK.

Beyond Mr Samak’s removal, however, the PAD are also demanding an overhaul of the political system – with the creation of a mainly appointed parliament – so as to reduce the power of the rural electorate, who the PAD’s elite backers blame for electing unsavoury and corrupt politicians.

Mr Samak, a 73-year-old conservative veteran, has refused to resign, but in an effort to defuse the tensions he has proposed holding a national referendum that would allow voters to express their views on how to end the stand-off, asking such questions as whether the government should remain in power, or whether the protests should go on.

However, political analysts expressed scepticism that the unusual gambit would resolve the crisis.

“It is part of the government answering the offensive by the PAD and continuing to legitimise itself in a democratic way,” Giles Ungpakorn, a Chulalongkorn University political scientist, said of the referendum plan. “But if the government wins the referendum, will the PAD shut up and go home? No! They are not in a mood to compromise.”

Comment : Silly referendum, PAD and mastermind who backup them won't have to accept, because they have never been accept the vote in democratic system, they have the 70:30 concept idea that 's mean appointee 70% election 30%, they don't have believe it some Thais, they think rural and labour that's fool, selfish, greedy and vote selling, they think that people shouldn't have right to vote equal HighClass and MiddleClass.

    

Whether the referendum will actually take place is another question, he said, as a new referendum law must first be approved by the Senate, dominated by military appointees seen as unsympathetic to the administration.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008