After the army, Abhisit pays off Newin : 64 billions THB

The “4000 leased buses” plan… You remember ? It was in the medias before the summer…

A weird scheme (scam ?) to lease 4000 NGV buses… pushed like crazy by Newin’s friends, for several months. Obviously. And this fact is already a smoking gun. Why they were so insistent ?

We all know, unfortunatly, the answer.

First a reminder : Newin is the boss of the gang of MP’s who changed allegiance… from Thaksin to Abhisit last december. They have elected Abhisit Prime Minister. Not the people. It was a trick, designed by the military behind closed doors. It’s what I call the Frankenstein Coalition.

But when you kiss the Devil… the Devil owns you. And most definitely Newin owns Abhisit, the Puppet Prime Minister who is having fun at the New York Stock Exchange, at the G20 meeting, and on CNBC. The Puppet Prime Minister who are breaking our ears since december with big (but empty) ideas and words : democracy, rule of law etc. You know the drill.

Abhisit started to pay off the Army, opening the purse to buy various stupid toys, swedish jetfighters and even a submarine…

And guess what ? Now it’s pay off time for Newin.

Plans by the Transport Ministry to lease 4,000 natural gas-fuelled buses at a cost of 64 billion baht have been given the green light by the cabinet.

Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum yesterday said the cabinet had approved the project for the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority to lease the air-conditioned buses for 10 years. (Bangkok Post)

64 billions THB that will go through Newin’s gang.

The plan was heavily criticized. Abhisit tried to gain time… by giving the hot potatoe to some commission… We were sure that the idea would be scrapped : because even by the thai standards, the scandal was too large.

But we were wrong.

Abhisit must be really desesperate…

Anyway. Change with Abhisit ? Probity ? Honesty ? Straightforwardness ? Rule of law ? Democracy blabla ? Those were the keywords. Yes We Can’t !

Abhisit is nothing more than a dirty thai politician.

I repeat : a dirty thai politician.

Like all his peers.

There are no differences between them (if you put on the side the stupid smile and the nice hair cut).

I mean the people who believed in this man should come forward. Don’t you feel abused ? Don’t you feel rapped ?

How do you react after such news ? How could you, once again, exempt Abhisit from his reponsabilities ?

King’s health : red alarm

As expected, the official statements about the King’s health were somehow misleading.

First, the timeline :
–saturday 19 september. The King is hospitalized for “fever, fatigue and loss of appetite“.

-the doctors treated him with “antibiotics and intravenous fluids”

-by the end of last week, everything seems to fine : no fever, blood analysis are okay, appetite came back and sleep too. But they gave him “physical therapy“… It sounded strange. Already…

But… The ninth statement, published monday night, shows that they lied to us.

His Majesty the King has recovered from a lung infection and fever and is in a good condition in general, the ninth Royal Household Bureau statement said last night.

After His Majesty developed fever yesterday, the royal physicians examined him and diagnosed a lung infection. They did not find any stomach infection, and His Majesty does not have a cough.

After His Majesty was administered a new type of antibiotic and fed intravenously, his fever subsided, and his condition returned to normal yesterday morning, the statement said. (Nation)

Lung infection ? This is a completely different ball game. And you can admire the totally idiotic time line given by the article… It doesn’t make any sense.

It goes like that : the King had fever AGAIN MONDAY MORNING. The doctors discovered a lung infection MONDAY MORNING. And then, with a new antibiotics…. the King WAS CURED by the end of the very same morning ! An antiobiotic working in a few hours ?

It’s a shame to serve such bullshit to the public. Shame on those people. Shame on Nation to write such non sense.

The thai people have the right to know the truth.

2 solutions :

-they have lied since the beginning. The King had indeed a lung infection. A much more serious condition than “fever, fatigue and loss of appetite”.

-or they are totally incompetent.

UPDATE
The 10th official statement shows that, unfortunatly, we were right : they lied. Lie by omission. Or, if you prefer, they have watered down the reality…

His Majesty the King’s lung infection has been responding to medication, along with his fever, the Royal Household Bureau said yesterday.

The latest Xray showed that both the infection and flu are clearing up. His Majesty’s general condition is good.

The intravenous feeding of medicine and nutrients is continuing, the Palace said in its 10th statement on His Majesty’s illness. (Nation)

So eventually they said the word : flu.

Abhisit latest blow fuse : “my trip in the US will improve Thailand’s image”

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that his visit to the United States would help improve Thailand’s image in the international community and show the country’s readiness to resume its role in world forums.

“Thailand has been absent from the global stage for a long time. Now we have made a comeback,” he said.

Abhisit said he had reassured foreign political and business leaders he met during his visit that the country had returned to normalcy. (Nation)

Blow fuse indeed. I wrote several times that Abhisit was burned out. This is the confirmation. Burned out and megalomaniac.

This statement proves that Abhisit is totally disconnected from reality. Or that he just lying on a large scale to everybody.

Thailand has not an image problem.

Thailand has several problems. Real ones.

Furthermore, the smile and the nice hair cut of our dashing Prime Minister will not solve those problems.

We are not in a beauty saloon. Thailand doesn’t need esthetic surgery. We don’t need beauty creams and lipstick.

To shake the hand of Obama, to visit the New York Stock Exchange, to give an interview to CNBC will not improve Thailand’s image. And of course won’t solve Thailand’s problems.

It’s just another proof that Abhisit is a marketing trick, an illusion, the cardboard Prime Minister of a Potemkine Village.

King’s health : everything seems fine… but why do they keep him in hospital ?

The King was hospitalized one week ago for “fever, fatigue and loss of appetite“.

Doctors treated him with “antiobiotics and intravenous fluids“. Since a few days, his health is improving according to the official statements.

Here is the latest one :

His Majesty the King has no fever and is able to sleep more on his eighth day of treatment at Siriraj Hospital, according to the Royal Household Bureau’s statement yesterday.

The bureau, in its seventh statement, said His Majesty’s fever had disappeared, his blood-test result was normal and he was sleeping better.

His Majesty was admitted to Siriraj Hospital after developing fever and not eating last weekend. (Nation)

So the difference between statement 7 and 8, is that the King is “sleeping more“.

So to summarize: fever has disappeared, appetite came back, blood tests are okay, sleep is okay… So logically, the King should leave the hospital very soon. And even probably sunday.

UPDATE SUNDAY/MONDAY
8th official statement.

His Majesty the King is in a good condition in general, can eat more and is undergoing physical rehabilitation and receiving medication, the eighth Royal Household Bureau statement said yesterday.

His Majesty will continue to receive medication until the course is complete, said the statement. (Nation)

Even the thai journalists do not know what to say… The Nation has completed its article… with a story about the King building a sailing ship himself in 1967 ! “All with his bare hands and at a time when there was no computerised assistance“.

Air traffic crashes in the US… and tourism crashes in Thailand : everything is linked

Another Green Shoot in the US…

The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today reported that passenger revenue, based on a sample group of carriers, fell 21 percent in August 2009 versus the same month in 2008 – the 10th consecutive month in which passenger revenue has declined from the prior year.

Six percent fewer passengers traveled on U.S. airlines in August while the average price to fly one mile fell 17 percent, a slight improvement over the 18 percent year-over-year yield decline observed in July. Revenue declines extended beyond the domestic United States to the trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and Latin markets.

“The industry continues to see a reduction in the number of air travelers, despite double-digit declines in fares. While there are signs that improvement may be on the horizon, regrettably the demand for air travel remains weak,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. (ATA)

Weak ? 😉

And meanwhile in Thailand, you’re going to eat your Green Shoots Soup also.

Members of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) have seen their client numbers plunge 33 per cent, with only 1.12 million inbound tourists year to date as of this past Sunday.

The sharp decline signals a continuation of troubles in the tourism industry and is prompting more calls for urgent rescue measures.
[…]
Fewer tourists have led to liquidity shortages among operators, including Anuthat Chinnawong, owner of The Chill Resort Koh Chang. He killed himself at the resort earlier this month, a few days before a bank approved his request for a soft loan to clear his debts.
[…]
“We need the government’s help to ease operators’ financial problems, so they can stay in business,” he said . (Nation)

Regarding the news from ATA in the US, nothing to add. Just another Green Shoots, the ones that the clown Obama likes.

And in Thailand ? Again no surprise (only the Green Shoots Lovers and the Recovery Hysterical Believers are surprised, and will be surprised tomorrow, over and over again).

A few keywords though : “We need government help… so we can stay in business“.

This guy has no clue. He didn’t understand, doesn’t understand and probably will never understand. They are just too dumb.

Peak Exports, Peak Tourism are just behind us. We won’t see the previous levels anytime soon. There is no point to ease the liquidity problems of those businesses : because they are doomed.

It’s not a liquidity problem, but a solvent demand problem.

Unemployment continues to rise in western countries… at fast pace. In the US, in Europe, in France for instance, but Spain too, it’s a disaster. PEOPLE WON’T TRAVEL TO THAILAND.

You don’t travel if you lost your job.

Period.

You can try to distort the facts, to light candles, to pray Budha or Allah, to jump naked into the Chaopraya River they won’t come. I repeat they won’t come back.

And hundred of thai companies, serving tourists, will just vanish.

We have too many hotels, too many “boutique hotels”, too many ridiculous spas, too many of everything.

Common sense and basic economic principles command the liquidation of those overcapacities.

But you can count on the stupid thai government, like all the other governments around the world : they will pour money into those companies !

Abhisit is trying very hard to win, this time for real, an election. 😉

Lese-majeste, latest fart from the military : “keep a close watch on websites…”

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Thursday ordered all military units and their commanders to keep a close watch for websites running reports with lese majeste content, defence spokesman Col Thanathip Sawangsaeng said.

Pol Gen Prawit issued the order at today’s meeting of the Defence Council.

All military units and their commanders who come across such websites were to coordinate with the Information and Communication Technology Ministry to take legal action against them, the spokesman said. (Bangkok Post)

What mosquito bit them ? Why they don’t try to take care of their future yellow submarine, instead of farting like this, in public ? Why now ? And for what purposes ? A greazy individual initiative ? Or a calculated campaign ?

Let me try to translate for you what happened inside the tiny brains of those clowns :

-“Boss, boss… ! the King is sick. We should…”
-“You mean try to look more monarchist than him, so we can gain face… and maybe get a medal. Or a house.
-“… Or a new car”.
-“Oh yeah my Budha. I would like a new Benz. Pink. Or gold. But what should we do ?
-“I read in newspapers that there are some websites in Thailand with lese-majeste content. You know…
-“What do you mean by websites ? What is it ?
-“Well you now… technology. Internet”
-“Oh I see. Okay. You take care of it. Be sure to put my name and to call all the journalists. I hope the palace will notice”.

Another perfectly normal day in Thailand.

And meanwhile, our dashing Prime Minister, Abhisit the Jetfighter and Submarine Lover, is visiting… the New York Stock Exchange.

😉

Yes indeed, everything is normal.

“physical therapy” for the King, 5th day in hospital

His Majesty the King has now been undergoing physical therapy to regain his health at the Siriraj Hospital.

“He has no more fever and has gained more appetite now,” the Royal Household Bureau announced yesterday it its fifth statement about His Majesty’s health since he was admitted to hospital on September 19. (Nation)

As usual, the official statement… comes quite short. What does mean “physical therapy” after an episode of “fever, fatigue and loss of appetite“, treated by “antiobiotics and intravenous fluids” ?

Abhisit Santa Claus : the army says thank you for the submarine

The cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved a budget of almost five billion baht for the army to buy new weapons, including a submarine, and 81 million for the police to buy equipment for controlling riots and protests.

Government spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said the Ministry of Defence will have 4.99 billion baht to purchase weapons and vehicles from 2009 to 2012. These include a submarine, coastal patrol vessels and Seahawk helicopters.

The police will have 81.05 million baht to buy riot and crowd control gear.

This includes 16,045 suits to protect against shrapnel at 3,000 baht each, 18,455 rubber truncheons at one thousand baht each, 16,045 pairs of leather gloves at 500 baht a pair, and 184,450 plastic handcuffs at 35 baht each. (Bangkok Post)

Total budget of this latest Abhisit Folie ? 10 billions THB.

Yes We Can !

Abhisit was supposed to change thai politics. His “election” (ah ah ah) was supposed to open a new era of honesty, straightness.

He has such a nice smile (and a nice hair cut too). And he was educated (?) in Oxford.

But, like I wrote the day after his “election”, thanks to a Frankenstein Coalition designed behind closed doors, Abhisit is nothing but a fraud.

Remove the smile, what do we have left ? A dirty thai politician.

Like all his peers.

The army, who has “elected” Abhisit, owns his arse. Metaphorically.

So the Puppet Prime Minister has to please his masters. How ? Simple. By opening the bank account.

And it’s not new. Last february, Abhisit rushed to sign the order to buy more ridiculous and overpriced swedish jet fighters… And now he agrees to buy a… submarine !

A submarine ? Why not a nuclear arsenal ?

I mean the glorious thai navy doesn’t even know how to pilot a jet ski. They are too busy trying to fix their ridiculous … aircraft carrier. Oh ? You didn’t know ? I bet : It’s such a joke, a national shame (read here) that they don’t speak a lot about it.

Furthermore, we heard that there was like… hum… what’s the word… ah yes : an economic crisis. So what’s the point to spend money (that the government doesn’t have anyway) to buy such toys ?

Abhisit is nothing but the mayor of the Potemkin Village.

A packaging.

A sad marketing trick.

Clown Of The Day : “The Coup made thai people happy”

It has been a long time… But today, ladies and gentlemen, we have a true Clown Of the Day : a winner.

Olympics category.

The leader of the Sept 19 coup, Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, insisted on Tuesday that the military takeover in 2006 had made Thai people happy.

Gen Sonthi was army commander-in-chief when he led commanders of the armed forces in the military coup which toppled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power and then set up the Council for National Security. (Bangkok Post)

Sonthi is a nobody. A dull alleged general who sold his soul. Nothing less, nothing more. With his friend Surayud, another general so called the “Droppy I’m Happy Prime Minister“, they did huge damages to the country.

And I’m not speaking about Thaksin there.

Their pathetic actions and their inane government showed to the world the inanity of the thai ruling class. And when I say “inanity” I mean “low level”. And It didn’t happen last century… But 3 years ago. 2006.

Basic decency should command Sonthi to just shut his mouth.

The King in hospital for “fever”

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been hospitalised with fever and fatigue, according to the first statement issued by the Royal Household Bureau on Sunday evening.

The King is experiencing fever and fatigue and has lost appetite, the statement said. His physician are diagnosing the cause of his condition while issuing him antibiotics and intravenous fluid.

The monarch was admitted to Siriraj Hospital on Saturday night for a medical check-up.

Earlier Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva visited Siriraj Hospital before leaving for New York and signed the well-wishing book for His Majesty the King.

At age 81, His Majesty the King is the world’s longest reigning monarch. (TNA)

As usual, details are sketchy.

Why do we care ? Why are we looking at each words of the Royal Household Bureau’s statements ?

First, because the King has had several health issues in the past (read here and there).

Second, because at his age, anything, even a simple cold, can create great concern.

And third, as everybody know now (let’s hope), the succession of the King will shape the future of Thailand.

So, this is why we have to follow -unfortunatly and even if we deeply dislike the idea- very closely every details about the health of his Majesty.

This is not voyeurism. It’s politics.

UPDATE MONDAY
Second statement of the Royal Household Bureau.

His Majesty the King’s fever has subsided, but he still lacks an appetite, the Royal Household Bureau said yesterday. |…] His team of physicians continued to issue him antibiotics and intravenous fluid, the Palace said in its second statement. (Nation)

Chart, exports : -18,3 % in august

While today is the third anniversary of the military coup, let’s celebrate with (at last !) a real Green Shoots.

The Commerce Ministry has published the first figures for exports in august : -18,3 % compared to august 2008, for a total value of 13,28 billions USD.

That’s an improvement compared to july (12,9 billions USD) and june (12,33). To put things into perspective : the Thai Peak Exports happened in july 2008 with a total value of 17,37 billions USD.

However, imports are still deep into the hole : -32,8 % at 11,20 billions USD.

The Bank of Thailand will release the details on september 30. I will update the various charts.