[Thai Commerce Ministry seeks to resume small-lot rice sales in August]

Between then they could have a massive influence on global price controls like OPEC does with oil. Show me an OPEC country that is poor.

You forget that oil is a commodity which without the world stops turning. Rice isn't .

Rice is the staple of 3 billion people, whom depend on it for their very survival.

Without rice a global famine would occur... without oil it wouldn't.

You are very uninformed on the value of rice to the world.

Before oil the world wasn't turning??????

But that aside, nowhere in my post was I denigrating the importance of oil, it is very much important as we have come to rely heavily on it.

I was merely using OPEC as an example of a very successful alliance between countries who have profited massively by this alliance and ability to exploit the rest of the world's dependency on their commodity.

Rice is also a commodity of equal global importance.

So it makes sense that by far the biggest region for rice production gets together.

It pushes up the global prices (if they want that) while it stays cheap in the production countries the same as oil does.

By the way..... You can make fuel from rice, you can't make food from crude oil unless you want to live on a diet of margarine.

[Thai Commerce Ministry seeks to resume small-lot rice sales in August]

'She added that production of Thai paddy rice in the 2014-15 harvest season was projected to be less than 38 million tonnes because of drought in many areas.'

Even that puts another 20 million up for export, and we all know they won't be able to sell it while the stockpiles are being sold.

I actually liked the past proposals of an OPEC style 'rice cartel' between Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam that was considered in the past, but never happened because of the lack of ability to get the countries to cooperate between themselves. But now with ASEAN this could be a lot easier and could bring in all ASEAN rice producing countries.

Between then they could have a massive influence on global price controls like OPEC does with oil. Show me an OPEC country that is poor.

[No decision yet on referendum to endorse Thai Constitution]

I don't see the sense in bothering the Thai populous with something so complex that 90% won't have a clue about what exactly they are voting for.

I think it should be limited to politicians from all sides and all academics of a certain minimal level of qualification. Doctors, teachers, political scientists, leading civil servants etc.....

It will be cheaper, quicker but most importantly implemented by the better informed.

[Koh Samet: State Petroleum Enterprise sued for resort island oil spill]

As much as I agree that the big Corps ought to be held accountable for the negative impacts they have on the environment.

I have to admit that 6 businesses are trying to screw around 60 million baht each from the company, when there is very little chance that is what they lost in revenue.

I mean wasn't the place cleaned up in a few weeks? So they are claiming to have lost (at average 2000 baht per night) 30,000 room bookings each?.... I highly doubt it

Methinks They could be exploiting this incident for profit and personal greed.

I hope the judges order a bit of scrutiny into their books and past revenues to determine the real losses, but 60 Mn baht...... no way.

[Thai farmers poorest in ASEAN]

Ironically most Thai farm labour is from other ASEAN countries where in reality it should Thai farmers all going to work in the other countries..

[Bangkok: Ball game goes bad and ends in gunplay, death]

I see the Junta's gun amnesty with harsh penalties for those keeping their firearms has really scared the public into clearing their weapons...... not.

Som nam naa.

[OPINION: The right kind of long-timer]

This place will end up like Eastbourne

(The Brits will know what I mean).

Harwich for the continent.... Eastbourne for the incontinent.

[US scientists say June was hottest since 1880]

Maybe it is Russia testing its geo-thermic weapons of mass destruction over the US mainland.

[Jatuporn and Nattawut given two-year suspended sentences]

All they need now is an additional 2 years suspended sentence for terrorism. Then they have the full hand.... Thanks Supreme court.... once again, and can we thank the criminal court for arranging for us to be the only two people on terrorist charges from the 2010 attacks to be walking free and breathing the fresh air.

[Malaysia Airlines MH17 tragedy to affect Thai tourism: Official]

Way to go TCT in finding an excuse for your failings to restore confidence in tourism.

The fact that you use a tragic incident to cover your arse when all you over optimistic targets fail to bear fruit is quite frankly abominable and you should be hauled over the coals for this.

Hope the new headlines in the west read 'Thai Tourism Authority uses MH17 disaster to whinge about its dwindling tourist figures.... Then we will se what that does for your forecasts.

Ever stop to think that people may just be getting bored with Thailand????

What a bunch of <deleted>.

[Special Report: NCPO places great emphasis on tackling corruption]

At a time when the word 'amnesty' is slowly being bled into the equation.

How can you tackle corruption by handing out an amnesty and hiding the reasons behind a smokescreen of 'reunification'?

If you really have a desire to tackle corruption, you need to make examples and the higher they are, the better the effect.

Come on, this might work with the stupid and gullible majority of Thais, but it don't work with me.

Not a single mention of the 'A' word since the takeover and now it sort of creeps in the back door.

Amnesty unlikely to be in provisional charter : Reform Center chief

BANGKOK: -- Amnesty is unlikely to be included in the provisional charter, as detailed discussions would be required within the National Reform Council, Reconciliation for Reform Centre director Lt Gen Kampanart Ruddi said on Tuesday.

However he declined to say whether the provisional charter would be delivered when junta chief Gen Prayuth Chanocha is granted an audience with HM the King on Tuesday afternoon.

Kampanart said Gen Prayuth had assigned a legal and justice team to check and compile the legislation pending in Parliament prior to the junta taking power. Any pending legislation would be looked into by the National Council for Peace and Order.

Referring to reports that the amnesty will be included in the provisional charter, Kampanart said the issue should first be discussed by the National Reform Council to see if it is needed and acceptable to the public.

"The National Reform Council will consider whether it is time for the amnesty and if so, who should be covered," he said.

The amnesty law has four steps; fact finding, legal and healing processes and amnesty, he added.

Before an election, politicians and society will be invited to enter into a social contract that they will continue national reform.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/744884-thailand-live-tuesday-22-jul-2014/page-2#entry8135591

I think everyone can expect to be debating this one in the near future, and I wonder who will be given an amnesty?.... as if I even have to think to know the answer to that one.

This coup is looking more and more twisted by the day..... looking like deals have been done and possibly a long time ago.... If I know politics and especially Thai politics.

[Tesco Lotus declares to stop selling parrot fish meat]

I don't give a damn what they sell.

I am more interested in the now 3 months of invoices they have failed to pay us for our products they have been stocking and have now cut off their credit line.

Worst customer we have on the books.

[Thailand Immigration confirms new overstay rules are now official]

Does seem a bit harsh on those that get apprehended on the way to the airport with say 10 days of overstay and wont be allowed into Thailand for 5 years.

I suspect common sense would prevail... One would hope..... In that, if the overstayer was in possession of luggage and an in-date flight ticket out, then they would be allowed to proceed to airport immigration.

The document sets out different punishments for simply overstaying, and overstaying and being apprehended.

However, aren't you, technically, apprehended at the airport, by way of handing yourself in?

Sure, they will let you pay the fine and fly out, but wouldn't they also forbid you from entering Thailand for 1 year?

Now you are just being pedantic about the wording that everyone understands apart from you.

[Thai food giant plans aggressive Australia expansion]

A new way to lose loads of money and face.

Go for it.

I don't think the Ozzies will go for your 50% water low quality crap..

[Thai ICT Ministry to expand Cyber Scout project]

Ladies and Gentlemen.....

Welcome to North Korea.

[Thai Airways – a parallel with Malaysia Airlines]

The problem is they are always looking for a Thai to fill the position. They need to look outside of Thailand for someone who is qualified.

First thing I thought myself, and not the first time either.

How bizarre that one of the most popular tourism countries in the world's national airline can not make a profit.

That's a bit like a guy with a full water truck of nice chilled Evian in the middle of the Sahara dessert can't make money from a captive audience of 1000 multi-billionaires dying of thirst.

[MH17 plane crash: Ukraine rebels hand over black boxes]

Almost all of the Ukraine military hardware is Russian made.

So why do they keep bringing it up?

This actually just goes to prove that it could have been equally the Ukraine government attempting to ignite a war between Russia and a huge western coalition...... Which they are.

[UK: Cannibalism fetish nurse Dale Bolinger guilty of trying to meet girl]

Cannibalism fetish nurse Dale Bolinger guilty of trying to meet girl.

Shouldn't this read....

Cannibalism fetish nurse Dale Bolinger guilty of trying to eat girl meat.

[Will Thaksin heed Prayuth's call for all sides to reconcile?]

Has the 'amnesty Bill' been renamed the 'reconciliation move'?

[Phuket man, 20, dies after losing vicious duel]

He 'defended' himself with his knife did he?

I'm sorry, but since when has a knife been for defence?.. If you ask me, a knife is for attack to inflict lethal wounds.

[British Man Stabs Filipino Wife]

What's he doing in the picture?.... Offering the copper a Scooby snack?

[Mystery over Phuket shooting death of grandmother]

Motorcycle gangs again by the sound of it.

Thailand has a real problem with these delinquents. Only a few days ago in Pattaya a motorcycle gang shot a young girl in the hip and leg for apparently no fathomable reason.

There seems to be scores of these attacks a year.

They should be treated as serial killers. But I suppose the police won't take this too far unless the culprits literally walk into the police station.

[Four-year old Thai boy dies in a locked school van]

This is what really pisses me off about this place.

 

There are mechanisms in place to ensure safety, and these mechanisms are all born out of frustration after similar tragedies in the past, yet they do not get adhered to or enforced. They just wait for it to happen again where they will temporally enforce the system only for it to fall along the wayside for it to repeat itself yet again.

 

I'm afraid this is Thainess, and it has many many flaws.

[Thailand's taekwondo coach Choi: Door still open for Rungrawee]

It's quite simple.

If a man physically assault a woman, he should be put in prison.

And we will see how HE enjoys being battered around the ring.

[State Railway of Thailand may drop challenge to 2002 claim for compensation]

The money here is not the issue, it is purely an issue of 'denial' from the SRT.

This latest gross incident has played right into this previous victim's hands... Good for her.