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Thailand Forum Lounge-Thread: Thai News & Open Discussion [2014 ARCHIVE]

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Old Apr 17, 2014, 2:43 pm
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Thailand Forum Lounge-Thread: Thai News & Open Discussion [2014 ARCHIVE]

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Old Jun 15, 2014, 1:26 am
  #676  
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Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
Yes, I think so.
Although they likely aren't hitting their forecasts, by now this is becoming the new norm. Go back to 2006 and you'll see that there was nearly not a single 12 month period without something that generates a hit on business.
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Old Jun 15, 2014, 5:50 pm
  #677  
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They announced they will not continue the rice pledging scheme. Paying off what is owed and done.
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Old Jun 15, 2014, 6:29 pm
  #678  
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Originally Posted by LIH Prem
How about the rice buying scheme? Is there anyway out of that, and if not, some way to make it more sustainable?

It doesn't seem like they are going to be able to get out of that either.

-David
The rice scheme has been used before, successfully, in Thailand and similar processes with other commodities in other countries (milk in the US, for example). While the whole concept is risky (it distorts the market) the YS failure was not the scheme itself but the rather absurd level of price guarantee. It was way too high and helped foster the feeling in Bangkok that there money was being taxed away from them and handed out in the North.
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Old Jun 17, 2014, 11:58 pm
  #679  
 
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Thailand is not a place for holidays at the moment (nine cambodian migrant workers were shot in Chonburi while their shags were turned down):




Fearful of a crackdown on undocumented workers, thousands of Cambodian migrants clutching children and towing their possessions in sacks and plastic bags, milled into a train station.

"They told me the Thai military would arrest us, and they would shoot," said Bo Sin, a Cambodian construction worker who was among those departing from the Thai border town of Aranyaprathet.


http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/16/wo...nts/?hpt=hp_c3
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Old Jun 18, 2014, 12:07 am
  #680  
 
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Already since may 22th - the day of the coup - the thai crown prince left the country and settled down with more then 30 heads of staff in the south of England. He was seen last weekend in a city in Germany for a weekend trip. It is said he will not return to Thailand very soon.

Last edited by carpetbagger; Jun 18, 2014 at 12:19 am
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Old Jun 18, 2014, 12:57 am
  #681  
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Originally Posted by carpetbagger
Thailand is not a place for holidays at the moment (nine cambodian migrant workers were shot in Chonburi while their shags were turned down):

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/16/wo...nts/?hpt=hp_c3

I'm sorry to hear about the border case, but I really didn't see a single soldier throughout my stay over the weekend - not even at the airport.
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Old Jun 18, 2014, 9:57 am
  #682  
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Originally Posted by Tchiowa
The rice scheme has been used before, successfully, in Thailand and similar processes with other commodities in other countries (milk in the US, for example). While the whole concept is risky (it distorts the market) the YS failure was not the scheme itself but the rather absurd level of price guarantee. It was way too high and helped foster the feeling in Bangkok that there money was being taxed away from them and handed out in the North.
I've enjoyed the debates here, that people can discuss different opinions. But......

Did you just defend the rice pledging scheme? 5555

Are you sure you want to argue the merits of the program with the abundance of both missing money and missing rice. It's in the billions of dollars, isn't it? And, they say that it's likely the single worth threat to the economic stability of the region.

Once again, successful?
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Old Jun 18, 2014, 10:31 am
  #683  
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Didn't you see the part where he stated that the highly inflated price was the problem this time around.... and the corruption for sure, but that comes with the high prices.
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Old Jun 18, 2014, 11:05 am
  #684  
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TG devaluates its award chart ... I guess military coups are bad for you, the frequent flyer!
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Old Jun 18, 2014, 6:21 pm
  #685  
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Originally Posted by 2lovelife
I've enjoyed the debates here, that people can discuss different opinions. But......

Did you just defend the rice pledging scheme? 5555

Are you sure you want to argue the merits of the program with the abundance of both missing money and missing rice. It's in the billions of dollars, isn't it? And, they say that it's likely the single worth threat to the economic stability of the region.

Once again, successful?
I didn't defend *this* scheme. The concept of putting a floor on commodity prices has been used successfully here and other countries. The problem this time was that they put the floor where the ceiling should be.

Now let's take it a step further. This mess really infuriated a lot of the TS supporters. This was an opportunity for the Democrats to step in and help the people of the north and gain some support. It might have been enough to push them over the top. But instead they went with the "mob" strategy in Bangkok. This scared the people of Isaan. Yes, they were mad at YS. But the mobs made them even more afraid of Suthep and Abhisit than they were before. The Dems took a golden opportunity for themselves and squandered it quite badly.

Last edited by Tchiowa; Jun 18, 2014 at 6:27 pm Reason: Can't spell this early in the morning.
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Old Jun 18, 2014, 10:31 pm
  #686  
 
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When other countries support commodity prices, they don't leave said commodity to rot away in silos until it has to be burnt. It would be better to be paid NOT to grow rice and replenish the land. In Thailand, (much like the fire engine scheme), the taint of corruption renders the product untouchable for some reason.
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Old Jun 21, 2014, 4:30 am
  #687  
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Originally Posted by forumpersona999
It's an observation in Thailand in general that you will have a 7-11 and another 7-11 three doors down. Theres not much planning going on. You'd have a row of shop houses with shops all selling exactly the same thing. In the province along the highway you will have a watermelon stall. Next to a watermelon stall. Next to a watermelon stall... You get the idea. Half a mile of stall selling the same thing at presumably the same price trying to fight for customers.

Having been in and out of BKK eight times in the last 30 days my very subjective observation is that it's getting busier now than in the first 7-10 days after the coup was first announced.

AOT and TOT report passenger numbers each quarter so we will have hard numbers to look at soon.
Considering your intro example I'm surprised you didn't go with 7-11 days...


Originally Posted by carpetbagger
Thailand is not a place for holidays at the moment (nine cambodian migrant workers were shot in Chonburi while their shags were turned down):
This is something I'm still trying to come to grips with. There are masses of Lao, Burmese and Cambodians working (illegally) in Thailand but it's only the Cambodians who are massing for the return.... why is this?

A number of interviews have had individuals state their family in Cambodia has told them to come home because it was unsafe. One would think if the fear was coming from inside Thailand then all of the above three nationalities would would be massing towards the boarders.... but this isn't the case.

Also, is there hard and fast info on these 9 dead? Rumors grow legs on their own which is why I'm asking.
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Old Jun 22, 2014, 5:02 am
  #688  
 
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Originally Posted by dsquared37

Also, is there hard and fast info on these 9 dead? Rumors grow legs on their own which is why I'm asking.
With the martial law came a strict censorship of all media. But some people have first hand informations. f.e. the american ambassador in Thailand, Kristie Kenny ...
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Old Jun 22, 2014, 8:50 am
  #689  
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Originally Posted by dsquared37
A number of interviews have had individuals state their family in Cambodia has told them to come home because it was unsafe. One would think if the fear was coming from inside Thailand then all of the above three nationalities would would be massing towards the boarders.... but this isn't the case.
[redacted] Thailand was relegated to the lowest rank in the state department’s Trafficking in Persons (TiP) report – meaning it is now considered no better than North Korea, Iran or Saudi Arabia in the way it treats workers and protects them from abuse .

Last edited by aBroadAbroad; Jun 22, 2014 at 9:29 am Reason: removed overly personal comment
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Old Jun 22, 2014, 9:09 pm
  #690  
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Suthep is now claiming that he was working hand in hand with Prayuth from the beginning and that Prayuth offered the coup because Suthep had already worked too hard.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/loca...uth-since-2010

You have to take Suthep's words with a grain of salt. Not the first time he's been bit bombastic. But if this turns out to be true then the current fairly passive situation could change. Many Thaksin supporters are accepting the coup because it's brought some stability back to the kingdom. But if it turns out this was all part of a "evict Thaksin" plot their feelings might change. Let's see how Prayuth responds.
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