People's Alliance for Democracy is openly suggesting that the military be made a legitimate player in Thai politics. On Tuesday July 8 2008 chief adviser of the Supreme Command, Gen Pathompong Kasornsuk, appeared in full uniform on PAD's stage. Dear PAD: In a democracy the military should not get involved in politics. The military's job is to defend the country against outside threats. The confrontation between the People's Alliance for Democracy and the Government already worsened Thailand's economic situation.

PAD pays 300 bahts/day to its supporters coming from Buri Ram to Bangkok.
If they do take part in the protests in Buri Ram PAD pays them 100 Baht/day.

On September 09 2008 a court verdict on accusations that his TV cooking show violated the constitution forced Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej from office. At least temporarily. Mr. Samak would not be barred from holding office, and his deputy has already held out the possibility that the ruling coalition could simply vote him back as prime minister. On Friday September 13 2008 Samak Sundaravej has ended his bid to return to power as Thailand's prime minister. Lawmakers from the ruling six-party coalition failed to show up to re-elect Samak as prime minister during an emergency session of parliament. The funny constitution allowing this comedy was launched during 2007 by the former military junta.

The Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) wrapped up its task on June 29 2008, a day before it goes out of existence after filing four legal cases against ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and cronies. The ASC was set up by the military junta. It was given the task of finding and punishing corruption during the Thaksin years. The agency had conducted investigations into 24 cases but has been able to file just four lawsuits against politicians, none of which has come to full trial yet. Seven other cases with completed investigations are being considered for possible prosecution. Just another case of wasting taxpayer's money by the military junta.

On April 25 2008, the front pages of virtually every Thai newspaper was dominated by reports that Prime Minister Samak had told a group of Thai businessmen that after the constitution is amended, a general election would be held and a new government would be elected to carry out its work under the revised charter. But Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej dismissed reports that he planned to dissolve the parliament and call for snap polls after the revised constitution is in place. The (false) message was distributed by the official Thai News Agency. TNA is part of MCOT Public Company Limited and has close ties to the Thai Military.
On February 7 2008 Air force chief Chalit Phukphasuk said that 'there are other ways than a coup to terminate roles of those in power'. Is distributing false information one of it?

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After a week rife with rumours of a military coup, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on April 27 2008 charged that forces aligned against his government are trying to goad the army into seizing power again.
Mr Samak also said he heard about some of the PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) actions. The PAD's huge street protests in mid-2006 were at least partly responsible for the military coup of September 19 of that year.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said the PAD is trying to repeat history.

Former chairman of the Council for National Security Sonthi Boonyaratkalin insists he would not change his mind about staging the Sept 19, 2006 coup to oust then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra if he could turn back the clock. Gen Sonthi defended the necessity of the coup, which he said not only prevented violent clashes between supporters and opponents of Mr Thaksin but also protected the monarchy. He says only he himself and Gen Anupong Paojinda, then commander of the First Army Region and now army chief, plotted the coup d'etat. But during a radio interview last year he told the audience 'There were only three people plotting last years military coup. That's me and two assistants'. Gen Sonthi insists Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda was not involved in the coup. But he admitted he met Gen Prem at least once a week to brief him about the political situation before staging the coup. He also insists that Mr Thaksin had not appointed him as army chief. Perhabs this was the situation that forced him to stage the coup. Who knows...? Gen Sonthi also said, he felt disappointed with the performance of the coup-appointed premier Surayud Chulanont. During the coup, the military replaced the programs of the local TV stations with its own production and shutdown CNN and FOX TV. In some statements the coup leader misinformed and cheated whole the nation. Gen Sonthi had his moment to achieve greatness. He flubbed it.
He should close his mouth now - and forever.

'I cannot guarantee that there will not be a coup in 2008, just like I cannot rule out a natural disaster'.

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Thailand's citizen have the right to elect their government, but Thailand's military thinks it's its duty to correct an inappropriate decision of Thailand's voters.

Ousted Premier Thaksin Shinawatra ended his 17 months of exile. He is back to Bangkok. His plane arrived at 9.53am Thursday February 28 2008. Supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra waved banners and were in a joyous mood at Suvarnabhumi International Airport at he time of his arrival. On English-language radio news the top Thai general in charge of the armed forces is quoted as saying there might be 'a third party' trying to cause unrest when Mr Thaksin returns and Air force chief Chalit Phukphasuk said on February 7 2008 there are other ways than a coup to terminate roles of those in power. This 'invisible hands' are already working hard: Newspapers here are full of 'letters to the editors' defaming the new Prime Minister, the members of his cabinet and Mr. Thaksin. We may sit here, insulated from reality, but much of the rest of the world seems to look at Thailands leaders as genuine kooks of a banana republic.

In a true democracy all institutions and politicians, winners and losers, must respect the outcome of an election. It is not relevant to claim that some people voted out of ignorance or with their stomach. The result counts - it's finished.

If a party is suspected of being illegal, it should of course have been brought to court before the election.

It is therefore alarming that the Supreme Court, after the election, is accepting a petition from a Democrat party candidate that the PPP is a nominee of the former Thai Rak Thai party and therefore illegal.

By the fact that the court has accepted the case its eventual ruling will be regarded as a retroactive act, which is not accepted in democratic states.

The institutions set up by the military junta make it possible to play this comedy to a bitter and undemocratic end. Pitiful Thailand.

On Saturday January 5. 2008 the military oppointed Council for National Security (CNS) dismissed allegations by the People Power Party (PPP) that military figures who launched the 2006 coup are behind alleged efforts to overturn the party's election win through election red cards as laughable. Foreign analysts have said they fear a new, military-backed "stealth coup" will overturn the results of the December 23 2007 election. The pro-Thaksin PPP won 233 seats in the December 23 polls, exceeding most analyst's expectations, but 65 PPP candidates who won seats in parliament in the December 23 election have still not been endorsed by the military-appointed Election Commission. The Supreme Court is also set to hear charges that PPP is a nominee of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai party, which, if proven, could see the party disbanded and the December 23 election results overturned.

The new law, which took effect on February 2 2008, strips the prime minister and defence minister of the power to make unilateral decisions regarding the reshuffling of generals. Instead, the decision of appointments of top generals in the armed forces will be vetted by a seven-member committee. Along with the prime minister and defence minister, the committee comprises the leaders of the army, navy and air force, the supreme commander of the armed forces and the permanent secretary for defence. The law was drafted during the tenure of then prime minister Surayud Chulanont and secretly approved by the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly on Dec 20 2007. The new law was unknown until Saturday, when it got published. Outgoing Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas denied the law had been introduced as a direct attempt to block Mr Samak from exerting influence over the armed forces. Gen Boonrawd said the law was not directed at anyone or any administration in particular and would have to be followed by all governments. Any party given a mandate to run the ministry has to follow the rules. His ministry had followed required procedures and pushed for the law for a long time, but the law was ready only recently and took force, he said. It was only coincidental, Gen Boonrawd said, that the law which came into effect Saturday removes direct oversight from the defence ministry just at the time when Mr Samak is becoming the defence minister...

Democrat Party candidate Chaiwat Sinsuwong has accused the PPP of being a nominee of the TRT, which was dissolved last year by the Constitution Tribunal. The Supreme Court's Election Section agreed to rule on whether the PPP is a nominee of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party. The first hearing is scheduled for January 15 2008. 'I will present evidence to show that the PPP is undoubtedly a nominee of the TRT. The EC's endorsement of the PPP as a political party is illegitimate and the PPP is not qualified to contest the polls,' Mr. Chaiwat Sinsuwong said. 'The TRT and the PPP also use the same office building and have the same staff. If we were not confident that we can prove the allegations, we would not have lodged the petition,' another member of the Democrat party said. The Democrat Party is a favorite of the Thai Military. The military junta appointed the EC (Election Commission) members. The names of the judges chosen by the military junta to hear the cases against the PPP would only be made known two days before the hearing takes place. PPP (People Power Party) is a pro-Thaksin party.

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The result of the election has upset the military's top brass, including army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda. They are worried about the People Power party taking revenge for the September 19 coup last year. Top officers are worried, particularly about their futures in the military reshuffle next year.

The military junta was (or even is) in control of almost all Radio & TV stations in Thailand. Nevertheless they were unable to change Thai people's massive support for the PPP (People Power Party), a reincarnation of the Thai Rak Thai party (TRT) toppled by the September 19 2006 coup.

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'The coup is dead! Now the people have had their say. The numbers that came out are an answer to those people...' Samak Sundaravej said of the military.

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Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas said Thursday December 27 2007:'I cannot guarantee that there will not be a coup in 2008, just like I cannot rule out a natural disaster'. Apparently men in uniforms can't accept the voices of voters. Why they will never understand that coups don't work?

There were only three people plotting last years September 19 military coup. That's me and two assistants (General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin during an interview with a radio station). August 22 2007: General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin denies rumours, which had caused a stockmarket slump, that some sort of further coup was in the works. November 10 2007: Coup Leader Sonthi Boonyaratkalin refused to rule out staging another coup d'etat if the People Power Party (PPP) loyal to ex-premier Thaksin Shinwatra wins the election on December 23.
"It is a future matter that we shall have to wait and see," Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi said when he was asked whether a coup will be staged if PPP gets to form a new government. November 12 2007: Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin declared he will not run for election to the House or the Senate, but did not rule out holding a ministerial office again in the future.
General Sonthi said he would accept whoever the people elect to head the next government, including Mr Samak, the leader of the People Power Party (PPP). November 20 2007: Mr Sonthi confirmed People Power party (PPP) leader Samak Sundaravej's claim that the CNS had attacked populist policies and also gave orders to bring power back to the people. 'The army is obliged to do that because it is part of the Internal Security Operations Command's responsibilities,' Sonthi explained. 'This responsibility is just as important to us as addressing the fight against poverty or dealing with natural disasters. We are not singling out any political party in particular.' November 28 2007: Army chief Anupong Paojinda vowed that he will not stage a military coup under any circumstances, even if the next government removes him from his current post. 'As a professional soldier, I would not stage a coup for myself' he said. November 28 2007: Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said he did not report assets of his third wife to the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) because they are not legally married. Gen Sonthi was required by law to report his assets and those of his family. He reported the assets of himself, two wives and a child. They had combined assets of 95 million baht. Gen Sonthi told reporters he had no intention of hiding his marriage to his third wife. December 02 2007: Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of security has blamed his recent implication in the classified documents case as politically motivated. 'I don't know much about the law', he said. 'I can only wait for the chief of the council for national security to decide on the case'. December 06 2007: Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin denied speculation that the upcoming general election may be postponed. December 15 2007: Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin says Thai citizen have their democratic right to express an opinion. December 20 2007: Three days only before the election of the new Government, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) passed 31 draft bill including the internal security bill. This approach shows again that the military junta has its very own interpretation of democracy. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said the government has no power to guide the NLA over when to pass which bills. December 23 2007: Acting Council for National Security (CNS) chairman Chalit Phukphasuk insisted he will not stage a coup if People Power party wins the election. He said 'there are no reasons for the military to stage a coup'. Remember: A few days before General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin launched the September 19 2006 coup, Thai military used about the same words... December 27 2007: Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas said:'I cannot guarantee that there will not be a coup in 2008, just like I cannot rule out a natural disaster'. January 05 2008: PPP leader Samak Sundaravej said there is a definite and concerted campaign to prevent the party from leading the next government. General Somjet Boonthanom, chief of the CNS secretariat office, said 'The PPP has vented its spleen on the results because it is going to lose its interests'. January 17 2008: Navy chief Adm Sathiraphan said a talk between Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra, wife of ousted premier Thaksin, and Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda could lead to the end of 'misunderstanding between the two parties'. January 23 2008: CNS spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd: 'Everybody in the CNS, especially the army commander-in-chief, insist there will be no more coups'. Chulalongkorn University political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak: 'The generals have proved unfit in their handling of post-coup Thailand. Policy directions have been murky, leadership incompetent, overall administration inept. The generals have made themselves obsolete by botching their latest putsch'. January 25 2008: Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, the coup leader, has issued a veiled warning to ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that his return could trigger more street protests if he repeats the mistakes he made before the coup. But Gen Sonthi also said 'I believe in Pol Lt-Col Thaksin's good character. But I am not quite so sure about other people'. February 07 2008: Air force chief Chalit Phukphasuk swore there will not be another coup even if the new government administers the country mistakenly. ACM Chalit said there are (other) ways to terminate roles of those in power who break the law and end problems. He added that the army is willing to work with the new government, regardless of who the cabinet members are, because they are the army of His Majesty. May 14 2008: PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) said that the new government is creating conditions that would lead to another coup. The PAD's huge street protests in mid-2006 were at least partly responsible for the military coup. June 21 2008: 'Thai military will return to the baracks and will stay away from politics' Army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda said earlier this year, but on June 21 2008 he advised Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to think seriously about dissolving the House to end the turmoil on the streets of the capital. This was because a few thousands PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) demonstrators had declared victory by laying siege to Government House.

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To be continued.

People Power Party (PPP) accused some political parties of taking money from military junta in funding their election campaigns. This parties also fool voters into believing that they will bring ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra back if they vote for them, PPP said. NLA said whether the 'old power clique' will regain power or not has no impact on the roles and responsibilities of the NLA. The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) members, appointed by military junta that ousted Mr Thaksin, will be transformed into senators after the election. Their new roles will focus mainly on drafting and considering new laws. Gen Sonthi, the September 19 2006 Coup Leader, wants to lure voters from the 'old power clique' after opinion surveys showed that if the election took place now, the PPP would probably win. NLA said that the party that gets the second most seats stands a chance of forming a government, which does not go against Thai tradition. The Prime Minister said he personally does not believe astrologers' prediction that there will be chaos after December 23 election. An army source said soldiers were still monitoring candidates of certain parties in northern and northeastern provinces, such as Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Buri Ram, strongholds of the former Thai Rak Thai party. That stands in contrast to the order by army commander Gen Anupong Paojinda who told troops to be impartial in the election. The resurrection of the 'old power group' would affect changes in the army the army source said. Thai military is doing its best to make shure People Power Party (PPP) does not achieve its election goals. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont had ordered an increase in army and police street patrols in towns such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Samui and Hat Yai. Analysts say the December 23 poll is likely to lead only to further polarization between supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the military establishment that removed him in the September 19 2006 coup.

On June 19. the Thai government approved a natonal security bill that will give the Thai military more power than ever. Under the new draft an Internal Security Operation Command (Isoc) is being given powers to deal with 'new forms of threats to the country'. The acting Isoc chief (the army commander-in-chief) will be able to implement security measures without seeking approval from the prime minister. The new Isoc will be above the laws and regulations, officials on duty would not be liable to criminal, civil or diciplinary action. The September 19. 2006 coup-leaders seems to perpetuate their power.

Thai government has set up a national commitee to place controls on television, magazines, websites and films to ensure a safe and creative media. The Deputy Prime Minister said the commitee will seek cooperation from booth, the public and civil sectors to keep a close watch on all kinds of media, with the most urgent target being the internet. The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission launched a new website to host a Thai petition against censorship of the internet in Thailand. The original petition was set up in January by Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT) and calls for an end to the illegal censorship of websites in Thailand. FACT estimates that over 32'500 websites are being blocked by Thai police and another 13'500 by the Information and Communication Technology Ministry of Thailand.

March 7. 2007: iTV was on air for 10 years, 8 month and few days. 2001 former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Shin Corporation aquired a 53% stake in the TV station. iTV was known for its accurate NEWS programs and was very popular among poor people. It had an open ear for their problems. The Prime Minister's Office took over management of iTV, changed its name to TITV and hired MCOT to run the formerly independent station. The T stands for Thailand and not for Thaksin... From now on people have six soap opera stations to choose from.

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On January 15 2007, Thailand Independent Television (TITV) was abruptly seized by the Public Relations Department of the Prime Minister's Office, so as to complete the transfer of its control to the so-called Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS), a creation of the fast-tracked Public Television Act sponsored by the government installed by the military coup. The once popular iTV emerged from the people's struggle against military dictatorship in the early 1990s. On March 07. 2007 Thailands military junta closed iTV, changed its name to TITV and hired MCOT to run the formerly independent station.