A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[yinyang]

More (domestic) flight options to/fro Pattaya?

AVIATION & TOURISM

Kan Air back in business at U-tapao
Published: 13/08/2015 at 03:48 AM http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism-and-transport/654192/kan-air-back-in-business-at-u-tapao



Kan Air has secured approval from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to resume flights from U-tapao airport in Rayong province.

The commuter airline is allowed to operate five routes out of the navy-operated airfield to Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Udon Thani and Hat Yai.

The DCA had banned the airline from operating eight routes, as the services were of a scheduled nature instead of the charter basis Kan Air had previously applied for. Effective from July 20, the new permission applies to scheduled flights.

To qualify for a charter flight permit, Kan Air would need to sell tickets on a wholesale basis and not through retail channels, the DCA said.

The ban had forced Kan Air to suspend services for five routes out of its new U-tapao hub as well as three routes from its core base at Chiang Mai airport from June 15.

Kan Air started flying from U-tapao to Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen and Bangkok's Don Mueang airport on April 10.

As part of the new permission, Kan Air is also allowed to open a new route, from Don Mueang to Phrae, but is not rushing to relaunch all routes any time soon.

Somphong Sooksanguan, president of Kannithi Aviation Co, operator of Kan Air, told the Bangkok Post the U-tapao-Chiang Mai route had been tentatively set for launch next month with four flights a week.

Also set by for launch next month is the Don Mueang-Phrae service, also to be served by the 66-seat ATR 72-500 turboprop.

The reduction of Kan Air's Don Mueang-Mae Sot service to two daily flights from three will free up some capacity to allow the launch of new services.

Four more routes out of U-tapao are expected this year. Critical to their launch will be additional aeroplane capacity, as its two ATR 72-500 workhorses will not be able to cope with the greater load.

Mr Somphong said the airline was looking at acquiring two single-aisle jets including the Airbus 320 to boost capacity.

The timing of launches for the four extra routes will be decided following a marketing campaign.

 

[yinyang]

Interesting critique on Thailand's monetary woes (and missing the boat), in aftermath of yuan's devaluation :p

TELL IT AS IT IS
China's currency devaluation: Thailand's economic nightmare?

Pornpimol Kanchanalak http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opi...aluation-Thailands-economic-nig-30266475.html
Special to The Nation August 13, 2015 1:00 am

Yesterday, the People's Bank of China cut the value of its currency for the second day in a row. Analysts now estimate that the yuan has depreciated more than 3 per cent against the US dollar, having already dropped 1.8 per cent when China "threw a curveball" the day before. Most media called it a surprise move, but observant economists had seen it coming for quite some time.

Markets around the world are reacting with increasing anxiety. Yesterday, the Dow Jones Index dropped 212 points, NYEX was down 4 per cent, the S&P 500 tumbled 20 points, European stocks fell 1.6 per cent, while the price of oil and copper dropped 4 and 3 per cent respectively

Basically, what China is doing is exporting deflation. That means shrinking demand and diminishing purchasing power across the globe. In recent years, China's GDP has grown at an anaemic rate of less than 7 per cent after years of double-digit boom. Beijing has responded with all the traditional antidotes against deflation, including monetary and fiscal stimulus policies and interest rate cuts. When those measures failed to stop the slump, the devaluation of its currency was the unavoidable remedy of last resort.

Investors are now concerned that China's economy is even weaker than anyone could have guessed. As such China may start pulling back on purchases of goods and services from other countries. In the US, whose currency is strengthening in reverse proportion to the weakening yuan, manufacturers fear for their already weakening export prospects, and the stronger dollar will make the competition even tougher.

Bank of America's preliminary analysis pointed out another significant ramification of the yuan depreciation besides the worldwide deflationary pressure - a foreign exchange currency war. Traders are betting heavily that the yuan will continue to fall, and the risk premium is being built into the yuan spot market. Central banks in several countries might follow China's lead and devalue their currency too. Already, anger is being expressed in Washington, where lawmakers are accusing China of playing currency-manipulation tricks on them.

With China's growing stature as a world economic powerhouse, the yuan is now part of the global economy's fabric. In the global village in which we all live, when China sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. For a small developing economy like Thailand, the cold could turn into pneumonia and cause havoc.

Two years after China devalued its currency in 1994-5, Thailand suffered its nightmarish Tom Yum Kung financial crisis. In the last days of the 1997 crisis, our exports experienced zero growth despite signs to the contrary which were the result of VAT fraud. Our current account deficit at that time brought down the exchange rate regime that had been rendered unsustainable.

Are we about to suffer a repeat of the economic meltdown in 1997? Not quite, but the outlook is gloomy.

Our exports are in the red, and the colour is turning crimson. With the world experiencing deflation that China is exporting, we will see further shrinkage of demand and purchasing power from the markets for Thai products. The recovering EU markets will turn to our Asean neighbour, Vietnam, which has just concluded a free trade agreement with the Europeans. We have no new markets and no niche products to give our exports a boost.

Tourism, our No 1 foreign exchange earner, will likely suffer due to shrinking purchasing power and disposable income among the Chinese, who constitute the largest portion of our visitors.

The baht will likely fall more steeply than expected, for several reasons.

The Bank of Thailand (BOT), in its attempt to keep the baht low without lowering the interest rate, has erroneously embarked on further financial liberalisation. Today, a Thai can send out US$5 million per day as opposed to $500,000. Well-to-do Thais are now allowed to remit $50 million per year to purchase property overseas, as opposed to $5 million. With the uncertainties around the baht's future value amid the yuan's devaluation, money will flow more freely out of Thailand, bringing added pressure to devalue the Thai currency even further.

The BOT has also allowed a higher quota for short-selling the baht - up from Bt300 million to Bt600 million. This will add to the volatility and helps neither the baht nor our financial health, especially at a time when we need more stability.

Thai exports will become increasingly less competitive in the world markets under our current exchange rate regime. Further contraction in export revenues will hit our balance sheet and hence our foreign exchange rate.

And for a double (or triple) jeopardy, Thailand will find that ignoring the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal negotiations will come back to haunt us. Mexico has called for a TPP "rule of origins" that would prohibit TPP members from sourcing products from non-TPP countries. Japan, a major player in the TPP, buys lots of automobile parts from Thailand. If the TPP's rule of origins kicks in, Japan will have to look elsewhere for automobile parts suppliers and shift its investments in this sector away from Thailand.

Analysts at HSBC estimate that there is about 1 trillion yuan waiting to be sent overseas by wealthy Chinese and Chinese corporations, and it's taking place every single day. The US will be an important destination for the drain. That enormous outflow of capital will add to the deflationary trend of the Chinese currency, and hence of the baht.

While our high-net-worth individuals and large corporations will always be able to weather the financial maelstrom, it is our farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises and middle class that will be hit in the pocket. They will find their purchasing power dissipating by the day. In direct proportion, the majority of the population will become more vulnerable and disenchanted.

And the worst part of it all? There is nothing we can do to avoid the suffering. The eleventh hour has passed and we have missed the rescue trains.

 

[johnny333]

She is apparently busy with her new hobby: cycling

With or without a bicycle seat


I remember seeing a photo of her when she was younger & she was quite pretty.
Saw her on TV when & she looked ver very different.

Even Ho Ching looks prettier

 

[Narong Wongwan]

With or without a bicycle seat


I remember seeing a photo of her when she was younger & she was quite pretty.
Saw her on TV when & she looked ver very different.

Even Ho Ching looks prettier

Dun be silly....NO ONE can unseat Ho Ching.....her sis in law also on par with her at most.
The queen was a beauty when young.....now fat machiam Imelda Marcos.
The queen is well loved and popular among Thais....machiam our very own Gekko

 

[gingerlyn]

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
please let me know if it is nice and children friendly.
Money to me is not an issue

 

[yinyang]

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. please let me know if it is nice and children friendly.
Money to me is not an issue

Epitome of luxury by CP river. Only graced (and can only afford) riverside terrace for makan.

Don't think you'll get it wrong, given the full marks by Tripadvisor. Sanuk

http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Hotel...eviews-Mandarin_Oriental_Bangkok-Bangkok.html

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/ban...e_EN&src=PPC&gclid=CO-PgsrMpccCFRYljgodyiMDgA

 

[Froggy]

Time for a nice rub at my fav massage place Baan Suan



1 hour foot and 2 hours traditional Thai massage

 

[Froggy]

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
please let me know if it is nice and children friendly.
Money to me is not an issue

Great jazz bar The Bamboo Bar

 

[Froggy]

Light and simple dinner at a Thai restaurant pub great food and misic




only two dishes tomyam and wings





cute

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Decided to try some burmese food today. Well as far as i know only peninsula plaza is where all the burmese eateries are located. If you guys know of any other burmese places please tell. So far i have seen thai mookata and other thai restaurants all over singapore not just in golden mile but i swear i have not seen a single burmese one outside of peninsula.

Anyway here's the menu. These seem to be typical hawker burmese fare and if you compare them to sinkie hawker prices they are more expensive if you compare them to the prices in burma they probably cost a fortune. I think the burmese kyat must be even lower than the thai bht. Anyway since burmese food is rare here it's fine.

Burmese beer. Has a unique taste i must say. Isn't unpleasant just tastes different.

Burmese chicken on a stick i guess it's the burmese version of satay. The sticks and the meat was quite small. $5 for 3 sticks. The sauce tastes like thai sauce. It tastes pretty similar to thai food.

The fried chicken noodles. Nothing really outstanding about it. Probably similar to phad thai no wait phad thai tastes different. Maybe i should have ordered that huge barbecued fish everyone else was having.

Hope to try cambodian food in sinkland one day

 

[NanoSpeed]

Decided to try some burmese food today. Well as far as i know only peninsula plaza is where all the burmese eateries are located. If you guys know of any other burmese places please tell. So far i have seen thai mookata and other thai restaurants all over singapore not just in golden mile but i swear i have not seen a single burmese one outside of peninsula.

I have tried Myanmar food before, but not in Singapore. The Myanmar food stalls at Peninsula Plaza emanate a weird odour. This is the most authentic Myanmar restaurant I have been to:

 

[yinyang]

TAA soars over THAI in quarterly reports
National carrier sinks back into the red

Published: 14/08/2015 at 03:48 AM
Newspaper section: Business http://www.bangkokpost.com/business...5068/taa-soars-over-thai-in-quarterly-reports

Thailand's two leading airlines, Thai Airways International (THAI) and Thai AirAsia (TAA), yesterday reported contrasting second-quarter financial results.

The flag carrier showed a wider loss that amounted to 12.8 billion baht in the April-June period, an increase of 66.5%, or 5.09 billion baht more than what it reported in the same period last year.

The country's largest low-cost carrier declared net profit of 374 million baht, a turnaround from the loss of 318 million baht it suffered in the previous period.

In the filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday, THAI president Charamporn Jotikasthira singled out combined one-time expenses of 7.82 billion baht for pushing the airline's quarterly financial result further into the red.

Topping the loss contributors were the 3.72 billion baht in severance payment for the early retirement programme involving 1,401 employees and the 3.67 billion baht in foreign exchange losses, followed by the 426 million baht loss of impairment on assets and aircraft.

THAI's second-quarter losses were greater than the average of 10 billion baht forecasts made by analysts.

It was a reversal from the first quarter, when the national airline recorded a net profit of 4.54 billion baht spurred by a robust travel industry and recovering tourism, foreign exchange gains and cost controls put in place under a business rehabilitation plan.

For the first six months of this year, the state-controlled airline suffered a net loss of 8.21 billion baht, an improvement over the 11 billion baht posted in the same period last year.

Mr Charamporn noted the special expense payout has dulled improved operating performance across various measures in the second quarter.

It recorded a 20% increase in passengers flown, an 11% increase in revenue passenger kilometres and only a 2% rise in available seat kilometres compared with the same period last year, and a 5.7% growth in load factor from 63.5% last year to 69.2%.

But total revenue dropped 4% to 41.80 billion baht, primarily due to the decline in cargo and commercial mail revenue.

It was a different story for no-frills TAA, which announced a 26% surge in second-quarter revenue to 6.88 billion baht.

Continued lower fuel costs in the second quarter pushed TAA's combined first-half revenue to 14.6 billion baht and net profit to 1.29 billion baht.

TAA chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld said yesterday the airline served 3.54 million passengers with an average load factor of 80% in the second quarter, up two percentage points compared with the same period last year.

For the first half of 2015, the airline carried 7.24 million passengers, up 22% year-on-year.

Mr Tassapon voiced confidence that the airline would be able to achieve targets set for the second half of the year, saying that it did not expect to be affected by the International Civil Aviation Organization's red-flagging of Thailand over its aviation industry's safety shortcomings.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Fish noodles with milk soup

 

[yinyang]

Today's juicy slice of thai mango. Notorious occult monk got paid bht50k for making out with woman, who sought his help to win back farang hubby. Gets to enjoy session for a fee. :p

Notorious occult conman accused of new sex scandal

THE SUNDAY NATION August 16, 2015 1:00 am. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nat...nman-accused-of-new-sex-scandal-30266667.html

POLICE yesterday searched the Ban Poklon monastery in Lop Buri's Ban Mi district where they had arrested occultist conman Harn Raksajit - better known as Nain Ae who was infamously involved in grilling carcasses of stillborn babies - on Friday evening for defrauding and sexually abusing a Thai woman who paid him Bt50,000 to conduct a ritual to regain her estranged foreign husband.

The monastery's head monk led police to see the room where Harn had stayed and said Harn had been there only for a day while awaiting transport to go and perform a magic ritual in Roi Et province, prior to the arrest. He said Harn was aware that police were coming to arrest him but didn't flee because he insisted he hadn't done anything that he was accused of.

Following his arrest on Friday evening, the 55-year-old Harn was brought to Nonthaburi province, where the 40-year-old woman had filed the complaint against him. Police said Harn allegedly performed a ritual on April 25 in which a love potion was poured onto her forehead, tongue and breasts after which she was required to have sex with him in order "to make the sexual charm potent". Harn charged her Bt50,000 for the ritual. However, a month had passed without the ritual yielding any result so she realised that she had been duped. She filed a complaint with Bang Sri Muang Police in June. Police, who had secured an arrest warrant for him on charges of fraud, found that Harn had fled to Lop Buri, where they located him and arrested him.

The one-time Buddhist novice was defrocked in 1994 after he was found to be producing "magic potions" from stillborn infants. Harn was convicted and jailed in 1995 for that offence. Later in 2005, his former wife filed a complaint accusing him of raping or convincing women to have sex with him by claiming this would make them more attractive to men while also recording videos to blackmail them later. Harn was arrested on July 10 that year. He was later sentenced to a combined 100 years in prison for sexual assaults on many women, and got it reduced to 75 years due to his useful confession. However, he was released in April this year and returned to his old ways.

Before police applied for the first court-imposed 12-day detention period, Harn testified at Bang Sri Muang Police Station yesterday morning.

Case investigator Pol Lt-Colonel Wichien Kasibutr said Harn denied all charges against him. Wichien said police would ask the court to refuse him bail due to him being a flight risk.

Two more alleged victims have contacted police, he said, adding that one of the alleged offences related to an amulet fraud and the other a charm ritual.

 

[JOKERCHEW]

Was this event yesterday?




Thousands of Thai cyclists have joined Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn in a ride through Bangkok in honour of his mother, Queen Sirikit.
Wearing shirts in the queen's colour - sky-blue - and emblazoned with "Bike for Mom", the cyclists paraded through streets closed to traffic.
Many Thais outside the capital were expected to do the same.
The queen - who turned 83 four days ago - is in very frail health, like the king, and will not be seen.
Commentators say the 43km (27-mile) cycle is the first event to be publicly led by the prince, who is 63.
About 300,000 people registered to join the ride.
The crown prince was followed by other well-known figures including Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his cabinet.

 

[JOKERCHEW]

I never knew Thailand has pandas until I came across this article!




.
Thailand’s Zoological Park Organization and China Wildlife Conservation Association entered into a bilateral agreement over the research program which was set to last from 2003 – 2013. A new agreement was reached and required cabinet approval for the extension of Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui’s stay.

Both pandas will remain in Thailand until 2023.

Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui are two Giant Pandas from Sichuan, China on loan to Chiang Mai Zoo in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The pandas arrived at Chiang Mai Zoo in October 2003 to begin a 10 year conservation program to breed giant pandas. Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui successfully artificially bred Lin Ping in 2009.

.

 

[yinyang]

Deal done for both police and army chiefs? :p 1 for 1, with PM's brother for latter?

Deal over new chiefs?

THE NATION August 15, 2015 1:00 am
Jakthip Chaijinda http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Deal-over-new-chiefs-30266650.html

PRAWIT NAMES NEW POLICE CHIEF AMID RUMOURS THAT PM'S YOUNGER BROTHER PREECHA WILL BECOME NEXT ARMY CHIEF

THE ENDORSEMENT of General Jakthip Chaijinda as the new national police chief has raised the likelihood that General Preecha Chan-o-cha, the premier's younger brother, will be promoted to the powerful post of Army commander-in-chief this month, analysts say.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-c-cha yesterday did not chair the crucial meeting of the Royal Thai Police board, leaving Deputy Premier General Prawit Wongsuwan to preside over the vote.

The board voted 6-0 for Jakthip, a member of Prawit's inner circle, while another front-running candidate, General Aek Angsananont, did not get a vote.

Political observers said Prayut's gesture to allow Prawit to handpick the new police chief could have underlined a behind-the-scenes gentlemen's agreement for the premier's younger brother to take up the top post at the Army.

"It's a 1-1 top-post exchange at the highest level between the country's two most powerful figures. On one hand, Prawit got to pick the police chief. On the other, PM Prayut got his choice of Army chief, which is inevitably his own younger brother, who is one of the two front-running candidates for the powerful Army post," said one political analyst.

If General Preecha, currently the assistant Army chief, is named the new chief, Prayut's grip on power within the military will be further solidified for an extended period after trusted General Udomdej Sitabutr retires on September 30.

Analysts said the police chief and Army chief posts were regarded as the two most important in terms of national security as Thailand had not yet returned to a democratically elected government.

Jakthip is known to be close to Prawit, whose own younger brother was a former national police chief, while Aek was a former high school classmate of PM Prayut who was assigned to take charge of the government's crackdown on human trafficking activities.

Both were strong contenders, but Jakthip got the upper hand due to the Preecha factor.

Preecha's rival to become Army chief is General Thirachai Nakawanich,

Thirachai is reportedly backed by Prawit, who is also Defence Minister. Preecha and Thirachai will reach mandatory retirement in 2016.

'Blood relative stronger'

"What will happen is reflected in the Thai proverb, which says that a blood relative is usually stronger than someone who is not related by blood," said another source.

Jakthip is set to become the 11th national police commissioner, replacing General Somyot Poompanmuang, who is scheduled to retire on September 30.

"At the meeting [to elect him], Prawit voiced his support for Jakthip and everyone there nodded," a source at the police board meeting said.

The source said Jakthip had a long-standing close relationship with Prawit's family through his ties with Prawit's younger brother, former national police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwan.

When asked about the board's decision, Jakthip beamed. But he refused to comment, explaining that the appointment has yet to receive Royal endorsement.

Born on October 19, 1959, Jakthip has five more years before mandatory retirement.

He is called the "Teargas Gentleman" after he used his shirt to provide first aid to a political demonstrator injured by police teargas during a crackdown in 2011.

Jakthip has been assigned to many important cases including the double murders of British tourists in Koh Tao last year, and car-bomb incidents in Bangkok.

He is famous for being an adept coordinator. He can talk to all sides and wins much respect.

His asset declaration shows he has more than Bt1 billion in assets.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

kfc bento meal

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

What better time to visit bkk after the bombing incidents.

Here is hway khwang terrace around 2am, entire place is alive till the early dawn of 6-7am

They have some dishes

Chicken and tofu one

 

[yinyang]

A thai columnist's take on the conspiracy theories, in aftermath

TELL IT AS IT IS
Theories full of holes versus the only thing that really matters

Pornpimol Kanchanalak
Special to The Nation August 20, 2015 1:00 am http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opi...les-versus-the-only-thing-that--30267000.html

Everyone seems to have his or her own idea of "who dun it". The conspiracy theories circulating out there, especially in the social media, would be enough to overwhelm even Sherlock Holmes. And while the official investigations are still ongoing, several private enquiries seem to have reached an "it's elementary, my dear Watson" conclusion.

It's almost always human nature to imagine florid scenarios behind such an utterly savage and hideous act such as the bombing at the Erawan Shrine on Monday. Who would be sadistic enough to want to kill and maim innocent bystanders, including children, women and the elderly, at a time they were most vulnerable - during their prayers at a place of worship?

At present, two "theories" stand out as being most plausible.

The first contends that the attack was "revenge" for the Thai government's deportation of 100-plus Uighur Muslims to China and an uncertain fate at the hands of the Beijing authorities. Leaked in-flight images of the deportees handcuffed, hooded and each flanked by robot-like Chinese guards were enough to make grown men cry. The Uighur sympathisers who carried out the Bangkok attack, goes the theory, could be lone wolves, as in the Boston Marathon bombing, or a more organised terrorist movement linked to the Islamic State.

The second theory places the blame squarely on an indigenous dissident political faction that supports a former prime minister. The blast came a few days after a leaked video clip showed the former Thai premier launching a verbal attack on the government in Bangkok, at a party in Finland.

Strong criticism from red-shirt leaders and Pheu Thai politicians of the government's work and the draft constitution add to the weight of the argument implicating this side of the political divide.

Each of the theories has a whole variety of sub-theories, especially when it comes to the motive, the modus operandi, the mastermind, the team leader, and, by no means a small matter, the government's explanation and findings so far.

Each of the "main artery" theories, their tributary sub-theories and sub-sub-theories has its "blank spaces". Hence it is no surprise that we are hearing more and more argumentum ad absurdum ("arguments to absurdity"), which attempt to show that a statement is false by demonstrating the absurd and untenable outcomes that follow if we believe it.

A few examples:

"Uighur attackers never use explosives, they only use knives and machetes." However, it could not be established that it was an Uighur who did the bombing.

"No Thai would ever consider committing sacrilege against the Lord Brahma, let alone detonating a bomb at his shrine." But again, a few years ago, a crazed Thai - perhaps hired by political puppeteers for reasons of superstition - managed to hammer the statue to pieces, before being beaten to death by shrine guards, eliminating any chance of finding out who might have hired him. But again, he was a psychologically unstable man.

"The man in the yellow T-shirt was just a decoy, because the real perpetrator couldn't be wearing yellow - the most conspicuous colour. But he must not be 'colour' sensitive. The T-shirt was bought in Indonesia.

"If he's the real McCoy, he could not have acted alone and must have had local accomplices.

The man in yellow can't be a foreigner, because he seemed to know his way around. He could be a Thai disguised to look like a foreigner. But wait, he could be a decoy, but a foreigner, to throw off the authorities.

"Two Thai men, one in a red T-shirt who gave up his seat to the man in yellow and stepped forward to stand next to the other, who was wearing white, were both caught on camera glancing back at the man in yellow. They could be his local accomplices. But wait, they can't be; they wouldn't have been able to move fast enough to escape the blast because, by stepping in front of the man in yellow, they placed themselves further from the exit. But again, there was a pause of about three minutes between the time the man in yellow put his backpack down under the stone bench and the time of the explosion, which would have left enough time for the two 'accomplices' to sneak away unnoticed. But no CCTV camera caught them fleeing."

These are just some of the more obvious holes and contradictions that riddle the theories surrounding the bombing. If we apply Aristotle's principle of non-contradiction, since an assertion cannot be both true and false, if the contradiction can be derived logically from the assertion, the assertion must be false. From a contradiction (or falsehood) anything follows - a rule known as the principle of explosion.

All of this is not to make light of the grave situation we are facing. What it is trying to say is that the government will have to come up with a clear, logical, straightforward, unbiased, airtight and precise finding at the end of its investigation to dispel doubts that would further erode the confidence of the Thai public and foreign visitors. There is no room for logical or investigative deficiencies. More importantly, favouritism, politics, ideology and backbiting must have no place in the process, which must deal in facts and truth alone. The real culprit/s - not scapegoats or fall guys - must be brought to justice.

Sink or swim, we are in this together, red shirts and elites, military and civilians. As a country, we can bicker over where to sit as we hurtle towards a brick wall, or we can unite and steer our way out of this dreadful abyss.