• Six Years Ago Today: High Tension – Promises of No Coup and Angry Crowds
  • Block B’s new apology: ‘We never meant to hurt anyone’
  • Ultimate Tazer Ball Coming to Bangkok
  • Six Years Ago Today: Strange Politics for Strange Days
  • Thai-language Headlines of February 24, 2012
  • New Cambodian lizard discovered
  • One thousand Red Villages open in Isaan
  • Dutchman shines spotlight on Thailand’s baby elephant trade
  • Thai Cheerleaders Documentary Draws Applause
  • Jatuporn Warns
  • Terror detainee who once lived in U.S. reaches plea deal
  • Buffett’s Berkshire muscles into Thai reinsurance
  • Phuket tourist cheats spark foreign diplomat intervention
  • Thai-language Headlines of February 23, 2012
  • Thai Wildlife Group Raided for Criticizing Elephant Poaching
  • Vintage Thai Music Goes Global
  • Israeli’s False Flag Operations
  • More articles on the Bangkok bombings
  • A shadow war from Bangkok to Baku
  • Mahaprachachon, February 3-9, 2012
  • Urgent press releases advising Thailand on human rights issues
  • Thai-language Headlines of February 22, 2012
  • Talk of a Power Struggle in Naypyidaw
  • Photos Show Alleged Iran Bombs Hidden in $27 Radio
  • Yingluck Sings

Six Years Ago Today: High Tension – Promises of No Coup and Angry Crowds

Six Years Ago Today: High Tension – Promises of No Coup and Angry Crowds

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Block B’s new apology: ‘We never meant to hurt anyone’

Block B’s new apology: ‘We never meant to hurt anyone’ – mb.com.ph, February 25, 2012
…The cyber-bullying has severely affected the group that Block B member P.O was hospitalized on Feb. 24. His agency said he was under so much stress since the controversy broke out and was shocked to learn that netizens have filed an online petition for the group’s suicide…

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Ultimate Tazer Ball Coming to Bangkok

From the UTB website: Ultimate Tazer Ball Comes to Bangkok MARCH 2ND/3RD 2012

Tazer Ball: The most shocking extreme sport of the year – nationalpost.com, February 8, 2012
…The next match is scheduled for early March in Bangkok, Thailand, where Toronto will face off against the Philadelphia Killawatts, the San Diego Spartans and the Los Angeles Nightlight. Organizers are expecting several thousand spectators…

And as parioded on The Colbert Report

[The whole thing seems like some sort of viral hoax...]

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Six Years Ago Today: Strange Politics for Strange Days

Six Years Ago Today: Strange Politics for Strange Days

Posted in Today in History | Leave a comment

Thai-language Headlines of February 24, 2012

Komchadluek, February 24, 2012
- A mad man shot 5 people to death. [Those shot were] A male nurse who bandaged [the shooters'] wife too slowly, as well the owner and staff of a Karaoke shop who hurt [the shooter's] wife.
- Poo [PM Yingluck] clarified 3 points of Four Season Hotel issue through Facebook.
- Hunting people who put stickers up from CCTV footage. [referring to the stickers supposedly put up by Iranian terrorists] Yuthasak doesn’t believe that it is a set up. [referring to theories that the bombings were not conducted by Iran]
- A drug dealer legally shot in Surat [this refers to police killing of a wanted person--usually a drug dealer who cannot be brought in alive as he might implicate highly placed people] and a monk that hid drugs was arrested.

Thairath, February 24, 2012
- Tragedy of 5 murdered by a mad man. He hurt his wife and brought her to the hospital. He shot a male nurse and 4 more people from a karaoke shop.
- Poo revealed her feelings about the Four Season Hotel issue through Facebook. 
- Report to the police to arrest a craven C8 official [a government employee rank] who raped a 14-year-old girl.
- Burmese murdered a grade-12 girl with a knife. She was stabbed 28 times.

Daily News, February 24, 2012
- A man killed brutally 5 people, including a male nurse and karaoke girls.
- Poo clarified that the Four Seasons Hotel issue was a private mission. [not involved with business and politics]
- The electricity charge will be increased.
- No further clues can be traced from the word “SEJEAL” on stickers. [supposedly left by the Iranian bombers]

Matichon, February 24, 2012
- The Puea Thai Party will stick together to vote for article 291 and their target is 378 votes. The Democrat Party criticized them for allowing the Constitution Drafting Committee members to do whatever they want.
- Poo filed a report with the police to arrest the Democrat Party for insulting her mission. [meaning the PM is filing defamation charges against Democrat MPs who accused her over the Four Seasons Hotel meeting]
- The PM and water committees discussed all information and reported to HM The King.
- A cruel man shot 5 to death and injured 1 in a hospital and karaoke.

Posted in Thai newspaper headlines | Leave a comment

New Cambodian lizard discovered

New Cambodian lizard discovered – timeslive.co.za, February 22, 2012
A new species of lizard with striking iridescent rainbow skin, a long tail and very short legs has been discovered in the rainforest in northeast Cambodia, conservationists announced Wednesday…

Posted in Wildlife and Nature | Leave a comment

One thousand Red Villages open in Isaan

One thousand Red Villages open in Isaan – asiancorrespondent.com, February 23, 2012
…“I like being a part of this movement because I want to see a return to a fair constitution in Thailand,” said Samanjit Khotchomphoo from Nong Khai. “It’s as if our rights were stolen after the 2006 coup.” Huddled under a tent, five new friends nodded behind her in agreement.

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Dutchman shines spotlight on Thailand’s baby elephant trade

Dutchman shines spotlight on Thailand’s baby elephant trade – bikyamasr.com, February 23, 2012
…In an article titled Thai Elephants Are Being Killed for Tourist Dollars published in The Nation newspaper on January 24, Wiek said that the six elephants had been killed to get their babies, not for elephant meat and ivory as claimed by government officials.
He argued that the incident demonstrated that the trade in baby pachyderms was no longer just a cross-border business with Myanmar, but that poachers were now targeting Thailand’s own depleted herd of fewer than 2,000 wild elephants.
Based on his own investigations, Wiek estimates that two to three baby elephants are poached from the wild per week.
…“There are so many of these charities and none of them have proper paperwork for the animals, so we are trying to straighten it out a bit,” Damrong said.
The first two animal sanctuaries on Damroing’s hit list happened to be the department’s most outspoken critics…

Also: Thai Wildlife Group Raided for Criticizing Elephant Poaching
Also: Elephant whistleblowers targeted by National Parks Department

Posted in Wildlife and Nature | Leave a comment

Thai Cheerleaders Documentary Draws Applause

Thai Cheerleaders Documentary Draws Applause – wsj.com, February 23, 2012
[Thanks to Mud for pointing this out.]
…“The Cheer Ambassadors,” set for official release in March, centers on the underdog Thai national team that placed a remarkable second at the annual International Cheer Union World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Florida in 2009.
Despite the fact that there is little tradition of the sport in Thailand, the team took home the silver medal, finishing only behind the traditional cheering juggernaut of the United States…

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Jatuporn Warns

From Thairath, February 7, 2012
Cartoon reads: Who actually meddles?
Jatuporn says: Warning! Someone wants to overthrow the government and become prime minister using special methods. His shirt reads: UDD
Left mouse’s sign: Correct unfair laws
Right mouse says: We must know what others are up to.
Yingluck’s paper: Country restoration
Curly-haired man says: Slandering and making up storis for the news. His paper reads: Block everything
Chavanond says: Daily attacks
Death says: Discredit!

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Terror detainee who once lived in U.S. reaches plea deal

Terror detainee who once lived in U.S. reaches plea deal – cnn.com, February 23, 2012
…Khan allegedly traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, in December 2002 and provided $50,000 in al Qaeda money that ultimately reached the terror group Jemaah Islamiyah. The funds allegedly were used to finance the August 2003 bombing of the J.W.Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, which killed 11 people and wounded more than 180…

Posted in 2Bangkok News | Leave a comment

Buffett’s Berkshire muscles into Thai reinsurance

Buffett’s Berkshire muscles into Thai reinsurance – ibtimes.com, February 23, 2012
…Berkshire will offer to write 100 percent of the business or none at all, a third executive said.
The sources quoted in this story declined to be named for fear of damaging their relationship with Berkshire…

Posted in Business | Leave a comment

Phuket tourist cheats spark foreign diplomat intervention

Phuket tourist cheats spark foreign diplomat intervention – phuketgazette.net, February 23, 2012
…Mr Chumpol said that the problem of tourism cheats operating in Phuket has become an international issue that calls for immediate action.
The most common rip-off schemes that tourists face include overpriced products and services, low-quality products, low-standard services and exaggerated damage claims on broken items, said the report.
Meanwhile, the Tourism and Sports Ministry will launch a blacklist of jewelry shops that sell low-quality items at inflated prices, it was announced…

Posted in Scams | Leave a comment

Thai-language Headlines of February 23, 2012

Komchadluek, February 23, 2012
- Iran implicated Jews as being behind the hiring of rebels to set up the Bangkok blasts.
- Director-general of Royal Irrigation Department dismissed.
- 2 decrees to borrow money to urgently deal with floods and water management were approved.
- Exposed!! The former drug dealer became a local politician and bought positions for police in Chiang Rai. [meaning he helped police officers buy their promotions] Then arrested Sanam Luang residents in drugs case to make a good image for their performance. [meaning they rounded up many people--many who were probably innocent--to make it look like they were doing a good job]

Thairath, February 23, 2012
- The Constitution Court clarified that the 2 decrees will solve the flood crisis as emergency cases.
- Royal Irrigation Department dismissed the director-general.
- Secret code stickers were found around the Israel Embassy. [referring to the stickers allegedly left by terrorists]
- The protest to support and oppose the constitution amendments met up in front of the parliament.
- Arrested – the cruel capitalist who hired huntsmen to kill elephants.

Daily News, February 23, 2012
- The Constitution Court ruled that two executive decrees related to water management and post-flood rehabilitation and debt management issued by the cabinet do not violate the constitution.
- Four more stickers were found with a secret code related to the bombing plot.
- His Majesty the King went to take a look at the Chaophaya River.
- Mr. Chalit was removed from his post at the Royal Irrigation Department.

Matichon, February 23, 2012
- PM Poo [Yingluck] was relieved after the Constitution Court ruled that two executive decrees did not violate the constitution. For the decree for the transfer of full responsibility for the 1.14 trillion baht of debt, the judges voted 7-2 that it complied with the charter.
- The lecturer pointed out that stickers with the word “Sejeal” was a set-up against Iran.
- MPs were ordered to be in the House of Parliament from 9:00-24:00 with the intention to discuss the amendment of the constitution.
- PM Poo [Yingluck] insisted that females should never give up and pushed for the Woman Organization Funds with 4 objectives.

Posted in Thai newspaper headlines | Leave a comment

Thai Wildlife Group Raided for Criticizing Elephant Poaching

Thai Wildlife Group Raided for Criticizing Elephant Poaching – VOA, February 22, 2012
…”This is all lies, intimidation, only because we speak up about the illegal trade in elephants in Thailand and the illegal wildlife trade within Thailand. A cover-up for the criminals done by the Department of National Parks,” said Wiek.
Wiek says park officials showed up after he published letters in Thai media in January that questioned their accounts of how elephants were killed at national parks…

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Vintage Thai Music Goes Global

Vintage Thai Music Goes Global – WSJ, February 23, 2012
…Most people won’t be aware that there was once a really thriving recording industry in Thailand…

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Israeli’s False Flag Operations

False Flag – foreignpolicy.com, January 13, 2012
[Notable article from last month... Thanks to Tom for pointing out.]
…A series of CIA memos describes how Israeli Mossad agents posed as American spies to recruit members of the terrorist organization Jundallah to fight their covert war against Iran.
…The report [on the false-flag operation] then made its way to the White House, according to the currently serving U.S. intelligence officer. The officer said that Bush “went absolutely ballistic” when briefed on its contents…

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More articles on the Bangkok bombings

Convoluted fuse to Bangkok bombs – atimes.com, February 24, 2012
…It remains to be seen, however, how aggressively the Thai authorities – perennially reluctant to be dragged into the maelstrom of Middle Eastern conflict – will choose to pursue the investigations or request assistance from Tehran. In the final analysis, Thailand has little to gain and possibly much to lose from establishing publicly and with certainty either the innocence or guilt of the Iranian government.
Indeed, the best pointer to the affair’s likely outcome is the fate of Atris Hussein, the Lebanese-Swedish businessman with suspected links to Iran-allied Lebanese Hezbollah, whose January arrest was followed by the seizure of four tons of explosives he and his associates had amassed in a warehouse on the edge of Bangkok. Hussein is to be charged with possession of restricted substances and may serve a few years in a Thai jail in a case that will soon be quietly forgotten.

Bomb plot shows Thailand’s security gaps – news24.com, February 23, 2012
…”There has been so much disarray in Thai politics and Thailand’s political class has been so focused on other things that having a serious discussion on matters like security hasn’t been possible,” said Michael Montesano, a research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.
Thailand’s national police “has capable people aware of threats to foreign targets on Thai soil”, he said.
“But like members of bureaucracies anywhere they face big challenges in terms of co-ordination with other parts of the government,” Montesano said.
“We need someone to move beyond this state of denial and take real leadership. If recent events prove a wake-up call for the Thais to evolve capacities, it would be a blessing in disguise.”

Was Bangkok Just the Start? – the-diplomat.com, February 23, 2012
…Ultimately, analysts see more strikes aimed at civilians, not unlike the 2008 Mumbai attack that left 257 dead and another 700 wounded. However, such strikes will be increasingly based around far-flung reasons with little local relevance, such as with Iran’s nuclear program and its ties with Hezbollah.
Boyd predicts more Mumbai-style attacks in Asia, and says Sabah in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are obvious staging grounds…

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A shadow war from Bangkok to Baku

A shadow war from Bangkok to Baku – CNN, February 22, 2012
…Several analysts consulted by CNN say elements within or associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard are likely responsible for the recent plots. One branch of the Guard, the Quds Force, is responsible for covert operations overseas.
…”We see what is happening in India, Georgia and Thailand. It is the same pattern. The same bomb, the same lab, the same factory,” Yaalon told the newspaper Maariv.
Nasr says that the Quds Force is capable of highly professional operations. It may be deliberately mounting unsophisticated, easily discovered plots to try to scare the West – and to demonstrate that it can carry out attacks anywhere in the world.
The Quds Force was also implicated in a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States last year…

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Mahaprachachon, February 3-9, 2012

Mahaprachachon, February 3-9, 2012
Headline: White army supports drug trafficking gang [white army meaning a pure and drug-free army]
Text: Does Ya Ba-Ya Ice[amphetamine-ice] make the white army dirty after a major of the Engineering Battalion of the Region 3 Army was accused of being part of a billion-baht drug gang? He [a major, according to other news] was charged two years ago and his assets confiscated. But why has his supervisor supported him, not found fault with him or fired him, instead allowing him to continue in his post?

Mahaprachachon, February 3-9, 2012
The headline reads: Retrace Thai society’s reconciliation plan [the photos are of various figures who have loomed large in hopes for reconciliation for Red Shirts--Chavolit, Sanan, and Chalerm]

Mahaprachachon, February 3-9, 2012
The headline reads: Why must the new constitution [amendment] be done so slowly?
Text: Puea Thai should always understand that the party’s victory, which resulted in so many people gaining power, was the consequence of the fight for democracy by people willing to sacrifice their blood or flesh or life, those who are opposed to dictatorship and want a democratic constitution that is at least similar to the 1997 version.
[This is an unusual and rare article that apparently shows small cracks in the normally lockstep relationship between the Red Shirts and the government.]

Mahaprachachon, February 3-9, 2012
The headlines read: Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena, elder statesman of Thailand
Chapter 1 – General Phraya Phahon Phonphayuhasena’s biography
Photo caption: General Phraya Phahon dressed in the military uniform of the Royal Siamese Army Command Department after resigning from the German army ahead of furthering his studies in Denmark.
[Phraya Phahon is the second Thai PM and was the leader of Khana Ratsadon who carried out the Revolution of 1932. Besides the issue of bringing up the historical account of those who overthrew monarchies, the intention is to make a comparison between Phraya Phahon, who stepped down from power and left political life, and Privy Councilor Prem who is still on the political scene even after he has stepped down from power in 1988.]

Posted in Red Shirt Publications | 1 Comment

Urgent press releases advising Thailand on human rights issues

The last week has seen an unusual number of urgent press releases advising Thailand on human rights issues:

February 16 – Thailand: Growing Threats To Political Freedom In Thailand

February 17 – Website editor’s trial resumes, court hears defence witnesses

February 19 – THAILAND: Continued impunity for enforced disappearance in Thailand

February 20 – THAILAND: Trial of ten activists charged for protesting against undemocratic legislation tomorrow

February 22 – THAILAND: Thai Civil Society and Human Rights Coalition urged the government to uphold Human Rights Standard and Obligations

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Thai-language Headlines of February 22, 2012

Komchadluek, February 22, 2012
- Jews praised that Thais are great in investigating terrorism.
- Three southern terrorists attacked and legally killed. Teachers in the southern area will propose the government pay 7.5 million baht for rehabilitation. [7.5 million mirroring the amount the government proposes to give to those hurt or killed in the 2012 Red Shirt protests]
- A deadline will be in 30 days–Poo must clarify about the Four Seasons issue. [referring to the meeting the Pm had with business leaders at the Four Seasons Hotel]
- Alderman of Sriracha was murdered.
- Stepfather surrendered himself, but he denied that he raped the 15-year-old girl.

Thairath, February 22, 2012
- Kazahi questioned for 5 hours straight, but he didn’t implicate others. [referring to the Iranian terrorism suspect]
- Three southern terrorists legally killed. They attacked officials for 30 minutes.
- The Four Seasons Hotel does not allow other people and media to go up to the 7th Fl. [site of the clandestine meeting between the PM and business leaders]
- Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management or SCWRM reported to HM the King about water management plans.

Matichon, February 22, 2012
- The court president says don’t panic. The government is excited that two controversial executive financial decrees on water and debt management will be judged this afternoon.
- The Red Shirts reserved the area in front of the council to keep watch on the constitution amendment.
- The police confirmed that Nurosi was the leader of the bomb blast gang.
- DSI found that 101 students were victims of the university management team’s scam. The students all were sued by Krungthai Bank about money loans for studying, but none of them took out loans. [refers to a scam run by university staff to take out loans under students' names]

Daily News, February 22, 2012
- There was confirmation that stickers indicated the intention to mark [the site of] an assassination. [referring to the stickers terrorists left to mark locations to attack Israeli diplomats]
- There was excitement to wait for the decision of constitution court concerning the two decrees.
- A gang took children from their parents (who owed money) to work off the debts by forcing them to take drugs and to dress as novices to collect offerings and donations.
- The house of a Thai country song female singer was robbed.

Posted in Thai newspaper headlines | Leave a comment

Talk of a Power Struggle in Naypyidaw

Talk of a Power Struggle in Naypyidaw – The Irrawaddy, February 22, 2012
…The question mainly stemmed from a current parliamentary debate over Shwe Mann’s proposal on Feb. 7 that the country should increase the salaries of state employees in an effort to tackle corruption and to implement the new government’s slogans of “clean government and good governance.”
Though his proposal was unanimously approved in Parliament on that day, three government ministers led by Minister of Finance Hla Tun later dismissed it in a parliamentary briefing on the grounds that the move would worsen the country’s currency inflation and budget deficit which the government announced stands at more than US $2 billion…

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Photos Show Alleged Iran Bombs Hidden in $27 Radio


(Source: ABC News)

Photos Show Alleged Iran Bombs Hidden in $27 Radio – ABC, February 22, 2012
…Israeli authorities and U.S. bomb experts say the bomb in the photos is strikingly similar to those used in other attacks last week in the republic of Georgia and India. “While there are small differences,” said one U.S. expert, “they appear to be factory made…”

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Yingluck Sings

Thai media (and the public) is obsessed with female singers. When the singer is the Prime Minister, there is even more of a frenzy. Clips of her performance have been featured multiple times on Thai TV.

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Failed Bombings in Thailand, India Indicate Weaknesses in Iranian Espionage

Failed Bombings in Thailand, India Indicate Weaknesses in Iranian Espionage – worldpoliticsreview.com, February 21, 2012
…“The Iranians place great emphasis on reciprocity in the relationship to the outside world,” said Eisenstadt. “They are always tit for tat.”
“These attacks basically send the message: You killed our scientists with these kinds of bombs, we’ll kill your diplomats with these kinds of bombs,” he said. “It’s almost a modus operandi of the way the Iranians work. They very often use the same mode to strike back at their enemies.”
…“They often leave a lot of fingerprints at the scene of the crime. They have left a trail in almost every major operation they’ve been involved in, so we’ve been able to figure out their role,” he said. “Even going back to the 1980s, to the ‘heyday’ of their terrorist operations, they did a lot of stupid things…”

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Weekly News Magazines, February 17, 2012

From Nation Weekend, February 17, 2012
The cover reads: A man of the February - Mr. Srettha Thavisin
[This refers to the PM skipped a House session to secretly meet Mr. Srettha, a property tycoon, at the Four Seasons Hotel. The purpose and subject of this meeting has become a political hot potato.]

From Matichon, Weekly, February 17, 2012
The cover reads: Orchestra – To Killing  a ‘Female’
[The Democratic Party as a team threw questions and put pressure on PM Yingluck to explain her skipping a House meeting to privately meeting with Mr. Srettha Thavisin. The magazine compares the argument to hurt the PM with an orchestra.]

Posted in Thai Newspapers and Magazines | Leave a comment

Five Years Ago Today: Before the Red Shirts

Five Years Ago Today: Before the Red Shirts
Before the Red Shirts, before the DAAD yellow shirts’ attack on Prem’s residence, there was the original organization agitating for Thaksin: PTV.
This all happened during Thaksin’s Revolutionary Season (as did the 2009 and 2010 protests). These PTV protests were rudimentary with crowds composed of clumps of impassive men who showed little interest in the fiery speakers.

Posted in Today in History | Leave a comment

Seven Years Ago Today: Translation of a leaflet left by ‘bandits’ in the deep South


(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)

Seven Years Ago Today: Translation of a leaflet left by ‘bandits’ in the deep South

Posted in Today in History | Leave a comment

Tricks

From Thairath, January 29, 2012
Cartoon reads: Tricks
Upper left: An old trick is to serve a dish of bear’s paw. The new trick is to serve elephant’s penis! [referring to the elephant hunting and eating scandal]
Upper middle: An old trick is to sniff glue to arouse oneself. The new trick is to sniff women’s underwear! [referring to the man arrested for stealing women's underwear]
Upper right: An old trick is to protest by closing the road. The new trick is to protest while scantily clad! [referring to a protester who took off her clothes]
Lower left: The old trick is to beware of green mambas. The new trick is to beware of black widow spiders! [referring to a man who apparently died from a spider bite]
Lower middle: The old trick is to burn tires. The new trick is to take care of the rubber price! [referring to the government that came to power through popularity gained through past protests when tires were burned and which is now supporting rubber prices]
Lower right: An old trick is to put PTT in the stock market. The new trick is to include PTT in the Vayupak Fund! [referring to government moves to privatize PTT and fears that lowering the government stake in the company would allow foreigners to control it]

Posted in Editorial Cartoons | Leave a comment