From Thairath, August 11, 2013
Cartoon title: Amazing… Thailand
Top left: Having high technology to spy on people with different thoughts [referring to the use of drone to monitor anti-government protests]
Top middle: Providing free oil right on the beach [reference is to the oil spill at Samet Island]
Top right: Offering free accommodations to people who are too carefree using Facebook. [refers to polices threats to charge people who “like” anti-government posts or rumors on Facebook]
Bottom left: Creating the world’s biggest rubber stamp. The stamp reads: Reform Council. [Reference is to the government’s idea to set up a ‘political reform council’ to find resolution for the country’s political deadlock. Thaksin opponents fear this is merely another method to legitimize the government continuing attempts to pass an amnesty bill.]
Bottom middle: Governing the country via a remote control [Reference is to Thaksin Shinawatra’s call-ins to cabinet meetings and the belief that he is ultimately behind all government decisions.]
Bottom right: The parliament acts as a final judge in lieu of the court. [Since May when Red Shirts and the Pheu Thai Party attempted to pressure the court over potential rulings, there is fear among the opposition that the Phue Thai-led government intends to disregard future court rulings that it does not wish to follow.]