All the links have been from the Bangkok Post or the Nation so I would think that everything is pretty well covered by them from a legal angle.nevets wrote:As i see it LM doesn't have to be connected to them but talking about government thing in a criticising way . And also a case of defamation can be made against anyone even if what you said was true.
Thailand Corruption Watch
I think that you mean this link, Pete:prcscct wrote:I don't agree with that interpretation at all Nevets. However, I'll leave it to Admin to decide. See below link and scan down to the 'Thailand' section. Pete
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lèse_majesté
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A8se_majest%C3%A9
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
Yes, sorry about that. This thread is going to get locked just because of this side issue we find ourselves stuck on. Let's leave LM alone until Admin comments. Pete 
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Their little minds are always working, aren't they. Even in the face of extreme disaster and death of others, their foremost thought is how they can deceive and profit. Sad. 
Pete
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... heft-probe
Pete http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... heft-probe
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/securit ... questioned
News » Security
DEFENCE
Army's APC, airship deals questioned
* Published: 4/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post
The opposition-dominated house committee on military affairs has questioned the transparency of the army's payment of 350 million baht for an airship and 4 billion baht for 96 armoured personnel carriers.
The committee yesterday invited the army and the Office of the Auditor-General to answer questions about the airship and the armoured personnel carriers.
The committee had earlier heard submissions from the army over its purchase of the GT200 bomb scanner.
Puea Thai Party MP for Nakhon Ratchasima Somchai Phesprasert, the committee chairman, said the panel was concerned that the purchases could be another waste of state funds in the same vein as the disastrous procurement of the GT200 bomb detectors.
Even countries with terrorist problems such as the US and Israel had not used the type of airship Thailand had purchased.
The southern region has a long rainy season of up to eight months a year which made it impractical to capture pictures of the ground from an airship, he said.
Maj Gen Wut Wimuktalop, chief of the Department of Army Transportation who represented army chief Anupong Paojinda yesterday, said the army had yet to begin using the airship because the link between the ground control units and the vessel had still to be completed.
Usnai Fueangpolnuch, head of the Ordnance Department's industrial centre, said the army had settled problems resulting in the delay to the delivery of the BTR-3E1 armoured personnel carriers from Ukraine.
Germany, which was to supply the engines for the carriers to the Ukrainian manufacturers, had promised to provide an equal type of engine, not an "upgraded one".
However, deputy auditor-general Pisit Leelawatcharopas said the OAG would examine the engines again because it was worried they might be Russian-made engines modified to deceive Thailand that they were German-made.
EDIT: Related story
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/securit ... -can-t-fly
News » Security
DEFENCE
Army's APC, airship deals questioned
* Published: 4/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post
The opposition-dominated house committee on military affairs has questioned the transparency of the army's payment of 350 million baht for an airship and 4 billion baht for 96 armoured personnel carriers.
The committee yesterday invited the army and the Office of the Auditor-General to answer questions about the airship and the armoured personnel carriers.
The committee had earlier heard submissions from the army over its purchase of the GT200 bomb scanner.
Puea Thai Party MP for Nakhon Ratchasima Somchai Phesprasert, the committee chairman, said the panel was concerned that the purchases could be another waste of state funds in the same vein as the disastrous procurement of the GT200 bomb detectors.
Even countries with terrorist problems such as the US and Israel had not used the type of airship Thailand had purchased.
The southern region has a long rainy season of up to eight months a year which made it impractical to capture pictures of the ground from an airship, he said.
Maj Gen Wut Wimuktalop, chief of the Department of Army Transportation who represented army chief Anupong Paojinda yesterday, said the army had yet to begin using the airship because the link between the ground control units and the vessel had still to be completed.
Usnai Fueangpolnuch, head of the Ordnance Department's industrial centre, said the army had settled problems resulting in the delay to the delivery of the BTR-3E1 armoured personnel carriers from Ukraine.
Germany, which was to supply the engines for the carriers to the Ukrainian manufacturers, had promised to provide an equal type of engine, not an "upgraded one".
However, deputy auditor-general Pisit Leelawatcharopas said the OAG would examine the engines again because it was worried they might be Russian-made engines modified to deceive Thailand that they were German-made.
EDIT: Related story
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/securit ... -can-t-fly
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Thailand Corruption Watch
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... lice-force
Opinion » Opinion
EDITORIAL
Deadly graft in police force
* Published: 15/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post
The death of Pol Col Sompien Eksomya by a bomb in Yala province last week was a sad and serious murder. The officer was in the last months of a long, dedicated career. He had served his country and people in far-flung regions in a truly heroic manner. But the emerging story behind this tragic death casts an appalling shadow over the Royal Thai Police, its commanders and the government ministers in charge. Indeed, to put it bluntly, it appears that Pol Col Sompien died because he had neither the personal influence nor the money to buy the post he deserved, out of the line of fire.
The death of the brave police colonel by an insurgent's bomb in the deep South should emphasise the credibility and urgency of similar, serious allegations by senior officers just a month ago. That was when three policemen halted the annual police reshuffle by lodging complaints that they failed to get assignments they had apparently earned. Two police colonels and a lieutenant colonel lodged complaints with the office of the chief that they were assigned to "second class police stations" despite stellar performance reports. In other words, like the late Pol Col Sompien, they were shunted aside because they lacked the cash needed to buy an assignment.
There were predictable reactions from the police hierarchy at the complaints. Pol Gen Pateep Tanprasert and other top officers insisted on keeping the problem "in house" where they could control it, and recommended setting up a committee to investigate the allegations. The first step would be to determine if the charges of demands for graft in exchange for promotions and assignments were true. Well, of course, every adult Thai can guess the truth. This allegedly has long been part of the culture of the police department, under many chiefs and governments. If the top police generals appear to be shocked at such charges, they are better actors than commanders.
The grim reality within the police department is that subordinates reputedly pay superiors for the necessary backing which brings promotions and attractive or meaningful assignments. There are certainly many exceptions - honest police officers who refuse to play this dirty game. But the practice is said to be widespread.
The case of Pol Col Sompien is clearly as tragic as it was heroic. And there is no doubt of the officer's heroism. His entire career was in hardship positions, mostly in the South. "The fighter at Budo mountain", a Songkhla native, had asked superiors, then Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for a compassionate reassignment from dangerous Banang Sata district. After 40 years, he wanted to transfer to his home province of Trang and work until his official retirement on Oct 1. He was turned down, and an insurgent bomb took his life.
Investigative reporting by a journalist at Isra Institute of the Thai Press Development Foundation revealed that Pol Col Sompien openly believed he was given dangerous assignments because he lacked the tea money necessary for a less stressful post. He was one of 10 officers who applied for the position in Trang, and told friends in and off the force that he had neither the connections nor cash to "buy" the position.
There is a way to honour the tragic death of this undoubtedly brave and honest policemen. That is to begin immediately a serious, independent investigation to uncover the depth of the corrupt practice of buying positions within the police force. Then, it will be necessary to purge the senior officers involved, cut ties with corrupt, enabling politicians, and make the Royal Thai Police an honest organisation. Prime Minister Abhisit should start this action by explaining his role in the events that led to the death of Pol Col Sompien.
Opinion » Opinion
EDITORIAL
Deadly graft in police force
* Published: 15/03/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post
The death of Pol Col Sompien Eksomya by a bomb in Yala province last week was a sad and serious murder. The officer was in the last months of a long, dedicated career. He had served his country and people in far-flung regions in a truly heroic manner. But the emerging story behind this tragic death casts an appalling shadow over the Royal Thai Police, its commanders and the government ministers in charge. Indeed, to put it bluntly, it appears that Pol Col Sompien died because he had neither the personal influence nor the money to buy the post he deserved, out of the line of fire.
The death of the brave police colonel by an insurgent's bomb in the deep South should emphasise the credibility and urgency of similar, serious allegations by senior officers just a month ago. That was when three policemen halted the annual police reshuffle by lodging complaints that they failed to get assignments they had apparently earned. Two police colonels and a lieutenant colonel lodged complaints with the office of the chief that they were assigned to "second class police stations" despite stellar performance reports. In other words, like the late Pol Col Sompien, they were shunted aside because they lacked the cash needed to buy an assignment.
There were predictable reactions from the police hierarchy at the complaints. Pol Gen Pateep Tanprasert and other top officers insisted on keeping the problem "in house" where they could control it, and recommended setting up a committee to investigate the allegations. The first step would be to determine if the charges of demands for graft in exchange for promotions and assignments were true. Well, of course, every adult Thai can guess the truth. This allegedly has long been part of the culture of the police department, under many chiefs and governments. If the top police generals appear to be shocked at such charges, they are better actors than commanders.
The grim reality within the police department is that subordinates reputedly pay superiors for the necessary backing which brings promotions and attractive or meaningful assignments. There are certainly many exceptions - honest police officers who refuse to play this dirty game. But the practice is said to be widespread.
The case of Pol Col Sompien is clearly as tragic as it was heroic. And there is no doubt of the officer's heroism. His entire career was in hardship positions, mostly in the South. "The fighter at Budo mountain", a Songkhla native, had asked superiors, then Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for a compassionate reassignment from dangerous Banang Sata district. After 40 years, he wanted to transfer to his home province of Trang and work until his official retirement on Oct 1. He was turned down, and an insurgent bomb took his life.
Investigative reporting by a journalist at Isra Institute of the Thai Press Development Foundation revealed that Pol Col Sompien openly believed he was given dangerous assignments because he lacked the tea money necessary for a less stressful post. He was one of 10 officers who applied for the position in Trang, and told friends in and off the force that he had neither the connections nor cash to "buy" the position.
There is a way to honour the tragic death of this undoubtedly brave and honest policemen. That is to begin immediately a serious, independent investigation to uncover the depth of the corrupt practice of buying positions within the police force. Then, it will be necessary to purge the senior officers involved, cut ties with corrupt, enabling politicians, and make the Royal Thai Police an honest organisation. Prime Minister Abhisit should start this action by explaining his role in the events that led to the death of Pol Col Sompien.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Thailand Corruption Watch
More follow up to the above editorial, giving the sad details. Pete
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... or-justice
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... or-justice
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source