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Thai military sees red over critical comments, warns dissident
Source: Reuter
Mon Nov 2, 2015
BANGKOK
BANGKOK
BY AMY SAWITTA LEFEVRE AND AUKKARAPON NIYOMYAT
Thai soldiers warned the daughter of an assassinated dissident commander on Monday not to do anything to disturb the country after she staged a symbolic protest in support of ousted former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
The army seized power in a coup in 2014, toppling Yingluck's government in another convulsion in a decade of confrontation between the establishment and Yingluck's brother, former telecoms tycoon and ousted populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The military government has banned gatherings and put controls on the media while Thaksin remains abroad to avoid a graft conviction he says was politically motivated and Yingluck faces her own corruption charges that she too denies.
Khattiyah Sawasdipol, daughter of a prominent pro-Thaksin military commander, posted a picture of herself on Sunday wearing a red shirt, the colour Thaksin and his supporters adopted to set themselves apart from the yellow of their royalist, pro-military establishment rivals.
She also posted comments critical of junta leader Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, prompting the warning.
"They wanted to meet me over comments I posted and told me not to do anything to disturb the country," Khattiyah told Reuters.
"I said I am a politician and if I see something wrong I need to speak."
Junta spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree declined to comment.
A sniper shot dead Khattiyah's father, Major-General Khattiya Sawasdipol, on a Bangkok street while he was overseeing a protest by Thaksin's supporters against the then pro-establishment government in May, 2010. No one has been charged with his killing.
Thaksin has been keeping a low profile, and has told his supporters to bide their time, since last year's coup but on Sunday he also posted a picture of himself wearing red.
"I, like the red shirts, want to see the return of justice and democracy," Thaksin said on Instagram.
"Whoever wants to win the heart of red-shirted people can do it easily. You don't have to use a gun ... Just use a kind heart," he said.
Any call by Thaksin to his disgruntled supporters to confront the military would ramp up tension at a time the country is apprehensive about the health of ailing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
There is no sign Thaksin has any intention of doing that but the military is wary, an analyst said.
"Thaksin's message hit a chord of the reality which is there has been no attempt to address the grievances of the red shirt movement since the coup," said Sunai Phasuk, researcher at Human Rights Watch.
(Editing by Robert Birsel)
Global deflation watch: Thailand still stuck
Source: Financial Time
if you missed it overnight, Thailand is mired in its 10th month of deflation, as the latest figures highlight the junta's failure to revive the ailing economy, and serving as a reminder that the threat of deflation extends well beyond Europe and other developed economies.
Consumer prices fell 0.77% compared to the same month last year, against expectations of 0.97%. Inflation climbed 0.2% on the month, as anticipated.
Consumer sentiment has been weak since the coup in May 2014. The military has cracked down on security and dissent, while the influential 87-year old king remains ill. The battle for power between the military and the supporters of populist ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has also continued unabated.
Thai exports, the traditional motor of the economy, slumped 5.4% YoY in September for the ninth straight month. They are likely to weaken further as Chinese growth slows. China is one of Thailand's largest trading partners.
Somkid Jatusripitak, the deputy prime minister and former Thaksin ally, is pushing ahead with economic reforms which include plans to shake up state-owned enterprises, but these will take some time to implement.
The Thais and Japanese expect to complete negotiations in a few months over Japanese investment in a railway to link western Thailand to Bangkok and Laem Chabang, Thailand's biggest deepsea port, Mr Somkid said today. The Japanese government has been vying fiercely with the Chinese to win infrastructure projects for its corporates, as both countries seek to deepen their influence in South-east Asia. The Japanese have been offering attractive funding terms.
Earlier today, Fitch Ratings reiterated its stable outlook and BBB+ rating for Thailand, but expects growth of only 2.7 per cent for 2015, and 3.4 per cent for 2016 when tourism revenue should rise. The country's public finances remain a positive, Fitch said.
Interest rates are currently at 1.5% and likely to remain so when the policy committee of the Bank of Thailand meets next week. Some economists expect a rate cut.
Thai soldiers warned the daughter of an assassinated dissident commander on Monday not to do anything to disturb the country after she staged a symbolic protest in support of ousted former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
The army seized power in a coup in 2014, toppling Yingluck's government in another convulsion in a decade of confrontation between the establishment and Yingluck's brother, former telecoms tycoon and ousted populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The military government has banned gatherings and put controls on the media while Thaksin remains abroad to avoid a graft conviction he says was politically motivated and Yingluck faces her own corruption charges that she too denies.
Khattiyah Sawasdipol, daughter of a prominent pro-Thaksin military commander, posted a picture of herself on Sunday wearing a red shirt, the colour Thaksin and his supporters adopted to set themselves apart from the yellow of their royalist, pro-military establishment rivals.
She also posted comments critical of junta leader Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, prompting the warning.
"They wanted to meet me over comments I posted and told me not to do anything to disturb the country," Khattiyah told Reuters.
"I said I am a politician and if I see something wrong I need to speak."
Junta spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree declined to comment.
A sniper shot dead Khattiyah's father, Major-General Khattiya Sawasdipol, on a Bangkok street while he was overseeing a protest by Thaksin's supporters against the then pro-establishment government in May, 2010. No one has been charged with his killing.
Thaksin has been keeping a low profile, and has told his supporters to bide their time, since last year's coup but on Sunday he also posted a picture of himself wearing red.
"I, like the red shirts, want to see the return of justice and democracy," Thaksin said on Instagram.
"Whoever wants to win the heart of red-shirted people can do it easily. You don't have to use a gun ... Just use a kind heart," he said.
Any call by Thaksin to his disgruntled supporters to confront the military would ramp up tension at a time the country is apprehensive about the health of ailing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
There is no sign Thaksin has any intention of doing that but the military is wary, an analyst said.
"Thaksin's message hit a chord of the reality which is there has been no attempt to address the grievances of the red shirt movement since the coup," said Sunai Phasuk, researcher at Human Rights Watch.
(Editing by Robert Birsel)
ooo
Global deflation watch: Thailand still stuck
Source: Financial Time
if you missed it overnight, Thailand is mired in its 10th month of deflation, as the latest figures highlight the junta's failure to revive the ailing economy, and serving as a reminder that the threat of deflation extends well beyond Europe and other developed economies.
Consumer prices fell 0.77% compared to the same month last year, against expectations of 0.97%. Inflation climbed 0.2% on the month, as anticipated.
Consumer sentiment has been weak since the coup in May 2014. The military has cracked down on security and dissent, while the influential 87-year old king remains ill. The battle for power between the military and the supporters of populist ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has also continued unabated.
Thai exports, the traditional motor of the economy, slumped 5.4% YoY in September for the ninth straight month. They are likely to weaken further as Chinese growth slows. China is one of Thailand's largest trading partners.
Somkid Jatusripitak, the deputy prime minister and former Thaksin ally, is pushing ahead with economic reforms which include plans to shake up state-owned enterprises, but these will take some time to implement.
The Thais and Japanese expect to complete negotiations in a few months over Japanese investment in a railway to link western Thailand to Bangkok and Laem Chabang, Thailand's biggest deepsea port, Mr Somkid said today. The Japanese government has been vying fiercely with the Chinese to win infrastructure projects for its corporates, as both countries seek to deepen their influence in South-east Asia. The Japanese have been offering attractive funding terms.
Earlier today, Fitch Ratings reiterated its stable outlook and BBB+ rating for Thailand, but expects growth of only 2.7 per cent for 2015, and 3.4 per cent for 2016 when tourism revenue should rise. The country's public finances remain a positive, Fitch said.
Interest rates are currently at 1.5% and likely to remain so when the policy committee of the Bank of Thailand meets next week. Some economists expect a rate cut.
