THE FIRST CASUALTY in the Thai-Cambodian conflict is truth. Until today, both countries have continued to insist that the first shot was fired by the other side on October 15 at 2.30pm. In addition, the Cambodian side said its troops captured two Thai soldiers while the Thai army denied the news reports and dismissed the photos showing two Thai prisoners in casual pose released by a major wire service obtained from the Cambodian side as old photos. Several days later, neither side has bothered to substantiate their claims.
To its credit, the Democrat Party is pushing for a dissolution of Parliament and new election as a way forward from the current deadlock. What do the 2007 election results tell us about their prospects?
ON OCTOBER 20, 2008, the National Rice Policy Committee (NRP Committee) approved the rice pledging programme for the upcoming main crop with the pledging price of Bt12,000 per tonne for rice paddy, Bt15,000 per tonne for Hommali paddy, and Bt9,000 per tonne for glutinous paddy. I would commend the current NRP Committee in the existing government for lowering the pledging price, which the previous NRP Committee approved at a very high level of Bt14,000 per tonne of rice paddy and Bt16,000 per tonne for Hommali paddy. This action would save the financial loss by Bt2,000 per tonne for rice paddy and Bt1,000 per tonne for Hommali paddy.
Thaksin says that "I was convicted [of corruption in the land sale] simply because I was a politician… [the court] did not convict my wife because she is not a politician."