Good afternoon,

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan – who is widely believed to have been one of those culpable of the 2006 military coup – is claiming that the army will lead ‘national reconciliation.’ This means that the pro-democracy supporters will be suppressed (you might recall the 88-year old General Prem Tinsulanonda - widely-believed etc – claiming that he would die happy* if a third cavalry division were created and deployed in the northeast of the country (where the pro-democracy movement is very strong and the people very poor)). Prawit apparently did not explain why this national reconciliation policy was not in place during the illegal seizure of government house and the two international airports, when the army shamefully claimed to be ‘neutral’ and not intervening in politics. I am not making this up.

Wrongly-appointed Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya – who repeatedly spoke on the PAD stage in favour of the illegal seizure of the airports – and who is one of the PAD’s leading cabinet members, claims that Thailand should be more ‘strategic and pro-active’ in shaping the Thai-US relationship. Perhaps Khun Kasit could lead his fascist yellow-shirted frends to occupy the US Embassy and see whether that tactic will work when a proper military service is involved.

Another 600 workers in the automotive industry have been laid off in Nakhon Ratchasima by a Japanese firm. The company is accused of not properly compensating the workers, although the law protects employers to a considerable extent in these circumstances. These are very dark days for the Thai working classes.

My new article on Hegel has been published at Socyberty.

Back on Monday.

Big one tonight – honest Biscuitmen against the roguish Hornets. I predict 0-0 with Mr Ghost missing a sitter at the end.

* must not make obvious comment.