Good afternoon,

The mounting problems facing informal workers in Thailand are explained in this article in the Bangkok Post. As they are not covered by labour laws and have no access to social security, the informal workers have been squeezed by employers and intermediaries over the last couple of years so that their income has diminished considerably and their health threatened as they have had to work ever harder to try to keep their heads above water. Although it would be expensive, what is necessary is for a major increase in the social welfare system to prevent these kinds of abuses and for greater fairness and equality in society. The likelihood of the current government doing anything to help the poor is, unfortunately, not very high.

The ASEAN Summit has ended and the various governmental leaders have made the usual noises about greater economic co-operation, the free flow of capital and so forth. It remains to be seen what changes will actually come about and whether the mentioned human rights mechanism or body is actually established and is able to do anything.

More on the decapitated head case: “Police investigation leader Jongrak Jutanont said there were difficulties as it was the first case of its kind in Thailand. But his team managed to establish what had happened within four days.” Indeed, in what way is this the first case of its kind? There have been no murder/suicides before? No hangings? No Italians? No severed heads? What does it mean?

Back tomorrow.

The Premiership is over-rated anyway and it is no fun to watch the lads on the television when I can just wait for the internet results in the morning. Sigh.