Good morning,

Rangoon residents have continued their protests against the doubling of fuel prices, despite fear of reprisals from the military government (http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8319). Demonstrators face up to 20 years in prison, although they promise to continue with their brave protests. 13 people have been arrested by the military and the US government has called for them to be released (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=121048). This Irrawaddy journalist questions whether the fuel rise is the first step towards privatization or a means of sparking protests which can then be used as a pretext for more intensive crack downs on dissidents (http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8318).

Junta-appointed ‘prime minister’ General Surayud Chulanont has been visiting Malaysia and there is some speculation that the Malaysian will assist in establishing an Islamic bank here (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31202) and also co-operate with trying to suppress the insurgency in the South (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31188). The Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand (IMT) Growth Triangle idea also seems to have been revivified, which is interesting. These concepts always seem to be viable and useful but very rarely come into being because of what are usually termed ‘political problems.’

After boring people for months with transparent nonsense about having no money, the Democrat Party has admitted massive donations of money, with 100 million baht donated in July alone (that’s around US3 million, an enormous amount in Thai politics) (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30046081). Workshy quisling Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva clearly fancies himself as prime minister. Well, it looks like he just fancies himself.

Back tomorrow at some stage.