Good morning,

The change in attitude to the Thaksin era policies of promoting grassroots development continues apace. After years of trying to demonise the projects, calling them ‘populist’ and mainly intended for vote-buying and having junta-appointed judges label them as ‘corrupt,’ most people are now starting to change their tune (there are some who refuse to do so, even now). It remains to be seen, as I wrote yesterday or the day before or something, to what extent the PADemocrat government will go ahead with continuing these policies both in rhetoric and in reality – there is not much confidence in the Cabinet – perhaps some sensible economic advisore can be found late in the day.

Exports were down in November for the first time in five years, owing to the PAD Disaster. There is talk of the economy contracting next year, although this is being denied (not terribly convincingly to be honest) by UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panichpakdi. New calls for assistance and relief from increases in unemployment are coming in all the time.

One of the more tedious aspects of the end of the year is that shops start to think that innocent, hard-working shoppers (self included) are trying to palm off counterfeit thousand baht notes and the counter workers hold the things up to the light in irritating fashion. Since this is one time of year that people like to give gifts of cash to each other, there is a big market for counterfeiters, who can now expect life imprisonment, apparently.

Back tomorrow at some stage.