Good morning,

An attempted coup in Laos has apparently been foiled in America (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/06/headlines/headlines_30036156.php). Led by General Vang Pao, a number of conspirators planned to smuggle a large amount of military equipment, including rocket launchers and missiles, into Laos where they planned to kill ‘thousands and thousands of people.’ Vang Pao is well-known as a leader of the Hmong troops supported by the CIA during the American War in Vietnam. Nine men have been charged in California and the Lao government is in the slightly unusual position of praising the American government for its support.

Here, the military junta continues its campaign of persuading the Thai people that they are not capable of running their own lives and thereby justifying the military coup last year. From now on, all television programmes are to be submitted to some kind of censorship process and those deemed unsuitable can only be screened after eight or perhaps ten in the evening (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=119248). It is not clear whether programmes about the value of democracy will be kept off the screens altogether. Meanwhile, the junta has ordered the cabinet to lift the ban on political activity (http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/06Jun2007_news00.php). They apparently believe that now that Thai Rak Thai has been dissolved and its executives banned from politics, people will have no choice but to vote for workshy fop Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Democrat party, which will run on its usual pro-Bangkok elite policies. In the grown-up world of politics, ex-Thai Rak Thai members are exploring ways of forming a new coalition which will appeal to a broad range of Thai society and hence bring electoral success once again. Some will also join anti-junta protests at Sanam Luang (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/06/headlines/headlines_30036153.php).

Marco Van Basten is set to field a strong team tonight as the Netherlands play here in Thailand (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/06/sport/sport_30036152.php). Thai coach Chanvit Pholchivin, fresh from the 1-0 defeat of China, was in realistic mode: “"We're inferior to them in every aspect. Technically and tactically, we're clearly in a different league, not to mention the physical disadvantage. They are a world-class team. The only advantage we have is that we are playing at home."

Back tomorrow.