Good afternoon,

We seem to be having regular earthquakes these days and recent ones have damaged wats in Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=30057). There does not seem to be a day going by without reports of a quake here, in Indonesia or in Japan – perhaps it is just better reporting of what is going on or maybe we are in a more severe earthquake zone now.

For some reason, junta appointed ‘prime minister’ General Surayud Chulanont is talking about an earlier general election, sometime in November, if the dodgy constitution is passed in an August referendum (http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/21Jun2007_news01.php). Perhaps this is because it will not give enough time for members of Thai Rak Thai to realign themselves into a new coalition – the party was dissolved by a court decision widely believed to have been ordered by the junta. The junta certainly seems to be looking for a confrontation of some sort since all of a sudden charges have been brought against three times democratically elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for a land case from 2003 (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=119596). This court decision (widely believed to have been ordered by the junta) means Khun Thaksin is obliged to return to Thailand at some stage despite the recent scarcely veiled threat against him by junta chief General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin. The arrival of Khun Thaksin would be likely to lead to chaos.

Even if there are elections, power seems set to remain with the junta, who have unveiled new plans to strengthen the sinister ISOC (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=119587). Leadership of the committee will enable junta chief General Sonthi to wield wide powers: “Under the bill, Isoc's chief, as a member of the national committee, would have the right to direct state-run security agencies if the country comes under threat from terrorism, an act of sabotage or other forms of violence. In addition, he would be empowered to ban people from leaving their homes, from using vehicles and roads, and from assembling in public places. He could also appoint security agents and assign them to bring suspects into custody, conduct searches and seize assets and documents believed to be linked to offences against national security.”

Back tomorrow.