OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) finally arrives

OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) finally arrives

Thailand, OLPC is finally here. Much talk about then, finally arrive. Not much for the detail of how government distributes the laptop or how many they've received, but the picture shown like the students who receives the laptop are in a quite good school, not a school in the rural area.

Picture Credit: http://nationmultimedia.com/

OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) finally arrives

OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) finally arrives

Thailand, OLPC is finally here. Much talk about then, finally arrive. Not much for the detail of how government distributes the laptop or how many they've received, but the picture shown like the students who receives the laptop are in a quite good school, not a school in the rural area.

Picture Credit: http://nationmultimedia.com/

Chart Thai calls for Jakrapob removal

A Chart Thai MP circulated an open letter on Wednesday calling on Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to sack PM's Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair and suspend a referendum on charter rewrite.

"The country's stability is above that of the government's, bearing in mind that everyone is obliged to uphold the monarchy, a most revered institution throughout Thai history," Natthawut Prasertsuwan said in his letter addressed to the prime minister.

Even though the judicial process involving Jakrapob has not been concluded, his actions have offended the people's sensitivities, Nattahwut said.

He urged Samak either to demand Jakrapob's resignation or to dismiss him.

Jakrapob should quit in order to pave way for clearing his name as an individual instead of dragging the government to get involved in his controversy, he said.

Regarding the issue of charter rewrite, the prime minister has pledged to forge national reconciliation and has no justification to rush the charter amendments at this juncture, he said.

He urged the government to reallocate Bt2 billion earmarked for the planned referendum for other spending plans.

Instead of squandering on the referendum, the government can build about 1,000 school buildings, at the cost of Bt2 million each, or distribute 16.6 million bags of "blue flag" rice to the underprivileged, at the cost of Bt120 each.

Commenting on Natthawut's move, Chart Thai Party MP Warawut Silapaarcha said his father and party leader Banharn Silapaarcha did not give the green light to the letter.

"My father was informed about Natthawut's letter some 20 miniutes ago," Warawut said.

He said Banharn will likely suffer a "political headache" when trying to resolve the trouble stirred up by Natthawut.

REF: http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/28/politics/politics_30074175.php

Smell the coup?

Smell the coup?

When the police can't protect citizens,
    people start asking for someone else to do the job.

When the leader let people down,
    there are uprising.

When the government won't do the job for the people,
    they are on the brink of losing power.

When people's backs against the wall,
    just wait and see............

CONSTITUTION

Pad kicks off new rallies

Clash averted as anti-charter rewrite group faces protest

A fresh round of tit-for-tat political confrontation started yesterday, with the People's Alliance for Demo-cracy vowing to stage a rally at the Democracy Monument until this morning to block a constitutional amendment while supporters of the rewrite were trying to disrupt the rally.

Police were adopting cautious measures to prevent both sides from clashing.

The PAD, which played a catalyst role in removing former prime minister Thaksin Shina-watra from office in 2006, has regrouped to pursue the unfinished agenda of uprooting the political power base of Thaksin. It has made it clear that the amendment is aimed at preventing the political parties from being dissolved and at helping the former prime minister get away from the legal cases against him.

Suriyasai Katasila, a PAD leader, said the rally would last until 10am today and that it might move from the Demo-cracy Monument to Govern-ment House and the Parliament.

Supporters of rewriting the Constitution tried unsuccessfully to disrupt the PAD rally.

More than 100 pro-amendment people gathered near the PAD's protest site shortly after the rally began at 3pm. A crowd leader, Waranchai Chokchana, attacked the PAD over a megaphone, using curses and vulgar words.

Despite the presence of about 30 policemen, some of the pro-amendment demonstrators ran after a PAD truck and tore down a banner carrying the message "Don't amend the Constitution if you love the country".

The crowd, many of them from the anti-coup Demo-cratic Alliance against Dic-tatorship, also burned effigies of the five PAD leaders.

The pro-amendment crowd then hurled plastic bottles at the PAD supporters, who threw them back. A 48-year-old man, identified as Weerayut Seni-wongse na Ayutthaya, was slightly injured in the clash.

The pro-amendment people later moved back to their place opposite Satriwithaya School. They continued verbally attacking the PAD and displaying banners condemning its rally.

The PAD rally continued and caused parts of Rajdamnoen Avenue to be closed to traffic as the number of protesters grew.

The group claimed authorities were attempting to block its supporters from the provinces coming to join the rally at the Democracy Monument.

Suriyasai said the group would today file a petition with the Senate speaker against MPs and senators who filed the amendment motion recently. He said their move was an act against the Constitution and therefore warranted an impeachment campaign.

In a related development, the pro-amendment group yesterday threatened to seek a court order to revoke the bail of media mogul and PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul if he took to the stage at the rally.

Pracha Prasobdee, People Power, Samut Prakan, leader of the Great Public Group for the Protection of Democracy, said his team gathered at Sanam Luang and Thammasat University to monitor the protest by the PAD. His team was fully equipped with computers and tape recorders to record the incident to be used as evidence.

The group would resort to legal measures against PAD leaders such as Sondhi if he violated bail conditions by joining the protest.

By The Nation
http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/26/headlines/headlines_30073935.php

Think hard, Jakrapob told

Bangkok, Thailand

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday urged PM's Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair to reflect on his controversial remarks on the monarchy and act accordingly.

"I think if Jakrapob cannot explain himself to society, then it might be better for all concerned for him to retreat," Thaksin said.

"But if he can explain himself, then it's OK. However, we have to understand that all Thais harbour sensitivity toward the monarchy," he said.

Jakrapob was nowhere to be seen yesterday as he shunned the public eye. Pressure has been mounting for him to quit over his speech in August 2007 that appeared to take on the monarchy.

He was scheduled to attend a meeting at the Foreign Ministry but he cancelled it to go see Thaksin at his Charansanitwong Soi 69 residence.

Thaksin said Jakrapob made sound decisions because he listens to public opinion and knows what to do next.

Thaksin seemed to be trying to distance himself from Jakrapob, who has also become a target for impeachment by the opposition. Jakrapob has increasingly become isolated.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said it would be better for Jakrapob to go through the whole legal process.

http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/22/headlines/headlines_30073672.php