<p>Been a cracking couple of weeks for the Royal Thai Police. &nbsp;<br /><br />First they nab long-term fugitive from justice Somchai Khunploem, aka Kamnan Poh, godfather of the naughty bits of the east coast (and more), father of the Minister of Culture and the Mayor of Pattaya (and more), and on the lam to escape prison terms for murder and corruption (and more).<br /></p>

<p>The expressions of outrage at the sentencing of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk to 10 years for lèse majesté offences have, rather embarrassingly, been overwhelmingly from foreign organizations.&nbsp; Not only has the National Human Rights Commission, alongside the government, been the recipient of these protests, rather than the author of one or two, but the Thai Journalists Association has also so far maintained a studied silence.</p> <p></p>

<p>We’ve all seen the films.&nbsp; The suspect is being interrogated in a room with no windows, but maybe a one-way mirror.&nbsp; One table with chairs on either side and some form of recording device.&nbsp; The police sit on one side, the accused and perhaps a lawyer on the other. &nbsp;And the dialogue ensues.</p> <p>There we can follow the cut-and-thrust, the clever ploys, the unwitting give-away.&nbsp; One side asks the questions.&nbsp; The other side tries not to answer.</p> <p>It’s not like that in real Thai life.&nbsp;</p> <p></p>

<p>OK, I’m bored. &nbsp;This Premier season has gone on long enough. &nbsp;The new faces have begun to pall, as have the permutations of old faces in new places.</p> <p></p>

<p>This ASEAN Economic Community cannot come a moment too soon. &nbsp;If nothing else, it will give Thailand a chance to learn how to do things properly from the more advanced countries in ASEAN. &nbsp;Like Lao.</p> <p></p>

<p>Yes, I know you got them all correct and were just too modest to send in your answers.&nbsp; Congratulations.&nbsp; Normal service will be resumed next week.</p> <p></p>

<p>Once again it’s time for readers to demonstrate that their knowledge of current affairs has maintained last year’s level of&nbsp;somewhere between shocking and&nbsp;abysmal. &nbsp;Three statements per month&nbsp;of 2012&nbsp;(except an extra one for February since it was such along&nbsp;month&nbsp;this year) where you replace the initial letters with the complete words. &nbsp;Like&nbsp;the title of this week’s&nbsp;offering&nbsp;is really ‘Quiz of the Year’, geddit?. &nbsp;Answers next week. &nbsp;Or, A N W.</p> <p></p>

<p>21 December 2022</p> <p>Advocates of weapons control are hoping that public revulsion at the nerve gas attack on an elementary school in New England that killed 20 students will lead to a long-awaited breakthrough. &nbsp;Not everyone is optimistic, however.</p> <p>‘We went through this 10 years ago after the gun massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown’, said one campaigner who asked for anonymity in the face of death threats from Second Amendment supporters. &nbsp;‘I remember we were very hopeful then that the tide could be turned, but look what happened.’</p>

<p><span id="internal-source-marker_0.40669793871647875">Last Monday, besides being Constitution Day in Thailand, was also International Human Rights Day, and there’s irony for you. &nbsp;</span></p> <p></p>

<p>[Partial transcript of a recent case in the Bangkok Criminal Court]</p> <div>Prosecution: Could you please tell the court your name?</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Defendant: Namphueng Teenphee.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>P: And what is your occupation?</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>D: Former ticket-collector on a Number 48 bus.</div> <div> </div>

<p class="s2" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s3">Thailand’s renaissance man par excellence, Army Commander Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, who has an opinion on everything, whether this is accompanied by actual knowledge or not,&nbsp;</span><span class="s3">has weighed in against the International Criminal Court.</span></span></p> <p></p>

<p>I speak with some authority on this topic.&nbsp; I was a member of the Cup-sharing Harrowby Road Junior School team.&nbsp; (Cup-sharing because when the Cup Final replay ended in a second draw, the colliery wouldn’t let us use their pitch for a third game, so it was decided that Newstead and our school would each hold the Cup for 6 of the next 12 months.)&nbsp; (Besides, any further extension of the season would put a serious crimp in Mr Holbrook’s attempts to seduce the new 3rd year teacher over the Easter holidays.)&nbsp; (She did eventually become Mrs Holbrook.)</p>