<p>The Thai armed forces&rsquo; plans to purchase 222 more GT200 remote sensing units for national security purposes are raising concerns. At a price of 900,000 baht per unit, there are the usual unsubstantiated rumours of kick-backs and corruption, but such stories swirl round every military purchase of any size.</p>

<p>The last session of the Sri Lankan Advisory Mission on dealing with the problems of Thailand&rsquo;s deep south was intended as a wrap-up session to deal with any outstanding questions arising from the previous days&rsquo; specialized strategy workshops on Military Actions against Dissident Civilian Populations, Approaches to Negotiation, Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons, Squeezing Terrorist Funding, and Control and Suppression of Independent Media.</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s hard going at the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) where the Detecting Scapegoats for Irresponsibility (DSI) Section is conducting a Detaining Suspicious Individuals (DSI) operation by the Doing Simultaneous Interrogations (DSI) process. </p>

<p>[Press Announcement by Harrison George on Being Awarded Numerous Prizes] In response to the signal honour of being awarded the Wurlitzer Prize for Promising Journalism (Retirement Age Category), I wish to express my humble and sincere thanks to the selection committee. </p>

<p>&nbsp;<i>[The scene: The gate of the Embassy of Nicaragua in a quiet soi in a leafy suburb of Bangkok. It is 2 am.]</i>&nbsp; Who eez there?</p> <div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">&nbsp;</div>

<p>Thank you, thank you please, if I can just call to order this joint meeting of the Committee to Promote the Confidence and Image of Thailand, the Steering Committee of Volunteers to Protect Justice, the Protect the Institution &ndash; Calm-Peace-Solidarity Campaign Committee, the Management Committee of the <a href="http://www.ilovethailand.org/">www.ilovethailand.org</a> website, and the Moderation Society High Command.</p>

<p>It has been a difficult couple of weeks for the national security watchdogs in the Ministry of Interior. First they attempted to stop a stateless 12-year-old paper folder from attending a paper plane competition in Japan. </p>

<p><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">A funny thing was said when the BBC reported the verdict in the trial of the &lsquo;plane bombers&rsquo; at Woolwich Crown Court.</div> </p>

<p>The UN, bless &rsquo;em, has come to the conclusion that drafting international human rights agreements for countries to sign is all well and good. But the countries most likely to sign are the ones whose citizens are least likely to need their protection.</p>

<p>I remember seeing Scottish compassion at a Hearts game against Rangers.</p>

<p>Bangkok Pundit has spotted that Thai politicians have learned that they can safely denigrate their opponents by use of the hypothetical &lsquo;if&rsquo;. He quotes Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of Difficult Situations Suthep Thaugsuban:</p>

<p>In an unprecedented public statement, the Office of His Majesty&rsquo;s Principal Private Secretary yesterday called for a temporary moratorium on petitions to the Office.&nbsp;&lsquo;We ask this as a mark of respect on the occasion of His Majesty&rsquo;s birthday,&rsquo; said an exhausted Office spokesperson, who asked to remain anonymous.</p>