Doesn't matter. Hopefully A. khan will also be there so I can get some recent photos of him.
As to the issues, I guess one might ask exactly what is meant by Thailand's crisis and what is meant by international perceptions. As well, some discussion should be made as to whether such perceptions matter or not. Remember that the FCCT had Thaksin as its guest of honor at a dinner party even after he had insulted the media and already demonstrated he was no friend of free speech.
My repeated question is, as well, why people and organizations are not suing back. Surely there is enough talent to make a stand, a case, and fight this LM onslaught.

Gary Chandler has mentioned many of the problems, but not by a long shot has he mentioned them all. I'm no expert, but here's a few more off the top of my head:
L. A ruling class that is above the law
M. Rule by Law instead of Rule of Law
N. A top heavy military with a born to rule mentality
O. Repression, Domination & Plundering by .......
P. An obnoxiously heirarchical society

As to the proposed solution, well that just shows what a SICK JOKE Thailand really is.
Is that 'solution' proposed because you think Thailand has already had its chance at Constitutional Monarchy & Democracy, and it failed, or you just dont believe in that sort of ppolitical system for any country?

Personally, I dont really think Thailand is ready for Plato's "Philosopher Kings' concept, ao maybe they should just give Constitutional Monarchy & Democracy another shot, and throw in Meritocracy, Transparency and Rule of Law for good measure.

For L,M,N,O,P - they can be called causes if you accept that reds are a genuine people movement and not a ragtag of Thaksin fans and assorted opportunists looking for free ride on their back.

Is there any red leader with any credibility left? In Thaksin's days they were all the biggest ass kissers, in April they incited a riot and a hunt for Prime Minister's head. One of them is calling to armed struggle against Thai state now, and none of them accepts any responsibility.

It would be a lot closer to the truth to say that they are using long standing "LMNOP" grievances to advance their own agenda, agenda that is no solution in any sense. I, personally, doubt that red movement would exist, let alone be able to create any sort of a crisis if it wasn't for Thaksin leadeship.

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FCCT members and Thitinan are the main presenters of Thai image on the international stage, and their bias was all too obvious in the past couple of years.

And Thitinan is moderating now, moderating a discussion on perception of an image he created himself. How credible is that? Not as bad as asking Sondhi L but close.

or you just dont believe in that sort of political system for any country?
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Hobby, in answer to your question, the political party system of democracy only created another form aristocracy and/or thuggerism. Democracy, has, and does, work better in some countries and is a most miserable failure in others. I would be glad to see any country get rid of political parties and get rid of the Prime Minister role, letting independant councils govern.
To better understand the model I propose Google and wikipedia the 6 Nations aboriginal democratic system that existed in Native America; a most succesful history of governance.
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Personally, I dont really think Thailand is ready for Plato's "Philosopher Kings' concept, ---------
Why do people always claim somebody said, or meant something, then disagree with what they did NOT say??? I know my ex wife was an expert at it.
Some idiot will read YOUR comment and conclude I proposed a Platoian model, which I did NOT!

Gary in Canada: Sorry to put words in your mouth - I actually like Plato's model, but its way too late, or too early, for that in Thailand.

I will look at your proposed system, but in this day & age I dont really see any need for any royal families in active governing in any countries (unless of course they want to subject themselves to the electoral process, and the checks, balances & transparency that should come with such a role:)

To THE original Topic, self evaluation is a GOOD thing, by individuals or nations.
"International perceptions!?
[how do we view thee?
let me count the ways!]"
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I just wanted to make sure they had a LIST of the 'perceptions!'
I do NOT believe, NEITHER the Red Shirts, NOR the Yellow Shirts are the problem makers. They are BOTH the predictable outcomes, victims even, of an, irrefutably, historicly, unstable political structure.
Without some kind of major change it will continue for decades, the names and faces, only, will change.
Out of the 4 options which are debated, only 2 would lead to an improvement in the Societal structures of Thailand.
(Of course, my Plan, is the best of the 4 options) (;+9

Alex: That still doesn't make the whitening craze sensible does it, or do see it differently that they want to emulate some asian concept of beauty instead of a 'western' one?

btw, having lost a close friend to melanoma, I see avoidance of excessive exposure to the sun as VERY SENSIBLE, but dont see skin whitening in the same light.

A Japanese proberb said that the white skin hides 7 flows of woman's apperance. I think that the whiteness and natural fairness of the skin has always been a criterion of women's beauty in East Asia, while in Thailand, they seemed to prefer cocoa brown skin if you see the description of the beauty of princess Shida. (To my best memory.)

This is the article of Thanong in the Nation. He sometimes writes a speculative stuff, but surely is one of the best reporters in The Nation. (He is articulate, that's why he bacame a target in B Pundit.) I also have a bad feeling. Hope the fortune teller will be wrong.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/07/17/opinion/opinion_30107661.php

Alex, yes, it was in the past, I should have written, ... and women with honey-like yellowisn complexion (not cocoa-skin) were considered most beautiful. I read a disseration of a Japanese universtiy student on the theme, which concluded it in that way. And I'm almost sure that they got to prefer white skin to their natural color being influenced by Chinese.

You are talking about GANGURO (black face) student girls, right. They are scary.(for me) But it seems that, in most cases, they come back to their worship for white skin when they feel their adloescence is over. I will give you a tip how to tell Japanese women from other nationalities. If you see a woman walking with a parasol on the street of Bangkok, with the probablility of 90 percent, she is Japanese, (and another ten percent is korean.)

Sam, of course never too late, and sorry for drifting away with off-topic discourses again. I guess it's more fun, though, when we can stray away from topics from time to time. It keeps forums more lively.
Anyway, I agree with what you say, but I'm probably more disillusioned than you. Human nature pushes men towards selfishness, so in a post-communist society where ideal anarchism is the (non-)system, evil selfish individuals would surely have more chances to subjugate tame idealistic ones, and we would soon be back to square one.
Gary: aboriginal societies don't have technology... do you think step one should be to eliminate anything that works on electricity or engines? I'm ok with respecting native Americans' culture, but frankly I think it's just a little bit too late for it. Unless some huge catastrophe comes and leaves a few millions human alive, deprived of all materialistic things. Even in that case, though, there could be a new core of scientists and businessmen who re-organize the new society into a born-again materialistic one.
I'm rather pessimistic regarding these matters: I believe the human kind is this planet's own "bacteria". We live off the planet's energy and we kill it at the same time. So there are two options: it's either planet Earth reacts and gets rid of us, or we'll destroy it and fade away with it.

See http://www.upiasia.com/Politics/2009/07/17/defining_the_crisis_in_thailand/7088/