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Junta engineers World Cup coup for Thailand

By WTOP Staff

THANYARAT DOKSONE
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — The military junta that overthrew Thailand’s elected government struck a blow for freedom Thursday — the freedom to watch soccer.

As part of its goal to “return happiness to the Thai people,” the junta engineered a World Cup coup that will enable the country’s many soccer fans to watch all of the tournament’s 64 matches for free.

The move is the latest to highlight the irony of the junta’s pursuit of happiness, as it tries to win support by embracing populist policies after kicking out an administration less than a month ago that it criticized for doing the same thing.

“We hope that every Thai will receive happiness from viewing the 2014 World Cup games. Please watch and enjoy, all of you,” said Lt. Gen. Chatudom Titthasiri, president of the army’s Channel 5 television station.

The generals stepped in Wednesday by asking regulatory officials to find a way to deliver the World Cup to the masses. The intervention came after the telecom regulator lost its second court case seeking to have RS International Broadcasting air the matches on free TV channels.

RS, the company holding the exclusive broadcast rights, had planned to allow just 22 games to be broadcast for free. Viewing the remainder of the matches would have required fans to buy a 1,590 baht ($50) decoder box, a sum too pricey for many fans, especially in low-income rural areas.

On Thursday, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission held a news conference to announce it had struck a 427 million baht ($13 million) compensation deal with RS so the entire World Cup can be shown on free channels.

The tournament, which starts in the middle of the night Thailand time, will be broadcast on two military-run channels, in addition to a digital channel owned by RS.

The fee falls far short of the 766 million baht ($23 million) that RS had proposed to make up for the losses of its decoder boxes and licensing fees, the regulator said.

The company had initially threatened to black out the World Cup if it was forced to broadcast it for free. But its chief operating officer, Pornpan Techarungchaikul, tweeted a reaction to the deal that stayed on script with the theme of happiness, saying the company was “willing to cooperate” so all Thais could watch the event for free.

The junta that seized power May 22 has curbed freedom of expression, banned political assembly of more than five people, and has no plans to restore civilian rule any time soon. It has also summoned and temporarily detained hundreds of activists, politicians, academics and journalists who have been warned not to criticize the coup.

On Thursday, a military court extended the detention of prominent activist Sombat Boonngam-anong for an additional 12 days. Under martial law, Sombat could face up to 14 years in prison on possible charges of inciting unrest, violating cyber laws and defying the junta’s orders. Sombat had spearheaded an online campaign calling for people to raise a three-finger salute borrowed from “The Hunger Games” to show opposition to the coup.

Last month’s coup ousted the civilian government of ex-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, which had faced months of street protests that left dozens dead and the government paralyzed. The junta said it acted to restore order.

The military government now says that new elections will take at least a year, after political reforms occur. In the meantime, it has launched an official campaign to bring back happiness, something it says the divided nation desperately needs.

The campaign has involved weekly free concerts that offer free food and free haircuts. Authorities have announced that this week’s concert will include free flu shots and entertainment including dog shows.

On Sunday, the junta is offering free admission nationwide to cinemas screening the latest installment of a popular Thai movie, “The Legend of King Naresuan 5,” a nationalistic, historic epic.

While some soccer fans were bound to cheer the junta for its World Cup freebie, not all were pleased.

“This is not the way to create sustainable happiness,” said Manchester United fan Paisarn Ruchisawatwong, who is rooting for the Brazil national team. “The World Cup comes and goes, but what happens next? Will the economy be good? Will Thais stop fighting? You can’t just sweep our problems under the carpet by giving us free soccer matches.”

For those who don’t follow the sport, it seemed a high price to pay.

“I don’t watch soccer, so I disagree with spending millions of baht to let everyone watch the World Cup for free,” said Supanan Thaodai, a 27-year-old freelance art director in Bangkok. “The money should be spent on things that benefit everyone.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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