The biggest thing I've noticed recently is the lack of anything...

The biggest thing I've noticed recently is the lack of anything about Akara in the media or social media. The granting of the exploration licences didn't even get a mention, after it was all the talk of the town only a few months ago. Now some might think that the public have bigger interest in the political unrest but interest in that has died down.

What's really happening in my view is the negotiation team set up by Prayut has been told to get their act together in response to Ross' threat to pull out of negotiations. They've realised the futile attempts to re-prosecute false legal claims in Thailand will serve no purpose in gaining an advantage at the negotiation table.

Despite the relative disinterest in Akara at the moment, I wouldn't think for a moment that that reflects the gravity of a loss to Prayut. There was a brief mention of us yesterday by a leading member of the Move Forward Party Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, third line in criticism of Prayut saying sarcastically "Ordering the closure of the gold mine and using state money to fight the case - it's all fine"