14/06/2014 Reporters

Italy with roughly 15 minutes to go. Now on BBC News, it's Reporters.

Hello and welcome to Reporters with me, say NAB Dali, ringing you the

best reports from correspondence around the world. In this week 's

programme: A very effective coup, Jonathan Head travels to the

northern stronghold of Thailand's red shirts and find that opposition

silenced by the military crackdown. What can you do? We have to stop.

Guns and butter, with the former military man in charge as President

of Egypt, our correspondent finds the army is also running grocery

stores and petrol stations. Some say the military is less of a fighting

force, more of a trading company. And, football is fit for the World

Cup, we visit one of only two factories in the world allowed to

supply the tournament in Brazil. `` football Klose darts. It has been

effective crackdown since the military seized power in Thailand,

most members of the former government and leaders of the

redshirt movement in support of it, has signed agreement in political

activity. What of the strongholds of the former government in northern

Thailand? Our correspondent Jonathan Head went to the province of food on

tiny to find out whether there is still a spirit of resistance.

In the hard scrabble Fatherland of Thailand's north`east, redshirt

loyalists have been caught offguard over the military takeover ``

farmland. His life has become entwined with the red shirt course.

He met his wife at their rallies. For all the talk of fighting back,

now the coup has happened, he is unsure what to do. TRANSLATION: For

now, we will wait and watch what they do. We aren't afraid of them.

The soldiers have weapons. Still, there are more of us here in the

north`east than they have in the army. The military is keeping a

close watch on the redshirt here. In one of their strongholds, it has

raided their homes and question their leaders. So far, that has been

enough to stop any real resistance. We have to shut up. This woman used

to run one of the hundreds of local radio stations that mobilised

support since the clue, she has been in hiding, moving from house to

house, afraid of being detained `` since the clue. To most people

accept they have to stop their redshirt activities? They have to,

because the gun is pointed at their head, what can you do? We have to

stop, but we don't want to. `` coup. In village after village, we saw

almost no signs of opposition. I came to this place six months ago

and back then it had declared itself to be a red village. Most homes

proudly displayed posters proclaiming their loyalty to the

government and the party founder, tax and Shinawatra. Today, like much

of the region, it is fearful and silent `` Thaksin. In the end, the

uprising against the coup didn't happen here. They haven't given up.

In their little heart, this man and his wife believing the democracy

they thought they were fighting for and the better life they hoped it

would ring `` hut. `` ring. With the former military man back in charge

at resident of Egypt, it is business as usual. He is the fifth Egyptian

leader to have served in the armed forces. The army continues to

control large swathes of the economy, including shops, petrol

stations and hotels. It even produces a brand of Pasztor. As our

correspondent has been finding out, with al`Sisi in the presidency, the

business interest are expected to grow. On duty in Cairo, safeguarding

the road into the capital. As well as protecting the nation, the

Egyptian army is protecting this, a vast business empire built with

conscript labour. Its commercial interests strap from petrol stations

and shopping mall to hotels and bars `` stretch. Even grocery shops where

you can buy the army's products, including its brand of Pasztor.

Supermarkets like this are just one small part of the army's economic

activity `` pasta. Some say the military is less of a fighting force

and more of a trading company. It is unclear how much profit it makes or

how much of the economy it controls, but estimates range from

5% to 40% and beyond. It is keen to show off its major infrastructure

projects. They are delivered with military efficiency. It is not keen

on showing off its accounts. There is virtually no civilian oversight

of its budget. This expert says its vested interests have been concealed

for decades in the name of national security. It is a black box. Not

only, it is a black box in a dark room. We know there is a box, but we

just don't know how big it is in this room and we don't know what is

inside. That is how secret it is. This is dangerous for Egypt? Of

course it is. It is dangerous to the Egyptian economy and to the

transition to democracy. We got a rare look under the hood, or of the

chassis, at the Arab American vehicles company. It is seen as an

offshoot of the Egyptian economy. This joint`venture with Chrysler

international producers Jeeps for the army and the civilian market.

The retired general in charge says the military is an engine for

growth. It is important for the country, because it is part of the

driving force for the economy in the country. How much of the economy

does it control? This is the big question. The army supports, not

controls, only supports the economy in the country. Now, the economy and

the country are in the hands of al`Sisi, the former army chief. He

might be out of uniform, but he is still seen as their man. Under

President Sese, the army is expected to get even more of the spoils.

Pakistan might not have a team competing at the World Cup, but you

will still be feeling their influence on the pitch. That is

because they are one of only two countries making the official

football is. `` footballs. Our correspondent visits a factory in

Pakistani and find out that winning the contract to supply the footballs

was a reward for investing in the very latest technology `` Pakistan.

These are no ordinary footballs. They will be used during the World

Cup matches, kicked by some of the most famous footballing feat on the

planet. This factory in north`eastern Pakistan is one of

only two factories in the world which has the contract to make

footballs for the World Cup. The other is in China. These are called

zoo car, which means Brazil you. The colours of the ball reflect the

colours of the flag `` Brazuca. These represent the multicoloured

wristbands that resilience were and these white patches are a reference

to the country's status as five`time fever World Cup winners. Put balls

like these used to be handstitched, at Pakistan got left behind when the

technology developed for machine stitching. It took ten years for the

factory to catch up `` footballs. That meant a decade without a

contract. The technology changed. Pakistani companies didn't have the

most up`to`date technology. The Chinese companies were smarter and

more advanced and could produce more footballs with that technology at

good prices. Lots of buyers switch to China. It took a $1.1 million

investment to upgrade the factory. Now, the new machines are in place

and the contract has been renewed, and the footballs are coming off the

production line. The workers here say it will be a moment of glory to

see these footballs in the stadiums in Brazil. TRANSLATION: It takes a

lot of hard work to make these footballs and we feel proud that our

footballs will be going to Brazil for the World Cup. I will be

watching the game on TV with my family. Pakistani is better known

for its cricket. The country has a long way to go before it puts itself

on the football map `` Pakistan. For now, these balls have put the

country back in the beautiful game. That ends this edition of Reporters.

Don't forget to join us at the same time next week. For now, from me and

the rest of the Reporters team in London, goodbye.