lazurus

Shouldn't the protest be getting smaller, not bigger? If the reds really want to participate in the roadmap they should start going home, not calling for a million people to join them in Bangkok (I know they will never get that many). Letting more people into the protest is just another massive failure by the police. You'd think they'd be motivated to get things under control after last night.

The police and army stand by while the reds bring in new protesters. Pathetic. They aren't going anywhere soon, they think they can squeeze the PM for more concessions.

Last night someone reshuffled the deck, so I doubt the PM has played his last card.

Avoid air Canada, high prices, bad service. I agree departures from us cities are often cheaper, now the Canadian dollar is on par with us dollar so even more savings.

Isn't it time now to impose martial law now for six months ... the red mob will never give up peacefully!

Safety of the innocent civilians should be the PM's priority. There is no safety for them while armed mobs roam the streets unchecked. Clear the streets, only then can serious negotiations happen. To barter with terrorists while they play these games is ridiculous. Peace in Bangkok NOW.

I hope police men who sell weapons are happy with themselves today.

Many consulates are giving free tourist visas to encourage tourism. I came on a free triple entry visa good for 180 days. Check with your local consulate. Consulates in different cities within the same country often are able to issue different visas so phone around.

Those responsible should face the death penalty but cannot help but believe that had the reds not taken to the streets in such a lawless and violent fashion this and MANY of the other attacks around BKK would never have happened. I don't think I am the only one to think like this and believe the reds are doomed. These morons should have taken the offer the PM gave about elections before the end of the year back before all the death, injuries and violence. So, in my book, the reds have responsibility in this regardless if they actually carried out the attack.

I agree the reds could have moved on and showed they were serious about peace, but they want more attention so they stayed on putting these police in danger. Part of the responsibility for their deaths rests on the reds shoulders. Like the boy who cried wolf the reds will continue to deny they did it, whether it's true or not everyone stopped listening a long time ago. When you violate the rights of your fellow citizens and make demands of course you will make them angry. Time for the PM to end the situation, then the roadmap can start.

Of course the reds know that any attacks now can be blamed on the yellows so that gives them a free pass to launch attacks. Yellows know that suspicion will fall on the reds and may disrupt the elections so they have motive too. It just makes things more dangerous since everyone can point the finger at the opposite side.

The reds are like someone who robs a bank and instead of making a getaway they stay to deposit the money and are surprised when things go wrong.

The redshirts are on the verge of getting what they want. It is more much likely that it is someone else who wants to disrupt the peacetrain.

Hard to say who is responsible, could be reds who don't want peace, could be others who don't want elections in November. If the reds had gone home on Friday they couldn't be blamed but they choose to stay longer. Time to end the protest this is not acceptable. If the reds are really not the ones to do it I suggest they get out of Bangkok by noon. In the end the PM hasn't made either side happy.

Looks like two parties can form a coalition and make a government even if they don't have the most seats individually. At least in the UK they can. Is Gordon Brown an illegitimate and unelected PM? Come on all those who said that about the Thai PM, don't be hypocrites, denounce the UK elections and call for new ones.

Reds should be careful: Army (high ranked officers), Prem (if not dead at the time), PAD, Chuan L. and other //deleted by Admin// could NOT accept the results of the elections. Well, they dissolve the winning party, like in Burma, and that's it.

dDon't worry, the way this is going Thailand will not become Burma, is becoming Beirut

I think that the comparison to Burma would probably be insulting to them. Their military wouldn't stand around and let lawlessness prevail. Wouldn't it be funny if the PTP lost the next election? We'd see then if the reds really mean it when they say everyone should accept the result. If they have already spent their cash on the protest maybe they won't have enough to purchase an election.

Suppose next election, as before ...

The Thaksin puppet-red party gets the most votes

The democracts (or new democrats) get the second most votes

The democrats are able to form a ruling coalition with the smaller parties and lead again

Not really far fetched. They didn't accept that perfectly legal outcome last time, why would they honor it next time?

For anyone who is unable to understand how that is possible they should read up on the UK elections that have just happened. Conservatives have the most seats, but Labour could stay in power with a coalition government. Lets see if CNN or the BBC call it illegitimate when they do it.

Reds should be careful: Army (high ranked officers), Prem (if not dead at the time), PAD, Chuan L. and other //deleted by Admin// could NOT accept the results of the elections. Well, they dissolve the winning party, like in Burma, and that's it.

dDon't worry, the way this is going Thailand will not become Burma, is becoming Beirut

I think that the comparison to Burma would probably be insulting to them. Their military wouldn't stand around and let lawlessness prevail. Wouldn't it be funny if the PTP lost the next election? We'd see then if the reds really mean it when they say everyone should accept the result. If they have already spent their cash on the protest maybe they won't have enough to purchase an election.

So the reds have accepted the roadmap, sort of. Tomorrow we'll find out what other ridiculous conditions they want to add on before they'll give a firm date for letting the huddled masses go home. Time for the yellows to form a protest and get some demands of their own, if that's how this democracy is run.

If the reds leave on Monday then the Yellows can start on Tuesday and demand the election be called off. That's where protests get you.

According to current news, the UDD will agree today at 6pm and disperse by May 10th.

Looks like its the yellow's turn to play monkeys.

And further to that:

THE NATION: Urgent, Kwanchai said redshirt leaders agree to end the rally on May 10 though some reds want to stay on.

Based on some discussions on this thread, that means that the reds leaders don't really agree, because some of their supporters want to stay on.

edit: if you missed it, some say that because the PAD disagree with the road map, then Abhisit be serious about it.

One thing is certain from the reds announcements today, no one knows when they are going to leave. Some say monday, some want to stay, tomorrow they are launching their own roadmap, maybe they want the emergency decree lifted first. Sounds like they want to keep playing games. And it's not nice to call them monkeys Che, the reds have feelings, and once the red leaders tell them what their feelings are they might get upset.

The People's Alliance for Democracy on Friday reaffirmed its opposition to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's reconciliation plan and called for the military to declare the martial law in Bangkok.

Does anybody else find this to be hilarious?

What I find even more hilarious is that an "Alliance for Democracy" is against holding Elections. Clearly shows their true intentions, doesn't it?

The UDD have yet to agree to the plan that would give them elections they could win, shows their true intentions, doesn't it?

<snip>

As you see, red isn't so much different from yellow in the way they operate. So my question, why are one group allowed to run around freely while the other is being charged with terrorism?

How many times do you have to be told?

The yellows have been charged and are waiting for court proceedings.

That is exactly they same thing that will happen with most of the reds.

Since 2 years? And why were they not charged with terrorism? Abhisit has clearly said that the red shirts will be charged with terrorism because they entered government house for 30 minutes. The PAD were there for 8 months ...but no terrorism charges?

Even Che can probably think of a few other things the reds have done that warrant terrorism charges. Even their leaders claimed to be eager to have their day in court. Did the PAD enter government house?

Yeah good question, why are the reds still running around free.

So why are the yellow and multi-colored allowed to dictate the course of the country? Their protests were much smaller. The point is, not everyone that supports the movement has to be at Rajprasong.

It was the ruling that disbanded the PPP that led to their downfall. The PAD did not succeed in ousting them. Allowing any set of protesters to set the agenda for a country is foolish. Abhisit wasn't PM during those protests and is not responsible for how they were handled. Blame your red brothers.

So why aren't the yellow shirts in prison for terrorism charges? Taking over 2 international airports is terrorism. Holding government house hostage for 8 months with armed guards is terrorism.

How many reds do you expect to see in prison a year from now? They'll weasel their way out and some dumb red guards will take the fall. We wouldn't want double standards would we.

The Yellow shirts should really shut the hel_l up because they started all that mess in the first place. They have no right to argue about anything right now. They are no better than the Red shirts.

They have as much right to argue as the reds do. And right now under the law neither side has the right to do what they have been. Bring back law and order for the people who's wardrobe isn't politically motivated.

Wrong. I all started with Thaksin & Sondhi couldn't agree on a business deal.

It's not fair to keep blaming Thaksin just because it's all his fault. He's like Robin Hood, the people love him in the North, except he steals from the people and gives to himself. After buying the PM's job by bribing voters you can't expect him to not take advantage. I'd say 1.5 billion dollars is a pretty good return on his investment. Give the people some second rate health care, bill the general population for it, and they'll worship you. He had great schemes.

Seems with the pads wanting to allow only some segments of Thailands population the right to vote.

and now this.

pad really means People Against Democracy

Democracy isn't defined as doing whatever the reds say. 4000 protesters have no right to dictate the course of a nation of 60 million.

So why are the yellow and multi-colored allowed to dictate the course of the country? Their protests were much smaller. The point is, not everyone that supports the movement has to be at Rajprasong.

It was the ruling that disbanded the PPP that led to their downfall. The PAD did not succeed in ousting them. Allowing any set of protesters to set the agenda for a country is foolish. Abhisit wasn't PM during those protests and is not responsible for how they were handled. Blame your red brothers.

The yellow shirts should have no say in whatever negotiations take place. It's a joke that the PAD are still allowed to negotiate and dictate the government after they have taken hostage government house for 8 months, and taken hostage 2 international airports leaving hundreds of thousands of tourists stranded for 10 days. Doesn't this go under the terrorism law as well?

So are you saying that the Yellows need to reach the reds level of violence and depravity before they should be part of the negotiations? Ignoring them only sets the stage for more protests. Thailand needs a solution that respects all Thais and not just the reds.

The Criminal Court Friday convicted controversial fortune teller Suparirk Pathumsriwiroj or Krit Confirm for defaming singer Saranrat Wisutthida or Lydia.

The court found Suparirk guilty of defaming Saranrat during February 20 to 25 2008 by predicting that the singer would become pregnant although she has not been married yet.

The court ruled that the singer had never assigned the fortune teller to read her sign so the fortune teller had no right give any prediction on her.

The court initially sentenced him to eight months in jail and a fine of Bt100,000. The court then commuted the penalties to 6 months an fine of Bt75,000.

The court suspended the jail term and put him on probation for two years. the Naton

What a joke in Thailand you could spend more time in jail for an unauthorized fortune telling than for leading a rebellion.

Red shirts. Give 'em an arm, they'll take a leg. How much of this is about the red shirt leader's cowardice to face legal charges? As I suspected, they are dragging their feet (lots of limb analogies) and this is far from over.

Their reach has exceeded their grasp (on reality)

PAD

People's Alliance for Demands?

RED

Random Executions until you meet our Demands

UDD

Usually Deny Democracy

Seems with the pads wanting to allow only some segments of Thailands population the right to vote.

and now this.

pad really means People Against Democracy

Democracy isn't defined as doing whatever the reds say. 4000 protesters have no right to dictate the course of a nation of 60 million.