lilkitty

Did the yellows try to BURN DOWN THE CITY? I'll wait while you get your answer from Montenegro.

No, but I remember one of the PAD speakers talking about burning down the farms upcountry and another about revoking the voting rights of the poor. But I agree with you, they never said they will burn down their own high-so Metropolis.

Please Khun Abisith restore democracy in the country, resign and organize elections. If not the Maoists (well, they don't yet they are Maoists, they are just a mob of frustrated people) will take the power by anyway and we'll be obliged to flee.

The Maoists that are not yet Maoists.

If that isn't the statement of the day. Cut back on whatever you're taking, please.

Solly solly teacher I forgot a word. I know that we are in Thailand where death penalty is common. Do you think I deserve it?

I will let you out on bail.

Shortly after the red leaders surrendered or went on the run it went up in flames, they did say previously that Bangkok would burn and burn it is in parts, IMO this was preplanned..

Now the debate will rage on like the fires in Bangkok and some people will say it had nothing to do with the reds, whoever it was it's a sad time for Thailand at the moment.

considering the prevalence of petrol bombs... it would be hard for the Red Shirt leaders to abdicate responsibility for the fire bombs...

promised to burn Bangkok and make Abisit(?) disappear from the earth if 1 redshirt died in the protests. This was recorded (presumably) before the start of the protests

Well, Bangkok is burning. Does anyone know when the 2nd part of the prophecy will happen?

Please Khun Abisith restore democracy in the country, resign and organize elections. If not the Maoists (well, they don't yet they are Maoists, they are just a mob of frustrated people) will take the power by anyway and we'll be obliged to flee.

The Maoists that are not yet Maoists.

If that isn't the statement of the day. Cut back on whatever you're taking, please.

next thing you know is AOT will announce a backdrop of tourists and they do not know why....

LOL in stead of LOS

Don't worry, they will do a 100 million Baht study in order to find out why the tourist numbers have dropped.

I don't think what ever side people support they would want to see Bangkok burn. However, if you look back through different threads on this forum, what is happening now is exactly what people were afraid was going to happen if the government dispersed the protesters using force. I think things are going to get worse, a lot worse. The people who are burning Bkk should be held accountable to the full extent of the law and also the government (Abhasit and co) should be held responsible for gross mismanagement of the whole situation from start to where it is now. A very sad time for Thailand

I completely agree with that. I remember when the protests was at the bridge, not yet at Rajprasong. The government wanted the bridge cleared and ordered the protesters to move elsewhere. Then they moved to Rajprasong. When they got tired of that, instead of negotiating and keeping it at Rajprasong, they started pushing them out of Rajprasong and they ended up spreading all over the city. I believe a UN official compared it to squeezing a water balloon.

Something must have happened last night, though. The Democrat Senators that were negotiating with the red shirts seemed to come in kind of an agreement and there was even answer from Abhisit that they would hold tri-party (government, senators, red shirts) talks on Wednesday. Then however, on Wednesday morning, the government started with the crackdown.

I'm sure that nearly every stage of what has happened has been mishandled. And especially last night, when a breakthrough seemed so near and negotiations almost resuming ...the crackdown was launched. And now the city is burning. This didn't need to happen. I would have liked to see all sides give peace another chance.

Ironic, the green sign on the photo!

not sure if this pic has been posted yet, my connection to thaivisa isnt the best atm

from someones blog

I completely agree this is not the way to solve things. But I also think that the violent mob that has been causing a lot of this wasn't really ever part of the red shirt movement and what it was about. I believe that the intentions of the real red shirt movement were always non-violent, but the groups that then got attached is what steered the whole truck off the street, so to speak. Anyone can now claim to be a red shirt and cause the problems he's always wanted to cause. And I'm sure there are a lot of people doing that right now. I don't think it was ever the intention of the poor rural population that came to Bangkok to sit in front of the stage with their relatives and children.

Red leaders are in custody at Naresuan military camp in Cha Am, Petchaburi province /via @tukky_NT

Something tells me they better fortify that military base really well tonight.

It looks like internet connections will be switched off as well very shortly.

Thai TV just reported riots breaking out in Chonburi as well.

SKY: Thai army declares end to operation against protesters, says troops are in control of capital http://bit.ly/902hB1

Have the Thai army got Mr Bean assessing the situation? In control of the capital? LOL! The Reds haven't even started their fight yet. End the operation? Why? Do the army think they've won because they've arrested some key Red leaders? Do they think the Reds only listen to these leaders in custody? They still don't know the Reds are fighting for a cause. How blind can a government and the Yellow movement be?

Half the city is burning. Riots and shooting everywhere. Has anyone noticed that the women and children are still at Rajprasong? CNN reported shooting still going on there. But it's great news to see the army is back in control of the capital.

And you think that funny ,do you ?

Yes, I think it's funny that the army believes they are back in control. Everything else, not funny at all.

He called for the reds to start dispersing and leaving the rally site via routes leading to the National Stadium, where the government had busses waiting to take them home.

It ain't over till the fat lady sings !!!

There are a lot of very unhappy Thai people now.

I wonder what will happen next.

Well, for one thing...Udon Thani Provincial Hall is on fire.

Pictures from Ubon Ratchathani, about 1 hour ago:

(Courtesy of http://memock.wordpress.com/ )

SKY: Thai army declares end to operation against protesters, says troops are in control of capital http://bit.ly/902hB1

Have the Thai army got Mr Bean assessing the situation? In control of the capital? LOL! The Reds haven't even started their fight yet. End the operation? Why? Do the army think they've won because they've arrested some key Red leaders? Do they think the Reds only listen to these leaders in custody? They still don't know the Reds are fighting for a cause. How blind can a government and the Yellow movement be?

Half the city is burning. Riots and shooting everywhere. Has anyone noticed that the women and children are still at Rajprasong? CNN reported shooting still going on there. But it's great news to see the army is back in control of the capital.

Does anyone know what happened to the Yellow Shirt leaders, after they closed the airport in Dec 2008? I have not heard of any of them serving jail sentences right now (I could be wrong) if so, seems a bit unfair to me that they can close down the airport and get away scott free. Or could be something to do with the fact that their side came into government afterwards, so they escaped punishment?

It will be interesting to see what happens to the Red Shirt leaders

I saw a while ago that their court cases had been delayed, for the 8th time in succession, because they were "on holiday" during the date they should have shown up in court. I think that says enough.

I just saw Jatuporn and other leaders on Thai TV, signing something, probably posting bail. Several of them had their Blackberries and iPhones. If they were really arrested, would they still be allowed to keep those?

I seriously doubt that this crackdown or arrests will end anything. Central World reportedly on fire. So is Century Park Hotel. Here are some photos of Ubon: http://memock.wordpress.com/ a while ago. Khon Khaen riots in the streets. As well as Chiang Mai. Government building burning in Udon Thani.

Gregb: Did you ever ask yourself why a certain very important person was so adamantly against Thaksin? He certainly didn't care that much about money. There is obviously a different reason for that.

Yes, I did. I also considered how little I would care about money if I had "sufficient" (and if I had five times as much as Thaksin at his peak that would be more than sufficient).[/font]

Actually it was the other way around and Thaksin had more, albeit not five times more.

I have not seen the relevant bank accounts, however as I recall Thaksin was never credited with more than 7 billion dollars, while Forbes credited the other individual referred to with 35 billion dollars. I believe 7 x 5 still equals 35.

Thou shall not cry if thou burn thee fingers with fire.

You guys are playing with fire.

By the way, the red shirts stage at Klong Toei is not the only one. There's Din Daeng, Bon Kai and others. Whatever happened to the army "containing" and making the red shirt protests "smaller"? Their plan failed horribly. Now, instead of just the stage at Rajprasong, there are half a dozen others all around the city.

I saw the one at Ladprao today. Police officers were standing nearby, doing nothing. One officer was chatting with a red shirt that brought tyres in and they laughed and smiled together. Another police officer was busy collecting tea money from a motorbike.

A great article in the Nation.

Have to say I am gob smacked.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...s-30129685.html

Death toll more than just statistics

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Published on May 19, 2010

How many more mornings are we going to be greeted by more deaths and casualties, coldly and helplessly observing them like nothing more than statistics?

Since April 10, more than 60 people have been killed. At least 36 civilians have died since the second round of clashes erupted last Thursday night. Yesterday, the government ordered three more public holidays in Bangkok so they could get rid of the tens of thousands of protesters holding out at Rajprasong intersection and elsewhere.

Yet some Thais remain indifferent. They go about their daily business as normal, dining and chatting happily while killings continue.

In fact, those opposed to the red-shirt movement even seem to be delighted that the Army is liberally firing live bullets. Few ask where the water cannons, the tear gas, batons, anti-riot police and ear-shattering anti-riot sound disseminator vehicles that the government "promised" to use are. Why are they not being used as weapons to disperse the crowds?

A female yellow-shirt radio host at FM 97.75 station told listeners on Monday morning that 30 deaths "wasn't that much". Newspapers like ASTV-Manager Daily called for the government on Monday to finish off the enemy and urged Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva "not to lose heart".

"Please be more swift and decisive," the paper advised Abhisit.

As more people are being killed, we must acknowledge that everybody, no matter what colours they wear, have friends, relatives and loved ones.

Their loss is not just the loss of a handful, but the loss of society as a whole. Deaths beget hatred and revenge, and hatred and revenge only bring death and destruction.

It cannot be denied that the red-shirt leaders are partially responsible for the deaths of their own followers, but the government too should act more responsibly. Their decision to use war weapons instead of dialogue has already led to so many deaths.

The government, which has armed forces at its disposal, has the responsibility to protect the right to life of its citizens. It has cruelly chosen to abdicate this responsibility and people who are affected by it can no longer regard the regime as legitimate.

More people will certainly be killed in the hours ahead. We can no longer count on the wisdom of the government or the red-shirt leaders, and do what we can, as individuals and collectively, to try and end the senseless killings in Bangkok before civil war engulfs other parts of the country.

Those who believe that violently ending the protest at the Rajprasong intersection and elsewhere would solve the current political crisis should rethink. There are far too many red shirts now and the killings will only increase. The protesters' sense of camaraderie and conviction are strong enough, and even though some of their leaders like Thaksin Shinwatra and those at the Rajprasong rally stage are deeply flawed, the red shirts' aspiration for an equal political voice and more equitable social and economic opportunities are real.

On Monday night, I visited Klong Toei, where the red shirts have set up a new protest site over the past three nights. Thousands gathered there said they no longer believed in the government.

I can't see how the red shirts would simply return home and forget what has happened over the past month, especially since the comrades and loved ones they lost are not mere statistics to them.

So obvious that this is a paid article by Thaksin himself.

The government MUST not give in to terrorists.

Bush once say something like: "You are either with us or with the terrorist."

The decision is yours.

That article is unlikely to be paid by Thaksin. It's written by TheNation, who has so far been very anti-Thaksin and pro-Abhisit. But even the strongest Abhisit supporter should be able to see that there are far too many red shirts in Bangkok and all over Thailand. You can't just use force on people and expect them to shut up forever and play slave again.

The journalist did indeed hit the nail on the head with this article. It's time for negotiations, not violence, before it gets even worse.

And by the way, your Bush statement is ridiculous. We've all seen where that got Bush. He became arguably the worst and most hated US President of all times. Are you really suggesting Abhisit go down that path?

The solution is....

Omg!!!! You tease!!!!!!!!!

99 pages and no solution.

I like this game too

Siam Cement (the largest Thai industrial and petrochemical conglomerates),

Christiani & Nielsen (one of the largest construction firms),

Deves Insurance (one of the largest insurers),

Siam Commercial Bank (one of the largest banks),

Honda Cars (Thailand),

Y.K.K. Zipper (Thailand),

Nanthawan (Obayashi),

Thai Bridgestone,

Minebea Electronics (Thailand),

Bangkok Aviation Fuel Service,

the Dusit Thani Hotel.

and Shin Corporation (a major telecommunications firm, through holdings in Siam Commercial Bank).

All the above are 100% connected, are we getting curious yet ?

You're playing a dangerous game.