Steely Dan

THE NATION: RT @rrystrom:My mother-in-law said pppl wanted 2 bring home their children&old ppl from rajprasong yday but was refused 2leave by r-guards..

Exactly as I have predicted and written before. This is a hostage situation.

Just in case it has been overlooked Abhisit offered early elections Nov 14th and a roadmap to reconciliation, this was rejected by the red shirt leaders on the pretext that Suthep had to be arrested to face charges over 10th April. There were 23 killed on the 10th April, a death toll which was exceeded over the last two days. After initially making some constructive noises about Abhisits offer the moderate reds seem to have disappeared. Where are they? Are they still alive? It would appear the red hard liners are in charge and they are following Thaksin's orders, which seem to be to spread anarchy, despite his weasel words Seh Daeng spelled out that Thaksin did not want the protests to stop.

Abhisit has no choice now except to dismantle the capacity of the extremists to fight. To do this I think a period of martial law and curfews is needed. Normal democratic niceties should not be given to those who seek to trample all over the democratic rights of others so every demonstrator should be summarily carted off the jail and not for six months. Looters should expect military justice and those seeking to start new protests should be dealt with severely too.

The longer anarchy is allowed to continue the more likely it is to spread, the time for pussyfooting around is over.

Red-shirt Facebook page issues call for help

UDD Thailand, a Facebook page which supports the red-shirt movement, urged red-shirt people to come out in full force to help the Rajprasong protesters survive the crackdowns over the weekend.

The page, UDD Thailand, urged red-shirt people to gather at Imperial Lardprao, Imperial Samrong and Thai Com office in Kaerai and move together to Rajprasong.

The page urged the red-shirt to bring along foods and waters for the Rajprasong protesters.

He said the red-shirt people could also gather at the Pheu Thai head office at the BBD Building on Soi Jinda Thawil off Rama 4 Road.

The page also asked the red-shirt people to be careful, saying the black-shirt warriors and former Army chief Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh would help them battle the troops.

It said if the protesters survive past Sunday, the red-shirt movement would win the war against the government.

CRES I hope you are taking note.

If forces stretched suggest putting the word out to Bangkok residents who would probably be glad to form a welcoming committee.

From the news clippings forum:

THE NATION: Nuttawut called for ceasefire. He said at least 7 more people have been killed today.

In other words he can feel the noose tightening around his neck and is desperately looking for a way out having no doubt been counting on reds from elsewhere breaking the blockade allowing the red leadership to be smuggled out up country dressed as women no doubt stopping at every McDonalds between Bangkok and Udon.

sweet - way to align yourselves with a group using elderly woman and children as human shields. Hey shouldn't the "leaders" of your side be turning themselves in today?

Human shields are people that are neutral civilians and used by terrorists (i mean real terrorists) for protection .

Those women and elderly are not neutral , they are protesting on their own free will .

Nobody force them . This is a popular protest by people , and people do not only include

male 19-25 years old

Please cut the BS

they are there for money, if it was not for the promise of a pay day they would be back at home doing nothing.

Which is why an emergency decree is needed to freeze the assets of all red leaders and send someone to Montenegro dressed in black and carrying a scythe.

Children & elders make up 70% of protesters

Former senator and secretary of a children foundation Wallop Tangkhananurak issued a statement for red-shirt leaders to evacuate children and elders, which he estimated made up 70% of protesters at Ratchaprasong rally.

-- Tan Network 2010-05-15

Oh hail brave leaders, spewing out hate whilst surrounded by human shields, hiding in their capsule and sleeping in aircon hotel rooms. I salute your bravery at taking millions of Baht from Thaksin who stole it from the Thai people to begin with. Your concern for the rural poor is a shining example to us all

There is very little in the international press. They don't care about it.

What they do have is usually along the lines of "the reds are unhappy because Abhisit came to power through a parliamentary vote". Democracy - the reds don't understand that.

Internal strife weakens Thailand, so what you are suggesting is surrender to them? I suppose you are suggesting that the south should be handed over to Malaysia because that's what a few people down there want?

And then the sealer - because I have a different opinion to the reds, I am in danger? Yay for RED DEMOCRACY.

The first story on Yahoo news is Thailand.

Yes. They are reporting on the violence. International news sources love violence.

They do have the standard statement - "They claim his coalition government came to power through manipulation of the courts and the backing of the powerful military."

Am I supposed to get my knowledge of the Thai situation from these international news sources?

BBC did not show the video with evidence of protesters attacking thai soldiers, CNN mentioned it. Why.?

The law firm defending Thaksin is based in London. Does this mean anything?

http://blog.taragana.com/pr/former-prime-m...m-peroff-17061/

Nope, the BBC have a long history of shoddy second hand reporting and a strong left wing bias.

AN Network: Red-shirt leader Dr.Weng Tojirakarn admits the red camp is running out of supplies, told supporters to bring supplies through small routes.

Refreshing news indeed. I hope the government is able to close all routes to make sure their supply is not met.

It's the taking down of the phone networks which should be most effective, without their life support the women should be going insane with boredom within a few hours.

This is a photo of a ten year old boy shot last night, a sober reminder to all those praying for a crackdown what it eventually leads to.

http://tweetphoto.com/22448632

This is a article on the shooting unfortunately in Thai

http://www.dailynews.co.th/newstartpage/in...contentId=65910

It's also a sober reminder to the drunk drivers speeding towards army checkpoints with kids in the car.

Get the women and children out of there!

get the WOMEN, CHILDREN, OLD and SICK out of the red fighting zone !

As I've stated before this is a hostage situation with red terrorist leaders using the vulnerable (and brainwashed) as human shields. They are lower than a Daschund's anus.

The country needs a leader with brain of Abhisit and balls of Thaksin (no pun intended) ... Just having good intentions doesn't work if u can't implement those.... hope Thailand emerges stronger after this debacle...

Since when has Takki got balls ??? last time I looked, he was hiding in exile with body guards around him -tiny little balls would be a correct description - I think if anyone has shown balls here its Abhisit - first to wait that long against the wishes of the majority - than to force the military to actually do something

well I am seeing more guys willing to die for him thn this govt right at this movement....

That's a testament to how adept the reds are at brainwashing.

[b]RED LIE ALERT!!!

[/b]

YOu are the one way off base.

Thaksin is calling for returning to the negotiation table. I would much rather have Thaksin calling the shots than this braindead moron Abhisit.

RED LIE ALERT!!!!

Seh Daeng blew the gaffe on this little lie stating explicitly that his deity did not want the protests to stop because if the government stays in power he is finished at the next army reshuffle.

From The Nation

Weng calls on reporters to return to Rajprasong

Weng Tojirakarn Saturday morning called on reporters to return to cover the demonstration at Rajprasong.

He said no reporters turned up at the rally stage apparently because their editorials did not allow them to cover the demonstration.

Weng said red-shirt guards would provide protection to reporters.

The no-show of reporters indicated that troops were about to suppress protesters at Rajprasong, weng said.

Please come and film us! Our human shield of women and children is far less effective without cameras present. We guarantee you protection (just as we did for Seh Daeng).

Abhisit is such an idiot.

He knew exactly what would result if he used force. Congratulations Abhisit, now you have it

He should have stuck to negotiations.

Abhisit is a disgusting excuse for a human being.

And what of Thaksin and his 3000 extra-judicial killings, not to mention central role in causing the current violence?

I have been around a couple riots and those such as the Rodney King Riots in LA were nothing to do with the police, justice or Rodney King. Sure they may have started that way but there is always a certain element of society that just wants to cause chaos, hurt authority or prosper from these types of things.

I really suspect a large number of the red mob are simply there to cause havoc and have seized this opportunity to act out.

Agree 100%

Apparently nearly 1% of the population are psychopaths, some clinical, some borderline. Society normally keeps these people in check by providing laws resulting in repercussions for transgressors. When there is an opportunity to burn societies rule book psychopaths and misfits are attracted like flies around shit. A 'cause' is very effective at harnessing such characters as it gives focus and 'justification' to their violent tendencies and total lack of moral compass.

Jerry this is a Thaksin powerplay, not a simple peoples democratic movement.

No Thaksin = no street riots. The people have 223 PTP candidates in parliament,

who COULD be effective, but are not. They are a huge opposition block,

but don't even act like a Shadow government. The reds are well represented in parliament,

though ineffectually because of lack of PTP organizational abilities, but they don't control the executive...

So this is a huge powerplay to regain cabinet army list and budgetary control; Patronage power,

and thus abilities get Thaksin back at the helm, if not as PM....

Try not to get caught up in the overlay facade

that is being used to confuse and obscure the REAL reasons.

It is amazing how many posters here seem to believe this is about democracy, this is a complete manipulated facade sold to

brainwashed masses and get them to rise up in revolt. PTP might as well be renamed the bring back Thaksin party, they are a

complete policy vacuum apart from this. They were saved the embarrassment of coming up with a manifesto when Abhisits offer

for a reconciliation path was rejected, and why?

This is nothing other than a power struggle between ruthless oligarchs who will stop at nothing to get their way - I think it's more than

a coincidence that one of these oligarchs owns a business interest called King Power, is this a name or a statement of intent?

P.S Mods, delete this if it contravenes guidelines - I am referring to a commercial entity above and not an institution.

You're on a very wrong path here.

By doing so, you'd by no means be better than the person you suggested to be killed.

That's why justice is such difficult issue and why K.Abhisit deserves so much respect.

Being in the middle of 'Hawks' like the OP and 'Doves', he remains calm and has done everything in his capacity to settle this issue peacefully.

Now that his last efforts have been blocked by continuously changing demands from the red camp, he had to resort to finishing this process with help from army and police.

Given the very nature of the red protest so far, the flaming on stage 24/7 for 2 months, you will see many casualties, but there's no doubt for me that K.Abhisit has no other peaceful options left.

The red shirts will loose, they know it. Sad thing is that their leaders want to go down in flames but seem confident that they will survive and enjoy their life after this. If Veera is really in the UK now, then it shows their true colors, not red, but green, $-green without caring a hoot about the people they've sent into this conflict.

I have to agree with the OP.

Remove the head of the snake.

Ever heard of the expression a stitch in time saves nine? It should have been done a year ago, now it may even be too late.

There is now evidence of army shooting people waving white flags, army shooting children, army shooting red shirts in the head (how many are dead now from bullet wounds?).

This is not "international standards" and shows just how desperate that Abhisit and the Democrat/Bhumjaitai coalition are to cling to power and money at all costs......

Can you please point out, at what stage in the video, anyone was being shot.

And children??? You are part of the red propaganda parade, aren't you!!!

He'll no doubt only be happy when there's a complete Maoist takeover, then he'll have to put his keyboard down and plant rice. These red apologists are incapable as always of seeing a chain of cause and effect more than two links long but only see as far as removing the current government.

CRES adjusts tactics, cancelling all advance announcements

The Centre for Resolution of Emergency Situation said it will cancel all advance announcements ahead of its operations.

The CRES also expects that there are some 500 armed red-shirt guards, battling troops.

-- The Nation 2010-05-15

Does this really mean something happened to Suthep?

I always found these CRES forward announcements baffling - It's almost like showing cards in your hand while playing poker.

HaroldC Extract

The anti-government movement is largely funded directly or indirectly by Thaksin's clan. The balance is proved by certain other Sino-Thai business clans.

The goal of the Thaksin group is to attain control of Thailand once an inevitable event occurs.

Given that there is a kingdom at stake, the group is spending vast amounts of money in order to foment and sustain an insurrection.

Because so much already has been spent, the group cannot accept defeat; therefore, they now will employ any and all tactics in order to win.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the group's appointed local leadership are rapidly losing control over the entity that they have created.

Great analysis Harold. You have summed up more or less exactly what imho is going on. I ask myself whether Thaksin's motivation is control or merely revenge. If it is revenge he has done a great job at opening up fissures in Thai society which have been kept below the surface for a long long time. If however Thaksin planned to return on the back of his redshirt pawns I think he may have miscalculated and having prized the lid off Pandora's box he is not capable of closing it - not much good if your aim is to be crown despot fleecing an ignorant and pliant populace.

Shooting of Sondhi Limthongkul

Days after the Bangkok unrest was quelled by military forces, gunmen ambushed Sondhi's car at a petrol station, shot out the tires, and fired over 100 M-16 and AK-47 assault rifle rounds at the car. Sondhi suffered one wound to the head and was conscious, standing, and lucid before being sent to the hospital for surgery.^[147] Sondhi survived the surgery and was visited by relatives afterwards. It was not clear who ordered the shooting, although the PAD's spokesman speculated that a faction of the military or police could have been behind it.^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Al...y#cite_note-147}

I've been amazed at that one since! What amulets was he wearing?

Compared to TS with his platoon of fortune tellers, who's life hasn't been all that jolly in recent years.

If my memory serves me the PAD also had a protective cordon of used sanitary towels round government house, perhaps Sondhi's car was similarly equipped?

Running seems to be a special of their leaders

The sounds heard at about 6:20 pm prompted the red-shirt leaders to flee down the stage and hide behind the stage, leaving the protesters to lie down in front of the stage.

Red guards also ran for cover.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. - Wizard of Oz 1939

Thaksin is such a distant figure these days for most "red" shirts.

The "red" movement seems to have taken a life of its own.

Thinking his death or disappearance will make Thailand go back to the "old days" situation is just pure lunacy.

And it sure worries me as it should quite a few of the guests here...

Distant figure? Piped to TV feeds, twittered through cyber space showering promises and filthy lucre to brainwashed mercenaries, that's hardly distant in my book. Thailand has various difficult issues to resolve, some which can't be discussed - but what really makes my hair stand is the organized cynical indoctrination, hate speeches and pure evil poisoning the minds of those who I would normally symapathise with or even support.

To paraphrase Voltaire: If you can get someone to believe in absurdities you can get them to commit atrocities. The Lanna Daeng are there in waiting to bring their brand of 'democracy' to Thailand, and if they succeed we won't be ranting over 30 or so deaths but countless thousands. This is why the government for all their faults must finish this job and finish it for good.

The Nation: Leaders told #redshirts that they must not do things on their own & if they dont listen 2 leaders, they'd B considered 'fake' reds.

In other words, the leaders, even though they promised they would take all responsibility for their sheeple, cannot really control them. There is no such thing as a fake red. Once they've been brainwashed into blind hatred, the leaders are still responsible for every illegal action they have done. Nice try trying to deflect responsibility for what may happen this evening. At this point, there are no innocents.

The red leaders are getting creepier every time they open their mouths. For those of us who remember Jonestown, is this just a bit eerie? Or maybe a little too Charles Manson-ish?

THE NATION: (18.34) Rajprasong stage returns to normalcy and leaders told protesters not to be frightened. "The time hasnt arrived yet."

That is rather creepy! Maybe their very own water source this evening will be a little more potent than early this morning. "Revolutionary suicide," as Jim Jones put it.

I wonder if David Koresh ever said 'The time hasn't arrived yet?' --- Shortly before the ceiling caught fire.

Accroding to Sky News they are saying they have been told that Seh Daeng is unlikely to survive

Though he will certainly miss the Waco style funeral pyre he designed. Perhaps we can have the New York Times interview the fat rope swinging bastard tonight.

A deal seems pretty inevitable though. I think it'd be great to see free elections again where Thaksin and Abhisit can lead their respective parties. If Abhisit wins then that's totally fine with me.

So they just forget the little part of the Montenegrin's conviction and prison sentence?

Yes. They are after all incredibly minor charges, and politically motivated at that. Thaksin may agree to not actually run himself however.

Don't forget Seh Daeng's admission that his deity did NOT want the reconciliation process to go ahead, though he has since changed his tune now that his military brain is finished. There is only one word for bankrolling an armed attempt to bring down a government; TREASON.