Splatter

Are there any comparisons with how the residents in the South of Thailand were affected by the Tak Bai Incident?

"The BBC's Asia Correspondent, Alastair Leithead, traces the background to the crisis and asks what next for Thailand: is this class war or more about the ambitions of a former prime minister?"

Hmmm. I'm not sure Alistair did the job as described above.

"...in recent years I’ve noticed that “news” is not what’s happened. It’s what’s happened on camera.

If a herd of tigers runs amok in a remote Indian village, it’s not news. If a gang of wide-eyed rebels slaughters the inhabitants of a faraway African village, it’s not news. But if it’s a bit windy in America, it is news. Because in America everything that happens is recorded.

I find myself wondering if last week’s Israeli raid on a Turkish ship in a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza would have had the coverage it did if the battle hadn’t been captured on film. And likewise the racing driver who broke a leg after crashing in the Indy 500. It only became a big deal because we could watch the accident from several angles in slow motion.

In recent months this phenomenon has even spread to the natural world. I mean it. When an animal does something normal, it’s not news. But when it is “caught on camera” doing something normal, then it’s in the Daily Mail. These days, if you snap an owl catching a mouse, you are Robert Capa.

In the end, this can only be good for all of us. Figures out recently show that more people in India have access to a mobile phone than a lavatory. Soon, it will be the same story in China and Africa. And then, when all the world’s being filmed, all of the time, we can go back to a time when news was something interesting rather than something we can simply see. "

full article here...

Please, carry on filming - I'm only burning to death | Jeremy Clarkson - Times Online

So just because the BBC and CNN etc made the reds look like the good guys and the government bad, we're asking if journalists are biased? Anyone who is a foreigner here who speaks Thai or can get someone to translate should have asked that question here when they first set eyes on Thai media.

Should we really expect better from western journalism in the main stream? Absolutely not!

I studied media studies at G.C.S.E level. I didn't learn much from it. But I remember that you can't always believe what you read or see on TV. You take from many different sources and form your own opinion. There were many other media forms that allowed us to do that. On youtube I saw many things that made me think one way or the other.

Anyone from the UK must know it's biased. Take the national football team for example; the team perform badly and the media usually pick on someone or someting as a scape goat. Anyone with half a brain forms their own opinion and doesn't jump on the band wagon.

Mate. A wise post.

Not too many have been exposed to media studies at school.

And many take the mick out of such subjects.

You are right to say that we should not expect better from journalists.

They arrive, do their stock photos of happy locals with their face paint, young troops looking all young, etc.

Then they wander up and down the street where "it is happening" "where it happened" in their polo shirts and flak jackets.

Jeeesh.

Spare me the up to date / breaking news / "Look at me... I am here... live... getting shot" / Send us your photos and tweets if you are there.

Give me the analysis and understanding.

And if it takes 30 minutes more to get that I can wait.

Unfortunately, real time expectations and phone in referendums on American Pop Idol has much to answer for.

When none of the girls can send money home to their parents and grandparents, who is there to blame?

Farang of course!

No need to worry, mom and dad are getting 500 baht each per day

Ha ha. Please don't tell me Dad is donning a bikini and doing a stint on stage?

It might be worrying if Mum was up there too. ....Monsieur Jerome might recognise her as a past swing.

I don't think I've ever seen Amnesty International fail to endorse a righteous citizen's movement against what the movement would call an "oppressive regime". It's something to note and wonder about if you still aren't sure what this is all about.

As a light hearted remark... do you think Amnesty Internl would endorse this citizen's rights against a crowd of protestors deciding who enters and who doesn't enter my street, who also take it on themselves to search the bags of those returning home and going to their place of work?

I'm surprised that the business owners in Ratchaphrasong don't start constructing metal gates on the ground floor of their buildings. If they were able to make the ground floor of all the buildings into a wall of steel, the leverage of the protesters would be gone.

Haha cage the dangerous animals.....and throw in a few muzzles for the leaders!

Well the old way to break a siege was to catapult in a few dead cows with anthrax or the like.

Pretty soon the castle leader bows to necessity. Lacking infectious carrion,

I am sure there are a few things that if tossed at one end would create a desire to exit at the other.

More seriously, the idea of a blockade and letting nothing in or out until

a general REAL SURRENDER is reached, has some merits.

Considering there is a Big C hypermarket in the Rajaprasong area, a Central Food Hall in Central World, etc. I'd suggest the idea has more downsides than upsides.

Can just see hundreds of protestors storming the shopping centre doors to get to the food.

Hippos and river banks comes to mind.

Might it be that Abhisit, with his Western education and all, truly believed he could bring a measure of common sense to the chaos of Thai politics, but has discovered that entrenched habits are too hard to shift for one man, no matter how brilliant he may be or believe himself to be?

Maybe.

Or maybe that his family pushed him into it, and he knew he wasn't ready / ciurcumstances weren't ideal.

But it isn't a perfect world. He had a choice to take the job, and he took it.

In some ways I feel for Abhisit.

Based on track records I very much doubt any other politician in the country could do a better job "keeping down the numbers killed" in Bangkok.

Abhisit's not got much of a team has he? The Foreign Minister mouthing off about why other governments aren't helping, for example.

It's easy to call for the removal a leader, but not so easy to recommend who to follow, and what they should do differently.

And what with Colonel Fufu barking at his heels, along with those holding the leash and filling the feeding bowl.

I'm sure that wasn't on the PPE degree syllabus at Oxford.

Sometimes the best of a bad bunch happens to be the best you've got.

And you have to work with that.

I have actually said in many posts that I quite like Abhisit - what I didn't like was his clinginess to the yellows and his lack of even-handedness - if he had really (really) come out as a middle-way guy on neither side then he could have been very good.

I can go along with that too.

The difficulty is that a leader that is too far out in front is no longer a leader.

They are isolated and on their own.

Similar principles apply when playing rugby.

Yup. Even handedness could have been adressed earlier.

Might it be that Abhisit, with his Western education and all, truly believed he could bring a measure of common sense to the chaos of Thai politics, but has discovered that entrenched habits are too hard to shift for one man, no matter how brilliant he may be or believe himself to be?

Maybe.

Or maybe that his family pushed him into it, and he knew he wasn't ready / ciurcumstances weren't ideal.

But it isn't a perfect world. He had a choice to take the job, and he took it.

In some ways I feel for Abhisit.

Based on track records I very much doubt any other politician in the country could do a better job "keeping down the numbers killed" in Bangkok.

Abhisit's not got much of a team has he? The Foreign Minister mouthing off about why other governments aren't helping, for example.

It's easy to call for the removal a leader, but not so easy to recommend who to follow, and what they should do differently.

And what with Colonel Fufu barking at his heels, along with those holding the leash and filling the feeding bowl.

I'm sure that wasn't on the PPE degree syllabus at Oxford.

Sometimes the best of a bad bunch happens to be the best you've got.

And you have to work with that.

(Also posted in Asia Tourists' thread)

And I thought I'd seen it all... until now.

Walking home from Pat Pong tonight at 12.00 and saw two Thais wearing red shirts sitting outside 7-Eleven,

it was pretty obvious they were worse for wear.

A farang walks past and they chucked some water on him.

Pretty innocent to that point.

The farang said he wasn't looking for any problems - I heard him say it.

And then he spoke Thai saying for everyone to relax.

One of the red shirt wearers then ran up to him and cracked a Singha beer bottle

over the farang's head.

Blood all over the place.

The other then came in and landed a kick in his ribs.

Other Thais / including stall holders who were packing up their wares

jumped in to stop the two red shirt wearers and protect the farang.

Which is what made me realise it wasn't the normal bar dispute.

They helped him off to the police station.

I don't even think the farang hadn't even been in a bar,

he was simply walking down Pat Pong having come in from Silom Road.

I'd say to anyone out there.

BE CAREFUL. BE VERY VERY CAREFUL. MORE THAN USUAL.

Don't say anything to anyone on the street if they are looking worse for wear.

It seems that even in tourist areas tensions are very very very high.

And I thought I'd seen it all... until now.

Walking home from Pat Pong tonight at 12.00 and saw two Thais wearing red shirts sitting outside 7-Eleven,

it was pretty obvious they were worse for wear.

A farang walks past and they chucked some water on him.

Pretty innocent to that point.

The farang said he wasn't looking for any problems - I heard him say it.

And then he spoke Thai saying for everyone to relax.

One of the red shirt wearers then ran up to him and cracked a Singha beer bottle

over the farang's head.

Blood all over the place.

The other then came in and landed a kick in his ribs.

Other Thais / including stall holders who were packing up their wares

jumped in to stop the two red shirt wearers and protect the farang.

Which is what made me realise it wasn't the normal bar dispute.

They helped him off to the police station.

I don't even think the farang hadn't even been in a bar,

he was simply walking down Pat Pong having come in from Silom Road.

I'd say to anyone out there.

BE CAREFUL. BE VERY VERY CAREFUL. MORE THAN USUAL.

It seems that even in tourist areas tensions are very very very high.

^would not have happened if the govt didnt cut the signal to a media station. You may not like what they broadcast, but doesnt give you the right to shut them down. Bottom line govt made a mistake and backed themselves into a corner - end result they look stupid.

I agree they were backed into a corner. It isn't about liking or not liking what they broadcast. It is that what they broadcast was proven lies, inciting people to riot, and making death threats. That is neither legal nor acceptable in every western country. You are mistaken if you believe otherwise.

Then go and arrest those making the threats.

Do you suggest they should block youtube and/or google?

Photo today of red leaders at Rachadamnoen, with a foreigner sitting near them:

--

Maestro

Was there today.

This photo 'might' be slightly unfair. Might be. Not sure.

There were quite a few foreigners in the area, from hotels, trying to get through, some like me seeing if I could get to MBK before Songkran.

Some foreigners were simply sitting in the shade taking a rest from the heat, trying to work it all out.

They'd probably never seen anything like it.

Others however....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11401580@N03/4507685962/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11401580@N03/4507685962/

(Apologies for not knowing the code to paste in directly)

Why so little live footage?

Because the reporters keep getting shot?????

Download anchor free or similar and watch rachaprasong live at uddthailand.com. For all these news updates that make it sound like the govt. is taking control, they red shirts are still on stage and there are still a good 70,000 people listening. Really want to see how they break up 70,000 people.

70,000 ???

There are more people there than have been at most of their rallies (except the first day?).

Anyone close to the scene that can verify these (inflated?) figures?

There are never 70,000 there during the hot sunny afternoon. But at night, numbers do get close to that. So while the army has managed to clear out most of the areas this afternoon, it will be an entirely different story tonight.

Source?

Whoa. Just got back to my office in Chidlom. At 5.30pm or so.

Just as the reds were marching from Chidlom intersection to the Wittayu intersection.

A longer procession than I saw when the yellows were doing similar.

Earlier this afternoon I made it through to MBK, when the skytrain and overhead walkways were operating.

Very very hot, and more demonstrators than I'd ever seen before gathered around the Ratchaprasong intersection.

Oh yes, some strange looking farangs all dressed up in red were there as well.

That's it from me, not going out there again this afternoon.

It's nuts.

Give me time and I'll post some photos on flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11401580@N03/

Should foreigners get involved?

Tricky one.

If any of us are walking down Sukhumvit and we see a little old lady getting robbed, if we could, I'm sure most of us would step in and do something.

If any of us are walking down Ratchadamnoen and we see an army stealing the government from the people.... errrrr..... we'd probably keep quiet I suppose.

Ironic.

Thai Visa has a poll.

We have to wait at least 9 months for one in Thailand. Which is fine because the MPs were ....oh fill in the rest yourself.

Will the BTS be closed?

Is it ok to go to Siam Square tonight, 8:30pm?

Considering how close it is to the Central World area I wouldn't be going there.

Shouldn't the announcement have read;

"Government announces a Failed State in Emergency " ?

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Methinks your memory needs to be jogged then.

Please jog it. Information please.

edit: no references required. just some basic details of the violence during this time will be fine.

I suppose you could call the airport thing peaceful.

Not long before there were some right violent hooleys kicking off.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11401580@N03/...57607842648157/

7th October 2008.

Elements in the PAD engaged in violence, as did the Police.

I didn't hang about for the evening. That was pretty violent too.

But, of course, that was not at the airport.

I suppose we could call the army rolling their tanks onto the streets as peaceful, because they didn't fire them.

But I wouldn't try the "None of us fired our guns when holding up the bank, your honour, we were being peaceful" defense in any court of law.

Here are some from the march to the US Embassy on Wedensday, 17th March.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11401580@N03/

If anyone wants to cut and paste them into here, please go ahead.

Please provide the link for where the BBC Said this was the largest political protest in 30 years... thanks!

All i have been able to find on the subject is this

The rally, led by red-shirted supporters of Mr Thaksin has been one of the largest in recent years, although the BBC's Rachel Harvey, at the scene, says the numbers appear to be dwindling.

I remember it being stated by a presenter yesterday, available on a video on the BBC site. The big bloke with an open white shirt, standing in front of the stage on Rajadamnern.

It was also shown on BBC World.

Sorry, I didn't video it for you.

There's an oblique reference to something similar, in text, here....

http://article.wn.com/view/2010/03/15/What...tical_demonstr/

.

If the presenter stated it, the website would reflect that fact unless there are two different reports. There is no reason for something stated on television to not have been quoted on the website, especially given the BBC Bangkok Bureau's penchant for exaggeration.

What did your last slave die of?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8566749.stm

and he chucks probably in front of the phrase.

Please provide the link for where the BBC Said this was the largest political protest in 30 years... thanks!

All i have been able to find on the subject is this

The rally, led by red-shirted supporters of Mr Thaksin has been one of the largest in recent years, although the BBC's Rachel Harvey, at the scene, says the numbers appear to be dwindling.

I remember it being stated by a presenter yesterday, available on a video on the BBC site. The big bloke with an open white shirt, standing in front of the stage on Rajadamnern.

It was also shown on BBC World.

Sorry, I didn't video it for you.

There's an oblique reference to something similar, in text, here....

http://article.wn.com/view/2010/03/15/What...tical_demonstr/

.

They will get frustrated. They don't have the majority support or the moral authority to pull off what they are demanding. They do have fermented fish. You figure it out ...

Actually they do have the support, which party got the most votes in the last elections.

Correct... and to make things even clearer, may I add a quote from the BBC on line news site on 25th February 2010?

"...a shaky coalition installed by parliament rather than elected by popular mandate. "

Morals, I can't comment upon.

And no, I am not a Red, nor am I a Yellow.

I see the fans are following the game in the good old British tradition.

English.

Keep going with the stereotypes matie.

Remember Wembley 1977 ????

I should suggest that some of the continental clubs are still facing greater problems than English football.