Fore Man

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

I don't know what you are drinking but it must be strong. I have not met 1 Thai who supports this man, I have been to Udon, Korat, Khon Kaen and Non Kai in the last 12 months and have not met this SINGLE Thai you talk about. I can say I've met hundreds and not met a supporter of the present government. Maybe this 1 you met was hiding.

Red apologist, your poll is outdated now...go ask again!

I would think urban crowd control training would be better spent money, killing ppl out in the streets isn't a good answer and this government will pay in the eyes of west (already happing in Europe today).

How many airbases does the US have here, was it 12? I forget but yes we do , have Mil. exercises with the Thais so I would think we could help w/Tactics it would be good esply crowd suppression, if they had gone in w/ watercannons, sound suppression and tear gas the day they were setting up @ Saladang this whole mess could have been averted quickly.

I as an American find it silly that the Reds were expecting so much from us (or the UN for taht matter) and I am at least a bit sympathetic to the red cause.

The US has a real stake in a stable Thailand and has definitly supported the government IMO.

Secondly I think the reds had one of the best Thai mil. tacticitions on their side. I am sure that the "camp" was designed and upkept with his thinking even after his passing. They were sitting there for what 2 and a half months? Lots of time to think, maybe INVITE ppl to bring children and grandparents, tell them hey look you can just run into that temple over there while we take the fight out of here. (by the way I didn't find it so shocking after working and living with Thais, it is kind of a cultural thing to bring children to work, and they knew they could get out safe) It was a good military tactic.

Meanwhile the army is on TV saying they think the reds shot ppl to make them look bad at the temple, I have trouble buying into it after the actions this past week by the Army.

The Red political tactics were much more suspect and I am pretty sure Veera and Wang at least would have objected to the red military tactics used. I think that the propaganda being spewed by the authorities will back fire if they keep it up. Maybe the reds could/should of taken the high road and trusted the government to hold elections but I think the April violence colored the thinking about trust.

I hope that a middle voice can rise from the ashes and help bring some stability to the situation but highly doubt it. This is a great place to live and a beautiful place as well, but the problems have me and my wife thinking about going away (which I think some of you will welcome).

Sorry about spelling and gram. errors this is very stream of conscience thought about the last few days

Sorry, but the US has zero airbases here, and hasn't for decades. We lease various FBO services from selected Thai airports and RTAF bases around the Kingdom. In the US War on Terror, Thailand supports US forces who transit through U-Tapao enroute to and from the Middle East. That's about the extent of our involvement other than the presence of the Joint US Military Advosory Group (JUSMAG), garrisoned in Bangkok in their Satorn Tai Road compound.

I read on another TV news item today that Thaksin's thugs had attempted, or did succeed in damaging the CM home of Newin's father (or father in law; I can't remember which). Could this be the same incident?

A friend just phoned...said he passed an ambulance & Army EOD truck speeding south on Chotana Road near the Lanna Golf Course. Any reports on what their destination might have been?

Some of the posters here need to calm down and really think through all that has occurred since the reds took over Bangkok in March. I concur that many TV members seem to have adopted pro-red agendas and it very may well be because they have been influenced by their Thai wives....many of whom sprang from Isaan roots and whose greater families also support the red cause. They do so because of how the reds built their base of support in Isaan and in the poorer districts of the north, creating a fabric of mistruths and slowly but inexorably beating them into an anti-government frenzy. My own spouse is not from Isaan and her northern family all consists of hard-working and moral people, but even she is beginning to see that the carefully orchestrated and putative peaceful political aims of the reds have been undermined by the other, decidedly sinister side of their strategy which believes in using broad but well-camouflaged provocative violence to create fear and sow worry amongst the Thai people...all with the grand goal of returning Thaksin and his thugs to power. In the latter regard, the reds are and will continue to do so; the extent of which nobody knows at this time. This impartial link below has been posted in another TV forum but is well worth listing again. It explains a lot and I encourage all TV readers to take a close look at it:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LE13Ae01.html

Now is not the time to continue sniping at each other on this forum. It is a time to understand what has happened to Thailand and what led us to these sad days of infamy, and to hope and pray that the huge sectarian chasm that has been created does not drop all of us into the abyss.

HUGE SECTARIAN CHASM?????

From your post,it is you who are doing this.How the hel_l do you know that farangs who seem to be pro-reds are being influenced by their issan gf/wife.Your post tries to make it clear that your gf/wife is NOT from Issan,as though its some sort of no no to love an issan lady.

This is the whole reason why there are problems in Thailand with views like you.I believe the reds have lost a lot of supporters due to this rioting in Bangkok,but let me tell you one thing,there is plenty of hatred towards bangkok thais and farangs by thai people in Chonburi,so think about that please.

Please do us all a huge favor and take off your red-colored glasses; you are showing your profound ignorance.

Here in Mae Rim, the Summit Green Valley Golf Course is open for business and told us that they still plan to offer Night Golf this evening...no worries about a curfew affecting players who might have problems getting home again.

Some of the posters here need to calm down and really think through all that has occurred since the reds took over Bangkok in March. I concur that many TV members seem to have adopted pro-red agendas and it very may well be because they have been influenced by their Thai wives....many of whom sprang from Isaan roots and whose greater families also support the red cause. They do so because of how the reds built their base of support in Isaan and in the poorer districts of the north, creating a fabric of mistruths and slowly but inexorably beating them into an anti-government frenzy. My own spouse is not from Isaan and her northern family all consists of hard-working and moral people, but even she is beginning to see that the carefully orchestrated and putative peaceful political aims of the reds have been undermined by the other, decidedly sinister side of their strategy which believes in using broad but well-camouflaged provocative violence to create fear and sow worry amongst the Thai people...all with the grand goal of returning Thaksin and his thugs to power. In the latter regard, the reds are and will continue to do so; the extent of which nobody knows at this time. This impartial link below has been posted in another TV forum but is well worth listing again. It explains a lot and I encourage all TV readers to take a close look at it:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LE13Ae01.html

Now is not the time to continue sniping at each other on this forum. It is a time to understand what has happened to Thailand and what led us to these sad days of infamy, and to hope and pray that the huge sectarian chasm that has been created does not drop all of us into the abyss.

Seems obvious at this point that no matter what goes down, the red leaders and their goons are maniacal enough to die in place rather than accept the ignominy of defeat. Soldiers will under intense and lasting pressure eventually snap and unloose their deadly volleys aimed at live human targets instead of firing over their heads. This will decimate dozens, perhaps hundreds of impassioned reds...many (most of?) of whom have been hoodwinked into this and have no idea how really perilous their situations are. That these crazed zealots are willing to die or be wounded/maimed to glorify their paymaster living in the lap of luxury abroad leaves me speechless...all for some remote promise of increased government doles if he is returned to power. There is apparently never a thought at all for the future of Thailand and what horrendous damage is being done here. It also appears that the army will continually pick off the hotheads and idiots who take the battle to them, attrit the defiant & armed members of the mob and then the remainder will be forced to capitulate.

Where this outcome will leave the movement is the ominous question...will it be resurrected in similar nightmarish scenes across the landscape in the coming months and years? It certainly seems likely. Batten down your hatches my fellow ex-pats. All of you who have encouraged violence--regardless of the color you wear--will be eating your words when somebody snipes at you while you are driving or you are no longer able to live here because of the loss of any remaining civility or law and order; when you must pull your kids out of school for their safety; when you cannot buy what you need because the inland transportation infrastructure has eroded; when roving bands of thugs pillage the countryside, and when Thailand slips away into chaos and anarchy runs rampant in what we all used to fondly call the Land of Smiles. Am I being a doomday pessimist? I truly hope not, but the future is very unpleasant for us unless a strong unifying force can bring about healing and depolarize this badly divided nation.

It's strange how the international media always seem to leave out the 'Thaksin link' when they report on this. It's such an important piece in the puzzle that to me it even feels suspicious that they don't mention this, almost like he's greased a few palms in the west (oh it does happen!). Instead they talk about the 'rural poor' versus the 'elite', and associate the word democracy with the very people who ruin the very idea by happily selling their vote fot the price of a couple of beers!

I think that the bbc/cnn and the rest of these 'non-biased' organisations should get to the real truth which is far more interesting than the story which they're currently reporting.

Why don't they ask the red shirts how much they're getting paid? Ask them why they think Thaksin is so great and what he could do for the country should he return. Ask them how they think that Thaksin, as a convicted criminal, could possibly plan to be taken seriously by the international community, should he manage to bully his way back into office.

Ask them why they are using women and children as a human shield.

Ask them why they risk their lives for a greedy evil billionaire?

Why can't the press get an interview with Thaksin? A few well placed questions will simply destroy him.

Why don't the international media do their job rather than appearing to be the heroes in the danger zone, reporting alongside the red-shirt 'freedom fighters'?

My point? It appears that Thaksin has more than just a few red-shirts in his back pocket!!!

Excellent post!

Couldn't agree more..

Couldn't agree less. If you think that the likes of the BBC are biased in this, then I suggest you consider the possibility that the bias is within yourself.

For a very long time now very few people on the red side has seemed particularly interested in Thaksin. (With a couple exceptions). They know they're on their own now.

Secondly, to think that protesters risking life and limb to bring wounded people to safety under live fire are doing this for 550 baht a day is quite sick. Clearly they believe in a cause, rightly or wrongly.

International news media realize this. Local "mainsteam" (LOL) news media just want to paint one side black. (==bias)

Man, are you ever living in La-La Land. Quit smoking whatever you've been using and get real!

My two bahts worth...Seh Daeng lived by the sword and may very well die by the sword. He who begets violence always, inevitably receives it back in return. This whacko nut case had it coming to him and I wouldn't at all be surprised if it turned out to be a moderate red shirt who had SD assassinated as he had gone way off the reservation.

There are certainly moderate types who want this to end peaceably and people like SD and other hotheaded 'leaders' are greatly lowering the prospects for a peaceful resolution. At his very core SD is a paid thug of the former PM. SD arose in the movement because he is a zealot and happens to wear the rank insignia of a former RTA general--greatly respected in Thai culture...he's nothing more. He has been paid to make sure the protests did not end without a free return ticket for the boss...as well as motivated to inject serious violence into the fray by employing the Ronin shooters to make absolutely sure this would not end as a simple protest, continuing to strand the grand paymaster in exile. Perhaps there were promises made of a lofty government position if the protest succeeds in returning the old regime to power. Democratic values never were a real UDD goal; it is all about power and money and they don't give a hoot for their impoverished fellow citizens...who unwittingly are being as lackeys and to hide behind to prevent the security forces from sweeping over their miserable encampment. As much as I cannot respect the current government's inability to secure Bangkok, I do admire the PM's resolve and restraint. A genuinely moral and kind man, he has been badly hamstrung by a lame duck army senior leadership, a politically divided and hapless national police force and poor choices in key cabinet positions.

As I said once before, Thailand needs its own Lochinvar now to ride in on his white steed and move the nation into a colorless society and heal the grievous wounds that have rent this country into two. Could this be Abhisit under a new and fairly-elected government? Negotiation has to be the instrument that brings about this change and the Reds must stand down to allow normality to be restored. Continuing on this same path of zealotry will only reduce Thailand to anarchy and civil war, and I cannot believe those outcomes are goals sought by the UDD and their hallowed benefactor.

We talked to a friend in the business and she told us it was an FO cable problem that needed to be replaced. All was back up by 11 PM as someone already mentioned.

It looks like this may all come down without a (further) shot fired. The PM's weapon was to let them bore themselves to death. I figured they'd do something stupid that would screw them up, but I expected much worse than the hospital inspection. A little more rain, a little more of the foot soldiers getting disgusted with the leaders, days of just hanging around listening to the prattle. The gov't is getting all the rats it needs, that's how they're figuring out who to arrest for shooting at helicopters and where the bang-bang stuff is stashed. Once it's all over the gov't should lay out all the pieces before the world and then do what it needs to have Taksin declared an international terrorist and shut his yap once and for all.

Who knows, Abhisit may go down as international Man of the Year for wresting his country from the brink of civil war. I can't wait for the movie, with Chow Yun Fat playing the PM.

You may be on to something! And yes, Chow Yun Fat would be a perfect match!

At this point in the sordid saga of the protests, I have to ask...:

1. Why does the government still allow electrical power to service the red area?

2. Why they allow sustenance to be delivered?

3. How do the protesters get water? How hard would it be to turn it off or stop deliveries?

4. Where are those LRAD we keep hearing about? Properly oriented they would drive those people insane and begging for mercy. Why isn't tear gas or other repulsive odors deployed to force them out from behind their barricades where they could be arrested and/or immediately transported home?

5. Why the ringleaders have not been declared as public enemies of the state, cited for fomenting terrorism and inciting widespead civil disobedience, and then issue general orders to all authorities to shoot these 'leaders' sight? Whay aren't their bank accounts and other assets seized? There are so many actions that could be taken and by now certainly would have been taken by most countries.

I know TIT but why does the government mollycoddle these hooligans so much?

Did the charge slip you signed state the amount was charged in Thai baht or your home currency? A lot of merchants will automatically (by default) bill your purchase in your home currency...they apply a very poor exchange rate for this 'convenience' to foreign customers buying things with credit cards issued by foreign banks while in Thailand. Instead, insist BEFORE the card is swiped that your bill will be rung up and charged in Thai baht...many clerks will give you a thousand yard stare at this, so say it in Thai "Karuna, ruud card pen Thai baht; mai show X" (where X = your home currency; such as 'doll-ah' or 'Eur-ohs' etc). They all have this option; it's a simple button push on their charge machine keypad. If they ring it up in your home currency, tell them to void it and do it again in Thai baht.

Thai baht. Also, it was stated that the fee was imposed by Bangkok Bank, not by Visa.

Now this is worrying...we've never seen this practice before. Merchants we use don't run their C/C charges through BKK Bank. We also use MasterCard which may have something to do with that selection...and lack of special add-on fees...at the current time anyway.

Go to Golf Avenue (formerly called Sansai Driving Range) on CM-Mae Jo Road (left side just before reaching 121 intersection). There is a golf academy upstairs on the far right side called Genius Golf Academy. The head pro is known as Khun Gai ("Pro Gai"); he is also a playing professional on the Thai PGA Tour. Gai is fantastic and very, very patient in his teaching mannerisms. I had taken instruction previously from three Thai teachers and one American here in CM...the latter was mainly interested in emptying my wallet over time and did not help me at all to improve my swing. He confused me more than helped me. PM me and I will supply his name. Khun Gai made all the difference and his pricing is extremely reasonable. He also does not have a set hourly fee, but a one-time rate based on where you are as a golfer. As a beginner, Gai will structure roughly 8-10 lessons for a fee of around THB 5,000. That does not include range balls used. But he will not consider you as a 'passed' until both you and he are satisfied. If this takes 12 lessons, so be it. Once you complete his Beginner syllabus, he'll move you on to Intermediate and then to Advanced. There is a price for each of these courses, which are also very reasonable. You can't go wrong. After 30 lessons he had completely revamped my old ugly swing and gave me the tools I needed to go out and steadily make improvements on my own. For a fraction of the price other local teachers charge. Khun Gai will also tailor his instruction to match your age and physical condition, along with any impairments that you might have. Unlike many teachers here in CM, Gai uses several useful training aids to supplement the one-on-one instruction he gives you. I lowered my 18-hole scoring from the high 90s to the low 80s thanks to this expert instruction. In a single, 5-minute bit of coaching, he turned my short, slice-prone driver swing to a long and dead straight one...adding 50 yards in the process. Since then, his tips have sunken in and I have found an additional 50-yards. As a result I am now longer and much more accurate than all but a few of my playing partners instead of being 'Tail-End Charlie'. Go see him...you will not be disappointed!

Did the charge slip you signed state the amount was charged in Thai baht or your home currency? A lot of merchants will automatically (by default) bill your purchase in your home currency...they apply a very poor exchange rate for this 'convenience' to foreign customers buying things with credit cards issued by foreign banks while in Thailand. Instead, insist BEFORE the card is swiped that your bill will be rung up and charged in Thai baht...many clerks will give you a thousand yard stare at this, so say it in Thai "Karuna, ruud card pen Thai baht; mai show X" (where X = your home currency; such as 'doll-ah' or 'Eur-ohs' etc). They all have this option; it's a simple button push on their charge machine keypad. If they ring it up in your home currency, tell them to void it and do it again in Thai baht.

ChiangMaiGolfFestival - They now have website

Cheeky! Hijacked domain name?

I agree with Stardome, but with nine tourneys to play I guess they had to be imaginative. Personally, I'd have followed the Hua Hin precedent where you have qualifiers and then a final. That way you could have played one of the premium courses twice (qual and final).

Either way, I won't be going for the tourneys. So fed up with the system 36 (lottery) method and the six hour rounds. If only all players in the Kingdom had fair handicaps, we could all enjoy proper competition...

Good point on the handicap issue. I played in the annual Christmas tourney at Gymkhana, winning the senior division on both low raw score and low net score...but there were players out there who shot in the 90s claiming handicap indexes of 30--the max allowed. Pure BS. I also saw a man in my foursome who continually hit balls OB and into water hazards...and never counted his penalty shots. I won't be entereing this new gimmick either...who wants to endure 5-6 hours in the sun in the hot season? Only mad dogs and Englishmen...

Concur; the poster who thinks this is an M16 equipped with a silencer hasn't a clue. The photo depicts a standard M-16 with no silencer attached; the weapon is not even a sniper version either. The regular M16 is very lethal and accurate out to 400 meters. The shooter could fire from a hidden position--perhaps perched in a building window overlooking the area--and easily strike targets within range. My personal sensing is that there is no 'third' party involved; the shooters are part of the warring factions and working to create havoc and blame towards their opponents. I will let you decide which warring faction did the shooting, but the deduction shouldn't be too difficult.

I can relate to children's addictions to on-line gaming. Our 16-year old niece came over from Nan to spend her school vacation with us in Chiang Mai. I felt sorry for her with nothing constructive to do. We enrolled the girl in a local English language academy and that proved to be extremely worthwhile. I also made a second-laptop available to her and warned her not to download anything off the Web for fear of getting a virus. She promised not to download files and only wanted to read her email (yes, I know, this is also downloading). When I came home the other day after an errand I saw a handwritten note that was copied off the PC's screen...essentially instructing the user that the PC had been cleaned out and to contact the administrator for assistance. That laptop is dead as a doornail now and although I am a former industry professional I could do nothing to bring it back...it won't even boot into the BSOD anymore. I asked what the girl was doing when it happened and she said, "Uncle, I was just playing a computer game". Kids are naive about the dangers of connecting to the Internet as well as ruining their lives, spending every waking minute on-line if they are able to. I had to sit down with the girl to explain how mined data off of a PC by a nefarious phisher could badly affect a family's financial situation and cause identity theft. The niece had no idea of these dangers, but believe me, she does now. I am intentionally not getting that old Toughbook fixed and not even sure it can be fixed here in Thailand...Panasonic Toughbooks use some proprietary technologies (such as IDE HDDs that cannot be replaced with open market versions and other weird peculiarities); I decided it would be better to let the girl absorb a tough lesson for now. Ruining a perfectly-good PC that served as my work back-up is a bit traumatic, and I spent several hours changing various on-line passwords to sensitive accounts, but this pales in comparison to how on-line addictions are affecting todays youth.

The Thai Government ought to consider asking for UN peacekeeping intervention before this gets really over everyone's heads and we see this 'protest' transform into a full-blown, nationwide civil war. Deploying impartial military peacekeepers (not observers) with clear rules of engagement would allow the Thai military a face-saving gesture as they are reluctant to kill and maim fellow Thais...despite the bullying provocations witnessed over the past few days at the hands of the rabid dog-like UDD goons. The zealots leading the UDD, controlled by their puppet master from abroad, started this entire mess and it is clear now to anyone that they intend to fight to the death for their misguided cause. It is simply astounding that any Thai citizen would actually want this outcome, but there it is, and plain to see now. If that ugly spectre is what now confronts this society, with internecine, class-driven warfare spreading across the width and breadth of Thailand, then perhaps the government needs to accommodate these fools...well-guided and assisted by external multinational assistance. This has quickly escalated way beyond the bounds of a protest. The megalomaniacal paymaster is throwing in all the cards now...and cares not one whit for his homeland or its beleaguered people. And those at his beck and call, giddy at prospect of huge wealth and political power, are willing to toss their nation down the drain as well to get a chance at that golden trough. I pray that a higher order in the heavens above will save these poor souls from themselves before it is too late. The abyss beckons...

You really believe that the UN could even agree on sending peacekeepers to Thailand in anything less than 9 months? Then another 3 months deciding who should pay fo rthem and which countries would send them etc etc etc. Thailand could have 3 election cycles before the UN got its act together.

I was heavily involved in UNPKO around the globe and know what I am suggesting; it need not take as long as you appear to believe.

Good bye Reds. The silent majority are not going to stay silent after you killed Thai soldiers. My facebook is going nuts.

My Facebook is going nuts too. Except I have friends who support democracy and freedom.

The government has truly shown its ugly face; gloves seem to be off, which is sad.

What's amazing that people like Jutaporn and co not only use the poor people for their policital gain while their living, they even go into the morgue and continue to use them as ponds once they have died.

Very sad. No doubt this is the kind of democracyland eadership you aspire to Mr. Kwai?

Amen to that.

The Thai Government ought to consider asking for UN peacekeeping intervention before this gets really over everyone's heads and we see this 'protest' transform into a full-blown, nationwide civil war. Deploying impartial military peacekeepers (not observers) with clear rules of engagement would allow the Thai military a face-saving gesture as they are reluctant to kill and maim fellow Thais...despite the bullying provocations witnessed over the past few days at the hands of the rabid dog-like UDD goons. The zealots leading the UDD, controlled by their puppet master from abroad, started this entire mess and it is clear now to anyone that they intend to fight to the death for their misguided cause. It is simply astounding that any Thai citizen would actually want this outcome, but there it is, and plain to see now. If that ugly spectre is what now confronts this society, with internecine, class-driven warfare spreading across the width and breadth of Thailand, then perhaps the government needs to accommodate these fools...well-guided and assisted by external multinational assistance. This has quickly escalated way beyond the bounds of a protest. The megalomaniacal paymaster is throwing in all the cards now...and cares not one whit for his homeland or its beleaguered people. And those at his beck and call, giddy at prospect of huge wealth and political power, are willing to toss their nation down the drain as well to get a chance at that golden trough. I pray that a higher order in the heavens above will save these poor souls from themselves before it is too late. The abyss beckons...

The government MUST out an end to this public lawlessness...Thailand is inexorably sliding down the slippery slope to the abyss of anarchy. Already there is a sense of lawlessness throughout this country. Drive-by shootings are common here, such is the brazen lack of regard for human life. People feel free to operate motor vehicles as they wish--often driving dangerously and without respect for their fellow man. Nobody seems to believe the law is something to be obeyed...they make their own statutes to serve their selfish interests and get away with it constantly.

How to end this mess? As a former military operator and tactician, one plausible idea at this point is to take 'extreme measures' to eliminate key protagonists who are inciting regular people--who lack intellectual capacity-- to carry out acts of civil disobedience and suggesting sedition by setting fire to provincial courthouses. If 'extreme measures' means surgically taking out ringleaders with long range rifle fire, then that is one solution available. It is also very public. You must then provide a means for the main body to leave Bangkok without fear of being shot at or incarcerated. Canalize them using water cannons, acoustic devices and accompanying loudspeaker instructions along an egress route with buses and other forms of mass transport at assembly areas, preventing the flow of thugs into side streets to cause additional mayhem. Then move the group en masse to temporary cantonement areas outside of the city where they can be fed and sheltered until arrangements are made to send them up-country. This can be done with precision and compassion and not further fan the flames. Once the head of the snake is severed, the body is controllable and the mass hysteria will ebb. There are sizeable armed forces here that are equipped and trained to perform these tasks easily. The real issue is motivating and commanding them to do their duty and to do it successfully (minimal bloodshed but GET IT DONE).

Endeth the sermon.

Spot on Fore Man, I just wish Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reads this and takes action like this ASAP.

Yep- just what the reds would love- more martyrs- unarmed citizens murdered by the state--- what an effective and definite way to coalesce the movement. (THaksin for one would be forever grateful for the suggestion.)

No more- 'every pm we support gets turfed out of office- now the mantra would be: "anyone who would lead the poor will be murdered."

I'm sure that there are more than a few zealous reds out there who would just love to see your scenario come to pass...

Please understand that I did not suggest a wholesale violent reaction from the Government; only a precise surgical decapitation followed by a well-orchestrated, humane and dignified operation to carry out an exodus...to return the city to normalcy and stop the churlish posturing... before true bloodletting on both sides occurs...which seems to be the suicidal goal of the UDD this time. The thousands of Red faithfuls--compensated or not--do not deserve anything less, even if their chickenhearted leaders inside (and outside) of Thailand could care less about the common welfare of the rural poor. I am neither pro-Red or Yellow; I just believe that normalcy needs to be restored and that it is time for the Government to step up to the plate and deal with reality. Billions of baht are vanishing from the economy because of UDD actions; Thailand is getting a mighty black eye on the world's stage; it is TIME.

The government MUST out an end to this public lawlessness...Thailand is inexorably sliding down the slippery slope to the abyss of anarchy. Already there is a sense of lawlessness throughout this country. Drive-by shootings are common here, such is the brazen lack of regard for human life. People feel free to operate motor vehicles as they wish--often driving dangerously and without respect for their fellow man. Nobody seems to believe the law is something to be obeyed...they make their own statutes to serve their selfish interests and get away with it constantly.

How to end this mess? As a former military operator and tactician, one plausible idea at this point is to take 'extreme measures' to eliminate key protagonists who are inciting regular people--who lack intellectual capacity-- to carry out acts of civil disobedience and suggesting sedition by setting fire to provincial courthouses. If 'extreme measures' means surgically taking out ringleaders with long range rifle fire, then that is one solution available. It is also very public. You must then provide a means for the main body to leave Bangkok without fear of being shot at or incarcerated. Canalize them using water cannons, acoustic devices and accompanying loudspeaker instructions along an egress route with buses and other forms of mass transport at assembly areas, preventing the flow of thugs into side streets to cause additional mayhem. Then move the group en masse to temporary cantonement areas outside of the city where they can be fed and sheltered until arrangements are made to send them up-country. This can be done with precision and compassion and not further fan the flames. Once the head of the snake is severed, the body is controllable and the mass hysteria will ebb. There are sizeable armed forces here that are equipped and trained to perform these tasks easily. The real issue is motivating and commanding them to do their duty and to do it successfully (minimal bloodshed but GET IT DONE).

Endeth the sermon.

Ex Mossop??

Nope...nowhere close. And check out your spelling please. The 'agency' you refer to spelled a bit differently. Cheers.

I am on gold too and thanks for the tip...I wasn't aware!