TPI

Who is running this mans army???? He should look at the training, performance, etc of the front line officers and the troops and then look in a mirror to find the most inept of the lot. With 3 weeks of forewarning of the possible action/ consequences even raw recruits could have been trained in crowd control as well as supplying the backup/intelligence to insure a high probability of a successful operation. A commanding general should be aware of past civil unrest in Thailand, which took place during his active service career, and prepare for that eventually.

Somewhere on a TV reply, there was mention of Seh Deang being a sniper in Vietnam, I would give that the same credibility as his brag of being privy to all the info claimed, as well as having surface to air capability. This is another example of the apparent lack of control by and respect for the leadership of the military when it is needed.

As a outsider, observing and attempting to sort the grain from the chafe, not too successfully, I might add, I really have come to the conclusion, the general populous deserve what they get. Good or bad depending on current perception.

Sad but true! You get the government you deserve...send them all h_ll. Property, it's all about property...how sad!

they sure did!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcwxd7_redbkk_news

surely they could tell if it was a sniper from the trajectory of the in/exit wounds on the bodies

You can see that the flag bearer was shot from behind as he fell forward after being hit...I didn't see any soldiers around him...he was also shot at fairly close range as the sound and the impact were almost instantanious...Two tours of SVN, Malaya etc....I know what a shot man looks like

"Agents provocare" from the "not green" side for sure, cowardly, degenerates...

Truly a pious and religious man.

Is that picture out in the general media?

If not, I would think long and hard about publishing it.

Fascinating post, though I agree with caution. The Nation has published a very clear image of the guy with the gun sadly with no reference or comment. Is the Nation assuming those that know who he is know who he is? They too are being cautious?

This one contained a possible unmasked shot of the guy.

Aside from the obvious defamation issues, for oneself and TV, do you want to be one of the people unmasking a person who shoots people for a living?

I'm sorry "Thai at heart" your last sentence lost any support you may have had, it's people (generally) who put their heads in the sand who encourage these cowardly thugs to get away with their crimes, have you no shame? You're closer to the Thai psyche than you realise?

The timing is interesting to say the least. I don't pretend to know what is going on with the EC. My position has consistently been anti-red/anti-Thaksin rather than portraying the democrats or Abhisit as perfect saints. If they indeed violated the laws of Thailand, justice should be served. No complaints from the reds about double standards on this, now are there? What about the arrest warrants for the red leaders? Shouldn't they turn themselves in? The reds are OK with the law when it serves them, but when it doesn't, they feel immune to it. Now that is a double standard, eh?

A side note, whatever political system Thailand has somehow doesn't seem to working.

See this as the establishment releasing the pressure valve. It is a repeat of PPP/PAD. If you take a step back you could even analyse it as such: there are the functionaries eg poltical parties and while some may be favoured over others by the establishment at the end of the day they are functionaries to be sacrificed. The esatablishment is to be protected. Remember right now there is basically no law and oreder in the capital and there is an armed group around plus a bunchg a of demonstrators and another bunch of potential demonstrators and the government have been given up on by all. Equals power vacuum and power vacuumsd are both an opportunity for a player and a very dangerous thing especially for mere mortals

It seems so that there is much more to this than appears on the surface.

If one were to accept the red analysis (at least as articulated by some in the leadership) there is an 'establishment' in this country that 'takes care' of the society- and which is content to permit elected governments to operate -until its own priviledge and/or security is threatened (and both require a reasonably functional society) -

The irony (among several) is that the red leadership actually views this as 'justice'- when in fact, it MAY be merely one more instance of a cunning application of 'law' in the interest, not of 'justice'- but expedience.

Isn't government by the ruling oligarchy the same in every country? Communist or Capitalist the "money elite" of the country make all of the important decisions. We're the suckers that have to scrape and scour for whatever advantages we can, and if we look like getting above ourselves they make a "law" to put us back in our place...do you really think you can make a difference????

sorry to burst your bubble, but is this the same Election Commission that Arisman and over 100 reds invaded and terrorised on the 5th April ?

and this ruling has come from the same EC governors who were told to make a decision before the 20th April or else !

seems to me that its possible that you might say anything to kick this political hot potato upstairs for deliberation at a later date

you might even be inclined to follow orders from someone higher up in the food chain to give certain hot headed red folks what they want for now so that they will go home and give everyone a chance to take a breath

its a sophisticated strategy and the reds will swallow it.

Veera is already declaring victory and starting the car

it will never happen though

the higher court will not agree with the EC ruling

the election commissioners will say that they ruled under duress/death threats from the reds and it will all start again with new commissioners

by that time nine months will be up and Songkran 2010 will be a memory

the mercenaries boss, SD will be dead or exiled

the mercenaries will have been rounded up, tried for murder or killed in the process of capture

Thaksin will likely be dead from cancer

Anapong will be retired somewhere quiet.

in the interim period everyone who needs/wants money in the country, from rice pickers to Generals will have been filling their pockets with the countries money topped up with Thaksins millions

there will be a general election

Abhisit will win the election outright

I'm willing to bet money (perhaps) that you've got it right!

It's not just sleeping and eating that seem to be so popular with Thai people; it's also playing video games.

The girls in my office play these silly facebook games all day. When I say girls, some are middle-aged and married. I really can't understand why they're so addictive. I'm always telling them to read a good book.

Read! Read?

If there was a Thai form of Monopoly, what would be the rules:

Go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect 200 baht or pay a corrupt policeman, 50000 baht.

Community Chest: it is your birthday, spend 20000 baht and hold a party for all your neighbours.

Chance: collect 10000 baht from each player or marry one of their daughter`s.

Counters: A policeman with his hand out, a bar go go dancer, Tuk Tuk and a jing-joke

If the intention of the security forces was to disperse the protesters using international standards - the burning question has to be is why where troops and police issued with both live rounds and rubber bullets -- if the intention was for the sole purpose of the operation was to disperse the protesters the army should never have been provided with live rounds unless the real intention was to use them - u dont go to play golf without a golf club - and if live rounds were issued -= who ordered them and who gave the orders to fire directly at the protesters as was plain to see on the various news coverages on tv and eye witness reports --- i would say that over 95% of the young troops used in this operation have never been in a conflict situation and were untrained in handling a conflct situation like this - and as such many would have panicked -- i know i was the first time i was shot at -- as would most viet vets -- but some of u computer desk jockeys would never know - but happy to pass comment about nothing u know about - always the experts -- u dont go duck shooting if u dont intend to shoot ducks -- so its going to be very intersting to see what the finding of the so called investigation in to the events of saturday come up with - i am sure they will be very transparent - like looking from the back of a mirror --

if you were a tourist in a foreign country and perhaps had just arrived and were going out to explore the city and were not up to date about what was happeneing and had not been advised there was trouble on the streets how could she possibly know what was going on - and she was shot as she walked out of the hotel -- but u must be the smart one -- with these sort of comments - nuff said -

Agreed, these soldiers (the sons of fellow Thai's) have been insulted and and abused both physically and mentally for a couple of days, they see the faces of the protesters distorted by the frenzy of the speeches from the stage and they appear not to be "human" and their intentsions are not full of "peace and brotherly love" (I've been there and your spinkter is really puckered) This face screams the most insulting words in your culture, he's not Thai, POP! Next!

Soldiers know that the collective IQ of a "mob" is the total of their shoe sizes divided by their total age!

"Mobs" can never be allowed to win, "demonstrations" are always allowed to voice their opinion.

Do you really think Thaksin will accept a unity government that will delay any elections?

No. Thaksin will keep using the mob until he gets what he wants - the overthrow of an elected government.

I don't understand what the problem is? 60 cents and a clear eye will solve the problem...either in Dubai or Montenegro!

All he wants is his money back, his position as PM back, his conviction squashed, his honour back and etc etc!

The man is as mad as a "loon", bring him back in chains and get him to sweep the blood from the streets.

Me, I'm 63 years old so my "future" in Thailand is somewhat limited. But my wife and 3 children are Thai, and I care about their future in this country. I don't want it determined by demagogues of any persuasion, and the reds' leaders are a clear and present danger to rational, benevolent, and progressive governance.

Thank you for that very credible testimony. Of course, I agree with your conclusion. A Thaksin red shirt dictatorship would be a disaster for Thailand and a huge step backwards. Thailand is running out of time to compete in the modern world. It really can't afford any more delays imposed by Thaksin and the insurgent red leaders.

Well that make 3 of us that think more of our Thai families than we do about our western superiority to tell Thai's what they must do in their own country

as it seems there's some kind of "polling" going on..., count me in... to make it 4... for starters.

Count me in No 5

It would be interesting if the opinions of those that were murdered in the ''war on Drugs and the Tak Bai massacre and of course a prominent Muslim lawyer could voice them.

Indeed Thaksin had and it seems still has his own unique version of DEMOCRACY

In all of my twenty years here I had never seen such a despotic regime like Thaksins regime.

The truth along with honesty and concern for other were not endangered species they were extinct,

Indeed the current rhetoric and actions of the puppet leaders of the Red Shirt Brigade are proving that the exhumation of '' The truth, honesty and the concern for others'' must be re interred post haste forever under their brand of DEMOCRACY.

So, the present form of gov't is a democratically elected one, yes? I wonder why Abhisit was going to the U.S.? He said he may have to cancel taking the trip there. Interesting..perhaps to get instructions or aid from a well prepped dictator(who is still illegally occupying the white house) who knows how to handle dissidents perhaps? You best wake-up to the REALITY of the way the world is really running..democracy..what horse shit.

Dear Sir,

Where on earth did you get the idea that the latest president of the US is illegal? Surely you mean the one before him? Dictator?? Sir, you've forgotten to take your medicine again, haven't you!

Today Gordon Brown PM of UK announced he is disolving Parliment and will hold an election on May 6, 2010 ( 1 Month from today).

Wouldn't it be a nice gesture in Abhisit demonstrated that he can run his government as good as Gordon Brown and disolve Parliment and schedule an election onf the same day as the UK. Surely he must concede if the UK can do it so then can Thailand. Both he an Gordon Brown were educated in the UK.

Gordon Brown does not have demonstrators holding the main shopping area of London hostage or threatening to storm his home, or the offices of the EC (if there is an equivalent in the UK).

You're right, he doesn't. But if he would have come to power without an election, and after the British Army ousted the previous legally elected government in an army coup, and kept holding onto power without calling an election, things would probably be different in Britain too.

Ah Rainman, aren't you being a little disengenius? The facts support the proposition that the dem's are in office by legal means, arguments to the contrary are becoming boring...(Obama, where is your birth cert. etc etc)

picture taken in bang phli yesterday morning approxiamtely 11 am

i don't cope with heat very well. i never actually feel hot but i sweat like a pig on a spit.

I know the feeling! I turned on the fan outside and all of the dogs queued up for a blast....I've worked in west Queensland in the summer, and this is as hot as I've ever been!

Even if there's a chance that it's an "april fools" joke...can you imagine the looks of horror on the faces of the poo ying's up and down Rama IV..... Schlongs everywhere!!

You could always go out and play in the traffic....blindfolded??

A really big wind and 30 minutes of God given rain last night, at least it settled the dust in Phrae

HEY! His name is Bandit???

For all of his problems he could've just looked in the internet for his jollies, now he's got constable plod on his case!!

Why doesn't someone take away all their toys, smack their bums and send them off to bed??

Enough already...this's becoming boring!

My Thai wife is going to rally in Bangkok next weekend.

She is NOT paid for it and she bought her polo-shirt and heart-shaped rattle from her own money.

For those who cannot read: SHE IS NOT PAID FOR IT.

Gosh Dick! I'm really pleased that you cleared that up...I hope that she didn't use YOUR money to buy her trinkets??? Otherwise you might be accused of becoming involved in Thai politics??

Yeah, the Supreme Court judgement was balanced and judicious

I just counted 19 posts and not one supporter of Thaksin Shinawatra so far.

Speaks volumes

.

So I am going to be categorized as a Thaksin supporter for stating the obvious; Thaksin will be hit with everything the government can throw. However this makes Thaksins government no less nor more corrupt than the current government or the ones that proceeded Thaksin.

As the years go by, even some of the hard core Leo and singlet expat brigade will come to the understanding that this was not about cleaning up corruption, it was about trying to defang Thaksin. Both The Nation and the PAD have stated this! Corruption will continue as it has, no better no worse. At which point you might ask yourself why did I get so worked up about Thaksin when he is no different than the rest and removing did nothing to benefit the country or reduce it's endemic corruption?!

Just telling the truth however unpalatable this may be, deal with it.

I think what got up all the Puyai's nose was his attitude to the "Boss", they could ignore his lower class posturing, his giving public money away as if it was his own even his rapacious financial habits! He blew it when he thought that he could do a "Harry Lee" in Thailand i.e. become a benevolent dictator!

Even the middle class was not prepared to put up with that!

Amazing, truly amazing how long these "loose cannons" are allowed to incite public unrest, armed uprising, advocating a "peoples revolution" .... unbelievable!

The whole situation is really laughable. If you were to present a script of the idiocy of all that is going on to a television station you'd be laughed out of the building??

"Thailand law enforcement" the 3 stooges of Asia!

I think the problem with the news report is the use of the word "stolen," making it sound like the guns and bombs were there one day, gone the next. If there is truth in this story, then most likely someone got around to taking inventory and discovered that the arms were missing. Could have been smuggled out by truck once per week over a year.

Your theory sounds like the most reasonable one on the blog, 6000 rifles are a lot of useless pieces of metal without magazines and bolts...these are not usually stored nearby? When you think about it who has the most to gain? Insurgents or the army? Who's the most greedy?? who's the most corrupt??

few more

Zoom, zoom! When are these bikes coming up north??

Oh yes ,such good news for the Thai people.

Have you noticed that the plates of things in the market have gotten smaller while the price remains the same?? Maybe it's a govt. plan to reduce obesity in Thailand, you know make the price of food beyond the reach of those "super fat working class peons" and force them to trim down by eating rice straw and the like??

Hey Wedders,

Thanks for your post. I was surprised that your story is nearly identical to mine in that we would love to settle by the sea or have a sea breeze when we return to Thailand in a few years. In answer to your question in where to live, my wife has suggested a nice area just south of Hua Hin called Pranburi Prachuap Khirikhan.

Prachuap Khiri Khan, or commonly referred to as simply Prachup, is a province located in the lower central region 93km south of Hua Hin, while much smaller and quieter than Hua Hin. It connects with the South of Thailand and possesses various interesting sites such as beaches, islands, forests and mountains. Not often you get the beaches and the mountains within close proximity.

Last time we visited the area very briefly we found the long white sandy beaches very clean and pretty, much more so than Pattaya's, and the sea is relatively clean. Besides just sunbathing snorkeling and swimming, we also enjoyed golf, spas, caves, peaks, waterfalls, shops, seafood and nearby national parks. I found the towns people very warm and friendly making it a pleasant place for families and couples.

We will head back this year for 1 month with a view to purchase some land or property with the idea of using it as a holiday base when we return to Thailand in a few years. Better you spend a small amount of time in the area to really see if that is the type of place that appeals to you. My second suggestion in the area around Rayong which is only a short 1 and 1/2 hour drive from Bangkok on the freeway south. They have some nice islands off the coast near Rayong which are quite unspoilt. Best of luck with your search.

Nah! better to head for the center of Thailand...say...somewhere near Phrae. Beaut hills, flowing rivers, no pressure from the local farangs, good food and welcoming locals! Hardly any perverts or backpackers (except my friends that is!) and it's got "seasons"