losworld

I think it should be made clear that most people (red) were just regular folks from Isaan who just wanted what they were told and promised-simply mislead with false promises and finger pointing. They deeply believed that Thaksin was the savior.

However the leaders and few others have taken advantage of the situation and extremists have gone way to far.

We do not have ALL red protesters burning down the city, only a very small number

Sadly it is the people who suffer on both sides-red,yellow and every other color.

These are not legitimate protesters. The women, children and poor farmers paid off to protest were not burning down Bangkok and are not burning down their own infrastructure in their own cities. These are ex convicts, drug addicts, discontented youth, former army members, former cops, active criminals and the like. This is what composes the heart and soul of this movement and of course their leader Thaksin. Does the 5000 number not tip anyone off? If this was the great democratic uprising so many have spoken of then you would see close to a million protesters. This was never the case. This is a wolf in sheep's clothing but now the wolf has been revealed.

I think the reds are basically peacefull, but Abhisit always changes his mind saying I will desolve parliament and organise elections, the putting all this on hold!

How can anyone trust him?

I would get violent too

Abhisit has to resign if he wants peace back in Thailand!

You are a total fool. Educate yourself. Open your eyes. Understand what is around you then come back to this forum.

Actually it started with Abhisit, who knew very well what would be the outcome of a harsh crackdown, yet insanly and irresponsibly proceeded with it.

Of course, blaming everything on Thaksin is the convinient excuse that relieves one of using the grey matter... as to the real cause of the problem.

There is some relief knowing that one day Abhisit will pay for his crimes behind bars.

Harsh crackdown , it could of been alot worse ! What is / was he supposed to do sit there and watch Bangkok be held hostage by these thugs ? Let them continuously attack the army with bricks, sticks , petrolbombs , and believe it or not GUNS ? Was he supposed to just sit there and let this happen?

Hopefully the remainder of the rioting scum are taken of the streets tonight !

Long live Thailand and the King !

Yes it would have been good to have stopped this earlier but I am not sure it could have been stopped. Thaksin is absolutely insane and had they used an iron fist earlier it may have allowed Thaksin to avoid the blame and continue. Now Thaksin is finished. If he isn't they can give the northeast to Cambodia but I don't think they are so foolish as to continue to support him. These are nothing but hired thugs. I always thought so and I would not be surprised in the least if Thaksin offered them everything from a million baht to plumb government jobs when they overthrow the government. Now its time to bring justice to these people and to fire half the police force and replace it with southerners.

My Flight arrives at BKK at 18:10, obviously I will not head into Bangkok. What are chances of making it to Pattaya, do they have curfew as well?

You should be able to make it. Just find a good looking taxi car and tell the guy you'll pay him nicely to get you safely to Pattaya and no problem to take the long way. Make sure he takes a route outside all the trouble but he won't do it if you don't pay. I'd tell the guy I'll give him 2000 baht to get me "safely" to Pattaya.

What is not clear is how many of those animals are devastating Bangkok, are not all those sensitive sites been guarded by army (I don't mention police as they worth nothing)?

Due to what they are doing, and as I already said, they deserve to be shot at sight otherwise this mess will go on for a looong time.

Shoot a few more you say! worked well this far.

seems all over now... all over bangkok and thailand that is with gov in panic mode promising reconcilliation, red leaders to be involved, democratic reform..... if only they do that after they steal power from thaksin.

Abhisit next to go because this is just start and army not have enough reliable soldiers. if they shoot more, they going to get shot by red soldiers. count on it friends because some they arest today are soldiers who went to fight with reds.

Thaksin lawyer say on news going to sue mark and start look for thai assests from elite in england and seize!!! be nice money for thaksin to spend when pm again.

Are you sure those Viking hat horns aren't pointed inwards? Have another beer!

The reds camping out at Klong Toei remain sceptical that their leaders really turned themselves to police. They vowed to continue protesting.

My guess, long term damage from yaba addiction. These are the hard core, they must be arrested.

Yeah I wonder how much yaba was smuggled inside the food supplies entering the zone.

UDD riots continue to break out in Bangkok

BANGKOK, 19 May 2010 (NNT) – Rioters of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) have started destroying public properties around the shopping district of Ratchaprasong and many parts of Bangkok as they are dissatisfied by the decision of their core leaders to end the rally.

About 100 UDD rioters lit up bang fai rockets and firecrackers as they hurled Molotov cocktails into Central World Shopping Complex. The first floor of the department store was set on fire, but security guards were able to control the fire at 14.30 hrs.

Other shopping malls and cinemas around Ratchaprasong have been set on fire and damaged heavily, including Apex Cinema and Siam Square area. Explosion-like sounds could be heard around the area.

Central Department Store has announced it will close all its branches in Bangkok and some other provinces for safety.

Car tyres are still burned in many areas, covering the capital city with thick smoke as chaos continues.

Throngs of UDD rioters broke into Maleenon Tower of Channel 3 television station on Rama IV Road.

The sixth floor of the tower was reported to be on fire while some properties around there have been damaged. Others are heading to Bangkok Post English Newspaper Head Office in Khlong Toei.

UDD supporters in many provinces of the country have broken into provincial city halls and clashes have broken out with local troops and police officers.

UDD core leaders recently announced to end the rally of the group as they have surrendered themselves to police.

UDD protestors were not satisfied with the decision of their leaders and decided to make independent movements by themselves.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255305190042

Or UDD protesters were instructed to carry out this hooliganism but to make the leaders not implicate themselves they of course said the opposite. Probably spent the last two weeks talking about burning Bangkok.

Here is Thaksins mouthpiece address http://www.facebook.com/robert.amsterdam

Suggest we all send our comments to him concerning his master, lap dogs like fuss and attention.

I'm sure this has been posted already, but for anyone who hasn't seen it...

Unlike CNN and BBC, these questions on Al Jazeera successfully go right to the core of the issues concerned, and are not addressed in any way whatsoever by Mr Amsterdam. Calls himself a human rights lawyer?! What a joke!

Al Jazeera is one of the best news outlets in the world if not the best. The BBC and CNN can learn from them.

So the leaders surrender and their followers decide to burn and loot Bangkok. Well I'd say the leaders say go home but they have been instructed to do otherwise from their true leader. Desperate and obviously insane.

Anyone still think this is a true grass roots democratic movement for the good of Thailand. I said in an earlier post that this type of violent uprising would set the clock back 20 years for Thailand and now it seems to be proving itself true.

Any large investor would never set up a large plant or a business in such a volatile business environment. Now you see why these types of things are squashed so quickly in the west.

And moderator don't be pulling or moving this post. This is a serious discussion in serious times.

Now one can see who is at the core of this uprising. A bunch of hired goons. Thugs. Terrorists. Killers. Call them what you will. Individuals not capable of building anything so they choose to tear things down. Perhaps the only way to deal with this is a military coup then govern with an iron fist?

Sad events for Thailand. If the army fails to clean things up there will be an uprising amongst the people of Bangkok and it won't be pretty for these thugs.

The police must be completely overhauled, investigated and possibly jailed for their apparent complicity in these events.

I don't think there will be an election for quite some time. Would you want these thugs running your country?

I agree.

One would have hoped that by removing the leadership, the rank and file would head home and prepare for November elections.

No - current activity suggests you are right. The residual scum, and their backers, have no place in Thailand democratic future.

What amazes me is how gullible, idealistic and shortsighted some people can be. From the very beginning this had all the makings of a Thaksin organized uprising wrapped in a secondary and of little importance to him people's movement. Thaksin was owner of a large cell phone company and like Carlos Slim in Mexico royally screwed the poor who could least afford his services. I think many Thais see him for what he is and these bands of thugs are not representative of the true feelings of most Thais. However, these thugs must be dealt with an iron fist from this point forward. Bring in the tanks.

Now one can see who is at the core of this uprising. A bunch of hired goons. Thugs. Terrorists. Killers. Call them what you will. Individuals not capable of building anything so they choose to tear things down. Perhaps the only way to deal with this is a military coup then govern with an iron fist?

Sad events for Thailand. If the army fails to clean things up there will be an uprising amongst the people of Bangkok and it won't be pretty for these thugs.

The police must be completely overhauled, investigated and possibly jailed for their apparent complicity in these events.

I don't think there will be an election for quite some time. Would you want these thugs running your country?

Maybe its the US that needs some of this rioting as a recent report put them in the top three countries in the world for greatest disparity in wealth between rich and poor.

Pretty sad how the land of the free has become the land of the hoodwinked.

Well at least with the rainy season it will be more difficult to burn things down.

The press in the US is giving this minimal coverage. All of my family/friends say nothing has been on the news of what's going on over here.

Most Americans don't even know where Bangkok is.

It's a local problem in a small country that produces little and has no effect on the local region - and certainly not on the US. Why should it get more coverage in the US? US has enough things to worry about like housing prices, Iraq, Afghanistan, health care, etc. Bangkok and Thailand don't make the list and they is no reason why they should make the list. That's just being realistic.

Thailand should receive more coverage in the US. The US should have more real issue and international coverage period. Problem is there has been a coercive dumbing down of the public in the US for so long they think important news is a gang shooting, celebrity sighting or ipad review.

The police should be quite concerned after the Government emerges from this - still in power. A house cleaning upcoming this summer - no doubt.

No question Thaksin owns them.

The reds had the chance to get an agreement for elections in a reasonable timespan. I think, 6 month is the minimum to prepare elections, doing all the paperwork and autumn is always a good time. I did not understand why they didn´t take this chance. Maybe I cannot follow their arguments.

On the other hand, 6 weeks is enough to occupy a vital business district. Either you know what you want to get and take it or leave. They can occupy a parliament building for years, this does´t matter because no critical work is done there.

From the beginning the red had my full moral support. The behaviour of the yellow two years ago made me very angry and the two time dissolution of the government with readymade laws (like it is illegal to take part in a tv-cooking show for money) made the oligocraty of Bangkok the leaders of a banana republic.

Now the red from bangkok are just a headless group of youtube warriors, who fear police and prison, when they come of their camp.

Because Thaksin wants his money now!!!! Waahhhh.... waaahhhh.... baby need feeding.

Of course the Thai army, with all its weaponry and armour, can win this battle, much to the delight of all the armchair warriors in this forum.

However, winning this battle via more bloodshed in no way means winning the war. Driving the conflict underground presents some really awful possibilities for the whole of the country.

Before he earn the title of 'war criminal', Abhisit should have a long and hard think about the mess that he has helped to create. Negotiation really is the only way to solve this, and it may indeed cost him his precious job. It may also mean that he can't preside over the upcoming budget, and that his buddy Prayuth misses out on his chance to become the army chief when Anupong's tenure expires later this year.

Abhisit needs to get his priorities in order. He has turned into another Thaksin, with too many people hating him for there ever to be peace under hs rule.

Some strange thoughts. Appropriate user name "Clockwork Orange". Ab is nowhere near Thaksin at this point. In fact I have been amazed by his patience. What other leader in any country in the world would let mayhem and anarchy invade their capital for two months? Please name me a single nation or shut up.

For what its worth and its here say

the red protestors (mums/dads/kids) have had their ID cards taken by the "officials" in the camps. In return they were paid some money, food, water etc. and the promise of more after the reds win.

Assume the red protestors cannot leave as they cant get their ID cards back.

The reds were expecting a million people to turn out and they are approx 5000 at present

this represents 0.5%

of this its possible that approx 300 motor cycle taxi drivers / taxi drivers / disturbed idealistic youths are causing billions of baht in damages.

go figure!!!

Yes how can anyone take this as a serious people's movement with 5000 protesters. One can go to any country with any cause or idea and easily find 5000 downtrodden, unemployed or irrational people willing to be paid to protest or defend a cause. Not to mention the possibility of enlisting ex convicts. Look at the history of war. How many young bored men signed up to join the military during armed conflicts? Actually quite a few. Getting 5000 seems to indicate to me this is a paid party and not a party of the people.

Thaksin is such a weasel sneaking in and out of the spotlight pretending he is a benevolent ex politician concerned about his former constituents when he is in fact a conniving, megalomaniac salivating to get his hands on his frozen billions at the expense of innocent lives. Equally disturbing is the damage he has done to the Thai economy and its people in economic terms. Where he attempts to gain a billion many billions more will be lost to the people of Thailand through non employment, etc. Once again he steals from the poor to give to the rich - himself. I'm not saying other elected officials in Thailand do not do the same but none as greedily nor as damaging as Thaksin.

Time to clear out the protest. Bring in the tanks and heavy equipment. Do a few F14 flyovers. This hopefully should clear out the women and children and non terrorists. Then deal with the armed element until they retreat home with their tails between their legs. Then we'll see if Thaksin skips paying them.

They would be very effective in disbursing the crowd. Simply parking them at various points around the rally site would clear out a lot of protesters. Not firing the tanks but positioning them as an intimidation tactic. Nothing says "we're serous" like a tank.

Something must be done to scare off the protesters so few are injured. Seems like Thaksin's blackshirts may have to be dealt with a bit differently.

One must deal harshly with such a man as this. When he takes democracy and turns it into anarchy than take democracy from him. If his family was never allowed to leave the country this would never have happened. Fight fire with fire.

I'll have to pass as I've heard you've refused a number of really good films shot in Thailand with Thai actors in order to make room for international films.

Still nothing back indicating whether this is a true "volunteer" program or similar to some run in Thailand which collect money either from gov't or donations or both then get people to work for nothing similar to a middleman in a teacher's contract. Not stating this is the case but tell us more about the management and funding of this group or do you happen to be independently wealthy and just do this for something to do? If that is the case why not pay them a bit and you'll get a lot more teachers?

No one can state a car is good for another 200k without seeing it and its service history. Has this car been using synthetic or regular oil (yes synthetic will last longer). How often was the oil changed? Was the radiator replaced (heavy strain on radiators in these hot climates), were transmission fluid replacements done every 100k at the very least? I'd be far more worried about the transmission than the engine as 200k on an original tranny is difficult in such a hot climate and a tranny could cost you as much or more than a motor.

I'd say these are the average life of various parts in this climate: engine if properly maintained should get 300k, transmission probably good for around 200k, radiator 200k. If these parts haven't been replace I think you can expect to do them fairly shortly. And don't forget alternator, fuel pump and other various parts probably have a lifespan of between 200 - 300k.

Another thing you should keep in the back of your mind is that for instance in California a Lexus like this could be purchased for as little as three thousand dollars. And a Mazda 3 will command considerably more.