Thai opposition leader asks supporters to mobilise in Bangkok on Saturday

[webfact]

Thai opposition leader asks supporters to mobilise in Bangkok on Saturday

 

FILE PHOTO: Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party, speaks during a news conference at the parliament in Bangkok, Thailand June 5, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai opposition party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit called on supporters to mobilise in Bangkok on Saturday, days after the country's election body called for the dissolution of his Future Forward Party.

 

Thanathorn, 40, has emerged as the most prominent opponent of a government headed by former junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, 65, after the progressive Future Forward Party came a surprise third in an election in March.

 

"This is the time for the people to make noise," the leader said in a Facebook video.

 

"Now is the time for the people to stand up and demand justice and equality."

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-13

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[rkidlad]

If you're gonna go down, you may as well go down fighting. He has nothing to lose. The junta aren't ever going to play fair. 

[Somewhere In Time]

Uh-oh...

 

SIT

[nikmar]

11 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

If you're gonna go down, you may as well go down fighting. He has nothing to lose. The junta aren't ever going to play fair. 

agreed. but i just cant see many people showing up. i hope he doesnt go down with a whimper!

[webfact]

Thanathorn invites supporters to a rally on Saturday

By THE NATION

 

 

Future Forward Party (FFP) leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on Friday (December 13) invited his supporters to join him at a rally on Saturday (December 14).

 

In a live video broadcast via his Facebook page, he invited people to a gathering at 5pm at the Pathumwan intersection skywalk on Rama I Road.

 

“I am fed up with the current state of Thai society and want to start a change,” he said. “Tomorrow we will stand together and shout out our voices to the ones in power that we want fairness, justice and equality in the society.”

 

Earlier this week, the Election Commission petitioned the Constitutional Court to dissolve Future Forward Party over Thanathorn's Bt191-million loan, which it alleged was illegal for a political party.

 

On November 20, the Constitutional Court unseated Thanathorn as a member of Parliament. The court ruled that he had registered to run in the March election while still holding shares in a media company, in violation of the law.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30379407

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-12-13

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[canuckamuck]

This is how Thailand goes, where it stops nobody knows.

[Eligius]

This valiant guy has just signed his own death warrant (metaphorically speaking). He will never be allowed to remain (active) in Thailand after this.

 

He has great courage, I must say, and I do think that several thousand Thais could join his protest. But several thousand Thais are, for the junta and its military might, like a fly on an elephant.

 

This whole situation is deeply, deeply sad and depressing ...

[canuckamuck]

Thais only protest when a billionaire tells them to.

Thanathorn fits the bill doesn't he?

 

High exchange rates,

Recession,

Floundering tourism

and riots.

It's going to be an interesting start to the 20's

[Eligius]

27 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Thais only protest when a billionaire tells them to.

Thanathorn fits the bill doesn't he?

 

High exchange rates,

Recession,

Floundering tourism

and riots.

It's going to be an interesting start to the 20's

I know what you mean, my friend, Canuckamuck - but I do think (from my own personal experience and observation) that a lot of YOUNG Thais (students, mainly) are really angry about what has been done to Thanathorn and the Future Forward Party. They don't need a billionaire to lure them out to protest. I think they are reaching the point where they have genuinely had enough (but sadly, I doubt that their numbers will be anywhere near sufficient to shift the balance of power) ...

 

 

[canuckamuck]

1 minute ago, Eligius said:

I know what you mean, my friend, Canuckamuck - but I do think (from my own personal experience and observation) that a lot of YOUNG Thais (students, mainly) are really angry about what has been done to Thanathorn and the Future Forward Party. I think they are reaching the point where they have had enough (but sadly, I doubt that there numbers will be sufficient to shift the balance of power) ...

If its just the students, then it is bad news for the students. The history is against them.

[Eligius]

22 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

If its just the students, then it is bad news for the students. The history is against them.

You are so right, Canuckamuck.

I have said for years now that strength lies in NUMBERS - and I am not talking about a few handfuls of students or others. That is almost worse than nothing - as it will legitimise (in the junta's eyes) a harsh crack-down. 

Unless Thailand in its massive, million-fold bulk speaks its mind, nothing will change.

But perhaps at the end of the day not sufficient numbers of Thais really care - or dare ...?

 (And I think that General A. will likely be rubbing his hands in glee and straining at the leash now: he can sense that his time might be approaching ...).

 

 

 

[TooBigToFit]

Those who do speak up in any anti-regime or military protests deserve respect. Most Thais are too apathetic about things. And the foreigners who criticize are also apathetic too. While Thailand was under the junta, there weren't many foreigners protesting about what was happening. Don't blame Thai people because really foreigners are just the same. Maybe in their own nations, they might speak up and resist but most surely didn't even say a word in support of the protestors in Thailand. Now, a lot do on the forums but plenty connected to Thailand kept quiet out of fear of losing opportunity or angering their pro-regime friends or partners. Anyways, my voice is with those who condemn the human rights abuses and undemocratic ways going on here. In the end, most major change does come from small groups fighting for their rights while society looks on.

[ramrod711]

I suppose it's good news that he hasn't offered to fill their empty bottles with gasoline. Perhaps shopping centres are safe for the time being.

[3421abc]

People of Hong Kong take a stand against a much more powerful opposition (China).

I think it is much easier for the Thai people to stand against the junta, there are cracks everywhere you look and every Thai I speak with is unhappy about the direction the country is going. I never ever hear anyone who is in favor of the dictator. Things are definitely heating up again and w the economy in the dumps it is a perfect recipe for mass protests.

[ratcatcher]

2 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

If its just the students, then it is bad news for the students. The history is against them.

Maybe, but 1973 & 1976 were a generation or more ago. The world is so much smaller now and internet connected. Violence against protesting students and young people in Bangkok will be a major black eye for the men in power. Small gatherings can soon grow quickly when the protesters have a good cause. He is a Thana thorn in the government's side. They want him neutered.

[ramrod711]

4 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

Maybe, but 1973 & 1976 were a generation or more ago. The world is so much smaller now and internet connected. Violence against protesting students and young people in Bangkok will be a major black eye for the men in power. Small gatherings can soon grow quickly when the protesters have a good cause. He is a Thana thorn in the government's side. They want him neutered.

Agreed, do not give them an excuse, gather peacefully, do not riot. No one needs to get hurt, I for one would prefer not to see someone shot in the head in the middle of a TV interview.

[Eligius]

It occurs to me that the junta will concoct some excuse to prosecute Thanathorn (and his party) over this protest event: they will say that he breached the law by not applying for the right 'permit' to stage a protest, or that he failed to notify the Authorities in a timely fashion, or that he is acting in a way that is 'not in conformity with the morality of good people', or that he is 'causing confusion and dissension amongst the Thai people', or that he did not get the permission for the demo from all the requisite authorities, on and on it will go (the junta will just invent any rules and stipulations that they want, as best serves them; easy-peasy - they do it all the time).

 

So I fear that Thanthorn is running his head even more firmly into the noose by organising this protest rally. But that is where he shows he has got real guts (a very rare thing indeed in this part of the world these days) ...

 

[sweatalot]

39 minutes ago, ramrod711 said:

I for one would prefer not to see someone shot in the head in the middle of a TV interview.

May be that one deserved it?

[Denim]

There will likely be some few brave souls that turn up but not enough to make a difference.

 

Oh how I would gladly be proved wrong. Nothing could please me more than to be wrong.

[DrTuner]

Lets see if more than a dozen people show up.

[BuckBee]

Is a shame, really needs a huge turn out that he will not likely get .

Prayut has the traits of a nasty little dictator and going cause lot of hardship for thailands normal folk .

Unfortunately most not educated enough to be aware or care and you only going get protest numbers in thailand if you pay them and put on free food .

Thai's had the easy chance at the election yet still too many voted for army rule, that was the only real chance for large numbers put an end to the military dictatorship . They totally infected the whole government and legal structure and while huge number protest would be good it simply won't happen with the thai mindset .

is a sad mess and going effect western expats further as Prayut wants minimise democratic influence/culture .
 

[FarFlungFalang]

4 hours ago, Eligius said:

This valiant guy has just signed his own death warrant (metaphorically speaking). He will never be allowed to remain (active) in Thailand after this.

 

He has great courage, I must say, and I do think that several thousand Thais could join his protest. But several thousand Thais are, for the junta and its military might, like a fly on an elephant.

 

This whole situation is deeply, deeply sad and depressing ...

If several thousand Thais end up like flies on an elephant and then nothing happens to them it will embolden others if something does happen to them that could be an even worse outcome for the current administration which is not a dictatorship!The current administration which is not a dictatorship will hopefully face the headache it so sorely deserves!

[ramrod711]

1 hour ago, sweatalot said:

May be that one deserved it?

I don't see where one person with a gun should be judge, jury and executioner for anyone. Have a trial, let the people to see the evidence, a jury should decide his fate.

[Orton Rd]

If HK people can do it why not Thais?

[dcnx]

Yes, please. Protest. Seize the country. Then the military can stage another coup and remove you. Then there will be another party to rise and try the same thing. Rinse and repeat until the rest of the world has colonized the moon and Mars.

 

As long as Thais are willing to bend a knee, nothing is ever going to change.

[dcnx]

2 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

If HK people can do it why not Thais?

Because Thais only do it for money. Plus, there isn’t an end to it. There is always someone up at the very top they have to obey. 

[Chazar]

5 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

This is how Thailand goes, where it stops nobody knows.

Sniper dressed  in black

[Yadon Toploy]

It's happening again? Took longer than I thought.

 

Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

[metisdead]

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[greeneking]

3 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

Agreed, do not give them an excuse, gather peacefully, do not riot. No one needs to get hurt, I for one would prefer not to see someone shot in the head in the middle of a TV interview.

Kai M. Thaler, assistant professor of global studies at the University of California, writes about political violence.

'Protesters are expected to remain nonviolent, even in the face of attacks by powerful, heavily armed governments. Yet no matter what protesters do, governments always portray them as “thugs” or “criminals” to legitimize violent crackdowns….protesters must “follow the examples of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and other champions of nonviolent change.”