'Delicious taxes': Thai protesters use Japanese cartoon hamster to mock government

[webfact]

'Delicious taxes': Thai protesters use Japanese cartoon hamster to mock government

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat

 

A demonstrator holds a soft toy during a protest demanding the resignation of Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, in Bangkok, Thailand, July 26, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Hundreds of Thai protesters sang a Japanese cartoon jingle on Sunday with lyrics mocking the government as hungry hamsters feasting on taxpayer cash, part of a new protest movement by youth who say they are using whimsical tactics for serious ends.

 

Thai youths have been defying a coronavirus ban on gatherings to hold rallies almost daily since last week. The first rally, by a group called the Free Youth Movement, drew more than 2,000 activists, one of the biggest anti-government protests since a coup in 2014.

 

At Sunday's demonstration, protesters sang new lyrics to the theme song for "Hamtaro", a Japanese cartoon about a hamster who loves sunflower seeds. They ran in circles around Bangkok's Democracy Monument, like hamsters running in a wheel.

 

Hundreds of young protesters took to the streets of Bangkok on Sunday running around the city's Democracy Monument and singing a cartoon theme with modified lyrics as they called on the government to stop wasting taxpayers' money.

 

"The most delicious food is taxpayers' money," they sang. "Dissolve the parliament! Dissolve the parliament! Dissolve the parliament!"

 

Leaders of the Free Youth Movement have said they will return to the streets for another large-scale demonstration next week if their demands are not met, including dissolving parliament, revising a constitution written by the military and ending the harassment of government critics.

 

Some of the protests have been whimsical in tone, but the protesters say their political aims are serious.

 

"The adults may think because we're doing this, they can't take us seriously. But this is the way for the new generation," said a 20-year-old protester who gave her name as Fah. "We are doing this differently in hope that something will change."

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Additional reporting by Juarawee Kittisilpa; Editing by Kay Johnson and Peter Graff)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-27

 

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[webfact]

Democracy activists step up anti-government campaign

By The Nation

 

Pro-democracy protesters walk around Democracy Monument on Sunday evening.

 

The pro-democracy movement intensified its protests against the government after students unfurled the banner of revolt with the first youth-led street protest on July 18.

 

The protesters gathered again at Democracy Monument on Sunday evening (July 26), reiterating their demands that Parliament be dissolved, intimidation of people by the authorities be stopped and the Constitution be rewritten.

 

Pro-democracy protesters walk around Democracy Monument on Sunday evening.

 

They circumambulated the Democracy Monument. The protest theme on Sunday reflected the Japanese Hamtaro cartoon's life cycle. They sang the tweaked version of the Hamtaro theme song to mock the government and military-appointed senators, accusing them of wasting people's tax money.

 

 

Some protesters made satirical remarks, saying they were walking around the monument to enjoy the beauty of the flowers decorating the place.

 

Bangkok officials have placed a lot of flower and small bush trees in the monument area, ostensibly aimed at preventing protesters from gathering in the area.

 

Some red-shirt activists were spotted among protesters. They said they had come to support the youth who were carrying on the fight for democracy.

 

Some red-shirt activists also join the protest on Sunday evening.

 

Some LGBTQ members also joined the protest on Sunday evening after their group held the protest at the same spot on Saturday to support the fight for democracy.

 

Since the Free Youth movement and the Student Union of Thailand kicked off their first street protest on July 18 at Democracy Monument, there have been a series of flash mobs across the country, especially among high-school and university students.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391965

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-27

 

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[webfact]

Same political cause, a new tune

By The Nation

 

Protesters hold an image of Japanese cartoon character Hamtaro at Democracy Monument on Sunday evening in Bangkok.

 

The remixed version of the Japanese Hamtaro song has become a big hit among protesters.

 

Netizens have widely shared a clip of the new song played by protesters to mock the government.

 

 

It began when students at Triamudom Suksa school held a protest against the government on Friday (July 24). They tweaked the lyrics of the Japanese Hamtaro song as “gotta run run na Hamtaro...the delicious stuff is people’s tax money”. Protesters tweaked the lyrics to criticise the government and military-appointed senators for wasting public money.

 

Music is an essential part of political protests. During the first Thai student uprising in 1973, the song Su Mai Thoi, (Fight till the end) was born and remains popular among protesters to this day. After the military coup in 2014, a rap song against dictatorship artists was launched in 2015 "Prathet Ku Mee" (My Country’s Got) to mock the way Thailand is run by dictatorships.

 

The Hamtaro song, which originated from a Japanese cartoon entitled "Hamtaro", little hamsters, big adventures, has become a popular song among student protesters and pro-democracy groups.

 

Pro-democracy protesters over the past few days have invited people to join the protests and sing the remixed Hamtaro song on Sunday (July 26) at Democracy Monument.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391963

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-27

 

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[Justgrazing]

Take it from me .. 30 sec's is more than enough of the vid' above .. 

 

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

little hamsters, big adventures,

I had a hamster once .. then he died .. fell asleep at the wheel we think he did .. 

Edited July 26, 2020 by Justgrazing
Sp

[Thaiwrath]

40 minutes ago, webfact said:

mocking the government as hungry hamsters feasting on taxpayer cash,

Fair play to them, it would be hard to make up a better description of the corrupt government running the country !

[nobodysfriend]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

they will return to the streets for another large-scale demonstration next week if their demands are not met, including dissolving parliament, revising a constitution written by the military and ending the harassment of government critics.

Well , I am afraid that it will take a little more than running around in circles around the victory monument with cartoon Hamsters in their hands , to get rid of the military government and change the constitution ...

I hope that the government will not make the mistake to use force in oppressing this movement . ( hamsters against guns ... )

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“gotta run run na Hamtaro...the delicious stuff is people’s tax money”.

They are not completely wrong ...

[englishoak]

Happy Clappy things to buy out... soft toys to buy in.... these demos always have stupid craze stuff to buy, now its stuffed toys.. this isnt how political change happens.

[gunderhill]

33 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Well , I am afraid that it will take a little more than running around in circles around the victory monument with cartoon Hamsters in their hands , to get rid of the military government and change the constitution ...

I hope that the government will not make the mistake to use force in oppressing this movement . ( hamsters against guns ... )

They are not completely wrong ...

My Hamster  has a vicious  bite!

[chang1]

22 minutes ago, englishoak said:

Happy Clappy things to buy out... soft toys to buy in.... these demos always have stupid craze stuff to buy, now its stuffed toys.. this isnt how political change happens.

It is a start which could grow into something that can cause change. Change does not happen overnight and I doubt they will stop at soft toys. If enough people get involved, instead of just saying they are wasting their time and carry on ignoring what is happening to their country, change will come. 

[kiwikeith]

4 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Take it from me .. 30 sec's is more than enough of the vid' above .. 

 

I had a hamster once .. then he died .. fell asleep at the wheel we think he did .. 

was he drinking red bull?

[bluesofa]

4 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Take it from me .. 30 sec's is more than enough of the vid' above .. 

 

I had a hamster once .. then he died .. fell asleep at the wheel we think he did .. 

Ha ha ha!

Started off with a micro-sleep that became something more permanent.

 

He should have pulled over for a drink of water, or an energy drink.

Perhaps a can of Red Bull - or maybe not - he could have then driven his wheel into someone, thus requiring him to flee the wheel PDQ.

[mtls2005]

44 minutes ago, englishoak said:

Happy Clappy things to buy out... soft toys to buy in.... these demos always have stupid craze stuff to buy, now its stuffed toys.. this isnt how political change happens.

 

Tell that to the Yellows with their hand-clappers, whistles and other paraphenalia.

 

Worked for them.

 

 

[Hayduke]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

'Delicious taxes': Thai protesters use Japanese cartoon hamster to mock government

 

A diabolically clever tactic…

 

Challenge the nonsensical and ridiculous clowns in government to an endless game of “Who can be the silliest?”

 

Okay General…your move. Surely someone with a closet-full of comic opera costumes can ‘out-silly’ a bunch of youngsters.

 

 

Edited July 27, 2020 by Hayduke

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

Well , I am afraid that it will take a little more than running around in circles around the victory monument with cartoon Hamsters in their hands , to get rid of the military government and change the constitution ...

I hope that the government will not make the mistake to use force in oppressing this movement . ( hamsters against guns ... )

They are not completely wrong ...

If the government choose to use force againts these students, I feel sure the government will feel the force of the rest of the world againts them.

[yellowboat]

18 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Tell that to the Yellows with their hand-clappers, whistles and other paraphenalia.

 

Worked for them.

 

 

Yeah, thanks to the yellows Thailand has a feckless, military government.  Strikes and much bigger protests are the only way to get rid of current usurpers.

[PatOngo]

Show me your soft toy, I'll show you mine!

 

 

[nobodysfriend]

5 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Yeah, thanks to the yellows Thailand has a feckless, military government.  Strikes and much bigger protests are the only way to get rid of current usurpers.

The best way to get rid of them would be FAIR and unbiased democratic elections .

But we all know what happens when an unwanted political party ( FF ) gets too many votes ...

No real democracy here ...

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

Well , I am afraid that it will take a little more than running around in circles around the victory monument with cartoon Hamsters in their hands , to get rid of the military government and change the constitution ...

Every journey starts with the first step.... 

[naryan]

Great to see people standing up to the Mafia!

[Grumpy John]

I think it is a smart move.  If they want to garner support from older generations they have to look like they are peace loving...even if the truth is something else.  Not that I am saying there is anything sinister just that sooner or later they will come to the realisation soft toys are no match for 7.62 mm projectiles.  

[spidermike007]

This is good news. Been saying for a long time, if things change here, it will be due to the youth, and not their mostly politically apathetic parents. Keep it up. Keep the pressure on. Hopefully, this thing will grow. The last thing in the world the toxic army needs is approval and support. They don't deserve that. Things will change. 

[Deli]

If they would do it BLM Style, they would be wrong and law breaking, being violent. For me this is a smart way being "untouchable" at this stage.

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts and replies have been removed. 

[robblok]

1 hour ago, Surasak said:

If the government choose to use force againts these students, I feel sure the government will feel the force of the rest of the world againts them.

Yes especially because these protesters are not armed or occupy barricades. This is as peaceful as it can get and using violence against that will be condemned. 

[Jack P]

Taxes are a lot higher in so called “democracies.”

[visacrack]

Why would dissolving parliament and rewriting the constitution change anything? In our part of the world, we do not have the thai political problems, yet are we in a much better shape? If those in power want it their way, they will get it, here or there, until a completely new and hopefully effective governing system has been developed and implemented. And I haven't even started to mention how irrational and prone to external influence (I don't refer to the sheeple) the actual governing process is, to start with...
 

Edited July 27, 2020 by visacrack
addendum

[johnarth]

I wondered how long it would take, now it has started toys can be replaced

[metisdead]

Off topic trolling posts about Mr. Trump have been removed.   This topic has nothing to do with US politics. 

[trucking]

16 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Tell that to the Yellows with their hand-clappers, whistles and other paraphenalia.

 

Worked for them.

 

 

 

True , but they were trying to end democracy which dovetails nicely with the juntas agenda.

 

Not so effect when used by the anti junta protesters.

[fantom]

I think this is a very clever tactic, they are not targeting the cabal of grumpy old men on tv, but satarizing and mocking the bunch of incompetent numpties eating the tax money.

They have my respect.