Thugs Or Voice Of The People ?

[skippybangkok]

Like most of us, we go about our daily routines. I must say in the outer area's of Bangkok, i dont see alot of people fanatically for or against the PAD or Red shirt thugs. In fact- they seem quite unfased about it and just go ahead with daily life.

So are they above groups really representative of the peoples wishes, or....... simply representatives of vested interests?

Looking around me, it seems the latter to be true.

[Deke]

Politics in Thailand has nothing to do with national interests. It's all about personal interests.

[jdinasia]

Bangkok is like most BIG cities ... unconcerned with political maneuverings of any kind. I have friends here in BKK that just don't watch the news any more as it stresses them out. My friends from Phuket are mostly ardent supporters of the PAD and in all my friends all over the country I think there are only 2 that think well of Thaksin/UDD/PPP/TRT any more!

I did find it strange that a Muslim woman that has a little bbq meat-on-a-stick stall at the local market was giving out the Oct 7 Video recently, and gave me one. That area is 50% Muslim and 50% Isaan and most of the folks living in the area work in factories.

[skippybangkok]

My friends from Phuket are mostly ardent supporters of the PAD and in all my friends all over the country I think there are only 2 that think well of Thaksin/UDD/PPP/TRT any more!

Thanks - Maybe we shud send PAD down to Phuket

Alot of people talk casually, i know alot of Thai people, and dont know of a single one who has joined either group of protestors.

Edited November 25, 2008 by skippybangkok

[Ulysses G.]

In the North, most people support the elected Government.

[wayfarer108]

In Bangkok, most of Central Thailand, and the South, quite the opposite. Among Thais I work with here in Bangkok, support for the PAD seems to be growing daily.

The government wasn't elected. A group of parties were elected and they formed a coalition, which the dominating party promptly ignored.

Sometimes farang TVers remind me of the Lil' Abner comic strips during the height of the anti-Vietnam War protests in America. The cartoonist was adamant that the protestors were unwashed no-nothings and that the movement was going to be over tomorrow as it ran out of steam, and that a vast 'silent majority' actually supported the war, etc.

Edited November 26, 2008 by wayfarer108

[Ulysses G.]

That's all real groovy, but it doesn't change the fact that Thaksin's people keep winning elections

(even though you don't recognize them ) and are forced out of power illegally. If the "Silent Majority" does not want him in power, then why do they keep voting for him?

Edited November 26, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[DP25]

The majority of people do not vote for Thaksin or his proxy parties. In fact well over 50% of people vote for parties claiming to be anti Thaksin. The next election they will not be so stupid to split their vote again. Hopefully.

[wayfarer108]

UG you need to go back to school. Here's a free primer.

1) In a parliamentary system people don't vote directly for the PM, no such position appears on any ballot.

2) Parties choose a PM, and in a coalition government they do it with the cooperation of other parties.

3) Somchai took the place of a PM who resigned. Who also took the place of a PM who resigned. He was not elected in any way, shape or form and he was chosen by the PPP without any consultation with other coalition parties.

4) Somchai's party, the PPP, has been ordered by the court to dissolve. His part no longer has any legitimacy in the eyes of the law.

So if the current administration follows the law, as you claim, the current PM must step down. The silent majority always makes a convenient tool for the Lil Abners of the world, the rednecks, the tyrants, but only as long as they remain silent. When it comes to those actively engaging in protest, yellow shirts outnumber the red shirts and that's what will carry the day. Even in Chiang Mai, where support for Thaksinocracy has eroded steadily -- according to all public polls and as demonstrated in the most recent general elections -- every since the middle of Mr T's second term, before he resigned in the face of general protest.

[wayfarer108]

The majority of people do not vote for Thaksin or his proxy parties. In fact well over 50% of people vote for parties claiming to be anti Thaksin. The next election they will not be so stupid to split their vote again. Hopefully.

Correct. The Democrats won the largest popular vote of any party in the most recent election.

No one has been forced out of power illegally. They have been forced out of power through mass protest, same way the Americans got rid of Nixon, the same way India got rid of the British.

Edited November 26, 2008 by wayfarer108

[jasreeve17]

Where have all the yellow shirts gone today? Consider why.

On any day within the last two years I've seen several tens of thousands on my working day (Pinklao to Sirirat, over to Sanam Luang. Upto Siam Sq in the afternoon for another job then back home via Chinatown - it's a very busy route and I always see , literally, tens of thousands of yellow shirts). Today I saw less than thirty all day (I counted because it bemused me). That's a drop in the magnitude of a thousand percent - huge.

So, even though the forum PADlunatics claim that they are the voice of the people... their homeland, their stronghold - Bangkok, has dramatically shown what they think of their colours, today.

There is close to zero support for PAD in Bangkok, nevermind the country as a whole. These PAD folk's claims are laughable. I repeat; the PAD support today in Bangkok, today, is close to zero.

(It's actually worse than that, PAD supporters are close to getting a very serious backlash from the overwelming masses. Not that the PAD leaders would care less, they want violence at all costs, so their mates in the army can step in and try to get the Democrates elected, again.)

Where have all the yellow shirts gone? Usually between 25% - 75% of Thais wear them in Bangkok, depending on the day. Today (after the last few days of PAD antics, especially last night's actions at the airport) less than 1% are wearing them.

Where have all the yellow shirts gone? I suggest that Thais refuse to be seen as supporting the PAD, they'd rather wear pink or blue, or any other colour.

It's very telling as to PAD's support, in my opinion. What little support they had has gone, Thais have had enough of the PAD's disgraceful behaviour - no yellow shirts today...

[wayfarer108]

Guess you haven't been reading the news. They're all out at the airport. An informal poll of Thais I know say there is no wavering of support for the PAD-led protests yet.

[Sarge]

Thugs Or Voice Of The People?

300฿ rent-a-mob plonkers

[jasreeve17]

Guess you haven't been reading the news. They're all out at the airport. An informal poll of Thais I know say there is no wavering of support for the PAD-led protests yet.

No, a few PAD hardcore supporters are at the airport. Thais, you know the millions of them that PAD don't want to have a voice, have stopped wearing yellow today. It's an absolute fact, not that facts, truth or reality mean much to the PAD lunatics.

[wayfarer108]

Guess you haven't been reading the news. They're all out at the airport. An informal poll of Thais I know say there is no wavering of support for the PAD-led protests yet.

No, a few PAD hardcore supporters are at the airport. Thais, you know the millions of them that PAD don't want to have a voice, have stopped wearing yellow today. It's an absolute fact, not that facts, truth or reality mean much to the PAD lunatics.

Putting aside the fact that it would be impossible for you to personally view 'millions' of Thais to check the colour of the shirts they're wearing today or any other day, it's a bit facile to suggest that everyone not wearing yellow doesn't support the PAD (or vice versa of course).

Using that logic, we'd have to conclude that the relative lack of red-shirt wearing today means that no one supports the PPP anymore either.

In fact very few PAD supporters, other than those actively engaged in street protest, wear yellow everyday.

[billp]

In a parliamentary democracy, the party with the most seats gets to build a coalition and choose the Prime Minister. That's the way it works. PPP was the dominant party. The government was elected legally. Anything else is just PAD propaganda in support of their attempt to disenfranchise the rural poor.

[jdinasia]

In a parliamentary democracy, the party with the most seats gets to build a coalition and choose the Prime Minister. That's the way it works. PPP was the dominant party. The government was elected legally. Anything else is just PAD propaganda in support of their attempt to disenfranchise the rural poor.

Sorry, but that isn't true either. The party with the most seats sometimes ends up as the opposition and thusly NOT choose the PM.

[jdinasia]

Guess you haven't been reading the news. They're all out at the airport. An informal poll of Thais I know say there is no wavering of support for the PAD-led protests yet.

No, a few PAD hardcore supporters are at the airport. Thais, you know the millions of them that PAD don't want to have a voice, have stopped wearing yellow today. It's an absolute fact, not that facts, truth or reality mean much to the PAD lunatics.

Putting aside the fact that it would be impossible for you to personally view 'millions' of Thais to check the colour of the shirts they're wearing today or any other day, it's a bit facile to suggest that everyone not wearing yellow doesn't support the PAD (or vice versa of course).

Using that logic, we'd have to conclude that the relative lack of red-shirt wearing today means that no one supports the PPP anymore either.

In fact very few PAD supporters, other than those actively engaged in street protest, wear yellow everyday.

Does jasreeve17 actually think that 25-75% of all Bangkokians wear yellow on any day other than Monday? Mostly only people that have jobs that require them to wear yellow on other days do And really .. less than 1% did yesterday?

My BF only owns ONE yellow shirt and almost never wears it. It has nothing to do with the PAD one way or the other! He wears a cream colored shirt on some mondays .. but yellow just doesn't work with his complexion :-)

I think more than 25% of Bangkok works in offices and another 25% in the service sector ... pretty much making 75% of the people wearing a yellow shirt at any given time impossible!

Edited November 26, 2008 by jdinasia

[billp]

The party with the most seats sometimes ends up as the opposition and thusly NOT choose the PM.

Well of course that's true. If the party with the most votes is unable to build a coalition or find enough support for a minority government, the parties which CAN come together form the government.

[Sarge]

My BF only owns ONE yellow shirt

I think more than 25% of Bangkok works in offices and another 25% in the service sector ...

where did you pluck those figures from? care to quote the source?

[jdinasia]

My BF only owns ONE yellow shirt

I think more than 25% of Bangkok works in offices and another 25% in the service sector ...

where did you pluck those figures from? care to quote the source?

Reading Is Fundamental ......... read what was written

[Sarge]

My BF only owns ONE yellow shirt

I think more than 25% of Bangkok works in offices and another 25% in the service sector ...

where did you pluck those figures from? care to quote the source?

Reading Is Fundamental ......... read what was written

again, how did you come up with those figures?

you got them from a credible source or you made wild assumptions?

[jdinasia]

I know you are just trying to get my goat .. but the question was answered Move on

[Sarge]

I know you are just trying to get my goat .. but the question was answered Move on

no, you haven't answered the question.

You have said that "I think more than 25% of Bangkok works in offices and another 25% in the service sector ..." and I insert your statement into a quotation, I don't want the mods to think I was changed what you said!

so again, answer my question. where did you get those figures from?

[jdinasia]

asked and answered ... and reported ... move on

[Ulysses G.]

No one has been forced out of power illegally. They have been forced out of power through mass protest, same way the Americans got rid of Nixon, the same way India got rid of the British.

Actually Thaksin was illegally forced out of power by a military coup. The same military that is behind the PAD.

[wayfarer108]

After the April 2006 election

Break from politics

Thaksin announced on April 4, 2006 that he would not accept the post of Prime Minister after Parliament reconvened, but would continue as Caretaker Prime Minister until then.[132]

He then delegated his functions to Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Wannasathit, whose son Newin was an effective Thaksin supporter in the northeast region of the country, moved out of Government House, and went on vacation.

Source

[wasabi]

The PAD are protesting themselves and Thailand into increased poverty and economic disparity so I hope they are having a good time cooking up Som Tam and dancing on the Tarmac at the airport. Thailand will not recover from this in our lifetimes. The silent majority is not going to invest serious money in a banana republic that switches governments like shoes. All my friends and all my relatives have canceled plans to visit me here. This maneuver is not one that can slip under the rug with a shrug and a Mai Bphen Rai. The rule of law is the hallmark of a 1st world country and any native charm Thailand may have had as a fledgling 4th world country is surely superseded by the threat of being taken hostage before you can even pick up your bags and see the sights.

Edited November 27, 2008 by wasabi

[jasreeve17]

My BF only owns ONE yellow shirt

I think more than 25% of Bangkok works in offices and another 25% in the service sector ...

where did you pluck those figures from? care to quote the source?

Sarge, why are you using logic with this poster?

Your point is off course solid. Firstly he claims that I'm plucking figures out of thin air whilst at the same time plucking numbers out of thin air himself. Two points:

1) This is a PAD trait because we are not all equal in their eyes, their logic is always superior (even when it's identical).

2) Why do you respond to this poster at all? I'm convinced he just loves winding people up with wild claims and supposed higher knowledge, to say he's primarily argumentative is an understatement. I have only one person on my 'ignore at all times list', can you guess who it is?

Going back to my point on wearing yellow (which I claim [and claimed] solely as a personal observation and viewpoint) - every day I see tens of thousands wearing yellow, yesterday I saw less than thirty. All the PAD supporters I know wear yellow everyday, all but one wasn't yesterday. I believe that many PAD supporters are decent people that hate Thaksin, but their support of violence and other destructive measures is limited, and either wearing out or worn out, at this point, excluding a hardcore of mixed supporters (including; army guards, paid mob, decent folk with strong views and, in the background, the politically (well financially) motivated leaders desperate for another coup and another chance to further ammend the constituation and try even harder to get the Dems into office - with all the favours that they'll owe the PAD / army).

[jdinasia]

Reading is still fundamental I said "I think" but afterwards I actually looked the numbers up from the gov't I love people that can't think though! What are the 2 major sectors of employment in ANY metropolis?