Protesters Close Don Muang Airport

[fauxie]

Aster.

What would you do?send in the police with their chinese made tear gas followed by the army clearing up with M-16's,I think you have probably just escaped and have a John Wayne type split personality, come on own up it's not difficult.

I hate to say it but if it came to that then so be it. The protesters are breaking the law. If told to move should they refuse and won't be led away by the police or army then they are making a choice that leaves them (maybe even literally) without a leg to stand on. It's just not possible to entirely peacefully refuse to move from somewhere and do so successfully. Resistance will not physically prevent you from being taken away unless you resort to violence, in which case, you're the perpetrator rather than victim (knowing full well you're breaking the law in doing so) and then it's open season. There can be no sympathy if a protester is against law, is warned and warned, is physically seized and resorts to violence. At that point there's basically impunity for the police/army.

[stevenl]

any attempt to take over an airport is considered a terrorist act.

Any act against a US friendly country is considered a terrorist act these days.

To me, this word means nothing these days.

[MikeWill]

The coin has two sides

It does not surprise/astonish me that the "mob" actions are "unreasonable". But what about the goverment?

Lets not forget the true source behind this escalation of violence...

[hammered]

Attention!

New and groundbreaking proposal to end the turmoil in Thailand and make everybody happy:

Let Somchai/Taksin govern the North from Chiang Mai while Sondhi and his Yellow People can govern the rest from Bangkok. The North can than separate and be known as Lana-land or Lalaland. Issan can join them if they wish after a referendum. The Bangkok run part may be called Krungthep-land or Moomooland.

Actually the South may split from Bangkok as well. Apart from Patani state which will surely go to Muslims the Phuket and Samui islands can perhaps became independent Farang Kingdoms. The names for them can perhaps be decided later after few drinking competitions.

Notime, If only by saying this you could make it so To just imagine a country like Chiang Mai-Issan-Rayong not only with its vast agriculture resources, but also its beauty both in landscape as well as people would be great, and the best part is that the corrupt thai-chinese power brokers in BKK would be cut off from any further raping of the people and the landscape of this great region! In the coming years with agriculture resources becoming a more and more valuable commodity, this new Lanna-Issan-Rayong country will be known as the breadbasket of Asia. The PAD are welcome to the cesspools of BKK and Pattaya, and with their share of the money from the sale of Phuket and sumui to the hedge fund operators and investment bankers that will be fleeing prosecution in the U.S. and Europe, and the sale of the far southern provinces to Malaysia, they can begin building a massive sea wall to protect BKK from the rising oceans

Except Rayong and Trat are not in the PPP column. It would be a Northern and Isaan landlocked state with large population, lots of agriculture, little industry and no ports and hence would almost certainly see its wealth gap compared to the other half decline on a yearly basis. Landlocked states face difficulties.

[jasreeve17]

The coin has two sides

It does not surprise/astonish me that the "mob" actions are "unreasonable". But what about the goverment?

Lets not forget the true source behind this escalation of violence...

? Pray tell.

The man that Sondhi claims is the problem? Some of Sondhi's claims: The man who plans to sell Phuket to Singapore? The man who plans to sell some eastern islands to Cambodia? The man who plotted to overthrow the country? The man who destroyed the temple statue to put Cambodian black magic spells on the Thai paople?

Do some poeple actually believe this stuff.

To answer your questions directly - The government is an elected authority. The mob is a violent and destructive mob.

[MalandLee]

We are trying to keep these news threads as politically free as possible, and just concentrate on news updates to keep people informed of developments.

There are 2 other threads in the News Forum where you can read and post your political comments:

"USER: cannot reply with your URL's"

Just want to say Thank You, to both you and the team of "ThaiVisa", for providing this breaking news service. Often you are the most comprehensive, fastest, information site. Coupled with a vast pool of experience.

Getting your breaking news, plus "some"(i.e. some of the replies are quite childish) informed comment in my "in-box" is very much appreciated..

Sincerely Mal.

Sadly, Now over to the clowns that will no doubt, try to "rubbish" you or me.......

[pontius]

You guys got me confused now. What team's red and which one's yellow again, and what's the current score?

[thailien8]

Let me clearly state that I don't support the politics of either side. My comments below stem from a political process analysis, not from an ideological preference.

It is clear that the reason the protests erupted is because the shadow PM in Hong Kong and his party express the following view of democracy:

"We received the most votes, so therefore we can do whatever we want until the next election and are only responsible to those who supported our election. Everyone else lost and therefore has no voice"

This was evident when the shadow PM made his Freudian slip some time ago and let it be known that provinces that voted for him would receive government services ahead of any that hadn't.

It's further evident from when the Cooking PM was removed and replaced by the single man who could ignite the most outrage in the opposition - the brother-in-law of the shadow PM. It demonstrates a total disregard for compromise or negotiation, even when handed a convenient and face-saving excuse to open a door for discussion.

The result is that whatever group has objections and would like input into the governing process has but one option- to take to the streets. I don't think it is useful to condemn any such group for using their only option, and using it very effectively.

Instead we should be asking why the government could not have created a forum in which the disenfranchised could not be accommodated? In the end, it is the government's job to govern the country responsibly. Instead, the government takes the view that it must RULE the country (as opposed to govern it), and the result is the disenfranchisement of a segment of the population that has the knowledge and power to do something about it.

I would compare the methods and demography (not the politics) of the current protesters to the American rebels at the beginning of the revolution - for example, at the Boston Tea Party. The source of the insurrection is not the protesters, but rather an attempt by the government to rule without moral authority rather than govern with responsibility for the good of the country.

VERY GOOD!!!!!!!!!

A government should be there for all the people!

Yes indeed! Thank you, peekint, for your perspective, and thanks to yeeowww also for his views.

Short-term, things are in an awful mess, tourists and many Thais are suffering, the nation is losing face in the eyes of the world, etc.

Long-term, if the crackdown on PAD that so many posters are advocating comes to pass, Toxin will return to resume his dictatorial rule. And he will be angrier, and more vengeful than before. I lived in Bkk. thru the whole rise of Toxin era; from his monopolistic gouging of AIS customers, to his massive tax evasion on the Shin sale, and all his shameless shenanigans in between. Another Toxic era is the worst outcome for Thailand, IMHO.

I thought Chang Noi put it well, in his conclusion to his recent column (The Nation Monday Nov. 24, page 9A):

"Here lies the poison in the choice which the country faces. Backing democracy also means endorsing Thaksin's overweening greed, his evident desire for revenge, and his authoritarian bent. Meanwhile, standing up for morality, the rule of law, and clean politics means endorsing coups, PAD's cultish and violent conservatism, a mangled version of democracy, and all that lies behind them."

[Lithobid]

No cargo or courier flights are operating into or out of Thailand now. I'm sure there are plenty of people including myself who are seeing their businesses going down the tubes because of this. Together with the death of tourist season 2008, it makes me wonder what will be left of the economy if PAD actually get their way.

And if closing Don Muang was meant to prevent ministers from meeting with Somchai in Chiang Mai, I suppose they will also begin blocking all highways so that the ministers can't simply get into their Benz and take a seven hour drive up to Chiang Mai? This is ludicrous.

That's what it seems, my god it's end of november, and CM is empty! There were more foriegners here when I arrived in June. It's a sad state of affairs, but on a longer note, the wave of Global Finance problems hasn't even hit Thailand yet. Wait till that comes and massive jobs are lost, a lot of people with a lot of free time, is not a good mix, especially when they've give up on dreams of their buisnesses.

Lithobid

[hardy1943]

The coin has two sides

It does not surprise/astonish me that the "mob" actions are "unreasonable". But what about the goverment?

Lets not forget the true source behind this escalation of violence...

In most countries around the world the police and military are there to restore civil order.

Here they both have a job also but it is to be corrupt and fill there pocketts full of money

[hardy1943]

Let me clearly state that I don't support the politics of either side. My comments below stem from a political process analysis, not from an ideological preference.

It is clear that the reason the protests erupted is because the shadow PM in Hong Kong and his party express the following view of democracy:

"We received the most votes, so therefore we can do whatever we want until the next election and are only responsible to those who supported our election. Everyone else lost and therefore has no voice"

This was evident when the shadow PM made his Freudian slip some time ago and let it be known that provinces that voted for him would receive government services ahead of any that hadn't.

It's further evident from when the Cooking PM was removed and replaced by the single man who could ignite the most outrage in the opposition - the brother-in-law of the shadow PM. It demonstrates a total disregard for compromise or negotiation, even when handed a convenient and face-saving excuse to open a door for discussion.

The result is that whatever group has objections and would like input into the governing process has but one option- to take to the streets. I don't think it is useful to condemn any such group for using their only option, and using it very effectively.

Instead we should be asking why the government could not have created a forum in which the disenfranchised could not be accommodated? In the end, it is the government's job to govern the country responsibly. Instead, the government takes the view that it must RULE the country (as opposed to govern it), and the result is the disenfranchisement of a segment of the population that has the knowledge and power to do something about it.

I would compare the methods and demography (not the politics) of the current protesters to the American rebels at the beginning of the revolution - for example, at the Boston Tea Party. The source of the insurrection is not the protesters, but rather an attempt by the government to rule without moral authority rather than govern with responsibility for the good of the country.

VERY GOOD!!!!!!!!!

A government should be there for all the people!

Yes indeed! Thank you, peekint, for your perspective, and thanks to yeeowww also for his views.

Short-term, things are in an awful mess, tourists and many Thais are suffering, the nation is losing face in the eyes of the world, etc.

Long-term, if the crackdown on PAD that so many posters are advocating comes to pass, Toxin will return to resume his dictatorial rule. And he will be angrier, and more vengeful than before. I lived in Bkk. thru the whole rise of Toxin era; from his monopolistic gouging of AIS customers, to his massive tax evasion on the Shin sale, and all his shameless shenanigans in between. Another Toxic era is the worst outcome for Thailand, IMHO.

I thought Chang Noi put it well, in his conclusion to his recent column (The Nation Monday Nov. 24, page 9A):

"Here lies the poison in the choice which the country faces. Backing democracy also means endorsing Thaksin's overweening greed, his evident desire for revenge, and his authoritarian bent. Meanwhile, standing up for morality, the rule of law, and clean politics means endorsing coups, PAD's cultish and violent conservatism, a mangled version of democracy, and all that lies behind them."

CLEAN POLITICS here KEEP ON DREAMING never happened WHO EVER IN POWER

[maxman71]

I spoke with a friend last night who is a physician at Bumrungrad. They were urgently awaiting some sort of perishable chemotherapy medicines that were couriered from the USA day before yesterday. Needless to say, it won't be arriving and his patient lies dying in hospital.

This is going far beyond loss of tourists and failing businesses when seriously sick people begin dying because of PAD's actions.

To be honest that sounds kinda dumb. If I had something that important I wouldn't send it through the mail. Someone sent me a package from England two weeks ago and it still hasn't arrived.

Doesn't this type of thread bring out the stupidity in some people? The guy said 'Couriered' nothing to do with mail.---- Go back to bed so as we can keep this topic on track!

The big unanswered question is who is funding these "professional protesters"??? They have been at it for months now and how are they paying their bills??? Like in many things, follow the money, and you will get to know what is going on and what it will take to stop it. My take is these protesters are being funded by the elite upper class in BKK and when these elite start feeling the pinch from reduced business from tourism, the financial crisis, foreign capital in-flows, etc., they will pull the plug on financing these fanatics. But, I think this could go on for awhile. I made it out of BKK about 24 hours before they closed Suvarnabhumi for a biz trip to Tokyo. I had a funny gut feel when I was at S'pumi late Monday night this was coming down. I'll be heading to HK this weekend rather than even try to make it to BKK. FYI -- I was in Mumbai 10 days ago. Gotta thank my Guardian Angel.

[hammered]

There are some reports on Thai media (radio and Matichon) that tanks are being positioned at the entrances of military bases. It is probably nothing.

[howzat]

According to the news reports on BangkokPost.com Suvanabhumi airports is closed to all passenger and cargo flights. Since this is the base for Fed Ex and most other shipping agents I would assume packages are not getting out.

However, I would imagine Fed Ex will probably find a way to route packages through Chaing Mai or Phuket to keep services flowing.

Aloha

My company has been informed that DHL and FedX are working from Utapao Navy Airport at Chonburi.

Hope that helps.

[animatic]

Long-term, if the crackdown on PAD that so many posters are advocating comes to pass, Toxin will return to resume his dictatorial rule. And he will be angrier, and more vengeful than before. I lived in Bkk. thru the whole rise of Toxin era; from his monopolistic gouging of AIS customers, to his massive tax evasion on the Shin sale, and all his shameless shenanigans in between. Another Toxic era is the worst outcome for Thailand, IMHO.

I thought Chang Noi put it well, in his conclusion to his recent column (The Nation Monday Nov. 24, page 9A):

"Here lies the poison in the choice which the country faces. Backing democracy also means endorsing Thaksin's overweening greed, his evident desire for revenge, and his authoritarian bent. Meanwhile, standing up for morality, the rule of law, and clean politics means endorsing coups, PAD's cultish and violent conservatism, a mangled version of democracy, and all that lies behind them."

Yes pretty much comes down to this.

If all the night time grenade attacks hadn't gone down,

PAD might not have gone down this path.

But that's now water under the bridge, what's for it next is the big question.

I don't think the real powers that be will countenance a return of Thaksin

to ANY position of power. It's just not in the cards short of true street revolution.

The question is:

Can he be THAT demanding of a return to power?

[HYENA]

Come on civil war!

The citizens are disgusted, under served and the country is out of control. I'm just wondering when the last draw will come pissing off the masses. Most people just want to got to work and mind their own business wishing their country would shape up or they could leave to a place with better opportunity and less corruption. My first time going to Thailand, I was predicting it would be one of the wealthiest areas of Asia in just 5 years...but after seeing how deep the corruption goes from the very top all the way down to the apartment manager and taxi driver, I stand corrected. I don't' see Thailand emerging from its reputation as a horrible experience for tourists for decades. I just hope it gets far worse so someone will wake up and maybe try democracy for a change. I've only got one family to look after so if this continues, labor will be cheap and I can get more bang for the baht with an exchange rate not enjoyed for some time (it's getting better every day consistently for the past 9 months.

Yesterday a taxi driver was saying he couldn't make any money because farang are too informed making him use his meter so he can't scam in his typical fashion. My wife told him som nom na-serves you right...telling him his deeds are coming back to bite him in the ass and no wonder no one wants to come to Thailand now; it's #1 for scams from the tourist websites (hasn't always been so bad recently but it's clearly getting worse). It's tiring to go on "vacation" having to adopt a full time job of watching out for scams and corrupt cops, officials and zero rule of law while protectign your hard earned money everyone and their brother is trying to steal by the national pasttime-scamming people!

I'm surprised there's not more violence.

It appears the ruling body is so corrupt they don't care what happens to the country as long as their pockets are lined. If a nice civil war breaks out, maybe I'll get 100 baht for a dollar.

My thoughts are to get those out who I can and let the rest rot and tell everyone I know to stay away unless you want on average 3 scams a day. I don't see why a recipe for war couldn't be concocted...after all, why not? Not much they haven't done yet. Disgusting country...pisses me off you can't even talk to a police officer like you can in the west and expect anything ethical to happen.

[bubba]

This just posted at the PAD's mouthpiece site:

Chamlong: PAD Protesters to Stop Attempts to Prevent Cabinet Ministers from Leaving Bkk

UPDATE : 27 November 2008

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang announced on PAD's makeshift stage at Suvarnabhumi Airport that the protesters will no longer try to stop Cabinet ministers from travelling to Chiang Mai Province to attend today's emergency Cabinet meeting.

Too funny! The cabinet ministers are probably passing through somewhere near Lampang by now in their chauffeured Benzs. Nothing like closing the barn door after the cows have already left!

[siam4ever]

Yes pretty much comes down to this.

If all the night time grenade attacks hadn't gone down,

PAD might not have gone down this path.

But that's now water under the bridge, what's for it next is the big question.

I don't think the real powers that be will countenance a return of Thaksin

to ANY position of power. It's just not in the cards short of true street revolution.

The question is:

Can he be THAT demanding of a return to power?

Don't forget the gambling debts and the two properties he holds as "collateral".... HMM?

[younghusband]

Not the Nation reports an intriguing new development

"Thursday, November 27, 2008 3:07:03 PM (Thai local time)

PAD Orders 10,000 Gallons of Kool-Aid

Protest leaders believed to be planning exit strategy from “Final Battle”

BANGKOK – With its faithful followers now occupying Suvarnabhumi Airport, grounding all flights and bringing the tourism industry into a catastrophic standstill, the People’s Alliance for Democracy has mysteriously ordered 10,00 gallons of Kool-Aid, a US-made fruit-flavored soft drink.

“This is the final battle. This is the end of everything we have been fighting for, and soon we shall be liberated into paradise,” said PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul during a speech on a makeshift stage set up by the PAD in the Departures lounge last night. “Soon the pain will be over.”

With every newspaper in the country roundly condemning the PAD’s latest actions, as well as business analysts unanimously confirming that the airport seizure will cause massive economic damage to a country already in danger of recession, the PAD’s popular support has all but evaporated. Rumors of funding sources abandoning the movement as it has become more radical, and whispers about dissensions in the ranks leading to dwindling numbers of ever-more hard-core supporters have shadowed the headlines of the last few days.

“By seizing the airport the PAD has chosen to martyrdom over revolution,” commented an anonymous source in the army. Although the military has so far elected to stay out of the fray, calls by the PPP-led government to extract the PAD from the airport by force are believed to be backed up by a popular mandate of business owners and the Bangkok middle class that formerly supported the PAD.

The mood at the PAD protests remained defiant as of this morning, with the yellow-clad throngs singing songs, cheering speeches, and in many cases attempting to explain their cause in English to the some 3000 tourists who remain stranded at the airport due to cancelled flights. The PAD also appears to be well-stocked for food and beverages, which makes the order for 10,000 gallons of Kool-Aid rather strange.

“It may be some kind of prop,” speculated a reporter from Thai PBS. “Kool-Aid is blood colored, so who knows, maybe they plan to splash it on themselves symbolically. After that whole menstrual blood incident, anything is possible.”

Wearing white robes instead of the customary yellow shirts, the main five PAD leaders declined to be interviewed for this report, citing the need to prepare for impending “crucial” events. But PAD members were generally looking forward to whatever their leaders had in mind for their next move. “I would do anything to save my country and King from that devil Thaksin,” said one unnamed protestor. “Anything.”

[fauxie]

What's PAD thinking with doing this? How will shutting down the airports get them what they want? Do they think if they piss off enough people by driving the tourists away and making it hard to do international business more people will join their cause?

As we know despite all this the Thai economy will remain unaffected by the turndown in the world economy and the Baht will continue to remain strong. Any other country which suffered these current woes would be dead on it's feet!

At least against the USD, the baht is looking better than it has in a couple years...I'm hoping to see it back at 45:1 (dreaming a bit but who knows)? Earlier this year it was 30-31:1 dollar...so now when I change my money this round, I'll get 5000 baht more. Go ahead idiots, keep on scamming tourists, rob them on buses, scam them in taxis...continue to deserve your increasingly bad reputation as an unsafe destination for tourists with absolutely no rule of law. Thailand isn't even a democratic country; it's just a shell of sayings and words where in actuality it's a bunch of cowboys slipping money to their buddies doing what the hel_l they want at the expense of the good people. Basically anyone can do anything they want and pay the corrput police or corrupt government....Som nom na! You get what you deserve!

I'm hoping the turmoil continues and worsens and maybe someone will wake up! Corruption is the underlying cause of all Thailand's problems; money grubbing protestors hoping for another corrupt payoff from another hijacked government in one of the most prejudice countries in Asia (oh, I forgot they're Buddhist and honest! Yeah right)!

It's a screwed up place (but I do like the people in the north-the unfortunate victims of a disgusting country. My wife and all her friends are hoping to leave and not look back. They're disgusted because any pride they had for their country is backed with lies, corruption, scams and everything opposite Buddhist principles. So many double standards, absolutely no rule of law, no consequences where people with money and influence can murder and no one blinks an eye.

Each clown who hijacks the government pilfers the people's money and anything that would have gone to serve the people and their buddies get rich. The most pilfered nation, most overthrown government full of appearances-an empty shell now.

(Thailand is already well-known for its corruption, scams and dishonesty being the norm)...Why is the king one of the richest people in the world when even he can do nothing to control it while people suffer in horrible poverty...great job! Now no one even listens to the King! So, why have a king? Why bother with a government at all? Just a bunch of money grubbing idiots! Why have police? All they do is rob you, as well!

Only in Thailand do I hear people blame the victims of crime as if they deserve it. What an F*ed up place! Keep doing what you're doing Thailand-just don't wonder why no one wants to come to such a hel_l hole! There are better countries where the sex trade isn't the biggest income producer that actually practice Buddhist principles. I would not recommend anyone go to Thailand...Laos is a better bet to enjoy some serenity and decency nowadays.

Cool down man... Hope your text gets deleted or you just earned yourself a jail sentence... Lese majeste means anything to you?

Come back to reality. It's not like this amounts to even an inflammatory youtube video. I'm sure he's quite safe. Full of himself, but quite safe.

[Crushdepth]

My company has been informed that DHL and FedX are working from Utapao Navy Airport at Chonburi.

Hope that helps.

I sent some stuff out via TNT yesterday afternoon. I don't know how they did it, but it has left the country already and will be in India by Monday!

[yeeowww]

What's PAD thinking with doing this? How will shutting down the airports get them what they want? Do they think if they piss off enough people by driving the tourists away and making it hard to do international business more people will join their cause?

Join "their cause"?... So you too are an "Us vs. Them" person? How weak... HELLO! The PAD are acting in the interests of everyone who lives in this real Land of the Free (sorry all you flag waving americans, the USA is anything but free. I left there for that very reason). An old saying comes to mind, "the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few". In this case meaning that for the good of the nation, this corrupt, sociopathic hoard of power & money mongers called the Thai "Government" needs to be expelled, extinguished and exterminated at all costs. My business is suffering tremendous blows because of this situation, but I happily take the knock & will brave the storm in the interest of having a better future here, free of the likes of a that moron & madman Toxin and his extended network ruling the country. Having a year of hardship is a small price to pay in the name of long term HEALTHY growth for the country. There will never be growth or progress with a band of thieves and scumbags in charge. I admire, support & applaud what the PAD are doing. At least they've got the balls to stand up and act on what they believe. These pea brained nit-wit "red shirts" don't seem to understand that the PAD are not against them, they're acting in the name of ALL Thais, for King and country for a better future. If you love this country half as much as I do & plan on calling it home for any length of time now or the foreseeable future, then I suggest you quit crying like a baby, bite the bullet & suffer the inconvenience of fighting for a better government with some integrity, rather than this pack of thieving clowns and madmen that have dealt the Thai citizens nothing but empty promises & lies while robbing the country blind. You can also blame the ignorance of the upcountry & rural uneducated for instilling this insanity to begin with by electing these bandits to begin with. Yeah, let's sell our country down the tubes for 30 baht health insurance and 500 baht gifts... c'mon... that's hillbilly thinking & it's time to try and shove some education into their thought deficient skulls.

Right....

You see Al Kaida also claims to be fighting for the better of all the muslims. So should we all go support it now and send Bin Laden all our savings?

WOW! What an AMAZINGLY ACCURATE simile Einstein! Why didn't I think of that!!!

Apparently you have not a clue the difference between suicidal religious fanatics and blind political GREED! I suggest you go don your red shirt, head to Chiang Mai & stand in line with all of the other lemmings. (Jeez, unbelievable!...)

[dougieboy]

Incidentally, as I'm sure you all know, the Yellow Shirts want to remove the vote from the individual and instead bestow the responsibility onto 'appointed experts'.

Come on, give me a break.

The airports being closed is utter <deleted> and plainly demonstrates to the rest of the sane planet either how little the PAD cares for it's country or monarchy's international image or more likely, how stupid and short sighted they really are. PAD as a flash in the pan and it is simply a matter of time before they get a severe kicking.

You should have stopped before this, instead you've gone on to confuse and distort the facts and blame the PAD for everything. By the I mean you seem to have missed the part where the government should have done their jobs and resolved this issue months ago before it exploded into the situation we have now.

I don't agree with the PAD however I know they don't want to remove people's votes this is a lie often reported by their opponents.

Also, yesterday it was reported that the PAD had broken into the control tower at Suvarnabhumi. Turns out to be wrong, they've only ever been in the terminal building.

How come your an advanced member after so few posts?

[anothertorres]

why do they keep interviewing Mr. Miyagi on the news?

[Garry]

...diatribe...

Cool down man... Hope your text gets deleted or you just earned yourself a jail sentence... Lese majeste means anything to you?

I agree, they way its painted by him is a bit one eyed, if he wants real time corruption and ruthelessness, check out Zimbabwe tinpot politics and raping of the country.

[fred2007]

I love Thailand, I really do. But (yeah but) how a country can ruin itself just a little more, when there's already a global crisis going on is beyond me.

And I bet those people blocking the airports will be be completely surprised when there's even less food on their table pretty soon.

well on my table will be no food for a while I guess I am waiting for some parts to come in, to finish my job. It has to be delievered by Monday if not I will loose a cool 200.000 baht, but who cares?

[buddyholly1]

I spoke with a friend last night who is a physician at Bumrungrad. They were urgently awaiting some sort of perishable chemotherapy medicines that were couriered from the USA day before yesterday. Needless to say, it won't be arriving and his patient lies dying in hospital.

This is going far beyond loss of tourists and failing businesses when seriously sick people begin dying because of PAD's actions.

To be honest that sounds kinda dumb. If I had something that important I wouldn't send it through the mail. Someone sent me a package from England two weeks ago and it still hasn't arrived.

Doesn't this type of thread bring out the stupidity in some people? The guy said 'Couriered' nothing to do with mail.---- Go back to bed so as we can keep this topic on track!

Wow. Why is everyone getting so nasty? What needs to be on track? The airport is closed. When it opens you will know. You sound like the official word will come on Thaivisa, so everybody has to stop talking in case you miss it.

Lighten up, grumpy old man.

[VegasVic]

Attention!

New and groundbreaking proposal to end the turmoil in Thailand and make everybody happy:

Let Somchai/Taksin govern the North from Chiang Mai while Sondhi and his Yellow People can govern the rest from Bangkok. The North can than separate and be known as Lana-land or Lalaland. Issan can join them if they wish after a referendum. The Bangkok run part may be called Krungthep-land or Moomooland.

Actually the South may split from Bangkok as well. Apart from Patani state which will surely go to Muslims the Phuket and Samui islands can perhaps became independent Farang Kingdoms. The names for them can perhaps be decided later after few drinking competitions.

Notime, If only by saying this you could make it so To just imagine a country like Chiang Mai-Issan-Rayong not only with its vast agriculture resources, but also its beauty both in landscape as well as people would be great, and the best part is that the corrupt thai-chinese power brokers in BKK would be cut off from any further raping of the people and the landscape of this great region! In the coming years with agriculture resources becoming a more and more valuable commodity, this new Lanna-Issan-Rayong country will be known as the breadbasket of Asia. The PAD are welcome to the cesspools of BKK and Pattaya, and with their share of the money from the sale of Phuket and sumui to the hedge fund operators and investment bankers that will be fleeing prosecution in the U.S. and Europe, and the sale of the far southern provinces to Malaysia, they can begin building a massive sea wall to protect BKK from the rising oceans

Except Rayong and Trat are not in the PPP column. It would be a Northern and Isaan landlocked state with large population, lots of agriculture, little industry and no ports and hence would almost certainly see its wealth gap compared to the other half decline on a yearly basis. Landlocked states face difficulties.

Hammered, you couldn't be more wrong! My wife and I have many friends in the Rayong area and we have traveled extensively throughout Rayong-Klaeng-Chanthaburi-Trat and have found overwhelming support for Thaksin The boundry lines for the new country would be the deep sea port at Utapao and both countries would have access to this port area. Of course while this is a very intersting excercise for us to engage in it will never occur, because without Issan-Rayong those in the BKK metro area and south would starve to death!!!

[VegasVic]

This just posted at the PAD's mouthpiece site:

Chamlong: PAD Protesters to Stop Attempts to Prevent Cabinet Ministers from Leaving Bkk

UPDATE : 27 November 2008

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang announced on PAD's makeshift stage at Suvarnabhumi Airport that the protesters will no longer try to stop Cabinet ministers from travelling to Chiang Mai Province to attend today's emergency Cabinet meeting.

Too funny! The cabinet ministers are probably passing through somewhere near Lampang by now in their chauffeured Benzs. Nothing like closing the barn door after the cows have already left!

Very true! This shows the absolute desperation that Chamlong and the rest of the PAD leaders are in, and rightly so as they are supporting an untennable position!!! This may be the sadest chapter in Thailands modern history before its over. If the military does not move in soon to clean this up then that could mean there will be an attempted coup! This time the coup will not be a bloodless one, as there are factions of the military loyal to the PPP!

[jdinasia]

This just posted at the PAD's mouthpiece site:

Chamlong: PAD Protesters to Stop Attempts to Prevent Cabinet Ministers from Leaving Bkk

UPDATE : 27 November 2008

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang announced on PAD's makeshift stage at Suvarnabhumi Airport that the protesters will no longer try to stop Cabinet ministers from travelling to Chiang Mai Province to attend today's emergency Cabinet meeting.

Too funny! The cabinet ministers are probably passing through somewhere near Lampang by now in their chauffeured Benzs. Nothing like closing the barn door after the cows have already left!

Very true! This shows the absolute desperation that Chamlong and the rest of the PAD leaders are in, and rightly so as they are supporting an untennable position!!! This may be the sadest chapter in Thailands modern history before its over. If the military does not move in soon to clean this up then that could mean there will be an attempted coup! This time the coup will not be a bloodless one, as there are factions of the military loyal to the PPP!

There are? Wouldn't that mean there would have been the same in 2006?

yeah .. riding all those hours in a car is SO much better than hopping in a plane!