Governor Petitioned To Ban The Second Chiang Mai Gay Pride Parade

[brennanstimpy]

Why won't this thread end?

[StevieH]

Why won't this thread end?

because the parade hasn't happened yet, silly.

[Paagai]

Why won't this thread end?

because the parade hasn't happened yet, silly.

But it will today!

If you wanna find out what this bitch fight of a thread has all been about get down to Changklan Road this evening .

Opening ceremony is at 6 p.m. Details from the Parade website:

After the 6pm opening ceremony, the parade will depart Buddhasathan at 7pm, marching towards Tawan Plaza @ Square where many community-based activities will be held from 8.30pm until midnight. Activities include a transgender brain & beauty pageant to raise awareness on sexual diversity, art exhibitions, fun activities at NGO booths, traditional Thai traditional dance for charity, etc.

And remember its actually rasing awareness for a good cause - HIV prevention.

[IanForbes]

Where do I have to go to NOT turn up at the party/parade/event? I hate getting stuck in traffic needlessly.

In other words, what roads are going to be blocked and what time are they closing down the streets?

Have a good time for those that want to attend. I wish you all the best.

[ollylama]

i just heard that a big group of redshirts forcibly shut down the parade. a little sketchy on the details, but the whole thing's been canceled.

this makes the red shirts look even more like a bunch of yokels now.

[bungalowbill]

Yes the parade was cancelled. I drove by and the red shirts did block the parade..they would not let the floats depart. red shirts also occupied the square on Chang Klan rd where the party was supposed to be. . The red shirts had signs in English and Thai, The English signs said stop the gay parade. About twenty silent protesters sat near the temple just below Narawat bridge..their sign said: celebrate diversity, an old woman wearing a red shirt threw a bottle of water at them and then ran away.

[sriracha john]

Isn't there another thread in the Chiang Mai Forum that has other Red Shirts fighting at the Railway Station?

Anyway... they're at it again...

Red threats call off gay march

Chiang Mai - The second Gay Pride Parade here was called off late Saturday evening after a stand-off with a group of "Rak Chiang Mai 51 "red-shirted" demonstrators who were objecting to the public event.

The parade started from Buddha-sathan and was to head towards the Night Bazaar and end at the Tawan Trendy Mall, but organisers decided to call it off fearing violence.

Earlier in the evening, about 30 red-shirted protesters had confronted the organisers, forcing them to dismantle the stage erected near the mall to welcome the parade.

About 30 red-shirted protesters went to the Tawan Trendy Mall where a stage had been erected to welcome the Gay Pride Parade, scheduled to march from the Buddha-sathan towards the Night Bazaar and to the mall.

The protesters launched verbal attacks through a megaphone saying the event tarnished the city's reputation.

They also reacted angrily to remarks made by the organisers that the "Rak Chiang Mai 51" group was acting like thugs.

- The Nation / 2009-10-21

Edited February 21, 2009 by sriracha john

[Jingthing]

Red shirters living up to their thuggish, violent reputation. Shame on them!

[PeaceBlondie]

Violent red shirted thugs do not represent Northern Thai traditional culture. If these red shirted thugs are THai, who led them?

A shame. Really not typical of Thai tolerance.

[sriracha john]

Violent red shirted thugs do not represent Northern Thai traditional culture. If these red shirted thugs are Thai, who led them?

A shame. Really not typical of Thai tolerance.

Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul

Chiang Mai - The second Gay Pride Parade here was called off late Saturday evening after a stand-off with a group of "Rak Chiang Mai 51" red-shirted demonstrators who were objecting to the public event.

And from other occasions:

- The demonstrators, led by Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group

- Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul, a leader of about 300 red shirts from Chiang Mai

- Rak Chiang Mai 51 leader Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul claimed 200 "red-shirted guards" would be sent first and would be followed by another 10,000

- Meanwhile, the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group led by Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul

- The demonstrators, led by Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group, split into two groups with one gathering at ChiangMai airport and the

[mbincm]

Violent red shirted thugs do not represent Northern Thai traditional culture. If these red shirted thugs are THai, who led them?

A shame. Really not typical of Thai tolerance.

The 2 gay people - farang and thai - should congratulate themselves on stopping the parade. they started the campaign against the parade 2 weeks ago and they are responsible - violent red shirt thugs only do what they are told. the two gay people should feel ashamed.

[sriracha john]

^ Is it possible to be both gay and a Red Shirt?

[miltonbentley]

There will probably be a book burning next.

[IanForbes]

As much as I don't like parades and try to avoid them I always stand back for the majority. And, as much as I don't think a gay pride parade is necessary I also feel it's their right to have a parade if other groups can have a parade... just so long as they don't do anything indecent in public... which is all I ask of anyone. I stated this in my first response to a gay pride parade.

That said, however, I think it is a shame that some hypocritical thugs would take away other people's rights to a parade when there are so many examples of crazy behaviour everywhere I go in Thailand. I could go on and on describing those crazy events, but I don't want to upset anyone who feels they are something worthwhile.

[StevieH]

how sad and how regrettably backwards thinking.

[mbincm]

^ Is it possible to be both gay and a Red Shirt?

wait for it - they (the two who stopped the parade) will announce shortly they will do a better one...

[sriracha john]

^ Is it possible to be both gay and a Red Shirt?

wait for it - they (the two who stopped the parade) will announce shortly they will do a better one...

But according to the news report, it was a group of 30 Red Shirts that intimidated the parade organizers into stopping it and also caused the removal of the stage.

[Sansai Sam]

I can't wait to see the story on the front page of the CHIANG MAI MAIL!!! Sure hope it doesn't miss the deadline or start a firestorm of debate!

[sriracha john]

Violent red shirted thugs do not represent Northern Thai traditional culture. If these red shirted thugs are Thai, who led them?

A shame. Really not typical of Thai tolerance.

Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul

Red threats call off gay march

The second Gay Pride Parade here was called off late yesterday evening after a stand-off with a group of "Rak Chiang Mai 51" red-shirted demonstrators who were objecting to the public event.

The parade started from Buddha-sathan and was to head towards the Night Bazaar and end at the Tawan Trendy Mall, but organisers decided to call it off fearing violence.

Earlier in the evening, about 30 red-shirted protesters had confronted the organisers, forcing them to dismantle the stage erected near the mall to welcome the parade.

About 30 red-shirted protesters went to the Tawan Trendy Mall where a stage had been erected to welcome the Gay Pride Parade, scheduled to march from the Buddha-sathan towards the Night Bazaar and to the mall.

The protesters launched verbal attacks through a megaphone saying the event tarnished the city's reputation. They also reacted angrily to remarks made by the organisers that the "Rak Chiang Mai 51" group was acting like thugs.

The group vowed not to allow the event to be held in a public space. However, they had no objection to the venue being shifted to a hotel or conference room.

A few red-shirts also tried to break through police security in front of the stage to attack an organiser because they were upset that she had been taking their pictures.

After an hour of confrontation, the organisers agreed to dismantle the stage and cancel the activities in the area, to the disappointment of many, including tourists, who had been waiting to join the event. This was despite the security provided by 150 policemen.

Earlier yesterday, Petchawat Wattanapongsirikul, a leading member of the "Rak Chiang Mai 51" group said local residents disagreed with the parade as it was against the old city's culture and could tarnish its image. He said such an event should be held in Phuket or Pattaya, which were tourist entertainment cities.

He said if the organisers wanted to spread the message about AIDS then that should have been the main focus of the parade, not homosexuality.

"Chiang Mai people cannot accept this and will stop the parade by all means, even violence."

Sureerat Trimakka, from the People Living With HIV/AIDS Network in Thailand, said earlier yesterday that the parade had taken six months to organise and its participants were properly dressed. The idea was to increase public understanding about sexual diversity and equality as well as promoting awareness of HIV/AIDS issues, she said.

- The Nation / 2009-02-22

[mc2]

i did forsee this coming. very disappointing.

thanks to the example of the PAD, mob power has well established itself as a force.

we can expect to see mobs springing up all over the country in response to anything the dont like.

[jdinasia]

i did forsee this coming. very disappointing.

thanks to the example of the PAD, mob power has well established itself as a force.

we can expect to see mobs springing up all over the country in response to anything the dont like.

You foresaw this? You thought your reds would stop the gay pride parade in Chiang Mai?

[Sansai Sam]

Obviously the Nation was not present as there were alot more than 30 red shirts disprupting the parade....alot more! And we all know the two people who are behind it.

[john b good]

I can't wait to see the story on the front page of the CHIANG MAI MAIL!!! Sure hope it doesn't miss the deadline or start a firestorm of debate!

Chiang Mai Mail.

Are people still buying it

[Sansai Sam]

Proud to say I've never bought a copy in my life John!

[Sansai Sam]

Oh behave.....can we stay focused please?

[sriracha john]

Obviously the Nation was not present as there were alot more than 30 red shirts disprupting the parade....alot more! And we all know the two people who are behind it.

I believe they were there, but the mention of 30 of their Red Shirt members was probably in regards to the initial threats and their demand for the the stage be dismantled.

"Rak Chiang Mai 51" red-shirted demonstrators block the entrance to Buddha-sathan and effectively thwarted the second Gay Pride Parade in Chiang Mai yesterday.

The Nation

------------------

Are you saying that the two people (the previously-mentioned one Thai and one farang) control the Red Shirts or that they hired them?

Edited February 22, 2009 by sriracha john

[Sansai Sam]

I was told by a red shirt that they were told by "we all know who" that the parade was organized by yellow shirts. I was also told the red shirts were paid.

He said, she said, they said we said!!!!!!

[sriracha john]

then please tell us where you did?

for gods sake, stay on topic.

your avatar is of a childrens playground. quite fitting considering the way you post on this forum.

Any topic discussion is pointless if you are repeatedly dishonest to that "degree."

[Ricardo]

Sad news !

The thought-police and thugs of 'Rak Chiang Mai 51' are causing more damage to Chiang Mai's reputation, than this parade ever might have, and their intolerance is very ugly to see.

Their concern about someone taking photos of them, during their thuggish behaviour, might be encouraging if it means they realise that they are doing something questionable or wrong.

They regard Pattaya and Phuket as "tourist entertainment cities", but not Chiang Mai, can they not see the importance of both domestic & international-tourism here ? But this is worse than the hotel-blockade in the Night Bazaar at the New Year, because they are protesting not against a particular opposition-politician, but against other local peoples' right to freedom-of-expression.

Who elected them arbiters of what other Chiang Mai people can or cannot be permitted to do here ?

[daveb1]

I think most of you are missing the point here, gay parades now days in country’s like Thailand or the UK for that matter are very little to do with gay rights issues, its just a big excuse for a piss up and a party, and what’s wrong with that. Lighten up folks!