Traffic Chaos In Bangkok As Protesters Close Main Roads

[h90]

I do care about those 3.000 + people who died in his war on drugs, so on one side you have former PM who is mass murderer

well said

All drug dealers should be put to death. Many Thai's like Thaksin because he had the will and strength to do this to the scum.

Why does the UK not have a referendum on the death penalty ? Simply because the softy liberal human rights loud mouths know that the majority of the people want it, and would have it come back tomorrow if they could have a referendum.

They were shoot by the police, that is different than a trial at court with death penalty.

And what about the 50% who didn't do anything with drugs?? That is simply murdering people.

[clausewitz]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/04/10...cs_30100143.php

Taxi drivers paralyse traffic around

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

One woman on an elevated walkway, a beautician in her mid-thirties, was asked if she thought the protesters were hurting the economy and causing major traffic jams,replied:

"What about when those god-dam_n [PAD] took over the Government House and the aiports [last year]? Did they think of anybody else but themselves?" she said, adding that she's fed up with what she believes to be a double standard in Thai politics, as the PAD leaders are not in jail and whatever the PAD does is regarded as correct.

"Should we just accept that whatever they do is correct?"

.

In fact yes they should. Why, well because this PAD-Democrat government has the backing of elite such as the Privy council and military, and obviously it is they who know what is best for thailand, not ignorant peasants from barn nok, Chiang thani.

The very idea that a mee barns vote should be equal to that of a General is ridiculous.

As one democrat MP exclamined last month. "The opposition is even going to start fielding Security Guards in the next election." Imagine that, you could have peasants as members of parlimanent if something is not done. Fortunately for thailand there are great leaders like Prem and Sondhi and chamlong who won't stand for it. Long live PAD-Democrats.

[h90]

Lovely, this will really endear the reds to Bangkokians.

a dose of their own medicine, since they rammed it down ours

seems Abhisit just has to learn the hard way

for all his intelligence and education, he should have seen this a MILE away, before he took on PM

I think he did. He's giving the red shirts enough rope to hang themselves. It's already working as the people of Bangkok are getting really miffed over the taxi blockade (deepens their loyalty to Abhisit). The people of Pattya who rely on tourism are feeling the same over the risk to their shaky incomes. All in all, I'd say its all going according to plan.

Thugsin has finally exposed himself as the sham he is by withdrawing his family from the whole country while egging on his misguided supporters and pushing them to risk the lives of their own families while he is laughing loud and long at a distance.

Not much left to keep the reds going.

Yes what will happen now??

Pattaya has a strong support for the Democrats. PAD is strong there and the majority is just greedy, don't care anything but Baht.

When the reds start to trouble the tourists and the walking ATMs they will be upset methinks.

[BangkokRay]

One of the more irritating things about living here is how every dam_n thing is a rumor. Anytime anything is going on everyone's passing twenty different crazy rumors and often none of them turn out to be true. I can't count how many times tanks have been "seen heading toward Bangkok" or so and so was going to resign or return or crack down on protesters or whatever and it's all nonsense. I generally enjoy life in Thailand and I take it for what it is, so I can't really expect to seriously moan about the informality when that's a lot of the appeal of living here. Still, at times it gets a little irritating. As of right now, if you were to believe everything that's been heard, Victory Monument is mobbed and shut down (this one appears to be verified), but the BTS and MRT are also to be mobbed and shut down tonight along with the Rama IV/Sukhumvit intersection and, soon, the Asoke-Phrom Phong area and God knows what all else. I understand that they can't make an official announcement about what they're going to do for obvious reasons, I just wish people would stop spreading all these idiotic rumors as if they have any sense of the legitimacy. It's hardly class-based either, I get them second hand through everyone ranging from the maids and taxi drivers up to foreign educated professionals and various farangs. Everyone's got a little of that grapevine of total nonsense magic and the end result is a flood of useless information that makes it impossible to tell what's actually happening.

[farseer]

I thought this thread was about updating information concerning the traffic situation in Bangkok not dribbling on yet again about the pros and cons of Thaksin? Most of you have talked on the subject of Thaksin until it has become repetitious and extremely boring.

Can somebody steer this thread back to the traffic?

[h90]

I thought this thread was about updating information concerning the traffic situation in Bangkok not dribbling on yet again about the pros and cons of Thaksin? Most of you have talked on the subject of Thaksin until it has become repetitious and extremely boring.

Can somebody steer this thread back to the traffic?

this is the traffic only thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Traffic-Demo....html&st=25

[ovenman]

I thought this thread was about updating information concerning the traffic situation in Bangkok not dribbling on yet again about the pros and cons of Thaksin?

This thread became the de facto political discussion thread when the last such thread was closed: 10,000 Police, Soldiers, Security Officials....

The following is the thread solely about traffic updates: Traffic and Demo Updates Only Please

[Rhys]

most taxi drivers are fiercly pro thaksin anyways

And most taxi drivers are fockin' morons

They are reflective of the small minded short sighted easily manipulated rural masses that still support Toxin.

Poor Thailand

Hang a big 10-4 on that one..

[sriracha john]

Red-shirted taxi driver lobs ping pong bomb at petrol station near ASTV

A taxi driver lobbed a ping pong bomb into a petrol station near ASTV head office late Thursday night. No one was injured.

The incident happened at 11:20 pm. The noise bomb hit a tree and did not cause any damage to the Kwandao Petroleum station, about 100 metres away from ASTV.

The driver of taxi with license plate no Tor or 2454 BKK was arrested for throwing the bomb but police were surrounded by red-shirted protests and had to let go the suspect.

The Nation

[sunny747]

from Daokanong to rama 9..how should i go? i'm driving. please let me know

[sriracha john]

Thaksin Urges Red-shirt Supporters to Hold on for 3 More Days

Exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last night called on red-shirt protesters to carry on with their planned three-day mass demonstration, promising them that their reward will be true democracy.

In a video-link speech to demonstrators outside the home of Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra assured the protesters that they would not return home with nothing to show for their efforts, but would instead be rewarded with a type of democracy they can believe in.

Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, told his supporters that real democracy must replace the current political system, which he said was dominated by the aristocracy. Thaksin added that he does not want to see social discrimination in Thailand.

Urging protesters to carry on as planned, the exiled former PM also claimed that he is more interested in restoring democracy than returning to power or having his frozen assets released to him.

Thaksin, who has lived in exile since being convicted of corruption, said he hopes he will be the last victim of the aristocracy. He also asked for the opportunity to be allowed to promote so-called "people politics" for the public's interest.

- TOC / 2009-04-09

[TAWP]

PM Abhisit said that 70% of the protesters have gone home already, which seems to match up with the current pictures of what is happening in Bangkok.

Probably because unlike the yellow shirts, the red shirt protesters have a house and a bed to sleep in, unlike the barefoot yellow shirt protesters who enjoyed living in the airport terminal rather than under the highway bridge.

You are saying the yellows at swampy where poor people and not worthy of attention?

[sbk]

from Daokanong to rama 9..how should i go? i'm driving. please let me know

traffic and demo updates here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Traffic-Demo...es-t256001.html

[h90]

Thaksin Urges Red-shirt Supporters to Hold on for 3 More Days

Exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last night called on red-shirt protesters to carry on with their planned three-day mass demonstration, promising them that their reward will be true democracy.

In a video-link speech to demonstrators outside the home of Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra assured the protesters that they would not return home with nothing to show for their efforts, but would instead be rewarded with a type of democracy they can believe in.

Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, told his supporters that real democracy must replace the current political system, which he said was dominated by the aristocracy. Thaksin added that he does not want to see social discrimination in Thailand.

Urging protesters to carry on as planned, the exiled former PM also claimed that he is more interested in restoring democracy than returning to power or having his frozen assets released to him.

Thaksin, who has lived in exile since being convicted of corruption, said he hopes he will be the last victim of the aristocracy. He also asked for the opportunity to be allowed to promote so-called "people politics" for the public's interest.

- TOC / 2009-04-09

He sounds a bit like Hitler in the last days, the Russians were coming and he told his people to hold on, the Endsieg is near.

As well activate the children and the old people to fight....

I don't see any possible way that he can win....Noone cares much at the moment, even the Thaksin haters are bored instead of furious. The paid demonstrations run out of steam, even with a big money injection it will go lower than 20.000 if it isn't already.

He is sitting in his Fuehrerbunker in Dubai and his Generals are afraid of bringing bad news....where should this go? The game is lost.

[andrewfr]

Thaksin Urges Red-shirt Supporters to Hold on for 3 More Days

Exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last night called on red-shirt protesters to carry on with their planned three-day mass demonstration, promising them that their reward will be true democracy.

In a video-link speech to demonstrators outside the home of Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra assured the protesters that they would not return home with nothing to show for their efforts, but would instead be rewarded with a type of democracy they can believe in.

Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, told his supporters that real democracy must replace the current political system, which he said was dominated by the aristocracy. Thaksin added that he does not want to see social discrimination in Thailand.

Urging protesters to carry on as planned, the exiled former PM also claimed that he is more interested in restoring democracy than returning to power or having his frozen assets released to him.

Thaksin, who has lived in exile since being convicted of corruption, said he hopes he will be the last victim of the aristocracy. He also asked for the opportunity to be allowed to promote so-called "people politics" for the public's interest.

- TOC / 2009-04-09

There is a lot of babble on this site about "democracy" For democracy to work satisfactorily (and it does not work perfectly even in most advanced allegedly democratic countries) the main prerequisite is an educated and politically aware electorate, which is capable of understanding more about the consequences of their vote than the 500 baht they might get for voting for their traditional local feudal overlord.

In order for this to happen you need a viable and effective education system in place for a couple of generations to inform the people of the implications involved in their vote. Until that time the best solution for a stable country is a paternal dictatorship (obvious problem, where do you find a noble incorruptible dictator with the people's best interest at heart) or all you will get, with partial political freedom and no proper education to back it up, is a people who become "demo crazy".

On another note: The obvious solution to the drug problem would be to decriminalise it, thereby reducing the profits available by dealing in illegal drugs. Turn it into a social and medical problem, rather than a criminal one. Spend the enforcement budget on education to persuade the people that taking drugs is not a good idea and give them something to do instead of taking drugs. The main problem would be that this action would remove a very large source of money from a few powerful people's hands.

Edited April 10, 2009 by andrewfr

[samgrowth]

Swampy will fall under the hand of the Red. It is not a matter of if, but when.

However, this will be Thaksin last card. I am sure he won't play it right now.

[h90]

Thaksin Urges Red-shirt Supporters to Hold on for 3 More Days

Exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last night called on red-shirt protesters to carry on with their planned three-day mass demonstration, promising them that their reward will be true democracy.

In a video-link speech to demonstrators outside the home of Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra assured the protesters that they would not return home with nothing to show for their efforts, but would instead be rewarded with a type of democracy they can believe in.

Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, told his supporters that real democracy must replace the current political system, which he said was dominated by the aristocracy. Thaksin added that he does not want to see social discrimination in Thailand.

Urging protesters to carry on as planned, the exiled former PM also claimed that he is more interested in restoring democracy than returning to power or having his frozen assets released to him.

Thaksin, who has lived in exile since being convicted of corruption, said he hopes he will be the last victim of the aristocracy. He also asked for the opportunity to be allowed to promote so-called "people politics" for the public's interest.

- TOC / 2009-04-09

There is a lot of babble on this site about "democracy" For democracy to work satisfactorily (and it does not work perfectly even in most advanced allegedly democratic countries) the main prerequisite is an educated and politically aware electorate, which is capable of understanding more about the consequences of their vote than the 500 baht they might get for voting for their traditional local feudal overlord.

In order for this to happen you need a viable and effective education system in place for a couple of generations to inform the people of the implications involved in their vote. Until that time the best solution for a stable country is a paternal dictatorship (obvious problem, where do you find a noble incorruptible dictator with the people's best interest at heart) or all you will get, with partial political freedom and no proper education to back it up, is a people who become "demo crazy".

On another note: The obvious solution to the drug problem would be to decriminalise it, thereby reducing the profits available by dealing in illegal drugs. Turn it into a social and medical problem, rather than a criminal one. Spend the enforcement budget on education to persuade the people that taking drugs is not a good idea and give them something to do instead of taking drugs. The main problem would be that this action would remove a very large source of money from a few powerful people's hands.

Very true, both.

The ultimate solution for the drug problem is giving the drugs for addicted at the pharmacy for almost nothing.

No income, no crime, no mafia.

It won't fix every problem in a week, neither everyone will live like Chamlong, but the worst problems are cured.

[h90]

Swampy will fall under the hand of the Red. It is not a matter of if, but when.

However, this will be Thaksin last card. I am sure he won't play it right now.

There is not much time left for play any cards.

It is loosing steam, how many protesters are there now? 5.000? 10.000?

And it won't get more anymore.....the money is burned this final war is lost as it seems.

[Wolfie]

Where is Koo - she can give us a reasonable estimate of how many protesters are left (albeit mildly biased)

[Splatter]

I do care about those 3.000 + people who died in his war on drugs, so on one side you have former PM who is mass murderer

well said

All drug dealers should be put to death. Many Thai's like Thaksin because he had the will and strength to do this to the scum.

Why does the UK not have a referendum on the death penalty ? Simply because the softy liberal human rights loud mouths know that the majority of the people want it, and would have it come back tomorrow if they could have a referendum.

Pretty easy to understand why the UK does not have a referendum on such an issue.

Majority rule is not always how a country should be lead, without legal checks and humantarian balances.

Sensible leaders know that there is always a chance of getting a death penalty incorrect, thus executing an innocent party.

I refer you to 10 Rillington Place Case and the incorrect hanging of Timothy Evans before they caught the real murderer John Christie.

I'll also show you an extreme example possible through the mathematics of majority rule without

humanitarian considerations and legal checks and balances.

It would obviously not happen, but I hope it destroys the "majority rule" issue.

I hope you can follow it.

Me and my chums have enough money to buy the votes of 26% of the population.

So we have 26% of the population under our wing.

We convince another 25% to join with us, and thus have a majority of 51% of the population to vote for us.

51% beats the 49%.

On gaining control we eradicate the 49% minority.

Next election, my chums in the 26% decide to vote against the 25%.

and then we eradicate that minority.

26% of the population therefore can eradicate the initial 74%

A tad barabaric isn't it?

So therefore we need to establish what educative processes, humanitarian and legal checks / balances

need to be put into place to move a civilisation forward from what

sounds an easy "majority rule" system to a system where minorites are respected

and human decency wins through?

May I suggest you investigate the deeper issues surrounding democratic, ethical government

under the simplistic concept of rule by the majority.

Edited April 10, 2009 by Splatter

[rainman]

There is not much time left for play any cards.

It is loosing steam, how many protesters are there now? 5.000? 10.000?

And it won't get more anymore.....the money is burned this final war is lost as it seems.

Remember PAD had only 3,000 at the airport.

[Wolfie]

There is not much time left for play any cards.

It is loosing steam, how many protesters are there now? 5.000? 10.000?

And it won't get more anymore.....the money is burned this final war is lost as it seems.

Remember PAD had only 3,000 at the airport.

I think if the reds try to take the airport they will be in for a big shock... blood wil lstain the roads before the government/police/ar,y allow that to happen again

[sriracha john]

Shooting the messenger

Red-shirts turn on reporters, angrily claiming that the size of their protest is being shrunk for TV

News media became an easy target for violence at Bangkok demonstrations by red-shirted supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday.

Claiming their numbers were being deliberately underestimated, angry demonstrators attacked three TV reporters broadcasting live from the protest sites.

"I have no idea why they attacked us since I've never reported the number [of protesters]," said Channel 3's Warunee Suesatsakulchai.

She was taking a 10am break in the station's mobile broadcast van when a red-shirted man yelled, "You journalists, why don't you report properly? What's wrong with your ethics?"

Soon after, stepping out to report more developments, Warunee was met by a water bottle thrown by another red-shirt.

About an hour later Channel 7 reporter Sompoch Toraksa had just finished interviewing Jatuporn Prompan, a protest leader, when a group of about 30 men surrounded his car, throwing plastic bottles and condemning his estimates of protester numbers.

- Daily XPress / 2009-04-09

[TAWP]

You expect the reds to get their fine-detail facts right of who was supposedly under-reporting their numbers instead of just attacking anyone?

[h90]

There is not much time left for play any cards.

It is loosing steam, how many protesters are there now? 5.000? 10.000?

And it won't get more anymore.....the money is burned this final war is lost as it seems.

Remember PAD had only 3,000 at the airport.

:D but the total force was huge, just a small amount of the protesters were at the airport, but at the red they would all to take the airport, and no chance to take 2 airports.

[rainman]

I think if the reds try to take the airport they will be in for a big shock... blood wil lstain the roads before the government/police/ar,y allow that to happen again

I doubt (and hope not) that they will take the airport.

[kurtgruen]

Good morning everyone.

Thought I'd check in, to see if there was any real news., since I only see a few reds left on Television, in Bangkok.

Read all the posts, since I logged off last night and came up with the following conclusions...

1. The Reds are up to their old tricks....throwing PingPong bombs in the middle of the night

2. They managed to pis* off Thai people as much or more than the PAD did

3. Abhisit has things well under control

4. The Asian Summit will go on as planned

5. Some people, conveniently, still forget about the mass murders that where committed during Thaksin's rule, by both Army and Police...3000 so-called drug dealers killed without a trial, more than 70 suffocated to death in a truck, after being piled on top of one another (Hollocaust style), Police putting tires around live people and setting them on fire, Thakin's son arriving in his motorcade in the hill tribe village, buying drugs.... later under his puppets Samak and Somchai, the violent crackdown of October 7th, that left several people dead.

6. If I had to follow somebody, I would rather follow a peaceful man like Chamlong (at least since his conversion many years ago), than a monster like Thaksin

Anyways, have fun everybody, I'm off to the beach. Should I see anything really interesting, on my way down to Rayong, I will find an internet cafe somewhere and keep you posted. Otherwise, it's coffee, delicious seafood and swimming for the next nine days

Cheers

[h90]

Where is Koo - she can give us a reasonable estimate of how many protesters are left (albeit mildly biased)

Most probably she is demonstrating. In the past she wasn't helpful on the numbers.

[Insight]

No sign of red shirts in Pattaya

There has been no unusual activities ahead of today's Asean Summit and Related Summits in Pattaya, deputy national police chief General Viroj Phaholphaet said on Friday.

Viroj said police set up seven to eight road checkpoints in all entry points at Pattaya. If the red shirts try to stage a rally, police would reason with them to uphold the country's reputation, he said.

Security has been beefed up following a threat by the red shirts to rally and block access to the venue of the summit meeting.

The combined police and military forces have doubled to 8,000 and some 5,000 local residents have volunteered to report if they detect the red shirts entering the vicinity of the seaside resort.

A group of 300 city police have been deployed to assist in keeping peace.

The Nation

Surely some people must be on their way to bring "true democracy" ?

[h90]

Good morning everyone.

Thought I'd check in, to see if there was any real news., since I only see a few reds left on Television, in Bangkok.

Read all the posts, since I logged off last night and came up with the following conclusions...

1. The Reds are up to their old tricks....throwing PingPong bombs in the middle of the night

2. They managed to pis* off Thai people as much or more than the PAD did

3. Abhisit has things well under control

4. The Asian Summit will go on as planned

5. Some people, conveniently, still forget about the mass murders that where committed during Thaksin's rule, by both Army and Police...3000 so-called drug dealers killed without a trial, more than 70 suffocated to death in a truck, after being piled on top of one another (Hollocaust style), Police putting tires around live people and setting them on fire, Thakin's son arriving in his motorcade in the hill tribe village, buying drugs.... later under his puppets Samak and Somchai, the violent crackdown of October 7th, that left several people dead.

6. If I had to follow somebody, I would rather follow a peaceful man like Chamlong (at least since his conversion many years ago), than a monster like Thaksin

Anyways, have fun everybody, I'm off to the beach. Should I see anything really interesting, on my way down to Rayong, I will find an internet cafe somewhere and keep you posted. Otherwise, it's coffee, delicious seafood and swimming for the next nine days

Cheers

5. For the 70 death I am not sure if Thaksin is to blame for this and no progress in finding the murders was done under Thaksin, Surayud, Samak, (Somchai) and Abhisit.