State Of Emergency In Pattaya, Chon Buri

[hammered]

This is the excuse they need for the military dictatorship they want.

A golden opportunity for a military power grab and to ensure The Legacy.

Chaiyo.

You make a good point. Getting away from the emotive stuff is important to see the picture.

[deprogrammed]

The police are useless. I don't understand why they even pay them.

These guys don't get paid. They make most of their dough through other various means!

DIDN'T THE UN CALL THEM THE WORLDS BIGGEST ORAGANIZED GROUP OF CRIMINALS. HOWEVER - I THINK THEY WERE WRONG IN REFERING TO THEM AS ORGANIZED - MORE LIKE LABOTOMIZED

[cat5]

Ordinary Thais wont like this red shirt action

Ordinary Thais wouldn't read a crappy newspaper like the Nation. And those whose English is good enough would know which side it is biased to.

[kuffki]

DIDN'T THE UN CALL THEM THE WORLDS BIGGEST ORAGANIZED GROUP OF CRIMINALS. HOWEVER - I THINK THEY WERE WRONG IN REFERING TO THEM AS ORGANIZED - MORE LIKE LABOTOMIZED

[chonburi]

Just came back from town witnessed taxi upon taxi pass by full of read shirt supporters and an entire lorry load full of them waving their flags. Police seemed to be posted along every road but what’s the point they don’t seem to do anything?

I am not taking sides here I don’t know enough in detail about the facts on both sides but it seems to me to be a major embarrassment for this country that all this should happen. I feel sorry for Thailand. I wonder what ordinary Thai people make of the red shirts and yellow shirts and their antics?

Not too different to the way the Bikie gangs here in Oz can move around breaking many traffic laws and probably other laws in the process.

From an outsiders perspective the Reds are incited and to some extent funded by Thaksin and his supporters and as someone said earlier it may well be a case of Republicans versus Monarchists. Thaksin certainly gave the impression that he considered himself to be more of a President than a Prime Minister and paid little respect to the Thai culture and Head of State, the King.

What would you have PM Abhisit do, loose the Police and the Army onto the Reds? He would certainly go down as a villain rather than a hero if he did/does. Some of the past history of unrest needs to be remembered, where the Police and Military were allowed free rein, many of the students of the day who protested are still missing.

I don't have an answer for the dispute between the opposing parties but I think the current softly softly approach is better than a Government approved suppression action by the Military and or Police.

As for the 'Loss of Face' better that than a loss of lives.

[toasted]

Thailand has only recently begun experimenting with democracy and there are bound to be steps both forwards and backwards in its journey to a mature democracy.

The heads of many other countries at the meeting are not exactly champions of democracy, and for them, to witness dissent at this level being tolerated, will be seen by them as a sign of weakness. It will, unfortunately, probably turn them further away from a democratic path.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think it's awesome what the Reds achieved.. I knew there was a chance because of the boneheaded decision to try it in Pattaya, but I never thought it would end in such an awesome victory over lame-puppet Abisit!

Edited April 11, 2009 by PeaceBlondie
Term modified to avoid libel/defamation. PB

[appleman]

Quote from the article: the Democratic Alliance Against Democracy (DAAD)

Isn't it the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship?

Interesting mistake.

[cat5]

Why did they not choose a venue such as Koh Samui? They could have easily flown down and made it difficult for the crazy red shirts to follow them in time, or at all. I'm afraid that Thai's aren't very good at logical thinking.

I agree that the government made the wrong decision hosting the event in Pattaya and not Koh Samui, but I think calling the protesters "crazy" is misjudged. Have you ever been to one of their demonstrations? Or the yellow shirts, for that matter? I wouldn't believe everything you read in the press and online.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Stupid 'The Nation' shenanigans again. Sad really.

[thaibeachlovers]

Well, I'm on 2nd Rd. No state of emergency here, not even a solitary plod.

Only reason I knew to come check it out was because news on TV in restaurant. I asked waiter where the trouble was and he said Royal Cliff, then said something like "tourists finished", but I don't know what he meant.

Certainly, no Thais seem perturbed about it.

[rafval]

And as I said in the other thread, make you rethink if the army was indeed siding with yellows last time. There is actually a real possibility that they are just incompetent.

I have never seen the police intervene, they stand and watch till its over then if anyone is unable to run away they fine them

[timi2546]

back to stoneage.....

here i go again / whitesnake

cheers

[h90]

even in our democratic countries we would gun down this RED TERRORISTS !

Sure such demonstrators which just demolish reputation od a country you

have to categorice them as TERRORISTS !

And the GVT ?? not able to get save 1 resort for a meeting :-(((((((( !

Is this still a jungle - bushman country ??

Sad SAD sad !!

in a normal country they would NOT gun them down, but would use water canons, rubber bullets tear gas (not tear gas bombs). If done smart almost no harm is done.

[yankeechief]

Haha, what comes around goes around. Lets watch the them crumble as they should. Them and all the high and mighty farangs (I have lived here for 20 years and its a great place".) No I understand it you have gone native and forgot what reality is. And EIU say Cambodia is unstable??????

[Kitsch22]

This is the excuse they need for the military dictatorship they want.

A golden opportunity for a military power grab and to ensure The Legacy.

Chaiyo.

Whatever made you think that the last military power grab had come to an end?

Kicking out the elected government and then changing the constitution and packing the courts to ensure that the people cannot elect the man they want does not really amount to a return to democracy, does it?

I am sad to see what the Red Shirts have done, but I am sadder to see the circumstances which made them feel that it was necessary for them to do it.

And no, I don't much like Taksin ... but the Thai rural majority does, and that is what should count.

[kaiwatnok]

it seems as if the lunatics are now running the asylum.

a few minutes before the statement a red shirt leader spoke to the press from the lobby of the royal cliff hotel that they had stormed , saying that the government had one hour to arrest the men (blue shirts)who shot and wounded a taxi driver or they would storm the meeting itself.

i find it unbelievable that

1. the govt. chose to hold this meeting in a location like pattaya , so easy for the protesters to get there and assemble.

2. that the police and army could not secure the area where the meeting was to be held and prevent this disruption.

3. that the hotel security was breached so easily.

it is as if they wanted to let the red shirts win the day.

its very embarrassing for the country.

very bizarre, totally inept security forces, or is something going on behind the scenes again......

it was far too easy for them...

are the powers that be, going to make abhisit the fall guy for this embarrassment.... ?

will the army crack down ?

.... can the weight of numbers make the red shirts unbeatable ??

tune in soon for next installment..........

....it's like a Soap opera

[rafval]

Have you ever been to one of their demonstrations? Or the yellow shirts, for that matter? I wouldn't believe everything you read in the press and online.

I saw them outside Pattaya police station a few nights ago, the main speaker was kind of like hitler on yaba, maybe he was saying something interesting but I doubt it, I did ask a few of the ladies what he was saying and they said shorttime

Edited April 11, 2009 by rafval

[warfie]

Quote from the article: the Democratic Alliance Against Democracy (DAAD)

Isn't it the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship?

Interesting mistake.

what article is that then?

[deprogrammed]

even in our democratic countries we would gun down this RED TERRORISTS !

Sure such demonstrators which just demolish reputation od a country you

have to categorice them as TERRORISTS !

And the GVT ?? not able to get save 1 resort for a meeting :-(((((((( !

Is this still a jungle - bushman country ??

Sad SAD sad !!

in a normal country they would NOT gun them down, but would use water canons, rubber bullets tear gas (not tear gas bombs). If done smart almost no harm is done.

In a normal country anyone who put a rock through the PMs car would have been shot in the head by their special security team. NOT LET OUT OF THE POLICE STATION FOR A CIGARETTE - TO THEN ABSCOND. Remember the rock could have been a grenade !!

Never mind the police chief has been dealt with - 30 days holiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lannarebirth]

I seem to have a different take than most here.

It seems finally the government has been imposed on by the calls for protest by a seditious agitator from outside Thai borders. I think now they can take much more potent measures against Thaksin than they would have been inclined to heretofore. All those corruption charges are standard Thai baggage, but fomenting the overthrow of a government with no standing yourself is a supremely stupid and dangerous act, as I think he will soon learn.

[kaiwatnok]

Ordinary Thais wont like this red shirt action

Ordinary Thais wouldn't read a crappy newspaper like the Nation. And those whose English is good enough would know which side it is biased to.

Ordinary Thais read cartoons - full stop

What makes you think they read at all?

My other half has no idea of whats going on.

Tried to tell her and explain and told her to watch Thai news or read Thai paper to see what they say, she just rolled her eyes and now went shopping!

My lady watches TNN religiously, and knows all about politics.....

[ThomasHOL]

I'm sure that there are only one way of solving this current crisis. they have to make a compromise on many levels.

The military will have to dismiss the leaders of the coup (with lucrative dismissal pay)

Thaksin must confess to some corruption charges and then be pardoned (And turning away from politics and perhaps paying a few billion baht to the "victims" as charity in return for getting his money back)

The king must support a new government consisting of red and yellows that will rule the country for a couple of years going back to democracy.

[h90]

Don't worry, everything will be okay, an updated list of police transferred to inactive posts is being drawn up right now.

Have the government decided water cannon won't work in Thailand due to some immunity gained over generations of participating in songkran?

I don't understand that with the inactive posts?

I would love to be at an inactive post with full salary....

We doesn't change the government simply their area for which they are responsible, for example Yala, Naratiwat have less policeman than needed.

[RAZZELL]

I have to ask a question that’s been bugging me for some time now. The Thai's see us Falangs (they will never capitalize this word) as money only! They tolerate our presence at best for reasons I’m sure we are all (as guests) well aware of. Throughout this "circus act" over the last couple of years I have to wonder when the Thai's attention will turn to us. How and more importantly WILL the government be able to control the spit roasting and consuming of tasty falang flesh?

Joking aside... for me this is a serious matter. My children are half Thai and I now consider this my "home" (I still have an emotional bag packed just in case ... and who hasn’t with this farce of control?)

Any thoughts people?

Scary but true!!!

Answer is, we will either die or die fighting and government will say sorry and then make up some story that the farangs were doing something illegal.

It will be like Africa when they kicked out the Asians...

RAZZ

[h90]

I'm sure that there are only one way of solving this current crisis. they have to make a compromise on many levels.

The military will have to dismiss the leaders of the coup (with lucrative dismissal pay)

Thaksin must confess to some corruption charges and then be pardoned (And turning away from politics and perhaps paying a few billion baht to the "victims" as charity in return for getting his money back)

The king must support a new government consisting of red and yellows that will rule the country for a couple of years going back to democracy.

It would be complete wrong to pardon Thaksin for the corruption. And most probably he won't turn away from politics, he would only see it as weakness of his enemies.

Both the reds as well as the yellows would not work together.

[cmiuc]

I seem to have a different take than most here.

It seems finally the government has been imposed on by the calls for protest by a seditious agitator from outside Thai borders. I think now they can take much more potent measures against Thaksin than they would have been inclined to heretofore. All those corruption charges are standard Thai baggage, but fomenting the overthrow of a government with no standing yourself is a supremely stupid and dangerous act, as I think he will soon learn.

agreeing with you...

the thing that comes to mind... Didn't Hitler have this same kind of support and reaction? The then 'german government' was incapable of solving the peoples needs...therefore this lion slipped in with 100% support of the people doing his work...

I maybe wrong, but remembering my history...

Could we see another small country create a bigger world problem on the rise? Crazy as it sounds, the whole world is in a financial, economic, global warming rise... there is something that will tip the iceberg to cause it to fall... what better way to create an international(Asean Conference) incident then the one we are seeing here.

[h90]

This is the excuse they need for the military dictatorship they want.

A golden opportunity for a military power grab and to ensure The Legacy.

Chaiyo.

Whatever made you think that the last military power grab had come to an end?

Kicking out the elected government and then changing the constitution and packing the courts to ensure that the people cannot elect the man they want does not really amount to a return to democracy, does it?

I am sad to see what the Red Shirts have done, but I am sadder to see the circumstances which made them feel that it was necessary for them to do it.

And no, I don't much like Taksin ... but the Thai rural majority does, and that is what should count.

In the coup the Army didn't kick out an elected government. It was an expired care taker government with too less seats in the parliament. Something which is not possible in the constitution.

[khaowong1]

But what does state of emergency actually means?

Does it mean police and army will now use the force? or all of us people living in Pattaya have to walk around in fear of being attacked?

Lucky for me, i live 100 meters away from red shirts camp(which was overnight near Big C)

Not only i was unable to go get some food, but had to listen to the crap all night long. Mind you with so many people all 7 elevens and family marts were emptied out of food and drinks in under an hour.

So not only i could not buy any food, i also could not order any food.

So state of emergency means, they will use force to move the camp or does it mean i have to starve to death or ????????????????

Do not need to worry about my other half, she can cook and eat all the bugs and grass around the condo, but i am not at that level yet

you cracked me up... I was reading this and when I got to the part about your better half cooking and eating the bugs and grass around the condo... I spit pepsi through my nose....

[OJAS]

But what does state of emergency actually means?

Does it mean police and army will now use the force? or all of us people living in Pattaya have to walk around in fear of being attacked?

Lucky for me, i live 100 meters away from red shirts camp(which was overnight near Big C)

Not only i was unable to go get some food, but had to listen to the crap all night long. Mind you with so many people all 7 elevens and family marts were emptied out of food and drinks in under an hour.

So not only i could not buy any food, i also could not order any food.

So state of emergency means, they will use force to move the camp or does it mean i have to starve to death or ????????????????

Do not need to worry about my other half, she can cook and eat all the bugs and grass around the condo, but i am not at that level yet

It basically means that those responsible for making it finally found out how to close the stable door, but, alas, long after the horse bolted.