Thousands Rally To Give Peace A Chance

[churchill]

'Stop hurting Thailand' push gains support

By: POST REPORTERS

Published: 5/05/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: NewsThousands of professional media organisations, government agencies, the military, civic groups and business people have joined the "Stop hurting Thailand" campaign, urging political groups to end bickering that is causing social divisions.

The campaign was initiated by 21 organisations including the Thai Journalists Association, the King Prajadhipok Institute and peace advocacy groups. The 21 organisations yesterday led a crowd of peace advocates dressed in white in a parade from King Rama VI statue in front of Lumpini Park along Silom Road to Bangkok Bank's headquarters.

Joining the parade were Borwornsak Uwanno, secretary general of the King Prajadhipok Institute, and his deputy Wuthisarn Tanchai, Prime Minister's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey, Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boonyadet, TJA president Prasong Lertratanawisut and singer Add Carabao.

Bangkok Bank president Chartsiri Sophonpanich joined the crowd when the parade reached his bank's headquarters.

TJA secretary general Pradit Ruangdit read a campaign statement asking all political groups to end their incitement of violent clashes between different groups and stop insulting the monarchy or claiming connections to the monarchy for political reasons.

The statement called for government authorities to act in an open and sincere manner while urging journalists to stringently adhere to their codes of ethics and abstain from exploiting their media outlets for political purposes.

It urged the public to support the campaign by raising the national flag in front of their homes. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and civic authorities in other provinces also held activities to promote the "Stop hurting Thailand" campaign.

In Bangkok, the BMA backed the campaign at City Hall and its branch office in Din Daeng, and at the 50 district offices.

The armed forces also joined the campaign. At army headquarters, about 2,000 officers led by Lt-Gen Sant Jariyajirawattana of the Office of the Commander paraded with national flags.

About 1,000 marines from the Royal Thai Marine Corps lined up along a 2km stretch of Sukhumvit Road, in Chon Buri province, in front of their headquarters to show their support for the campaign.

Red shirt leaders also gave their support.

In Udon Thani, Kwanchai Sarakham, also known as Praipana, leader of Khon Rak Udon (Love Udon People), led a group of 800 red shirt supporters for a "Stop hurting Thailand" demonstration at Udon Thani city hall.

Leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship in Bangkok backed the sentiments of the campaign but warned the government not to use it to serve its own political interests.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1616...-peace-a-chance

-- Bangkok Post 2009-05-05

[Cayenne]

In Udon Thani, Kwanchai Sarakham, also known as Praipana, leader of Khon Rak Udon (Love Udon People), led a group of 800 red shirt supporters for a "Stop hurting Thailand" demonstration at Udon Thani city hall.

Were they wearing red shirts when they joined this demonstration? For their sakes I hope the BKK Post report was referring to their group affiliation and not the actual color of shirts they were wearing that day.

[mhatami]

In Udon Thani, Kwanchai Sarakham, also known as Praipana, leader of Khon Rak Udon (Love Udon People), led a group of 800 red shirt supporters for a "Stop hurting Thailand" demonstration at Udon Thani city hall.

Were they wearing red shirts when they joined this demonstration? For their sakes I hope the BKK Post report was referring to their group affiliation and not the actual color of shirts they were wearing that day.

I think this march should bring back the Kings color yellow and not PAD yellow. It would be nice to honor the King as well as Thailand

[Plus]

Basically it's a movement against people's interest in politics.

Timing in perfect, though, people want a moment of peace now. In the meantime parliamentarians are busy taking full charge with zero accountability, and don't you dare stop them - there's a new sheriff in town, new movement to crash any people dissent. I'm sure they mean well.

[mommysboy]

Basically it's a movement against people's interest in politics.

Timing in perfect, though, people want a moment of peace now. In the meantime parliamentarians are busy taking full charge with zero accountability, and don't you dare stop them - there's a new sheriff in town, new movement to crash any people dissent. I'm sure they mean well.

Naive fools!

Basically all this does is maintain the already sick status quo. Hope they get a rude awakening.

[webfact]

'Stop hurting Thailand' push gains support

By: POST REPORTERS

Published: 5/05/2009 at 12:00 AM

<snip>

Leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship in Bangkok backed the sentiments of the campaign but warned the government not to use it to serve its own political interests.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1616...-peace-a-chance

-- Bangkok Post 2009-05-05

Jeeez, did thy really "threaten" the Government with that utmost stupid statement?

[Pierrot]

Give peace a chance ...

We tried that in the 70's.

Obviously it didn't work.

Edited May 9, 2009 by Pierrot

[Scott]

Usually you need a war before you can have peace.

[LawnGnome]

Give peace a chance ...

We tried that in the 70's.

Obviously it didn't work.

Thanks for that riveting assessment Pierrot.

[Koo82]

Didn't they come out to say "Stop hurting Thailand" when PAD occupying Government House for 3 months and 2 airports for a week? Not only these 2. A lot more was done by PAD.

[Jingthing]

Hmmm. Let us choose.

Peace.

Civil war.

Hmmm.

I promise not to start a poll on this as the result is obvious. It is crystal clear that the silent majority of Thais want a PEACEFUL solution to the political crisis. Will they get it? Probably not.

Didn't they come out to say "Stop hurting Thailand" when PAD occupying Government House for 3 months and 2 airports for a week? Not only these 2. A lot more was done by PAD.

Do Thai Mamas evey tell their kiddies: TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT?

Edited May 11, 2009 by Jingthing

[Koo82]

Photos for the "Stop Hurting Thailand" campaign, 5th May 2009:

[Koo82]

Some more photos for the "Stop Hurting Thailand" campaign, 5th May 2009:

[Jingthing]

Thank you, Koo. A nice change from the usual blood and gore photo show.

Pretty cool, huh. You got your yellow. You got your red. And most importantly, you got your green ...

Edited May 11, 2009 by Jingthing

[HagenvonTronje]

Stop hurting Thailand campaign has hypocritical edge

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Published on May 8, 2009

While it's hard to find someone who publicly opposes the "Stop Hurting Thailand and Stop Using Violence" campaign launched by a dozen organisations including the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), King Prajadhipok Institute, civic groups and even the Armed Forces, delivering results will be another matter.

Although hurting Thailand can't be a good thing, there are Thais who intentionally hurt Thailand because they care more about their personal interest. And some unintentionally harm Thailand by supporting violence without being aware of the ramifications of their actions.

Instead of marching forward to the latest campaign tune and waving national flags without retrospection and reflection, it would do well for some of these groups and people to asked if they have, over the past three years of political conflict, used or at least supported violence and hurt Thailand or themselves in the process. It seems ludicrous and mind-boggling that some people who supported some form of political violence now lead this much-publicised campaign.

These people includes many journalists and editors who tacitly if not outrightly supported the 2006 coup and now accept censorship of media linked to the red-shirt Democratic Alliance Against Democracy (DAAD) as justifiable.

It also includes officers in the Army who did nothing while senior officers staged the coup, as well as people who collaborated with those who drafted the troubled and anti-democratic junta-sponsored 2007 charter - such as Borwornsak Uwanno, secretary-general of King Prajadhipok Institute.

People must recognise that supporting a coup or any form of censorship constitutes political violence as it relies on the use of force. One can think of a coup as a form of militarised rape of citizens' political rights and censorship as denying people the right to be informed and express oneself.

People who support "good" coups and "good" censorship are impatience about political developments. If people end up fighting on the streets, then this mentality could call for a coup. The same goes with the suppression of political differences through censorship.Both are manifestation of a militarised culture and instant gratification - a political fast-food mentality. It won't solve any problem in the long run, however, and the Kingdom is now even more deeply divided that it used to be before the 2006 coup.

On top of that, another common characteristic of those who support a "good" coup and "good" censorship is that these people tend to look down on ordinary people's ability and potential to solve problems by themselves or judge things by themselves.

A coup was thus needed to prevent political chaos, and censorship thus required to prevent poor people from being duped by anti-government or anti-monarchy "propaganda". This mentality treats the majority of Thai citizens as juveniles, without agency, and unable to learn so some enlightened adults must always watch them like big brother and intervene or censor every now and then.

These people, who formed a crucial part of the latest campaign, also tend not to believe in the normalisation of political conflict. They dwell in a world where people supposedly have no competing political interest, no class exploitation, a world where national unity, peace and order can co-exist in harmony with censorship and military intervention.

Are these people simply naive, incapable of restrospection and unable to recognise this? Or are they just plain hypocrites?

All parties need to put all cards on the table, express contrition about the past if need be, otherwise there can be no end to political violence and the latest campaign will lead nowhere beyond helping flag-makers earn more money. Many within the Thai media don't see themselves as part of the problem. They always think they're part of the solution. They need a few minutes to review themselves and that assumption before they grab the tiny national flag again next week.

-- The Nation May 8, 2009

article here

[sbk]

off-topic inflammatory posts have been removed.

[HagenvonTronje]

Stop hurting Thailand campaign has hypocritical edge

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Published on May 8, 2009

While it's hard to find someone who publicly opposes the "Stop Hurting Thailand and Stop Using Violence" campaign launched by a dozen organisations including the Thai Journalists Association (TJA), King Prajadhipok Institute, civic groups and even the Armed Forces, delivering results will be another matter.

Although hurting Thailand can't be a good thing, there are Thais who intentionally hurt Thailand because they care more about their personal interest. And some unintentionally harm Thailand by supporting violence without being aware of the ramifications of their actions.

...

[Cayenne]

strange things happen at The Nation, exactly the same article (okay, a few changes in the punctuation) appears today again with a big UPDATED button at the start page at www.nationmultimedia.com

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/05/12...cs_30102434.php

but the name of the author has changed, now it is By Avudh Panananda, Published on May 12, 2009.

a photo is added with the caption Bowornsak, but Bowornsak don't get mentioned in this article.

6th paragraph. It reads, "It also includes officers in the Army who did nothing while senior officers staged the coup, as well as people who collaborat-ed with those who drafted the troubled and anti-democratic junta-sponsored 2007 charter - such as Borwornsak Uwanno, secretary-general of the King Prajadhipok Institute"

With the name change- do you suspect something?

[Plus]

I see there are people in this movement who contributed to the crisis themselves but I don't hear them owning up to it.

Ad Carabao, for example, old Thaksin supporter and a red shirt - what has he got to say for that part of his biography?

[justanothercybertosser]

I see there are people in this movement who contributed to the crisis themselves but I don't hear them owning up to it.

Ad Carabao, for example, old Thaksin supporter and a red shirt - what has he got to say for that part of his biography?

And Bangkok Bank, which is known to have contributed financially to the PAD...

[jayboy]

I see there are people in this movement who contributed to the crisis themselves but I don't hear them owning up to it.

Ad Carabao, for example, old Thaksin supporter and a red shirt - what has he got to say for that part of his biography?

There are many, even in the PAD movement, who were originally Thaksin supporters.Over time it became very difficult to continue support for all the very well rehearsed reasons.However bringing the Thai rural majority into a sense of ownership and self belief remains a significant achievement, regardless of what went wrong afterwards.Listening to Khun Korn recently, he could almost be echoing the early Thaksin platform.In a sense Thaksin though seemingly destroyed personally has won the game in the sense of shaping the political environment.One doesn't need to be a political scientist to see which way things are going in this country.

There's nothing to apologise for in supporting the red or yellow side, unless directing or participating in violence.

And as always, leaving aside the criminality, one reflects on the stunning stupidity of the coup.

[Plus]

So one day you cheer thousands of people to take to the streets, two weeks later you tell them to renounce their actions.

A bit hypocritical. Who'd listen to you?

Bowornsak, btw, used to be in Thaksin's cabinet, he was one of the first to resign and became a monk.

[sbk]

I see there are people in this movement who contributed to the crisis themselves but I don't hear them owning up to it.

Ad Carabao, for example, old Thaksin supporter and a red shirt - what has he got to say for that part of his biography?

And Bangkok Bank, which is known to have contributed financially to the PAD...

I do hope you have a link to a recognized news source to back up this potentially defamatory post.

[sriracha john]

I see there are people in this movement who contributed to the crisis themselves but I don't hear them owning up to it.

Ad Carabao, for example, old Thaksin supporter and a red shirt - what has he got to say for that part of his biography?

And Bangkok Bank, which is known to have contributed financially to the PAD...

I do hope you have a link to a recognized news source to back up this potentially defamatory post.

the blogger bangkok pundit put it on the internet so it must be true.

[justanothercybertosser]

I see there are people in this movement who contributed to the crisis themselves but I don't hear them owning up to it.

Ad Carabao, for example, old Thaksin supporter and a red shirt - what has he got to say for that part of his biography?

And Bangkok Bank, which is known to have contributed financially to the PAD...

I do hope you have a link to a recognized news source to back up this potentially defamatory post.

My apologies, make that "allegedly" contributed to the PAD, and under investigation for the allegations, such as many other companies.

[sriracha john]

I see there are people in this movement who contributed to the crisis themselves but I don't hear them owning up to it.

Ad Carabao, for example, old Thaksin supporter and a red shirt - what has he got to say for that part of his biography?

And Bangkok Bank, which is known to have contributed financially to the PAD...

I do hope you have a link to a recognized news source to back up this potentially defamatory post.

My apologies, make that "allegedly" contributed to the PAD, and under investigation for the allegations, such as many other companies.

Under investigation by whom? When? What other companies? Do you have the requested link that was asked for or not?

Edited May 12, 2009 by sriracha john

[justanothercybertosser]

Under investigation by whom? When? What other companies? Do you have the requested link that was asked for or not?

No need. You mentioned it already - bangkok pundit. He, by the way, is a lot more careful in the sourcing of his blog articles than most newspapers. Anyhow, again, my apologies, indeed i should have written: "allegedly"

[Plus]

Are Bangkok Bank executives marching in front lines of White rallies?

I expect them, as any other business, to financially support both sides from time to time, depending on prevailing winds, and I expect them to stay away from any public rallies.

So, why are they mentioned in this thread exactly?

[ThNiner]

Under investigation by whom? When? What other companies? Do you have the requested link that was asked for or not?

No need. You mentioned it already - bangkok pundit. He, by the way, is a lot more careful in the sourcing of his blog articles than most newspapers. Anyhow, again, my apologies, indeed i should have written: "allegedly"

Is Bangkok pundit's Thai name Jatuporn by any chance?

[sriracha john]

I do hope you have a link to a recognized news source to back up this potentially defamatory post.

My apologies, make that "allegedly" contributed to the PAD, and under investigation for the allegations, such as many other companies.

Under investigation by whom? When? What other companies? Do you have the requested link that was asked for or not?

No need. You mentioned it already - bangkok pundit. He, by the way, is a lot more careful in the sourcing of his blog articles than most newspapers. Anyhow, again, my apologies, indeed i should have written: "allegedly"

My post, since it apparently went over your head, was facetious.

The day that non-accountable bloggers, especially ones so loose with the truth as bangkok pundit often is, are considered a "recognized news source", as requested for by Admin, is the day they close down Reuters.

What you "should" do... is post the link as requested for by Admin to a recognized news source that backs what your post says and something you "should" have done without requiring 3 additional posts to do it.