Red Shirts Expect 1 Million People To Join Rally From Nov 29

[Jingthing]

Does anybody else get a sense of deja vu?

Sure he will keep trying until he can keep trying no more. As Thaksin is such an extreme destabilizing force here, I would expect the government to be much better prepared than before, and rightly so.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I wish I got a quarter for every time Jingthing wrote down the word "Thaksin". Why the obsession?

The Red Shirts want an election, and they want democracy without meddling from other forces including the military, coups, etc. It's not that strange a thing to ask for.

[angiud]

The Red Shirts want an election, and they want democracy without meddling from other forces including the military, coups, etc. It's not that strange a thing to ask for.

You forgot to mention without to buy the votes.

[surangw]

One Million??

thats a lot of people on one area anyone plan on where the restrooms are?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

One Million??

thats a lot of people on one area anyone plan on where the restrooms are?

Right.. 1 million is simply impossible. 100K would already be a major burden/disruption. I just hope that after Black Songkran we're not due for a Black December; let's see how far the military / government is willing to go.

[animatic]

Yeah, you won't go wrong by following the money. Consider how revolutionary Thaksin would be if there was no money in the game for him.

It's all about the money, because that is the ticket to power for Dr. T.

Will he bet a sizable flutter on this one, odds are yes, end game approacheth.

And yes the timing is certainly a foot raised in a very, very inappropriate direction....

Whether that abject show of disrespect causes some to move faster and farther

than otherwise foreseen, remains to be seen. That is no doubt part of the intent.

Can't easily make a government fall into your hands, if it's security apparatus is NOT acting emotionally....

but in a cool calm rational approach. He hasn't rattled Gen. Anupong in the past, ever.

And the current police Chief is not a loose cannon... ducks have been placed in as many rows as possible.

I am sure that Abhisit knows this Cambodia foray is just a prelude, and threat of a 2nd front etc.

Still the whole game plan is more and more distasteful to observe.

[animatic]

His Cambodia fiasco has assured that he no longer has the support of the majority.

Have to wonder if he ever did.

Yes, saying it is so never actual makes it so,

it just sows doubt in the oppositions game plans.

[saag]

Does anybody else get a sense of deja vu?

Their "Showdown Rally" sounds an awful lot like their "D-Day Rally" that flopped last April. It's almost word for word.

BANGKOK: -- The red shirts plan their "showdown rally" against the government from November 29, which they expect one million people to join

BANGKOK, April 4 (Xinhua) -- According to local media, the UDD leaders are confident that the scheduled mass rally on April 8 would "attract over one million people"

[Mrjlh]

True "Democracy" at work here. I guess the other 50 million Thai people who can vote have no say! The "Red Shirts" have decided what is good for the country and they are right and evetryone else is wrong, even if they are not the majority.

I don't really think the Red or the Yellows have looked around to see who is really on their side from the populous of this country. But it's not my battle. I'm just a lonely by-stander who has lived under a "Democracy" for the last 63 years and I know nothing about Democracy. Let's just throw out elections and do what a minority of people say we can do. Hey? isn't that getting close to a Dictatorship?

[bendejo]

He'll get a demoralizing turnout. He'll never be more than a buffoon tossing pebbles come January.

I think maybe he's trying to deliberately annoy certain senior citizens.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

True "Democracy" at work here. I guess the other 50 million Thai people who can vote have no say! The "Red Shirts" have decided what is good for the country and they are right and evetryone else is wrong, even if they are not the majority.

What makes you arrive at that conclusion? The Red Shirts want elections. That means everyone gets to vote whichever way they want.

The reason they want elections is:

1. They feel that past "Red" leaning governments have been removed unjustly, and undemocratically through:

1a. Military Coup

1b. Courts that were under political influence, resulting in the removal of an elected government over matters as trivial as being in a cooking TV show, or because of faked evidence by bribed witnesses, or by new laws forced into place under the military junta government that were specifically designed to be able to selectively ban entire parties based on relatively minor irregularities.

2. They feel that Abhisit and the Democrat Party never received a mandate directly from the voters; rather he formed a government by coercing/enticing/bribing Newin's clan to defect to their side.

Anyway, that's their story, and their reasoning for wanting elections.

[Netfan]

One Million??

thats a lot of people on one area anyone plan on where the restrooms are?

Right.. 1 million is simply impossible. 100K would already be a major burden/disruption. I just hope that after Black Songkran we're not due for a Black December; let's see how far the military / government is willing to go.

So already 10% of the promised number is acceptable But thats okay because they will cause a major disruption? What kind of disruption are you hoping for - a repeat of songkran? Just how will this major disruption benefit Thailand? CNN and BBC coverage will, what, encourage tourists to come back? Promote investment? All to re-install a guy who has now basically betrayed his country. And if you think they have any other agenda, I have a bridge in New York for sale, PM me about it. And BTW, based on their black songkran bus burnings, shootings and drunken rampages, it would seem its more like lets see how far the red shirts are willing to go. The government was more than lenient with these thugs last april.

[Jingthing]

Remember Thaksin's projections for elite card sales? This revolution, same same. Wake up. His political career in Thailand is FINISHED.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Right.. 1 million is simply impossible. 100K would already be a major burden/disruption. I just hope that after Black Songkran we're not due for a Black December; let's see how far the military / government is willing to go.

So already 10% of the promised number is acceptable But thats okay because they will cause a major disruption? What kind of disruption are you hoping for - a repeat of songkran? Just how will this major disruption benefit Thailand? CNN and BBC coverage will, what, encourage tourists to come back? Promote investment? All to re-install a guy who has now basically betrayed his country. And if you think they have any other agenda, I have a bridge in New York for sale, PM me about it. And BTW, based on their black songkran bus burnings, shootings and drunken rampages, it would seem its more like lets see how far the red shirts are willing to go. The government was more than lenient with these thugs last april.

I have no idea what you're talking about. I am most certainly not hoping for any disruption. I was stating the obvious, that if you have 100K people walk around Bangkok, they're going to cause a major disruption just by being there and taking up space. It is their democratic right to rally though. Nobody wants to see disruptions of the type that were seen last April. (Hint: That was when the army was sent in and shots fired; compare that with the airport takeover when the military chose to ignore orders. (there's a word for that) )

As for tourism, the airport takeover and economic crisis took care of that just fine.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Remember Thaksin's projections for elite card sales? This revolution, same same. Wake up. His political career in Thailand is FINISHED.

I've saved this statement for future use.

I hope you're right though.

EDIT: And I gained another 25 cents.

BTW, this is a summary of every time you mentioned the word "Thaksin". It's 19 pages of posts, including only your own posts: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/search.html&...lite=%2BThaksin

[zzaa09]

True "Democracy" at work here. I guess the other 50 million Thai people who can vote have no say! The "Red Shirts" have decided what is good for the country and they are right and evetryone else is wrong, even if they are not the majority.

I don't really think the Red or the Yellows have looked around to see who is really on their side from the populous of this country. But it's not my battle. I'm just a lonely by-stander who has lived under a "Democracy" for the last 63 years and I know nothing about Democracy. Let's just throw out elections and do what a minority of people say we can do. Hey? isn't that getting close to a Dictatorship?

Commonly known as oligarchy or plutocracy.

[h90]

One Million??

I bet 70.000 if Thaksin has a deep pocket.

If he don't want to pay than 2.500

The Red leaders have studied Thaksin's interview in Dubai. The 1m attendance is the basis to ask Thaksin for his 'remaining' US$100m ...

Did you read it? First he told "a couple 100 millions"

1.000.000 people will be 500.000.000 to 1.000.000.000 Baht per day considering payment food transportation bribes etc etc

That's really big cash if you want to hold it for 1 week.

[sabang]

I can't see this being over until elections are called. Whether Thaksin will retain the popular support, and political allies, don't know.

[zzaa09]

Remember Thaksin's projections for elite card sales? This revolution, same same. Wake up. His political career in Thailand is FINISHED.

I've saved this statement for future use.

I hope you're right though.

EDIT: And I gained another 25 cents.

BTW, this is a summary of every time you mentioned the word "Thaksin". It's 19 pages of posts, including only your own posts: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/search.html&...lite=%2BThaksin

Remember Winnie, those who live in glass houses.....

[jbhh]

What a joke to say they will continue if they are unable to overthrow the government... I think they are aiming for the trilogy: Showdown III - The return of the red shirts.

This country needs to grow up. I mean who can take Thai people really serious when they even need to be told at what time a day they are allowed to buy alcohol?!

There is two traits you need to have as a foreigner living here: A great sense of humor and tolerance towards their weird ways of doing things...

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Remember Winnie, those who live in glass houses.....

... spend a lot on air conditioning?

[baht&sold]

Pheu Thai Party remains unfazed

Decline in Thaksin's popularity not worrisome because no polls ahead

It is clear that fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's recent actions seem to be bringing him and Pheu Thai Party down in the popularity stakes, because he is widely being seen as the main factor behind worsening ties between Thailand and Cambodia.

Though many key Pheu Thai members conceded that most people did not approve of their boss's friendship with Cambodian PM Hun Sen, they don't seem to be worried and are not looking for any methods to rebuild this sagging popularity. Many of the followers seem to think it does not matter if there are no elections coming up.

"When it comes to an election, the voters would consider the government's achievements. But the election is far away because this government is likely to stay until the end or until the House is dissolved," a Pheu Thai source, who asked not to be named, said. "Thais forget easily. They will forget this soon."

In the scheme of things, the source said, Thaksin did not really lose. At least, he has a safe haven where the government cannot hound him.

Another key Pheu Thai member said the party did not need to adjust any of its strategies because there were no elections coming up.

"We have to see who in the long run gains or loses this game," he said.

"At least, the reasons Hun Sen gave for not extraditing Thaksin to Thailand have attracted attention from the international community. No one had said that before. Hun Sen is the leader of a country with a shared border with Thailand, his words should have some credibility," the source said.

Still, he thinks Thaksin did not choose the right time for these moves.

"We were surprised when Thaksin took those steps unexpectedly. But frankly, he owns the party and has the right to do anything. Nobody can stop him. Nobody dare criticise him. We didn't even discuss the issue at the party meeting," the source said.

Caretaker leader of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party, Chaturon Chaisang, who lost his voting rights just like Thaksin and many others, said the former PM might have made a mistake.

"We have to accept that the Democrat-led government took the chance of provoking patriotism and this affected Thaksin, Pheu Thai and the red shirts," Chaturon said.

Pheu Thai deputy leader Panpree Pahitthanukorn said the party's MPs acknowledged the adverse effect, but were not worried because elections were not due soon. Moreover, the party does not want a diplomatic row and hopes the relations would soon return to normal because there is not much point in neighbours fighting.

A Democrat source, who asked not to be named, said though Pheu Thai and Thaksin seem to be dropping in popularity in the short term, it is uncertain what will happen in the long run.

Pheu Thai and Thaksin were making a desperate "do-or-die" attempt to stage a comeback, the source said, and even though their approval ratings are sagging, Pheu Thai is quite happy to take the risk as long as they can topple the Democrat government.

However, it is clear that Thaksin remains very influential in the party, the source said.

"Popularity levels fluctuate greatly when a country is in crisis," the source said. "If the country enters a war or the House is dissolved, people will soon forget where the problems started."

Pheu Thai's "do-or-die" measures include affecting international relations, questioning the judicial system, humiliating the government on the international platform and obstructing Parliament, the Democrat source said.

Link to article

-- The Nation 18 Nov 2009

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[baht&sold]

"We have to see who in the long run gains or loses this game," he said.

"We were surprised when Thaksin took those steps unexpectedly. But frankly, he owns the party and has the right to do anything. Nobody can stop him. Nobody dare criticise him. We didn't even discuss the issue at the party meeting," the source said.

The Puea Thai source says it all.

Chok dee Thailand, you're going to need loads of it, unfortunately.

[Jingthing]

Thais forget easily. They will forget this soon.

Such respect for their constituents. It warms the heart.

"We were surprised when Thaksin took those steps unexpectedly. But frankly, he owns the party and has the right to do anything. Nobody can stop him. Nobody dare criticise him. We didn't even discuss the issue at the party meeting," the source said.

Sounds like a real champion of democracy.

[saag]

It's disingenuous to infer that the red shirts are only seeking a new election. They have a whole laundry list of what they want including pardons for Thaksin's crimes to constitutional amendments to forgive electoral fraud to demands for Abhisit to resign, etc. etc.

Furthermore, I've not seen any red shirt denouncements of red shirt Giles' Red Manifesto, so one might presume that is also part of their demands list.

[RAZZELL]

"We have to see who in the long run gains or loses this game," he said.

Link to article

-- The Nation 18 Nov 2009

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

It's all a game...and they're playing for Monopoly money...

RAZZ

[lensta]

Who cares about Thaksin? Other than yourself of course?

The present Thai government obviously

[Rinrada]

True "Democracy" at work here. I guess the other 50 million Thai people who can vote have no say! The "Red Shirts" have decided what is good for the country and they are right and evetryone else is wrong, even if they are not the majority.

What makes you arrive at that conclusion? The Red Shirts want elections. That means everyone gets to vote whichever way they want.

The reason they want elections is:

1. They feel that past "Red" leaning governments have been removed unjustly, and undemocratically through:

1a. Military Coup

1b. Courts that were under political influence, resulting in the removal of an elected government over matters as trivial as being in a cooking TV show, or because of faked evidence by bribed witnesses, or by new laws forced into place under the military junta government that were specifically designed to be able to selectively ban entire parties based on relatively minor irregularities.

2. They feel that Abhisit and the Democrat Party never received a mandate directly from the voters; rather he formed a government by coercing/enticing/bribing Newin's clan to defect to their side.

Anyway, that's their story, and their reasoning for wanting elections.

Spot On... agree

[tracer]

They'll be happy with elections. If Abhisit mentions a date (any date) then that probably is enough. Not having elections when Abhisit formed the government has been their main gripe basically. (Not arguing the legality of that; it was perfectly legal for Abhisit to do that IMHO)

You know what I'm praying for: That both Red and Yellow get some very clear direction on December 5th so stop this nonsense, and then to have elections announced on December 6th.

Soothsayer?

Optimist. ( Against better judgment sometimes. )

I would wish that those anti demonstration rules get reinstalled so NOBODY can do any demonstrations in the coming tourist season, whatever it may be. Hasn't anyone noticed that so far there is very little improvement to LAST year??

All we get to hear is stupid regulations being introduced about plastic bags, karaokes etc but demos, they let them go on and on.

[Steve2UK]

Does anybody else get a sense of deja vu?

Their "Showdown Rally" sounds an awful lot like their "D-Day Rally" that flopped last April. It's almost word for word.

BANGKOK: -- The red shirts plan their "showdown rally" against the government from November 29, which they expect one million people to join

BANGKOK, April 4 (Xinhua) -- According to local media, the UDD leaders are confident that the scheduled mass rally on April 8 would "attract over one million people"

Back, Jack? Yes, reading this - I definitely get deja vu all over again..........