HM's Celebrations To Be Extended To Dec 13 If No Rally Held On Thursday

[oops]

Party till the 13th ..... or Red shirt clappers

Edited December 7, 2009 by oops

[Moonrakers]

Nobody seems to have asked the all important question yet.........

What does this mean about going to work tomorrow?

[sbk]

Last reminder. Next poster will face suspension, regardless of intentions, discussion is NOT allowed. Period.

2) Not to express disrespect of the King of Thailand or anyone else in the Thai royal family, whether living or deceased, nor to criticize the monarchy as an institution. Speculation, comments and discussion of either a political or personal nature are not allowed when discussing HM The King or the Royal family. Discussion of the lese majeste law or lese majeste cases is permitted on the forum, providing no comment or speculation is made referencing the royal family. To breach this rule will result in immediate ban

[ozzieal]

Thailand...It never ceases to Amaze. May the Red shirts show up in droves, and continue to protest this un-elected government.JMHO

agree wholeheartedly, get rid of the unelected scum

[Sherlocke]

Sounds panicky to me.....resorting to ideas that even rank and file thai folk will find childish in the extreme - what next? free ice cream if you don't go to a redshirt rally?

[chris1101]

Sounds panicky to me.....resorting to ideas that even rank and file thai folk will find childish in the extreme - what next? free ice cream if you don't go to a redshirt rally?

As I'm in the UK at the moment - would I qualify for a raspberry ripple and crushed nuts!!

[Trouble]

Thailand...It never ceases to Amaze. May the Red shirts show up in droves, and continue to protest this un-elected government.JMHO

agree wholeheartedly, get rid of the unelected scum

Elections need to be next year when so many currently pending hot issues can be expected to have passed and a more stable sociopolitical environment could reasonably be expected to exist. Elections now would occur in the midst of severely brawling politics, with delicate negotiations going on quietly and out of view over the Bt 76 bn in loot.

The call/demand for a snap election is irresponsbile, imprudent and impulsive given the presently volitale sociopolitical circumstances. Deductive assertions to 'have elections immediately', ie, a snap election would snap the country in several whiplash directions. Remember, Chiang Mai presently is off limits to the PM, who is walking around with anti weapons body armor. Chill for a while.

While the logic of your argument seems good, by not setting some date for elections, at some point in time, it only prolongs the instability. There are a lot of people who feel, rightly or wrongly, that their votes were disregarded. They believe those votes prior to Thaksin's overthrow and then again subsequent to his departure in another election (setting vote fraud aside as surely it takes place on both sides in Thailand) were disregarded because of the coup and because of they way the current government was formed after lots of battles over voter fraud and finally the demonstrations at the airport. Rallies by the "red shirts" are their only vehicle for redress. Who maybe or may not be pulling the strings is irrelevant. There are a significant number of people feeling wronged and who only desire elections to set the record straight. If the government cared for the will of the people they would call for elections, set a date, call for international observers, and let the chips fall where they may. Prolonging any elections only serves the current government in solidifying and expanding its power base. That is the real reason for not calling for elections.

I guess the point is whether these celebrations were previously planned to continue or whether the government wants to continue them to challenge the rally which evidently was planned some time ago. IF the government is using the celebrations to dampen the rally then that is wrong. IF these "continuing" celebrations were planned months ago as part of the celebrations for the Kings birthday then this is not an act to dampen the rally. The "red shirts" certainly did not plan a rally to disrupt the King's birthday celebrations and probably planned the rally for the "Constitution Day" thinking the main birthday celebrations would be concluded. Hopefully someone can enlighten us on the FACTS. That's the problem with much of the dialogue on forums such as these. No one ever has the facts BEFORE they start the ranting and raving.

Never forget that the motive behind anything in politics is about POWER and staying in power. Service to the people is only a little by-product of government. This happens in the US and Europe, do you expect some miracle in a nation like Thailand? Prolonging elections only helps those currently in power. Thinking that time will produce rational thought is idyllic at best.

Edited December 7, 2009 by Trouble

[Chaimai]

Sounds panicky to me.....resorting to ideas that even rank and file thai folk will find childish in the extreme - what next? free ice cream if you don't go to a redshirt rally?

.........or 500 Baht if you do

[EnhancePlus]

Bring on the dancing girls ... whoop whoop

[webfact]

PRO-THAKSIN RALLY

Festivities end for rally

By The Nation

Published on December 8, 2009

The government yesterday extended celebrations for His Majesty the King's 82nd birthday on Rajdamnoen Avenue until tomorrow - and said they would extend them until Sunday, if the red shirts cancel their plans to hold a rally on Constitution Day (Thursday).

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said yesterday the organising committee decided to extend the celebrations - previously scheduled to end yesterday - for two more days due to strong interest from the public and foreign tourists.

He said some 100,000 people had gathered at the celebration venues along Rajdamnoen Klang Avenue each day to see cultural and traditional performances, light and laser displays, processions of decorated floats and "dancing fountains", among other spectacular shows.

"The government is intent on extending the celebration period until December 13. But the organising committee will have to assess the situation.

Leaders of the red shirts announced they would hold their rally on December 10. If the rally is postponed, it will be beneficial for all the parties concerned," Korn said.

"The government has to wait for a decision from the red shirts, with due respect to their right of political expression," he said.

Korn was speaking after a meeting of the organising committee, which he is a member of.Celebrations in honour of the King's birthday are also being staged at the Royal Plaza and the adjacent Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall until Sunday.

Leaders of the red shirts insisted later, however, they would continue with their planned gathering on Thursday at Democracy Monument.

Natthawut Saikua, a leader of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, which is campaigning against the government, said the protest aimed to offer blessings for His Majesty and mark Constitution Day.

Democracy Monument is located on Rajdamnoen Klang Avenue, is currently the site of a colourful laser display.

In a related development, Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaeng called for feuding groups to heed His Majesty the King's call for national unity in his birthday speech. The King said his happiness would only be complete when the country was stable and peaceful.

"The best present we can offer to His Majesty is to return peace to the country," he said.

-- The Nation 2009/12/8

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[BigC]

i take it the banks are open sometime this week

[Insight]

The definition of "unity" seems to vary greatly in this country ....

[Siripon]

After demanding changes to the constitution, Pheua Thai abruptly dropped out of the Parliamentary consultations as their boss realized the changes wouldn't come in time to help him with his assets case.

Pathetic.

[Mario2008]

5 posts have been deleted as off topic. This thread is not about elections or Taksin, those subjects are extensively covered elsewhere. Please stay on topic.

[portpower]

Politics in Thailand are like the bumper sticker i saw on a car yesterday.

Which said ............Slowly But Surely We Are Getting No Where........ .....I think that says it all dont you????

[hammered]

Interesting dilemma for the red shirts. They have invested a lot of time and energy into carefully coreographing the post Dec 5 events including symbolic Dec 10 rally complete with anti-gov speeches etc and at almost the same time the Thai "spy" case conclusion with a nice PTP PR point scored when either Chavalit or Thaksin swing in to save the day wioth best buddy Hun Sen, and just to cap it all Sae Daeng has a bunch of his old mates to swing into rally mode to embarrass the military. Now the pesky government that usually cant score a PR goal in front of an empty net manages to pull out the one thing that can hurt team red. Do they humbly agree to an extension of festivities which would undoubtedly be popular but mean seeing the well coreopgraphed Dec play undone or the impact at least lessened or do they plough ahead running the risk of being seen to not heed calls and allowing the government another rare PR goal on their weaker flank? A decison for the big boys and not the troika methinks. Interesting decison and a risky one.

[hhiser]

What if the yellows rally instead?

Then the celebration will be extended indefinitely!

[hhiser]

Sounds panicky to me.....resorting to ideas that even rank and file thai folk will find childish in the extreme - what next? free ice cream if you don't go to a redshirt rally?

Free Lao Cow would work wonders!

[h90]

Interesting dilemma for the red shirts. They have invested a lot of time and energy into carefully coreographing the post Dec 5 events including symbolic Dec 10 rally complete with anti-gov speeches etc and at almost the same time the Thai "spy" case conclusion with a nice PTP PR point scored when either Chavalit or Thaksin swing in to save the day wioth best buddy Hun Sen, and just to cap it all Sae Daeng has a bunch of his old mates to swing into rally mode to embarrass the military. Now the pesky government that usually cant score a PR goal in front of an empty net manages to pull out the one thing that can hurt team red. Do they humbly agree to an extension of festivities which would undoubtedly be popular but mean seeing the well coreopgraphed Dec play undone or the impact at least lessened or do they plough ahead running the risk of being seen to not heed calls and allowing the government another rare PR goal on their weaker flank? A decison for the big boys and not the troika methinks. Interesting decison and a risky one.

I would say Mr. Takki Shinagra had invested a lot money for the rallys and it seems some of the reds don't even want to win, because as long as it continues Takki is paying. He pays for 500.000 protesters he get 100.000 the rest goes in some other pockets.

A rally is canceled, they claim the expenses are already done, they need more money, so it seems even the red are happy if that all continue without final victory.

To interrupt the Kings birthday festival would be a goal for the government. Postpone the rally would be also a victory for the government.

Win-Win situation for the government.

Win-Win for the Red leaders (or better Money-Money)

[Sherlocke]

"Harmony" and "unity" are simply catchwords used to demonize those who have justifiable grievances in Thailand

[JulesMad]

Give them the benefit of the doubt! Let's wait and see what happens....

Good move to blame the red's if normal people don't get their parties

[Publicus]

The government (or whomever else) are doing this in the classic Thai way, manner and style. No confrontations, no threats, no thunder, no blustering rhetoric, no great commotion. The whole thing is in the hands of the other guy, in this instance the reds, and in the heart of the other guy. All Thais see this, recognize it and identify with it.

I love it.

This is as good as it gets.

[on-on]

The government has released a follow-up statement noting that if the protests do go ahead as planned, the country will be forced to sit in the corner and think about what it did and then go to bed early without dinner.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

On the original topic: I think it's pretty vile to politicize a celebration in this way. Both sides have shown admirable restraint, but now this government clown seems to want to milk it further. It's be nice if someone would start talking issues.

[Insight]

On the original topic: I think it's pretty vile to politicize a celebration in this way. Both sides have shown admirable restraint, but now this government clown seems to want to milk it further. It's be nice if someone would start talking issues.

At my most cynical I would say the reds have just been played at their own game.

But then nobody has threatened murder on the radiowaves yet.

[latern]

I see from this morning's The Nation that after the inappropriate march tomorrow, that the "million person" rally is back on and will be done before the end of the month.

"We are firm with our original goal of leading 1 million people down the streets of Bangkok to oust the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva before New Year's Day," said Nattawut Saikua

[irwinfc]

extended celebrations... more traffic and garbage around Rajdamnoen area then...

[Mario2008]

1 post and a reply to it have been deleted for bringing the monarchy into the discussion.

Edit: as stated that brought an automatic suspension with it.

[Grey11]

Seems the Red shirts are desperate and Taksin is doing a last minute grab for his money. He even tried to bargain last week claiming he would call off the demonstrations if he was pardoned - this idiot exiled criminal actually said he was not inciting to riot yet openly claimed he was behind it all - usual stuff for a liar, cannot remember what he has already lied about. He has no interest other than his wealth and if Thai's believe he has their interests at heart - it is very sad indeed.

Red shirt rallies of any description right now would bring this country to its knees - again.

Despite the politics behind the decision to extend, it is a move to decrease possibility of problems so I for one, endorse it even if my thoughts are not behind this Govt and its obvious weaknesses. They are a far better option than led by the corrupt opposition.

It's usually the second or third post before Taksin is blamed for everything, must have caught you napping!

Administrator: Seems like this is way off topic - Thaksin. I haven't seen but one post that even brought that crook up. But, I guess it isn't off topic because Thaksin needs the redshirts to ovethrown the present government and if not get back into office get back the billions of dollars he stole while PM.

[Old Man River]

The government (or whomever else) are doing this in the classic Thai way, manner and style. No confrontations, no threats, no thunder, no blustering rhetoric, no great commotion. The whole thing is in the hands of the other guy, in this instance the reds, and in the heart of the other guy. All Thais see this, recognize it and identify with it.

I love it.

This is as good as it gets.

Bobby Fisher would love this chess game.