Red-Shirt Movement 'At War With Military'

[Insight]

This is a Nation article so take it with some salt. The Nation is famous for setting up the elite against the people. Just to keep out of the arms of the NCC the directors and owners have chosen to sell their sole and independence to the yellow shirts. That is why you do not find any critical note towards courts who apply double standards and no critical note towards people like Prem, Surayud or others.

I suppose that all people who have a democratic mind and who love freedom of speech are at war with the military. Not necessarily a war in which people get killed but at least a intellectual war. It is unforgiving and unacceptable that an institution that should work for the people grabbed power more than the military in any given African banana republic did. Worse it is always to un-seed the people elected by the poor and it seems always to benefit the rich and especially the Chinese Thai minority.

The first damage control effort

He said it on a phone-in to a radio show, so it shouldn't be too difficult to establish the context of the announcement.

[thaikahuna]

We shall see what transpires when the defication contacts the rotating oscillator....

[MacWalen]

If that was true then I would bet that the Thai army wins with Red-shirt fighters. Also this man is not helping the case of Khun Thaksin. This can only make a lot of people angry. I would not like to see what would happen to the tourism industry and the stock market if there was a domestic war.

Let's pray for peace

[Jirapa]

Watch ya backs Man U and LFC fans! This nut job's turned you into targets. Better start wearing the away strip from now on so your neutral rather than neutralized?

[Garry9999]

"We are now at war"

Banner for Major-General Khattiya Sawasdipol's website

http://board.sae-dang.com/Topics.php

Web site's a crack up. Love the back ground karaoke music

[Garry9999]

If that was true then I would bet that the Thai army wins with Red-shirt fighters. Also this man is not helping the case of Khun Thaksin. This can only make a lot of people angry. I would not like to see what would happen to the tourism industry and the stock market if there was a domestic war.

Let's pray for peace

Praying won't do any good.

[MengWan]

"he went to Hat Yai on Thursday to train the red-shirt people there"

Anyone who knows HatYai knows that such a "training" can be very quick and

can be performed in a hotel room ...

"Red Shirts" in HatYai are so few that they don't need to train to be invisible

[brianb1944]

His website is hosted in Thailand. Why doesn't the Gov take it down?

Why take it down when they can just let him say enough to take himself down (I suspect that he already has) Red Shirts need to disassociate themselves from this loony before he takes all their leadership with him.

Edited January 23, 2010 by brianb1944

[CockneyGit]

Civil War comes to Thailand..?? Brilliant. Another simply EXCELLENT way to highlight the country around the world!

Bye-bye tourists for another season..!!!

R.I.P Thailand

Edited January 23, 2010 by CockneyGit

[DocHolliday]

"he went to Hat Yai on Thursday to train the red-shirt people there"

Anyone who knows HatYai knows that such a "training" can be very quick and

can be performed in a hotel room ...

"Red Shirts" in HatYai are so few that they don't need to train to be invisible

that's correct and now it became clear why he need a few days more before he "surrenders" as mentioned in a today's Nation article...

[richard10365]

Someones been watching a TV and movies a little too much.

[thedi]

His website is hosted in Thailand. Why doesn't the Gov take it down?

After visiting his web site my Firefox froze...

This may explain why 'they' do not take it down

[zzaa09]

His website is hosted in Thailand. Why doesn't the Gov take it down?

This is the same government that pretends to promote the illusional ideals of free and open democracy?

[daboyz1]

Someones been watching a TV and movies a little too much.

I would agree until I woke up in Sept. 2006 and CNN and BBC were turned off on UBC and they had tanks deployed.

[ChiangMaiFun]

His website is hosted in Thailand. Why doesn't the Gov take it down?

Why take it down when they can just let him say enough to take himself down (I suspect that he already has) Red Shirts need to disassociate themselves from this loony before he takes all their leadership with him.

Absolutely right... and the site has had 8m hits which is not encouraging... they should disaccociate very, very quickly otherwise all the people who have sympathy for their position will fade away (or probably run away). Some people just do not 'get it' how angry some Thais are about the election process and this is an extreme reaction to that feeling. If Thailand ever needed strong, spiritual leadreship it needs it now. Om Shanti

[Brewsta]

A couple of crazy morons with a couple grenades does not make "Army" against "Army". People use the term civil war far to liberally around here.

"I appointed myself a leader of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship "..... he would be Crazy Moron No.1 then. Self-ANNOINTED (sic) more like, tee hee !!

Another day, another PooYaiiii (sic.)

and....

Som Tum Tiger -I fully agree with your comment.

However, remember that "A couple of crazies + a couple of grenades" = more dead Innocents......... each innocent death is a travesty, yes.....

regards & stay safe,

Paul aka Brewsta

Brewsta

[brianb1944]

It was always so:

Where the brains limit is reached, the violence starts.

I prefer the quote "Physical violence is the last resort of an exhausted mind" and my eyes are fine thank you.

[Tigs]

"We are now at war with the military and I appointed myself a leader of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship to fight for democracy and the red-shirt people accepted this," Khattiya said.

ROFPMSL!!

You couldn't make it up. Hee Hee, coffee on the keyboard again!

[MaiDong]

CRACKDOWN ON LOONIES PLEASE

[lensta]

This is a Nation article so take it with some salt. The Nation is famous for setting up the elite against the people. Just to keep out of the arms of the NCC the directors and owners have chosen to sell their sole and independence to the yellow shirts. That is why you do not find any critical note towards courts who apply double standards and no critical note towards people like Prem, Surayud or others.

I suppose that all people who have a democratic mind and who love freedom of speech are at war with the military. Not necessarily a war in which people get killed but at least a intellectual war. It is unforgiving and unacceptable that an institution that should work for the people grabbed power more than the military in any given African banana republic did. Worse it is always to un-seed the people elected by the poor and it seems always to benefit the rich and especially the Chinese Thai minority.

Agreed, I smell a rat. As the time draws closer for the reds to start their rallies and a decision on Thaksins court case, I think the

government and their supporters will use anything to discredit the reds and Thaksin, even by linking a nut case like this guy to the reds.

I wounder if the reds will deny he is now "a leader" if not I could change my opinion.

[momentumwaves]

is that the first step to a civil war? Army fight against Army?

Yes, I do believe that this is the second phase of the emerging civil war.

Edited January 23, 2010 by momentumwaves

[sinplyred]

Another blow for tourism in the land of smiles (not)

[scania]

This is not going to help Taksin in any way. I´m not with him, not against him but sure this wont help.

[h90]

Treason.

Firing squad.

End of.

No, mental check and than in a nice soft locked room in a hospital which is specialized on dangerous customer.

[George4]

is that the first step to a civil war? Army fight against Army?

If it is you and Wyatt go ahead and I'll catch up with you later

This guy sounds like he has a death wish and I'm surprised Thailand allows comments like this to reach the newspapers.

Can just imagine the potential tourist's reaction to this breaking news.

[Insight]

This is a Nation article so take it with some salt. The Nation is famous for setting up the elite against the people. Just to keep out of the arms of the NCC the directors and owners have chosen to sell their sole and independence to the yellow shirts. That is why you do not find any critical note towards courts who apply double standards and no critical note towards people like Prem, Surayud or others.

I suppose that all people who have a democratic mind and who love freedom of speech are at war with the military. Not necessarily a war in which people get killed but at least a intellectual war. It is unforgiving and unacceptable that an institution that should work for the people grabbed power more than the military in any given African banana republic did. Worse it is always to un-seed the people elected by the poor and it seems always to benefit the rich and especially the Chinese Thai minority.

Agreed, I smell a rat. As the time draws closer for the reds to start their rallies and a decision on Thaksins court case, I think the

government and their supporters will use anything to discredit the reds and Thaksin, even by linking a nut case like this guy to the reds.

I wounder if the reds will deny he is now "a leader" if not I could change my opinion.

Not long ago in a country not far away...

[deanosan3]

let's have it. People are kickin off all over the world. It seems people have had enough of centralised power. I still dislike Thaksin but it's either entrenched power and corruption or give the new guy a chance at power and corruption.

[WAERTH]

I just confirmed with some Thai friends. According to them Seh Daeng used the word "songkram" (war) on the militairy ....... the guy is an idiot!

W

[HowardV]

All the power to him, I say.

I support the red shirts' cause, though I wish they'd chosen a better mascot than Thaksin. Where do all you foreigners get your information from as to what the red shirts are about vs. what the yellow shirts are about? The media? The English-print media in Thailand hates Thaksin and the red shirts, so you're naturally going to see the yellow shirts' press releases being re-printed as news. Pick up a copy of Truth for Today or something and read one of the articles in English in the back -- you might be surprised to find what they are saying.

I see and hear a lot of comments from foreigners who don't really know what the red shirts are angry about. Your problem is that many of you don't speak Thai well, don't read or write Thai, and the Thais who can speak English are mostly yellow shirts. The red shirts aren't as educated and don't speak English as well, so you're not hearing their side accurately because it's being filtered to you through the intellectual elite and their agenda. You get to hear what the red shirts are about from their enemies. So many foreigners support the yellow shirts not fully realizing that the yellow shirts are majorly xenophobic while the red shirts welcome international influence and development.

The yellow shirts are the old rule aristocracy, an outdated form of rule based on class elitism. They do not represent the best for all of Thailand, but for a sector of Thailand. They are the educated elite who would like to keep the classes separate. They are the party who suggested giving more weight to votes from people registered in Bangkok than people living in rural areas, simply on the basis that they feel they are more educated and therefore more qualified to run the country. These people are often as white as white gets because they haven't worked a day in their life, they don't know what manual labor is, can't even appreciate it. It is these types who have Burmese maids living in the backs of their homes without even the slightest tinge of guilt. They actually think they're being generous to their house slaves. But it is the same policies of the yellow shirts which has made visas and work permits and foreigners being in Thailand such a nuisance and a hassle. It is their fear of "losing their country" to outsiders through economic means (not political) that fuels their decisions.

There has been a 60-year campaign to unite people over nationalistic pride even when they don't see eye-to-eye politically, but unfortunately what have been propagated as national values for all Thais are often veiled agendas aimed at pushing the aristocratic elite's xenophobic policies. Self-sufficiency economy is a way of saying let's retain economic control of our country by limiting outside influence. And don't forget it was the yellow shirts -- peaceful or not -- who shut down the airports. That should tell you something about how they view the international community and its role in Thailand. They don't much care for the foreigners in their country--they don't appreciate them, they don't want them. They tolerate them because they want their money, but they want to completely control it so that the foreigners become financial cashcows while Thais direct the money flow.

Red shirts are angry for a very good reason. Their country is not a democracy and has not been for at least four years. Democracy is the great equalizer to the lower classes, to the poor, to the underprivileged and uneducated -- it gives them a voice for change in their direction. Whether Thaksin was a bad guy or not is a moot point. There should have been due process -- all of the investigations which have come up after the coup should have been done through proper channels to oust him legally. The coup leaders have eroded their own legal and political system, and their political tactics have more to do with the cult of personality than with infrastructure, systems or laws. I say go Red shirts. Get your country back, get your democracy back, get your hope and your freedom back, get your opportunity back.

[h90]

Actually the overthrow of the violent and corrupt dictator Thaksin was welcomed, judging by the immediate reaction of the population.

There is no treason in a non-violent coup which overthrows a corrupt dictatorship, unless of course the corrupt dictator wins.

Many would dispute your claim the coup was welcomed by most Thais, but in any case it's completely irrelevant whether it was welcomed or not.

Your second assertion is even more absurd.Again whether the coup was violent or not is irrelevant (although the threat of violence is always implicit).The question is whether the government overthrown by the junta was constitutionally legitimate or not, not whether it was led by a "corrupt dictator" in your usage or the nation's saviour as many others would have it.As a matter of fact in an assessment of Thaksin, I lean more towards your description but again that's completely irrelevant.

The fact that these criminals in a panicky and cowardly way procured post facto pardons for themselves demonstrates that they at least knew very clearly they had committed treason.

Please learn history.

A coup is always legal when the coupmaker wins. All western democracys came came from coups or similar uprisings. Else we would be all in absolute monarchies.

Braking the constitution? At this time the Thaksin government was already complete illegal and outside of the constitution. They weren't elected at all as the requirements of the constitution were not fulfilled, if you remember the mess: elections elections elections and still not enough MPs to fill the parliament....well just go ahead with less than necessary.......

You could even argue that there was no legal government, so where is the coup?