Doubts Linger About Red Shirts' Funding And Tactics

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Doubts linger about red shirts' funding and tactics

By Avudh Panananda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Whatever the red shirts do now may yield the opposite to what they hope to achieve. And the longer they try to prolong their fight, the hard-er the crash landing they are likely to face.

Red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan is probably right in saying the red shirts will stage a final showdown before ending street protests once and for all, regardless of whether they can oust the government.

After four years of street protests, sentiments have become desensitised to many issues of the day. Many see the unfolding events as a dramatic plot rather than a pivotal moment to transform the poltical landscape.

Over the weekend, a homemade bomb was found on the Supreme Court grounds and a grenade was fired from a launcher into a college campus located less than 100 metres from Government House last weekend. Theories abound but facts are scarce.

Although the red shirts strongly deny con-doning violence, the general perception is they, or at least rogue elements in their midst, are linked to the provocative attacks ahead of a showdown with the govern-ment.

Two weeks ago, a man threw excrement into the prime minister's residence. The court of public opinion drew a hasty conclusion that the red shirts were somehow responsible for that incident. Based on footage from security cameras, police later solved the case and identified the man who had vented personal anger. Yet this did not alter the public verdict.

The red shirts are now seen as trouble-makers who are willing to damage the country for self-serving gains. Despite attempts to distance the red shirts from the Bt76 billion asset seizure case involv-ing ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the two bomb attacks happened curiously close to the upcoming verdict, which is due on Friday week.

If the red shirts wanted to intimidate the Supreme Court and the government ahead of the verdict, as many suspect, then they failed miserably. While the attacks triggered anxiety they did not lessen the determination of the govern-ment nor the high court's bid to render justice. In fact the judges appear united to do their job despite the adversity.

Because of the attacks, the nine judges may now aim to form an unanimous decision, be it for or against Thaksin, in order to preempt any doubts lingering about the judicial verdict. The narrow majority of five-to-four votes to convict Thaksin of a conflict of interest in the Ratchada land case has become a rallying point to rouse the red shirts since 2008.

Certain hardliners, like ex-judge Manit Chitchanklab and suspended Maj General Khattiya "Seh Daeng" Sawasdipol, have rein-forced the image of violence-prone red shirts with their fiery rhetoric on overthrowing the prime minister and bomb making.

After a story broke last week about the flow of suspicious funds from abroad, red-shirt leaders, including Natthawut Saikua, opted to create a diversion by attacking chief royal adviser General Prem Tinsulanonda instead of dispelling doubt about money supposedly sent to fund anti-government rallies.

Natthawut's tranparent attempt to attack Prem did not vindicate the red-shirt leaders. Cheques destined for charities via Prem can easily be verified. But the red shirts have yet to dispel doubts about their suspicious funding.

Former lawmaker Songkram Kijlertpairoj caused further confusion after stepping out to admit his name was being circulated as the businessman with the name "S" involved in channelling funds. He denied funding the reds.

Given doubts about the opposition movement, the sentiment does not augur well for the red shirts. Even if rally organisers can get a crowd of one million people, or half that, in the streets, the crucial question is whether the planned protest will be a flop.

-- The Nation 2010-02-16

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[hammered]

Avudh is always worth a read as he tends not to follow pro-yellow or pro-red lines. He is following a line of arguement that has been made in Thai news media and even by a few usually pro-red analysts for a few weeks now. It is probably the first time it has made it into English.

Interesting to see if this turns out to be correct analysis or not.

[SomTumTiger]

I agree with the article. The reds started their downward slide last April. No sighting of the bottom yet.

[givenall]

I agree with the article. The reds started their downward slide last April. No sighting of the bottom yet.

It breaks my heart to see this .

They can only blame themselves. They has an artificial and completely misleading platform. They used and manipulated the uneducated and poor folks. They are still arrogant and do not ever care if they were lying to these people even if they were caught laying.

Lets face it it is obvious to many people it was about Mr. T. Finances and that is all. And now that payroll is running out so is the support

Well now the only people other than the ones still on the payroll who support this activities are uninformed or the ones are still being lied to

[ballpoint]

Although the red shirts strongly deny con-doning violence, the general perception is they, or at least rogue elements in their midst, are linked to the provocative attacks ahead of a showdown with the govern-ment.

It would help their cause if the supposed non rogue elements in their midst started to condemn the violence and threats of those rogues.

[robertson468]

Although the red shirts strongly deny con-doning violence, the general perception is they, or at least rogue elements in their midst, are linked to the provocative attacks ahead of a showdown with the govern-ment.

It would help their cause if the supposed non rogue elements in their midst started to condemn the violence and threats of those rogues.

The problem is, those who are less radical, tend also to be less vocal and more often than not are in the majority. I do believe if the "Reds" could strip out the "Tacky Factor", they might gender much more public support for their desire for have a more equal share of the Thai Cake.

[johncitizen]

"The court of public opinion" or the junta's propaganda machine? This article is so cynical it makes my sides hurt.

[jdinasia]

"The court of public opinion" or the junta's propaganda machine? This article is so cynical it makes my sides hurt.

hmmmm OK I'll bite....

What specific issues do you have with this article?