How To Stop The Million Man March Legitimately

[timekeeper]

to stop the proposed ''million man'' march legitimately the police should do simple roadside checks on the transport.

check bulbs, tyres, horn, handbrake, windscreen wipers, road tax, insurance and driving license

if they do not pass muster then hold the vehicle until its fixed or the documents are produced

i suspect they would need huge holding areas to contain them all

no wheels-no show-no problem

[tonywebster]

Why would you want to stop a march? are you against democracy? is your shirt yellow?

[timekeeper]

Why would you want to stop a march? are you against democracy? is your shirt yellow?

democracy?, you mean the red hypocrasy?

i am not a yellow shirt

i dance to the beat of my own drum

not that of the traitor Thaksin

what about you?

[Donnyboy]

any guesses on the number of people turning up?

[NALAK]

remember the millions that turned up to get the Berlin wall down, the velvet revolution in Czech. all wanted democracy, no matter how you look at it the guy won 3 elections, they banned his party so they set up PPP who stormed to victory again, then sacked the PM for the henous crime of making a cookery show on TV. why is Taskin a traitor becuse he works for a neighbouring country. if you had no money for hospital treatment, then some guy bring in a scheme that says for 30 baht you get all the treatment you need, saved thousands of lives including my father in law, would you note vote for him. this goverment did not get voted in democratically. if the majority want him as prime Minister then thats it end of story its democracy, Germany took away democracy from the Polish look what happened them. we went to war to give the Iraqies democracy, only after no wmd. taskin is the rightful leader of this country, so say the MAJORITY. if Mark had the most votes i would support him, but he does not simple as. ballaot box over tanks and guns anyday. taskin most farangs had never heard of Taskin until he bought in the 2 am closing then thats it hes the devil. people have the right to protest in my country why should they be stopped of marching in support of their democracy that was taken away with the barrels of tanks.

[Mario2008]

We could do without the bickering and personal attacks.

I think the question is legitimate, why should a demonstration be prevented? It is a democratic right to voice ones opinion.

[toybits]

Just imagine the publicity that would generate. That would be a windfall for the red-shirts. Yes! That is a great idea. Good thinking man this OP.

[jdinasia]

Why would you want to stop a march? are you against democracy? is your shirt yellow?

Ummmmm besides being way off-base on the 'yellow shirt" question ...... I actually agree with you as long as the Reds don't do what they are so well known for then they certainly should be allowed to peacefully protest!

I have no problem with checking people (all people or just random people) for weapons etc but peaceful protest and even peaceful civil-disobedience is a good thing! (Yes that includes unlawful assembly as long as it remains peaceful!)

[rixalex]

no matter how you look at it the guy won 3 elections

No he didn't. He won two. How can you get such elementary detail incorrect? Perhaps because you weren't even here?

they banned his party so they set up PPP who stormed to victory again,

The PPP didn't even win the election, let alone storm to victory. They garnered a fraction more of the votes than the Dems, but way off a majority, and then did a better job of offering sweeteners to some of the smaller parties so as to form a coalition.

As for the banning, you seem to brush it off as an insignificant detail. It's not.

then sacked the PM for the henous crime of making a cookery show on TV.

Using state controlled TV to promote himself and pay himself a salary was wrong. He was punished for that. He could have stood again and been reinstated to his position, but Thaksin didn't want that.

taskin is the rightful leader of this country, so say the MAJORITY.

So why couldn't his party win a majority at the last election?

Regarding the march, i agree with others that there should be nothing done to attempt to prevent it. The reds have every right to protest. Just as long as there is no violence, there should be no interference.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

If only the East German Stasi thought of this when people were going to the wall!

Anyway, last time I checked there was freedom of movement, freedom of assembly and relative freedom of speech in this country, even under the current constitution.. Then again recently the powers that be have been rather effective in leveraging bureaucracy and the judiciary against those basic rights, so who knows.

[bunnaag]

There will be no MMM.

[tooninthai]

Yes, why ban a democratic march? Are people no longer allowed to voice and show their concerns?

It does not matter if they are Red, Yellow or sky blue pink with red and yellow dots, people should be allowed to demonstrate if they wish, as long as it is a peaceful march.

Do you forget your history when our forebears had to march and demonstrate to bring change?

Either that or have a free and fair election without Red, Yellow or whatever colour doling out bribes and let the people decide n their government. It is not up to us to dictate what the Thai people should be doing. It is their country, or have you forgotten that???

[NALAK]

No he didn't. He won two. How can you get such elementary detail incorrect? Perhaps because you weren't even here?

they banned his party so they set up PPP who stormed to victory again,

The PPP didn't even win the election, let alone storm to victory. They garnered a fraction more of the votes than the Dems, but way off a majority, and then did a better job of offering sweeteners to some of the smaller parties so as to form a coalition.

As for the banning, you seem to brush it off as an insignificant detail. It's not.

then sacked the PM for the henous crime of making a cookery show on TV.

Using state controlled TV to promote himself and pay himself a salary was wrong. He was punished for that. He could have stood again and been reinstated to his position, but Thaksin didn't want that.

taskin is the rightful leader of this country, so say the MAJORITY.

So why couldn't his party win a majority at the last election?

Regarding the march, i agree with others that there should be nothing done to attempt to prevent it. The reds have every right to protest. Just as long as there is no violence, there should be no interference.

[/quoe]

did PPP get more votes than any other party. yes was here when he won first election in Phuket, waiting for bars to open at midnight. remember it well. does it matter if i was here or not?, i know who won last 3 elections in USA but was not there, called internet. i agree 2 election for him and one for PPP alias TRT. PPP got more votes than the democrats i beleive. like you say he bought the independant parties votes. democrats,i would love to see fresh election but Mark would never go for that.

at least we agree on their right to have to march, and disagree with OP who is in favour of trying to stop it. after all the democrat supporters were allowed to shut down Phuket and swampy airports with now repercussions. that alone makes red shirts very angry and feel they have the right to protest as well.

[tonywebster]

Why would you want to stop a march? are you against democracy? is your shirt yellow?

democracy?, you mean the red hypocrasy?

i am not a yellow shirt

i dance to the beat of my own drum

not that of the traitor Thaksin

what about you?

touchy?

what hypocrisy are you referring to?

As for me as you so kindly ask, I believe that they should march to highlight the hypocrisy of the current puppet government.

I am neither a Thaksin supporter, PAD supporter, Dem supporter, I am English so why the fuc_k would I care, yes I live here but wwhoever is in power they are not going to do anything for me, however I feel for the poor and disenfranchised here and hope they succeed in their goal, I don't see their goal as boot boys for Thaksin, I see them as the voice for the poor in Thailand agaisnt the elite that continues to beat them down. they take away their voice so hopefully now their voice can be heard.

Thailand needs to call an election and stand by the result, that will solve the ills here, well it will from the red side, but then you also have the moronic yellows. On that note I see another arrest warrant has been issued for sondhi

[carmine]

Why would you want to stop a march? are you against democracy? is your shirt yellow?

democracy?, you mean the red hypocrasy?

i am not a yellow shirt

i dance to the beat of my own drum

not that of the traitor Thaksin

what about you?

Your avatar offers a perfect description of politics here

[rixalex]

It is not up to us to dictate what the Thai people should be doing. It is their country, or have you forgotten that???

People aren't dictating, they are just expressing an opinion.

Let me ask you this, if a Thai person who had been legally living in your country for twenty years - working, running a business and raising a family - came to you and expressed their opinion on local political matters that were affecting him/her and his/her family, would you turn around and tell them to keep their sticky beak out? Would you tell them that it was your country not theirs and that you didn't care what they thought?

I wouldn't. Even if my government didn't recognise them in terms of giving them a vote, i wouldn't dismiss their opinion as worthless. I would be interested to know what they thought.

[bangkokrick]

There won't be a million man march, simply because Thaksin does not have a million supporters. There maybe 30K tops. Dream on Mr T.

Cheers, Rick

[Jingthing]

If only the East German Stasi thought of this when people were going to the wall!

What heroic movement has corrupt convicted fugitive criminal Thaksin NOT been compared to? The trouble with these comparisons is that the red's man doesn't even begin to live up to them. Nelson Mandella, indeed. Of course any group should be allowed to stage PEACEFUL demonstrations. The problem with the reds is certain of their factions, including their leader, have expressed a clear desire to overthrow the current legimitate government by any means needed, including violence. The government also has every right to crack down and crack down hard on any sparks of violence. Catch it early, earlier than they did in Black Songkran. Don't forget Black Songkran, those are the kinds of violent thugs the government is dealing with.

Edited March 3, 2010 by Jingthing

[maahuanao]

I feel for the poor and disenfranchised here and hope they succeed in their goal, I don't see their goal as boot boys for Thaksin, I see them as the voice for the poor in Thailand agaisnt the elite that continues to beat them down. they take away their voice so hopefully now their voice can be heard.

Thailand needs to call an election and stand by the result,

Amen

[Jingthing]

The evidence is they ARE boot boys for Thaksin. To see it otherwise is idealistic western projection. This isn't the kind of idealistic people power movement that most westerners would really support if they saw it for what it really is.

[tonywebster]

It is not up to us to dictate what the Thai people should be doing. It is their country, or have you forgotten that???

People aren't dictating, they are just expressing an opinion.

Let me ask you this, if a Thai person who had been legally living in your country for twenty years - working, running a business and raising a family - came to you and expressed their opinion on local political matters that were affecting him/her and his/her family, would you turn around and tell them to keep their sticky beak out? Would you tell them that it was your country not theirs and that you didn't care what they thought?

I wouldn't. Even if my government didn't recognise them in terms of giving them a vote, i wouldn't dismiss their opinion as worthless. I would be interested to know what they thought.

A thai person living legally in my country for 20 years, working and running a business would likely have a vote anyway so they can voice their opinion that way.

if they didn't have the vote then their opinion would mean diddly squat, just like our opinions here.

[rixalex]

did PPP get more votes than any other party.

Marginally yes. That wasn't what i was disputing however. "Storming to victory" is. Don't you think it's a strange way to descibe failing to get a majority and spending a couple of weeks cobbling together a coalition? I do.

does it matter if i was here or not?,

To me it does. Why do you think reporters travel all over the world to report on stories, when they could arguably do it from the studio back home. Why? Because to really understand an issue and be informed on it i think you have to be there.

If there are two people offering an opinion of Thai politics, one person is a regular holiday-maker here and likes to read about Thai news on the internet, and the other has been living and working here for the past ten, twenty years, i know whose opinion i think carries more weight.

I think that answers most of your questions. Can you return the favor and tell me why it is that Thaksin's party didn't win the last election with a majority, if what you say is true that: "taskin is the rightful leader of this country, so say the MAJORITY." ??

[Ricardo]

We could do without the bickering and personal attacks.

I think the question is legitimate, why should a demonstration be prevented? It is a democratic right to voice ones opinion.

Agree absolutely, so long as the demonstration is peaceful, the Red-Shirts have the right to hold it. PM-Abhisit regularly defends their right to hold peaceful protests too !

Regarding the loo-problem, perhaps they could just put it in a plastic-bag, and chuck it over the nearest wall ? Or ring the door-bell, at one of the Shinawatra homes, and ask to use their loo ?

[tonywebster]

The evidence is they ARE boot boys for Thaksin. To see it otherwise is idealistic western projection. This isn't the kind of idealistic people power movement that most westerners would really support if they saw it for what it really is.

evidence?

Provide me with this evidence. Not speculation about throwing turds etc and grenades at banks (which in my opinion is government orchestrated).

Yes they are allied to Thaksin because he led the party that they believe in, he more than most gave them a voice, now he is gone they are still allied to that party, not necessarily to Thaksin.

The fact is they have had to sit and watch the people that set about ruining this country with takeover of tv stations, airports, government buildings, shooting on the streets, attacking police telling all and sundry that these people should not have the vote.

Are you suggesting they just sit there and do nothing or should they make their voices heard? If I find the time or the inclination I may look back at the forum and read your opinions at the time of the airport takeover and see if you were in vocal support of such actions, then I may understand you better.

[maahuanao]

This isn't the kind of idealistic people power movement that most westerners would really support if they saw it for what it really is.

Yes, how dare these peasants get uppity about trying to put an end to being downtrodden for centuries!

[rixalex]

i would love to see fresh election but Mark would never go for that.

And why should he? Because the reds aren't happy?

Abhisit has a term in office and if i were him i would serve it and be the one dictating the date of the next election, not bowing to the demands of the opposition who aren't happy because they are out of power. Whoever heard of a PM who did that?

[tonywebster]

If only the East German Stasi thought of this when people were going to the wall!

What heroic movement has corrupt convicted fugitive criminal Thaksin NOT been compared to? The trouble with these comparisons is that the red's man doesn't even begin to live up to them. Nelson Mandella, indeed. Of course any group should be allowed to stage PEACEFUL demonstrations. The problem with the reds is certain of their factions, including their leader, have expressed a clear desire to overthrow the current legimitate government by any means needed, including violence. The government also has every right to crack down and crack down hard on any sparks of violence. Catch it early, earlier than they did in Black Songkran. Don't forget Black Songkran, those are the kinds of violent thugs the government is dealing with.

How many people have been convicted of these acts as of today? How many people have been charged with these acts as of today?

I don't know the answer to this, but if the answer is a very low number ask yourself why.

Ask yourself why when the PPP used force against the yellows all hel_l broke lose. is it ok to crack skulls as long as they are poor skulls? mess with the middle class however and there ar allegations galore.

Lets be objective here, admit the faults from both sides and people may take your posts more seriously, reading your posts is like reading the Nation.

[tonywebster]

i would love to see fresh election but Mark would never go for that.

And why should he? Because the reds aren't happy?

Abhisit has a term in office and if i were him i would serve it and be the one dictating the date of the next election, not bowing to the demands of the opposition who aren't happy because they are out of power. Whoever heard of a PM who did that?

Well lets see how the vote of confidence pans out. But one way to possibly stabilise the country as Mark so often claims would be to call and election and get an elected government into power. One that is not being run by the army like the current one is.

[rixalex]

if they didn't have the vote then their opinion would mean diddly squat, just like our opinions here.

Speak for yourself.

[rixalex]

But one way to possibly stabilise the country as Mark so often claims would be to call and election and get an elected government into power.

Shows how little you know about the current situation if you think that elections right at this time would have a stablizing effect. I can't think of many things more destabilizing to be honest.