Thailand to impose security law for Thaksin protests

[wolf5370]

If the illegal occupiers of the airports had been swiftly dealt with then things might have turned out differently, the reds have seen what can be achieved by anarchy; so you can blame it on this governments failure to react to the yellow shirts for giving the reds hope of victory by similar means! It's already been said many times but an election and fair constitution is the only way for Thailand to make progress.

Anarchy and civil disobedience is fine. Protests and free speech is great.

Just leave the violence at home. (That applies to everyone)

I'm sure their wives will be thrilled Better, perhaps, to leave the violence out all together me thinks

[wolf5370]

Does anyone think this is a good time to collonise Thailand then we can run it for them?

you must be British, aren't you?

Rest assured, the UK Govt. would have done a trademark 'Regime Change' years ago if there was enough oil buried under those gogo bars.

Erm do you have the right coloniser here? How many countries did Britain colonise for oil?

[wolf5370]

Does anyone think this is a good time to collonise Thailand then we can run it for them?

I think Thailand does quite well as it is, as a country that has never been colonized nor will it evrt be. Such statements might actually unite the two sides right now.

Yes that is correct - if you ignore the fact that they were held by Burma for 200 years, the Japanese for 5 or the loss of the lands to Cambodia, Burma and Malaysia (or actually to the coloniser's who held those areas). Also perhaps the fact that historically the North was a separate country from the South - and Chiang Mai (as the Northern capital) didn't officially become part of Thailand until just before WW2.

[seri thai]

Sad. ISA is essentialy "martial law in a particular area." Guess they don't have much faith in the police to deal with protests, like police manages to do in almost any other country in the world.

The police force is a para-military organisation with a more significant percentage of Thaksin oriented personnel and a command structure that identifies less rigidly with the national docrine. From the perspective of the elites it is unreliable, unpredictable and unaccountable. (As we all know )

The military by contrast has well delineated allegiances whilst encouraging "healthy" competition and rivalries and has a pretty good idea who can be relied upon and who can't. Personnel are shuffled accordingly. In my opinion it was Thaksins meddling in this preserve is what bought on the 2006 coup.

[seri thai]

The yellow shirts did not attack people, did not ride by on motorcycles shooting dead residents opposing them, did not sewt up gasoline trucks in front of low-income housing and threaten to explode it, did minimal damage to the airports themselves (my flight out was in fact on time just a few days after it ended). Whether it was right or wrong is not for me to judge but there was a world of difference between what the yellow shirts did and what the red shirts did a few months later. A world of difference.

You are so right granuaile there was a big difference. The yellow shirts removed an elected party from government replaced with a party of their liking.The redshirts were fighting to get democracy back. So you say it is ok to take over an airport have armed quards protect the people who took it over. Have a political party put in power that works for the interests of the the yellow shirts. Did you ever stop to think politics may have been involved in press coverage of what happened and the masses never got to hear what the yellow shorts actually did. They were better armed than the police. Red shirts were fighting for democracy Yellow shirts were fighting for the old class system that serves them so well.

How about the killing the yellow shirts did at angkor wat just a little while ago. Nothing came of that.

Goodness, so much muddled and erroneous info, especially the Angkor Wat bit.

You're saying yellow shirts went to Anghor Wat and killed people there? In what millennium did this occur?

In the last millenium, in the 13th-15th centuries(A.D) (But I don't think they actually wore the shirts back then)

Edited March 8, 2010 by seri thai

[liloldspirut]

b

It is needed. Well done.

Stop talking rubbish, this is thailand and the thai,s have a right to demonstrate how they chose fit,this is one sure way of over reaction, when will us farang just keep our mouths shut and mind our own business,

When a Government passes laws to take away the God Given right(s) to protest, that gov. is not a Democratic Gov. Beware for they will not stop at this point.I pray that inocent lives are not lost. No matter what your political preferences may be.

[craigstroud]

It really sucks that it's come to this, but I'm glad to see Abhisit 'growing a pair' and taking some action. It needs to be done. These fractional groups have had a strangle-hold on the country's progress for far too long. Yes, the Thais should have the freedom to demonstrate and express their wants, but not to the extent that they bring the country and gov't to a grinding halt AND endanger the lives of ordinary people.

Also, (I know this is going to be very inflammatory) but I think farang certainly have a right to express their opinions on internal matters. 'We' inject gobs of money into this country every day, month, year; we buy real estate and start thriving businesses that employ Thais that would otherwise not be employed; and we have diplomatic and economic ties to the country that affects our own home affairs; we have Thai wives, boyfriends, families that we love, children that we take care of, clothe and educate.

If Thais don't want us expressing our opinions, then perhaps they shouldn't allow us to abide within the borders of their country, and forfeit all international business contracts and foreign exchanges. Then they could be just like their neighbor to the West. At the end of the day, I doubt anyone really wants this.

These fractional movements are no longer people expressing their civil rights or expressing opinion. They have become debilitating and dangerous. No matter what your opinion is, Thaksin is no messiah that's going to save Thailand from itself and Abhisit is no ogre that has hijacked the country. The only people who can save the country are the people themselves. They can do that by making a choice to either dwell in the past, or move forward.

Edited March 8, 2010 by craigstroud

[seri thai]

It is needed. Well done.

Uncontroversial, nondescript, disengaged member

It does what it says on the tin!

[seri thai]

It really sucks that it's come to this, but I'm glad to see Abhisit 'growing a pair' and taking some action. It needs to be done. These fractional groups have had a strangle-hold on the country's progress for far too long. Yes, the Thais should have the freedom to demonstrate and express their wants, but not to the extent that they bring the country and gov't to a grinding halt AND endanger the lives of ordinary people.

Also, (I know this is going to be very inflammatory) but I think farang certainly have a right to express their opinions on internal matters. 'We' inject gobs of money into this country every day, month, year; we buy real estate and start thriving businesses that employ Thais that would otherwise not be employed; and we have diplomatic and economic ties to the country that affects our own home affairs; we have Thai wives, boyfriends, families that we love, children that we take care of, clothe and educate.

If Thais don't want us expressing our opinions, then perhaps they shouldn't allow us to abide within the borders of their country, and forfeit all international business contracts and foreign exchanges. Then they could be just like their neighbor to the West. At the end of the day, I doubt anyone really wants this.

These fractional movements are no longer people expressing their civil rights or expressing opinion. They have become debilitating and dangerous. No matter what your opinion is, Thaksin is no messiah that's going to save Thailand from itself and Abhisit is no ogre that has hijacked the country. The only people who can save the country are the people themselves. They can do that by making a choice to either dwell in the past, or move forward.

Oh where to start??

I won't bother. Only one question then- Do you have a Thai wife and a boyfriend? I'm sure you'll fit in nicely. Khun Abhisit and his minder with the big cojones thank you for the "gob of money". Make sure you have a receipt!

Edited March 8, 2010 by seri thai

[eggomaniac]

Does anyone think this is a good time to collonise Thailand then we can run it for them?

I think Thailand does quite well as it is, as a country that has never been colonized nor will it evrt be. Such statements might actually unite the two sides right now.

Yes that is correct - if you ignore the fact that they were held by Burma for 200 years, the Japanese for 5 or the loss of the lands to Cambodia, Burma and Malaysia (or actually to the coloniser's who held those areas). Also perhaps the fact that historically the North was a separate country from the South - and Chiang Mai (as the Northern capital) didn't officially become part of Thailand until just before WW2.

add control of economy by the Chinese merchant class for the past few centuries and the CIA control of the drug trade and you make yourself a 'list'!

[GungaDin]

Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were crusaders for change against, in Gandhi's case the might of the British Indian Empire and in Mandela's case, the apartheid system in South Africa..

Even writing Thaksin's name on the same page is almost sacrilege.

Mandela and Gandhi will be remembered in 200 years as great historical figures.

Thaksin Shinawatra on the other hand will be consigned to the garbage can of history along with other such notables as Marcos & Peron.

Exactly!

[RPETER65]

Why did they not invoke the ISA when the yellow shirts took over the airports? - obviosly another case of double standards.

Obviously a different govt.

the army was reluctant to help and to evict them from government houses and the airports when ordered to do so. The police couldn't do it alone or have done so without major loss of of humans.

My point is the current govt., by all indications, is that Thailand has a much more stable govt., that plans to maintain law and order. I see know where they plan on stopping any demonstrations, only ensure they are non violent and do not interfere with govt. work or ctizens of Bangkok. How can you dissagree with this as long as it is to maintain law and order and not to interfere with the right of people to protest peacefully. The red shirt crowd has already shown there willingness to resort to violence, only makes sense the govt. would be ready to prevent violence and illegal activity.

[warmwater7]

what about media censorship? Why is this not mentioned?

Because they're only talking of implementing NEW measures, not old ones that have been in effect for years already.

no problem, go out be normal, (as if that's possible, tit) carry 1) red shirt 1) yellow shirt 1) white shirt, go around asking, " where is wat po ?" maybee nice view from BTS

[Footloose1949]

There are other strayegies that the current government could apply, to reduce the tension and at the same time, knock the wind out of Thakasin's supporters ...

implement the policies that Thakasin intended bringing in, that presumably improved the lot of the poorer regions (North and North-East) of Thailand. these regions are obviously sick and tired of hearing promises, and immediately implementing some of these policies would undoubtably cool down the poltical unrest that exists.

Would they dare do this? Only time will tell, but until some of the wealth that the main cities make, is distibuted wider, I'd guess there will continue to be more of the same for some time to come. I would have thought ensuring that the farmers get a greater share of the profit made by middle-men off the rice and othe farm produce bought from farmers, and the sold elsewhere in Thailand and abroard, would have a significant impact on things.

However I am an ignorant falang, and don't have an in-depth knowlege of what the red-shirts complaints are, but I'd guess the prices farmers are paid for their produce, has a significant bearing on the present unrest. I live in England, and it is certainly the case here, that our farmers get a pretty raw deal on their goods in comparison to what they see their produce sold for in the shops, so I would guess the same thing also applies in Thailand.

What do other people think?

[tonglen]

I find it amazing that so many people believe the yellow shirts blocking the international airport is 'acceptable'. If it is okay to do, why did Abhisit tell the red shirts not to block the airport or they would be removed by force? While at the same time, the trial against the yellow shirts is barely moving forward. DOUBLE STANDARDS.

The yellow shirts did not attack people, did not ride by on motorcycles shooting dead residents opposing them, did not sewt up gasoline trucks in front of low-income housing and threaten to explode it, did minimal damage to the airports themselves (my flight out was in fact on time just a few days after it ended). Whether it was right or wrong is not for me to judge but there was a world of difference between what the yellow shirts did and what the red shirts did a few months later. A world of difference.

You are so right granuaile there was a big difference. The yellow shirts removed an elected party from government replaced with a party of their liking.The redshirts were fighting to get democracy back. So you say it is ok to take over an airport have armed quards protect the people who took it over. Have a political party put in power that works for the interests of the the yellow shirts. Did you ever stop to think politics may have been involved in press coverage of what happened and the masses never got to hear what the yellow shorts actually did. They were better armed than the police. Red shirts were fighting for democracy Yellow shirts were fighting for the old class system that serves them so well.

Good will prevail next week, or else all hope is lost. If there is a God, then this nation will overcome the dictatorship, or else there is no God.

So, God will be at the rally this week? Wow, Ill be looking for him. What color will he be wearing?

[Navalator]

Tensions rise. I just hope when this is all over the Thai people get what they want.

Which is?

"Which is" is the key question here.

[tedjohn09]

Bravo!!!Well done.

Edited March 9, 2010 by Wolfie
/URL's Removed - please dont link to other sites in your post unless they are a valid news source and relevant to the discussion - thanks!

[khunjamespittman]

You would think it would, and under normal circumstances it would, however markets are more focused on the bigger issues which is the rising chance of sovereign defaults. Greece has already defaulted defacto. The markets will soon turn their attention to the rest of the PIIGS, Spain, Portugal etc etc and this wll further undermine the Euro. The GBP is not much better and the market has started to focus on this also. At least Thailand has a sound banking system, and government debt is nothing to worry about.

Surely this must weaken the Baht!!!!

LOL

You're joking, of course.

[animatic]

Sad. ISA is essentialy "martial law in a particular area." Guess they don't have much faith in the police to deal with protests, like police manages to do in almost any other country in the world.

The police force is a para-military organisation with a more significant percentage of Thaksin oriented personnel and a command structure that identifies less rigidly with the national docrine. From the perspective of the elites it is unreliable, unpredictable and unaccountable. (As we all know )

The military by contrast has well delineated allegiances whilst encouraging "healthy" competition and rivalries and has a pretty good idea who can be relied upon and who can't. Personnel are shuffled accordingly. In my opinion it was Thaksins meddling in this preserve is what bought on the 2006 coup.

I can agree with this.

It's not just from the perspective of the elites, but from many Thais.

The BIB is not trusted near as much as the army. Never has been.

In the last 20 years or so army grew in stature, and the police remained

the same street mafia it always was. Not saying the army is loved or fully trusted.

But regardless of your feelings about the coup, the flowers of 2006

would NEVER have been given to the Police...

[animatic]

b

It is needed. Well done.

Stop talking rubbish, this is thailand and the thai,s have a right to demonstrate how they chose fit,this is one sure way of over reaction, when will us farang just keep our mouths shut and mind our own business,

When a Government passes laws to take away the God Given right(s) to protest, that gov. is not a Democratic Gov. Beware for they will not stop at this point.I pray that inocent lives are not lost. No matter what your political preferences may be.

Such a judeo-christian western statement.

God given rights to protest the government.

Seems we are in a Buddhist land 95% at least and I don't remember the Buddha

giving out the right to proytest the government.

Actually more like he taught man to ignore the government as irrelevant to his personal progress.

Actually I don't remember the Bible granting 'a right to protest the government'.

I remember; "Render unto Ceasar what is Ceasars and render unto God what is Gods."

If you wanted to say Elinore Roosevelt or UN give rights to protest the government I'd believe you.

Certainly man has a right to protest and be heard by his leaders, but we can not expect

'our Gods to be their Gods', all across the world.

Edited March 9, 2010 by animatic

[alimike]

Over the last few days there has been a lot of flying around Udon airport. Namely A10 "Tankbusters" and large troop aircraft.

Perhaps the Government are going to use that sledge hammer after all !

[Ricardo]

I kinda hate the idea of the ISA being invoked BUT I hate the idea of Thai killing Thai even more!

Ditto.

This is not a demonstration for democracy, Thailand already has an elected government, which the Red-Shirts now want to overthrow, and there are elections due in less than a couple of years.

It isn't a fight for justice, because Thaksin can't accept justice, when he receives it he runs from it !

It's not about the rights of the poor, many of the improvements made during the TRT-governments have continued, many more have been found to be corrupt failures and rightly stopped.

It's all about one man and his money, unable to accept his loss-of-face, and that his time has passed. No Thai blood should be spilt, in his defense, let-alone to return him to power.

[animatic]

I am only saying I have firsthand account that some of the violence was provoked...

Don't you get it? Nobody FORCED the red shirts to attack and occupy the Asean summit. They did that. They are 100 percent responsible. The blue shirt show is completely irrelevant. The blue shirts didn't force the red shirts to attack the summit, end of story.

I am not into humoring discussions of the currently dormant yellow shirts in these times when it is the red shirts actively seeking a revolution.

My view is the rule of the mad mob needs to stop sometime and now may be a good time. The dream of Thaksin as dictator is really not very appealing to most thoughtful people.

However the Yellows were forced to occupy the airport!? [please don't blab on about it was 'justified', both sides have their 'justifications' and therein lies the map for the forseeable future - Sondhi's main 'justification' was to cover up the corruption he was involved with his his crony pal Thaksin. he helped bank roll Thaksin into power, then got billlioooonnssss in 'debt forgiveness = corruption]

Thailand has to choose one crocodile or the other, both sides are pathetic and products of a very poorly designed structure for ruling a country.

One side scuttles a conference the other side terrorises an International airport = both idiots.

The incoherence and blinkered illogic of your statements is astounding.

Better luck next time.

[marshbags]

I kinda hate the idea of the ISA being invoked BUT I hate the idea of Thai killing Thai even more!

Ditto.

This is not a demonstration for democracy, Thailand already has an elected government, which the Red-Shirts now want to overthrow, and there are elections due in less than a couple of years.

It isn't a fight for justice, because Thaksin can't accept justice, when he receives it he runs from it !

It's not about the rights of the poor, many of the improvements made during the TRT-governments have continued, many more have been found to be corrupt failures and rightly stopped.

It's all about one man and his money, unable to accept his loss-of-face, and that his time has passed. No Thai blood should be spilt, in his defense, let-alone to return him to power.

Spot on Ricardo

If only those being foolishly used for his evil self serving objectives would come to their senses and realise this.

marshbags

Edited March 9, 2010 by marshbags

[ThaiEye]

No need for foreigners to get worked up at all.

Even after the coup, besides a few soldiers and a couple of tanks parked along the street, there was no difference whatsoever to anyone's daily life. Security law or no security law, no difference to us.

Edited March 9, 2010 by ThaiEye

[jdinasia]

When a Government passes laws to take away the God Given right(s) to protest, that gov. is not a Democratic Gov. Beware for they will not stop at this point.I pray that inocent lives are not lost. No matter what your political preferences may be.

HUH?

Have you ever been to Thailand?

[animatic]

However the Yellows were forced to occupy the airport!?

Did I say that? Did anyone say that? The yellows are NOT the issue right now. It is the reds. It is the reds massing in Bankok now with revolution in their hearts. Do you think just because of what happened with the yellows, that an endless cycle of government changes by rule of angry mobs is the way to go? Well, I don't. Its got to stop sometime or else this country is doomed.

Certainly there must be line in the sand drawn to end this mob rule madness.

Just because Thaksin was stopped by the army,

doesn't mean that the yellows taking the airport made it happen to PPP also,

the MOST you can says is :

No one except Thaksin puppets PPP wanted the PPP still in control at that time.

Their ineptitude was clear to all.

The PAD may or may NOT have sped up the fully expected court decision to dissolve PPP,

by many a week or two.

And that sped up process towards a forgone conclusion was mostly

as a birtthdasy present of peace for a certain persons birthday.

PAD didn't bring down PPP.

PPP getting caught cheating from top down in 2007 election DID bring it down.

This cycle of tit for tat mob attempts to bring down governments

and the propaganda attemtpsd at justfications for this have to stop.

Protest yes, sway voters yes with FACTS yes,

bring down the governments regularly no.

[Thai at Heart]

I kinda hate the idea of the ISA being invoked BUT I hate the idea of Thai killing Thai even more!

Ditto.

This is not a demonstration for democracy, Thailand already has an elected government, which the Red-Shirts now want to overthrow, and there are elections due in less than a couple of years.

It isn't a fight for justice, because Thaksin can't accept justice, when he receives it he runs from it !

It's not about the rights of the poor, many of the improvements made during the TRT-governments have continued, many more have been found to be corrupt failures and rightly stopped.

It's all about one man and his money, unable to accept his loss-of-face, and that his time has passed. No Thai blood should be spilt, in his defense, let-alone to return him to power.

The inherent problem is that the ISA is being continuously invoked before anything goes wrong. Why can't they just line up the riot police, batons, horses and try to police the event. If it all goes pearshaped then invoke the ISA and sort it out.

Invoking this act time after time after time is not what it was meant to be used for. Although maybe this is exactly what it was meant to be used for. Democratic government with the silken fist of the army coming to the fore to keep a false peace.

Why is it necessary to provide the army with the ability to circumvent standing laws and the rights of the protesters prior to them doing anything wrong?

I am no Thaksin fan, and I am no lover of riots, but if people want to protest they should be allowed to without the weight of the ISA hanging over their heads. People should be allowed to protest, not violently but as vociferously as they like. I fear that be enabling the ISA ahead of time and putting the army and the protesters in such close proximity the temperature is raised.

I hope that things stay calm because if you believe everything that the Nation is putting out there, you would believe that Bangkok is about to descend into guerilla war. Any confirmation on whether it was 6, 600 or 6000 guns that went missing.

[cdnvic]

Over the last few days there has been a lot of flying around Udon airport. Namely A10 "Tankbusters" and large troop aircraft.

Perhaps the Government are going to use that sledge hammer after all !

Thailand doesn't have any A-10s.

[tonywebster]

I kinda hate the idea of the ISA being invoked BUT I hate the idea of Thai killing Thai even more!

Ditto.

This is not a demonstration for democracy, Thailand already has an elected government, which the Red-Shirts now want to overthrow, and there are elections due in less than a couple of years.

It isn't a fight for justice, because Thaksin can't accept justice, when he receives it he runs from it !

It's not about the rights of the poor, many of the improvements made during the TRT-governments have continued, many more have been found to be corrupt failures and rightly stopped.

It's all about one man and his money, unable to accept his loss-of-face, and that his time has passed. No Thai blood should be spilt, in his defense, let-alone to return him to power.

really?