Thailand to impose security law for Thaksin protests

[Ulysses G.]

If, as many on here seem to suggest, the many of this country are held to ransom by the few than there is an easy way to settle the argument once and for all...at the ballot box.

Bite your tongue!

[denissr]

"Draconian" Internal Security Act (ISA) likely to be implemented between March

11-23

Did anyone but me notice how this word was added to a headline. This is how the media manupilates the news rather that just report it. Now right off, those that don't notice this are led to believe the Government is doing a bad thing. Truthfully, I don't know if it will turn out to be good or bad. But I do regonize that a Government must protect all the people and not allow any faction to disrupt the lives and commerece of it's citizens with violence. Past history shows there will be violence.

[granuaile]

Foul, dude.

Be careful, be very careful about making idiotic assumptions about what people of various nationalities think. Yes, I am American, and let us explore that a bit.

-- I am an American who thinks George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and Dick Cheney are war criminals who should be locked up

-- I also think Thaksin should be charged with thousands of extra-judicial murders against his own people

-- I am an American who thinks that fear of terrorism has been used very effectively to suppress the freedoms of my people and for cynical political gains (and profits)

-- I am an American who will always believe Bush stole the presidency from Gore in 2000 so he was not a legitimate president in the first place. This point is very relevant to the Thai situation now. Yes I know many red shirts Thais passionately feel Abhisit is not a legit PM. But in my case, even though I felt Gore should have put up a fight, I never for one second thought the pro-Gore forces should --

attack the life and property of GW Bush

break up international conferences

threaten to light gas trucks in urban slums

throw bombs at banks

defend pro-Gore people who would be arrested for promoting violence and bombing

throw Molotov cocktails

effect political murders (as in Chiang Mai, etc.)

burn buses, etc. etc. etc.

continue to support Gore if he was convicted of massive corruption and also fled the country like a coward to avoid facing the consequences (as Thaksin, the leader of the red shirts, has)

So be clear on this, my politics (US and Thai) are consistent and logical and I am not the stereotyped ugly American you clearly love to hate.

I agree with you on all points.

[peecee]

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.

[granuaile]

Suan Dusit Poll said nearly half of all Bangkok residents did not want the rally to take place and one in three said they feared violence would erupt as past mass rallies had ended with bloodshed.

Which history has quite often shown to be the authorities mowing down innocents.

Ahhh but the Thai authorities were not been the ones shedding blood last year, rather it was the red shirts. The military and police acted last April with admirable restraint it seems to me, and I think will do so again although I don't think they will allow it to get so out of control now.

[Thanh-BKK]

@mythbuster

It may be the case in "The Western World" that the vote of a poor bastard counts as much as any other - however HERE the problem is that those "poor bastards" are all too willing to sell their vote for the price of two beers - and that is not exactly democratic.

If that would even attempted in The Western World the party doing so would be disbanded not in weeks and months but in hours, while here they are crying foul when it actually happens (see TRT and PPP, both disbanded for vote buying as had been observed by many people including myself).

And i myself am not a teacher, neither fake nor real, and didn't touch alcohol for the last 17 years either. I live in Bangkok but am doing perfectly well without female "entertainment" and i don't have ASTV on my television, if i had i wouldn't watch it (i rarely watch television anyway).

I come from a country that, in my lifetime, had an actual revolution which lead to the re-unification of that formerly divided country (it was in fact two separate countries before) and that same revolution brought along the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and the end of the cold war. The people starting that revolution had a just cause - it, too, was against the government and it, too, involved hundreds of thousands of people marching in the streets.

HOWEVER here in Thailand all they march for is one single person paying a select number of them in cash to march and the others are drawn in with (mostly false) promises or sheer misinformation ("come to Bangkok, we have a huge party there, free booze!") and the only "cause" is to have that one single's person past crimes forgiven, his ill-gotten wealth returned and him being returned to power so he can continue sucking the blood of the country and it's population.

One doesn't need to be a professor to see that. But one must be brainwashed to NOT see it.

Best regards.....

Thanh

[anotherpeter]

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)

[SeanMoran]

I live in Bangkok but am doing perfectly well without female "entertainment"

You told us already that you have a boyfriend.

[bmurlowe]

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,

No reasonable government in the world would sit back and allow free rein to a violent terrorist movement massing in their capital. If you actually believe the red shirts are a peaceful movement, I would agree with you. However, I think the proof is overwhelming that they are a violent movement willing to do anything to achieve their goals. That is simply not acceptable.

Certainly given what happened last year the penchant for violence by at least some factions would make this decision prudent at the least. I would hope the government would not sit back and allow the blockading of roads, attacks on residents of Bangkok, and attempts at exploding trucks full of gasoline in residential areas, not to mention the threats made by prominent members of the red shirt movement and actual terrorist acts involving explosives in Bangkok.

Agreed. Given their history, this move seems prudent and needed. If there is a repeat of their action from last April, but with a million of them loose this time, the ability to control that sort of situation is paramount.

[SeanMoran]

Agreed. Given their history, this move seems prudent and needed. If there is a repeat of their action from last April, but with a million of them loose this time, the ability to control that sort of situation is paramount.

This will be the Grand Final, just like a footy game, but not with rubber balls.

[featography]

It is needed. Well done.

"The recommendation follows an announcement by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that he had cancelled a five day trip to Australia scheduled to take place between March March 13 and 17."

I think PM Abhisit Vejjajiva just realized, being out of the country, is a popular way to get coup'd out of office.Read between the lines people. He is worried about his position. I am sure he is fully aware the Yellow brigade is very dissatisfied with his performance as well. For that reason, he wants to spread the power trip he is feeling, through out the country's Red Shirt brigade, with fear.Btw, if you farang got out of the drinking holes, away from the influence of the relatives you live with and around, started really surveying the local businesses, you would find the majority of the small business owners are glued to the Red Shirt channel on their tv's.I like to inventory small businesses in the multitude of villages in my city and province, jot down items I find that I may need in the future. That way I know where to go if I need... The number of Red Shirt channels on tv in these businesses far out number those watching the yellow channel.

[anotherpeter]

Suan Dusit Poll said nearly half of all Bangkok residents did not want the rally to take place and one in three said they feared violence would erupt as past mass rallies had ended with bloodshed.

Which history has quite often shown to be the authorities mowing down innocents.

Ahhh but the Thai authorities were not been the ones shedding blood last year, rather it was the red shirts. The military and police acted last April with admirable restraint it seems to me, and I think will do so again although I don't think they will allow it to get so out of control now.

Whatever happens this weekend, the reds will spin it their way. If the government does nothing about the protests and it gets out of control, then they are weak and aren't fit to be there. If the government (or the army) respond with force then they aren't fit to manage the country and should step down.

[SeanMoran]

It is needed. Well done.

"The recommendation follows an announcement by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that he had cancelled a five day trip to Australia scheduled to take place between March March 13 and 17."

I think PM Abhisit Vejjajiva just realized, being out of the country, is a popular way to get coup'd out of office.Read between the lines people. He is worried about his position. I am sure he is fully aware the Yellow brigade is very dissatisfied with his performance as well. For that reason, he wants to spread the power trip he is feeling, through out the country's Red Shirt brigade, with fear.Btw, if you farang got out of the drinking holes, away from the influence of the relatives you live with and around, started really surveying the local businesses, you would find the majority of the small business owners are glued to the Red Shirt channel on their tv's.I like to inventory small businesses in the multitude of villages in my city and province, jot down items I find that I may need in the future. That way I know where to go if I need... The number of Red Shirt channels on tv in these businesses far out number those watching the yellow channel.

Yea when the monks go marching, the tribe has spoken.

[anotherpeter]

It is needed. Well done.

"The recommendation follows an announcement by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that he had cancelled a five day trip to Australia scheduled to take place between March March 13 and 17."

I think PM Abhisit Vejjajiva just realized, being out of the country, is a popular way to get coup'd out of office.Read between the lines people. He is worried about his position. I am sure he is fully aware the Yellow brigade is very dissatisfied with his performance as well. For that reason, he wants to spread the power trip he is feeling, through out the country's Red Shirt brigade, with fear.Btw, if you farang got out of the drinking holes, away from the influence of the relatives you live with and around, started really surveying the local businesses, you would find the majority of the small business owners are glued to the Red Shirt channel on their tv's.I like to inventory small businesses in the multitude of villages in my city and province, jot down items I find that I may need in the future. That way I know where to go if I need... The number of Red Shirt channels on tv in these businesses far out number those watching the yellow channel.

I was trying to come up with a logical response to this ... but it's just tripe.

[dom samui]

It is needed. Well done.

"The recommendation follows an announcement by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that he had cancelled a five day trip to Australia scheduled to take place between March March 13 and 17."

I think PM Abhisit Vejjajiva just realized, being out of the country, is a popular way to get coup'd out of office.Read between the lines people. He is worried about his position. I am sure he is fully aware the Yellow brigade is very dissatisfied with his performance as well. For that reason, he wants to spread the power trip he is feeling, through out the country's Red Shirt brigade, with fear.Btw, if you farang got out of the drinking holes, away from the influence of the relatives you live with and around, started really surveying the local businesses, you would find the majority of the small business owners are glued to the Red Shirt channel on their tv's.I like to inventory small businesses in the multitude of villages in my city and province, jot down items I find that I may need in the future. That way I know where to go if I need... The number of Red Shirt channels on tv in these businesses far out number those watching the yellow channel.

I Live in te south and it's the opposite...

[granuaile]

Agreed. Given their history, this move seems prudent and needed. If there is a repeat of their action from last April, but with a million of them loose this time, the ability to control that sort of situation is paramount.

This will be the Grand Final, just like a footy game, but not with rubber balls.

I think the government needs to do whatever is necessary to protect Bangkok and the citizens of Bangkok. Last year they showed considerable restraint. I hope there is no bloodshed this year from either side, but if similar acts of violence to those last April are perpetrated this year, I think the government will be justified in whatever steps are necessary. If people come here with the intent to destroy property and injure or kill people they have no basis to claim foul.

[granuaile]

It is needed. Well done.

"The recommendation follows an announcement by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that he had cancelled a five day trip to Australia scheduled to take place between March March 13 and 17."

I think PM Abhisit Vejjajiva just realized, being out of the country, is a popular way to get coup'd out of office.Read between the lines people. He is worried about his position. I am sure he is fully aware the Yellow brigade is very dissatisfied with his performance as well. For that reason, he wants to spread the power trip he is feeling, through out the country's Red Shirt brigade, with fear.Btw, if you farang got out of the drinking holes, away from the influence of the relatives you live with and around, started really surveying the local businesses, you would find the majority of the small business owners are glued to the Red Shirt channel on their tv's.I like to inventory small businesses in the multitude of villages in my city and province, jot down items I find that I may need in the future. That way I know where to go if I need... The number of Red Shirt channels on tv in these businesses far out number those watching the yellow channel.

Yea when the monks go marching, the tribe has spoken.

And you really believe the Red Shirt propaganda about monks participating? I seriously doubt you will see many monks in this.

[SeanMoran]

It is needed. Well done.

"The recommendation follows an announcement by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that he had cancelled a five day trip to Australia scheduled to take place between March March 13 and 17."

I think PM Abhisit Vejjajiva just realized, being out of the country, is a popular way to get coup'd out of office.Read between the lines people. He is worried about his position. I am sure he is fully aware the Yellow brigade is very dissatisfied with his performance as well. For that reason, he wants to spread the power trip he is feeling, through out the country's Red Shirt brigade, with fear.Btw, if you farang got out of the drinking holes, away from the influence of the relatives you live with and around, started really surveying the local businesses, you would find the majority of the small business owners are glued to the Red Shirt channel on their tv's.I like to inventory small businesses in the multitude of villages in my city and province, jot down items I find that I may need in the future. That way I know where to go if I need... The number of Red Shirt channels on tv in these businesses far out number those watching the yellow channel.

Yea when the monks go marching, the tribe has spoken.

And you really believe the Red Shirt propaganda about monks participating? I seriously doubt you will see many monks in this.

I am not Seano Nostradamus, but this weekend will tell. If the Temple supports the march, then Thailand will support the coup, especially seeing it has already voted democratically more than once for this. The tribe has spoken, so shoot us if you must.

[anotherpeter]

i am sick to death of all these left wing farangs moaning about the reds! if the so called yellow shirts (imbeciles) had not been allowed to close down the airport and change govt then none of this would have happened!! wake up, thaksin was no better/ no worse than other elected officials throughout the world. look at obama and the bribes he has paid to try and get health care through!!! who cares if a few votes were rigged. it would not have made a DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the thai democratic society (allegedly) voted before and they should have been allowed to have the govt they elected! i hope the country comes to its knees and all the hiso's in bkk suffer. they are just simpletons with cash, no more/no less. who wants an Totalitarian govt run by 'rich' people in bkk?? let the masses control the masses through a govt that is ELECTED! i am english and abbashit is a thai tony blair ( all smiles but full of piles!!)

How many government officials in the world do you know that made billions of dollars through their corruption while being PM?

[ovaltina]

From the original text.

"There has been a large number of redshirt rallies over the past 10 months and all of them have been violence free.

After the choking laughter subsided, I would say as a rule in life, if you ever hear somebody blatantly lying in the face of documented evidence like this, they are "fanaticised". There is no other word for somebody who simply states his case regardless of the evidence, it is the actions of a fanatic. Even liars have a certain respect for the truth, they realise they are breaking it & they make small concessions. A fanatic states that his God/Leader/ whatever is 100% right. When I hear that kind of talk, I get the fear.

BBC News for one thing have shown technicolour high definiton news stories of Reds bashing people's heads in etc.etc. , and the Asean leaders fleeing off the top of the conference building in emergency helicopters. Maybe they were fleeing in their helicopters from an outbreak of 'violence free' protest.

Violence when used by either side is not only wrong but plain stupid. But to make a speech plainly lying like this is worrying, it is the mark of the brainwashed.

I see the difference here between the nice old Muslim man who owns my corner shop & who I always have a lovely chat & joke with when I buy my vegetables, and the drooling Jihadist fanatics who claim that everybody is guilty except them etcetcetc. It is the difference between the people in these rural villages who wouldn't mind having more amenities etc, and the silly fanatic who made this speech @ top of thread.

Fact is that all people, rural & urban are washing and drinking water that is recycled from each-others waste. It makes an absurd mockery that we are all poeple, all made out of the same water, why on earth start the 'us against them' mentality.

As soon as you take up the idiotic doctrine of "us against them" , as oppose to "us", you have essentially walked away from Civilisation. When you add a weapon to the equation you are time travelling back to the Stone Ages. Say hello to Fred & Wilma Flintstone for me.

[featography]

Stupidity rules on this forum. I understand that most repliers are drunks, fake teachers and know everything about THailand, no more specific, Bangkok when it comes to the prices of female entertainers. Very few seem to have grasped how a democracy works. Very few have understood that even the former civil servants are turning en mass into supporters of the UDD. Abhisit and his puppert master Suthep should indeed be very worried. Did they get away a year ago with the violence that they themselves orchestrated (Black and blue shirts beating up Red shirts at the hill in Pattaya) shooting with sharp on protestors, the fact that 20,000 monks will take part brings us to the comparison with Burma. You cannot beat up a monk. So you claim that weapons of war have been stolen (how incompetent of Anupong and friends) and I mean real guns not an hot air balloon of 250 million baht that is leaking and will never really fly, not the funny transistor radio antenna's that were turned into bomb scanners, money scanners, shit scanners whatever card you threw into it. Not even the aircraft carrier that was never meant to sail and is rotting away in Satahip or anything else funny that Anupong is responsible for and what the Thai people have to pay for.

The situation is clear and simple. Any child good solve the problem Elections. You cannot sit on the chair that does not belong to you. Not one European, American, Australian, would except that the army came in annulled the results of an elections, wrote a new constitution on a fresh roll of toilet paper and held new elections, from which hey asked the courts to annul the results because they did not like it. And than asked Anupong to threaten 60 politicians to change parties or else. If the government had came to power through elections they might have had the right to ignore the demonstrations. Now the demonstrators have the duty to wipe away the government

Hard to understand for drunks watch ASTV in their bars easy for the rest of us, who grew up with the idea that the vote of a poor bastard is just as important as the vote of Bill gates.

W O W ! You nailed that one to the wall.

[TerraPosse]

If, as many on here seem to suggest, the many of this country are held to ransom by the few than there is an easy way to settle the argument once and for all...at the ballot box.

Bite your tongue!

And why is that?  May the highest bidder win. 

[handydog]

Those that play by the rules have nothing to fair.

(It does become frustration when the rules are so fluid as they are tho.) IMO

[Scott]

Just a gentle reminder to not flame other posters. Also, let's not refer to either color group as terrorists. Neither side has actively condoned the use of terrorism. Whether individuals have, is a different matter, but I consider the use of the term at this point in time to be defamatory.

Please use care in posting.

Thanks

[geriatrickid]

It is needed. Well done.

You are in good historical company. Many Italians also applauded Mussolini.

According to the experts of Thai Visa the rally isn't going to attract more than a few thousand what with Mr. Thaksin a "spent" force. One doesn't usually declare the equivalent of martial law unless one is afraid of an uprising. Someone has it wrong. Either the government is over reacting to the possibility of a few thousaand uneducated Issan farmers that according to the expert analysis of some TV members will be too drunk to walk or too stupid to find their way to the rally or there will be hundreds of thousands of people visiting Bangkok.

Now that's today's mystery question.

[landofthefree]

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,

No reasonable government in the world would sit back and allow free rein to a violent terrorist movement massing in their capital. If you actually believe the red shirts are a peaceful movement, I would agree with you. However, I think the proof is overwhelming that they are a violent movement willing to do anything to achieve their goals. That is simply not acceptable.

That is not acceptable is your comment. You have no evidence to speak about terrorist movement and I fully agree with the previous comment saying as Farang keep your mouth shut. It's right to the Thai people to demonstrate what they want, could be yellow or red; it's their country and their business not ours and even we have opinions, keep it for us. I would never accept in my country foreigners speaking about what is OK and what is wrong, that's all.

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

[elcent]

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?

[GungaDin]

Let's remind ourselves of the Redshit's behaviour last April.

Maybe someone could embed this clip for me

cheers

[ovaltina]

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.

[SeanMoran]

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

Yes! Then tomorrow we take Mumbai, Friday Beijing, then we take Berlin!

Easy as that.