Red Shirts Plan To Paralyse Bangkok, Topple Thai Government

[Paul123456]

Interesting.

Well presented and studied possibility.

Thank you for sharing.

A possible scenario which no one considers here is the fall of the Abhisit government in parliament - about a month ago there was speculation that Sanan from Chat Thai Pattana, one of the Democrat's coalition partners, may be the person who Puea Thai nominates as the PM candidate in the upcoming no-confidence debate vote.

The red shirts would be mere bystanders and the pressure on the street to attack the current government with peaceful but effective means from two fronts.

If this scenario plays out and any violence should occur it is surely government / army sponsored to create the pretext fro a coup if the government should fall in parliament through a no confidence motion.

*rest of post removed, see reasons below*

I am posting it again this time with source / quote and unquote

A possible scenario which no one considers here is the fall of the Abhisit government in parliament - about a month ago there was speculation that Sanan from Chat Thai Pattana, one of the Democrat's coalition partners, may be the person who Puea Thai nominates as the PM candidate in the upcoming no-confidence debate vote.

The red shirts would be mere bystanders and the pressure on the street to attack the current government with peaceful but effective means from two fronts. If this scenario plays out and any violence should occur it is surely government / army sponsored to create the pretext fro a coup if the government should fall in parliament through a no confidence motion.

As blogged by Bangkok Pundit then:

source Asian correspondent Bangkok Pundit blog

Quote:

“In the upcoming no-confidence debate, the government can change if there is a vote of no-confidence in the PM.

Puea Thai will lead it and are meant to provide the name of the new PM. Puea Thai have about 189 MPs, Chat Thai Pattana about 25, and Bhum Jai Thai about 33. Then you have Pracharaj and some other MPs part of other coalition parties, but more closely aligned with Puea Thai totalling about 15-20. This gets you around 260 MPs out of 480 MPs which is a majority, although they may want to pick up 10 MPs to give them a clearer majority. Now, one way to convince Chat Thai Pattana to leave the government would be for Puea Thai to choose of the Chat Thai Pattana MPs, namely Sanan, to be PM. Then, if you get Bhum Jai Thai onboard - Abhisit is gone. This still seems unlikely although certainly not impossible as both Chat Thai Pattana and Bhum Jai Thai are not happy with the Democrats. Whether they would leave the government is a different matter, but above is a path on how it might happen.

Why Sanan? He was Secretary-General of the Democrats and Interior Minister under Chuan. He can hardly be attacked as some Thaksin lackey then.”

Thanong of The Nation believes it will happen in a new post of his entitled "A secret plot to support Maj Gen Sanan as new PM"

On March 14, the Puea Thai Party plans to launch a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Thaksin Shinawatra, who still musters control over this party, already has secret support from Banharn Silapa-archa, the leader of the Chat Thai Pattana. Newin Chidchob of the Bhumjai Thai is also ready to jump ship to join this new coalition. The no-confidence motion will take place while the Red Shirts' rallies are going on in full steam. Several hundred thousands of Red Shirts would be blocking Bangkok and planning mass rally to topple the Abhisit government.

Chalerm Yoobamrung will be left in the cold. His recent squabbles with Jae Noi, Sudarat Keyuraphand, for control of Pheu Thai, are not going any where. It is a sideshow.

We have to see whether it is possible for the Pheu Thai, with support from the defected coalition partners, to resort to parliamentary tactics to throw out Abhisit from the premiership. Then it would propose Maj Gen Sanan as the next PM -- not Chalerm

unquote

- senior Chat Thai Pattana figures have been going on the record to deny this – but note that no Chat Thai Pattana Ministers will be facing a no-confidence vote!

so watch out for who will be proposed as the PM before the no confident motion and you will most likely know what will play out.

It now all depends on what has been going on behind the scenes and who has been promised what - there is no loyalty in Thai politics – and some coalition partners are already unhappy with the democrats – the money is not flowing as predicted – if you know what I mean. Yes fighting corruption in this country can cost you – after all most of the players in Thai politics are in it for the money and nothing else – so loyalties can shift quickly. (see Newin ) The yellow shirts can then cry foul “non-elected” government like the reds do now – only difference is the democrats can not win an election – the reds would go for a democratic election and win –Thaksin is pardoned and gets back all his money – and Anupong can go packing and apply for asylum abroad or stages a coup - cunning plan don’t you think so?

What we might see on the 14^th or 15^th is a peacefully toppled government in parliament with added pressure from the red shirts on the streets - or a coup - or both.

[lucjoker]

How is it possible that a convicted escaped criminal ,is giving speeches

on thai tv ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Stirring up the masses !

Provoking the goverment !

Threathening to block the capital !!!!!!!

And he can do all this ?????????????????

Well maby he truly "IS" a leader????????

And the rest are squared mices ????????

Let them clash than !

Let them fight it out ,or its going to last forever !

This is a nr 1 circus !

[hammered]

Judging from reading through here, whatever actually happens on the big days everyone will only see what they want and intertpret it the way they want. That is the biggest worry. For those involved there is no middle ground or give and take.

[dasy]

Another thread of circular arguments where most people again ignore the fact that this is Thailand and thus the government should be a reflection of what the Thai people want. The fact that some of you farang are taking sides is somewhat embarrassing (as a farang). Thailand has lived with corruption from day one. It's living with corruption now. The yellows and the reds are fighting for power, not democracy. They both used the same propagandist tools when in power. Thaksin's corruption is basically irrelevant because it's the nature of the game here in Thailand. The army, however, decides who gets to dole out the cake in the end. It wouldn't surprise me if they took control again this weekend. They are the controlling political force in Thailand... not the MPs and not the electorate.

After all (and I am not a Thaksin supporter), if Thakin's policies were all so horrible in the eyes of the Thais, and if democracy had been allowed to run its proper course... he should have been ousted in the next election. Corruption is moot, every election has vote buying on all sides, and every government fills its pockets (often directly from state coffers). And since Thaksin was "running the country into ruin" that natural course would have been preferable. Instead we got a yellow plague, and then a coup, and a reactionist red plague.

Personally, I don't see a happy solution for all of this. I hope I'm wrong... but I certainly do not see a right side or a wrong side the way Thais look at things. For me, sure, it's easy... enforce the rule of law, build a strong constitution, and take power away from the military to enforce it's own political agenda. I don't think any of those things will happen while I'm here (and I'm not planning on leaving soon). So, in the meantime... let's just hope for some peace and relative stability. Let the elections commence and the next round of crooks get into office, and throw them out so that the next group gets their chance.

As for you rabid PDA supporters. If rule of law were enforced, those guys would be up on the docket side by side with the Thaksin rabble. If you think either color has something to offer in terms of progress or democracy in Thailand, you are seriously deluded. And what's with you guys ignoring the airport problem? As for the Reds... yes, it's true that Thaksin had populist policies that benefitted the poor (short term), but despite his heart-felt speeches about loving the poor and trying to protect them, he never spent a baht of his own money to help them. He spent government money on them as a political tool to gain their support. I have yet to see any evidence of him doing anything humanitarian or socially constructive with his own wealth.

I am sorry for you people in Bangkok who have to endure the epicenter of all this silliness... but it too shall pass (eventually). Meanwhile, up in the North we are enjoying the benefits of SEA rural planning. Everything is on fire, the air is filthy, and my neighbors decided it's a good time to start burning their trash instead of walking it to the corner.

Best thing to do is to wait till the dust settles and let the shit hit the fan. Lay low have a beer or two and life will continue (oops) soon and will be back to normal.

David

[topsecret]

The Abhisit government is legit and decent

Where where you when the democratically government was overthrown in a coup.. twice?

The Abhisit government was never elected, in fact they lost on the past two elections!

[kayo8213]

T-T

please don't block the airport

[tijnebijn]

Another thread of circular arguments where most people again ignore the fact that this is Thailand and thus the government should be a reflection of what the Thai people want. The fact that some of you farang are taking sides is somewhat embarrassing (as a farang). Thailand has lived with corruption from day one. It's living with corruption now. The yellows and the reds are fighting for power, not democracy. They both used the same propagandist tools when in power. Thaksin's corruption is basically irrelevant because it's the nature of the game here in Thailand. The army, however, decides who gets to dole out the cake in the end. It wouldn't surprise me if they took control again this weekend. They are the controlling political force in Thailand... not the MPs and not the electorate.

After all (and I am not a Thaksin supporter), if Thakin's policies were all so horrible in the eyes of the Thais, and if democracy had been allowed to run its proper course... he should have been ousted in the next election. Corruption is moot, every election has vote buying on all sides, and every government fills its pockets (often directly from state coffers). And since Thaksin was "running the country into ruin" that natural course would have been preferable. Instead we got a yellow plague, and then a coup, and a reactionist red plague.

Personally, I don't see a happy solution for all of this. I hope I'm wrong... but I certainly do not see a right side or a wrong side the way Thais look at things. For me, sure, it's easy... enforce the rule of law, build a strong constitution, and take power away from the military to enforce it's own political agenda. I don't think any of those things will happen while I'm here (and I'm not planning on leaving soon). So, in the meantime... let's just hope for some peace and relative stability. Let the elections commence and the next round of crooks get into office, and throw them out so that the next group gets their chance.

As for you rabid PDA supporters. If rule of law were enforced, those guys would be up on the docket side by side with the Thaksin rabble. If you think either color has something to offer in terms of progress or democracy in Thailand, you are seriously deluded. And what's with you guys ignoring the airport problem? As for the Reds... yes, it's true that Thaksin had populist policies that benefitted the poor (short term), but despite his heart-felt speeches about loving the poor and trying to protect them, he never spent a baht of his own money to help them. He spent government money on them as a political tool to gain their support. I have yet to see any evidence of him doing anything humanitarian or socially constructive with his own wealth.

I am sorry for you people in Bangkok who have to endure the epicenter of all this silliness... but it too shall pass (eventually). Meanwhile, up in the North we are enjoying the benefits of SEA rural planning. Everything is on fire, the air is filthy, and my neighbors decided it's a good time to start burning their trash instead of walking it to the corner.

I agree with this poster , fair balancing the two sides without choosing one side or the other , but recognising

the faults and only comment on the obvious ignorance and hypocracy what's passing our desktops .

Well done .

[YORKSHIREPUD]

It's not going to work as planned.

Ok, maybe a bunch of people will show up, but the existing government will be fine after the dust settles. Have there been reports of payments for attending?

The Abhisit government is legit and decent. There's no real groundswell against him and his administration. It's another last-ditch and desperate means for an extremely selfish man to try and put his hands back on big money and absolute power.

I see the OP photo of Thaksin with the words "Thailand needs change" He's trying to copy Obama's success with that line. Yes, Thailand needs change, it needs to get good people in leadership roles, and get away from the ugly patterns of having people like Thaksin in the driver's seat. Thailand needs to change being so tolerable to treasonous people like Thaksin. It needs to change being so forgiving to Thaksin's puppets, like Sae Daeng, who toss explosives here and there.

The sooner Thailand changes from being harassed from Thaksin and his followers, the sooner Thailand can get moving forward to improving quality of life and cleaning up the environment and doing the many other things that have been put off because of the incessant hassling from Thaksin and his paid intimidators.

I agree and I hope we are correct that it will not work, I also don't want to see the fall of the present power.

Thaksin did some good and gained a lot of brownie points but then did the dirty deed of using his position in power to further his riches at the cost of the people who put him there.

I'm just a Farang who loves The country, the people, the food, I just love Thailand, I want what is best for Thailand in the future and I don't think that Khun Thaksin is the way to go.

It's up to the smiling people of Thailand.

Violence will not succeed in anything, it will put the economy in further jeopardy due to the drop in tourism AGAIN, why do they shoot themselves in BOTH feet every time there's a chance to boost it with a show of solidarity from all sides and boost tourism, help the Thai export buy weakening the Baht and encouraging more investors than a Thai bar on Bangla.

' Nough said

[Justanotherday]

It's not going to work as planned.

Ok, maybe a bunch of people will show up, but the existing government will be fine after the dust settles. Have there been reports of payments for attending?

The Abhisit government is legit and decent. There's no real groundswell against him and his administration. It's another last-ditch and desperate means for an extremely selfish man to try and put his hands back on big money and absolute power.

I see the OP photo of Thaksin with the words "Thailand needs change" He's trying to copy Obama's success with that line. Yes, Thailand needs change, it needs to get good people in leadership roles, and get away from the ugly patterns of having people like Thaksin in the driver's seat. Thailand needs to change being so tolerable to treasonous people like Thaksin. It needs to change being so forgiving to Thaksin's puppets, like Sae Daeng, who toss explosives here and there.

The sooner Thailand changes from being harassed from Thaksin and his followers, the sooner Thailand can get moving forward to improving quality of life and cleaning up the environment and doing the many other things that have been put off because of the incessant hassling from Thaksin and his paid intimidators.

Please tell me if i am wrong but how can Abhisit government be legit and decent when there was no election. I am a neutral and not for or against the red shirts but Democracy shows credibility to the rest of the world.

[Dap]

It's not going to work as planned.

Ok, maybe a bunch of people will show up, but the existing government will be fine after the dust settles. Have there been reports of payments for attending?

The Abhisit government is legit and decent. There's no real groundswell against him and his administration. It's another last-ditch and desperate means for an extremely selfish man to try and put his hands back on big money and absolute power.

I see the OP photo of Thaksin with the words "Thailand needs change" He's trying to copy Obama's success with that line. Yes, Thailand needs change, it needs to get good people in leadership roles, and get away from the ugly patterns of having people like Thaksin in the driver's seat. Thailand needs to change being so tolerable to treasonous people like Thaksin. It needs to change being so forgiving to Thaksin's puppets, like Sae Daeng, who toss explosives here and there.

The sooner Thailand changes from being harassed from Thaksin and his followers, the sooner Thailand can get moving forward to improving quality of life and cleaning up the environment and doing the many other things that have been put off because of the incessant hassling from Thaksin and his paid intimidators.

The abhisit government is legit?

So you mean to say his party won the last elections, and that they did not get to power because yellow shirts blocked the airport, to dispose of the elected government?

YUP! They did Not get to power because yellow shirts blocked the airport, to dispose of the elected government. How very astute of you

[moo9]

Thaksin is urging his supporters to join the demonstration in BKK.

Cited in Bangkok Post

"There are news that people in Bangkok are scared of flooding and if they're really scared they should bring me back home," Thaksin said. "Tell the Bangkokians that when I'm back, I'll build a dam to prevent flooding in the capital and it will be the most beautiful dam in the world."

I'm really in doubts now whether this guy is still mentally okay?!

Years ago he also promised to solve the traffic problems in BKK lol

[Thai at Heart]

Please tell me if i am wrong but how can Abhisit government be legit and decent when there was no election. I am a neutral and not for or against the red shirts but Democracy shows credibility to the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, as a newbie, one has to understand that despite all the best will in the world, there is a phrase that must be considered the fall back position when one cannot understand the rhyme or reason for outcomes in Thailand. This is not meant in a patronising or superior manner, but is intended to help you understand that not all is as it seems in here.

Of course, one would expect that after a coup, several governments forming themselves and one coalition member defecting with his cohorts that someone would have written in the dam_n constitution that this should automatically trigger an election within a certain amount of time so that votes cast at an election can truly reflect their true intention.

The phrase which I would like to introduce you to is :

This is Thailand

When all is beyond comprehension, it is the safest way to avoid asking obvious questions such as yours.

[tomartoh]

Does anyone know where to sign on for the 2000baht a day.......... and is there any virgins thrown in as well?

[anotherpeter]

The Abhisit government is legit and decent

Where where you when the democratically government was overthrown in a coup.. twice?

The Abhisit government was never elected, in fact they lost on the past two elections!

Maybe someone else can help if it is not clear or if I am incorrect in the time line or the facts:

- Thaksin was the *Caretaker* PM because he couldn't form a government. He was removed from power by a coup (which is NOT democratic) partly because he was trying to change the laws so he could become (full) PM without having new elections.

- After the coup there was another election.

- The PPP got the most votes (or MPs) but not a majority. They had to form a coalition with smaller parties (some of which had campaigned saying that they would not form coalition with the PPP, but did anyway - some people suggest payment, but I don't know).

- The PPP got disbanded because the executives were convicted by the *courts* of election fraud in relation to buying votes. This was at the same time the the "yellow shirts" blockaded the airports. The "yellow shirts" did not bring down the PPP government.

- The Democrats then formed a coalition with the smaller parties to form government.

- There are some outstanding court cases in relation to *some* elected Democrat MPs, but not the executives or the party as a whole.

- There are scheduled to be elections towards the end of 2011.

[Thanh-BKK]

The Abhisit government is legit and decent

Where where you when the democratically government was overthrown in a coup.. twice?

The Abhisit government was never elected, in fact they lost on the past two elections!

Hi.

Yes it IS legit.

No democratically elected government was overthrown in a coup. The Thaksin government itself had BOUGHT the election (paid the voters for their votes, in cash) and at the time the coup happened they weren't actually a government but "caretakers" after Thaksin himself dissolved the house. Thaksin was not the "elected" PM at the time, he was only a "caretaker" PM (and as such not elected but appointed!) and at that was well over the time a "caretaker" could legally hold the position.

After the coup there were elections, Thaksin's puppet party "PPP" tried the old tricks again (massive vote buying, this time observed even by myself) to win a small (!) majority, to govern they needed the help of smaller parties that had gotten a lot of votes from people fed up with both PPP and Democrats. Those small parties initially campaigned with the promise "we will never work with PPP" which got people to vote for them, however after the election something (money?) made them change their mind and into PPP's bed they jumped. However since PPP's election fraud was well observed they faced dissolution from right after the election onward. Then they (PPP) tried to rush constitutional changes as to make their fraud become legal, THAT is what prompted the PAD to ramp up their efforts against them.

Having a PM (Samak) caught lying and cheating while in office didn't help them much either. It wasn't him "cooking on TV" that got him booted but it was LYING about cooking on TV (including forging documents!) which did.

And after that Thaksin's brother-in-law (or something like that, sorry i forgot his exact family position) became PM and from his very first second in office it was clear what he and the government was all about - don't care at all for country and people, it was all about Thaksin himself, to have his crimes deleted from his records and to have him brought back and reinstalled at the top. People DID notice that!

After PPP was then disbanded for electoral fraud (and rightly so) the Democrats formed a coalition with the smaller parties and are hence completely legitimately governing the country, everyone who dares saying different is just simply totally ignorant and/or brain washed.

I said it before and i repeat it here: If the reds wanted democracy, all they had to do is remain silent and, come next election, show the Democrats the red card (literally). However they do not care at all for democracy, they only care for one thing, or rather one person: Thaksin (and, of course, Thaksin's money). A guy who himself said "democracy is NOT my goal". So the whole "democracy" theme becomes a farce and everyone with more than one brain cell should be able to see and understand that.

Best regards......

Thanh (heck just noticed i'm wearing a red t-shirt today!)

[frodo]

Thaksin is urging his supporters to join the demonstration in BKK.

Cited in Bangkok Post

"There are news that people in Bangkok are scared of flooding and if they're really scared they should bring me back home," Thaksin said. "Tell the Bangkokians that when I'm back, I'll build a dam to prevent flooding in the capital and it will be the most beautiful dam in the world."

I'm really in doubts now whether this guy is still mentally okay?!

Years ago he also promised to solve the traffic problems in BKK lol

Better yet, maybe he should come to Thailand and tell the Bangkokians himself. No time like the present.

Edited March 9, 2010 by frodo

[cjustice]

never mind all of us in pattaya will carry on as we always do because nothing affects us anyway apart from the one thing we fear above all else----------------bar closing time !!

Thats a great idea...Pattaya here I come... book me a woom with a view..!!!

intentional spelling mistake?

[Samuian]

Thaksin is urging his supporters to join the demonstration in BKK.

Cited in Bangkok Post

"There are news that people in Bangkok are scared of flooding and if they're really scared they should bring me back home," Thaksin said. "Tell the Bangkokians that when I'm back, I'll build a dam to prevent flooding in the capital and it will be the most beautiful dam in the world."

I'm really in doubts now whether this guy is still mentally okay?!

Years ago he also promised to solve the traffic problems in BKK lol

Spot on - my thoughts!

[cjustice]

last time they pulled this stunt i was 3 days trying to get back home, Abu Dhabi to Malaysia, then to Phuket then to Pattaya and then the yellow bus to Nondindaeng,, a nightmare,,

[dude007]

The Abhisit government is legit and decent

Where where you when the democratically government was overthrown in a coup.. twice?

The Abhisit government was never elected, in fact they lost on the past two elections!

Hi.

Yes it IS legit.

No democratically elected government was overthrown in a coup. The Thaksin government itself had BOUGHT the election (paid the voters for their votes, in cash) and at the time the coup happened they weren't actually a government but "caretakers" after Thaksin himself dissolved the house. Thaksin was not the "elected" PM at the time, he was only a "caretaker" PM (and as such not elected but appointed!) and at that was well over the time a "caretaker" could legally hold the position.

After the coup there were elections, Thaksin's puppet party "PPP" tried the old tricks again (massive vote buying, this time observed even by myself) to win a small (!) majority, to govern they needed the help of smaller parties that had gotten a lot of votes from people fed up with both PPP and Democrats. Those small parties initially campaigned with the promise "we will never work with PPP" which got people to vote for them, however after the election something (money?) made them change their mind and into PPP's bed they jumped. However since PPP's election fraud was well observed they faced dissolution from right after the election onward. Then they (PPP) tried to rush constitutional changes as to make their fraud become legal, THAT is what prompted the PAD to ramp up their efforts against them.

Having a PM (Samak) caught lying and cheating while in office didn't help them much either. It wasn't him "cooking on TV" that got him booted but it was LYING about cooking on TV (including forging documents!) which did.

And after that Thaksin's brother-in-law (or something like that, sorry i forgot his exact family position) became PM and from his very first second in office it was clear what he and the government was all about - don't care at all for country and people, it was all about Thaksin himself, to have his crimes deleted from his records and to have him brought back and reinstalled at the top. People DID notice that!

After PPP was then disbanded for electoral fraud (and rightly so) the Democrats formed a coalition with the smaller parties and are hence completely legitimately governing the country, everyone who dares saying different is just simply totally ignorant and/or brain washed.

I said it before and i repeat it here: If the reds wanted democracy, all they had to do is remain silent and, come next election, show the Democrats the red card (literally). However they do not care at all for democracy, they only care for one thing, or rather one person: Thaksin (and, of course, Thaksin's money). A guy who himself said "democracy is NOT my goal". So the whole "democracy" theme becomes a farce and everyone with more than one brain cell should be able to see and understand that.

Best regards......

Thanh (heck just noticed i'm wearing a red t-shirt today!)

Thanh, thanks for this nice and correct update. Well done!

Edited March 9, 2010 by dude007

[ozzieal]

It's not going to work as planned.

Ok, maybe a bunch of people will show up, but the existing government will be fine after the dust settles. Have there been reports of payments for attending?

The Abhisit government is legit and decent. There's no real groundswell against him and his administration. It's another last-ditch and desperate means for an extremely selfish man to try and put his hands back on big money and absolute power.

I see the OP photo of Thaksin with the words "Thailand needs change" He's trying to copy Obama's success with that line. Yes, Thailand needs change, it needs to get good people in leadership roles, and get away from the ugly patterns of having people like Thaksin in the driver's seat. Thailand needs to change being so tolerable to treasonous people like Thaksin. It needs to change being so forgiving to Thaksin's puppets, like Sae Daeng, who toss explosives here and there.

The sooner Thailand changes from being harassed from Thaksin and his followers, the sooner Thailand can get moving forward to improving quality of life and cleaning up the environment and doing the many other things that have been put off because of the incessant hassling from Thaksin and his paid intimidators.

Yet another diatribe repeated incessantly here on TV to distract from that fact that the majority of Thais want Democracy and equality for all Thais and not just the chosen elites. The rabid words are always the same, almost as if an automated note writer were producing them.

We should all reject this kind of propoganda. We need to re-establish a civil discourse.

Thaksin is no more corrupt than any Thai with any power, he's just better at it!

I'm no expert on the polital situation (as many of you think you are). All I feel is, I've been here for 5 years and over the last few years, the laws have become more anti-falang. Work permits, company share ownership and ownership conditions have all become more costly and racist. They now prefer us to go home and send our money in the post!

Who said " Thais want Democracy and equality for all Thais", they don't know the meaning of democracy, or, following the last "democratic election", why did the yellow shirts destroy the elected winners?

well said mate - you have summed it up in a nutshell

[Old Man River]

Please tell me if i am wrong but how can Abhisit government be legit and decent when there was no election. I am a neutral and not for or against the red shirts but Democracy shows credibility to the rest of the world.

You are wrong. In the US, we hold national elections once every 4 years. In Thailand, the last national election was Dec. 23, 2007. How often do you want elections, once a year?

Thailand has a coalition government. Google politics in Thailand and read up on Thailand's system. You will get a better understanding how easily and often coalition governments change in between national elections in Thailand. This is how it works here.

[seri thai]

How to paralyze such a large city? By Stopping food and water getting in?

everything over 150 000 is critical mass. Easy to paralyze the city.

in case of one million, hmm concentrated in key areas, is the end for Bangkok.

I personally expect not more than 30 000 but amongst them lots of undercover violence which are not red at all, but yellow. If the government fails to indict the yellow leaders within days the city will be doomed.

If it is going to be the yellows dressed in red that will be doing all the violence, then I would expect to see the red 'security guards' dealing with these reds dressed as yellows. That's the only way to show that they are not actually reds.

But what if the security guards have blue shirts underneath or even green ones? Then they might let the yellow shirts through with red shirts on so the red shirts think they are really red shirts .

I will be staying home wearing a white shirt and a straw hat because it's going to be a very hot weekend one way or another

[Jaidii]

QUOTE re Thaksin "I have yet to see any evidence of him doing anything humanitarian or socially constructive with his own wealth"

True, but he's not the richest man in the world either

[neverdie]

Thaksin is urging his supporters to join the demonstration in BKK.

Cited in Bangkok Post

"There are news that people in Bangkok are scared of flooding and if they're really scared they should bring me back home," Thaksin said. "Tell the Bangkokians that when I'm back, I'll build a dam to prevent flooding in the capital and it will be the most beautiful dam in the world."

I'm really in doubts now whether this guy is still mentally okay?!

Years ago he also promised to solve the traffic problems in BKK lol

Well said. I'd agree, the man is a couple of Kangaroos loose in the top paddock, few sandwiches short of a picnic.

I can just see the dam now it would be a blooody fiasco, leaking walls and an eventual failure of the main gate which would leave millions of Bangkokians surfing a Tsunami sized wave....meanwhile some indiscrimately set up company would make off with billions of baht - DISGRACEFUL.

[nevermore93]

I'm not trying to be an alarmist or nut job here, but I tend to notice a coincidence now and then. Compare the following snippets of news quotes and it might give you something to think about. Probably nothing, but it did make me think about it for a few minutes.

2010-03-09 07:28:04

Asked about the potential for violence, Jaran said 5,000 red-shirt guards were trained to ensure things proceed smoothly.

Nattawut Saikua, another key DAAD member, said low-rank military officers from the lower class and grass-roots would work to help the red shirts topple the aristocrat-backed government.

"We call it the watermelon army - meaning they wear a green uniform but have a red heart inside. They will come out to help us," he said.

Compared with:

2010-03-07 17:34:28

Informed sources claim about 6,000 assault rifles and a large amount of explosives were taken from Engineering Regiment 401, part of the Fourth Army Region, in Phatthalung Province, and the theft was only discovered on Tuesday.

Mr. Panitan said the investigation was focusing on the possibility the theft was “an inside job” and that since the loss, security at other army weapons warehouses, especially in Bangkok, has been tightened.

Sometimes I wish I didn't notice these kinds of things, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

[bkkjames]

Thaksin is urging his supporters to join the demonstration in BKK.

Cited in Bangkok Post

"There are news that people in Bangkok are scared of flooding and if they're really scared they should bring me back home," Thaksin said. "Tell the Bangkokians that when I'm back, I'll build a dam to prevent flooding in the capital and it will be the most beautiful dam in the world."

I'm really in doubts now whether this guy is still mentally okay?!

Years ago he also promised to solve the traffic problems in BKK lol

Spot on - my thoughts!

Yea but he was only Bangkok Govenor then. Now he is Moses I guess?

[ballpoint]

Thaksin is urging his supporters to join the demonstration in BKK.

Cited in Bangkok Post

"There are news that people in Bangkok are scared of flooding and if they're really scared they should bring me back home," Thaksin said. "Tell the Bangkokians that when I'm back, I'll build a dam to prevent flooding in the capital and it will be the most beautiful dam in the world."

I'm really in doubts now whether this guy is still mentally okay?!

Years ago he also promised to solve the traffic problems in BKK lol

Well said. I'd agree, the man is a couple of Kangaroos loose in the top paddock, few sandwiches short of a picnic.

I can just see the dam now it would be a blooody fiasco, leaking walls and an eventual failure of the main gate which would leave millions of Bangkokians surfing a Tsunami sized wave....meanwhile some indiscrimately set up company would make off with billions of baht - DISGRACEFUL.

Well, if he's volunteering to be part of the foundations of the dam then I think the people should give it serious thought. A square block for a square hole and all that.

[siampolee]

Mind you a man with wrist watches worth 10,000,000. baht will be able to time the issue from start to finish with no problems,

good to know that he only wears one at a time though.

[vicco]

Thaksin is urging his supporters to join the demonstration in BKK.

Cited in Bangkok Post

"There are news that people in Bangkok are scared of flooding and if they're really scared they should bring me back home," Thaksin said. "Tell the Bangkokians that when I'm back, I'll build a dam to prevent flooding in the capital and it will be the most beautiful dam in the world."

I'm really in doubts now whether this guy is still mentally okay?!

Years ago he also promised to solve the traffic problems in BKK lol

Yes Thaksin did indeed say this. He was joking...and those present laughed along with him at the joke.....but as always in politics the "opposition" will use any

remark made in jest to discredit their target. Remember the big flap when Ronald Reagan was recorded saying...."OK..we start bombing in 10 minutes" ...

did anyone really think he was serious and that he was going to order the bombing of Russia??? No of course not but the left wing media had a field day with it!!!

On another occasion after he had been shot and was on the operating table surrounded by surgeons--he looked up and said " I hope you guys are all republicans"

The media even tried to twist that around. Having even the slightest tendency to humour is dangerous in politics it seems.