Why Ning Is Going To Bangkok Tonight In Her Red Shirt

[Heng]

I'll continue to offer it because that's how it's done. Yeah, forget about teaching them how to fish, just pass out more fish... heck, buy as many fish on credit as you possibly can!

OK then teach them, offer guidance and a real educational educational system. Not just obvious platitudes on the value of hard work -- from someone who obviously had benefits the poor of Thailand never had.

I already am. We only have a few hundred 'students' but that's the extent of my audience. And the platitudes will continue because that's part of the education. We took the same road I'm preaching, unless you think that all 'better to do' (presumably that's what you're assuming) folks were somehow spontaneously generated as 'ready made/instant better to do' at some point in history.

[Jingthing]

Ning, schming.

This Ning wench has had her 15 minutes of fame.

Enough already. Enough Ning. Enough Thaksin. Enough red shirts. Thailand -- get a life!

Wow.

Dooby dooby do

[fullcave]

Ning, schming.

This Ning wench has had her 15 minutes of fame.

Enough already. Enough Ning. Enough Thaksin. Enough red shirts. Thailand -- get a life!

Wow.

Dooby dooby do

I'd call it 15 minutes of "lame". As if Toxin could even give a rats ass really.

[huanga]

My GF (not Ning) sees neither yellow nor red. What she sees is how to find opportunities to better herself. I sympathize with red's ideology but detest that they choose Thaksin to represent their plight. On the other hand, last time I checked, Thailand is still a very capitalistic country. (Pattaya is a very good example of that, in so many ways! But on the serious note, if you are willing to open your eyes to see and has a drive to learn, I believe this country still offers good opportunities to enrich one's life here, both mentally and financially. I know of many rag- to-riches stories in Thailand and therefore do not completely buy into the shabby-background-so-I-cannot-succeed argument. In some ways (at least that is how it sounded to me), I feel reds are looking for easy hand-out from the "elite", which I cannot really side with. Of course, what the reds want is a little more social justice so things might just come a bit easier for them. But hey, life is cruel. If you want to change the hand that you are dealt with, arm yourself with knowledge and reverse the situation or predicament that you are in. Do not blame this and do not blame that. Not everyone is created equal. We all got to fight for what we want. It's a simple rule in the animal kingdom. Survival for the fittest. Not that you were born a lion and he was born a bambi crapola!

In short, Thailand is a capitalistic country and sometimes more so than USA (where I am from). This is already a basic element for rag-to riches stories to be born. Arm yourself with knowledge and train yourself to have the kind of monster drive to succeed. Soon enough you will see neither red nor yellow. Because at the end you only have yourself to represent and be accounted for!

[bubba]

My GF (not Ning) sees neither yellow nor red. What she sees is how to find opportunities to better herself.

Is "not Ning" ready to roll up her sleeves, clinch her fist and donate blood tonight? Is that the sort of vision and leadership that she thinks will find better opportunities to better herself?

[Chaimai]

My GF (not Ning) sees neither yellow nor red. What she sees is how to find opportunities to better herself.

Is "not Ning" ready to roll up her sleeves, clinch her fist and donate blood tonight? Is that the sort of vision and leadership that she thinks will find better opportunities to better herself?

Based on your previous posts, I am not sure of your point bubba - I think the point was made that "not Ning" would rather get off her ar5e and look for better opportunities herself, by giving blood, sweat and tears - rather than go to Bangkok to protest and give blood.

Heng also has a great point about education - sadly, that will take decades.

[sbk]

An inflammatory pointless post has been deleted. Nice to see that, in general, we can keep this civil, I'd like to see it stay that way

cheers

[BkkMD]

Ning, schming.

This Ning wench has had her 15 minutes of fame.

Enough already. Enough Ning. Enough Thaksin. Enough red shirts. Thailand -- get a life!

LOL. so true

[Cayenne]

After 2 days of festivities Ning has decided to go home. She came to Bangkok fearing the worse but things aren't as bad as they seem (even those Army speakers were hilarious) but drew the line when the red shirt leaders wanted to draw her blood. It was the sensible thing to do.

[SpoliaOpima]

What a load of <deleted>.

Ning is going to Bangkok because she id being paid to do so.

She was told that poor Mr Thaksin has a lot of his money stolen by this bad government, and Mr Thaksin loves all the people from Rural Thailand.

Ning cannot understand the complexities of the Court ruling that was handed down the other day, and how it showed that Thaksin has not legally earned all of the money that he has.

Ning cannot understand this because of the Standard of education she received.

The education system that was set up by Thaksin and others who have led this country.

This whole thing is about a greedy man in Dubai who wants his money back at any cost.

If ning and others get hurt, Mr Thaksin will not be there to wipe the blood off.

Well put.

Ning's personal story may be sad and touching but it's a story seen all over the world (ask any kid picked on at school or any woman raped) and there's no connection between it and putting on a red shirt and joining the hordes of mindless or opportunistic. The problem is universal because the problem is human nature. And it will not change.

A lot of you guys could use some perspective other than that fed to you by your ex bar girl wifes.

Well said

[wayfarer108]

Do you have any evidence for the claim the "work very hard to keep the masses uneducated"? I've lived here over 30 years and have seen nothing of the kind. WHere the education is lacking - and it is sorely lacking - it is the work of Thai tradition and culture, not some elite pulling the strings. Perhaps you also believe that alien being control world politics.

I worked in Thailand in the 80's. More than that I happend to spend time in two upcountry locations where I was grabbed by local schools as a guest teacher. From what I see now versus back then, Thailand has seriously neglected education in rural areas. Classes were 20 to 30 now they are 50, understaffed and plain falling apart. It was said back then that Thailand wants cheap labor so schools are not going to be funded in anything more than a subsistence amount. Nothing I have seen in the last ten years I have been back in Thailand makes me think think differently. And yes it is duly noted by RED supporters.

I took a two week break with a fellow employee to South Korea while working in Thailand during the 80's, in contrast the SK goverment was pushing hard with its education and you see the results today.

That doesn't answer my question. Obviously Thailand's education system is greatly lacking. But is there some secret conspiracy to keep it that way? I see no evidence for that, and I have taught here as well, in both secondary and tertiary schools.

As a matter of fact, the current administration has done more to improve access to education for all than any previous administration in the last 30 years or so.

Edited March 20, 2010 by wayfarer108

[brianb1944]

My GF is 34 and had a poor upbringing and was sent off to be raised by an aunt because there were too many children in the family.

To the best of my knowledge she was never raped by a local policeman - but she has cremated her father, younger sister, her younger sister's son and her own son.

After her divorce she eventually found her way to Pattaya and was lucky enough to meet, err........ me.

She is not putting on a red shirt (unless for reasons of fashion) and she is certainly not going to Bangkok.

She seems to think a mass protest, with the associated risk of violence, is a bad thing for her country. She worries what people will think of her country if we see scenes similar to the Pattaya or Songkran riots. She even worries how the reputation of her King might be viewed by outsiders. She worries that "everytime Thai fight Thai, Cambodia does something against Thailand".

So she is not going.

She believes that Thai people should sit down and speak to each other. She believes that she can achieve more by voting than protesting.

There is no self-pitying, there is no aggression towards the ruling/controlling elite - just a pride and passion for her country that she does not wish to sullied by petty squabbling that pitches Thai against Thai.

I am very pleased I met her, and not Ning.

Good one, there is nothing unique about Ning story, which summarised is , country girl goes to pattaya to make living from Farang, meets good one, gets married, is living comfortably as a result. Sounds familiar? oh yes, its my wife's story, except not Pattaya. My wife, who is from Issan, thinks Red Shirts are ridiculous

[silk]

Ning has a very good point

but why do all these poor people think Thaksin will save them ? - baffles me completely !

Because he is the only PM that I know of -- I moved to Thailand in 1991 -- who actually focused on them. One policy was the 30-baht health care plan that said all hospitals must offer care to anyone for 30 baht; there were also lots of make-work projects. It seemed at the time that he was using government funds to "buy votes" from the poor, but isn't that what politicians do? -- make policies that make voters happy so they will vote for them again?

A key to it all is the urban/rural divide with BKK ruling and the countryside groveling.

It was the first time the rural underclass felt they had a champion to fight for them.

It's no use pointing out that Thaksin was possibly corrupt, etc. So are the rest so he's no different. The rural areas have been selling their votes since "democracy" began in Thailand. But Thaksin actually followed through on some promises that directly benefited them. That's why they still supoort him.

Why do the reds not recognize that the current government changed the 30-baht health care plan to 0-bath health care plan?? Do they understand why this was changed? Because the documentation needed for the collection of THB 30 was more expensive than THB 30. In my eyes this means that the 30-bath health care plan was a failure.

[silk]

Of course it rarely happens ...

Then stop offering it as an excuse for how poor Thais can improve their lives if they'd just grab that hammer and get to work.

India is a poor country too, but many young people nowadays use the internet to educate themselves, speak better English and get a better paid job because their qualifications improved. Why is not an option for Jing?

[Lammbock]

My GF is Yellow but part time "Red"

[Pakboong]

Of course it rarely happens ...

Then stop offering it as an excuse for how poor Thais can improve their lives if they'd just grab that hammer and get to work.

India is a poor country too, but many young people nowadays use the internet to educate themselves, speak better English and get a better paid job because their qualifications improved. Why is not an option for Jing?

If we are to believe wikipedia, the average IQ in India is 81, probabaly why they don't try and compete with the Chinese in major international markets.

[seri thai]

Goddamn that was sad, made me want to cry. This country DOES need a revolution, but of course Thaksin isn't the answer. Why is it so hard to find good people to run this country? Is there no one that would completely rehaul the education system and raise minimum wage and generally just look out for its main population?

"All power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely"-George Orwell

[traderjm]

It's really too bad that nobody that Ning is friends with bothered to tell her that putting on a red shirt will amount to nothing. Whether her country loves her or does not is NOT THE DOING of the CURRENT gov't. I supposed when the currently exiled PM was in power she felt loved? That part seemed to be missing from the story?

The simply fact is the vast majority of the people running around today and for the last week/year in their red shirts have no clue why they are doing it besides getting some money having a party in BKK. My wife who is an educated Thai and does not support ANY color shirt is constantly amazed when she talks to other Thai's in her daily life and the reasons they give for supporting or not the red shirts. Most of them can't even tell her how or why a coalition gov't can be formed, or that the current gov't is in fact legal under the Thai constitution.

Does nobody else find it ironic that one of the slogans on the current crop of posters and t'shirt is "democracy today" ummmm so a massive minority of a country of over 62 million decides they don't like the current gov't (or rather are told they don't by their puppet master) and the gov't must be disbanded and new elections called? Seems pretty democratic to me. Their major condition to have talks with the gov't is to FIRST have the gov't dissolve the house??? Ummm so what is there to talk about??? The lunacy of this whole thing is just astounding.

I can't only speak about the people where I live in Bangkapi but the underlying sentiment today from 90% of the people in our area was to have all the red shirts shot as traitors, not a happy group of people today seeing all this nonsense in their own backyard. I guess seeing it on the news is one thing but to actually have their own life disrupted but this gang of thugs is bringing it far too close to home.

Ning's story of course is a sad one and far too common, but getting rid of the current gov't in this way will NOT change what has happened to her and countless others. Time face the reality of who is running this show for the reds and what HIS agenda really is and it is NOT the best of interests of Ning or anyone else like her.

[lannarebirth]

Goddamn that was sad, made me want to cry. This country DOES need a revolution, but of course Thaksin isn't the answer. Why is it so hard to find good people to run this country? Is there no one that would completely rehaul the education system and raise minimum wage and generally just look out for its main population?

Do you mean besides the current PM?

[ferd54]

Of course it rarely happens ...

Then stop offering it as an excuse for how poor Thais can improve their lives if they'd just grab that hammer and get to work.

India is a poor country too, but many young people nowadays use the internet to educate themselves, speak better English and get a better paid job because their qualifications improved. Why is not an option for Jing?

English is a native language to begin with throughout India anyway. It's no shining example to anyone to show the lives of the poor improving; it's a shithole for most of them. It's educational system must be decent because there are so many medical and computer professionals that come out of the country, but again, these are the high caste or upper class. From what I understand, one of the most maddening and chaotic places you can visit full of desperately poor people. No example to follow there, so well wide of the mark I'm afraid.

[seri thai]

The rights and freedoms we enjoy in my country (UK) were not given to us by the ruling classes. They were taken from them.

Yes, in ENGLAND!

England changed from an almost absolute monarchy to a functional constitutional monarch between the years 1645 and say 1745. That period included four civil wars (the civil war of 1649, the Glorious Revolution, 1715 and 1745), one or two coups, an executed king and 15 years of dictatorship by a religious fanatic.

Let us hope that a similar change in Thailand does not involve the same turmoil or take the same length of time.

I think your dismissal of the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth as a religious fanatic (in an age of religious fanatics) is unfair. A political machinator and regicide perhaps. As the Earl of Strafford said: "He who meddles in the affairs of kings, will ne're put things back the way he found them" Instead he founded a commonwealth, a national army, strengthened the navy, and it could be argued, the foundations of empire. He allowed Jews to settle in England for the first time since the reign of Edward 1st. Unlike Charles, he was a progressive man of strong convictions with a belief in development of a nation by it's people. Not as popular as Thaksin but certainly not as corrupt.

[wayfarer108]

Ning has a very good point

but why do all these poor people think Thaksin will save them ? - baffles me completely !

Because he is the only PM that I know of -- I moved to Thailand in 1991 -- who actually focused on them. One policy was the 30-baht health care plan that said all hospitals must offer care to anyone for 30 baht; there were also lots of make-work projects. It seemed at the time that he was using government funds to "buy votes" from the poor, but isn't that what politicians do? -- make policies that make voters happy so they will vote for them again?

A key to it all is the urban/rural divide with BKK ruling and the countryside groveling.

It was the first time the rural underclass felt they had a champion to fight for them.

It's no use pointing out that Thaksin was possibly corrupt, etc. So are the rest so he's no different. The rural areas have been selling their votes since "democracy" began in Thailand. But Thaksin actually followed through on some promises that directly benefited them. That's why they still supoort him.

Why do the reds not recognize that the current government changed the 30-baht health care plan to 0-bath health care plan?? Do they understand why this was changed? Because the documentation needed for the collection of THB 30 was more expensive than THB 30. In my eyes this means that the 30-bath health care plan was a failure.

Bingo.

[anotherpeter]

How will she vote without an election and how will there ever be an election without protesting for the present govt to desolve the parliament and call for an election?

You and your mrs perfect or smart sure need some lectures. i would prefer to meet Ning than a brainless wife as yours.

Do you know anything about what's going on?

There are scheduled elections due at the end of 2011 (ie 4 years after the 2007 elections).

Did the government ever say that there would never be elections?

EDIT: I think you should be looking in the mirror for someone that's brainless.

Edited March 30, 2010 by anotherpeter

[johndpoole]

She believes that Thai people should sit down and speak to each other. She believes that she can achieve more by voting than protesting.

But they dont want to sit down with your wife or anyone who represents the poor.

Are you implying that Ning is a bad person? You just read the horror story of her life and all you can say is your glad you didn't meet her? I think she'd be glad not to meet you. Me too.

We are all happy then.

Nowhere did I imply Ning was a bad person.

If you had an iota of self awareness youd be aware you were putting her down with your final comment.

You are reading too much into his last statement to say he is putting anybody down as opposed to respecting the views of his GF/Wife.

Also, am I imagining it or didn't the PM just sit down with people who claim to represent the poor, those folks she is going out to support in her red shirt?

Also, isn't it the current government who is showing restraint, agreeing to new votes before they are due and also saying there are many other groups (poor) that need to be represented beyond the Red Shirts?

[sirineou]

My wife and all her family support the red shirts.

I dont know enough to have an opinion in that matter one way or an other.

here is a conversation we had on the subject a few days ago.

me: so what is the difference between the red and the Yellow shirts?

wife: yellow shirts are bad people

me: what makes yellow shirts bad people?

wife:( with confused look in her face) aaaa... they close the airport

me: with (quizzical look in my face )you mean Yellow shirts dont like airports?

wife: ( now getting mad at me) you are stupid

me: (with smile in my face) you married me, and I am stupid?

[kraxlhuber]

<br />I knew one of the brighter posters would turn up eventually.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Xcuse,not really the thread to the topic,but I am banned to start a new topic here????!!!!

Maybe Kraxi the lip is not loved either.

Here we go;

In Singapore some of the the labourer are not awakening from their sleep Unexpected sleeping death syndrom.

Now its recommended there, to wear RED underwear ,to fend off the bad spirits.

Here poeple (protesters)wear RED shirts(and maybe red underwear too) but why?

[MikeyIdea]

I just came back from a 1,700 km trip, up north to Tak, Mae Sot, Mae Sariang, Hot and down again. It really strikes me that when driving, I see lot's of yellow flags all the way up to Nakhorn Sawan and only occasional red flags even in Kamphaeng Phet, Tak and the southern part of Mae Hong Son. The sales department report that the company sales staff uniform (which has a bit of red in it) is causing problems also in the North-East, whole salers ask "You're not red, are you? If you are then I won't buy from you". The south has hated Taksin all the time.

[Chaimai]

How will she vote without an election and how will there ever be an election without protesting for the present govt to desolve the parliament and call for an election?

You really don't know what you are talking about , do you. There have been elections, there will be elections AND Abhisit has offered election a year ahead of schedule. Your myopic view of protesting to 'bring down' has no place in modern society.

You and your mrs perfect or smart sure need some lectures. i would prefer to meet Ning than a brainless wife as yours.

I am sure you would. You appear to be on the same level of of intellect Mr Lecturer .

[TAWP]

I just came back from a 1,700 km trip, up north to Tak, Mae Sot, Mae Sariang, Hot and down again. It really strikes me that when driving, I see lot's of yellow flags all the way up to Nakhorn Sawan and only occasional red flags even in Kamphaeng Phet, Tak and the southern part of Mae Hong Son. The sales department report that the company sales staff uniform (which has a bit of red in it) is causing problems also in the North-East, whole salers ask "You're not red, are you? If you are then I won't buy from you". The south has hated Taksin all the time.

The yellow flags are not for PAD, they are the Royal flag.

[MikeyIdea]

I just came back from a 1,700 km trip, up north to Tak, Mae Sot, Mae Sariang, Hot and down again. It really strikes me that when driving, I see lot's of yellow flags all the way up to Nakhorn Sawan and only occasional red flags even in Kamphaeng Phet, Tak and the southern part of Mae Hong Son. The sales department report that the company sales staff uniform (which has a bit of red in it) is causing problems also in the North-East, whole salers ask "You're not red, are you? If you are then I won't buy from you". The south has hated Taksin all the time.

The yellow flags are not for PAD, they are the Royal flag.

Not the whole truth, there are many houses and companies that normally don't have any flags out, now they suddenly do... It has a meaning