Red Shirts Blood Campaign Is Dangerous : Health Groups

[BkkMD]

dam_n! This is going too far! If the parents want to get AIDS and everything else, that's one thing, but an 11-year old?!? That's moving into the realm of human rights abuses, as a child has no legal ability to judge the "right" or "wrong" of actions like this!

Where is Unicef? The red shirts want publicity from this, and were hoping to use a child to garner it. I hope they do get the publicity, from international human rights organizations!

This is absolutely abhorrent!

--------------Edit

I'm surprised dttk0009, you find the abuse of children funny? Yes, there are many abuses of children in this country, but none have been used in the media to support a (tenuous) political movement. The amount of blood is irrelevant, if the child gets AIDS, hepatitis, or any of the other problems that can come from an ill thought out plan like this. This political rally is becoming less about issues of equality and democracy, (not that it ever "really" was), and more about the cult of Thaksin.

I have to agree with this.

This is child abuse in no uncertain terms.

Regardless if other children are also ill used here, that does NOT excuse this act

by deranged parents physically abusing their 11 year old boy for political symbolism,

benefiting a uber-elite, proto-tyrant sipping coffee in a Montenegro cafe.

And this act has nothing whatsoever to do with Democracy.

Abuse of a child, simply put.

Very true. This is child abuse.

I was always under the impression the legal age for blood donation in Thailand was 17 and above.

http://www.redcross.or.th/english/donation..._wholeblood.php

[saintofsilence]

Surely there is a law that says it is illegal collect blood from donors without insurance.

[scorecard]

Mate, drawing blood from children (regardless of quantity) in the name of your political goals is just wrong.

What about forcing your kids into acting for your financial goals?

Kids are used for political gain ALL THE dam_n TIME because they draw strong emotional responses. Presidents going around kissing babies? Kids at political rallies in the US waving flags for presidential candidates they have no idea what they stand for.

If anyone thinks that any actual harm was done to this child they need to go do some research about:

1) Conversions

2) Human anatomy

3) Politics

4) Psychological development during pre-adolescent years

You only think it's wrong because the political goals being pushed aren't in line with yours and that's the only truth here.

If the shirts were yellow, blue, green or orange I would be saying the same thing.

In that case, I'd say you're largely overreacting. Children are under the responsibility of their parents and as long as no harm is done to them it's all fair. You may think it's wrong but the child is fine, and as long as he is not in any real danger there is no case to complain. I would be more concerned with the fact that he is getting enough water or food rather than losing 10 drops of blood. Blood carries extremely powerful symbolism and that is what this action is supposed to imply.

Are you taking your kids along to get their arms pricked and take their blood?

If you are, then your are irresponsible.

[jayboy]

Well it wouldn't be the first time the Thaksin lot have spilled blood, would it?

Let them go ahead and do it, it will show the country (and the international press) that they are just animals and lose them a lot of sympathy

Let me just say I think the "blood" strategy is a foolish and tasteless exercise which will certainly win the reds no sympathy.

However you have chosen your words very poorly.I hope you will understand exactly why and amend accordingly.

[dttk0009]

Are you taking your kids along to get their arms pricked and take their blood?

If you are, then your are irresponsible.

No, I don't support the Red's cause. The kid is 11 and no harm is being done to him. The parents obviously think it's for an extremely important cause. I'm quite sure they experience more hardships in their lives and average day than losing a couple of ml of blood. In my opinion there are far worse things being done to kids on a psychological level and physical level in the Western world and are culturally accepted that I find this entire debate hilarious. Think about the biological reality of what is being argued. As in, think of the effects of having 10ml of blood drawn. Both psychologically and physically.

[scorecard]

dam_n! This is going too far! If the parents want to get AIDS and everything else, that's one thing, but an 11-year old?!? That's moving into the realm of human rights abuses, as a child has no legal ability to judge the "right" or "wrong" of actions like this!

Where is Unicef? The red shirts want publicity from this, and were hoping to use a child to garner it. I hope they do get the publicity, from international human rights organizations!

This is absolutely abhorrent!

--------------Edit

I'm surprised dttk0009, you find the abuse of children funny? Yes, there are many abuses of children in this country, but none have been used in the media to support a (tenuous) political movement. The amount of blood is irrelevant, if the child gets AIDS, hepatitis, or any of the other problems that can come from an ill thought out plan like this. This political rally is becoming less about issues of equality and democracy, (not that it ever "really" was), and more about the cult of Thaksin.

I have to agree with this.

This is child abuse in no uncertain terms.

Regardless if other children are also ill used here, that does NOT excuse this act

by deranged parents physically abusing their 11 year old boy for political symbolism,

benefiting a uber-elite, proto-tyrant sipping coffee in a Montenegro cafe.

And this act has nothing whatsoever to do with Democracy.

Abuse of a child, simply put.

I have no time whatever for thaksin, but when this was announced I thought he would quickly come forward and stop it.

Like him or hate him the fact is that he's an educated man (not that he uses it wisely) and he has had exposure to the big wide world for a long time, surely he knows this will get a lot of negative comment and do more damage than good to his selfish cause.

But I just noticed another post, with photos of large amounts of the supplies (needles etc.) needed to draw the blood. It clearly has been organized in advance.

Wonder what company the supplies come from, I would certainly never patronize them again.

But, I say again, where's the paymaster, why no comment from him positive or negative?

In fact no comment whatever from the paymaster for several day, guess he's busy sight seeing right now. Strange priorities.

Edited March 16, 2010 by scorecard

[Publicus]

Mate, drawing blood from children (regardless of quantity) in the name of your political goals is just wrong.

What about forcing your kids into acting for your financial goals?

Kids are used for political gain ALL THE dam_n TIME because they draw strong emotional responses. Presidents going around kissing babies? Kids at political rallies in the US waving flags for presidential candidates they have no idea what they stand for.

If anyone thinks that any actual harm was done to this child they need to go do some research about:

1) Conversions

2) Human anatomy

3) Politics

4) Psychological development during pre-adolescent years

You only think it's wrong because the political goals being pushed aren't in line with yours and that's the only truth here.

If the shirts were yellow, blue, green or orange I would be saying the same thing.

In that case, I'd say you're largely overreacting. Children are under the responsibility of their parents and as long as no harm is done to them it's all fair. You may think it's wrong but the child is fine, and as long as he is not in any real danger there is no case to complain. I would be more concerned with the fact that he is getting enough water or food rather than losing 10 drops of blood. Blood carries extremely powerful symbolism and that is what this action is supposed to imply.

Blood is important and donating blood is done for serious life-saving purposes. Tossing thousands of containers of blood at buildings is repugnant no matter what the cause. A minor child waving a country's flag is a parent's decision and gives the child an enterely different experience than giving blood that's going to be wasted in a sensationalized way and which will pose problems of health and hygene to the general public.

Talk of giving then tossing blood for reasons of brotherhood, bonding and unity smacks of mafioso thinking and sentiments. It could also be interpreted to be a suggestion of what might yet come of this gathering when they fully realize the government isn't going to go away anytime soon.

Year in and year out this only gets more bizarre. What next, hand out green cheese from the moon, teleconferencing with the man in the moon? My god.

[neverdie]

Mate, drawing blood from children (regardless of quantity) in the name of your political goals is just wrong.

What about forcing your kids into acting for your financial goals?

Kids are used for political gain ALL THE dam_n TIME because they draw strong emotional responses. Presidents going around kissing babies? Kids at political rallies in the US waving flags for presidential candidates they have no idea what they stand for.

If anyone thinks that any actual harm was done to this child they need to go do some research about:

1) Conversions

2) Human anatomy

3) Politics

4) Psychological development during pre-adolescent years

You only think it's wrong because the political goals being pushed aren't in line with yours and that's the only truth here.

If the shirts were yellow, blue, green or orange I would be saying the same thing.

I agree wholly with James on this, theres a big difference to a pollie kissing a baby and drawing blood out of its arm.

[nickynomatesbkk]

Enoch Powell's so-called 'Rivers of Blood' speech, which was delivered to a Conservative Association meeting in Birmingham on April 20 1968.

Is one of the most powerful speeches in the history of politics due to the vision it gave in most people's minds.

The international press are going to have hay day with these pictures which will paint a thousand words.

I fully agree that children should not figure in this and the picture of the young boy giving blood can be used by spin doctors in many ways.

Why is he not a school where are his parents etc, etc, etc. But yet again welcome to the real world that so many kids have to grow up in.

From the limited press in Bangkok the blood donations look well prepared and supervised well.

All in all its better to give by your own free will than to have it shoot or beat out of you on the steps of government house.

International press is defiantly reporting on the side of the demonstrators'.

BBC last night Mishal Husain asked one question the Thai government spokesman could not answer.

"Is it normal that your prime minister sleeps in an army barracks" The answer was almost comical

Just watch the international news.

Edited March 16, 2010 by nickynomatesbkk

[junkofdavid2]

It is a bad idea. They are starting to look like a cult rather than a politcal group. It seems to be going very PAD at the moment with mystical stuff being introduced.

And PAD was very effective in regime-change despite much smaller numbers.

[frodo]

No harm is being done.

"Many of the redshirt protesters giving blood are dehydrated/hypoxic. Having trouble getting veins."

[Carib]

Next step is kool aid. Jones-town Guyana style.

[neverdie]

to dttk009

Which planet are you from ?

I think you don't get the seriousness of what is happening here

If he had a heart he'd probably be out donating blood himself

[SeanMoran]

My apologies on the 2cc matter. I thought I read that in one of the articles, but revising Webfact's thread, 10cc seems to be the consensus.

[Axelg]

I say arrest the parents and the medical staff on grounds of child abuse who are taking blood from children! And this is like the stupidest idea EVER! This proves that many Thais are just like sheep...

The worst thing is that it doesn't prove or help anything, health risks (plenty!), and what kind of medical staff (supposed to be educated!) agrees with this idea?

On the other hand if they wanted to be symbolic they could have donated blood to Red Cross to show they are united and brothers (still have doubts). It would have been a better idea and they would have been seen as nice and caring.... now they just look like psycho retards...

I feel sorry for the King... he donated all his lifetime to the good of the country... so Thai people would be better and smarter. Thai people are just not ready for democracy!

Edited March 16, 2010 by Axelg

[onethailand]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

[Who, me ?]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

Agreed.......Since when do Monks get involved in politics ? Since when female can touch Monks ?

This is getting crazy......

I do feel sorry for the madness that this country has to go through

[Axelg]

A red shirt spokesman said Thailand's cabinet ministers would have to walk across the blood on their way to work. He said the move was made in response to the prime minister's failure to meet their deadline to resign.

(From http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03...?section=world)

What do you think will happen? As soon as the blood has been 'spilled' (in the most literary meaning that one could understand spill! how else could you voluntary drop your on blood on the floor!?). The government house maid is gonna take out the garden hose and it will be gone in 2 minutes... (considering the drain is not stuck with some red shirts brains!)

Edited March 16, 2010 by Axelg

[saintofsilence]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

The monks should not be involved at all and yes I agree something definitely wrong with woman drawing blood from them

[metisdead]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

Agreed.......Since when do Monks get involved in politics ? Since when female can touch Monks ?

This is getting crazy......

I do feel sorry for the madness that this country has to go through

Asked the wife about women touching monks. When the monks go back to the temple they have to go through a ritual to cleanse themselves, or something to that effect.

[Meridian007]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

Agreed.......Since when do Monks get involved in politics ? Since when female can touch Monks ?

This is getting crazy......

I do feel sorry for the madness that this country has to go through

There is the most definitive proof yet that these are not real monks. The "ordination ceremonies" that took place just before the protest are discussed at length in another thread. More media wrangling...

Their bloods were emptied from syringes into a bin, which was by half with a solution. The red-shirt leaders said the solution was chemical for preventing the blood from hardening.

Jatuporn said the pooled blood of the red-shirt people would be poured onto the ground in front of Government House before dusk.

-- The Nation 2010-03-16

I think they are saying that the anti-coagulant is being mixed 50/50 with the blood. I guess they are finding that they need to pad out the amount of blood they can collect. Maybe they'll add pig's blood as well? Or nam pla?

[Publicus]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

Agreed.......Since when do Monks get involved in politics ? Since when female can touch Monks ?

This is getting crazy......

I do feel sorry for the madness that this country has to go through

Agreed as to the madness characterization, but it's all happening within its own borders and by the country's own people. Madness has long since become normal everyday life and routine. Now Jatuporn is on CNN saying that after the three day blood throwing (party) the Redshirts will "intensify" their activities.........

[JUDAS]

The reds would be making a better point, and possibly a unifying one if they all actually DONATED their blood instead of spilling it. Great headline: " Thailand's poor give blood for their country"

[BkkMD]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

The monks should not be involved at all and yes I agree something definitely wrong with woman drawing blood from them

no nirvana for these monks

[granuaile]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

The monks should not be involved at all and yes I agree something definitely wrong with woman drawing blood from them

It is strange. Perhaps there is some reasoning behind it. But it also makes me wonder if the UDD has not simply hired people to impersonate monks? Honestly I don't know, but it seems realy strange. Maybe it is the end justifies the means thinking?

[Rideau]

Absolutely unthinkable....

[junkofdavid2]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Maybe that's why the monks are doing it. Great excuse to ....

[kurtgruen]

Bizzarre, to say the least.

Here they sit in heat, that is almost 40C, dehydrated and some of them just about ready to pass out and their stupid leaders ask them to give blood, so it can be spilled at the gates.

Reminds me of a really bad play, at a theatre. A bunch of drama queens, doing anything to get media attention.

One thing so, looking at the lineup for giving blood, a lot of the smiles seem to have disappeared and the fun seems to have gone out of the party. Wonder how many will stick around, if it is "mai sanuk"?

[kurtgruen]

Ummm... now monks are donating blood... and women are drawing the blood!

Something is definitely wrong here...

Agreed.......Since when do Monks get involved in politics ? Since when female can touch Monks ?

This is getting crazy......

I do feel sorry for the madness that this country has to go through

Agreed as to the madness characterization, but it's all happening within its own borders and by the country's own people. Madness has long since become normal everyday life and routine. Now Jatuporn is on CNN saying that after the three day blood throwing (party) the Redshirts will "intensify" their activities.........

What are they going to do then, start slashing?

[Tigs]

Well I am sure someone will be down at the local abatoir, collecting a few hundred liters of cows/pigs blood to top it all up and make it look spectacular.

This is so wrong on all counts. I doubt many of the participants truly understand just what they are getting involved in right now. The organisers, ring leaders need to be jailed, what's going to be next? persuading 1000 people to commit mass suicide on the steps of government house? The red leaders are doing this for shock tactics, and I feel when the international press get hold of this (as they already have), the knock on effect to the Thai tourist industry will be far more devastating than closing an airport down.

Interestingly, this is the one time I have almost seen the members of TV united in their opinions. It seems 99% on here are in total revulsion to this stunt, there just seems to be the odd one or two that have beamed in from another planet.

I am in two minds over the medical staff involved in this. One side of me says withdraw their licences to practice, the other thinks that if qualified medical staff do not get involved, then the nutcases of a leadership will have non-medical people drawing blood from the reds.

Drawing blood is an invasive procedure. If it is done without consent then it is a serious assault. In the UK, the police cannot take (demand) a sample of blood without your consent, and no Doctor would do so. The issue of the child shown donating blood is serious. Yesterday we had a news link of a guy who was quite rightly jailed for having oral sex with two minors, aged 12 years old. The reason he was jailed is that the act is illegal as it is considered a child does not have the maturity to make a decision to participate in such activities. Here we have an 11 year old boy deciding to participate in an invasive procedure for no medical reason, but purely to make a political statement the complexities of which he can not have a thorough grasp of (most TV members don't understand it lets face it). It is a serious assault. The public health ramifications with such a large gathering of people are serious, at least if it were cows/pigs blood, many of the diseases contained therein could not be contracted by the protestors, but with human blood????? I wonder when the first zealous henchman, meant to pour the blood on the ground later to day will start throwing it over the people?

I hope the ruling families of the UAE are so equally shocked that they will make sure Thaksin is extradited.

It's all a bad idea.

Edited March 16, 2010 by Tigs