PM Abhisit Questions Thaksin's Role As Leader Of 'Class War'

[jdinasia]

"He said he had seen contrasting photos in a newspaper of protesters sleeping on the road and of Thaksin and his children in a foreign country."

isn't that your typical dumbnut class warrior rhetoric?

and it seems to be the quintessence and sole argument here.

The only people that don't seem to understand that point are the people that back Thaksin. He's not part of a "class war" he is in fact the antithesis of what the reds claim to want. He's just the financial backer that takes away all their credibility.

[craigt3365]

Abhisit's doing great. Hard to do good in this environment, politically or economically. Thaksin saying "you" robbed me of 40M Baht. Ha! More like he robbed it from the citizens of Thailand...he did earn money because he has a brain. He is dang smart. Too bad he opted to use corruption to enhance his wealth instead of good ol' business logic...not so smart after all I guess? Can't wait until he fades away...

My Thai wife tells me and so does what I have read, that Thaskin made his money BEFORE entering parliament fom companies he owned. I believe he sold a brewery to Singapore (Tiger Lager ??? ) and also a telecommunications company.

Don't know if what i have read is fact or fiction tho

Thaksin was wealthy before entering parliament for sure. But he made his really big bucks after entering...I believe his wealth doubled after he became PM. This link is an excellent source of info. Worth a read for sure. Not sure if it is biased or not...anybody else have a better source of his history?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra

Here is one also:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1108114.stm

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

Matter of fact, making the rural people's vote count only half WAS one of PAD's ideas - and not one that i supported. Their reasoning, and in THAT they are completely right, is that rural people (i.e. farmers) have no or low education, don't really know how a democracy or politics in general work, and wouldn't take care for politics at all - hence they tend to sell their vote as happened with TRT/PPP. By halving such (buyable) vote's value it would be fair, so PAD said back then.

What is also correct is the fact that for the vast majority of the rural people, particularly farmers, nothing has changed - before Thaksin, under Thaksin, under the military, under Thaksin's puppets Samak and Somchai and now under Abhisit - they are still poor farmers with very limited access to education. THIS is where and change needs to take place - Abhisit, in case you read this, this is the issue at hand - those people need to learn what "democracy" means and how bad it is to sell one's vote. Right now we have thousand's of people marching in Bangkok, shouting for "democracy" despite having no idea what that is....

Another fact: Thaksin represents the exact group that he is sending them against now - a super-rich member of the elite. Such person calling his supporters to fight "against the elite" would in first place instigate a fight against himself - and again, due to lack of education, those people in the red shirts don't know or simply ignore what "elite" actually stands for and are marching willingly!

Matter of fact - regardless what Thaksin decides to be the motto for this "march of puppets", be that "democracy" (failed) or "class war" (pending failure), in reality it has one, and really only ONE, real purpose: Depose of the actually very democratically elected government that is in place now and re-install wannabe dictator Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra.

DAAD? Yeah, Dictator's Alliance Against Democracy. At least their abbreviation fit's THAT end, too. And it is far more realistic than what they call themselves. And UDD? Unified Dictator's Dependents. True or not??

I am partly WITH the poor people marching the streets right now, not knowing that they are being used by a criminal with the longing for power and money... i was with the yellows in their quest against Thaksin, i am with the reds in their quest against poverty and for better education.... am i alone? Orange shirts anyone??

Best regards......

Thanh

Edited March 20, 2010 by Thanh-BKK

[lensta]

I may be wrong but wasn't it the Democrats or their supporters that said the votes

from the poor people of Thailand in an election should only be worth half a vote because

they are uneducated. Can't remember the exact wording so don't jump down my throat.

This doesn't sound like equality to me.

Hey you ARE correct (in that you said you may be wrong. Not only did the Democrats not say that ... nobody said that.

Wow, you have read and heard everything that is written or said about politics in Thailand and more importantly you can remember it all. My humble self is in awe of such a memory. Unfortunately I am not in your league.

[mazeltov]

"He said he had seen contrasting photos in a newspaper of protesters sleeping on the road and of Thaksin and his children in a foreign country."

isn't that your typical dumbnut class warrior rhetoric?

and it seems to be the quintessence and sole argument here.

The only people that don't seem to understand that point are the people that back Thaksin. He's not part of a "class war" he is in fact the antithesis of what the reds claim to want. He's just the financial backer that takes away all their credibility.

yes, that is the stupidity of dumbnut "class warriors". pointing only at the money someone has.

Edited March 20, 2010 by mazeltov

[wayfarer108]

Thaksin: "I have earned money because I have a brain - and my brain is useful, not dangerous."

Wrong, Col Thaksin. You earned money through government monopolies, legislative manipulation and tax evasion. You don't care a fig for 'ordinary citizens' and as the PM pointed out, Thailand saw public debts increase twofold during your administration. Meawhile your wealth rose twofold. I'd call that 'dangerous.'

[wayfarer108]

Abhisit's doing great. Hard to do good in this environment, politically or economically. Thaksin saying "you" robbed me of 40M Baht. Ha! More like he robbed it from the citizens of Thailand...he did earn money because he has a brain. He is dang smart. Too bad he opted to use corruption to enhance his wealth instead of good ol' business logic...not so smart after all I guess? Can't wait until he fades away...

My Thai wife tells me and so does what I have read, that Thaskin made his money BEFORE entering parliament fom companies he owned. I believe he sold a brewery to Singapore (Tiger Lager ??? ) and also a telecommunications company.

Don't know if what i have read is fact or fiction tho

Thaksin was wealthy before entering parliament for sure. But he made his really big bucks after entering...I believe his wealth doubled after he became PM. This link is an excellent source of info. Worth a read for sure. Not sure if it is biased or not...anybody else have a better source of his history?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra

Here is one also:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1108114.stm

The wife might also be gently reminded that Thaksin's wealth before he came to office was obtained through shady satcom concessions, non-competitive bids granted by cronies he cultivated while they were ministers (eg Samak in the late 90s) and through anything but above-board, competitive business management. Every business he started on his own, on the free market, failed.

Edited March 20, 2010 by wayfarer108

[jayboy]

Matter of fact, making the rural people's vote count only half WAS one of PAD's ideas - and not one that i supported. Their reasoning, and in THAT they are completely right, is that rural people (i.e. farmers) have no or low education, don't really know how a democracy or politics in general work, and wouldn't take care for politics at all - hence they tend to sell their vote as happened with TRT/PPP. By halving such (buyable) vote's value it would be fair, so PAD said back then.

Thanh

There are one or two areas in your post I might quibble over.However overall you make some very fair points.

I do however disagree with you on the extent of the rural majority's knowledge and political understanding.To be fair you are saying nothing different from my middle class (mainly Sino-Thai) friends in Bangkok, but it misses an important issue.This is an old old argument which has been nuanced and agonised over in every advanced political culture for the last 150 years.There's absolutely nothing new about its present Thai form.On one aspect I think there's universal agreement which is that education must be more widely available and at a higher quality.If one is going to embrace universal franchise then this aspect becomes fundamental."We must educate our masters" said a British politician in the nineteenth century as working men received the franchise in that country.The same applies in Thailand now.

The mistake you and my Bangkok friends make is to believe that lack of education prevents or impedes political consciousness and understanding.The evidence doesn't support this any more than it did in nineteenth century Britain.Nor does it follow that the better off urban dwellers have a higher morality or sense of the country's good.Far from it in Thailand's case where until Thaksin's advent one could reasonably argue there was only limited interest in the welfare of the majority.We're in a state of flux now but the trend is very clear.Sooner or later the majority will be in charge.That doesn't or shouldn't mean the tyranny of the mob.Checks and balances (and I don't mean the judicialisation of politics) become ever more important.In practice as in other societies most leaders will continue to be drawn from the educated and upper middle class.But the old arrogant, greedy and patronising Thai elite has no substantial future in any foreseeable scenario.

[khunjamespittman]

Watching the parade in Bangkok now, one get's the idea that the vast part of the Bangkokians support the movement. They seem to be very supportive of the demonstrators. They are waving the hands and cheering the demonstrators on.

Very interesting we were told the Bangkokians would be angry and even in the face of support shown by the Bangkokians for the demonstrators the news media would still have us believe that Bangkokians are against the demonstrators.

Resist believing the media spin. Make up your own mind. It appears that the majority of the Bangkokians are giving their support.

[lensta]

I may be wrong but wasn't it the Democrats or their supporters that said the votes

from the poor people of Thailand in an election should only be worth half a vote because

they are uneducated. Can't remember the exact wording so don't jump down my throat.

This doesn't sound like equality to me.

Hey you ARE correct (in that you said you may be wrong. Not only did the Democrats not say that ... nobody said that.

also please read the post from Thana-Bkk

[featography]

Hmmmm.... far too much Red, Yellow, Mr. T, Mr. A, etc. I think Mr. A is right and if i were him, I would use Mr. T's strategy and introduce a new National Plan to stop this issue. Here is my plan:

They took about 4.6B baht from Mr. T. That is 1000 X 1,000,000B. There are 60 M ID card carrying Thais. Pass a law that says the money that is taken from the people must be used to help the people. Tell the people that they will get 1,000,000 B from the government because of Mr. T's dishonesty. That is only 1.3% of the money that they took from mr. T. But of course there are strings attached. The money is paid out over 5 years. The reciepent of the money must sign an enforceable document that states the following:

1. They love HM the King

2. They love Thialand

3. They believe and agree that the Supreme Courts decision was right, fair and just.

4. They believe and agree that Mr. T was fairly convicted.

5. They will not partake in any protests or demonstrations related to this issue for a period of 5 years.

So you give them the money over 5 years. They show up with their ID card and get the money. This Plan brings stability to the country. Ends the issue. And gives a huge stimulus to the economy. Not to mention that the governmetn is only using 1.3% of the windfall free money. If they break the agreement then they must return all of the money with interest.

Too simple....... and we do not have to read any more about this stuff! Hihihihihihihi .... Cheers

As fast as 1000B comes and goes in the hands of anyone, it would reason that once the funds are dried up, so to will the memory. I think better to take most if not all of the 4.6 billion and sink it into a moderate to high investment strategy, gleening interests of that money to go to modernizing schools, hospitals...

[trogers]

Abhisit's doing great. Hard to do good in this environment, politically or economically. Thaksin saying "you" robbed me of 40M Baht. Ha! More like he robbed it from the citizens of Thailand...he did earn money because he has a brain. He is dang smart. Too bad he opted to use corruption to enhance his wealth instead of good ol' business logic...not so smart after all I guess? Can't wait until he fades away...

My Thai wife tells me and so does what I have read, that Thaskin made his money BEFORE entering parliament fom companies he owned. I believe he sold a brewery to Singapore (Tiger Lager ??? ) and also a telecommunications company.

Don't know if what i have read is fact or fiction tho

Tell your wife that Shin corp was sold to Temasek over 4 years ago. And not only was Thaksin in his second term in office, but he dissolved Parliament to avoid answering questions about his shareholdings in the House. When the coup occurred, Thailand has no Parliament, only a caretaker government.

[rixalex]

Watching the parade in Bangkok now, one get's the idea that the vast part of the Bangkokians support the movement.

Does one really?

Do you know what the population of Bangkok is? Do you think that you are qualified to conclude having seen a few hands being waved that the "vast part of Bangkokians support the movement"? !

I think if that were true, bearing in mind today is a Saturday with many people off work, and bearing in mind that it's right on people's doorsteps, the city would be teeming. It is not. Media isn't the only outlet capable of spin.

[Netfan]

Watching the parade in Bangkok now, one get's the idea that the vast part of the Bangkokians support the movement. They seem to be very supportive of the demonstrators. They are waving the hands and cheering the demonstrators on.

Very interesting we were told the Bangkokians would be angry and even in the face of support shown by the Bangkokians for the demonstrators the news media would still have us believe that Bangkokians are against the demonstrators.

Resist believing the media spin. Make up your own mind. It appears that the majority of the Bangkokians are giving their support.

And now its a "parade" who is spinning????

Then once again - why didn't they come out to be present at the demonstration last Sunday? It was their big chance to show that they wanted the government to dissolve. Why aren't they marching? Where I live there are thousands of Bangkok citizens just going about their daily business, trying to get on with their lives without the disruption of an obvious small minority of the Thai population and their main objective of bringing back a tin-horn thief. "Speaking by videolink to the crowds Friday night, Thaksin, who was deposed in a 2006 coup and lives in exile to avoid a jail term for corruption, apologised to the city's residents in advance for the heavy traffic. "It will continue until we win and regain our justice, but I will repay you when I return," he said."

This is about nothing more nothing less than Thaksin returning to power.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Netfan

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello.

I have just taken a bunch of photos of a rather large red crowd passing my soi here in Bangna (quite far away from their proposed route) and just as i got back home my boyfriend got off the phone with one of his friends who lives in Phra Khanong (main march hasn't reached there yet but some reds already in that street).

That lady (40+ years old, Bangkok-born Thai Muslim lady with no political preference) stated that the red pay 1,000 Baht for everyone willing to ewear a red shirt and join the march!

I have no reason to think she would lie, she would not have a reason to do it. I can't confirm it either because i am at home in Bangna. However if it is true - that would be a reason for Bangkokians to join the march, particularly the large amount of motcy taxi guys. Outside my place people are waiting for motocy taxis to get to the back of the soi - but only one of the normally 8-10 guys is still doing the job, all others are with the red parade. The people now waiting there (mostly elderly women) are certainly NOT friends of the reds - for they will either have to wait in the heat or walk down the soi.

@jayboy

I was stating that based on own experience - my boyfriend's uncle is a farmer, he lives in a village some 30 kilometers outside Chiang Mai. It were his words "why would i care for who runs the country? Nothing will change for me or my family. I don't know this Thaksin guy but they (PPP) gave me 200 Baht so it would be wrong not to vote for them". He does not have satellite TV or internet so propaganda hardly is able to swing his mind - however the two 100-Baht notes did. And at least in that village this holds true for pretty much everyone....... and i know that some people from that village are now in Bnagkok, wearing red, knowing nothing other than someone paid them to come to Bangkok and march, and that is all that counts for them. My boyfriend's mum (same village) was offered the "party trip" too, she had to ask my boyfriend's opinion - she has no idea what the red shirt's agenda is. This is a lady who keeps watching the propaganda channels on Thai satellite TV and obviously she thinks that Thaksin "maybe is a good guy".

Best regards.....

Thanh

[Bagwan]

If it wasn't for the media, I would never know anything is happening in Bangkok. Life in Chiang Mai seems as normal as always.

Same everywhere other than Bangkok. Love the city, but glad I don't live there right now!

Just saw the Aljazeera interview of Abhisit. I have seen him on TV before, but only when speaking Thai. His English is perfect, though he does have a bit of that funny English accent. Just kidding!

Definitely a smart man. Easy going, cool, great answers. Not like the rants of Thaksin. He threw the class war back in Thaksin's face, calling him an elite also. And asking why he wasn't here sleeping on the streets with his followers? The interviewer asked if he promised security for Thaksin if he came back. Abhisit said yes, but he would have to go to jail and serve his term out. Guess Thaksin's ego is too large for that...or he would miss his coffee and cake while lounging in Montenegro...guess I can't really blame him on that one!

If you were brought up in Eton college, you would probably have a funny English accent also.

An accent a bit like Betty Windsor? One must learn to speak properly, mustn't one?l I look forward to Abhisit telling the world that he has endured an annus horriblis.

[Bagwan]

Thaksin: "I have earned money because I have a brain - and my brain is useful, not dangerous."

Wrong, Col Thaksin. You earned money through government monopolies, legislative manipulation and tax evasion. You don't care a fig for 'ordinary citizens' and as the PM pointed out, Thailand saw public debts increase twofold during your administration. Meawhile your wealth rose twofold. I'd call that 'dangerous.'

The only way his brain would be useful would to be immersed in formalin and sitting on a shelf in a jar.

P.S. For earned read acquired.

[khunjamespittman]

Watching the parade in Bangkok now, one get's the idea that the vast part of the Bangkokians support the movement.

Does one really?

Do you know what the population of Bangkok is? Do you think that you are qualified to conclude having seen a few hands being waved that the "vast part of Bangkokians support the movement"? !

I think if that were true, bearing in mind today is a Saturday with many people off work, and bearing in mind that it's right on people's doorsteps, the city would be teeming. It is not. Media isn't the only outlet capable of spin.

Watch the spin machine now. Attacking the observer and making excuses to recover their propaganda.

I challenge the Nation reporters to report what is actually happening on the street and what I observed personally. Even that, though will probably not silence those who will attack anybody or anything that threatens their ego.

Bring it on. I am just wishing for peace and equality for all Thais and see the country return to respect and prosperity and hoping that cooler heads will find a way to correct the wrongs and get there.

[rixalex]

Watch the spin machine now. Attacking the observer and making excuses to recover their propaganda.

I challenge the Nation reporters to report what is actually happening on the street and what I observed personally. Even that, though will probably not silence those who will attack anybody or anything that threatens their ego.

Bring it on. I am just wishing for peace and equality for all Thais and see the country return to respect and prosperity and hoping that cooler heads will find a way to correct the wrongs and get there.

You don't seem to know the difference between being questioned and being attacked.

[Tony121]

As long as they are red shirts there main goal will be to get Thaksin back whatever name you put to it, the same as the yellows main goal was to have thaksin removed from government.

But if they are going to start a class war they can maybe get stall holders to stop selling singha vests and ban people from wearing sandals and socks.

[khunjamespittman]

Watch the spin machine now. Attacking the observer and making excuses to recover their propaganda.

I challenge the Nation reporters to report what is actually happening on the street and what I observed personally. Even that, though will probably not silence those who will attack anybody or anything that threatens their ego.

Bring it on. I am just wishing for peace and equality for all Thais and see the country return to respect and prosperity and hoping that cooler heads will find a way to correct the wrongs and get there.

You don't seem to know the difference between being questioned and being attacked.

Fine choose the word that suits you. I respect your right to believe whatever you like.

I didn't see a single word that refuted what I observed. Just Knee jerk!

Hopefully legitimate media will get on the street and report honestly what many Bangkok residents have already observed. You can't take back what has been observed.

[Bagwan]

Abhisit's doing great. Hard to do good in this environment, politically or economically. Thaksin saying "you" robbed me of 40M Baht. Ha! More like he robbed it from the citizens of Thailand...he did earn money because he has a brain. He is dang smart. Too bad he opted to use corruption to enhance his wealth instead of good ol' business logic...not so smart after all I guess? Can't wait until he fades away...

My Thai wife tells me and so does what I have read, that Thaskin made his money BEFORE entering parliament fom companies he owned. I believe he sold a brewery to Singapore (Tiger Lager ??? ) and also a telecommunications company.

Don't know if what i have read is fact or fiction tho

I was quaffing Tiger Beer in Singapore long before Thaksin was born. He has never had enough dosh to buy them - ever.

From the APB website :-

Listed on the Singapore Exchange, Asia Pacific Breweries Limited (APB) is one of the key players in the beer industry. A joint venture between the Fraser and Neave Group of companies and Heineken International, APB was established as Malayan Breweries Limited (MBL) in 1931. It went on to open its first brewery in Singapore and launched the award-winning Tiger Beer a year later.

To more accurately reflect the growing regionalisation of its business interests, MBL was renamed Asia Pacific Breweries Limited in 1990. Today, APB oversees a portfolio of over 40 beer brands and brand variants, including Tiger Beer, Heineken, Anchor and ABC Stout. The group operates an extensive global marketing network, which spreads across some 60 countries and is currently supported by breweries in countries including Singapore, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

[otherstuff1957]

I was watching the parade (and yes that's a good description of what was going on) today and saw many people cheering on and waving to the Redshirts. However, as I was walking to and from the main road I saw many more people either ignoring the parade entirely or watching it with rather wary, reserved expressions.

We should remember that a large percentage of people in Bangkok are economic migrants, mostly from the North and Northeast. Many of them will be Thaksin supporters.

[rixalex]

Fine choose the word that suits you.

Not a case of the word that suits me, a case of the word that is accurate. I wasn't attacking you, i was questioning your conclusions. I wish you would address the point i made.

I didn't see a single word that refuted what I observed. Just Knee jerk!

Perhaps you need to read my post again - seems you didn't take it in properly.

I wasn't questioning what you saw, i was questioning what you concluded from what you saw.

[nong38]

If it wasn't for the media, I would never know anything is happening in Bangkok. Life in Chiang Mai seems as normal as always.

Same everywhere other than Bangkok. Love the city, but glad I don't live there right now!

Just saw the Aljazeera interview of Abhisit. I have seen him on TV before, but only when speaking Thai. His English is perfect, though he does have a bit of that funny English accent. Just kidding!

Definitely a smart man. Easy going, cool, great answers. Not like the rants of Thaksin. He threw the class war back in Thaksin's face, calling him an elite also. And asking why he wasn't here sleeping on the streets with his followers? The interviewer asked if he promised security for Thaksin if he came back. Abhisit said yes, but he would have to go to jail and serve his term out. Guess Thaksin's ego is too large for that...or he would miss his coffee and cake while lounging in Montenegro...guess I can't really blame him on that one!

If you were brought up in Eton college, you would probably have a funny English accent also.

Actually Abisit was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne, went to Eton and then on to Oxfors University so no wonder he sounds good and he does come across very well.

There are issues that need sorting out, it will take time, who would you trust to sort it out Abhisit or Taksin?

Educate the poor, improve health system, infrastructure and communications for a start, get a plan together that hopefully all sides can agree on with a timeframe and work together not against each other. The Irish issue has taken,is taking time in the UK. Whilst I am at it sort out the payfor promotion game too there is no place for that, merit only. Out of very dark days opportunites arise, anyone out there looking

[Insight]

I was watching the parade (and yes that's a good description of what was going on) today and saw many people cheering on and waving to the Redshirts. However, as I was walking to and from the main road I saw many more people either ignoring the parade entirely or watching it with rather wary, reserved expressions.

We should remember that a large percentage of people in Bangkok are economic migrants, mostly from the North and Northeast. Many of them will be Thaksin supporters.

Exactly. The office where my wife works, the office where I work and the office where we both worked previously are in very thin supply of red shirt sympathisers.

The workers at the garage we filled the car up at this morning, on the other hard, quickly got out their red attire as a few pickups parked nearby. Same goes for the motorbike taxis.

Displeasure was also voiced hold fast Thailand

[lannarebirth]

If it wasn't for the media, I would never know anything is happening in Bangkok. Life in Chiang Mai seems as normal as always.

Same everywhere other than Bangkok. Love the city, but glad I don't live there right now!

Just saw the Aljazeera interview of Abhisit. I have seen him on TV before, but only when speaking Thai. His English is perfect, though he does have a bit of that funny English accent. Just kidding!

Definitely a smart man. Easy going, cool, great answers. Not like the rants of Thaksin. He threw the class war back in Thaksin's face, calling him an elite also. And asking why he wasn't here sleeping on the streets with his followers? The interviewer asked if he promised security for Thaksin if he came back. Abhisit said yes, but he would have to go to jail and serve his term out. Guess Thaksin's ego is too large for that...or he would miss his coffee and cake while lounging in Montenegro...guess I can't really blame him on that one!

If you were brought up in Eton college, you would probably have a funny English accent also.

Actually Abisit was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne, went to Eton and then on to Oxfors University so no wonder he sounds good and he does come across very well.

There are issues that need sorting out, it will take time, who would you trust to sort it out Abhisit or Taksin?

Educate the poor, improve health system, infrastructure and communications for a start, get a plan together that hopefully all sides can agree on with a timeframe and work together not against each other. The Irish issue has taken,is taking time in the UK. Whilst I am at it sort out the payfor promotion game too there is no place for that, merit only. Out of very dark days opportunites arise, anyone out there looking

There is no tax base in Thailand to do all that needs doing. Abhisit is the ONLY PM who has attempted to expand the tax base to broaden the social safety net. When he originally proposed taxation for property and inheritance it went over poorly as you might expect. He needs to get more canny and co-opt this movement to help him attain his goals on their behalf. That's what I'd be telling him if I were his advisor. He would have more than enough votes in Parliament to get this stuff through if the primary beeficiaries of these services were to work with him rather than against him and not for the megalomaniac robber baron Thaksin.

Edited March 20, 2010 by lannarebirth

[jdinasia]

Watching the parade in Bangkok now, one get's the idea that the vast part of the Bangkokians support the movement.

Does one really?

Do you know what the population of Bangkok is? Do you think that you are qualified to conclude having seen a few hands being waved that the "vast part of Bangkokians support the movement"? !

I think if that were true, bearing in mind today is a Saturday with many people off work, and bearing in mind that it's right on people's doorsteps, the city would be teeming. It is not. Media isn't the only outlet capable of spin.

Watch the spin machine now. Attacking the observer and making excuses to recover their propaganda.

I challenge the Nation reporters to report what is actually happening on the street and what I observed personally. Even that, though will probably not silence those who will attack anybody or anything that threatens their ego.

Bring it on. I am just wishing for peace and equality for all Thais and see the country return to respect and prosperity and hoping that cooler heads will find a way to correct the wrongs and get there.

Seeing a few people on the street waving back is not indicative of "the vast part of the Bangkokians suupport"ing the movement --- it is indicative of a few people that are either red shirts or are supportive of red shirts waving.

What you are ,in fact, seeing is the vast part of Bangkok heeding the mayor's warning to avoid being on the street.

Edited March 20, 2010 by jdinasia

[khunjamespittman]

Fine choose the word that suits you.

Not a case of the word that suits me, a case of the word that is accurate. I wasn't attacking you, i was questioning your conclusions. I wish you would address the point i made.

I didn't see a single word that refuted what I observed. Just Knee jerk!

Perhaps you need to read my post again - seems you didn't take it in properly.

I wasn't questioning what you saw, i was questioning what you concluded from what you saw.

This looks like a useless discussion but:

I'm not sure what your native language is but when you question the veracity of one's statement of an observation without reason or evidence, that is known as an attack.

Despite your condescension, I am amazed that you are capable of judging what I observed or what it meant.

As an earlier poster pointed out there are many poor and upcountry people living in Bangkok. Perhaps these were the supporters or even perhaps other Bangkokians who feel some sympathy for those people. I really don't know why they are supportive but the point was they appeared supportive.

I really don't want to continue this tit for tat unless you have some useful facts.

As I said earlier hopefully we'll see some reputable journalists corroborating my observations.

It would be nice if you had some facts to contribute.

Regards,

edited to correct spelling

Edited March 20, 2010 by khunjamespittman

[jdinasia]

hmmmmm I am capable of seeing the news including what is on People TV --- it is obvious that the "vast part" of Bangkokians are not doing what you are suggesting. In fact, it would be fair to say that just a tiny part almost miniscule part are out showing any support of the reds at all!

We can be grateful that the "vast part" of Bangkokians are listening to the mayor and not going out to show their displeasure and the followers of Thaksin screwing up the weekend

PS --- you haven't contributed any facts yourself, just some rather biased observations. Strange that People TV isn't showing what YOU claim to have seen

Edited March 20, 2010 by jdinasia