Taking The Temperature Of Foreigner Support For The Red Shirts

[Jingthing]

Well there has been a lot of news about the red shirts in the last few weeks and of course more to come. I thought this was a good time to take the temperature about expat views on the red shirts, as they actually are, not how you wish them to be.

On the second part of this poll, for example if you already strongly supported the reds, and you still do, of course you would vote no change due to recent events. So the intent of the second part is to see if recent events changed many minds (I doubt it but we'll see).

I am calling this a foreigners opinion poll because we all know the vast majority of members here are not Thai nationals. Of course anyone can vote, and it is not a scientific poll. Happy voting.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Jingthing

[Moonrakers]

None of the above really.

I have a little more sympathy towards if anything but only because Thaksins actions are becoming seemingly more desperate, through which he has inadvertently drawn attention to the fact that they have a point.

They are just going for the wrong target I.E. Abhisit & Co. are not the enemy whilst Thaksin is certainly not their friend.

Come to think of it, I am not sure if it is sympathy or pity.

[Chaimai]

I agree with post #2.

[Jimi007]

This protest started shortly after the court announced the verdict against Thaksin, seizing his assets. The protesters were paid by team Thakin. It's not rocket science!

[britmaveric]

Reds are giving a nice peaceful protest. I think I like them more now.

[monkfish]

After reading the BS on this forum over the last few days I support the reds more than before.

Why because I know all the BS I hear in the news is just that B.S.

[JetsetBkk]

I agree with post #2.

I agree with post #6.

[IMA_FARANG]

I have to say I oppose the Red Shirts....as they are now. That's mostly due to Thaksin's involvement with them. In a way I sympathise with the Issan people, who have always been getting the short end of everything. However, with Thaksin as their leader....they have no chance of any real solution to their problems. Once Thaksin gets back in power, if he ever does, he will turn on his Red Shirt supporters like the snake he is. It is sad to have to say that, but it will happen.

So since they will make it worse for themselves, and all of us along with them if Thaksin does come back, I have to say I oppose them.

[MAJIC]

I have to say I oppose the Red Shirts....as they are now. That's mostly due to Thaksin's involvement with them. In a way I sympathise with the Issan people, who have always been getting the short end of everything. However, with Thaksin as their leader....they have no chance of any real solution to their problems. Once Thaksin gets back in power, if he ever does, he will turn on his Red Shirt supporters like the snake he is. It is sad to have to say that, but it will happen.

So since they will make it worse for themselves, and all of us along with them if Thaksin does come back, I have to say I oppose them.

You are correct if Thaksin is successful they will be discarded and promply forgotten,sadly their mentality does not allow

them to believe that they are being used.

[ciaociao]

This protest started shortly after the court announced the verdict against Thaksin, seizing his assets. The protesters were paid by team Thakin. It's not rocket science!

Don't count Taksin out.

[PhilHarries]

I support the stated ideals of the red shirt movement being the emancipation of the poor under classes but unfortunately they are just being used as insignificant pawns by a branch of the very people they profess to hate.

Ditch Thaksin, yesterday's man, and ditch some of the more unsavoury characters amongst their leadership and they'd garner a lot more support within and outside the country.

Equally unfortunately, without those said undesirables and one man in particular, they'd have no money and they'd all have no choice but to go home and work showing that they are nothing more than "rent-a-mob". I bet if you took them aside less than one in a hundred would even have a faint idea what their goals are and only the top dogs know the real true reason.

[Big Guy]

It is not only about Taksin, they also want a fair and democratically elected government.

Amd as for the comments of rent a mob, weren't the protesters at the airport (yelloow Shirts) being paid 500bt a day??????

[anotherpeter]

I support the goals of the farmers for better education and services.

I support free and fair elections.

- Free for canditates to campaign with out being harrassed and threatened.

- Fair for voters to vote for who they want, without someone having to pay them, and without someone looking over their shoulder when they vote.

I don't support the red shirts, because that is not their goal. Their goal is to get Thaksin back here and get his money back.

[soundman]

Post containg degrading comments by a now banned member, & multiple replies to that post have been removed.

[manarak]

If they could get Thaksin out of the picture, I'd have some sympathies for them and simply say "bad timing".

I am convinced that once Thaksin is history, the reds can get much more than now.

[Sing_Sling]

Hmm, some quick modding here . . .

Edited April 1, 2010 by Sing_Sling

[bkkjames]

Another meaningless poll. Given the extraordinary political bias of this website, what could this hope to show (other than that the moderators have done a good job in creating an echo-chamber for the ignorant and the prejudiced.)

Correct - there must be 10 threads dedicated to this in the newsclipping section - oh, all of those have posts from TV members in support of either side. Biased is a 6 letter word.

[kraxlhuber]

This protest started shortly after the court announced the verdict against Thaksin, seizing his assets. The protesters were paid by team Thakin. It's not rocket science!

paid with money withdrawn from blocked T. bankaccounts.

Not ATM'S,transfers with full support from the Bankmanagers,who are P.....g in their pants ,fearing if T. ever(never) is ruling the roost,they will be punished if refusing.

Ask T. Lawyers if theu have any knowledge about withdrawals and transfers.

BTW, how many followers and admirer of T. aresitting in banks,hospitals,military posts.police.

Only a Fahtwa could help to purge the scoundrels.

[bkkjames]

^^ Yeah. And the guy in the pointy hat can't be a racist because he's got some black friends. This forum is wildly biased. You can deny that - and the moderators do - but it's a fact.

I would wager a large Heineken that if a blind survey was taken of TV members you would find that it's pretty close to being split right down the middle. Can't wait for your 4th post.

Edited April 1, 2010 by bkkjames

[Burbank]

Do you mean a survey like this one? A survey which, at moment, shows a majority 'strongly oppose' the reds.

---

Besides, voicing any remotely anti-PAD, anti-Abhisit views is a clear invitation to being banned. This is obvious. On the other hand, you get people coming out with the most outlandish nonsense about the reds (I see one poster who said over and over and over again that they were a terrorist organisation still has his posting rights intact) so the poll will reflect nothing more than what a suitably winnowed and politically-selected group of foreigners think about the political issue for which they've been selected.

Edited April 1, 2010 by Burbank

[bkkjames]

Do you mean a survey like this one? A survey which, at moment, shows a majority 'strongly oppose' the reds.

You know if you look at any survey about someone complaining about something, ever notice that the complainers always outnumber those who are in support.

In simpler terms, it's easier to find people to voice they complaints about airline xx over those who actually think its ok.

This poll by JT is pretty even from what I can see. No questions that try to influence one way or another. Don't blame the site / members because you don't happen to like the results. Perhaps you should encourage those members who hold the same view as you to vote.

[Burbank]

Are you seriously claiming that there's no political bias on this website? If yes, are you in fact just making a particularly stupid and transparent April Fool's joke?

This poll by JT is pretty even from what I can see.

Huh?? Are we looking at the same thing? 25% show some degree of support for the reds and over 60% oppose them. What world do you live in where 25 and 60 are the same?

Edited April 1, 2010 by Burbank

[OzMick]

I have a great deal of sympathy for the rural poor, but strongly oppose the red shirts. They are almost completely ignorant about how democracy works and have hitched their wagon to the wrong mule. Thus they are perceived as a rent-a-crowd even though they have some real grievances, which aren't even being spelled out. Dissolve parliament NOW, let Thaksin buy a majority, and everything will be fine. Nothing but a mass delusion.

I have less sympathy for the posters who think they know all about democracy because they were born and/or raised in one. Like the computer that they type on, they can use it without having any idea how it works. We also have suggestions that the current government should be announcing programs to help the rural poor, without any REAL suggestions. It isn't an easy problem to solve.

It comes down to this - they are involved in labour intensive industry. If you mechanise, you throw people out of work. If you provide schools, you will have to find a way to subsidise student's families so that they can keep a child out of the fields, then provide an industry to employ the educated, or they head for the big smoke. When you try to build an industry the locals complain about the pollution, traffic, noise, etc.

[bkkjames]

Are you seriously claiming that there's no political bias on this website? If yes, are you in fact just making a particularly stupid and transparent April Fool's joke?

This poll by JT is pretty even from what I can see.

Huh?? Are we looking at the same thing? 25% show some degree of support for the reds and over 60% oppose them. What world do you live in where 25 and 60 are the same?

Not the results Einstein, the bloody questions.

[Burbank]

So if the questions are evenly balanced then presumably it's a fair test of the opinions of the people on Thaivisa; they're not evenly split.

That'll be a bottle of Heineken, please.

[bkkjames]

So if the questions are evenly balanced then presumably it's a fair test of the opinions of the people on Thaivisa; they're not evenly split.

That'll be a bottle of Heineken, please.

It represents those that have taken the time to vote in the survey. I give up you win mate.

[thaihome]

I also support the idea of giving the rural poor the tools they need to improve themselves in the modern world. Long term this is done by a huge improvement in the education system, short term, the agriculture system needs improvement to have more of the profits flow down to the farmers themselves.

Unfortunately, I do not see this in any of the stated goals coming from the current red shirt leadership. Also, the timing of this particular exercise cannot be ignored. All this leads to the conclusion that it is about Thaksin and not really the needs of the people. The current government has realized that some of the populist policies have worked and they are being continued. Whether this can be done without the previous level of corruption remains to be seen.

Nevertheless, education and some reforms in the upcountry economic system will go a long way towards freeing the rural poor from the yoke of economic servitude they currently find themselves in. I have to make the point that this economic servitude is not to the so called Bangkok Elite, but to their very own local leaders.

TH

[atyclb]

Red shirts are just Thaksin EMPLOYEES

One of the 3 red shirt reps talking with Abvisit is intelligent

Red shirt delegates involved in talks claim they are there for a "better country" while they hope the government will funnel money for them personally. A bribe to counter Thaksins bribe, a counter-bribe, if you will.

Assuming any/all politicians are corrupt, if given the choice between intelligent educated corrupt politicians running the country vs unintelligent and/or largely uneducated; who would you choose?

Intelligent and/or educated Isaan people largely do not back Thaksins employees.

Ideally Thaksin should use his money to create schools, universities, training for Red shirt people to become self sustaining and make a better future for themselves and their children. Thaksin should use his money to hire GOOD teachers.

Many poor people are very nice, lovely and would grab the opportunity to better themselves through vocational training and or higher education.

There seems to also exist a large subculture that has little or no interest in anything other than a counterproductive lifestyle and mentality much akin to many on "the dole" or "welfare" in G7 countries.

[noahvail]

Good poll, JT. But I'm going to reserve judgment until the "demonstration" is over.

atyclb wrote "Intelligent and/or educated Isaan people largely do not back Thaksins employees."

I assume that's either a personal opinion, or based on talking with the people he mentioned. It infers that unintelligent and/or uneducated people do back "Thaksin's employees." Don't know where you live, atyclb, but if you don't live in Isaan, come on up to the villages. You may find yourself surprized.

[trompelemonde]

I’ve got a black Fortuna – with chrome plated running boards.

So there!!!