Some Attitudes Towards Red Shirts Shameful

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Some attitudes towards red shirts shameful

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- With the red-shirt rally into its third week now, a lot of Thai mainstream media outlets had ample opportunity to display their patronising attitude towards the lesser educated and poorer Thais who constitute the majority of the protesters.

These media outlets have been sneering at the red shirts for their perceived naivete, political immaturity and violence-prone nature. In fact, the contempt displayed has been so blatant and numerous that a tome could be compiled from it.

Editor of Post Today, Nakarn Laohavilai, wrote in his March 26 column that the protest "reflects [the fact that] many people have yet to attain maturity when it comes to a real democratic system".

His solution was for Thailand to have "higher quality people".

In his March 11 column, Nakarn patronisingly wrote that the red shirts were coming to the capital because "they have been fooled or bought", so Bangkokians should not fault them.

Instead, he said, Bangkok residents should "smile, pity, sympathise and extend loving-kindness", because it's really ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's fault.

Others, such as Arglit Boonyai, the editor of free weekly magazine "Guru", sneered at a red-shirt protester in his publication's March 19 edition for not knowing "how to use a tap with a sensor".

"He kept banging the top of the faucet. He would then move his hands under the tap and water would come out. When it stopped he'd bang the top again, and repeat until his hands were clean.

At least his hands were clean. Now he can get out and fight for justice with clean fingers," he wrote.

Arglit, the "better" educated urbanite then went on to say: "As it stands, we have protesters, many of whom are uneducated, damaging Thailand's image in the name of certain individuals"

Moving on to the ASTV-Manager Daily newspaper's March 29 edition. Its page 12 political cartoon had two panels: the first showed a typical traffic jam in Bangkok with a caption reading: "Mon-Fri for car traffic"; the second depicted a horde of water buffaloes led by Thaksin, with the caption reading: "Sat-Sun for walking water buffaloes".

The cartoon was playing on the traditional Thai notion of uneducated people having the mentality of a water buffalo.

This analogy was also employed by INN news service when its SMS news yesterday stated that the red shirts were being "herded" to rally again on Saturday.

To be sure, such caricature and sneering is never a one-way street, even though an overwhelming majority of Bangkok-based mainstream media harbours deep contempt for the less educated, poor red shirts.

The Khao Sod daily was more sympathetic in a column written on March 26 by Kadchuek Kathaphan, who noted that red shirts were "gathering peacefully and simply.

They eat simply and naturally and are not pretentious like the high-society [yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy] protesters who wear sun block while participating in a 'save-the-country' picnic".

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

It is perhaps painful for the many "well-educated" and well-heeled Bangkokians to understand that these poor, "uncouth" red shirts are using or at least collaborating with Thaksin to advance their political agenda, much like the yellow shirts depended upon the coup-makers and the aristocrats to advance their plans.

It's more comforting for many yellow- and white-shirted Bangkokians to continue believing that the poor red shirts must be stupid, corrupt and violent.

That way, they can feel smug about their perceived morals and intellectual superiority no matter how dubious these perceptions might actually be.

-- The Nation 2010-04-01

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[anotherpeter]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

[onlooker]

Nice April Fools piece by The Nation. ( At least I hope it is.)

[Crushdepth]

They should have tried 'being nice' first and not last, if they wanted respect. Blood throwing? Yeah please come back. We'll have the red carpet waiting for you.

[MellowYellow]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Methinks your memory needs to be jogged then.

[anotherpeter]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Methinks your memory needs to be jogged then.

Please jog it. Information please.

edit: no references required. just some basic details of the violence during this time will be fine.

Edited April 1, 2010 by anotherpeter

[KireB]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Methinks your memory needs to be jogged then.

I dont remember any violence neither. Except for the daily attacks on the yellows.

[bkkjames]

Nation's attempt to look less-biased? April Fools for sure.

[kerm99]

Your last sentence says it all....

No violence during coup or airport takeover. When two events like this happen, their is nothing peacuful

Open your eyes to reality and stop supporting PAD

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

[anotherpeter]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Your last sentence says it all....

No violence during coup or airport takeover. When two events like this happen, their is nothing peacuful

Open your eyes to reality and stop supporting PAD

1) I didn't say anything about either event being right.

2) I don't support the PAD. (I don't support the reds or Thaksin, and basically support Abhisit, but mostly I support a better and less corrupt Thailand).

3) But the thing is, THEY WERE PEACEFUL. There was no violence (that I remember) during these two events. No one died. No one was injured. There was no fighting.

[givenall]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Methinks your memory needs to be jogged then.

I dont remember any violence neither. Except for the daily attacks on the yellows.

I also remember the violence against the Yellow. Most likely by the Mr. T followers still in power. I am hoping they have been replaces. Bit as usual in these cases that money is involved they probably gone underground and they try their best o mess up the situation

[MellowYellow]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Methinks your memory needs to be jogged then.

I dont remember any violence neither. Except for the daily attacks on the yellows.

If these are actually serious denials that the PAD actively engaged in violence, then I see no further purpose to discussion. Such absolute historical revision and denial leaves us with nothing to discuss.

[anotherpeter]

If these are actually serious denials that the PAD actively engaged in violence, then I see no further purpose to discussion. Such absolute historical revision and denial leaves us with nothing to discuss.

Once again. I didn't say that the Yellows were NEVER violent.

But WHEN was there violence during the coup? And WHEN was there violence during the airport takeover?

[MellowYellow]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Your last sentence says it all....

No violence during coup or airport takeover. When two events like this happen, their is nothing peacuful

Open your eyes to reality and stop supporting PAD

1) I didn't say anything about either event being right.

2) I don't support the PAD. (I don't support the reds or Thaksin, and basically support Abhisit, but mostly I support a better and less corrupt Thailand).

3) But the thing is, THEY WERE PEACEFUL. There was no violence (that I remember) during these two events. No one died. No one was injured. There was no fighting.

OK I get it now. It's April fools.

[Insight]

OK I get it now. It's April fools.

Knock yourself out. There's one YouTube click where there's a few yellows on Vipawaddee going a bit mental. When I talk about that with my PAD friend he scowls and says "imposters", but that's an easy argument.

Are there any others?

[MellowYellow]

I'm not going to get drawn into a historical revision debate.

It's ludicrous.

Anyone actually care to address the thrust of the article? The dehumanizing and labeling of the poor because they disagree and dare to make noise?

[hammered]

Some media is bias against the reds including the yellows own ASTV manager group. Yep.

The red media is at least equally bias and at leats equally hate inducing against those they dont like.

Yep the second point is strangely not mentioned considering the inclusion of the known yellow supporting ASTV group as a measure of what the media says

Still personally I think the honesty of having an openly bias media is positive and far better than having something pushed and even worse seen as neutral but actually bias which all media ultimately is.

Edited to add: it kinda reflects society. some people hate the yellows, some people hate the reds, many dont give a *&^% and read the entertainment pages and look for the lottery result, most Thai citizens dont even see a newspaper

Edited April 1, 2010 by hammered

[xminator]

Surprisingly unbiased from The Nation. Now we can sit down and wait for the first armchair racist to deliver his daily rant on the free somtam eating dirty farmers, and thaivisa is back to normal...

[anotherpeter]

I'm not going to get drawn into a historical revision debate.

It's ludicrous.

Anyone actually care to address the thrust of the article? The dehumanizing and labeling of the poor because they disagree and dare to make noise?

Well, I don't know whether to believe anything in the article.

When it talks about violence during the coup, when I know (but could be mistaken) that there wasn't any, what else is a lie?

edit: There may be *some* valid points in the article.

Edited April 1, 2010 by anotherpeter

[kraxlhuber]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

I still hear"Airport takeover by Yellow shirts",

Lies,the airports were entrance blocked!

No yellow shirt entered the airports,the press especially the"Bangkok Pest"pun intended,are distroring always the facts,as they take 99 % of theis news from API etc.copycats and not shameful professionals.

[animatic]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

Methinks your memory needs to be jogged then.

Please jog it. Information please.

edit: no references required. just some basic details of the violence during this time will be fine.

Cue the bias-edited video of one truck defending itself from an attack by Red Taxi drivers,

but only showing the PAD guards shooting and holding one guy and stomping on bikes,

but NOT showing the part where the group attacks them...

And not putting in context the nightly attacks by grenades, leading to deaths,

for the several days prior to that, where they would be made to feel

any reds advancing on them in a group intent extreme violence.

Coup week, flowers handed to soldiers, no violence shown anywhere.

PAD violence mostly instigated by Red agitators.

Or by the inevitable siege mentality regular Red Attacks on PAD caused.

PAD were not acting thoughtful or properly taking the airport, it was wityhout doubt wrong,

but after a week of deaths in their camp, caused by outside forces, that they acted,

moved and didn't slink home is understandable, if not forgivable.

Regardless it must be viewed in context and not as individual incidents.

[kraxlhuber]

Surprisingly unbiased from The Nation. Now we can sit down and wait for the first armchair racist to deliver his daily rant on the free somtam eating dirty farmers, and thaivisa is back to normal...

Big lip is at it again,

have you asked the Poor Farmers ,where their Daughters and Sons go to highschool and universities and who pays the tuition and fees.Certainly not the poor fellows roaming like wild animals the street of the Big Mango,now you think..

[MellowYellow]

This guy has been reading and posting on TV hasn't he. I'm sure I've seen most of those comments before.

This one was my favorite though.

The mainstream media is quick to characterise the red-shirt protesters as being violence prone, though funnily enough it said very little about the violence generated by the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin or the shutting down of the Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

I don't remember ANY violence during the coup or the airport takover.

I still hear"Airport takeover by Yellow shirts",

Lies,the airports were entrance blocked!

No yellow shirt entered the airports,the press especially the"Bangkok Pest"pun intended,are distroring always the facts,as they take 99 % of theis news from API etc.copycats and not shameful professionals.

Awesome! This gets even more intriuging! So not only did I NOT see the violence on multiple channels of the TV, including Sondhi's own yellow channel, BUT I also did NOT see video and pictures of The PAD camped out INSIDE the terminals at the airports?

Wow! I need new glasses or less Beer Lao I guess, to misremember soooooooo much.

Standing by for assertions;

-that the sun is actually very cold NOT Hot

-that up is actually down

and

-the earth is flat

[anotherpeter]

MY ...

Was there violence during the coup?

Was there violence during the airport 'takeover'?

If Yes, can you please provide some details.

[mca]

Cue the bias-edited video of one truck defending itself from an attack by Red Taxi drivers,

but only showing the PAD guards shooting and holding one guy and stomping on bikes,

but NOT showing the part where the group attacks them...

It would be nice to see a non-biased edited version of the video. Does anybody have a link?

[MellowYellow]

Ahh, so the resounding choir of TVF is this:

[Insight]

Awesome! This gets even more intriuging! So not only did I NOT see the violence on multiple channels of the TV, including Sondhi's own yellow channel, BUT I also did NOT see video and pictures of The PAD camped out INSIDE the terminals at the airports?

Wow! I need new glasses or less Beer Lao I guess, to misremember soooooooo much.

Standing by for assertions;

-that the sun is actually very cold NOT Hot

-that up is actually down

and

-the earth is flat

AoT gave that airport up incredibly easily, no?

And the PAD gave it back with a bit of a grandiose ceremony.

The point being they encountered very little resistance to their movements, which could also somewhat explain why the crimes against the leaders are taking some time to process.

[MellowYellow]

MY ...

Was there violence during the coup?

Was there violence during the airport 'takeover'?

If Yes, can you please provide some details.

I'm not going to get drawn into a historical revision debate.

It's ludicrous.

Anyone actually care to address the thrust of the article? The dehumanizing and labeling of the poor because they disagree and dare to make noise?

Edited April 1, 2010 by MellowYellow

[anotherpeter]

MY ...

Was there violence during the coup?

Was there violence during the airport 'takeover'?

If Yes, can you please provide some details.

I'm not going to get drawn into a historical revision debate.

It's ludicrous.

Anyone actually care to address the thrust of the article? The dehumanizing and labeling of the poor because they disagree and dare to make noise?

It was part of the article. If I can't believe that, what else can't I believe?

Given how much you're avoiding such simple questions, I take it your answer is NO - There was no violence during these two events.

[MellowYellow]

MY ...

Was there violence during the coup?

Was there violence during the airport 'takeover'?

If Yes, can you please provide some details.

I'm not going to get drawn into a historical revision debate.

It's ludicrous.

Anyone actually care to address the thrust of the article? The dehumanizing and labeling of the poor because they disagree and dare to make noise?

It was part of the article. If I can't believe that, what else can't I believe?

Given how much you're avoiding such simple questions, I take it your answer is NO - There was no violence during these two events.

I also don't get involved in debates about whether or not the sun is hot or cold. I also don't get into debates about whether or not water and food are necesary to sustain human life. I also don't get into debates with creationists, Jehovah's Witnessses, Radical Muslims, Jews or Christians. You draw whatever conclusions you choose to from that.

Given as you are fixating on trying to debate away recorded historical fact, I guess you really don't give a flying sh*t about the poor or dehumanizing them.