Thai Protesters Target Bangkok's Tourist Centre

[rreddin]

Its now been extended to tomorrow for second round of negotiations, but one of the leaders predicts 3am army will start to move them out. He also did make a threat "If the government decides to fire its first bullet at the people the country will be left in dust as well,"

Followed by another

"If authorities use forces against the people the guerilla units could strike back at their own discretion,"

Did you spot the significance of the time? As no one else has commented about it I assume that most people were focussed on the less important details, the target audience for which is the news editors of the international news chanels.

This statement will have been picked up by all the news editors. 3am is 9pm in London, just in time for the late evening news bulletins, the early evening news on the East Coast of the USA and lunch time on the West Coast. Coincidence? Absolutely not. The IRA used this tactic to great effect in Northern Ireland.

[TAWP]

LOL. Thats why there are reports that some have been using the streets and Red leaders have also requested for shops and shopping malls to stay open so the reds can use their toilets.(Yeah sure, i would love to have thousands use my shop as a toilet)

I would charge each user 10 baht...if they don't like it they can go somewhere else.

[OzMick]

Jatuporn is protected by MP immunity while parliament is seated

Is this correct? Under the UK/Aus system (as I understand it) a PM cannot be prosecuted for anything said IN parliament, but outside is under the rule of law as any other citizen.

[siampolee]

moresomekl.

Those old lead weighted gendarmes capes were indeed interesting articles of clothing were they not ?

I would think the ideal crowd dispersal weapon here .

Swing it to me baby.

Edited April 3, 2010 by siampolee

[moresomekl]

The very bottom line is that the poor people are tired of the middlemen stealing from them. You have to admit that the red shirts have not taken over government buildings nor have they closed the airport.

The yellow shirts and their pet politicians managed a coup to oust Thaksin and then their puppet politicians managed to oust the two other two legally elected PM's. You could call Abhisit legally elected, but that is quite a push. You are not happy with the politicians? Wait for the next election rather than oust three legally elected PM's.

Like it or not the current government owes the yellow shirts BIG time. If Abhisit holds elections within six months, I think the red shirts are being unreasonable if they refuse to accept those terms.

Agree with you except on the 6 months , as i think that proposing 9 months instead of staying in power 20 months is a reasonable compromise by Abhisit .

[moresomekl]

moresomekl.

Those old lead weighted gendarmes capes were indeed interesting articles of clothing were they not ?

I would think the ideal crowd dispersal weapon here .

Swing it to me baby.

[jdinasia]

I'm sorry I fail to see any evidence at all that what you term "supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents" here in Thailand. The ones with the "supreme power" are primarily members of the Armed Forces and the politicians occupying positions in the Government have been installed there by them for their bidding; they have certainly not been elected under a "free electoral system" and if you believe they have then you are dangerously naive. Military coups are hardly democratic, nor are they remotely legal. You may not like the incumbent but the way to get them out is a free and fair election. The last notable person who refused to go was tipped out by the military so what is this Government scared of? Couldn't be democracy "in action" could it?

Perhaps you missed it since it was such a minimal thing in Thailand .... hardly a blip on the radar ... just a firefly caught in passing from the corner of your eye ..... but there have been ELECTIONS since the coup. The same elections have installed three governments now. Two were PPP led coalitions and the third government from the same election is the current government.

Now to beat you to the punch, Yes PPP was disbanded by the courts. Why? A party official was caught on film making payoffs (electoral fraud). The PPP was given enough time before they were disbanded to form a new party that all but the PPP executives could Most did, but some of the people (elected from their constituencies) did not.

TRT Redux3 (TRT,PPP,PTP) could not get enough members of parliament to side with them to form a new coalition government. The Democrats could. End of story.

((Remember ---- PPP could have dissolved parliament even 1 day before they were disbanded --- they didn't--- they really don't have the right to cry about it now.)))

[alex_aka_P]

Nat Jantakat, a 38-year-old lychee farmer from the north, for one vowed to keep up the fight, making light of the 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) temperature.

"I've been here since the first day and I'll be here until we achieve democracy."

...I always ask myself - when (if!) they finally achieve the true Democracy, or another True and Absolute Power on this country....WHATTA HEL'L they gonna do with that?

Lets accept (for one munute!) that those "38-year-old lychee farmers" somehow RECEIVED the total control of the country. What will be their NEXT step, huh?? With their lack of education, xenophoby and other menthal fobies, somtams and maipenrais, with their "Farang kob baan!", with their lack of knowing the World around......how will they run THE COUNTRY in the World's arena?

It reminds me a Russian revolution in 1917th....that was exactly the same question as above, and they RUINED their homeland for almost an a century.

True Power is a hard duty. Not every kitchen-mate able to tule it (opposed to Lenin's quote, btw).

The ruler MUST be perfectly studied it (whatever way he is - Monarchy, Democracy, Tyrany...)...He MUST know and plan his next steps.

I really doubt that those lechee farmers f'king know what they are doung now. Indeed, rent-the-crowd.....

PS: have somebody here EVEN seen the common Thai person thinking each his/her actions 2-3 steps ahead from the current action?

Noway. Even their language has NO such of words and advanced Future Tenses.....

Edited April 3, 2010 by alex_aka_P

[Jingthing]

Another great example, red Mao's cultural revolution, that's what happens when the "elites" are truly kicked out.

[siampolee]

As a retired middle ranking British policeman I assure you the timing of a raid or a campaign is very important. it's nothing to do with the timing of newscasts in Europe or elsewhere it all connects to the fact that ones body and indeed ones brain activity is at the lowest ebb around 2-3 :a.nm. in most cases,

Somchai and Porntip will be slumbering peacefully either due to fatigue or a dose or two of Lao Kao, as the song goes

''My Resistance is Low.

Little or no aggression and hopefully little or no violence from either side. sadly people will no doubt be hurt though.

Their blood is on the hands of Thaksin the coward and the rentamouth rabble rousers Jatuporn, Veraa and Weng, also let us not forget not forgetting the strolling minstrel Arisman. They are the ones responsible responsible for any blood shed from either side not the authorities.

I wonder if the red Shirt Brigae paymasters will reimburse those who are injured in any fracas as may arise, or will the pay masters take the money and run ?

Edited April 3, 2010 by siampolee

[rainman]

I think this should help explain to some people why some countries use elections to choose a government, not an army coup. Whether they "clean up" at midnight or not won't change anything. These poor and stupid farmers won't go away.

Edited April 3, 2010 by rainman

[jdinasia]

The very bottom line is that the poor people are tired of the middlemen stealing from them. You have to admit that the red shirts have not taken over government buildings nor have they closed the airport.

The yellow shirts and their pet politicians managed a coup to oust Thaksin and then their puppet politicians managed to oust the two other two legally elected PM's. You could call Abhisit legally elected, but that is quite a push. You are not happy with the politicians? Wait for the next election rather than oust three legally elected PM's.

Like it or not the current government owes the yellow shirts BIG time. If Abhisit holds elections within six months, I think the red shirts are being unreasonable if they refuse to accept those terms.

hmmm this one deserves to be ripped apart line by line .....

The very bottom line is that the poor people are NOT tired of being stolen from and want Thaksin back to do it some more.

The reds made a play for Government house but were rebuffed. They have mentioned the airports but have been told "No"

The PAD didn't push any government out and to do so is just a simple LIE. The PAD prevented the PPP government from passing laws to whitewash Thaksin. The courts ruled on the PPP and they are history because of it.

You could call Abhisit legally elected .... because he is.

Yes this government is PROBABLY in place because of the PAD stopping the PPP from unilaterally changing the charter with no referendum.

The reds have no option but to be unreasonable --- their boss says that the dems can't be allowed to set the next budhet or be the seated government when the next military reshuffle occurs.

(BTW --- you revisionist history is making me see Red.)

[elcent]

A bomb planted inside a garbage bin near the Saphan Khao Intersection exploded at 9:30 pm, police said.

No injuries were reported.

The Nation

[rainman]

I wonder if the red Shirt Brigae paymasters will reimburse those who are injured in any fracas as may arise, or will the pay masters take the money and run ?

Have you ever thought that maybe they're not being paid? 100,000 people, each paid 1,000 Baht per day as some of the newspapers have claimed, for what ...3 weeks now? That's 2,100,000,000 Baht. 2 billion Baht, yes. Don't you think that maybe people are coming out of their own free will, because they're fed up with the government?

[jdinasia]

I think this should help explain to some people why some countries use elections to choose a government, not an army coup. Whether they "clean up" at midnight or not won't change anything. These poor and stupid farmers won't go away.

This country used elections .. the reds just won't accept that they lost. Now they are threatening violence (there goes your peaceful protest) and state they have "guerilla units". (I wondered why Sae Daeng has been so silent for a few weeks)

[jdinasia]

I wonder if the red Shirt Brigae paymasters will reimburse those who are injured in any fracas as may arise, or will the pay masters take the money and run ?

Have you ever thought that maybe they're not being paid? 100,000 people, each paid 1,000 Baht per day as some of the newspapers have claimed, for what ...3 weeks now? That's 2,100,000,000 Baht. 2 billion Baht, yes. Don't you think that maybe people are coming out of their own free will, because they're fed up with the government?

Nope --- haven't considered it for a minute. Well, to be fair ... there is Ning. Her man says she isn't getting paid!

BTW --- Hyperbole abounds in that post --- 100k? Maybe once. 500 baht is the most stated number and weekday crowds were nothing 16,000 at the lowest count and 25k at the highest count some days .. even when the PTP/Red leaders were meeting with Abhisit. But really ---- what is 2 BILLION baht when Thaksin hopes to gain back 20 times that and more if he pulls this off!

[TAWP]

I think this should help explain to some people why some countries use elections to choose a government, not an army coup. Whether they "clean up" at midnight or not won't change anything. These poor and stupid farmers won't go away.

Yes, Thailand is one of them. or atleast it tries to, even if criminals like Thaksin and his ilk is doing whatever they can to pervert the process, hence their party got dissolved.

[traderjm]

Have you ever thought that maybe they're not being paid? 100,000 people, each paid 1,000 Baht per day as some of the newspapers have claimed, for what ...3 weeks now? That's 2,100,000,000 Baht. 2 billion Baht, yes. Don't you think that maybe people are coming out of their own free will, because they're fed up with the government?

Heh heh, that's cute. Yes of course they all just came down here on their own no money changed hands and no free gas, or food or anything else. One day they just all woke up and said dam_n it we need the lower house dissolved and ummmm they headed to BKK to make it happen.. all those pics and videos and first hand reports of payments well that is just a Yellow shirt scam to make the REDs look bad (not that they really need any help of late) you are a very funny guy RM, I do indeed hope your post was in jest... because if nothing else it was very funny.

I have staff that have told my wife and I personally of being paid to "protest" in the interest of accuracy it was not 1,000 baht per day but 500. I don't know if that is the going rate or not.. and I am sure that some of the people came on their own with valid concerns and full knowledge of what they want to change... but that I am betting is a pretty small minority.

[rainman]

The very bottom line is that the poor people are tired of the middlemen stealing from them. You have to admit that the red shirts have not taken over government buildings nor have they closed the airport.

The yellow shirts and their pet politicians managed a coup to oust Thaksin and then their puppet politicians managed to oust the two other two legally elected PM's. You could call Abhisit legally elected, but that is quite a push. You are not happy with the politicians? Wait for the next election rather than oust three legally elected PM's.

Like it or not the current government owes the yellow shirts BIG time. If Abhisit holds elections within six months, I think the red shirts are being unreasonable if they refuse to accept those terms.

hmmm this one deserves to be ripped apart line by line .....

The very bottom line is that the poor people are NOT tired of being stolen from and want Thaksin back to do it some more.

The reds made a play for Government house but were rebuffed. They have mentioned the airports but have been told "No"

The PAD didn't push any government out and to do so is just a simple LIE. The PAD prevented the PPP government from passing laws to whitewash Thaksin. The courts ruled on the PPP and they are history because of it.

You could call Abhisit legally elected .... because he is.

Yes this government is PROBABLY in place because of the PAD stopping the PPP from unilaterally changing the charter with no referendum.

The reds have no option but to be unreasonable --- their boss says that the dems can't be allowed to set the next budhet or be the seated government when the next military reshuffle occurs.

(BTW --- you revisionist history is making me see Red.)

Here's jdinasia, the twister, again. The red shirts have clearly stated at the start of the very first day of the rallies, that they will not take over the airports like the yellows shirts have done. Look it up, there's a statement out there that the newspapers even published. The PAD didn't achieve anything. The courts had already set a date for the verdict, what PAD did was simply billions in damages and thousands of Thais losing their jobs.

[elcent]

It would be a shame if this gov can't seize the opportunity to bring this to an end.

At the moment it still could work, good connection via gov agencies to protest leaders, but that won't last forever.

I'd make a serious offer to get over it once and forever.

Seriously, let them prove that they have millions of supporters who want the gov dissolved. Give them a week since they are spouting for months that they have the full support of millions, take them by the word and request prove. This overestimated numbers of protesters is sure no reason for to dissolve the gov.

[alex_aka_P]

A bomb planted inside a garbage bin near the Saphan Khao Intersection exploded at 9:30 pm, police said.

No injuries were reported.

The Nation

dam_n, why they just NOT ARREST those 3 red leaders?? For the sake of public security and order!! Just really not understand it!! Or is arresting the heads of public disorder and terroristic activity has something to do with Constitution and Democracy??

Without ALL the heads, the Hydra is harmless. And the heads are well-known, and their locations are well-monitored. So, whatta......??

[rainman]

Have you ever thought that maybe they're not being paid? 100,000 people, each paid 1,000 Baht per day as some of the newspapers have claimed, for what ...3 weeks now? That's 2,100,000,000 Baht. 2 billion Baht, yes. Don't you think that maybe people are coming out of their own free will, because they're fed up with the government?

Heh heh, that's cute. Yes of course they all just came down here on their own no money changed hands and no free gas, or food or anything else. One day they just all woke up and said dam_n it we need the lower house dissolved and ummmm they headed to BKK to make it happen.. all those pics and videos and first hand reports of payments well that is just a Yellow shirt scam to make the REDs look bad (not that they really need any help of late) you are a very funny guy RM, I do indeed hope your post was in jest... because if nothing else it was very funny.

I have staff that have told my wife and I personally of being paid to "protest" in the interest of accuracy it was not 1,000 baht per day but 500. I don't know if that is the going rate or not.. and I am sure that some of the people came on their own with valid concerns and full knowledge of what they want to change... but that I am betting is a pretty small minority.

They were paid for gas, not to protest. Of course, you can twist it, I'll give you that. You obviously have never been outside of Bangkok and don't own a car either. Driving from Chiang Mai or the North-East to Bangkok costs more than just the 2,000 Baht they received. They probably paid another 500 or 1,000 from their own pockets to get here. Not to mention going back (though you're right, they could get another 2,000 Baht to drive 70% back home).

And so they're being paid 500 Baht to protest? That's still over 1 billion Baht.

[moresomekl]

I really feel sorry for the people from my village here in Issan who were inticed to join the rally (about 100) because they are now potentially in harms way. These are salt of the earth people. Of course they are making three times as much daily wages and sending money back to the family weekly. As I stated in a previous post the man who works for me has eight extended family members who joined the rally. They do not have a clue as to why this is all happening but are happy to participate for the money.

You know this is the sad thing. When the redshirts marched down Latphrao, I felt like they were mostly good people. I know last year there was a lot of violence, and I have been worried there will be this year,.... but the people I saw marching and riding their motorcycles I felt like were good people. I thought they were being used, very badly, and I hoped the people whose faces I saw all managed to get back home safely. I still hope that. Maybe they will end up being used by the redshirt leaders, the really culpable party here, in violence, or perhaps they will be hurt, arrested, and even imprisoned. I hope not,... and I think it is the leadership that should be imprisoned... You know I think the government has acted with far more restraint than you would see in the US where I am from. There would be armed troops not unarmed ones, nuns have been sent to prison for throwing blood on WMDs in the US....

You know if I thought this was really about the rights of poor people, I would maybe be supportive. But it isn't. When they marched down Latphrao it was clear it was about Thaksin, not the rights of poor people. I hope most go home safely and without being arrested...

Yes i feel the same way as you do . Those poor folks , red rank and file , are beeing used , paid some cash daily which they got no hope to make upcountry . To say that they dont understanding democracy is probably true but did they ever had an opportunity for education ? Lets not confuse cause and effects .

Anyway I think this is the main reason why the governement is reluctant to use force . And also the reason why if there was use of force after all by the police or army , the protest would be dispersed quite easily .

In general thais are compasionate people , it is so strange that no governement before Thaksin has taken much interest in the farmers besides paying them triffles to be elected . Clearly a change of the constitution is needed .

[rainman]

A bomb planted inside a garbage bin near the Saphan Khao Intersection exploded at 9:30 pm, police said.

No injuries were reported.

The Nation

dam_n, why they just NOT ARREST those 3 red leaders?? For the sake of public security and order!! Just really not understand it!! Or is arresting the heads of public disorder and terroristic activity has something to do with Constitution and Democracy??

Without ALL the heads, the Hydra is harmless. And the heads are well-known, and their locations are well-monitored. So, whatta......??

Why didn't they arrest the yellow-shirt PAD leaders when they took over the airports? At least they're fair, got to give them that, no?

[dobadoy]

Latest phone-in from Thaksin, being reportec now on Nation website

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra made a phone-in to address the protesters who seized control of the Rajprasong commercial area and said he was proud of what they have done.

Thaksin said the red-shirt people had it "for Thailand's future".

He said the "ammart" or elites-back government would be unable to suppress the people.

He said the red-shirt protesters did not damage the business in the area but helped foods vendors and restaurant owners have better business.

The Nation

:D

You couldn't make it up...

Edited April 3, 2010 by dobadoy

[jdinasia]

The very bottom line is that the poor people are tired of the middlemen stealing from them. You have to admit that the red shirts have not taken over government buildings nor have they closed the airport.

The yellow shirts and their pet politicians managed a coup to oust Thaksin and then their puppet politicians managed to oust the two other two legally elected PM's. You could call Abhisit legally elected, but that is quite a push. You are not happy with the politicians? Wait for the next election rather than oust three legally elected PM's.

Like it or not the current government owes the yellow shirts BIG time. If Abhisit holds elections within six months, I think the red shirts are being unreasonable if they refuse to accept those terms.

hmmm this one deserves to be ripped apart line by line .....

The very bottom line is that the poor people are NOT tired of being stolen from and want Thaksin back to do it some more.

The reds made a play for Government house but were rebuffed. They have mentioned the airports but have been told "No"

The PAD didn't push any government out and to do so is just a simple LIE. The PAD prevented the PPP government from passing laws to whitewash Thaksin. The courts ruled on the PPP and they are history because of it.

You could call Abhisit legally elected .... because he is.

Yes this government is PROBABLY in place because of the PAD stopping the PPP from unilaterally changing the charter with no referendum.

The reds have no option but to be unreasonable --- their boss says that the dems can't be allowed to set the next budhet or be the seated government when the next military reshuffle occurs.

(BTW --- you revisionist history is making me see Red.)

Here's jdinasia, the twister, again. The red shirts have clearly stated at the start of the very first day of the rallies, that they will not take over the airports like the yellows shirts have done. Look it up, there's a statement out there that the newspapers even published. The PAD didn't achieve anything. The courts had already set a date for the verdict, what PAD did was simply billions in damages and thousands of Thais losing their jobs.

Feel free to go back and look .. they said they were thinking about it .. they said they wouldn't ... someone else mentioned it etc. The newspapers published it all .. with all the silly contradictions that the reds made.

The PAd did not get any governments kicked out that is for sure. They did prevent PPP from changing history by changing the charter. They did cause a lot of financial damage to the country but the proximal cause of that damage was Thaksin and his proxy parties. They did not with ALL that the PAD did ... do as much damage as the reds have in the last year. They didn't come close to costing the country what Thaksin has cost the country.

Now --- about your "peaceful" reds .... LOL

[alex_aka_P]

I have staff that have told my wife and I personally of being paid to "protest" in the interest of accuracy it was not 1,000 baht per day but 500.

I have heard exactly the same from my sources.

And the core leaders are given 15.000THB. 450 greens daily, yes. C'mon, where can I submit my resume for??

[Who, me ?]

Have you ever thought that maybe they're not being paid? 100,000 people, each paid 1,000 Baht per day as some of the newspapers have claimed, for what ...3 weeks now? That's 2,100,000,000 Baht. 2 billion Baht, yes. Don't you think that maybe people are coming out of their own free will, because they're fed up with the government?

Heh heh, that's cute. Yes of course they all just came down here on their own no money changed hands and no free gas, or food or anything else. One day they just all woke up and said dam_n it we need the lower house dissolved and ummmm they headed to BKK to make it happen.. all those pics and videos and first hand reports of payments well that is just a Yellow shirt scam to make the REDs look bad (not that they really need any help of late) you are a very funny guy RM, I do indeed hope your post was in jest... because if nothing else it was very funny.

I have staff that have told my wife and I personally of being paid to "protest" in the interest of accuracy it was not 1,000 baht per day but 500. I don't know if that is the going rate or not.. and I am sure that some of the people came on their own with valid concerns and full knowledge of what they want to change... but that I am betting is a pretty small minority.

They were paid for gas, not to protest. Of course, you can twist it, I'll give you that. You obviously have never been outside of Bangkok and don't own a car either. Driving from Chiang Mai or the North-East to Bangkok costs more than just the 2,000 Baht they received. They probably paid another 500 or 1,000 from their own pockets to get here. Not to mention going back (though you're right, they could get another 2,000 Baht to drive 70% back home).

And so they're being paid 500 Baht to protest? That's still over 1 billion Baht.

Rainman, you are pathetic....I feel for you and your family.! I hope that a bit of rest when all this is over will help you to recover!

[rainman]

Latest phone-in from Thaksin, being reportec now on Nation website

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra made a phone-in to address the protesters who seized control of the Rajprasong commercial area and said he was proud of what they have done.

Thaksin said the red-shirt people had it "for Thailand's future".

He said the "ammart" or elites-back government would be unable to suppress the people.

He said the red-shirt protesters did not damage the business in the area but helped foods vendors and restaurant owners have better business.

The Nation

:D

You couldn't make it up...

It is quite funny when Siam Paragon doesn't sell a couple of Gucci or Louis Vuitton bags, but instead the poor food vendors make a bit more money, isn't it?

[elcent]

Siam Discovery, Siam Paragon will close one more day tomorrow, with other stores closely monitoring the situation.

half a minute ago via TweetDeck