Thai Govt Has Lost Control

[wayne78]

It is very clear now that the red shirt leadership believe they can get away with anything after storming the Election Commission building Monday.

The great danger now for the government is that they will appear weak and will loose support from those who have previously supported them.

The time to act is now fast approaching. Swift action is now needed to show this rabble who is in charge. The softly softly approach has failed and the situation is only getting worse and will continue to get worse until something decisive is done to reslove this situation which is now completly out of control.

Come on Abhisit. Who is in control of your country? You or a pack of rabble disrupting the thai capital?

[Garry9999]

Come on Abhisit. Who is in control of your country? You or a pack of rabble disrupting the thai capital

Well it's certainly not Abhisit that is in control.

[givenall]

Come on Abhisit. Who is in control of your country? You or a pack of rabble disrupting the thai capital

Well it's certainly not Abhisit that is in control.

It is kind a stupid for the government to think the longer they do nothing the more the Thai people will be against the Red Shirt.

May be true but people also remember the lack of action of this government and inability of this government to rule hence will also be against Abhisit

[otherstuff1957]

I disagree, right now the people in BKK are getting frustrated, but that feeling will change with the first few dead bodies. Basically, the side that gets violent first will lose the hearts of the majority of the Thai people. The Red leaders are hoping that the police or army will lose their patience and start shooting. The govt. is probably ready for another 'Red Songkran', so that can have an excuse to crackdown on the protesters and throw some of them in jail.

Each side is pushing the other side, and the side that loses their patience first, loses.

[Artisi]

No need for the govt. to start shooting, just organise a snatch party to grab the ring-leaders of the reds at a time when they are least expecting it, of course this will need to be backed up with some careful planning and "real" support in case the reds start shooting etc.

[473geo]

I disagree, right now the people in BKK are getting frustrated, but that feeling will change with the first few dead bodies. Basically, the side that gets violent first will lose the hearts of the majority of the Thai people. The Red leaders are hoping that the police or army will lose their patience and start shooting. The govt. is probably ready for another 'Red Songkran', so that can have an excuse to crackdown on the protesters and throw some of them in jail.

Each side is pushing the other side, and the side that loses their patience first, loses.

Agreed nobody wants to see Thai fighting Thai........

Abhisit has to be ready to deal with any danger, but for now the situation is largely under control, to his credit.....this is a waiting game ....currently he risks only the support of a few disgruntled people in Bangkok.

[thaiwanderer]

A little melodramatic perhaps?

Control is only ever gained by seizing the airport - imagine the irony of any hand wringing if they did that.

[Oneman]

It is very clear now that the red shirt leadership believe they can get away with anything after storming the Election Commission building Monday.

Wayne78 -

Perhaps you have been in Thailand many years already, I don't know, but I'd like to suggest a different perspective.

One thing about Thais that quickly becomes clear to those who've been here awhile is that nothing is ever "clear".

Thais have their own ways of solving problems behind the scenes.

What we think is happening -- as reported in newspapers and on TV -- is not what is really happening.

And what is really happening, we never see.

It works like that for many kinds of problems in Thai culture, both large and small.

The time to act is now fast approaching. Swift action is now needed to show this rabble who is in charge. The softly softly approach has failed and the situation is only getting worse and will continue to get worse until something decisive is done to reslove this situation which is now completly out of control.

Perhaps you are right that "the time to act is now", but I very much doubt most Thais would agree.

If they did, then they would be take action now.

Thais solve their problems on a much different time schedule than we Westerners: sometimes much faster, often much slower.

I don't understand their time schedule, but I've learned to observe patiently, rather than try to tell them when is the best time to do something.

If you read some history of Siam, you learn the Thai way of battle is to shout loudly, bang drums, shake fists, and generally cause a lot of commotion.

It's mostly a big show.

But actual damage to life or property is small.

What is going on today is just another repeat of that sort of theatrical performance.

The performance will be allowed to continue as long as serves a purpose, and then it will be stopped in an instant, with only a small show of force, carefully applied at a crucial point so as to cause minimum damage.

Not zero damage, but minimum damage.

What is clear is these protests serve some purpose for someone in power.

Otherwise they would never have been allowed to continue for the time and extent they have.

But what purpose, and for whom, we may never know.

What we can know, is that what we see on the streets is just for show.

The key decisions and the important actions are happening well out of sight.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

[Oneman]

... the side that loses their patience first, loses.

Excellent summary of the situation.

"Otherstuff" shows superb understanding of Thai culture.

Either a lot of experience here, or has read a lot of Thai history, or both.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Oneman

[britmaveric]

Copycat society - yellows did it successfully, so now its the reds turn. What does one expect?

[vicco]

It is very clear now that the red shirt leadership believe they can get away with anything after storming the Election Commission building Monday.

Wayne78 -

Perhaps you have been in Thailand many years already, I don't know, but I'd like to suggest a different perspective.

One thing about Thais that quickly becomes clear to those who've been here awhile is that nothing is ever "clear".

Thais have their own ways of solving problems behind the scenes.

What we think is happening -- as reported in newspapers and on TV -- is not what is really happening.

And what is really happening, we never see.

It works like that for many kinds of problems in Thai culture, both large and small.

The time to act is now fast approaching. Swift action is now needed to show this rabble who is in charge. The softly softly approach has failed and the situation is only getting worse and will continue to get worse until something decisive is done to reslove this situation which is now completly out of control.

Perhaps you are right that "the time to act is now", but I very much doubt most Thais would agree.

If they did, then they would be take action now.

Thais solve their problems on a much different time schedule than we Westerners: sometimes much faster, often much slower.

I don't understand their time schedule, but I've learned to observe patiently, rather than try to tell them when is the best time to do something.

If you read some history of Siam, you learn the Thai way of battle is to shout loudly, bang drums, shake fists, and generally cause a lot of commotion.

It's mostly a big show.

But actual damage to life or property is small.

What is going on today is just another repeat of that sort of theatrical performance.

The performance will be allowed to continue as long as serves a purpose, and then it will be stopped in an instant, with only a small show of force, carefully applied at a crucial point so as to cause minimum damage.

Not zero damage, but minimum damage.

What is clear is these protests serve some purpose for someone in power.

Otherwise they would never have been allowed to continue for the time and extent they have.

But what purpose, and for whom, we may never know.

What we can know, is that what we see on the streets is just for show.

The key decisions and the important actions are happening well out of sight.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

Excellent post Oneman. I am constantly amazed at the amount of "advise" given on these matters, by people who come from the very societies that have fought

the most destructive wars in human history against each other.....and still have not learned much it seems.

[anotherpeter]

It is very clear now that the red shirt leadership believe they can get away with anything after storming the Election Commission building Monday.

Wayne78 -

Perhaps you have been in Thailand many years already, I don't know, but I'd like to suggest a different perspective.

One thing about Thais that quickly becomes clear to those who've been here awhile is that nothing is ever "clear".

Thais have their own ways of solving problems behind the scenes.

What we think is happening -- as reported in newspapers and on TV -- is not what is really happening.

And what is really happening, we never see.

It works like that for many kinds of problems in Thai culture, both large and small.

The time to act is now fast approaching. Swift action is now needed to show this rabble who is in charge. The softly softly approach has failed and the situation is only getting worse and will continue to get worse until something decisive is done to reslove this situation which is now completly out of control.

Perhaps you are right that "the time to act is now", but I very much doubt most Thais would agree.

If they did, then they would be take action now.

Thais solve their problems on a much different time schedule than we Westerners: sometimes much faster, often much slower.

I don't understand their time schedule, but I've learned to observe patiently, rather than try to tell them when is the best time to do something.

If you read some history of Siam, you learn the Thai way of battle is to shout loudly, bang drums, shake fists, and generally cause a lot of commotion.

It's mostly a big show.

But actual damage to life or property is small.

What is going on today is just another repeat of that sort of theatrical performance.

The performance will be allowed to continue as long as serves a purpose, and then it will be stopped in an instant, with only a small show of force, carefully applied at a crucial point so as to cause minimum damage.

Not zero damage, but minimum damage.

What is clear is these protests serve some purpose for someone in power.

Otherwise they would never have been allowed to continue for the time and extent they have.

But what purpose, and for whom, we may never know.

What we can know, is that what we see on the streets is just for show.

The key decisions and the important actions are happening well out of sight.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

.

Great post. Totally agree.

Chatting to an embassy guy last night. He pointed out how well this was being handled compared to all other countries in the region. There is no violence. There are people protesting. There will be some economic damage. But that's not going to be fixed by rushing things.

[dobadoy]

What is clear is these protests serve some purpose for someone in power.

Otherwise they would never have been allowed to continue for the time and extent they have.

Very astute, Oneman. Someone talking sense at long last.