Bangkok Residents Become Hostages To Red-Shirt Anarchy

[JacknDanny]

Abhisit continues to say he doesn't want to use force.

Thank God the international press has not really picked up on this and has shown Thailand as the laughing stock is is making itself.

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

[pimay11]

Abhisit continues to say he doesn't want to use force.

Thank God the international press has not really picked up on this and has shown Thailand as the laughing stock is is making itself.

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Agreed. This quote "Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law" is like saying well sorry folks there were eight banks in the city robbed at the same time so it was impossible to enforce the law. It is the duty of the PM to enforce the law under any circumstances. I was a staunch supporter of the PM but each day he allows this mob to run wild I am loosing confidence in his ability to govern.

[scorecard]

The sad thing is the silent majority who support the Reds remain silent. I have spoken to many who say they support the Reds but are afraid to go there or wear a red shirt as they might get beaten up by the Yellow shirts or shot at by government forces.

Many "silent" supporters also work for "Yellow" bosses and so must not be "seen" to support the Reds or they may lose their job.

The pressure on the working class under the elite is immense but still some have the guts and courage to come out and demand Democracy to be returned to the people.

How are the Yellow/Pink shirts getting on ? Numbers less than 100 today ?

You are out of your mind! Afraid to be beaten by yellow shirts.??? What a load of crap....

I confirm, a total load of scaremongering.

Beaten up by the yellow shirts? Are you suggesting that there is a behind the scenes activity conducted by yellow shirts in workplaces etc., to find passive red shirt supporters and beat them up.

What are you smoking? Absolute total crap.

Many many Thais from all walks of life agree that there is a strong need for change and soon, a move towards a more egalitarian civil society where the wealth is shared more equitably across all Thias, a better quality of life, all Thais have more opportunity in life, and there is equal justice for all, etc etc.

Someone will need to drive that change, it won't happen automatically.

Anybody who thinks thaksin is genuinly driving change to achieve a more egalitatian society has rocks in their head.

Anybody who thinks the red shirt leaders are a credible force to drive change also has rocks in their head.

Anybody who thinks any of the PT politicians would actively campaign for change has rocks in their head. They want the current status quo, it's easy to get their hands in the money.

Change will need a completely new bread of politicians: capable, sincere, and honest. Very different from the PT profile (and in fact many of the rest) and the old guard politician (thugs and leeches) are not going to let the new guard take over without a fight.

This current activity is just one thing, a smokescreen (and not a very good one) over trying to get a pardon for a convicted thief, who murdered 2,500 fellow Thais, and a return to a constitution which makes vote buying easy (refer back to my last several paragraphs).

[earthpig]

The Red march down prohibited silom, like the retreat earlier today from Ratchaprasong, is making clear that there is no will to confront them, even now when they behave illegally.

The choice is clear: elections, or this sonkran it isnt water that will be spilt.

perhaps 70 years ago yates had thailand in mind...

"...Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity."

[scorecard]

The mob is now pushing the police line again at Ratchaprasong ... live on TV before they just interrupted for the PM to address the nation

Interesting that the PM is on all channels now, but that there are rarely reports/news about the red shirt protests.

Wrong and flaming. Take another look, there's plenty of short news items about the red shirt activity across many channels.

[johndpoole]

Abhisit continues to say he doesn't want to use force.

Thank God the international press has not really picked up on this and has shown Thailand as the laughing stock is is making itself.

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Where are you getting the translation from? Do you have a link or if not able to post here send me a private message. I am still trying to figure out all the sources of English news here and usually rely on my GF to translate speeches like this. In other words I just get the gist from her.

[whatsupdoc]

The use of force to disperse the protesters would at this moment result in a bloodbath. Abhisit doesn't want that to happen and rightly so.

[jayboy]

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Actually what is embarrassing is the sight of expatriates baying for blood - without much knowledge, without context and certainly without understanding.

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

[johndpoole]

The mob is now pushing the police line again at Ratchaprasong ... live on TV before they just interrupted for the PM to address the nation

Interesting that the PM is on all channels now, but that there are rarely reports/news about the red shirt protests.

Wrong and flaming. Take another look, there's plenty of short news items about the red shirt activity across many channels.

How is that flaming or wrong? Am I not reading the post right? They did just break into all news channels to cover the PM and there are very few if live reports of what is going on.

[TAWP]

The sad thing is the silent majority who support the Reds remain silent. I have spoken to many who say they support the Reds but are afraid to go there or wear a red shirt as they might get beaten up by the Yellow shirts or shot at by government forces.

Many "silent" supporters also work for "Yellow" bosses and so must not be "seen" to support the Reds or they may lose their job.

The pressure on the working class under the elite is immense but still some have the guts and courage to come out and demand Democracy to be returned to the people.

How are the Yellow/Pink shirts getting on ? Numbers less than 100 today ?

So millions of silent red supporters are afraid to get beaten up, or fired from jobs, by some 100 yellow 'elite' people?

Amazing...

[negreanu]

he use of force to disperse the protesters would at this moment result in a bloodbath

So be it. If he can't act to stop this ANARCHY - then he needs step aside and let someone who has the balls to do it in his place.

This is anarchy and do not lose sight of that fact. There is no control from the government in any way or form.

11 Illegal road areas - not enforced

Arrest of Red leaders - not enforced

Edited April 6, 2010 by negreanu

[OzMick]

If 190,000 can actually be bothered to register on facebook, then surely we can assume that is the tip of the iceberg. There would be those who have not yet heard of it of course, and a lot more who are not computer literate and/or don't have access to a computer.

Oh silly me! I forgot, they will all be BKK elites!

[TAWP]

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

Armageddon is near, I agree with Jayboy.

[johndpoole]

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Actually what is embarrassing is the sight of expatriates baying for blood - without much knowledge, without context and certainly without understanding.

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

hmmm or they may go home and tell everyone that BKK is the place to go which is voice of consequences if you want to break the law, assault police, take police vehicles, threaten & intimidate the public, thumb your knows at society and lawful orders while generally creating chaos.

[ThailandLovr]

For three weeks the red shirt leaders have been spreading their propaganda screaming from their stage, and they are making their case against Abhisit virtually unchallenged. With so many more people coming to BKK, it appears their strategy is winning -- and Abhisit's isn't. Nice guys finish last. Abhisit should have nipped this in the bud when he had the chance. Now even he seems to be saying it is too late.

Edited April 6, 2010 by ThailandLovr

[Neurath]

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Actually what is embarrassing is the sight of expatriates baying for blood - without much knowledge, without context and certainly without understanding.

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

Polite golf clap.

[johndpoole]

What a boneheaded move to get arrest warrants that you are to scared to execute. The Red leaders now have more motivation to not stop the chaos because they know when it is over, they will be arrested. As long as they keep the mob around the PM and Police will do nothing ... except run away or be chased into parks or have their vehicles taken from them.

Study after study has shown when the law is not enforced (even small laws) that it creates crime or creates more breaking of laws. Allowing this mob to go unchecked will only ensure they get bolder and bolder and more people will be hurt (eventually killed) ... just as their actions have grown boulder every single day so far.

In addition you will see that although they are losing core support, they are able to recruit more radicals who are simply anarchists and those looking to cause chaos and hurt society.

Letting these people protest and was one thing but they should have never allowed them to cross the first line of showing disrespect to the laws. Because now they simply are showing they are above the law by specifically going to the 11 places ruled illegal for them to go. Clearly their claimed goal of a peaceful gathering has long since gone ... actually it was gone when their leader told everyone to come to BKK with a bottle to be filled with gasoline.

[scorecard]

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

Armageddon is near, I agree with Jayboy.

Agree, 10 out of 10 for Abhisit.

[johndpoole]

But the Bangkok Post says vendors and pedestrians "cheering the Reds".

Is The Nation becoming so biased that they cannot see reality now ?????

WHICH IS why I say you have to be in Bangkok to really see what is going on. The truth is not always what you read in the papers and TN appears to be becoming far too biased now IMO.

The Reds have massive support in Bangkok and its why the government will not use force. They are too scared of the consequences. Its why they have issued deadline after deadline only to see the deadline pass and make them look weaker and weaker.

I would say there is massive indifference in Bangkok. I just saw a group of a dozen red vehicles go through Ratchada, Thailand Cultural Centre area and while the were ten or so street vendors and motorbike taxis cheering them on, there was another 90 either glancing up for a moment to see what the fuss was about or ignoring them all together.

It is not indifference .. remember this is Thailand. People don't typically say negative things or jeer as they would in another country.

You live in the area or just passing through. I am up off of Pracharachbumphen

[JacknDanny]

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Actually what is embarrassing is the sight of expatriates baying for blood - without much knowledge, without context and certainly without understanding.

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

Kindly point out where I am 'baying for blood"

I have lived over here for many years, thanks, and am well aware of happenings years gone by.

However I feel that it is a big mistake to do Nothing..... the reds are not going to simply 'go home' aint going to happen.

I believe that the very least that should have happened is loud mouths like Jakaprob, should have been arrested. There are ways of resolving this without turning to violence, and I resent the way you are intimating thats what I want!!!

I do not think that by arresting some of the red leaders, especially regarding to what they have been saying, would be 'over reacting'. It would be the right and proper thing to do.

To do nothing, in my opinion, is a big mistake

[commons]

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

Armageddon is near, I agree with Jayboy.

Agree, 10 out of 10 for Abhisit.

"me too"

[johndpoole]

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Actually what is embarrassing is the sight of expatriates baying for blood - without much knowledge, without context and certainly without understanding.

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

Polite golf clap.

Fatal?????????? Hmm, I didn't see his death last year during Songran and we've seen his popularity grow since then as we have his success and why now the Reds are so desperate to derail him, even if it means it hurts the entire country and the livelyhood and freedoms of anyone who stand in their way ... including their own people who they are leading to a provoked and wanted confrontation with the police. They are going out of their way to provoke authority and police and hoping the military will be called out to restore peace so they can use and twist video footage as they did with the doctored audio tape from last year and replayed again today to their followers claiming it to be authentic.

[rogerdee123]

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Actually what is embarrassing is the sight of expatriates baying for blood - without much knowledge, without context and certainly without understanding.

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

I agree with Jayboy also. But what puzzles me is that this patience seems to be subscribed to by the rest of the "establishment" (for lack of a better word) including the military who I would have expected to have reacted in any case by this time. I have to wonder if perhaps some words may have come from "higher up" to not harm anyone. Maybe I am old fashioned and living in the past but this seems to me to be one of the possible logical explanations. In the meantime, plenty of evidence is being collected in the form of video speeches etc to use in any future legal cases (or the next elections) against those who have broken the law or those who have proven by their actions that they do not deserve to be given leadership.

There is an expression which states something like .... "A good leader is one who unifies rather than divides."

[johndpoole]

Sadly, I agree.

Abhisit is coming out of this far too wishy washy.

Just read a quote of his translated speech, which basically says that because more people joined the mob, it was impossible to enforce the law

<deleted> is all that about?????????

I am afraid that Abhisit is being far too soft, and the red shirts can see that. They are behaving like a naughty child whose parent keeps saying "If you do that one more time, you will get a smack". And the smack never comes!! Its actually becoming a rather embarrassing joke.

Actually what is embarrassing is the sight of expatriates baying for blood - without much knowledge, without context and certainly without understanding.

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

Kindly point out where I am 'baying for blood"

I have lived over here for many years, thanks, and am well aware of happenings years gone by.

However I feel that it is a big mistake to do Nothing..... the reds are not going to simply 'go home' aint going to happen.

I believe that the very least that should have happened is loud mouths like Jakaprob, should have been arrested. There are ways of resolving this without turning to violence, and I resent the way you are intimating thats what I want!!!

I do not think that by arresting some of the red leaders, especially regarding to what they have been saying, would be 'over reacting'. It would be the right and proper thing to do.

To do nothing, in my opinion, is a big mistake

Simple facts are that the reason we don't see sustained mobs like this in other countries because people expect (demand) their leaders to enforce the law. The reason we see this continually happening along with regular coups in Thailand is a simple reason ... because they can.

We all like to believe we are good people and will always do the right thing but truth be told ... how many banks would have any money if everyone knew they coiuld rob them and get away with it?

[johndpoole]

What is kind of funny though is the Red's consistent line that the brutal yellow shirted Army of Thailand is really control of the country. As if their roaming mob could get away with this anywhere else let alone one controlled by the military.

[Thai at Heart]

So far Abhisit hasn't put a foot wrong.Unlike sadly many forum members he has a profound and wise understanding of recent Thai political history.He knows that to over react would be fatal and is showing admirable patience.Sooner or later the Reds will go home and will understand that they were treated in a civilised and non-patronising way.In Thailand violence and thuggishness is always just beneath that she surface.Abhisit has resisted all that.He should be proud and his detractors on this forum ashamed.

Armageddon is near, I agree with Jayboy.

Well he is doing the "right" thing as opposed to the politically expedient thing. I think there comes a time when he will have to react. He can turn the other cheek for only so long without losing the support of so many pro-democrat business people. He wasn't "hired" to allow things like this to happen.

Problem is he needs to survive politically also and I am not so sure they are just going to upsticks and go-home.

[LevelHead]

I fail to see how people demanding that Democracy is returned to them is "anarchy".

Anarchy actually means there are no leaders. So how can there be anarchy if there is a leadership.

I find the amount of scare mongering in the Yellow owned media quite amusing.

The simple fact is that Democracy was crushed in Thailand and the rule of law was not obeyed by the coup leaders and that problem has resulted in all problems to this day.

Democracy was crushed once by men with guns and secondly by people appointed by the men with guns.

Until free and fair elections are held then Democracy remains crushed in Thailand.

The government came to power by courts and manipulation behind the scenes and is not "Elected" by the people.

This is the problem and a problem that is easy to resolve.

Simply dissolve the lower house, say there will be elections in 3 months and in the interim period a "unity government" will oversee the period leading up to elections.

The Reds would accept this.

[anotherpeter]

I would say there is massive indifference in Bangkok. I just saw a group of a dozen red vehicles go through Ratchada, Thailand Cultural Centre area and while the were ten or so street vendors and motorbike taxis cheering them on, there was another 90 either glancing up for a moment to see what the fuss was about or ignoring them all together.

It is not indifference .. remember this is Thailand. People don't typically say negative things or jeer as they would in another country.

You live in the area or just passing through. I am up off of Pracharachbumphen

Live in the area. Not far from Carrefour.

[Gobbledoc]

"THE NATION: PM: Court has ruled police can arrest protest leaders 'when they are breaking the law" only.(arrest can be made only when they are on stage)"

So in Thailand you are only able to be charged if caught in the act ?

I am sure there is a break down in this translation.

[johndpoole]

A [ peaceful Red headed off to a baseball game?