State Of Emergency Decree Imposed In Bangkok

[Jingthing]

Being forced to hold an election by the force of a violent anarchic mob is not democracy. Abhisit is correct to resist the thuggery.

[FarangCravings]

Have you held an election or an opinion poll to determine what the vast majority of foreigners think? No, I didnt think so, in which case this is a guess on your part or perhaps too much reading and also believing the opinions of the Nation newspaper.All of the Fallang I know want to see this Government gone preferably ASAP as it obviously cannot run the country.

Interesting I don't know a single farang OR Thai that wants to see this gov't gone. I am only talking about people I know personally of course. By the same token all are wishing that something would be done to end the RED shirt madness, but are hoping for as peaceful an end to things as possible.. but looks less likely the more the RED leaders are ramping up their rhetoric.

You must have a miniscule friend circle you need to get out more

[7seamonkey7]

The military needs to focus quickly on who will bring the most rice to the table. Loyalty of the masses or the elitists? Either way what are the true colours of the troops that will be required to spill blood.

[kkgg]

hope everything ok as soon as possible!

stay in peace is good for Thais!

[rainman]

THE NATION:

SOE law gives authorities expensive power to tackle public gatherings, news dissemination, use of public places and transport.

Does that mean they can waste money and use the skytrain now without having to pay?

[Sunderland]

Reports from Udon suggest that there is nobody outside the provincail hall as claimed on the red stage.

Who is reporting from Udon? I thought everyone from Udon was in Bangkok already ...

[Jingthing]

Has the Thai Army got the willingness, the skill and the means to get in there and arrest the top 20 Red Shirt organisers without causing a bloodbath?

I would bet no. This isn't over.

[lannarebirth]

Let me break it down for the Americans out there. The Red shirts are like hill billies from the Ozarks and Appalachians. Poor, not well educated and a bit marginalized by the rest of the country. They idolize a corrupt billionaire named Bernie Madoff, they thinks he's the cat's ass. Bernie is in jail for his misdeeds but sees these rubes as his ticket to freedom and the restoration of his ill gotten fortune. He tries to enlist the help of a million of these fine folks, but through bribery and angry rhetoric he only manages to get 50,000 to participate in his scheme. He has them march on Washington, he even puts gas in their pickups so they can make the journey. They occupy the streets of the nation's capitol. They piss on the sidewalks and make a nuisance of themselves. They loiter and block intersections and hang out at the Lincoln memorial. They hope by doing this that Obama will not only pardon Bernie, but that he'll declare him the new President. Sounds insane doesn't it? What about the other 300 million or so citizens? Shouldn't they get a say? No, all that matters is that Bernie Madoff gets rich and powerful once more. And when he does his protesters can go back to moonshining and marrying their cousins.

And that in a nutshell is what it is like to live in Thailand these days.

------------------------------------------------

While I agree with some of what you say I hope you still have enough sense to admit that not all Issan Reds are uneducated country bumbkins, urinating in the street, and such. I think you will find, if you bother to look, that many of the Issan farmers have quite a lot of common sense. Do you think it's so easy to run a farm in Issan, where you face problems of no water, no credit, poor soil, and low prices for your harvest...because everyone else is harvesting the same thing at the same time. If you do, I'm afraid you're wrong. A lot of those "ignorant farmers" have a pretty good idea of how to make the most of the system that constantly takes advantage of them....because money makes power, and those with money control the poor for their own benefit ( I mean to benefit those with money, of course).

I remember the story of one village head man. He put an advertisement into a Thai newspaper offering to sell his and his villagers votes to anyone who would get a health clinic into his village. A lot of people criticised him, said he was a fool to sell the village votes like that, Didn't he understand Democracy? He replied in the newspaper to their criticisims...he said, yes he understood Democracy. But he had been trying to get just one single Thai politician interested so he could get that health clinic in his village, Every one of them promised they would do it when elected...but once they were elected they forgot their promises. So now he had found a building to use as the health clinic. That's why he was selling his villagers votes...with the money he got for the votes he was going to hire a nurse or doctor to run the health clinic. Because the politicians hadn't done it for years...he was doing it himself...with the politicians money. Don't you think that village head man had a pretty good idea of the way Democracy actually worked in the real world...not as a pie-in-the-sky dream, but a real hard business arrangement?

I'm not disagreeing wsith what you say about Thaksin...but if you're poor with nothing to lose...even if you know you're going to get nothing, change is more important that "security and continuity". The status quo is worth nothing to you if you are on the bottom anyhow, and you know you're going to stay there as long as things don't change.

So please, not all Issan farmers are ignorant, no-culture, country bumpkins. One of the sharpest man I knew in the USAF was a "hillbilly redneck" who never owned a pair of shoes until he went into the USAF. But, my god, he could fix a radio that he had never seen or worked on before.

Great post Ima. It is my opinion that no one in recent Thai history, or maybe ever, better fits the bill to give these people the equal access and opportunity they seek and deserve, than the current government. It is my wish they be given the opportunity to do so unfettered by propagandists, and overseas agitators. If they can't deliver the goods for these people in a reasonable amount of time the give them the hook.

Edited April 7, 2010 by lannarebirth

[hammered]

Rachaprsong crowd reportedly a lot smaller than previous nights. Reports are that no reds at Udon and 50 reds at Korat town halls.

[Netfan]

Has there been any update? The last post on the news update thread was at 6:56. Declare SOA, and then nothing for three hours? Hmmm...

Nothing!!1 nothing!! You call two hours and 17 pages of mindless drivel nothing.

Time to break out the chang and let the old delusionals dream their dreams of an army takeover.

Good night

Don't forget those links to the rigged ballots and any proof of current govt and army people at the trough- or was that just mindless drivel?

[traderjm]

You must have a miniscule friend circle you need to get out more

If you say so, so please tell me how many farangs do you know that want to see this gov't gone? Must be in the tens of thousands.. or millions... right?

[OzMick]

It's about time! Totally justified for all the world to see.

A message to the good people of Thailand.

I can tell you with confidence the vast majority of foreigners support your honorable PM Abhisit in his valiant effort to fight anarchic red shirt's illegal attempt at revolution and the rule of a violent mob. Good luck to and best hopes for a PEACEFUL resolution.

No chance of that, way past that point now...

Had to happen with Songkran on the way, if they don't do something before then it will be chaos on the streets - government already under huge pressure to act.

The taking over of the Airport made Thailand as the biggest joke in the world.Still have relatives and friend that will not visit me because of that. They are scared to get stuck here and loose their jobs at home.

unbelievable..... PMSL!

Sounds like an excuse to stay away from you! My sister was stuck for over a week, back last november, back next november, considering settling................................

[rainman]

Interesting I don't know a single farang OR Thai that wants to see this gov't gone. I am only talking about people I know personally of course. By the same token all are wishing that something would be done to end the RED shirt madness, but are hoping for as peaceful an end to things as possible.. but looks less likely the more the RED leaders are ramping up their rhetoric.

Multiple personalities don't count as "people you personally know"

Seriously, though. Here's one farang that wants to see this government gone. I'm sure there are lots more.

[Sunderland]

Has the Thai Army got the willingness, the skill and the means to get in there and arrest the top 20 Red Shirt organisers without causing a bloodbath?

I would bet no. This isn't over.

Well the reds won't mind giving blood, as they've already willingly done that. Not sure about the bath ... might be kind of fun after 3 weeks without one.

[rainman]

Rachaprsong crowd reportedly a lot smaller than previous nights. Reports are that no reds at Udon and 50 reds at Korat town halls.

Source? Twitter or Facebook?

[noel2499rk]

Why are people so happy to welcome a crackdown against the reds do they not realise what this means in the context of the history of peaceful protest in bangokok

1973

1976

1992

[chantorn]

I hope ther is no conclict tonight.

Thai should love Thai, and not hurt each others.

[ThaiPauly]

Will try keep it simple

Without Military backing Abhisit would not be PM now.

Therefore I announce it undemocratic!

And Thai politicains give a rats arse what you think ??

[antony77]

It's about time! Totally justified for all the world to see.

A message to the good people of Thailand.

I can tell you with confidence the vast majority of foreigners support your honorable PM Abhisit in his valiant effort to fight anarchic red shirt's illegal attempt at revolution and the rule of a violent mob. Good luck to and best hopes for a PEACEFUL resolution.

100% agree. Abhisit is an honorable man.

[Insight]

Rachaprsong crowd reportedly a lot smaller than previous nights. Reports are that no reds at Udon and 50 reds at Korat town halls.

For the brief moment we were on Sukhumvit road before near Asok we seen a few bikes at the traffic lights heading towards Phloen Chit. I guess they are rallying the troops for the push.

[Jerrytheyoung]

Reports from Udon suggest that there is nobody outside the provincail hall as claimed on the red stage.

Who is reporting from Udon? I thought everyone from Udon was in Bangkok already ...

THAIVISA?

[hammered]

Reports from Udon suggest that there is nobody outside the provincail hall as claimed on the red stage.

Who is reporting from Udon? I thought everyone from Udon was in Bangkok already ...

Thats why they are claiming Udon is red free at the town hall. They are laughing at Khwanchai. From links to terryfrd twitter in Udon.

[Insight]

Rachaprsong crowd reportedly a lot smaller than previous nights. Reports are that no reds at Udon and 50 reds at Korat town halls.

Source? Twitter or Facebook?

Before this week I found the whole Twitter thing a bit cringe-worthy, but it's where many journalists and political commentators post their info first - suggest you take a look.

[hammered]

Reports from Udon suggest that there is nobody outside the provincail hall as claimed on the red stage.

Who is reporting from Udon? I thought everyone from Udon was in Bangkok already ...

THAIVISA?

I aint TV man Just getting stuff from televisdion red and gov and internet although I have friends in Udon too

[bulmercke]

I agree.. Arrest the bastards. Put them away for the rest of their lives.

Why so soft?

I'd personally have them hanged - drawn and quartered first.

[Meridian007]

Have you held an election or an opinion poll to determine what the vast majority of foreigners think? No, I didnt think so, in which case this is a guess on your part or perhaps too much reading and also believing the opinions of the Nation newspaper.All of the Fallang I know want to see this Government gone preferably ASAP as it obviously cannot run the country.

Interesting I don't know a single farang OR Thai that wants to see this gov't gone. I am only talking about people I know personally of course. By the same token all are wishing that something would be done to end the RED shirt madness, but are hoping for as peaceful an end to things as possible.. but looks less likely the more the RED leaders are ramping up their rhetoric.

I agree. I know one Thai person who supports the socialist wing of the red movement, but hates Thaksin. Everyone else that I know personally, feels that Abhisit has created better stability and growth than any other possible replacement.

He has stated clear goals and tried to move towards them. What clear mandate have the reds proclaimed other than magic money appearing for everyone when the messianic Thaksin returns? How much of their general statements about equalizing the gap between rich and poor would actually be seen? The red leaders are just another set of rich "old boys" who are pissed off that they were moved away from the trough by another set of "old boys". I really don't see how anything could get possibly better or even be as good as now if a red-influenced government came into power.

[rainman]

Will they block twitter?

No way, how else will Abhisit update his Twitter blog?

[moresomekl]

It's about time! Totally justified for all the world to see.

A message to the good people of Thailand.

I can tell you with confidence the vast majority of foreigners support your honorable PM Abhisit in his valiant effort to fight anarchic red shirt's illegal attempt at revolution and the rule of a violent mob. Good luck to and best hopes for a PEACEFUL resolution.

100% agree. Abhisit is an honorable man.

Agree also . Abhisit is an honorable man . Just that he does not seem to be very much in control .

[Throatwobbler]

Dude -- get this straight.

I am not pro yellow. I am anti-red.

The Abhisit government is 100 percent legal and freely elected under the laws of Thailand. You want elections? Fine. WAIT for them, an angry mob is not the answer. Neither is declaring war on the government.

Excuse I must have been asleep.. What election was Abhisit and his cronnies elected in??? Did the world and myslef miss something?????

They were all voted in as MP's at the last general election. It's then up to the MP's to form a group or group of groups large enough to have something called a majority. If a majority group is formed they get to choose the Prime Minister and the rest of the Government. Didn't you learn this in primary school like everyone else ?

Alright . They voted themselves in power thai style with a little help from the courts .

Its perfectly legal .... in Thailand .

Coz havent heard of any other democratic country IN THE WORLD where such thing have happened .

Anyway whats the point to argue now .

PS Edit : If anyone here has heard of a similar story outside Thailand please provide a link .

I know the current government in Israel by the second largest party. The largest party could not form a government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_legis..._election,_2009

Theres a lot to trawl through there, but if you go to the bottom and see the results then read about the coalition formation. Hopefully you know what I mean.

[rainman]

I agree.. Arrest the bastards. Put them away for the rest of their lives.

Why so soft?

I'd personally have them hanged - drawn and quartered first.

I'm going to take a wild guess here, but you'd rather wear a yellow shirt in the morning than a red one, right?