What Do You Want Pm Abhisit To Do Now?

[hoilai]

I voted for B.

However it would be difficult to disperse the crowd now. The leaders of the Reds are smart. They encourage parents to bring their children along so that they could be used as "human shields". I doubt any civilised government would use water canons or tear gas on a crowd with so many children around. The best option now is to arrest the leaders.

OK this might be a little irrelevant here. I think Thailand is probably the only nation on earth that provides mobile toilets to protesters , simply amazing.

the mobile toilets are rented and owned -unkown to the red shirts- by the yellow "elite" shirters....

busness is business.....

imagine the red shirts doing their nature things all over their (i.e.yellow shirts) shopping malls.......

[Ricardo]

Precisely the point. You feel insulted. I wonder why

Perhaps he doesn't like being called a bigot or superior ? (Nor do I)

Why don't you just just stick to ThaiVisa-tradition, and call us all bloated drunks, who married bar-girls, who should now return to our countries-of-origin ?

[stingray]

Well there were some whining that Jingthing's reference to a POLL was wrong and biased.

Here's their chance to VOTE ONCE, and we can see what TVF people think of the situation.

So far lets just say, it appears 'Statistically significant'.

Vote once? That's no fun. Well I for one am voting early and frequently as they say in the Democratic stronghold of Chicago, Obama's hometown.

So far it does appear that most of the Farangs on this board are liberal European socialist CS's. Pity that.

I'm American and voted "To disperse the protesters and arrest the red shirts leaders ". Calling someone a "liberal" as if it's a dirty word is a tired and worn out Neo-con cliche. Obama won, get over it. I'm wishing Abhisit luck- he's been patient enough with the mob and it's time to send 'em home for Songkran and the leaders to jail.

As we are foreigners we can't, or have no right to do anything. We have not even the right to say anything, because this country belongs to the Thais and we are only guests. The current PM is a very good and smart man, to good maybe, but i think he handle the situation to weak. There should be a "Fuehrer" like Ado...., to handle the problem

Edited April 8, 2010 by stingray

[somo]

Precisely the point. You feel insulted. I wonder why

Perhaps he doesn't like being called a bigot or superior ? (Nor do I)

Why don't you just just stick to ThaiVisa-tradition, and call us all bloated drunks, who married bar-girls, who should now return to our countries-of-origin ?

Ha Ha - like that

Thing is bloated drunks, who married bar-girls, are fine by me.

Can't resist winding up the serious sober ones though

[connel707]

Start putting redshirts in jail.

Better still...shoot them.....

[SanSaiExPat]

dissolve parliament is the best way to end this protest.

Short term solution - Long term nightmare:

square face returns, corrupts the judiciary, start again controlling medias and filling deeeeeeep pockets

No, thank you.

"democracy is not my goal" (Taksin Shinawatra)

Re your Taksin quote. If that is indeed his let me explain. Allot of people are confused by the term democracy and all it's implications. For example, the United States of America is not a democracy. We are a republic, a representative republic. That. I believe is what Taksin was talking about. He didn't want a European Democracy run by elites but he wanted a true, representative republic, of the people, by the people, for the people but one in which the minority views would be protected.

These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and ( The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority. http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/American...cts/demrep.html

[hextac]

As we are foreigners we can't, or have no right to do anything. We have not even the right to say anything, because this country belongs to the Thais and we are only guests.

No, we just don't have the right to vote - we have every right to an opinion. Sycophant much?

[Sunderland]

I have changed my mind since this morning.

I want Abhisit to get on the red stage with Nuttawut and sing 'My Way'. The public can phone in for their favourite singer ... Political Idol 2010!

[lannarebirth]

dissolve parliament is the best way to end this protest.

Short term solution - Long term nightmare:

square face returns, corrupts the judiciary, start again controlling medias and filling deeeeeeep pockets

No, thank you.

"democracy is not my goal" (Taksin Shinawatra)

Re your Taksin quote. If that is indeed his let me explain. Allot of people are confused by the term democracy and all it's implications. For example, the United States of America is not a democracy. We are a republic, a representative republic. That. I believe is what Taksin was talking about. He didn't want a European Democracy run by elites but he wanted a true, representative republic, of the people, by the people, for the people but one in which the minority views would be protected.

These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and ( The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority. http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/American...cts/demrep.html

Interesting deconstruction. If you're not on the payroll yet, maybe you should be. Maybe give this one a shot in your free time:

“Where in the world is a single-party government called a dictatorship? What's wrong with it when people have faith in me?”

[aussiebebe]

I voted for option B, breaking up the protests and was happy to see 57% of voters are in agreement. I've only been living in Bangkok for 4 years and hardly understand much about Thais, but as a guest in LOS, I'd admire decisive action from competent leadership ie teargas, batton charges and water cannons.

The most helpful, if unsettling, thing I've read in understanding Thai's and what has happened in the last 4 years, was a comment from an Army major, saying the Thai government are the army's 'jockey' not it's owner. That, if true, seems to be the root cause of all the major difficulties.

[culicine]

dissolve parliament is the best way to end this protest.

Short term solution - Long term nightmare:

square face returns, corrupts the judiciary, start again controlling medias and filling deeeeeeep pockets

No, thank you.

"democracy is not my goal" (Taksin Shinawatra)

We need lots of tear gas, sound machines, water canons and detention trucks.... I'm sure if protesters over ran Congress while it was in session, you'd see rubber bullets flying, people being escorted to jail and thousands scurrying away - AND RIGHTLY SO!!!!

good point, but we are in the united provinces of thailand, not the u.s. of a,

too too bad.....

And whatever you like to call it, Thailand isn't a democracy. Protests such as the current one happen in less developed, more corrupt nations. We could say policy platforms where funding is promised for education / healthcare is a form of 'vote-buying' but nothing like what we see in Thailand where cash is handed out. Thailand will never have any kind of democracy while this practice continues.

[haroldc]

I am astounded by the number of ego-centric posts on these forums at a time that cries for mutual understanding.

The land in which we -- and for many of us, our families -- live is approaching a major turning point, the fundamental basis of which is unrelated to what is now being present presented as a "red-yellow", "prai-amataya", conflict. There is a kingdom at stake now...

I'm not Thai. I can't possibly be certain that anything I think is right or wrong is commonly perceived by Thais as being so. But we are all human beings, potential Buddhas, and so we we intrinsically know what is right and wrong, even if we choose to deny or defy that knowledge.

Some of you seem eager for a class war. How many of of you have been at the wrong end of a machine gun? How many of you have had your testicles wired to a field telephone? PM me for details.

Please, let's try to forget our self-validating didactics and try to direct our energies to encourage tolerance and understanding within the framework of a decent civil society.

Personally, I think that the government has shown exceptional constraint in its unwillingness to use repressive measures, and I credit it in that regard.

[LaoPo]

Interestingly we can see the full court press of lies and blatant propaganda deceptions foisted in our faces,

and yet, the main mass of TVF voters aren't buying it, regardless of how hard they are pushed.

Goes to show, you can't try selling smoke and mirrors to everybody, and succeed.

Yes, you can.

The elite and military backed government shows/showed so. Still fooling the silent majority* in Thailand...

The only peaceful way out of this mess are new and completely free elections. The people of Thailand would have to accept the results, no matter if they're red, yellow or pink shirted.

It's the only -democratic- way out..................................... but that doesn't fit the elite and military

* Agriculture GDP is just a mere 12/13% of Thailands' total GDP but the hard labor is still done by some 45% of the total of Thai workers** -very poor farmers/workers-....the present protests show how desperate they are for change for a better live.

The so called "main mass" of TVF voters is probably bitterly laughed away by the poor...what do THEY care about the votes/thoughts of a thousand Farang ?

** total Thai workforce is 38.24 million; 45% is 17.2 million workers with each, let's say 1,8 family members, representing some 30 million people out of a total of 66 million but with 46 million of those 66M are between 15 - 65 years.

45% agricultural workers is HUGE but BKK, the elite, military and the government don't care...they never did, not a single administration in the past.

It's about: "How do we keep our power and stay in power..." the rest is not important.

LaoPo

[landofthefree]

I voted for option B, breaking up the protests and was happy to see 57% of voters are in agreement. I've only been living in Bangkok for 4 years and hardly understand much about Thais, but as a guest in LOS, I'd admire decisive action from competent leadership ie teargas, batton charges and water cannons.

The most helpful, if unsettling, thing I've read in understanding Thai's and what has happened in the last 4 years, was a comment from an Army major, saying the Thai government are the army's 'jockey' not it's owner. That, if true, seems to be the root cause of all the major difficulties.

.....and Abhisit's horse looks likely to bolt soon, maybe not such a good thing as if the army go in heavy handed they may cause a popular uprising supported by stories of martrys and they know they would have a lot to lose if this were to happen.

[monkfish]

dissolve parliament is the best way to end this protest.

Short term solution - Long term nightmare:

square face returns, corrupts the judiciary, start again controlling medias and filling deeeeeeep pockets

No, thank you.

"democracy is not my goal" (Taksin Shinawatra)

Re your Taksin quote. If that is indeed his let me explain. Allot of people are confused by the term democracy and all it's implications. For example, the United States of America is not a democracy. We are a republic, a representative republic. That. I believe is what Taksin was talking about. He didn't want a European Democracy run by elites but he wanted a true, representative republic, of the people, by the people, for the people but one in which the minority views would be protected.

These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and ( The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority. http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/American...cts/demrep.html

You won't find these words quoted by any other news agency other than the Nation.

[hoilai]

In 1989, tens of thousands of demonstrators camped out on Tiananmen Square in Beijing between mid-April and June 4. The government decided to end the demonstration. We all know how that looked like.

We don't want that to happen in Bangkok so the only thing one can do is be patient or negotiate with the demonstrators.

remember that the photographs coming out of tiananmen were "doctored" as admitted by the american press agencies later....

so best not to compare that incident with the present thai crisis,,,,,

this one seems likely to get very nasty as not only the red shirts are involved....

many unknown others beyond the military are involved,,,,,,,,,,,,

[mca]

The most helpful, if unsettling, thing I've read in understanding Thai's and what has happened in the last 4 years, was a comment from an Army major, saying the Thai government are the army's 'jockey' not it's owner.

I doubt he'll be happy at his demotion.

What's next?

" Private Prem! Get your lazy excused boots arse into the cookhouse and start peelin' those bleedin' spuds!

[rixalex]

"democracy is not my goal" (Taksin Shinawatra)

Re your Taksin quote. If that is indeed his let me explain. Allot of people are confused by the term democracy and all it's implications. For example, the United States of America is not a democracy. We are a republic, a representative republic. That. I believe is what Taksin was talking about. He didn't want a European Democracy run by elites but he wanted a true, representative republic, of the people, by the people, for the people but one in which the minority views would be protected.

These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and ( The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority. http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/American...cts/demrep.html

Wow! Impressive spin. Good job.

[rixalex]

dissolve parliament is the best way to end this protest.

Short term solution - Long term nightmare:

square face returns, corrupts the judiciary, start again controlling medias and filling deeeeeeep pockets

No, thank you.

"democracy is not my goal" (Taksin Shinawatra)

Re your Taksin quote. If that is indeed his let me explain. Allot of people are confused by the term democracy and all it's implications. For example, the United States of America is not a democracy. We are a republic, a representative republic. That. I believe is what Taksin was talking about. He didn't want a European Democracy run by elites but he wanted a true, representative republic, of the people, by the people, for the people but one in which the minority views would be protected.

These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and ( The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority. http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/American...cts/demrep.html

You won't find these words quoted by any other news agency other than the Nation.

SanSaiExPat hasn't just spent all that time spinning the quote into a positive for you to dismiss it as Nation propoganda.

[way2muchcoffee]

I am changing my position. I think everyone needs to slow way down. Take some deep breaths. High level talks need to take place immediately, behind closed doors. The most powerful leaders in the nation need to be there. This needs to get worked out before things go seriously sideways.

Amnesties need to be discussed. Moving the demonstrations to a suitable location should be carried out. Talks must focus on whatever it really is that the various parties involved are interested in. Real negotiations need to take place and a genuine compromise must be reached. Face needs to be preserved for all sides.

It isn't about patience anymore. This thing could blow up in everyone's faces at the slightest provocation. It is critical for the future of Thailand that this crisis be resolved peacefully.

Edited April 8, 2010 by way2muchcoffee

[xenomorph]

"democracy is not my goal" (Taksin Shinawatra)

Re your Taksin quote. If that is indeed his let me explain. Allot of people are confused by the term democracy and all it's implications. For example, the United States of America is not a democracy. We are a republic, a representative republic. That. I believe is what Taksin was talking about. He didn't want a European Democracy run by elites but he wanted a true, representative republic, of the people, by the people, for the people but one in which the minority views would be protected.

These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and ( The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority. http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/American...cts/demrep.html

Wow! Impressive spin. Good job.

So it wasn't that he wanted every Government Baht for himself and his family then?

Why are you trying to lift a totally corrupt person as if everything he've done is for the good of this country?

BTW... The American republic as an representation for the people, is dead as dead. It is the corporate America that own the country.

-Thee who has the money, controls the senate.

-Thee who controls the senate, controls the country.

-Because I have money, I can afford to sue you and <deleted> you all over. And you don't have the money to stop me!

Is that what America owes to the world?

.

Edited April 8, 2010 by xenomorph

[AlongtheChaoPraya]

"but hatred-riddled screaming crowd incitement must not be tolerated any longer!"

Isn't it kind of easy to answer the question with your own questions? It is apparent that these guys really, I mean really, figured out that the military and the police are doing NOTHING to stop whatever they want to do. So, the storming of the parliament gates just turned into a reason to celebrate, cause a lot of jubilation and created a momentum that is now crossed into the danger zone. So, what is going to happen if they keep being reinforced that they can get away with anything without real resistance? Won't the momentum and the numbers just increase like crazy?

Edited April 8, 2010 by AlongtheChaoPraya

[rixalex]

I am changing my position. I think everyone needs to slow way down. Take some deep breaths. High level talks need to take place immediately, behind closed doors. The most powerful leaders in the nation need to be there. This needs to get worked out before things go seriously sideways.

Amnesties need to be discussed. Moving the demonstrations to a suitable location should be carried out. Talks must focus on whatever it really is that the various parties involved are interested in. Real negotiations need to take place and a genuine compromise must be reached. Face needs to be preserved for all sides.

It isn't about patience anymore. This thing could blow up in everyone's faces at the slightest provocation. It is critical for the future of Thailand that this crisis be resolved peacefully.

It's understandable to think short term about doing whatever is needed to restore peace but one also has to consider the longer term ramifications. Amnesties are like sweeping the dirt under the carpet.

[bubba]

I just saw an interesting tweet from a normally reliable tweeter (@terryfrd). His retweet posted an hour ago said:

Large numbers of troops coming into Bangkok from Prachinburi / via @can_nw / Says virtually the whole camp is involved.

http://twitter.com/terryfrd

And by the way, special forces from the RTA Prachinburi base were part of the last coup.

Edited April 8, 2010 by bubba

[monkfish]

Yep could be war now they have USA backing

Doubt there will be coupe at the moment but this is Thailand

Edited April 8, 2010 by monkfish

[bubba]

Yep could be war now they have USA backing

Now that 'they' have USA backing? What is that supposed to mean? The USA State Department today:

'We respect the right of freedom of expression,' said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley, but he added 'forcibly entering government buildings is not an appropriate means of protest.'

And I think that most of us, including the key UDD leaders when they disowned Arisman, couldn't agree more.

[ChouDoufu]

that's what the red leaders want. violence & bloodshed which will be re-played hourly on the international networks.

that's why they keep pushing their followers to be more and more provocative.

and why they're calling for war, while encouraging their supporters to bring their young children to the rallies.

calling for negotiations while making impossible demands.

they're hoping for a response....some water cannon, tear gas, a few rubber bullets.

best they could hope for is to have some infants trampled in the chaos.

while they're safely in the rear...if they're in the country at all.

[monkfish]

Yep could be war now they have USA backing

Now that 'they' have USA backing? What is that supposed to mean? The USA State Department today:

'We respect the right of freedom of expression,' said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley, but he added 'forcibly entering government buildings is not an appropriate means of protest.'

And I think that most of us, including the key UDD leaders when they disowned Arisman, couldn't agree more.

They should just keep out of it!

[eggomaniac]

Hire me to form a 'Study Group' to fine tune The Joseph Solution. Then, with the cooperation of all factions, implement The Joseph Plan.

Stability, Peace and Prosperity would race like locomotives in Thailand; no more of these head on train wrecks.

but.... would that spoil all the 'fun'?

[peecee]

Gee! Sure am glad that this topic has been kept out of politics, hot in Thailand this time of year isn't it?

Sod it; let's have a general election!

Can't bring myself to vote for Cameron though!!