Anger And Agony Remain As Red-Shirts Abandon Phan Fa

[webfact]

Major malls to negotiate with the UDD protestors

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Major malls in the Ratchaprasong area are prepared to negotiate with the anti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship protestors after the rallies at the junction have resulted in closure of the malls and significant financial losses.

Sources say that the management of the major luxury mall, Siam Paragon and Central World are concerned about the prolonged situation, however the management will have to be cautious about any implemented action plans as it may cause adverse effects.

Central World department store, directly situated in front of the rally site has been closed for 12 consecutive days. Sources from Central World say that currently an operational team is set up to monitor the current situation, and is ready to take immediate action. Meanwhile, Central Chitlom will monitor the situation day-by-day as the opening days are difficult to determine beforehand.

Currently major luxury mall Siam Paragon is monitoring the situation on a daily basis. Siam Paragon had opened on 13 April 2010, where only 30% of customers were present out of an average of more than one thousand customers per day. The major mall had to close down on 14 April 2010 at 14.00 hrs after opening in the morning as protestors have decided to converge, moving from their main rally site Phan Fah Bridge to the Ratchaprasong junction. Siam Paragon will have to evaluate to see which direction the protests will go, adding that they are hopeful the situation will subside soon.

Sources say that for each day of closure, Siam Paragon has reported to lose an average of 70 million THB on weekends and 40 million THB on weekdays.

-- NNT 2010-04-15

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[blackman]

bkkjames

You are right, time to think outside of the box.

Perhaps the rachaprasong business association can offer 100 k each and free otop space to each protester to leave.

At least this way they can return home richer than they arrived, save a little face and get out of harms way etc.

The offer expires on April 18. No refunds or exchanges allowed.

PLEASE ALLOW 28 DAYS FOR DELIVERY

[Neurath]

I'm surprised that the business owners in Ratchaphrasong don't start constructing metal gates on the ground floor of their buildings. If they were able to make the ground floor of all the buildings into a wall of steel, the leverage of the protesters would be gone.

Haha cage the dangerous animals.....and throw in a few muzzles for the leaders!

Well the old way to break a siege was to catapult in a few dead cows with anthrax or the like.

Pretty soon the castle leader bows to necessity. Lacking infectious carrion,

I am sure there are a few things that if tossed at one end would create a desire to exit at the other.

More seriously, the idea of a blockade and letting nothing in or out until

a general REAL SURRENDER is reached, has some merits.

What era are you people living in? This is not good old Europe of 1052, nor is it the Warsaw ghetto and you do not get to barricade in people and then gas them.

The UDD protestors are not going to surrender if your bankrupt strategies are used. Only patience and sincere negotiations will resolve this now, or else the uprising that will ensue will find you all cowering under your beds. Let them pull back in peace. The bottom line is that one area can now be pacified without the further loss of life. These people were already in the other area. Get it through your noggins that these people cannot be forced into submission. They are tough bumiputra. Unlike the typical PAD member they can live rough without wilting. They will not go away no matter how many are shot in the back, gassed or disappear. General Prem must step back and let honest discussions start.

I'd agree with you, except for the fact that Jatuporn, Nattawut et.el. have clearly and explicitly stated that they're demands are NOT negotiable. The last I heard is that the demand, note DEMAND not ambit claim, is for Abhisit and Suthep to leave the country immediately and for an IMMEDIATE house dissolution (not 15 days). These demands are backed up by threats of violence and other forms of veiled and open intimidation.

The romantic revolutionary narrative through which many, domestic and overseas, have tried to read this movement is becoming if not fractured then murkier and murkier and what is coming into resolution is a violent red leadership bent on power more than anything else - power for 'their side' which is in fact led by and constituted by and paid for by Thaksin Shinawatra. I would love for this not to be the case and would love to see the proposal of concrete social democratic policies to more fairly distribute wealth and opportunity in this country. I don't see it.

[Sunderland]

Phan Fa has little value at this point. If the reds want to hold the Thai Economy hostage they know the shopping district is more valuable. They can cause more mayhem there if there is a crackdown. Since they are all in one place they should be blockaded in. All stores and businesses should close. Prevent new reds from entering the area and let's see how long they protest without access to food and water.

I can't help but feel that that isn't going to happen. Until now the reds have somehow been able to more or less roam as they wish. Remember it is the police that would be first asked to blockade them in. That wouldn't appear on the cards. So the army would have to be dragged in to do that ... more chaos. Besides, the red operation seems to be so well oiled (by money of course) that getting food and water airlifted in is not beyond the realms of possibility. This red protest movement is not some random country bumpkin protest in the city. It's hard to believe that only Thaksin and the men you see on the stage are involved. Think about who else can benefit from changing things. Those are the rumours I hear in my local neighbourhood. But we can't discuss it here.

[WillArzonia]

Haha cage the dangerous animals.....and throw in a few muzzles for the leaders!

Well the old way to break a siege was to catapult in a few dead cows with anthrax or the like.

Pretty soon the castle leader bows to necessity. Lacking infectious carrion,

I am sure there are a few things that if tossed at one end would create a desire to exit at the other.

More seriously, the idea of a blockade and letting nothing in or out until

a general REAL SURRENDER is reached, has some merits.

What era are you people living in? This is not good old Europe of 1052, nor is it the Warsaw ghetto and you do not get to barricade in people and then gas them.

The UDD protestors are not going to surrender if your bankrupt strategies are used. Only patience and sincere negotiations will resolve this now, or else the uprising that will ensue will find you all cowering under your beds. Let them pull back in peace. The bottom line is that one area can now be pacified without the further loss of life. These people were already in the other area. Get it through your noggins that these people cannot be forced into submission. They are tough bumiputra. Unlike the typical PAD member they can live rough without wilting. They will not go away no matter how many are shot in the back, gassed or disappear. General Prem must step back and let honest discussions start.

I'd agree with you, except for the fact that Jatuporn, Nattawut et.el. have clearly and explicitly stated that they're demands are NOT negotiable. The last I heard is that the demand, note DEMAND not ambit claim, is for Abhisit and Suthep to leave the country immediately and for an IMMEDIATE house dissolution (not 15 days). These demands are backed up by threats of violence and other forms of veiled and open intimidation.

The romantic revolutionary narrative through which many, domestic and overseas, have tried to read this movement is becoming if not fractured then murkier and murkier and what is coming into resolution is a violent red leadership bent on power more than anything else - power for 'their side' which is in fact led by and constituted by and paid for by Thaksin Shinawatra. I would love for this not to be the case and would love to see the proposal of concrete social democratic policies to more fairly distribute wealth and opportunity in this country. I don't see it.

Very good point. So what is the scenario if the reds prevail? Will they be satisfied with elections or will they start to demand more.

As a government, you risk more than your own loss if you allow street violence to dictate the rules

[Bagwan]

Phan Fa has little value at this point. If the reds want to hold the Thai Economy hostage they know the shopping district is more valuable. They can cause more mayhem there if there is a crackdown. Since they are all in one place they should be blockaded in. All stores and businesses should close. Prevent new reds from entering the area and let's see how long they protest without access to food and water.

I have great trouble in getting my head around the notion that closing a few posh shops flogging a load of pretentious crap to gullible people to whom wearing a designer label has great significance will hold the Thai economy to hostage. Why anybody should pay well over the odds for gear, that has probably been manufactured in a sweat shop, to swank about in thinking that it conveys status escapes me. The irony of people closing down shops selling stuff that they will never ever be able to afford themselves strikes a chord.

[animatic]

I'm surprised that the business owners in Ratchaphrasong don't start constructing metal gates on the ground floor of their buildings. If they were able to make the ground floor of all the buildings into a wall of steel, the leverage of the protesters would be gone.

Haha cage the dangerous animals.....and throw in a few muzzles for the leaders!

Well the old way to break a siege was to catapult in a few dead cows with anthrax or the like.

Pretty soon the castle leader bows to necessity. Lacking infectious carrion,

I am sure there are a few things that if tossed at one end would create a desire to exit at the other.

More seriously, the idea of a blockade and letting nothing in or out until

a general REAL SURRENDER is reached, has some merits.

What era are you people living in? This is not good old Europe of 1052, nor is it the Warsaw ghetto and you do not get to barricade in people and then gas them.

The UDD protestors are not going to surrender if your bankrupt strategies are used. Only patience and sincere negotiations will resolve this now, or else the uprising that will ensue will find you all cowering under your beds. Let them pull back in peace. The bottom line is that one area can now be pacified without the further loss of life. These people were already in the other area. Get it through your noggins that these people cannot be forced into submission. They are tough bumiputra. Unlike the typical PAD member they can live rough without wilting. They will not go away no matter how many are shot in the back, gassed or disappear. General Prem must step back and let honest discussions start.

Having a nice time up on your high horse. Moral certitude inflamed.

Making a comment about how things have been done, isn't the same as advocating doing it.

But rant on I knew this comment would get a rise LOL. ( is that trolling for trolls?)

Edited April 15, 2010 by animatic

[animatic]

I'm surprised that the business owners in Ratchaphrasong don't start constructing metal gates on the ground floor of their buildings. If they were able to make the ground floor of all the buildings into a wall of steel, the leverage of the protesters would be gone.

Haha cage the dangerous animals.....and throw in a few muzzles for the leaders!

Well the old way to break a siege was to catapult in a few dead cows with anthrax or the like.

Pretty soon the castle leader bows to necessity. Lacking infectious carrion,

I am sure there are a few things that if tossed at one end would create a desire to exit at the other.

More seriously, the idea of a blockade and letting nothing in or out until

a general REAL SURRENDER is reached, has some merits.

Wake up and smell the coffee! That is not going to happen. The political tide has turned against Abhisit and he knows it. He, the army, the police and the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority also know that the last thing they want now is a public health disaster in the middle of Bangkok. That is exactly what would happen if they followed your suggestion.

Ah, but it wasn't a suggestion.

It already is a public health disaster by the way.

[grandpops]

I'm surprised that the business owners in Ratchaphrasong don't start constructing metal gates on the ground floor of their buildings. If they were able to make the ground floor of all the buildings into a wall of steel, the leverage of the protesters would be gone.

This being a magic gate that lets customers and clients only in? And presumably guarded by an agency with more power than the combined Police and Army to enable free passage for the elite business people but not the scruffy, flip flop wearing farmers!

Wake up, the population of the country have come to Bangkok to let them know that Bangkok is but another part of the nation, NOT the Nation itself.

We need more policies like Thaksin had where resources were spent in other parts of the country, to improve infrastructure, education etc. We don't need more exectutive sky trains, undergrounds, Pizarrias and shopping malls. How does the country benefit from high end shops selling foreign goods to foreigner? And I said country, not "how does Bangkok benefit from tourists shopping at foreign owned malls for foreign brand goods"

I see desperation has set in on the PAD Falang side. We are talking about Anthrax attacks, caging protesters in with magic barricades, giving them 100k each to go home. If nothing else, it shows the shallowness of the argument from the Anti-Democracy side on here. Keep it up boys.

Edited April 15, 2010 by grandpops

[anotherpeter]

I'm surprised that the business owners in Ratchaphrasong don't start constructing metal gates on the ground floor of their buildings. If they were able to make the ground floor of all the buildings into a wall of steel, the leverage of the protesters would be gone.

This being a magic gate that lets customers and clients only in? And presumably guarded by an agency with more power than the combined Police and Army to enable free passage for the elite business people but not the scruffy, flip flop wearing farmers!

Wake up, the population of the country have come to Bangkok to let them know that Bangkok is but another part of the nation, NOT the Nation itself.

We need more policies like Thaksin had where resources were spent in other parts of the country, to improve infrastructure, education etc. We don't need more exectutive sky trains, undergrounds, Pizarrias and shopping malls. How does the country benefit from high end shops selling foreign goods to foreigner? And I said country, not "how does Bangkok benefit from tourists shopping at foreign owned malls for foreign brand goods"

Grandpops, please let me know where I can get information on what Thaksin did to improve infrastructure and education in his 5 years as PM.

[sealy]

""If they want to clear us out of [Rajprasong intersection] too then we'll bring the whole country to ruin - end of story," said a woman, anger in her eyes.

"I don't know who [the men in black] are but I thank them for without them, many red shirts would have been killed," she said."

Seems that she has no doubts whatsoever.

If she doesn't know who they are, how does she know they didn't kill red shirts? At least muslims promise their martyrs 72 virgins, what to the red shirts expect to get to die for a rich old fool.

...matyrs (are) promised 72 virgins.....wow!

where do we farangs sign up....

those in thailand are getting too expensive and hard to find...especially virgins!.

[way2muchcoffee]

What era are you people living in? This is not good old Europe of 1052, nor is it the Warsaw ghetto and you do not get to barricade in people and then gas them.

The UDD protestors are not going to surrender if your bankrupt strategies are used. Only patience and sincere negotiations will resolve this now, or else the uprising that will ensue will find you all cowering under your beds. Let them pull back in peace. The bottom line is that one area can now be pacified without the further loss of life. These people were already in the other area. Get it through your noggins that these people cannot be forced into submission. They are tough bumiputra. Unlike the typical PAD member they can live rough without wilting. They will not go away no matter how many are shot in the back, gassed or disappear. General Prem must step back and let honest discussions start.

Honest discussions might start if the UDD were willing to discuss anything. To date this has not been their position.

[webfact]

THE NATION: Natthawut announced red shirts to occupy roads up to National Stadium, Silom or Soi Sukhumvit 31 after Songkran holidays.

[webfact]

Natthawut says more red shirts will join rally after Songkran holidays

BANGKOK: -- Natthawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader, said more protesters from provinces will join the demonstration at the Rajprasong Intersection after the long Songkran holidays.

He said the arrival of more protesters would require the protesters to occupy roads up to in front of the National Stadium beyond the Phathumwan Intersection or until Soi Sukhumvit 31 or Silom Road.

He said the rally will go on until the government dissolves the House.

They will not stop the rally even the prime minister resigns.

-- The Nation 2010-04-15

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[sealy]

abhisit 's fallout was more so for not acting decisively....i.e. as a fall guy for the crooked old elites, he is dispensable whether he knows it or not.

the rich just wouldn't care less about him for as long as he does not act on their behalf.....even if abhisit is - and indeed he is, one of the few good men left in thailand....

abhisit's departure from the thai political scene will herald the beginning of decline of politics of the sane man.

[sealy]

Natthawut says more red shirts will join rally after Songkran holidays

BANGKOK: -- Natthawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader, said more protesters from provinces will join the demonstration at the Rajprasong Intersection after the long Songkran holidays.

He said the arrival of more protesters would require the protesters to occupy roads up to in front of the National Stadium beyond the Phathumwan Intersection or until Soi Sukhumvit 31 or Silom Road.

He said the rally will go on until the government dissolves the House.

They will not stop the rally even the prime minister resigns.

-- The Nation 2010-04-15

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

far too much spoils of the clashes between the government and the red shirts remain to be picked up by the crooks hiding behind the "veil" of abhisit for the last one year or so...

a quick dissolution of the house does not mean all-is-well immediately thereafter....

spoilers lurking in the dark of thai politics with no interests whatsoever of their fellow thais are just too many and COWARDLY to act on their own except by proxies.....

therein lies the thai maladies and dramas...

what do the farmers really know?????

the farmers like napolean's armies marches on their stomachs, except today , they are awaken slightly to their political rights.....

bewurschtmachuung????

[Neurath]

I'm surprised that the business owners in Ratchaphrasong don't start constructing metal gates on the ground floor of their buildings. If they were able to make the ground floor of all the buildings into a wall of steel, the leverage of the protesters would be gone.

This being a magic gate that lets customers and clients only in? And presumably guarded by an agency with more power than the combined Police and Army to enable free passage for the elite business people but not the scruffy, flip flop wearing farmers!

Wake up, the population of the country have come to Bangkok to let them know that Bangkok is but another part of the nation, NOT the Nation itself.

We need more policies like Thaksin had where resources were spent in other parts of the country, to improve infrastructure, education etc. We don't need more exectutive sky trains, undergrounds, Pizarrias and shopping malls. How does the country benefit from high end shops selling foreign goods to foreigner? And I said country, not "how does Bangkok benefit from tourists shopping at foreign owned malls for foreign brand goods"

I see desperation has set in on the PAD Falang side. We are talking about Anthrax attacks, caging protesters in with magic barricades, giving them 100k each to go home. If nothing else, it shows the shallowness of the argument from the Anti-Democracy side on here. Keep it up boys.

1. Where do you think the money comes from that constitutes the major part of central government spending in the North-East? The Revenue Department. And where do you think the Revenue Department gets that money????? Tax receipts (not from Thaksin and family though, they don't like to pay it). And where, geographically speaking, are those tax receipts generated? It's an unfortunate fact that Thailand's development is geographically very uneven.

2. Policies: Are you referring to the One Tambon One Product, The Villiage Fund (THB 1,000,000 to each villiage), the District Scholarship program (695 scholarships for overseas study at the undergraduate level???) We can discuss how each of these policies have panned out and to whom the benefit accrued. I could point fingers, but they would then get broken.

[sealy]

and the throwing of HIV and hepatitus B infected blood was not a public health disaster?

did the reds care about that?

will farangs be implicated here especially when not only thais are down with hiv and hepatitus b ......??????????????

[grandpops]

What era are you people living in? This is not good old Europe of 1052, nor is it the Warsaw ghetto and you do not get to barricade in people and then gas them.

The UDD protestors are not going to surrender if your bankrupt strategies are used. Only patience and sincere negotiations will resolve this now, or else the uprising that will ensue will find you all cowering under your beds. Let them pull back in peace. The bottom line is that one area can now be pacified without the further loss of life. These people were already in the other area. Get it through your noggins that these people cannot be forced into submission. They are tough bumiputra. Unlike the typical PAD member they can live rough without wilting. They will not go away no matter how many are shot in the back, gassed or disappear. General Prem must step back and let honest discussions start.

Honest discussions might start if the UDD were willing to discuss anything. To date this has not been their position.

Why would the UDD negotiate with an illegal entity? They (UDD) are more likely to be working behind the scenes with Army etc. as to the way forward.

Whilst you have the FM running to the USA effectively saying, "mummy, mummy, mummy, some bad boy had a gun in my country. We were only invading a rally site with the entire state apparatus and this TERRORIST stopped it!" Big push on the terrorist angle must have been for home consumption as noboby will have batted an eye lid about these absurd claims.

Even the Nation seems to be slowly turning sides. Despite their horrific bias, they must surely employ some journalists that disagree with them and they will be clamouring for more coverage. Editorial to day against Coup included a photo of a police/army unit with a gun poking out of it being fired horizontally.

Looks like the "terrorist" was just collecting weapons and moving them to display on the stage. Had more credibility to it, looking at the man, than him being a terroist.

To the newbies asking what Thaksin did. It's not for this thread and a trip to Chiang Mai and the north would perhaps open your eyes. If not, who cares what you think!

Neurath, you really need an education into how the system works here. Nuf said.

Edited April 15, 2010 by grandpops

[anotherpeter]

What era are you people living in? This is not good old Europe of 1052, nor is it the Warsaw ghetto and you do not get to barricade in people and then gas them.

The UDD protestors are not going to surrender if your bankrupt strategies are used. Only patience and sincere negotiations will resolve this now, or else the uprising that will ensue will find you all cowering under your beds. Let them pull back in peace. The bottom line is that one area can now be pacified without the further loss of life. These people were already in the other area. Get it through your noggins that these people cannot be forced into submission. They are tough bumiputra. Unlike the typical PAD member they can live rough without wilting. They will not go away no matter how many are shot in the back, gassed or disappear. General Prem must step back and let honest discussions start.

Honest discussions might start if the UDD were willing to discuss anything. To date this has not been their position.

Why would the UDD negotiate with an illegal entity? They (UDD) are more likely to be working behind the scenes with Army etc. as to the way forward.

Whilst you have the FM running to the USA effectively saying, "mummy, mummy, mummy, some bad boy had a gun in my country. We were only invading a rally site with the entire state apparatus and this TERRORIST stopped it!" Big push on the terrorist angle must have been for home consumption as noboby will have batted an eye lid about these absurd claims.

Even the Nation seems to be slowly turning sides. Despite their horrific bias, they must surely employ some journalists that disagree with them and they will be clamouring for more coverage. Editorial to day against Coup included a photo of a police/army unit with a gun poking out of it being fired horizontally.

Looks like the "terrorist" was just collecting weapons and moving them to display on the stage. Had more credibility to it, looking at the man, than him being a terroist.

Grandpops, I know you aren't very good at answering questions to back up your statements, but perhaps you could detail (without broad statements) why you think the current government is illegal.

[BigC]

though it was a 2000 baht fine for dropping litter in bangkok. there is allot of litter there

[JRinger]

Grandpops, please let me know where I can get information on what Thaksin did to improve infrastructure and education in his 5 years as PM.

what about:

* the Chiangmai zoo and restaurant that served endangered and illegally procured animals?

* reaping huge 'donations' from Insurance companies for establishing the 30 baht health scheme (scam)

* firing the Minister of Education just after taking office and then doing nothing

* wholesale killing of innocent people, children also who got in the line of fire

* firing just about everybody who wasn't family or friend or ass kisser, aka nepotism

* filling his own pockets with questionable ill gotten funds and those of family, friends & ass kissers

* illegally selling the telecoms satellite to a Singapore magnate

* downgrading land around the new airport so his wife could by it on the cheap

* spending billions to upgrade Chiangmai, his birthplace with little regard to the rest of the country

* allowing his driver to produce and sell bootlegged CD's and DVD"s

* etc., etc., etc.

[JRinger]

though it was a 2000 baht fine for dropping litter in bangkok. there is allot of litter there

the fine is only for farang

[grandpops]

Grandpops, please let me know where I can get information on what Thaksin did to improve infrastructure and education in his 5 years as PM.

what about:

* the Chiangmai zoo and restaurant that served endangered and illegally procured animals?

* reaping huge 'donations' from Insurance companies for establishing the 30 baht health scheme (scam)

* firing the Minister of Education just after taking office and then doing nothing

* wholesale killing of innocent people, children also who got in the line of fire

* firing just about everybody who wasn't family or friend or ass kisser, aka nepotism

* filling his own pockets with questionable ill gotten funds and those of family, friends & ass kissers

* illegally selling the telecoms satellite to a Singapore magnate

* downgrading land around the new airport so his wife could by it on the cheap

* spending billions to upgrade Chiangmai, his birthplace with little regard to the rest of the country

* allowing his driver to produce and sell bootlegged CD's and DVD"s

* etc., etc., etc.

Nice to see that the PAD, ASTV and The Nation didn't totally waste all their time and money on propaganda. Pity you wasted five minutes of your life regurgitating it, but it's your life, your time.

PS in your haste, you actually wrote something good that he did do. I was there before, during and after, and believe me, it was money well spent!

[Tony121]

What era are you people living in? This is not good old Europe of 1052, nor is it the Warsaw ghetto and you do not get to barricade in people and then gas them.

The UDD protestors are not going to surrender if your bankrupt strategies are used. Only patience and sincere negotiations will resolve this now, or else the uprising that will ensue will find you all cowering under your beds. Let them pull back in peace. The bottom line is that one area can now be pacified without the further loss of life. These people were already in the other area. Get it through your noggins that these people cannot be forced into submission. They are tough bumiputra. Unlike the typical PAD member they can live rough without wilting. They will not go away no matter how many are shot in the back, gassed or disappear. General Prem must step back and let honest discussions start.

Honest discussions might start if the UDD were willing to discuss anything. To date this has not been their position.

Why would the UDD negotiate with an illegal entity? They (UDD) are more likely to be working behind the scenes with Army etc. as to the way forward.

Whilst you have the FM running to the USA effectively saying, "mummy, mummy, mummy, some bad boy had a gun in my country. We were only invading a rally site with the entire state apparatus and this TERRORIST stopped it!" Big push on the terrorist angle must have been for home consumption as noboby will have batted an eye lid about these absurd claims.

Even the Nation seems to be slowly turning sides. Despite their horrific bias, they must surely employ some journalists that disagree with them and they will be clamouring for more coverage. Editorial to day against Coup included a photo of a police/army unit with a gun poking out of it being fired horizontally.

Looks like the "terrorist" was just collecting weapons and moving them to display on the stage. Had more credibility to it, looking at the man, than him being a terroist.

To the newbies asking what Thaksin did. It's not for this thread and a trip to Chiang Mai and the north would perhaps open your eyes. If not, who cares what you think!

Neurath, you really need an education into how the system works here. Nuf said.

Also the newbies can see what thaksin did to the south of thailand there's the killing of muslims, no one south of Bangkok got a nice Night safari, but maybe you have shown that the reds only care themselves and there hometowns, rather than what is best for the whole of thailand.

[blackman]

""If they want to clear us out of [Rajprasong intersection] too then we'll bring the whole country to ruin - end of story," said a woman, anger in her eyes.

"I don't know who [the men in black] are but I thank them for without them, many red shirts would have been killed," she said."

Seems that she has no doubts whatsoever.

If she doesn't know who they are, how does she know they didn't kill red shirts? At least muslims promise their martyrs 72 virgins, what to the red shirts expect to get to die for a rich old fool.

...matyrs (are) promised 72 virgins.....wow!

where do we farangs sign up....

those in thailand are getting too expensive and hard to find...especially virgins!.

Muslim suicide bombers in Britain are set to begin a three-day strike on Monday in a dispute over the number of virgins they are entitled to in the afterlife.

Emergency talks with Al Qaeda management have so far failed to produce an agreement.

The unrest began last Tuesday when Al Qaeda announced that the number of virgins a suicide bomber would receive after his death will be cut by 25% next January from 72 to only 60. The rationale for the cut was the increase in recent years of the number of suicide bombings and a subsequent shortage of virgins in the afterlife.

The suicide bombers' union, the British Organization of Occupational Martyrs (or B.O.O.M.) responded with a statement that this was unacceptable to its members and immediately balloted for strike action. General Secretary Abdullah Amir told the press, "Our members are literally working themselves to death in the cause of Jihad. We don't ask for much in return but to be treated like this by management is a kick in the teeth."

Mr. Amir accepted the limited availability of virgins but pointed out that the cutbacks were expected to be borne entirely by the workforce and not by management. "Last Christmas Abu Hamza alone was awarded an annual bonus of 250,000 virgins," complains Amir. "And you can be sure they'll all be pretty ones too. How can Al Qaeda afford that for members of the management but not 72 for the people who do the real work?"

Speaking from the shed in the West Midlands in which he currently resides, Al Qaeda chief executive Osama bin Laden explained, "We sympathize with our workers' concerns but Al Qaeda is simply not in a position to meet their demands. They are simply not accepting the realities of modern-day jihad, in a competitive marketplace. Thanks to Western depravity, there is now a chronic shortage of virgins in the afterlife. It's a straight choice between reducing expenditure and laying people off. I don't like cutting wages but I'd hate to have to tell 3,000 of my staff that they won't be able to blow themselves up." He defended management bonuses by claiming these were necessary to attract good, fanatical clerics. "How am I supposed to attract the best people if I can't compete with the private sector?" asked Mr. Bin-Laden.

Talks broke down this morning after management's last-ditch proposal of a virgin-sharing scheme was rejected outright after a failure to agree on orifice allocation quotas. One virgin, who refused to be named, was quoted as saying "I'll be b****red if I'm agreeing to anything like that........it's too much to swallow".

Unless some sort of agreement is reached over the weekend, suicide bombers will down explosives at midday on Monday. Most branches are supporting the strike. Only the North London branch, which has a different union, is likely to continue working. However, some members of that branch will only be using waist-down explosives in order to express solidarity with their striking brethren.

Spokespersons in the North East of England, Swindon, North Kent and the entire Australian continent stated that this would not affect their operations as "There are no virgins in their areas anyway".

[anotherpeter]

^

[grandpops]

What era are you people living in? This is not good old Europe of 1052, nor is it the Warsaw ghetto and you do not get to barricade in people and then gas them.

The UDD protestors are not going to surrender if your bankrupt strategies are used. Only patience and sincere negotiations will resolve this now, or else the uprising that will ensue will find you all cowering under your beds. Let them pull back in peace. The bottom line is that one area can now be pacified without the further loss of life. These people were already in the other area. Get it through your noggins that these people cannot be forced into submission. They are tough bumiputra. Unlike the typical PAD member they can live rough without wilting. They will not go away no matter how many are shot in the back, gassed or disappear. General Prem must step back and let honest discussions start.

Honest discussions might start if the UDD were willing to discuss anything. To date this has not been their position.

Why would the UDD negotiate with an illegal entity? They (UDD) are more likely to be working behind the scenes with Army etc. as to the way forward.

Whilst you have the FM running to the USA effectively saying, "mummy, mummy, mummy, some bad boy had a gun in my country. We were only invading a rally site with the entire state apparatus and this TERRORIST stopped it!" Big push on the terrorist angle must have been for home consumption as noboby will have batted an eye lid about these absurd claims.

Even the Nation seems to be slowly turning sides. Despite their horrific bias, they must surely employ some journalists that disagree with them and they will be clamouring for more coverage. Editorial to day against Coup included a photo of a police/army unit with a gun poking out of it being fired horizontally.

Looks like the "terrorist" was just collecting weapons and moving them to display on the stage. Had more credibility to it, looking at the man, than him being a terroist.

To the newbies asking what Thaksin did. It's not for this thread and a trip to Chiang Mai and the north would perhaps open your eyes. If not, who cares what you think!

Neurath, you really need an education into how the system works here. Nuf said.

Also the newbies can see what thaksin did to the south of thailand there's the killing of muslims, no one south of Bangkok got a nice Night safari, but maybe you have shown that the reds only care themselves and there hometowns, rather than what is best for the whole of thailand.

So, no problems in the South before Thaksin and certainly none now. Surley after this evil mans departure 4 years ago, the Government has persuaded the South that the killings can stop. This problem has raged on decades, since it (Pattani) was given to Thailand by the British after the war.

Zoo's. Perhaps if you gave a list of all Zoo's south of Bangkok that could hold a light to Chaing Mai Zoo, they could make a case for a night safari!!!

And every Government before and after Thaksin, decided that Bangkok was the place to develop and grab the resources. Understand just this sentance and you may be on the way to gaining a grounding in Thai Politics and the anger behind the rest of the country.

Another failed attempt to besmirch Thakisn.

[xminator]

half the population?

there are maybe 25,000 protesters in Bangkok out of a country of 65 million?

hardly a representative proportion

also if ''they're over half the population'', where were they the last time a vote was taken?

they did not get anywhere near half the votes that were cast

There is also some 400 people representing the 65 millions in parliament. Or like in any country with general elections who they really serve is in question the moment they are elected...

The 25000 have their families, friends and villages in their support. To deny that simple fact like you do is proving a lack of understanding of the situation.

[blackman]

half the population?

there are maybe 25,000 protesters in Bangkok out of a country of 65 million?

hardly a representative proportion

also if ''they're over half the population'', where were they the last time a vote was taken?

they did not get anywhere near half the votes that were cast

There is also some 400 people representing the 65 millions in parliament. Or like in any country with general elections who they really serve is in question the moment they are elected...

The 25000 have their families, friends and villages in their support. To deny that simple fact like you do is proving a lack of understanding of the situation.

it must be just me then who thinks that a few red shirt bullies are trying to seize a country by intimidation?

if they had so much support and had control of parliament, maybe with the help of a few coalition groups and ultimately had enough votes and parliamentary seats then they would legitamately hold power wouldn't they?

oh sorry i am getting you boys mixed up with the current government....