Thai Protesters Brace For Crackdown As Compromise Rejected

[eeconomist]

I can only imagine long prison sentences for the likes of Veera, Weng, Nattawut, Jatuporn, Arisman and the other terrorist leaders.

Or will they join their Capo di tutti Capo in Uganda, Montenegro or some other corrupt rat hole?

I reckon that too and verdict will be out real fast.

While the charges against PAD, maybe Chamlong and Sondhi's great great son can hear the verdict!!

[tingtongfarang]

So they are dropping the red shirts. We all know why, yes? So when the reds without red attack the Thai soldiers and the general public with lethal weapons, and they are filmed doing so, they can more conveniently deny responsibility.

Nattawut said the Reds would strip off the symbols of their allegiance and reveal thier secret weapons.

[misterjag]

If Abhisit wants to win broad support for a crackdown on the Red Shirts then he should rise above the fray, act like a statesman instead of a politician, and promise quick elections to follow. If instead he continues to make excuses for why an unpopular government spawned by coup plotters should continue to cling to power, then we'll just see nine more months of disruptive demonstrations. Ultimately, in a parliamentary system, the only solution is dissolution. We get the message that it should be done in an orderly fashion and that it shouldn't look like Red Shirt blackmail, but forces for democracy won't rest --and there won't be any peace and stability--until the legitimacy of the government is restored through the ballot box.

[freedom4life]

It's hard to negotiate with terrorists.

Bravo.

Never negotiate with terrorists.

Fight terror with terror.

I agree, let's start with Abhisit Vejjajiva.

[eeconomist]

It's hard to negotiate with terrorists.

Bravo.

Never negotiate with terrorists.

Fight terror with terror.

Just like how Aung San Su Kyi and her followers never negotiated with the Junta!!

[jope]

If I was a Redshirt and I read some of the hate posts by certain individuals here, I'd think very lowly of Farangs in Thailand.

And indeed, the majority of Thais that I know would be shocked at the blind support of many posters on this forum for the intimidation and violence that has been meeted out by the reds over the last month and more. Many Thais beleive Westerners come from civilised countries where people don't lay siege to the heart of the capital, fire grenades at commuters, bomb banks in the middle of the night, lay explosive charges under electricity pylons, poor their own blood on the private residences of politicians that they disagree with, kidnap EC officials, stab soldiers with bamboo poles in order to break into an installation guarded by the security forces...the list is longer, but I hope I've made my point.

I guess that's the price dictators have to pay! Free elections will stop that immediately!!

[gemini81]

So they are dropping the red shirts. We all know why, yes? So when the reds without red attack the Thai soldiers and the general public with lethal weapons, and they are filmed doing so, they can more conveniently deny responsibility.

Precisely. This is a very disturbing development.

Guerrilla warfare? Threatening to loot CentralWorld?

"When the first blood is spilled here, the entire country will be the scene of bloodshed"

"We are ready to handle the government measures. No matter what shirt we wear, our hearts are red"

These are terrorist threats being made by the red shirt leaders. Some people might object to the word terrorist, but I don't know what else to call it. Insurrection perhaps? Any other suggestions?

It is exactly that, no matter what term you try to call it: terrorism. The worst part is the innocent caught in the crossfire, like the BTS scene. After this they can easily lose the red shirt and blame somebody else. Any other place, those bamboo barricades would be torn down and the individual spewing the threats incarcerated.

Suggestions? Well, the army and gov't can procrastinate all they want, but everyone knows what must be done. They'll have to be taken out with force (unless Thaksin runs outta money to sponser all of this) doubt that though.

[canuckamuck]

There going to have change the map of Thailand, since now it's all going pear shaped.

[ETatBKK]

If they discard their signature red t-shirts we might need a new name for them. Any suggestions?

"The protesters formerly known as Reds" perhaps.

"Mallrats"

one suggestion here :

United Front of DICTATORSHIP against DEMOCRACY

well, they don't understand these two words anyway !

[elcent]

tulsathit: The colours thing got me thinking. Why don't troops wear civilian clothes/blend in and chroloform reds one by one? peaceful&creative.

Sat Apr 24 2010 21:10:57 GMT+0700 (SE Asia Standard Time)

or why not use those narcotics riffles they normally use for wild animals?

[Jingthing]

It's hard to negotiate with terrorists.

Bravo.

Never negotiate with terrorists.

Fight terror with terror.

Just like how Aung San Su Kyi and her followers never negotiated with the Junta!!

Aung San Su Kyi and the Thai red shirts. No comparison. She has moral credibility by the boatload. The reds have none.

[selftaopath]

And they seem to intend ALL of Thailand...

"We are ready to handle the government measures. No matter what shirt we wear, our hearts are red," said Jatuporn Prompan, warning that an offensive would trigger nationwide conflict.

"When the first blood is spilled here, the entire country will be the scene of bloodshed," he said.

It would seem they plan attacks nationwide.

Not could, but WOULD, trigger nationwide attacks.

And this coming from a PTP Minister of Parliament.

Who actually has a voting mandate to Parliament.

High treason comes to mind.

But not in LOS = Lack of Sanctions

[way2muchcoffee]

It's looking like Kent State all over again.......1970 riot over a US planned Cambodia invasion when upset students looted, threw rocks and bottles, and otherwise taunted the police and military for a few days.

Result - 4 dead and one paralyzed for life as national guard fired rounds over a few seconds. The riot ended, but marred the country for quite some time.

If this event can be etched in the memory of nearly all Americans after 40 years, imagine what the latest incidents (and incidents yet to come) will do to the small country of Thailand.

Major difference. The Kent State rioters didn't use AK47s, M79 grenade launchers, or sniper rifles. They also didn't threaten guerrilla warfare or civil war.

I imagine that based on what has already happened, together with what will happen, these events will stick in the minds of Thais far more strongly that Kent State has for Americans.

[noel2499rk]

A disappointing but unsurprising response from the biggest stubborn mule PM the world has ever seen.

It is kind of hard to negotiate with terrorists. Not a good precedent really.

All terrorists are negotiated with eventually IRA, ANC, ETA, PLO all came to talking after much blood is spilled.

[Insight]

I'm personally doubtful the army will go in....

For crackdown:

Negotiations have clearly broke down

It's the weekend - less chance of innocent people getting caught up

CRES announcement this am said dispersal operation would go ahead when the time is right

Low numbers there this morning when we were there

Against:

Still massive risk of women and kids being caught up

Anupong said use of force against protesters was not an option (that was yesterday)

The threat could just be another "psy-ops" strategy to keep wearing them out. God knows, they've been using this approach for the past few weeks (otherwise known as doing bugger all)...

[ukrules]

A disappointing but unsurprising response from the biggest stubborn mule PM the world has ever seen.

I have to say that if I had worked hard all my life and attained the position of Prime Minister I wouldn't be so eager to bow down before some minority rabble demanding my resignation.

[esbkk]

A disappointing but unsurprising response from the biggest stubborn mule PM the world has ever seen.

...when will you learn that one doesn't give in to blackmail, especially from a small lunatic fringe ...

[andD]

A disappointing but unsurprising response from the biggest stubborn mule PM the world has ever seen.

Nope, that would be the other guy, Thaksin.

does not matter whoever it is now...

rejection is a hard pill to swallow....

anyone who has been to a bar beer knows that.

what's next?

send in the suicide squad?

oh i do hope its the judean people front crack suicide squad

[dobadoy]

If I was a Redshirt and I read some of the hate posts by certain individuals here, I'd think very lowly of Farangs in Thailand.

And indeed, the majority of Thais that I know would be shocked at the blind support of many posters on this forum for the intimidation and violence that has been meeted out by the reds over the last month and more. Many Thais beleive Westerners come from civilised countries where people don't lay siege to the heart of the capital, fire grenades at commuters, bomb banks in the middle of the night, lay explosive charges under electricity pylons, poor their own blood on the private residences of politicians that they disagree with, kidnap EC officials, stab soldiers with bamboo poles in order to break into an installation guarded by the security forces...the list is longer, but I hope I've made my point.

I guess that's the price dictators have to pay! Free elections will stop that immediately!!

Right, so, quite aside from your overlooking the fact that 'dictatorship' doesn't apply to a government that is committed to holding elections within the time frame stipulated by the constitution as this one is...

...lets assume we're talking about a real dictatorship - N.Korea, Burma, Mugabe - your view is that firing grenades at commuters is an acceptable way to protest, is it?

[exalll]

One who is so puffed-up with himself that he believes that he can rule without the consent of the populace.

Simply repeating untruths over and over again does not turn them into truths. The valid mandate of the current government has been explained in suitably simple terms on many occasions.

However, your description does ring a bell. Someone so puffed up with himself he believed he could rule without the consent of the populace, or at least who believed that it was so obvious he should rule that he perverted all the checks and balances of democratic institutions to ensure he could continue to rule.

[Throatwobbler]

A disappointing but unsurprising response from the biggest stubborn mule PM the world has ever seen.

So if you were PM you would give in to every mob. That's cowardice.

[Smiles]

So they are dropping the red shirts. We all know why, yes? So when the reds without red attack the Thai soldiers and the general public with lethal weapons, and they are filmed doing so, they can more conveniently deny responsibility.

Nattawut said the Reds would strip off the symbols of their allegiance and reveal thier secret weapons.

That is 2 big secret weapons indeed!

[old wanderer]

What I fail to understand, how is the government allowing this protest site to continue. Cut off all power, water, jam all communications. Make it dry up...

Now some might say....what about the residents.....well if you have ever been in a war zone, do not expect to continue with a normal life.

These kinds of measures would quickly disperse all but the rotten core group.

Some will argue...but they will just bring in generators.....gee, a single 50 cal bullet from a sniper ends that generator, (non violently again).

As small groups try to move to other parts of the city, arrest them...

As for the compromise.....I have posted before this question "What is the urgent need for elections NOW, and not waiting until when the constitution mandates elections??"

In the USA the current president and the former president had large groups that really despised them. Yet there was never a call in that seasoned democracy for elections NOW, instead of when the Constitution mandated them.

I am more than a little disappointed the current Thai government is letting this grow.

[noel2499rk]

It's hard to negotiate with terrorists.

Bravo.

Never negotiate with terrorists.

Fight terror with terror.

The British army tried that in Northern Ireland and failed. The apartheid regime tried it in South Africa and failed. The French tried that in Algeria and failed. It doesn't work my friend.

[hugocnx]

I cannot think/believe Abhesit is not doing what he is supposed to do. What real means does he have. You might say it in other words.. his hands are tied. All options have a fireback on him (personally) as if he is the only one to decide here, c'mon.

Dispersal by army is no option at all; sit and wait what the mulicolored are up to? same same. Cannot have the reds win. Sia Nah.

Some poster suggested the old fashioned way. Surround them and dry them out. I didn't read any good reaction on this and it is probably an old medeival (spelled right?) method that is not allowed internationally.

Last but not least, already aired on TVisa is the fact that the army and police are probably not going to fight their own people.

[dobadoy]

What I fail to understand, how is the government allowing this protest site to continue. Cut off all power, water, jam all communications. Make it dry up...

Now some might say....what about the residents.....well if you have ever been in a war zone, do not expect to continue with a normal life.

These kinds of measures would quickly disperse all but the rotten core group.

Some will argue...but they will just bring in generators.....gee, a single 50 cal bullet from a sniper ends that generator, (non violently again).

As small groups try to move to other parts of the city, arrest them...

As for the compromise.....I have posted before this question "What is the urgent need for elections NOW, and not waiting until when the constitution mandates elections??"

In the USA the current president and the former president had large groups that really despised them. Yet there was never a call in that seasoned democracy for elections NOW, instead of when the Constitution mandated them.

I am more than a little disappointed the current Thai government is letting this grow.

Yes, equally frustrating is the way demonstrators are allowed to come and go each night, supplies are shipped in and out freely, including the huge truck tires now being used for barricades. I wondered a long time ago why the security forces hadn't 'kettled' this demonstration as is standard practice in the West, and then isolated them when it turned into an occupation. The only explanation I can find for this agrees with the red-shirt apologist posters on this forum, which is that large sections of the security forces are sympathetic to the reds and the gov't simply does not have the power to enforce the law.

[mythBuster]

This government is made up of people with very deep pockets, those pockets must be filled. The world is watching. The US has warned the Thai government not to use violence and as a result military cooperation will suffer. However, unless Anupong is passed over, it could well be the end of Abhisit himself. There might be a flat out refusal to kill people and than Abhisit has to face the music. In the end we may hope that if a great number of people get hurt, foreigners get killed too. It will punish the government in several ways: 1. Abhisit and others with dual nationality run the risk to end up in the international court of justice, even though Thailand has not signed up for it. 2. Investment will suffer. 3. tourism will come to a virtual stop. Two and Three will hurt the elite which is by definition a good thing.

Moreover the Thai army cannot even win from a handful of youth in the South they will get hurt in an incredible way when 70% of the people turn against them. The power of the yellow shirts who call themselves multicolored nowadays is diminished too. They claimed to bring hundred thousand people out on the street, they must have been embarrassed with a few thousand. It was anyhow a pathetic sight to see old cows that were slightly wounded by their only military (Safe to say that the military are behind the attacks, 47 grenade attacks, no arrests... give me a break) waving with toy flags. It viewed like scenes from a bad Fellini movie.

It is pretty smart to strip yourself of anything that may look like you are a redshirt supporter, if an army shoots you are allowed to defend yourself. For those people who believe that an army has the right to shoot, I like to invite them to go out and see a war zone. Those people might never have seen bodies lying in the streets. But if an army attacks its own people the people have the right to retaliate with everything they have.

Abhisit has to go in before th 29th, the day that his sorry party will be disbanded for stealing from the people and stealing from the banks and creditors (TPI).

[tominbkk]

So they are dropping the red shirts. We all know why, yes? So when the reds without red attack the Thai soldiers and the general public with lethal weapons, and they are filmed doing so, they can more conveniently deny responsibility.

Nattawut said the Reds would strip off the symbols of their allegiance and reveal thier secret weapons.

Haha no wonder the red shirts are frustrated! Have to go home to that at night!

[johncat1]

Oh well, thank you to the Reds and Thaksin for destroying Thailand.

And who closed Thailand down last time ?

All colours are brain dead morons who have no idea of the long term damage they are doing to Thailand

[on-on]

The British army tried that in Northern Ireland and failed. The apartheid regime tried it in South Africa and failed. The French tried that in Algeria and failed. It doesn't work my friend.

Yes, it doesn't work because it doesn't solve the underlying problem. It *can* work if you're prepared to turn your country into an authoritarian state that violently suppresses any and all dissent, thus keeping the lid on the pressure cooker, but it can't work if you want to maintain any level of political freedom in society - and I don't see Thailand going that route (yet).