Thai Forces Fire Warning Shots In Standoff With Red Shirts

[a99az]

I must just say how disappointed I am with some of the comments being made on this forum. Thailand is going through change and hopefully soon it will emerge better for it.

There will be change but for long term peace to come it must be achieved internally and not with foreign interference.

Taking part or making comments about one side or the other could lead to being made persona non grata or worse.

Enough said.

[hammered]

Try finding a single Thai person who isnt a red shirt now who doesnt think they are violent. Impossible

[Loz]

Try finding a single Thai person who isnt a red shirt now who doesnt think they are violent. Impossible

media is a powerful weapon. The Casualties....who can count?

[jackspratt]

Already posted.

Edited April 28, 2010 by jackspratt

[gemini81]

Negotiations start with demand and offer. A non-negotiable demand is a rather unfortunate base for negotiations, as there can be no negotiation, only either acceptance or dismissal. Savvy?

Give us what we want and then after that we will talk. This exactly what they demanded.

Exactly and therefore no further negotiation were possible...The Government could have accepted = no further negotiations needed or, as they did, dismissed the demand = no further negotiations needed, only waiting for the next move.

From page 1 in the Nation report

Abhisit, regarded as elitist and undemocratic by his opponents, has rejected an offer by the Reds to disperse if elections are held in three months' time.

Seems the Reds were negotiating and willing to disperse. Yet the government refused that 3 month time limit also. Thereby the reds did alter their demands but had the newer ones rejected also?

The Reds have had over 6 weeks to disperse. It's no longer a protest. It's a circus turned mayhem.

[jcbangkok]

I must just say how disappointed I am with some of the comments being made on this forum. Thailand is going through change and hopefully soon it will emerge better for it.

There will be change but for long term peace to come it must be achieved internally and not with foreign interference.

Taking part or making comments about one side or the other could lead to being made persona non grata or worse.

Enough said.

Do these changes include banning foreign from sharing opinions with each other? Not sure why the PM is doing interviews with the foreign press but keeps forgetting to tell the reporters to spread the word to their countries people that they should not talk about these things. Didn't hear the red leaders making any similar request either and in fact seem to recall them reaching out to foreign leaders, a foreign embassy as well as the UN.

[Jingthing]

The Reds have had over 6 weeks to disperse. It's no longer a protest. It's a circus turned mayhem.

So true. They are about the worst house guests in the history of the world! Sure you can crash on my sofa, but I never said you could blow up my house! Behave!

Edited April 28, 2010 by Jingthing

[landofthefree]

military now showing grenades and bags they were carried in. Not sure if this actually happened on an elevated expressway because they said something about suspect running down a Soi to get away. They also confirm the amount being 6o+

If we had a free press I maybe would consider the possibility that this story could be true but because the media is run by the Government and army I don't believe anything they say. If you want to believe them go ahead. I believe that if it looks like bulls++t

sounds like BULLS++t and smells like bulls++t it probably is Bulls++t.

Do you feel the same way when they report on something that fits your views and opinions?

Most people with any inteligence would be extreemly sceptical of anything that comes for a state controlled media myself included. In all honesty I don't believe anything they say.

[hammered]

I actually wonder how the macho ones in the reds wil ltake Khwanchai running away. Thai politics is very macho and absolutely nobody believes he didnt run away and leave his people exposed

[TAWP]

military now showing grenades and bags they were carried in. Not sure if this actually happened on an elevated expressway because they said something about suspect running down a Soi to get away. They also confirm the amount being 6o+

If we had a free press I maybe would consider the possibility that this story could be true but because the media is run by the Government and army I don't believe anything they say. If you want to believe them go ahead. I believe that if it looks like bulls++t

sounds like BULLS++t and smells like bulls++t it probably is Bulls++t.

Do you feel the same way when they report on something that fits your views and opinions?

Most people with any inteligence would be extreemly sceptical of anything that comes for a state controlled media myself included. In all honesty I don't believe anything they say.

Just because they don't support some insurgents, doesn't make them state-controlled. (That is what Thaksin was annoyed over and tried to rectify by taking over a tv-channel and make it pro-him while a PM.)

They might however be pro-middle class. That is by the way the class that pays their salaries and most of the taxes in the nation.

[Neurath]

I actually wonder how the macho ones in the reds wil ltake Khwanchai running away. Thai politics is very macho and absolutely nobody believes he didnt run away and leave his people exposed

Not fair. A man's gotta eat.

[chantorn]

Abhisit should indeed not negotiate with terrorists! First the reds back to their villages and motor taxi stands and then negotiate.

UDD should indeed not negotiate with murderers!

Edited April 28, 2010 by chantorn

[gemini81]

military now showing grenades and bags they were carried in. Not sure if this actually happened on an elevated expressway because they said something about suspect running down a Soi to get away. They also confirm the amount being 6o+

If we had a free press I maybe would consider the possibility that this story could be true but because the media is run by the Government and army I don't believe anything they say. If you want to believe them go ahead. I believe that if it looks like bulls++t

sounds like BULLS++t and smells like bulls++t it probably is Bulls++t.

Do you feel the same way when they report on something that fits your views and opinions?

Most people with any inteligence would be extreemly sceptical of anything that comes for a state controlled media myself included. In all honesty I don't believe anything they say.

Ok, well just have a look at the pictures and videos. They'll show you what you won't believe in text.

[FarangCravings]

Try finding a single Thai person who isnt a red shirt now who doesnt think they are violent. Impossible

Its called brainwashing have you actually seen what the thai channel spews out my wife is so brainwashed by goverment TV she cant see her nose in front of her face.

[chantorn]

I actually wonder how the macho ones in the reds wil ltake Khwanchai running away. Thai politics is very macho and absolutely nobody believes he didnt run away and leave his people exposed

Chicken.

[jackspratt]

Landof the free....pretty simple really....a lot of the world's quality media don't have any axe to grind, so they tend to be less biased....in most of the world, when a military coup takes place, deposes a popular elected leader, writes a constitution and makes it a crime punishable by 20 years in prison to criticize the constitution...then the world media views that constitution with a bit of suspicion...

Then when a group of armed (I saw the arms with my own eyes) paid (500Baht a day rent a thug) yellow shirts come out and close the airport and a new government is appointed by shadowy figures behind scenes who fund the yellow shirts, then, forgive their suspicion, but savvy reporters tend not to believe every shred of propaganda and outright lie that comes out of their yellow mouths...

If Thaksin was corrupt then he should have been dealt with as prescribed by the constitution ie in a court of law...he wasn't he was deposed in a military coup...however you look at it, this is undemocratic...so they question the legitimacy of the present incumbent

I have googled this assertion, and have been unsuccessful in getting a result.

Perhaps you would be good enough to pinpoint the particular clause you refer to.

[Jingthing]

Try finding a single Thai person who isnt a red shirt now who doesnt think they are violent. Impossible

Its called brainwashing have you actually seen what the thai channel spews out my wife is so brainwashed by goverment TV she cant see her nose in front of her face.

Anyone exposed to the reds knows many of them are thugs. No need to watch media to know that. Just takes being alive.

[FarangCravings]

Try finding a single Thai person who isnt a red shirt now who doesnt think they are violent. Impossible

Its called brainwashing have you actually seen what the thai channel spews out my wife is so brainwashed by goverment TV she cant see her nose in front of her face.

Anyone exposed to the reds knows many of them are thugs. No need to watch media to know that. Just takes being alive.

A small amount are Thugs the vast majority are not

[retarius]

I think that using force by Abhisit is absolutely the wrong thing to do.

It may disperse the crowd but it will NOT kill off the movement, peopel will still bear grudges and hold grievances and the movement will go underground.

Underground movements tend to resort to violent tactics....we see this already in the southern provinces here in Thailand...and we have seen it before in Northern Ireland, the Basque country, Palestine etc

The only hope for a peaceful outcome is negotiation

You are a born genius

But did you realise the Reds will not negotiate unless it is 100% their way

This is not negotiation

As I said before, every negotiation starts out with a set of demands which soften as the process starts out...the reds started out with immediate dissolution as the 'demand'...it is abundantly clear that you have never participated in negotiations, or been involved with them on any professional level...a very, very common strategy at the outset is to "demand" a non-negotiable demand, and then negotiate it....

Like I said before. The reds made the demand to come to the negotiationtable.

From your statement presented with such certainty and conviction,I'm guessing you were actually physically present at the conference where the 'non-negotiable demand' was made...and that your parsa Thai is perfect so you didn't need any translation service but heard it first hand....a real farang insider with insider knowledge, aren't you....

Or maybe not, since an insider like that wouldn't be on here parroting yellow propaganda...maybe it's more likely that you read this snippet in that unimpeachable source, The Nation, so you 'know' it's true because it fits your preconceived prejudices...why don't examine what you are spoon-fed, just once in a while??

[monkfish]

The Friendly fire incident

[hammered]

Try finding a single Thai person who isnt a red shirt now who doesnt think they are violent. Impossible

Its called brainwashing have you actually seen what the thai channel spews out my wife is so brainwashed by goverment TV she cant see her nose in front of her face.

The red propaganda has never found a way to counter it because their braodcasts are even morte baltant. They never learned to nunce anything and the worst is that idiot Shaun who has basically been the most useless PR man imaginable

[retarius]

Landof the free....pretty simple really....a lot of the world's quality media don't have any axe to grind, so they tend to be less biased....in most of the world, when a military coup takes place, deposes a popular elected leader, writes a constitution and makes it a crime punishable by 20 years in prison to criticize the constitution...then the world media views that constitution with a bit of suspicion...

Then when a group of armed (I saw the arms with my own eyes) paid (500Baht a day rent a thug) yellow shirts come out and close the airport and a new government is appointed by shadowy figures behind scenes who fund the yellow shirts, then, forgive their suspicion, but savvy reporters tend not to believe every shred of propaganda and outright lie that comes out of their yellow mouths...

If Thaksin was corrupt then he should have been dealt with as prescribed by the constitution ie in a court of law...he wasn't he was deposed in a military coup...however you look at it, this is undemocratic...so they question the legitimacy of the present incumbent

I have googled this assertion, and have been unsuccessful in getting a result.

Perhaps you would be good enough to pinpoint the particular clause you refer to.

Look it up on wikipedia...the link has been posted on these boards on numerous occasions

[hegralow]

Great pictures on tv of about 50 military all firing in sync what look like shotguns at red shirts (unarmed) on motorbikes

Did they hit anyone?

[FarangCravings]

Great pictures on tv of about 50 military all firing in sync what look like shotguns at red shirts (unarmed) on motorbikes

Did they hit anyone?

Yes they killed one of there own and then injured 26 others

[hammered]

What is on TV is irrelevant. Thai people for whatever reason are getting angrier and angrier with them and they have lost a lot of their soft support.

[elcent]

Just heard from a friend of tge wife who couldnt get home and has been stuck for hours. BKK streets around Victory monumnet closed. Loads of troops. Lots of people. Anger towards red shirts immense. People cant get home blaming red shirts

It's heading the wrong way since the beginning. Either way it will be ugly, unless powers step in and give a nod for due progress in a civilized manner. All these monkey games and blinding tactics are due to a few in the elites including Thaksin as the main instigators. They're only burning the folks for selfish ambitions and greed. Be it the privates in the army, the workers or the farmers in the countryside who get hurt the most, does anybody really think Thaksin cares? or some of the other elites involved in these schemes like Sondhi?

[jcbangkok]

I actually wonder how the macho ones in the reds wil ltake Khwanchai running away. Thai politics is very macho and absolutely nobody believes he didnt run away and leave his people exposed

It may not have been his fault. As I understand it, he had a Big Mac attack.

Posted about 3-hours ago

See link for full size image:

http://twitpic.com/photos/photo_journ

Edited April 28, 2010 by jcbangkok

[nickynomatesbkk]

I believe nothing anymore that is feed to me by the media here including this site.

[hammered]

Just heard from a friend of tge wife who couldnt get home and has been stuck for hours. BKK streets around Victory monumnet closed. Loads of troops. Lots of people. Anger towards red shirts immense. People cant get home blaming red shirts

It's heading the wrong way since the beginning. Either way it will be ugly, unless powers step in and give a nod for due progress in a civilized manner. All these monkey games and blinding tactics are due to a few in the elites including Thaksin as the main instigators. They're only burning the folks for selfish ambitions and greed. Be it the privates in the army, the workers or the farmers in the countryside who get hurt the most, does anybody really think Thaksin cares? or some of the other elites involved in these schemes like Sondhi?

It is manipulative but the reds are on the receiving and if they dont come to the table soon there will be massive support to crush them. They really shgould ask for talks now.

[deadsnoopy]

I actually wonder how the macho ones in the reds wil ltake Khwanchai running away. Thai politics is very macho and absolutely nobody believes he didnt run away and leave his people exposed

Glad to see Abhisit on the contrary was standing right there alongside his army troops and policemen, in the middle of the battlefield, when they did their job.