Order Restored In Bangkok And Provinces: PM Abhisit

[silk]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Same here and yes I hope he does.

Now thats really funny,, I have not met a single Thai who DOES support him

You seem to hang out in the same bar every day and night. Change the bar

[difos57]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Every Thai I know hate this man. He can not do anything, becouse he is a marionette of persons, who order to kill Thai protesters.

Alex, how can you possibly think such a thing? I can only assume you haven't been paying any attention to what's been happening. It would have been easy for the PM to kill the protesters if he had wanted to, can't you see that? Who got killed here, and by whom? I guess you think none of the protesters were shooting. I guess there will always be people who see only what they want to see, but it always amazes me how completely blind they can be. Man, what benefit do you think the government would have gotten from killing protesters? That is what the leadership of the redshits wanted, they wanted their own people to die so the government would look bad, and that's how much they cared about their own people. When the government didn't kill innocents, the leaders just lied about it. It seems you believe their lies. Better to look and believe your eyes. You do have eyes?

Not every single Thai I know supports the PM, but I bet a lot more do now than did before the reddies brought their lies and destruction. I can't believe those guys call themselves Thais, they're so un-Thai.

The end to this protest came at the most peaceful means possible. Abhisit showed great judgement on and when to deploy and great patience when needed. My condolences go to those police and troops who were shot at and killed by the red terrorist. They were only doing their job and do not deserve to die along with many innocent civilians. The ex-billionaire Tahksin has caused enough deaths in his quest for power.

[silk]

As my girlfriend says, it never change for me and my family no matter who is in charge

You could send her to school to get better education (it's free now), then she could get a better job. This would be a change for her. Wouldn't it?

[difos57]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Why doesn't that surprise me? Being a member of PAD I should imagine you are quite cut off from the rest of the world.

Every decent Thai I know thinks he is the leader of the most evil government Thailand has known for decades.

Don't think the rest of the world doesn't know what went on in Thailand in the last few days. All the manipulation of the Thai press and the take over of Thai Visa Forums will not suppress the truth indefinitely.

The people of Thailand will learn the truth over time.

However, I too hope for reconciliation and unity, but that won't come through people like you.

Government officials in many Western countries have been interviewed since the Reds commenced trying to burn Bangkok to the ground and not one blames the present government. When the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand was asked if he thought Thaksin Shinawatra was behind the Red Shirts. He answered, "Yes I do. 200%. All the pro-Red Shirt bias, half-truths & lies put out by CNN & the BBC were corrected by their reporters toward the end of these riots, admitting for the first time that the Red Shirts were armed and in fact firing live ammunition, possessing Ak47S, M74 grenades & launchers, all supplied by Seh Daeng, stolen from the Thai Army. As the Reds arrested begin to squeal like pigs on who their financiers are in order to get lighter prison sentences, the whole world will know the whole story. As the huge stockpile of weapons that were recovered from the Red camp are shown to the whole work all will know they were terrorists working for Thaksin. You Red sympathisers will soon find that all that believe what you say are a buncy of brainwashed, uneducated peasants who will never be anything in their lives but followers, for sale the highest bidder, people like Thaksin.

You really are a stressed out, angry, vengeful person with hatred very high on your emotional priorities, Have you heard of meditation? I think maybe five years booked in to a Wat under the guidance of a good patient Arjun is highly recommended

Britannia, you really need help. What part of this did you not get. The violence is over, except for a few vengeful people like yourself. We should welcome the peace and move on. Grey reports some facts and you can't let it rest. How many other names do you post under? Daft?

[HerbalEd]

I think all the forums on here have been taken over by PAD farangs who are so threatened by the Thai poor people. White, male, hairy, big belly and no brains springs to mind!

Not keen on people having a different point of view than yours? It's called democracy, which is just the thing your Red Warriors were protesting for.

Yes, the red shirt's ultimate hypocrisy. They try to get democracy by violence in the streets, burning private businesses and destroying people's jobs, and shaming their country, culture and themselves for the whole world to see. That's not democracy ... that's anarchy. Democracy is where you effect change by working through your democratic institutions ... and have the patience to wait your turn. I hated George Bush and his stealing the election, but I patiently, painfully waited out his 8 years in power while working through the political system to defeat his party and to elect Obama. I'm sorry to say that most of the red shirts are not ready for democracy ... which is why most are so easily manipulated by the likes of Thaksin who lives in five-star luxury while his followers bleed and die in the streets.

[BKMITCH]

A leader who brings a country through a bloody crisis is going to make significant gains in popularity. Abhisit is in charge. Thaksin will be fighting terrorism charges ...

Did you see in another thread that Thaksin is denying any involvement in the latest events

Thaksin has said that he is NOT the leader of the Red Shirt Movement. I believe him, but I also believe elephants can fly.

[ozzieman05]

"Order restored"

Tell that to the thousands (2000?) of people who lost their jobs

Justice must not only be done

But seen to be done

So someone has to pay the Ferry man

or the future will see the same happen over and over again

as there is no punishment for mob rule

[ozzieman05]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

You must only have friends that are Yellow shirts.

And the same goes for all those that say everyone hates him, They must only have red shirt friends.

It has been well established over the last weeks posting that the red shirt term no longer means what id did 1 month ago

Majority of North Thai's have seen the damage they did, and are now worried the more damage they can do in their own provinces

But most of all they have seen that it was the red shirts who have stopped family member making money in Bkk and sending it home

It was Thaskin who showed them that money is most important

and it is now what he created in their minds that is turning them against Thaskin and the Red shirts

So Money No. 1 Thinking No.2

And it was the Red shirt that blocked the streets and burnt down the places the Issan peoples earning where coming from

their families No make money, they not send home

Hope I do not have to go over this again and again

Issan people no longer behind the red shirts

They want the PM to get Bkk back the way it as

then they will get money again sent from Bkk to pay the bills

[ozzieman05]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

And yet every single Thai I know wants democracy. How can an unelected prime minister be supported by so many people? I suspect it's because the people you mix with are the people that supported the court-based military-backed overthrow of the thrice-elected (landslide majority-elected) former government.

And a path towards peace? Towards unity? At least the Germans elected their fascist government in 1933. At least the Burma junta rigged their elections such that nobody else could be elected. This Thai government sets itself apart in not having been elected and slaying its own citizens in the streets.

Dum Dum

PM was voted in by MPs

please go back to school

[ozzieman05]

The Reds had a point: Thailand is a very unequal society, with a handful of key families controlling so much of its commercial life - & pocketing the proceeds.

Of course they were used by the odious Thaksin - who must never be allowed to influence Thai polity again.

And they contained their fair share of violent nutters.

But their key point remains valid: Thailand is precipitously unequal.

Unless that is rectified, the Reds will rise again.

That might be the end of the present elite, even the end of civil peace.

Better to make a deal now, to bring about fairness.

Their are many homes on the gold Coast Australia sell for 11 million plus

owned by the rich elite

But you do not see us burning down Surfers Paradise do you

Hard work to get ahead never hurt anyone

Yes about 200,000 of them you can go to many places in Sydney and NSW worth the same maybe another 500,000 thats 700,000 already. What do you mean by Hard Work, is that where the farmer goes out all day and works hard. He then gets a pittance for his labour(rice), the buyer or middlemen sell it to their friends, the govt, at a very good price. Why not sell it straight to the govt at a reasonable price MONEY. And if you want to check up on these middlemen just go to the HRC website.

But you are not burning down SP. I do not condone what was done. I would love to know the real facts about the looting and burning but that will never come out. And if the Army came out and started shooting your family you would. The difference of course, you would have razed it to the ground and left nothing.

Dum Dum

My wife is from Issan

Her Family are farmers

She and her brother went to University

When she goes home she loves to work on the farm, it has good memories to her

I have seen no one in the village that is as you descrived

She studied got her BA

went out and did something with her life

Now she own's 3 shops and can look after her parents

I call this hard work and doing something with her life

Over side there are many people in Australia who just sit on the dole

Have no intention of working

but they all complain how bad life is

People are people no matter where you live

People in Thailand have the ability to work and get on

some just refuse to do it

RE: the army shooting my family

We are not stupid enough to stand infront of bullets thinking we are invinceble

[SanSaiExPat]

What has he been doing since he seized power?

Seized power? Yet another that needs to engage the grey matter before engaging fingers.

“Yet another that needs to engage the grey matter before engaging fingers.” Who are you? What a pompous asinine thing to say. Yes, seized power. Now why don’t you answer the original question bucko. What has he done since he’s seized power? Don't obfuscate the issue. This government came to power after the military coup that overthrew the legimitely elected prime minister of Thailand. They, the military and the courts gerrymandered the subsequent elections by making TRT illegal and prohibiting anyone who was previously from TRT to run for office. What a sweet deal. So the Thai’s have what they have now. Not exactly a democratically elected government but one that was seized by hook and by crook as they say in America.

[Mystory]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Why doesn't that surprise me? Being a member of PAD I should imagine you are quite cut off from the rest of the world.

Every decent Thai I know thinks he is the leader of the most evil government Thailand has known for decades.

Don't think the rest of the world doesn't know what went on in Thailand in the last few days. All the manipulation of the Thai press and the take over of Thai Visa Forums will not suppress the truth indefinitely.

The people of Thailand will learn the truth over time.

However, I too hope for reconciliation and unity, but that won't come through people like you.

How correct you are, you read the papers about red shirt doing wrongly, I didnt see the army shoot at the yellow shirts when they took over the airport.

[Rucharee]

85 death is acceptable. Mark will come out stronger.

[cyb]

What has he been doing since he seized power?

Seized power? Yet another that needs to engage the grey matter before engaging fingers.

“Yet another that needs to engage the grey matter before engaging fingers.” Who are you? What a pompous asinine thing to say. Yes, seized power. Now why don’t you answer the original question bucko. What has he done since he’s seized power? Don't obfuscate the issue. This government came to power after the military coup that overthrew the legimitely elected prime minister of Thailand. They, the military and the courts gerrymandered the subsequent elections by making TRT illegal and prohibiting anyone who was previously from TRT to run for office. What a sweet deal. So the Thai’s have what they have now. Not exactly a democratically elected government but one that was seized by hook and by crook as they say in America.

Absolute rubbish Thaksin was not legitimately elected he bought his victory,

For the answer to your question I believe it was answered very well by another poster that's why I ignored it.

[cyb]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Why doesn't that surprise me? Being a member of PAD I should imagine you are quite cut off from the rest of the world.

Every decent Thai I know thinks he is the leader of the most evil government Thailand has known for decades.

Don't think the rest of the world doesn't know what went on in Thailand in the last few days. All the manipulation of the Thai press and the take over of Thai Visa Forums will not suppress the truth indefinitely.

The people of Thailand will learn the truth over time.

However, I too hope for reconciliation and unity, but that won't come through people like you.

How correct you are, you read the papers about red shirt doing wrongly, I didnt see the army shoot at the yellow shirts when they took over the airport.

I wonder if the reason the army did not shoot at the yellow shirts, was because the yellow shirts did not shoot at the army or burn people out of business.

[SlumdogMillionaire]

A big round of applause to Abhisit,

Respect is due! Top man.

[cyb]

A big round of applause to Abhisit,

Respect is due! Top man.

Ditto

[mpetersen]

As my girlfriend says, it never change for me and my family no matter who is in charge

You could send her to school to get better education (it's free now), then she could get a better job. This would be a change for her. Wouldn't it?

I financed my wife's MBA course. She is from a lower middle class family and teaches her smaller sisters to study hard, open their eyes, and grasp life's opportunities with determination. None of that "mai bpen rai" or "bad education" attitude.

The first thing someone can do to gain a significant advantage is to learn English, by the way.

[Socialcapitalist]

Good Job Khun Abhisit, and Thaksin and his Red Terrorists looking really stupid and dirty now. Now it is time to set the reality straight and build up the new Thailand, better would be to name it back to Siam.

[SomTumTiger]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Absolute tosh! everyone within a 200m radius of Siam Square supoprts him, up here in Chiang Mai and throughout the North, The Isaan and The dirt poor provinces around Bangkok they are just waiting to see if he holds true on his promised Nov 14 election.....but they don't hold out much hope...because they know he'd lose. The filthy rich are sleeping more comfortably in their beds tonight, but If I were them I would be looking over my shoulder, because if there's no election, I suspect the majority of Thais will regroup and will be back on the streets soon.

Democracy rules!!

Thanks - I haven't been called a liar in quite a while - good to know. Refer to my signature.

[christiaan]

Some remarks from me:

I have read very often people writing: My government would have dealt with these problems in another way (and have solved the situation rapidly)

What does such remark tell:

1 Your governement back home is not the same government as the Thai

2 Your governement back home has a democracy and does not face the same problems Thai made for themself in years of their history.

So I would say this kind of comparisson is short sighted.

Most of your countries|cultures back home had to face the same problems in their history and solved it often with a lot of force but .........looking back the many protests over there did change most of the western cultures in time. And most of the time the problems in our back home countries essentially were the same, always one group in society having more power as the other one and treating the other group as second class civillians.

About Abhisit. I have the impression he is a good man and good statesman. He probably dealed with this situation the best way he could. But we cannot turn away from the fact he has to work with many corrupt Thai politicians, businessman and powerpeople in Thailand. (That is why Abhisit is not accepted and supported by every Thai)

He can only rule the country trying to have friends at both sides. I would say that is impossible at the end. By the time Abhisit would become hugely populair in Thailand I would not be surprised when he is moved a side in one or another rejectable way by a group of powerpeople and when he survives probably expelled to another country. One does not need to be a Thaksin to have such fate, one only needs to be a threat to the people realy in power in Thailand.

About Thaksin. Well it is essentially not about Thaksin or any other person specifically. It is about powerpeople and people without power.

Thaksin uses the poor people in the north east for his interests and they use him as a peg to hang on their frustrations. Just imagine in future there would be a someone like Abhisit who would inspirate the poor people leading this to another erruption of anger and agression.

I am aware there are groups of very rich people in western countries too. We can be a sure there are many 'evil' people among them since their God is called MONEY and his archangel is called POWER. But in the western countries people live most of the time in a democracy and history shows that in these cultures even single people or single actions can change a government. So that is the difference with the Thai situation. There it is not only rich elites try to rule the country as their private company, there is no real democracy. There is no real independent government.

In any country a government is there for all of the people, to take care all of the people are equal in freedom, justice, education and healthcare. In Thailand people are aware the governement is from and for the elites.

Abhisit and his government has to arange the good and modern situation in Thailand, future will show if he can. When he cannot we do not have to be surprised when the violence could turn out to become much harder and more agressive as we have seen in the last months.

[SomTumTiger]

Some remarks from me:

I have read very often people writing: My government would have dealt with these problems in another way (and have solved the situation rapidly)

What does such remark tell:

1 Your governement back home is not the same government as the Thai

2 Your governement back home has a democracy and does not face the same problems Thai made for themself in years of their history.

So I would say this kind of comparisson is short sighted.

Most of your countries|cultures back home had to face the same problems in their history and solved it often with a lot of force but .........looking back the many protests over there did change most of the western cultures in time. And most of the time the problems in our back home countries essentially were the same, always one group in society having more power as the other one and treating the other group as second class civillians.

About Abhisit. I have the impression he is a good man and good statesman. He probably dealed with this situation the best way he could. But we cannot turn away from the fact he has to work with many corrupt Thai politicians, businessman and powerpeople in Thailand. (That is why Abhisit is not accepted and supported by every Thai)

He can only rule the country trying to have friends at both sides. I would say that is impossible at the end. By the time Abhisit would become hugely populair in Thailand I would not be surprised when he is moved a side in one or another rejectable way by a group of powerpeople and when he survives probably expelled to another country. One does not need to be a Thaksin to have such fate, one only needs to be a threat to the people realy in power in Thailand.

About Thaksin. Well it is essentially not about Thaksin or any other person specifically. It is about powerpeople and people without power.

Thaksin uses the poor people in the north east for his interests and they use him as a peg to hang on their frustrations. Just imagine in future there would be a someone like Abhisit who would inspirate the poor people leading this to another erruption of anger and agression.

I am aware there are groups of very rich people in western countries too. We can be a sure there are many 'evil' people among them since their God is called MONEY and his archangel is called POWER. But in the western countries people live most of the time in a democracy and history shows that in these cultures even single people or single actions can change a government. So that is the difference with the Thai situation. There it is not only rich elites try to rule the country as their private company, there is no real democracy. There is no real independent government.

In any country a government is there for all of the people, to take care all of the people are equal in freedom, justice, education and healthcare. In Thailand people are aware the governement is from and for the elites.

Abhisit and his government has to arange the good and modern situation in Thailand, future will show if he can. When he cannot we do not have to be surprised when the violence could turn out to become much harder and more agressive as we have seen in the last months.

Post of the Week!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ajarnmark]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Every Thai I know hate this man. He can not do anything, becouse he is a marionette of persons, who order to kill Thai protesters.

Second that Alex. What else do u expect from a "Som Tam Tiger"?

[SomTumTiger]

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Every Thai I know hate this man. He can not do anything, becouse he is a marionette of persons, who order to kill Thai protesters.

Second that Alex. What else do u expect from a "Som Tam Tiger"?

At least spell the name right - "Ajarn"

[SomTumTiger]

How correct you are, you read the papers about red shirt doing wrongly, I didnt see the army shoot at the yellow shirts when they took over the airport.

This is your very first post, since joining 6 months ago. Thaksin PR firm strikes again!

[SomTumTiger]

85 death is acceptable. Mark will come out stronger.

No deaths are acceptable, they they are understandable. People cry for the "Victims" of the army crackdown. They had a choice. They chose to break the law. They chose to use war weapons against the military and innocent residents and tourists. Their death is tragic, but certainly not "innocent". Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time.

[mca]

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday that order has been restored in Bangkok and the nation's provinces, after an offensive to shut down anti-government protests.

I certainly hope these words don't come back to bite him in the arse. Police in KK are still issuing warnings to certain businesses/entities in the area about received threats.

Nothing would make me happier to be proven wrong but I think it's a bit premature and possibly naive to think that certain elements have said " Right that's it we're done now."

This could go on sporadically for years. All you need is a few hools and a can of petrol.

Plus there's an election to get through at some point in the future. As we all know in Thai politics there isn't much interest in using your vote to oust the guys who formed the government.

[SomTumTiger]

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday that order has been restored in Bangkok and the nation's provinces, after an offensive to shut down anti-government protests.

I certainly hope these words don't come back to bite him in the arse. Police in KK are still issuing warnings to certain businesses/entities in the area about received threats.

Nothing would make me happier to be proven wrong but I think it's a bit premature and possibly naive to think that certain elements have said " Right that's it we're done now."

This could go on sporadically for years. All you need is a few hools and a can of petrol.

Plus there's an election to get through at some point in the future. As we all know in Thai politics there isn't much interest in using your vote to oust the guys who formed the government.

That is a key point mca. People keep spouting that the PTP will win in a landslide in the next election. I think they are dreaming. They only took about .3 percent more votes then the Dems in the 2007 election. With their hand in hand approach to the Red terrorists, they will not "Gain" support - they will undoubtedly lose some. You guys always seem to forget about THailand's most serious power broker Newin. His party will certainly pick up more seats (Say 50 total) and he and the Dems are firmly in each others corners (although more from circumstances than from choice), and they will see themselves back in power for another term.

[GezT]

I don't think there can be reconciliation or peace unless Abhisit and Suthep resign from there current positions.

Too much blood has been spilled, Thais do not forgive and forget.

The Reds have no one to blame but themselves for what happened. The government offered compromise. the Reds refused. At that point the Reds lost face and there was no way they would regain it short of destorying the Kingdom. They are piss poor losers and like a pouting child who takes his toys and goes home, The Reds burned down or ransacked everything in their paths on the way out of town. resignation of Abhisit and Suthep will do nothing to pacify the Reds...if nothing else it would give them more reason to continue to rape and pillage the country.

Personally, I believe Thailand has a long road back form this one and Thaksin should have the remiander of his assets seized to pay for the damages.

I think you've summed it up very well, I'm in complete agreement with you. I think the PM has handled this very well and gained a lot of support.

[nikster]

This forum is a bit weird - are there many paid for opinion makers here, lobbyists? While it looks like it, I doubt it since a farang forum doesn't have the clout to warrant such an effort, I don't think. Maybe because foreign journalists will read it when doing their stories? A bit far fetched... so let's assume here this is what you guys really think.

I was against Thaksin when he was in power, because of his mega-scale corruption and his death squads running around killing drug suspects. While I could see the reds being supported by many honest poor people, it always looked like the reds leadership was up to their necks in Thaksin's behind, and what they were doing was good old propaganda which never served any purpose but one: Restore the man who paid for it all to power, remove his jail sentence, and give him back his money. Since I knew the leadership of the reds to be utterly corrupt scum, I always was for the government to solve it. Not because the govt is so great, but because Thaksin and his ilk are much worse.

The reds leadership betrayed their most loyal followers, those even who were willing to die for them. They are therefore nothing but scum.

I am trying to put myself in the shoes of a reds supporter now... it seems like my world would be falling apart. I would perhaps slowly realize that most of what the enemy has said over the last few months was more true than what my leaders said. The poor from the north still have the same problems as before, they still are poor, and they are right to demand more of the pie - but they also have lost their leadership because as it turns out, they never had one. They had leaders who worked only for themselves.

I think even as a reds supporter, this should be abundantly clear by now.

As to how Thailand can get over this, I am going to put my faith in the lord Buddha and his teachings. Buddhism is certainly the one religion best suited to deal with this sort of thing. Do not dwell on the past, move on to the now.