Bangkok Will Rise Like A Phoenix

[brahmburgers]

I was discussing some of these things with some Thais today and they agreed. Many (possibly a majority) villagers in the N or NE (particularly the NE) when offered the choice between free education for their kids through high school, free health care, and other such benefits over the long term or a cash payment of say 1,000 Baht, would take the cash payment every time. It is something tangible, something they can hold and perceive whereas social benefits are either too abstract or something they do not want to think about. They cannot see that in the long term they would be better off with the free education, etc.

A lot of the Thia I know who supported the red shirt movement has told me they now have changed their out look , Many people now out of work cant buy food to feed the kids now or pay rent. because of the red shirts, The red shirts shot them selfs in the foot by burning Bangkok

I've also noticed those types of short-term thinking with Thais. If you offer a Thai an opportunity to be a manager for an unusual (out of the ordinary) business venture. Let's say a bakery or a sandwich shop or a shop that makes travel trailers. Tell them they get Bt.3,000/week as well as 30% of profits. So if/when the business becomes lucrative, they can become rich. OR offer them 3,500/week with no % of profits, it's quite likely they would choose the option of the extra 500 baht per week - because they only see the immediate picture.

Similarly, there are those who supported the Reds when they saw the fraternizing, the free drinks, the noise makers and carnival atmosphere. Perhaps they were roused by the fiery speeches, which called out loudly against 'elites.' They couldn't fathom that it's mostly their own pu yai ban (village headmen) who are siphoning off most of the money that comes their way from Bangkok. Plus it's easier to just go along with the man in the Red tee-shirt shouting from the stage. Audience thinks: "If he's shouting and strutting so confidently, he must know what he's talking about, particularly as he claims to have a plan to get me more money."

[canuckamuck]

Bangkok will not rise to anything, it will revert to what it was, a crowded stinky place with terrible traffic which will eventually sink into the sea. Good place to do business though.

Central world however will probably be rebuilt as a super cool world class landmark, that is if the insurance pays the for the rebuild.

[brahmburgers]

Bangkok will not rise to anything, it will revert to what it was, a crowded stinky place with terrible traffic which will eventually sink into the sea.

Last time I was in Bangkok, I tried catching a bus to meet a friend. It was one of the worst experiences I've had in the past ten years. LOUD, smoke belching, buses that wouldn't stop when/where they supposed to. The people waiting with me on the sidewalk had no facial expressions - as if the whole crappy scenario was as normal for them as all-starch white rice they eat for every meal.

And don't get me started on the ridiculous prices for condos there. It's like in the old Superman comic books, there was a place called Bizarro World - where everything was 180 degrees different from what you'd expect. I may be a nutzoid, but to me, higher property values should be predicated on things like nicer environment, safer security, ease of getting around, air quality. Instead, Bangkok is like some sort of Siamese Bizarro World where the worse the conditions, the higher the property prices.

[SomTumTiger]

Wonderful to see the thousands of people come out today to clean up Bangkok. I wanted to go, but had to watch my 3yo while my wife was working. Thank you to everyone who helped to clean up the city. The Red vandalism and destruction can be slowly mended, but social justice and reconciliation will take longer. I hope everyone will work towards that end.

[hyperdimension]

Nobody here has mentioned the need to address mental health.

I wrote this in another thread:

The protesters need to be mentally rehabilitated. They have been severely brainwashed by being subjected to months of hate speech night and day, and have effectively become a radical cult.

If they regroup then they will again be a danger to society due to their indoctrinations of hatred and violence.

They need to be reprogrammed into peaceful and law-abiding citizens. Right now, while they are in "disarray" and are directionless, is the best time for the government to reprogram them by filling the leadership vacuum.

I know that "reprogrammed" sounds dictatorial or totalitarian, but the process doesn't necessarily have to be. It could be rolled into the greater reconciliation road map.

People who are qualified and experienced in public relations, psychology, psychiatry and counseling should be appointed to determine the best strategy to communicate with the members of the red shirt movement and lead them out of their hateful, vengeful and destructive ways of thinking that they have learned from the UDD leaders into more positive and constructive ways of thinking that benefits society. At the moment we have people who burn down schools and clap and cheer when they see a prided building of Bangkok burn down, without any regard for the people who are adversely affected. What's even more worrying are all the things that the children have learned whilst attending the protests with their parents.

Since the UDD leaders are the ones who programmed them into their current negative states of mind, they may be the best ones to get them out. Maybe for reduced sentences (e.g. life imprisonment instead of death), the leaders could be made to rehabilitate their loyal disciples by this time indoctrinating them with positive thoughts.

Edited May 23, 2010 by hyperdimension

[321niti123]

I read the Headline and I decided to create a couple of pictures [Photoshop using pictures available from the internet]

Thanks to Alan Taylor for the pictures that I used as backgrounds, and Google images for the phoenix pictures.

Edited May 23, 2010 by 321niti123

[agord]

Round 1 to the Reds.

Ernie - sorry mate, but you LOST !

Economic damage in Bangkok over 1 billion dollars according to the Thai government. Then we have the massive losses from loss of tourism.

Poor people in jail is what the other side has.

So what.

Lots more poor to line up and fight.

Oh--by the way mate--the real Red leaders are not in jail and most are not even known by name. They are the military guys who will continue the war.

Come on now.

A war is not lost until one side or the other quits. No one is quitting now.

Did the Brits win in Northern Ireland against the IRA?

NO

The IRA won. And they did just little stuff compared to this bangkok burn down part 1.

How many buildings will burn down the next time?

2000? 4000?

SEE

it is easy to destroy a city and when the main enemy is sitting there in that city, strategy is clear.

Go ahead and call it a loss mate but when Bangkok burns a few more times, you will see how wrong you were.

Do you know something we don't? care to share more? please make a youtube video for us.

[Robby nz]

Great to see the number of people on Tele who came out to help with the clean up, looked to be more than there were reds making the mess.

I dont live in BKK but have to go back there next week and am sure I will appreciate these peoples efforts, not all that safe a job either as more bombs were found during the clean up.

Wonder how many of the BKK reds helped with the clean up?

[asiawatcher]

What a sad day, guess some reds woke up now. Time for Thaksin's head rollin'.................

Why not stop?Always Thaksin,Thaksin,Thaksin,why always blame him,what do u actually know about Thailand and past of Thailand?

Having chronicled Thailand history and succession from 40,00 BC to 1993 I can assure you, from my research and opinion, they don't deserve most of what they have - Thaksin is just another failure in a long line of mishaps that is Thailand and yes, blame rests squarely with him. So having said that - you may want to face reality as I am probably more informed than most.

[SomTumTiger]

What a sad day, guess some reds woke up now. Time for Thaksin's head rollin'.................

Why not stop?Always Thaksin,Thaksin,Thaksin,why always blame him,what do u actually know about Thailand and past of Thailand?

Having chronicled Thailand history and succession from 40,00 BC to 1993 I can assure you, from my research and opinion, they don't deserve most of what they have - Thaksin is just another failure in a long line of mishaps that is Thailand and yes, blame rests squarely with him. So having said that - you may want to face reality as I am probably more informed than most.

And not humble about sharing that fact, seemingly

[Dakhar]

WE LOVE BANGKOK DAY!

Not only Thais but "farangs" love this city. It is our home. And when we all saw it being politically"interrupted" for two months, we tried to be tolerant. We acted civilized as one would in any DEMOCRACY. Not getting into a political debate here, but 99% of us would not approve of the damage the "thugs" did to damage OUR city. Not to sound sappy, or slurpy, or dramatic, it would be a good move if the city officials had "We Love Bangkok Day" where we would show up at Luphini park to show our support for a better, reconciled city . A gathering of all "Bangkokians" showing each other support would psychologically get us looking positive for BKK's future. Yes, though I am a "farang",this is where I work, this is where I live. I want to go out and help to rebuild, clean up the city... to feel that Bangkok has not been defeated by these barbarians that did damage to the city.

Understand your position, but pls try also to see things from a different angle.

First time, and I would say finally, Thailand has awaken and it has seen how divided is the society, Bangkok has finally noticed that there are also upcountry people with their own rights and interests, people who have always been left behind and looked down by the richer and more educated urban folks.

It was painful, but let's hope this will not just go down in history as an isolated episode, a bad dream, because if this mistake is done, the next awakening could be much worse...

Time to understand that Bangkok is not Thailand and Thailand is not only Bangkok.

Time for the politicians to understand that they cannot go to ask for the votes of the upcountry people during elections and then forget about them when they are back in their seats at the Parliament.

It's the 21st Century, there is no space for a society from the middle ages.

Thailand needs more than one "economic hub" in order to help spread the wealth and for folks to obtain more of a significance all over this country. But hey, don't listen to me.... I just a falang