Thai Cabinet Extends Curfew 4 Days, Shortens Hours

[FarangKenStein]

The best news is the curfew may be continued as long as there is an "underground movement". I hope clubs/ pubs/ hotels restaurants/ the tourism industry etc. can weather this insult after injury

[IsaanAndy]

Can anyone say "The beginning of a police state?"

I wouldn't say that as the police were actually rather ineffective during the trouble, which is why the Army were sent in.

So maybe saying 'Army state' would be nearer the mark as they are the real movers and shakers here in any case.

[Aasim]

at first the Government didn't do anything .. n let the buildings burn n ppl to gather as mobs .... (which made the ordinary ppl life miserable)

now as an over reaction .. they are putting curfews to enhance the miseries ....

THANK YOU GOVERNMENT >. :S

12am to 4am is over reaction, are you nuts? Let's know forget those that started these miseries!

sorry to say ... putting curfew "NOW" wont do much ... what i m saying is ... the government should have taken these steps before all this happened.

[Aasim]

at first the Government didn't do anything .. n let the buildings burn n ppl to gather as mobs .... (which made the ordinary ppl life miserable)

now as an over reaction .. they are putting curfews to enhance the miseries ....

THANK YOU GOVERNMENT >. :S

...and yet another highly educated comment

Thank you, Aasim, for sharing the little you have

you welcome .. but the only thing i am saying here is why now .. why not at that time .. when we needed that !

[outre99]

Not found all murdered bodies to steal ??

Oh sorry, too many yellow shirted farangs here...

Be happy, kids, it is NOT over..

Every time i hear or read something silly like this just makes me laugh. We are not yellow, red, blue, polka dot shirted or anything like that. And i personally do think that Abhisit lost a great opportunity to unify the country when he did not arrest and prosecute the Yellow leaders when he came to power. Central World might still be standing today if he did.

But to seriously claim that the Reds have some kind of moral superiority over the "urban elite" is meaningless at best and stupid at worst.

I do recognize a gaping disparity between the rich and the poor in this country. The opportunities, the social mobility, access to social services, education, medical care, etc. are all real and valid problems. And a long line of successive governments did precious little about them, that's includes the governments led by mr T. His "populist" programs amounted to quick cash or easy loan dispersals without really addressing the causes of the problems. Most of that money was quickly spent on consumer goods instead of being invested into something that would bring long term returns, like better education, better infrastructure, adult retraining programs, etc., which cost much more than a few hundred baht per person. But those give-aways were never meant to solve the real problems, it was psudo-populism and just another way to buy votes, which it did splendidly, to the point of elevating Mr T to some kind of folk hero. I find it very similar to the totally phony image that W. Bush created of himself as a Texas rancher. The guy grew up in a mansion in the privileged North East, he's no cowboy. Just like Mr. T is no Robin Hood. That picture of him with his daughter shopping in Paris while his followers were killing and dying rests my case very nicely.

By the way, the current government was quietly establishing the programs needed for the long term solutions. That's what happens when you put people with an understanding of what good public policy is in power. You should listen to Korn address the current government's economic vision. You'll be very surprised to find that they are doing more for the development of the North-East than Thaksin ever did.

Anyway, the hypocrisy aside let's review what the latest madness has accomplished, shall we? The Reds came in with some legitimate demands I've already mentioned: closing the gap between the rich and the poor, better investment and services for a large proportion of the population. All valid concerns. Then there was the half-baked notion that Abhisit's government was illegitimate. Anybody who bothered to read the currently active constitution (yours truly) could see it was a load of bs. Abhisit came to power through a parlamentary procedure that had to be invoked in order to preserve the continuity of the government. That's how complex things like a government work. He was elected by the duly elected representatives of the people. Regardless how one feels about the removal of Thaksin, the current government is legit according to the current constitution. But never mind.

So the demonstrations are on and the formal demand is for the government to go and the new elections to be set soon thereafter. I don't know of any democracy where this kind of coup by mob would be tolerated for any length of time. But this is Thailand and the government wanted to take the soft approach to the protesters. For weeks the demonstrators were given the opportunity to present their case and exercise their right to free speech. That's how a free society works everybody has a right to speak their mind. But everybody else has the right to ignore what one says. Both rights must be respected equally. So after a few weeks of speeches, heart shaped clappers, and the like the rest of Thai people just didn't give a hoot and went about their business.

And this is where the funny things started to happen. The Red leaders decided that they are going to force the rest of their fellow citizens to really listen to what they have to say, by force if necessary. So they moved into the center of Bangkok and started hijacking buses, invading hospitals and TV stations and pretty much doing whatever they wanted, mob style. It's like a little kid throwing a tantrum because nobody wants to listen to him.

I find it extremely ironic that the very people who have undertaken this endeavor to ostensibly protect democracy were so eager to break all of its precepts. Forcing the majority to do what the minority wants by force is not a democracy, it's a dictatorship. I remember reading about a Thai reporter who went into the protest site and was asking the rank and file protesters about what they wanted. The response was always "we want elections now". But when they were asked who they would vote for the reporter was faced with confused stares. To any thinking person this would trigger a suspicion that something is not right here.

These suspicions were confirmed when Abhisit came back with his peace road map essentially meeting all of the protesters' demands and the Red leaders changed their demands from their lofty goals of democracy and social justice to insisting that one guy would turn himself to police (even though he had parliamentary immunity) and that the Red leaders would receive the same lenient treatment in custody. One might ask, <deleted>.

The only explanation that fits the facts is that it was not about democracy, it was not about social justice, it was not about the better education. It was an intentional effort to destabilize the country. Just like Deep Throat once said: "Follow the money". Setting up the logistics for the mob of thousands for over 2 months must have cost a fortune. I'm pretty sure that no Isaan Pooyai has that kind of coin. And i don't buy for a second that it was a spontaneous movement by the people spending their life savings to fight for the equal rights. Somebody was picking up the tab and doing it with some purpose in mind.

What that purpose was will remain unclear for some time to come. But the results are painfully clear. Maybe it was the case of some brainwashed fanatics getting their hands on the assault rifles and grenades and going on the killing spree. But the length, organization level, and deliberate nature of the most recent events leads me to conclude that it was planned and orchestrated. Which should make every person who cares and loves Thailand regardless of the color of the shirt to ask themselves if they really support and want to associate themselves with any movement who brainwashes their followers into thinking that their voice and their demands are somehow more important than that of their polictical opponents and that they have a right to force those who disagree with them into submission by violence.

It is clear to see that most of the current Red leaders don't understand what democracy is, lack the vision to advance their cause in any meaningful way, and are devoid of integrity to actually serve their followers rather than the guy who pays the tab. As it stands right now the Red movement in its current incarnation stands discredited as an out of control, blood and destruction hungry mob. Whatever legitimate concerns they had are completely overshadowed by the images for the last few weeks. Nobody can negotiate with people like that.

So I hope and i prey that a new leader will soon emerge on the red side who will be able to unite the disjointed movement and who will be able to sit at the adults table and champion the grievances of his constituency in a meaningful and productive way. That is the only way this will get solved.

[lannarebirth]

Not found all murdered bodies to steal ??

Oh sorry, too many yellow shirted farangs here...

Be happy, kids, it is NOT over..

Every time i hear or read something silly like this just makes me laugh. We are not yellow, red, blue, polka dot shirted or anything like that. And i personally do think that Abhisit lost a great opportunity to unify the country when he did not arrest and prosecute the Yellow leaders when he came to power. Central World might still be standing today if he did.

But to seriously claim that the Reds have some kind of moral superiority over the "urban elite" is meaningless at best and stupid at worst.

I do recognize a gaping disparity between the rich and the poor in this country. The opportunities, the social mobility, access to social services, education, medical care, etc. are all real and valid problems. And a long line of successive governments did precious little about them, that's includes the governments led by mr T. His "populist" programs amounted to quick cash or easy loan dispersals without really addressing the causes of the problems. Most of that money was quickly spent on consumer goods instead of being invested into something that would bring long term returns, like better education, better infrastructure, adult retraining programs, etc., which cost much more than a few hundred baht per person. But those give-aways were never meant to solve the real problems, it was psudo-populism and just another way to buy votes, which it did splendidly, to the point of elevating Mr T to some kind of folk hero. I find it very similar to the totally phony image that W. Bush created of himself as a Texas rancher. The guy grew up in a mansion in the privileged North East, he's no cowboy. Just like Mr. T is no Robin Hood. That picture of him with his daughter shopping in Paris while his followers were killing and dying rests my case very nicely.

By the way, the current government was quietly establishing the programs needed for the long term solutions. That's what happens when you put people with an understanding of what good public policy is in power. You should listen to Korn address the current government's economic vision. You'll be very surprised to find that they are doing more for the development of the North-East than Thaksin ever did.

Anyway, the hypocrisy aside let's review what the latest madness has accomplished, shall we? The Reds came in with some legitimate demands I've already mentioned: closing the gap between the rich and the poor, better investment and services for a large proportion of the population. All valid concerns. Then there was the half-baked notion that Abhisit's government was illegitimate. Anybody who bothered to read the currently active constitution (yours truly) could see it was a load of bs. Abhisit came to power through a parlamentary procedure that had to be invoked in order to preserve the continuity of the government. That's how complex things like a government work. He was elected by the duly elected representatives of the people. Regardless how one feels about the removal of Thaksin, the current government is legit according to the current constitution. But never mind.

So the demonstrations are on and the formal demand is for the government to go and the new elections to be set soon thereafter. I don't know of any democracy where this kind of coup by mob would be tolerated for any length of time. But this is Thailand and the government wanted to take the soft approach to the protesters. For weeks the demonstrators were given the opportunity to present their case and exercise their right to free speech. That's how a free society works everybody has a right to speak their mind. But everybody else has the right to ignore what one says. Both rights must be respected equally. So after a few weeks of speeches, heart shaped clappers, and the like the rest of Thai people just didn't give a hoot and went about their business.

And this is where the funny things started to happen. The Red leaders decided that they are going to force the rest of their fellow citizens to really listen to what they have to say, by force if necessary. So they moved into the center of Bangkok and started hijacking buses, invading hospitals and TV stations and pretty much doing whatever they wanted, mob style. It's like a little kid throwing a tantrum because nobody wants to listen to him.

I find it extremely ironic that the very people who have undertaken this endeavor to ostensibly protect democracy were so eager to break all of its precepts. Forcing the majority to do what the minority wants by force is not a democracy, it's a dictatorship. I remember reading about a Thai reporter who went into the protest site and was asking the rank and file protesters about what they wanted. The response was always "we want elections now". But when they were asked who they would vote for the reporter was faced with confused stares. To any thinking person this would trigger a suspicion that something is not right here.

These suspicions were confirmed when Abhisit came back with his peace road map essentially meeting all of the protesters' demands and the Red leaders changed their demands from their lofty goals of democracy and social justice to insisting that one guy would turn himself to police (even though he had parliamentary immunity) and that the Red leaders would receive the same lenient treatment in custody. One might ask, <deleted>.

The only explanation that fits the facts is that it was not about democracy, it was not about social justice, it was not about the better education. It was an intentional effort to destabilize the country. Just like Deep Throat once said: "Follow the money". Setting up the logistics for the mob of thousands for over 2 months must have cost a fortune. I'm pretty sure that no Isaan Pooyai has that kind of coin. And i don't buy for a second that it was a spontaneous movement by the people spending their life savings to fight for the equal rights. Somebody was picking up the tab and doing it with some purpose in mind.

What that purpose was will remain unclear for some time to come. But the results are painfully clear. Maybe it was the case of some brainwashed fanatics getting their hands on the assault rifles and grenades and going on the killing spree. But the length, organization level, and deliberate nature of the most recent events leads me to conclude that it was planned and orchestrated. Which should make every person who cares and loves Thailand regardless of the color of the shirt to ask themselves if they really support and want to associate themselves with any movement who brainwashes their followers into thinking that their voice and their demands are somehow more important than that of their polictical opponents and that they have a right to force those who disagree with them into submission by violence.

It is clear to see that most of the current Red leaders don't understand what democracy is, lack the vision to advance their cause in any meaningful way, and are devoid of integrity to actually serve their followers rather than the guy who pays the tab. As it stands right now the Red movement in its current incarnation stands discredited as an out of control, blood and destruction hungry mob. Whatever legitimate concerns they had are completely overshadowed by the images for the last few weeks. Nobody can negotiate with people like that.

So I hope and i prey that a new leader will soon emerge on the red side who will be able to unite the disjointed movement and who will be able to sit at the adults table and champion the grievances of his constituency in a meaningful and productive way. That is the only way this will get solved.

There's not going to be a new social justice/ pro democracy leader on the Red side. If they get new leadership it will either be in the same pro rural feudalist vein or it will be communist. I don't think it will be communist so if it happens it will be more of the same. I don't think it happens. The intention of the rallies was not to create social justice, promote democracy, create opportunity etc., it was to thwart Abhisit's progressive policies. His welfare state policies ar like kryptonite to rural puyai, as the money that flows to the provinces is more directly targeted to end recipients and there is accountability of where funds have gone built into the legislation. The rural merchant/poliical class has in the past siphoned off huge amounts of these funds coming from Bangkok and they have cemented their patron status over their local peasantry. In return for these funds they deliver voting bocks. That was how Thaksin came to power. He delivered them the money with no strings and they delivered him the votes, usually purchased. That's going to be changing and no entrenched interest likes change.