Election Unlikely This Year: PM Abhisit

[Siripon]

14 November would have been a perfect day for a fresh election. However, with the culprits of the recent terror wave still at large and the swift no-confidence vote of the PT, and with the ever self-sacriliging mister T, reconciliation is just not possible on short notice!

The reds (read mr Thaksin) were offered an early election, but chose to destroy Bangkok.

Thaksin must be regretting not having taken the offer of early Elections on the 14th of November,hes spent an

enormous amount of his ill gotten gains and now there is no early result in sight.

A drastic error of judgment on his part,bet he's kicking himself from one end of Montenegro to the other.

Ever since Thaksin misjudged the Sonthi anti-Thaksin movement he has compounded mistake upon mistake.

Hopefully he won't be in a position to make any more soon.

[jdinasia]

with an election before the appointment date for the new military boss nobody else but the election winner would be then in charge and make this decision.

Basically you are saying that Thaksin or his proxy puppet theatre party (or whatever you wanna call them) would win an election and after an election there will be no way anymore for the Democrats and Abhisit to make such appointment.

that means actually it is Abhisit who clings to power and must to hold the fort at any cost, probably on behalf of the forces who want their man in charge of the army.

Ergo the opposite is true. it is Abhisit who cannot afford elections before the Oct 1st.

I think the country cannot afford an election!

-The current constitution is seen by many as in need of modifications. PTP wants the 1997 version back (and sometimes the 2007 modified and then maybe not, or so, seems they can't make up their mind).

- Unclear if today candidates could safely travel everywhere to explain their program. Red-shirt are notorious for 'hunting' opponents down.

- Who can stand for elections? What about those disbarred already or to come?

- How do we ensure valid elections? How about observers? What about the Elec. Com.?

- etc., etc.

hmmm I see Maz is playing the classic strawman argument. Suggesting that one person's (Thaksin) agenda proves someone else's failure.

Thaksin's NEEDS have no relevance on anything that Abhisit does other than to thwart those needs.

Abhisit needs to do nothing other than maintain order to be where he wants to be. I in no way stated or implied that Abhisit would lose.In fact, I think that the Dem coalition would be right back in power. He has the loyalty of more than 50% of parliament so he doesn't need to call elections. Ergo -- no need for snap elections. To dissolve parliament now would not be fair to more than 50% of the electorate in Thailand.

The primary reason not to have elections right now should be obvious to everyone. There is no way that all candidates could campaign anywhere in the country. Ergo --- Free and Fair elections are not possible at this time. The last time elections were called early when it wasn't needed led us into this mess. Thaksin trying to whitewash his business deals/law changes and TRT's issues caused him to do something VERY stupid. He dissolved parliament when there wasn't a need to.

[Heng]

It's time to get away from elections entirely until they install a tax based election system. The more taxes you pay, the more votes you get.

Where are you from North Korea. Troller

Nah, Austin. It makes perfect sense. Buying votes from the poor would become pointless since they would be worth much less. A factory owner would be worth maybe 100 votes according to his/her taxes paid (which ultimately is how much value you have to a society). The company officers would be worth say 5 votes each according to their taxes paid on their salary. Line workers would be worth maybe 1/4 of a vote each. Then everyone should be voting in their best interests as a democracy should be.

[slapout]

Heng is going to start his campaign next month to get his idea incorporated into the system ( taxation = productivity). Works for me, I would vote for him but alas not eligible to cast one.. One question, how will the gogo/karaoke/working girls fit into this scene? If that question is too easy, what about those women married to us farang? suggestion; make them pay tax on the amount they tell their friends their husband/boyfriend give them.

[cmsally]

Essentially a crude form of Functional Democracy (as found in Hong Kong). Hardly a tonic for reconciliation for large numbers of people to have the value of their vote slashed. Thailand in reverse while Hong Kong fighting very hard to attain universal suffrage.

Absolutely typical, going in the opposite direction.

[lilkitty]

How exactly can the roadmap be implemented if there are no elections held? I thought the entire purpose of the roadmap was it leading to elections?

[ratcatcher]

Somebody should wtite a book,

"What Sondhi Wants, Sondhi Gets"

---

rough outline of Chapter headings

Wants Thaksin in Power - gets it

Wants Debt Forgiveness of Billions - gets it

Wants His Acountant as Head Banker - gets it

Wants Thaksin Out - Gets it

Wants Somchai Out - Gets it

Wants 111 Politicians Banned - Gets it

Wants 2 Airports Shut Down - Gets it

Wants November Elections Called Off - gets it

Wants Shady Off Shore Finances - gets it

Wants Private Jets - gets

Wants Criminal Charges Ignored - Getting It!

You forgot "THE JOSEPH SOLUTION" Please tell us about that again!

Okay okay if you insist. Here goes. You put Thaksin and Sondhi at both ends of Lumphini Park with knives and surround the area with the soldiers. Somtumtiger is the referee. Whichever ones comes out alive is the next president.

How do you feel now, making me break a promise to myself to never, ever reveal to anybody who is a goof!?

eggo, haven't you fogotten something?

Who was the last president?

Are we talking about Thailand here?

[whybother]

How exactly can the roadmap be implemented if there are no elections held? I thought the entire purpose of the roadmap was it leading to elections?

I thought it was the roadmap and then elections, but either way, there will be elections by December 2011.

[Heng]

Heng is going to start his campaign next month to get his idea incorporated into the system ( taxation = productivity). Works for me, I would vote for him but alas not eligible to cast one.. One question, how will the gogo/karaoke/working girls fit into this scene? If that question is too easy, what about those women married to us farang? suggestion; make them pay tax on the amount they tell their friends their husband/boyfriend give them.

Easy, they can choose to get legal (and declare their earnings... haha!) or they can choose their earnings over their right to vote (and evade taxes). Their choice. The system thereby gives you the option to believe in it or not, to participate or not. Basically folks throughout the system would also have this option. At the upper end, folks could choose to hide more or less of their income offshore... at the lower end, it's a question of declaring your tips and misc. 'earnings.'

Otherwise, folks aren't just going to suddenly stop buying votes (because these 'poor' votes still have heft) and the folks selling their votes aren't going to suddenly decide they do not want 100-200 Baht for their ID card because they'd like to have a little more to gamble on the lottery this week, to buy more booze or buy some rice or whatever.

Edited May 30, 2010 by Heng

[dixter]

I think they should get away from calling the road map to peace. Who in this country can read a map! Or drive for that matter!! Can we have a new idea. How about a somtam recipe for sorting out the police first?

[kissdani]

Somebody should wtite a book,

"What Sondhi Wants, Sondhi Gets"

---

rough outline of Chapter headings

Wants Thaksin in Power - gets it

Wants Debt Forgiveness of Billions - gets it

Wants His Acountant as Head Banker - gets it

Wants Thaksin Out - Gets it

Wants Somchai Out - Gets it

Wants 111 Politicians Banned - Gets it

Wants 2 Airports Shut Down - Gets it

Wants November Elections Called Off - gets it

Wants Shady Off Shore Finances - gets it

Wants Private Jets - gets

Wants Criminal Charges Ignored - Getting It!

You forgot "THE JOSEPH SOLUTION" Please tell us about that again!

Okay okay if you insist. Here goes. You put Thaksin and Sondhi at both ends of Lumphini Park with knives and surround the area with the soldiers. Somtumtiger is the referee. Whichever ones comes out alive is the next president.

How do you feel now, making me break a promise to myself to never, ever reveal to anybody who is a goof!?

eggo, haven't you fogotten something?

Who was the last president?

Are we talking about Thailand here?

General Prem Tinsulanonda is the President of the Privy Council of Thailand.

Chai Chidchob President of the National Assembly of Thailand.

Professor Prasobsook Boondech is President of the Senate of Thailand and Vice President of the National Assembly of Thailand.

[LaoPo]

It's time to get away from elections entirely until they install a tax based election system. The more taxes you pay, the more votes you get.

LaoPo

[ratcatcher]

edited for brevity.......

eggo, haven't you forgotten something?

Who was the last president?

Are we talking about Thailand here?

General Prem Tinsulanonda is the President of the Privy Council of Thailand.

Chai Chidchob President of the National Assembly of Thailand.

Professor Prasobsook Boondech is President of the Senate of Thailand and Vice President of the National Assembly of Thailand.

thanks for the information kissdani, I misunderstood.

I always thought Thaksin wanted to be President of Thailand.

Not sure about Sondhi.

[lilkitty]

I think anyone that at this point can't see what the "Battle of the Chinese" is all about, has very little knowledge of Thailand. It's a battle between Sondhi and Thaksin, the master and his apprentice, respectively.

[chantorn]

Sorry, the 14-Nov-2010 deal is off.

[yoshiwara]

14 November would have been a perfect day for a fresh election. However, with the culprits of the recent terror wave still at large and the swift no-confidence vote of the PT, and with the ever self-sacriliging mister T, reconciliation is just not possible on short notice!

The reds (read mr Thaksin) were offered an early election, but chose to destroy Bangkok.

Thaksin must be regretting not having taken the offer of early Elections on the 14th of November,hes spent an

enormous amount of his ill gotten gains and now there is no early result in sight.

A drastic error of judgment on his part,bet he's kicking himself from one end of Montenegro to the other.

Thaksin couldn't accept elections after Oct 1st. His plans would be smashed when the new head of the military was not his man. He has a few more months to do ANYTHING he can to prevent Abhisit from being in charge when the next military boss is appointed.

Thaksin isn't entirely alone in this .. but he is leading this mess. Keeping him off-balance and discrediting him internationally is what has to happen. That means giving in to the reds just isn't possible.

with an election before the appointment date for the new military boss nobody else but the election winner would be then in charge and make this decision.

Basically you are saying that Thaksin or his proxy puppet theatre party (or whatever you wanna call them) would win an election and after an election there will be no way anymore for the Democrats and Abhisit to make such appointment.

that means actually it is Abhisit who clings to power and must to hold the fort at any cost, probably on behalf of the forces who want their man in charge of the army.

Ergo the opposite is true. it is Abhisit who cannot afford elections before the Oct 1st.

Thaksin and the reds have now lost the opportunity to force elections earlier this year.

They have been defeated and their forces kicked out of Bangkok.

Abhisit isn't 'clinging' to power. He has room to decide within the electoral timetable extending into 2011.

He can also wait to see whether Thaksin tries to pull any further stunts within the next 6 months.

The battle over the army appointments has been resolved.

Game over.

[Heng]

It's time to get away from elections entirely until they install a tax based election system. The more taxes you pay, the more votes you get.

LaoPo

Glad you liked that one, LP. Everyone else so serious so much...

[LaoPo]

It's time to get away from elections entirely until they install a tax based election system. The more taxes you pay, the more votes you get.

LaoPo

Glad you liked that one, LP. Everyone else so serious so much...

It is the quote of the day, perhaps 2010

In my own country we have elections on June 9th and we have 10 serious parties "fighting" in the streets, smearing and throwing mud at each other; June 10, the 3 (not 2!) largest parties will have a dinner together and kiss and cuddle one another since they ALL want to sit on the Pluche and travel First Class and have themselves driven in limousines with drivers

We are so bloody democratic that we even have our own Party for Animals with 2 seats in the 150 seats-Parliament: TRUE!

I'll come back when Thailand has it's own Party for Animals and I will personally print the first 1.000 flyers:

Heng for PM

LaoPo

[ballpoint]

It is the quote of the day, perhaps 2010

In my own country we have elections on June 9th and we have 10 serious parties "fighting" in the streets, smearing and throwing mud at each other; June 10, the 3 (not 2!) largest parties will have a dinner together and kiss and cuddle one another since they ALL want to sit on the Pluche and travel First Class and have themselves driven in limousines with drivers

We are so bloody democratic that we even have our own Party for Animals with 2 seats in the 150 seats-Parliament: TRUE!

I'll come back when Thailand has it's own Party for Animals and I will personally print the first 1.000 flyers:

Heng for PM

LaoPo

Now I see why you're so upset. Every time Thailand has a party of animals the courts dissolve it.

Edited May 30, 2010 by ballpoint

[chantorn]

It's time to get away from elections entirely until they install a tax based election system. The more taxes you pay, the more votes you get.

LaoPo

Glad you liked that one, LP. Everyone else so serious so much...

I disagree with 1 person 1 vote.

How can a vote from an rich educated fair good looking smart Bangkokian have the same weighting as a vote from an uneducated rural poor ugly country side buffalo pushing farmers?

See you disagree with me already.

PAD said that 70% appointed by Bangkok smart. Balance 30% vote by all (not just buffalo pushing farmers).

See, not so bad after all. Sondhi/Chamlong for the next PM pair.

[ozzieman05]

I'm becoming very frustrated by the Abhisit government for several reasons:

1) They move too slowly. People need answers and they need them more quickly than the government has been able to provide them. The government needs to expedite their investigations.

2) There is little or no transparency. Strong accusations have been made. The government needs to be more transparent with their investigations. They do not need to reveal everything as the investigations are ongoing, but they do need to reveal something. Keeping everything too close to the vest causes people to suspect a conspiracy.

3) Independent investigations into the actions of the government and the military need to begin immediately. If they have nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear.

4) The SoE needs to be lifted as soon as possible. There may be reasons the government is keeping it in place, but those reasons haven't been forthcoming.

5) Financial blacklists need to end or be severely curtailed. This is in line with ending the SoE. The government cannot block accounts without a court order and strong evidence if the SoE is ended. Innocent people and companies may be suffering significant losses due to their accounts being frozen.

6) The FM needs to go and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to work better with the PMs office. Too often they seem to make pronouncements at odds with each other. This makes the government look substandard.

7) Details of the Reconciliation Plan need to be made clear to the public. Everyone is waiting and wondering how this government will address the root causes of financial inequity and disenfranchisement of a large swath of the population of Thailand.

8) People being detained by under the SoE need to either be charged or released. This heavy-handed approach was repugnant when the US did it and it is equally repugnant now.

9) Media freedoms need to be reinstated. The opposition media needs to be restored. Clear guidelines must be published about what are the legal limitations of free speech. It will then be up to all media to adhere to those guidelines or face censorship or closure.

10) Public meetings need to begin. These public awareness meetings need to bring together all aspects of society to work toward a better, stronger, less corrupt, and more egalitarian Thailand.

11) Police reform must begin. I have no idea how this is to happen, but there is no doubt the Royal Thai Police needs to change their operations and become police whose mission is 'to serve and protect'.

12) Elections need to be planned. While people understand that the specific date is difficult to determine due to the various unknowns in the problems Thailand is facing, a clear road map needs to be published. What are the preconditions necessary before elections can be held? This is a serious point. The government needs to address this and make the plan very public.

13) The PAD situation. Cases against the PAD must be expedited.

I have been an Abhisit supporter for several years. I am fully willing to drop this support if the government isn't seen to be doing positive works for the country. They need to begin immediately. It seems as if the government is stalling and obfuscating. This is not good.

And to get all this done in 1 or 2 weeks like you expect would take how many people

I see patience is not one of your better parts

There is an old saying

Rome was not built in a day

Can you please show me you posting where you said that the army should have taken over in the 1st 2 days, when this all started

[ozzieman05]

Pardon me for typing inside your post --- my remarks are in Red.

I'm becoming very frustrated by the Abhisit government for several reasons:

1) They move too slowly. People need answers and they need them more quickly than the government has been able to provide them. The government needs to expedite their investigations.

Investigations take time. Investigations using more than one agency AND having observers from the opposition take even more time. Thoroughness is more important than speed.

2) There is little or no transparency. Strong accusations have been made. The government needs to be more transparent with their investigations. They do not need to reveal everything as the investigations are ongoing, but they do need to reveal something. Keeping everything too close to the vest causes people to suspect a conspiracy.

Investigations again are delicate. The foreign press (notably Al Jazeera) and diplomats have been let in on some and have reported it. Remember that there is a censure debate coming up --- where we will be subjected to all sorts of lies from the opposition and the government will HAVE to come clean with some then.

3) Independent investigations into the actions of the government and the military need to begin immediately. If they have nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear.

They have begun.

4) The SoE needs to be lifted as soon as possible. There may be reasons the government is keeping it in place, but those reasons haven't been forthcoming.

The Reds have talked openly about Guerilla warfare. Those that are truly capable of doing that need to be nabbed before lifting the SoE

5) Financial blacklists need to end or be severely curtailed. This is in line with ending the SoE. The government cannot block accounts without a court order and strong evidence if the SoE is ended. Innocent people and companies may be suffering significant losses due to their accounts being frozen.

I agree that if there is no clear trail of financial acts supporting illegal activities that these accounts need to be unfrozen! If there are trails showing financial support of illegal acts then the people need to be charged.

6) The FM needs to go and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to work better with the PMs office. Too often they seem to make pronouncements at odds with each other. This makes the government look substandard.

I WISH the FM would go .. but I doubt he will --- sadly his position seems to be safe.

7) Details of the Reconciliation Plan need to be made clear to the public. Everyone is waiting and wondering how this government will address the root causes of financial inequity and disenfranchisement of a large swath of the population of Thailand.

Details --- hmmmm. While the red propoganda machine is running will anyone that NEEDS to hear it actually hear it?

8) People being detained by under the SoE need to either be charged or released. This heavy-handed approach was repugnant when the US did it and it is equally repugnant now.

They get a court hearing every 7 days. Far more fair than other countries' treatment of .... I agree that they need to be charged or released soon but it takes time to put together so many cases at once.

9) Media freedoms need to be reinstated. The opposition media needs to be restored. Clear guidelines must be published about what are the legal limitations of free speech. It will then be up to all media to adhere to those guidelines or face censorship or closure.

I agree --- clear guidelines. Immediate closure and jail for the people that incite unrest instead of doing the job of reporting. There is room for propoganda --- after all even the US can tolerate FOX, but even FOX would be illegal in the UK.

10) Public meetings need to begin. These public awareness meetings need to bring together all aspects of society to work toward a better, stronger, less corrupt, and more egalitarian Thailand.

I agree but how do you have governent sponsored meetings in areas where government officials are being threatened?

11) Police reform must begin. I have no idea how this is to happen, but there is no doubt the Royal Thai Police needs to change their operations and become police whose mission is 'to serve and protect'.

I agree --- but "Good luck with that!" Thailand needs Serpico!

12) Elections need to be planned. While people understand that the specific date is difficult to determine due to the various unknowns in the problems Thailand is facing, a clear road map needs to be published. What are the preconditions necessary before elections can be held? This is a serious point. The government needs to address this and make the plan very public.

Elections Nov 2011

13) The PAD situation. Cases against the PAD must be expedited.

The PAD cases are in front of the courts --- you can't have an independent Judiciary if the governent can push the around

I have been an Abhisit supporter for several years. I am fully willing to drop this support if the government isn't seen to be doing positive works for the country. They need to begin immediately. It seems as if the government is stalling and obfuscating. This is not good.

I think the governent is moving with as much haste as possible. The issues are that the parliament opposition party is adding more muck to the process and it will only get worse!

Agreed

If the opposition did not waste so much parliamentary time with the crap they are pushing, parliament could get things done quicker

In Australia a Thai lady need to wait 24 months to get her permanent residence

and once she has done her 24 months

she has to wait another 3 months for the paper pushers to give her the paper work

So is the Australian government corrupt, hiding something, part of Thaskin"s world take over plan

Or maybe governments just take time to do things

Do it to quick, and they will cut staff in half, same same all over the world not just in Thailand

[ozzieman05]

This is not good news.

In my HO, the government should hold a "snap" election ASAP. If they wait until the scheduled time(2011) the "reds' will just argue that the current Gov't will influence, or otherwise corrupt the outcome. This move, in no way, addresses the "split" that currently exists in the Kingdom.

But I,m just a stupid farang, so what do I know.

How exactly would you suggest elections that are free and fair be run ASAP? Will you garauntee the safety of non-red candidates to campaign in Isaan?

Red leaders have spoken about "guerilla warfare" ... how would you deal with that whilst campaigning?

The red propoganda machine is still pumping out lies in Isaan and the North (as well as on here) ... how would you deal with that?

Elections are due in about 13 months ...The Constitution needs to be worked on (by all parties) and some things like resolving some of the issues surrounding the red leadership must be addressed. The budget it almost done. That leaves the constitution and beginning on the roadap for reconciliation.

THEN elections.

You forget that the Democrats will mostly likely dissolved after the 12. August.

There is a confidence of 90% that exactly that will happen, because the evidence in the 258 million donation case and the 29 million misused funds case us pretty clear. (Thai Rath article in google cache)

That comes from Maj-Gen Kittisak Ratprasert, he is very far from the suspicion to be a red shirt propaganda clown. He comes more from the inner circle of the 'power'.

There will be new by-elections, but party list seats like the one of Abhisit will not get refilled and without them the new-"democrats" will not be able to get a majority again to form a government.

and beginning next week we have the censure debate. Abhisits majority is very slim. That he now declares there will be no election this year is mostly aimed at his own MPs who are more or less pure yellow heads and never agreed with an earlier election right from the beginning.

but on the moderate site could be a few swing voters, will they be still loyal to an PM who is responsible for such bloody and deadly crackdown? It doesn't need much MP who changed their mind and want to keep a clean conscience. That can bring this Government down.

So lets see

Your for wasting parliaments time on parliamentary bxxl shXt, rather then all get together and solve the countries problems

Thai people must really love you

[ozzieman05]

Abhisit said the number of 'terrorists' among red-shirt protesters was relatively small. Most red shirts were ordinary citizens.

<deleted>? Does the PM watch to much CNN and BBC, is he brainwashed by Dan Rivers?

what will the board mob of the ultra right-wing extremists say to such a comment?

I think they will probably agree for the most part. Nobody ever argued the point that the majority of the protesters were not armed with war weapons.

I think that i have still the ugly sound in my ears of the mobs brouhaha that almost immediately followed when somebody at this board dared to call the red shirt not 'thugs' and 'insurgents' but ordinary citizen instead, who practise their civil right to protest and attend a rally.

wait and see what will happen when the so called 'June 24 peoples movement', all ordinary citizens, start their rallies all over the country exactly on June 24.

You really enjoy preaching doom and gloom

do you have your booking to get up on stage and tell your thoughts at the next uprising

[ozzieman05]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

So all along Abhisit has no intention of holding election in Nov....he lied to the Thai people and to the world.....he is a LIAR...

A great idea would be you first learn to read

2nd use your new talent and read first before you open your mouth and say such stupid comments

[Publicus]

And with more mayhem scheduled to begin June 24th, we should really look forward to an early election this year??? Not!

I'd laff at that cynical pursuit of the insurrectionists and their paramilitary (as well documented by the two journalists allowed into their camp) if it weren't for the prospects of more of Bangkok being torched by guerilla spot and shot, torch and run Reds. Leaders of the government need to keep their heads low too as the spot and shot Red paramilitary is ever present in the sewers and gutters. 

Abhisit made a serious offer of a November 'snap' election but was countered by only more absurd and insincere Red Shirt leaders' demands with the design to make successful negotiations impossible. The Reds want blood and absolute power, not negotiations.

The next election needs to be held on schedule late next year. The government needs to brace for the June 24th next round by the insurrectionists and needs to continue to try can get the country regrouped again. Oddly enuff and radically ominously, the next election likely willl see money and vote buying become almost insignificant but for the wrong reasons, i.e., your village votes the wrong way, it gets torched.

No election until the scheduled time late next year, period. 

[selftaopath]

What Thailand needs now is not a snap election but a constitutional amendment on politicians' asset declaration.

The current asset declaration system is a farce.

Most of these politicians are already filthy rich with big pieces of land and companies here and there.

They are required to declare asset prior to and after taking up a ministerial/MP position only. It's a total farce.

But no one cares to check if they ever paid any tax at all and where the money come from. A sure bet that over 90% of the MPs can't prove it.

I suspect w/out a complete "make over" i.e. change in thinking/being, there will be more revolts. It may be inevitable b/c the country will NOT change. EVERYTHING MUST be changed if Thailand and the average people are to truly prosper. Will this happen? I THINK NOT.

[basinboy]

If Thaksin still has until September to continue his mischief, but after the army appointments are made he's had it....why not bring forward the Army reshuffle to next week and shut Thaksin down?

[Lite Beer]

Post containing an altered quote deleted.

[Siam Simon]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

So all along Abhisit has no intention of holding election in Nov....he lied to the Thai people and to the world.....he is a LIAR...

Hmmm someone is a liar ....

Abhisit said that elections were contingent on the reds participation in the roadmap. They spat on the roadmap.

In no way does that show Abhisit's intent to do other than keep his word. They failed to participate and lost the opportunity. They burned buildings all around BKK and in several other provinces but you think that their behavior should be ignored?

They got what they asked for, New elections, --- what did they do? They stayed in BKK and kept threatening. The offer was taken off the table.

The government moves troops in to incircle them and what happens? Their violent thugs came out and attacked. Their leaders surrender and what do they do? Commit the arson they had been threatening since BEFORE they came to BKK.

Time to file the formal charges against the leaders that called for violence, arson, and armed insurrection. Time to formally charge the people that fought the security forces. Time to release the ones that got caught up in the sweeps but were not engaged in violence.

Actually, no. The 'Roadmap' was far more contingent than the Reds being involved in it. The Roadmap was vague enough to allow all sorts of excuses for the current regime to backtrack. But, hey, you're one of TV's most vociferous propaganda mongers, one of it's strongest exponents of 'the airport invasion never happened'.

I wish it was time to file the formal charges against the leaders who authorised the murder of protestors. I wish it was time to formally charge the people that ordered the army to murder and maim the people they are supposed to protect But feel free to carry on cheerleading this carnage.

edit:sp

Edited May 31, 2010 by Siam Simon