PM Abhisit Warns Political Demonstrations Likely To Return To Bangkok Soon

[asiawatcher]

Almost any other "1st world" country (I am well aware of the state of this country but it would appear that even the government believes its own propaganda) would simply make everybody go home at the end of day 1. I'm convinced there are probably laws that allow this kind of dispersal (same techniques used at sporting events), why not here?

So they use war machines and equipments (tanks and machines guns with LIFE bullets) in dispersal of sport events in your country?

Nice to know that Thailand & Burma are not alone.

Life bullets - now there's an oxymoron...

[cdnvic]

English isn't everyone's first language here. No big deal.

[Rucharee]

Almost any other "1st world" country (I am well aware of the state of this country but it would appear that even the government believes its own propaganda) would simply make everybody go home at the end of day 1. I'm convinced there are probably laws that allow this kind of dispersal (same techniques used at sporting events), why not here?

So they use war machines and equipments (tanks and machines guns with LIFE bullets) in dispersal of sport events in your country?

Nice to know that Thailand & Burma are not alone.

Life bullets - now there's an oxymoron...

Edited July 8, 2010 by Rucharee

[Pi Sek]

...the objective for the latest protests was the general election.

What a load of tripe! There was a genuine Red Shirt cause, and it’s one that’s quite understandable all over the world: the injustice of inequality. They don’t want double standards to apply as has been the case for many; grievances represented by, for example, the Yellow Shirt leaders’ seeming impunity (being addressed) and Kasit’s appointment as foreign minister (addressed already - I don't want him as FM but, as Abhisit stated, there's no doubt he's good at his job).

A big problem with their argument is, with this protest, that they want the Law to be applicable to all, but they then insist on impunity; the protesters sleep in the street, the leaders sleep in one of Thaksin’s 5-star hotels; the rice-milling network, whose elite are protected by Thaksin's “loans for farmers” scheme which actually keeps most of the Red Shirt supporters poor; the protesters risking their lives in the line of fire were being paid 1,000 Baht per day, the leaders who were shepherding them were being paid 5 million Baht per day. The party championing their cause is led by a man whose children were acquitted of murder for dubious silences from key witnesses. The UDD is a movement against the unfair influence for the elite? Doesn't look like it to me.

180,000 (Yellows) or 120,000 people (Reds) shouldn’t be dictating their views through mob rule to 63 million registered Thai people (or an estimated 90 million in total). Any claim that the Red Shirt protest was about democracy is clearly utter rubbish. The Red Shirts are not pro-democracy. Thailand is already a democracy and Abhisit was elected democratically by the process of a constitutional democracy (the same way as pro-red former-PPP prime minister Somchai and UK prime minister David Cameron). You don't see Labour on the streets of London claiming that the Queen installed Cameron as Prime Minister, do you? It became clear after they did not accept a House dissolution in September that a general election was not one of the UDD's main objectives.

Because the government is happy to hold at power (and profits coming from it) as long as it is possible...

Another piece of misinformation. Whilst the govt does want to hold onto power, as any government in power in the world would, to suggest "as long as it is possible" is untrue. The government have been quite clear about this - they are unwilling to hold elections until the situation is stable, which won't happen while Red Shirts are still meeting to discuss their next steps to overthrow the democratically-elected government. The Red Shirts themselves are the ones stopping a general election. Go on, deny that!

Sorry for the long and possibly harshly-worded post, but it incenses me when I see the same old posters posting the same old lies about the "evil military government" and what the UDD are really about. Abhisit's Democrat government was not pro-coup in 2006 and never has been – they condemned it as ‘undemocratic’. They were heavily critical at times of the coup-installed caretaker government and have drawn plenty of criticism from top army figures, including a call to resign from the army’s Chief of Staff. The commonly-circulated idea that his Democrat-led coalition was put together by the army, the monarchy or whoever else is simply not true.

It's very annoying when Red Shirt-supporters spout out the same rubbish, like some kind of copy-paste-robot, even after their arguments have been proved wrong time and time again. I'd love to be proven wrong in this respect, but it hasn't happened yet.

[wileycoyote]

<P>I think TAT is being unrealistic,if they don't inflate the figures & say "everything in the garden is rosy" ,they are out of their jobs.</P>

<P>The continued instability is a long term problem for the whole Thai Tourism industry & I agree the situation may get worse </P>

<P> </P>

[colspeed]

Does anybody here listen to Thai people? Or do Westerners know best even if they weren't here when Mr.T was in power?

[asiawatcher]

English isn't everyone's first language here. No big deal.

"Never argue with an idiot. He'll just drag you down to his level and beat you with experience."

The green and gold's will wup yo all-black ass boy! No offense meant and none taken - LOL. Just havin' fun.

[afarang]

Well whose crystal ball do we believe, Abhisits or the TAT's? If they believe the PMs crystal ball does this mean TAT will be revising its projected number of tourists for next year downwards?.....I don't think so they are all still living in fantasy land!

If this demonstration is an annual event then we all have to learn from Carfur and pull out. This totally uncatchable that the government can't control the situation and allow these thugs to continue to destroy the country

What is Carfur? Who are the thugs? The yellow shirts are the the thugs ,they totally ,initially disrupted the tourist industry in Thailand, and have been allowed to go scot free!!!. Who lost their jobs ,as a result of the yellows blockade of BOTh the airports? Mainly they were lowly, underpaid people from Isarn!!Always it is Isarn people who suffer. Do the yellows care? Not on your sweet nelly.Take careful note of the double standards that apply in this country. Yellows- scot free. Reds- in gaol.

[afarang]

I am guessing they will do this during the beginning of high season. They want to maximise the impact the demonstratons have on the economy. I have basically given up on running my guesthouse in Laos because of how Thailand is.

or they're busy making rice for now... dry/high season they have nothing to do..

Sorry to disillusion you, but (1) the farmers do not grow rice , they grow PADDY in paddy fields. They sell the paddy to the rice mill., who mill it and then sell rice. (2). You may have not noticed it,but Thailand is experiencing a very severe DROUGHT, so very little paddy has been planted.There are going to be a lot of very hungry farmers this year. They will have basically NO income this year. What paddy has been planted is both stunted and yellowing, which means yields will be very low. This year ,they have nothing to do right now, unless huge rains come, and even then , it may be too late to plant

[biplanebluey]

<BR><FONT size=5><B>PM Warns of Possible Violence</B></FONT><BR><BR>The prime minister has acknowledged that some groups are still planning underground campaigns to stir chaos in the near future.<BR><BR>Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said there have been intelligence reports over attempts to incite violent situations in the near future as suggested by his deputy in charge of national security, Suthep Thaugsuban, who is also director of the Center for Resolution of the Emergency Situation.<BR><BR>Abhisit pledged that his government will keep the situation under control by strictly enforcing laws against those who are plotting acts of violence and by preventing people from being coaxed into joining their illegal activities.<BR><BR>The prime minister then warned that the new red-shirt TV channel, Asia Update, could be taken off the air if its operation is found to be in violation of the law and insisted that the government will not allow the new station to be run in the same way that PTV was.<BR><BR>He also stated that the proposed amnesty for those in possession of illegal firearms is aimed at convincing them to return the weapons to the authorities as many of them were found to have been used during the red-shirt protests.<BR><BR>He expressed belief the bill will sail through all three readings by the House.<BR><BR>Abhisit also remarked that he has instructed investigators responsible for the pending cases against the People's Alliance for Democracy to update him with their developments periodically to ensure transparency.<BR><BR>

-- Tan Network 2010-07-07

<BR>

<BR>                I am going to have to write this down so I understand it properly---someone is trying to incite violence"in the near future"Aproposed bill which will have 3 readings--[by slow readers?]. Will be put to the house in August sometime,so thats another month away,and will start within the next 60days,that's another 2 months[or does it come quicker if you say 60 days???] This process is our way to "accelerate the law" Really!!! is this a joke? We are therefore looking at around November. All I can say to the person"trying to incite violence in the near future" is HAPPY XMAS!!!<BR><BR>

[Phuket Stan]

I am guessing they will do this during the beginning of high season. They want to maximise the impact the demonstratons have on the economy. I have basically given up on running my guesthouse in Laos because of how Thailand is.

or they're busy making rice for now... dry/high season they have nothing to do..

Sorry to disillusion you, but (1) the farmers do not grow rice , they grow PADDY in paddy fields. They sell the paddy to the rice mill., who mill it and then sell rice. (2). You may have not noticed it,but Thailand is experiencing a very severe DROUGHT, so very little paddy has been planted.There are going to be a lot of very hungry farmers this year. They will have basically NO income this year. What paddy has been planted is both stunted and yellowing, which means yields will be very low. This year ,they have nothing to do right now, unless huge rains come, and even then , it may be too late to plant

Interesting that you call it Paddy...I have noticed that in the past but what confuses me is why do the Thai people call them rice farms

[bf2002]

It's amusing to see how all the expat experts who say the reds or Thaksin's power is dead get proved wrong over and over again.

I saw this coming after the "end". The yellows and their minority will never win since they didn't back down when they had a chance over 3 years ago. It was pretty obvious they knew this when the PM said "Thaksin can return" a few days ago.

The yellow gang needs to realize they are the minority and when 1 person equals 1 vote, they had better learn to make a deal. If not, the army needs to just take over again before the whole country goes from 2nd to 3rd world status....it's obvious the reds will never back down.

And it's also clear the democrats and yellows will be gone as soon as there is another general election.

They need to just come to terms with reality ---- lose control in an election or beg for military rule. Like it or not, this is the only way Siam will start it's economic recovery. And that is the only view worth supporting for any overseas investor or expat. It is not like the democrats or yellow are any less corrupt than their opponents.

Edited July 8, 2010 by bf2002

[coolhandjoe]

Read what Jatuporn has to say on the subject

"I don't think we should or could gather any time soon. Under the current climate, it would lead to more deaths and could also compromise the fate of those who are in police custody," Jatuporn told Reuters in an interview.

Jatuporn said a state of emergency imposed in April also made any attempt to regroup difficult.

The government extended the emergency on Tuesday for another three months in Bangkok and 18 of the country's 76 provinces, citing danger posed by anti-government elements.

"With this, authorities have power to arrest us on various grounds," said Jatuporn, who said he sleeps in a different place almost every night for safety reasons. "I tell our supporters to bide their time. Just keep breathing and stay out of harm's way."

Link

http://www.thaivisa....l/page__st__100

Seems they are just waiting till the SOE is lifted.

Sleeps in a different place almost every night......... What he needs is some security and a permanent place to lay his head........Any suggestions?

Dubai or perhaps Venezuela. LOL

[cdnvic]

Removed Bangkok Post article as they do not allow reposting or linking.

[edgarfriendly]

just beacause the intellectuals in government cant spell LIVE, doesnt mean that anyone else should just BLINDLY follow.

learn by yourselves, and then u can beg for a SOE for ever and ever...and eva.

as it goes. this entire site is as vacuous as ive ever witnessed.

im red...im yellow,

im so an so, im this im that...

but your all just wi wi wack!

YOU WILL ALL REAP JUST WHAT YOU SOW, sows.

get reedy foar moar vvialance yoo can to blaming th colours of the yello or the red, not to be thinking abowts th peepuls INSIDE the happee funee culler shurts.

ef

i am yawning at ur boring lack of understannnnnnnnding. as usual.

but lets just blayme the stupididty on the spelling????

that way NO-ONE has to take reponsibility for actually thinking by them selves.

i not to be engerich, i love red, er no yellow, er no red, er no pink, er no white, umm green? not black, black so bad and not good i like er.. alai???

why u blame me???????

,

Edited July 9, 2010 by edgarfriendly

[alant]

whilst a state of emergency and concerns over the return of violence and or protests exists there is no need to risk election. ...?

Edited July 9, 2010 by alant

[whybother]

It's amusing to see how all the expat experts who say the reds or Thaksin's power is dead get proved wrong over and over again.

I saw this coming after the "end". The yellows and their minority will never win since they didn't back down when they had a chance over 3 years ago. It was pretty obvious they knew this when the PM said "Thaksin can return" a few days ago.

The yellow gang needs to realize they are the minority and when 1 person equals 1 vote, they had better learn to make a deal. If not, the army needs to just take over again before the whole country goes from 2nd to 3rd world status....it's obvious the reds will never back down.

And it's also clear the democrats and yellows will be gone as soon as there is another general election.

They need to just come to terms with reality ---- lose control in an election or beg for military rule. Like it or not, this is the only way Siam will start it's economic recovery. And that is the only view worth supporting for any overseas investor or expat. It is not like the democrats or yellow are any less corrupt than their opponents.

The Yellows are minority. The Reds are a (probably larger) minority.

The Democrats are not the Yellows. The Yellows have their own party.

If the next election goes the way of the last election, the Democrats and the PTP will both be minorities. The smaller parties will probably support the Democrats, as they promised to do during campaigning for the 2007 election (but didn't) and as they are now.

The PTP/Reds didn't win themselves more fans by holing up in Bangkok the way they did, and definitely lost a few fans by finishing the protests the way they did. So the electorates that the PPP won with less than 50% of the vote would be looking a bit shaky also. Sure, the PTP will win in most North and North East electorates, but that won't give them the majority that they need to form government.

[tartempion]

BANGKOK (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday conceded that political demonstrators are likely to return to the capital's streets later this year, but pledged his government will do its best to control the situation.

Here in the village rice farmers are scared if any red shirt shows up in any big Thai city/town the army will fall out of the sky and burn their villages.

Abhisit and villagers don't think along the same lines of thought

[animatic]

I for one don't understand why the SOE still exists in many provinces when, for weeks, there has been no visible anti-government activity on the streets....of Bangkok. Sure, in time, the Reds will grow in strength again. But as we saw last time, if the military take action any serious protest is done and dusted before dinner time.

Sure, in time, the Reds will grow in strength again. The SOE is to delay it as long as possible.

Agreed.

[Robby nz]

Here in the village rice farmers are scared if any red shirt shows up in any big Thai city/town the army will fall out of the sky and burn their villages.

Tends to demonstrate the fear tactics annd BS the reds have been using subjigate those they say they support.

[bacchanal]

The Yellows are minority. The Reds are a (probably larger) minority.

The Democrats are not the Yellows. The Yellows have their own party.

The Reds have their own party, too.

Their militia leader Sae Daeng set up the Khattiyatham Party for them.

[yoshiwara]

Well whose crystal ball do we believe, Abhisits or the TAT's? If they believe the PMs crystal ball does this mean TAT will be revising its projected number of tourists for next year downwards?.....I don't think so they are all still living in fantasy land!

If this demonstration is an annual event then we all have to learn from Carfur and pull out. This totally uncatchable that the government can't control the situation and allow these thugs to continue to destroy the country

What is Carfur? Who are the thugs? The yellow shirts are the the thugs ,they totally ,initially disrupted the tourist industry in Thailand, and have been allowed to go scot free!!!. Who lost their jobs ,as a result of the yellows blockade of BOTh the airports? Mainly they were lowly, underpaid people from Isarn!!Always it is Isarn people who suffer. Do the yellows care? Not on your sweet nelly.Take careful note of the double standards that apply in this country. Yellows- scot free. Reds- in gaol.

I care that your red friends never again have the power to burn down the livelihoods of Bangkok workers.

Your double standards squeaking is no excuse for the red violence in Bangkok both in 2010 and 2009.

The SOE is in place so that the reds who are itching to have another go in Bangkok do not do so.

It is peaceful now in Bangkok. Peaceful from the absent red thugs. That is what you probably really find unacceptable.

Edited July 9, 2010 by yoshiwara

[Wozzit]

What's really stopping the protests is the Govt. freezing the funds of Thaksin's family & associates. No money = no protests. It's as simple as that.

I don't think anyone knows how much Thaksin has stashed in his Caribbean accounts and elsewhere. Seems there were a lot of cash inflows to fund the last protest. So I can't believe it's a lack of cash.

[tartempion]

Here in the village rice farmers are scared if any red shirt shows up in any big Thai city/town the army will fall out of the sky and burn their villages.

Tends to demonstrate the fear tactics and BS the reds have been using subjigate those they say they support.

Makes me think about a conspiracy theory:

The powers in place got the reds to trench themselves into Ratchapasong, clean the place whilst paying terrorist to create havoc, then claim possible renewal of protest to keep the Emergency law running for months, thus effectively making opposition impossible.

Dictatorship in the make?

[ericthai]

if there are no democratic means (like uncensored information/communication, free discussion and democratic elections) to express their political views, than people will take to the streets to protest and some more desperate ones might turn violent.

the objective for the latest protests was the general election. Because the government is happy to hold at power (and profits coming from it) as long as it is possible, sooner or later there would be further protests. Might be this year, might be in 5 years, with new faces and new generation of politically aware people.

Guess you don’t remember that that government did concede to new elections, but the reds did not accept that and kept demanding more and more.

[symbiosis]

It's easy to stop these "thugs". Just hold a fair election and respect the results. Is that too much to ask?