Thai Yellow Shirts Vow To Fight Airport Seizure Cases - Terror Charges Ludicrous

[cshort64]

It is very clear that K. Rucharee your opinions are firm and heart felt, this is a commendable stance to have and I applaud your passion. Not all things Red are bad, there are some valid points being made by those that are poor and feel disadvantaged, and I will give you not all the Red Shirts are poor either, how they presented their message was fine until the violence, of which there is no call for. They had every right to sit and protest where they chose the only difference is the violence, both sides caused harm to the economy and perception of Thailand, both sides believe they are right and for the most part are not willing to give in to the others demands or requests. To claim that the Yellow shirts are terrorists, I would not go that far, should their leaders be arrested for civil disobedience most likely. No other location in the world would have put up with a shutdown of their airports, sure unions have gone on strike, flights have been cancelled, bags have been lost, but to shut down access to an entire country by closing its two main airports was unprecidented. In most people's eyes this is an illegal act, not terrorism mind you, but illegal.

In my humble opinion the government must be allowed to finish its term in office without interference and then select another if you choose to, the issue here is corruption, on both sides, it must be stopped, heck even slowed down would be nice. This is not going to change anytime soon, the level of transparency in government needs to increase 100 fold, but again not going to happen in the short term. Changing governments, yearly does not make much sense, just because you don't like what someone is doing you try to throw them out. If it is illegal then of course they must go, but if not then try to change their minds, influence the MP's, or simply vote them out the next time. I am hopeful for the future, the more people participate in the process and the better educated they get on the process then Thailand wins. If we exclude people from the process, as some in the past have claimed, because they are less educated or less sophisticated then Thailand looses. Uneducated, unemployed, and unsophisticated people have the right to vote, the burden is on the educational system, the government, and community leaders to provide the information to them in a way they can digest it so that when they vote they can make an informed decision.

I believe Thailand will get there, but not in this generation, it will take a lot more time as we have seen recently, passion easily turns to violence and chaos. Until this changes we are going to see more in the future. I am passionate for this country I sure hope we start changing now.

Rucharee, keep writing and voicing your opinions, it is good to see.

Cheers

C

[chuang]

Unlike the Red, the Yellow are not terrorist.

They occupy the airports with all their hearts and love of the country.

...Yak..

[Rucharee]

Unlike the Red, the Yellow are not terrorist.

They occupy the airports with all their hearts and love of the country.

You are joking right? destroying businesses, destroying tourism, humilitating Thailand in the eyes of the world community - and breaking the law?

'love of the country'?

Burning down Thailand (Central world, public building, town hall, banks, MRT, government hall, oil depots) = destroying businesses, destroying tourism, humiliating Thailand in the eyes of the world community.

These are the act of the RED, and not the YELLOW.

[kissdani]

Unlike the Red, the Yellow are not terrorist.

They occupy the airports with all their hearts and love of the country.

You are joking right? destroying businesses, destroying tourism, humilitating Thailand in the eyes of the world community - and breaking the law?

'love of the country'?

So why you think Abhisit made Kasit to his FM? Because Kasit is a terrorist or because Kasit does the best for the country?

[eggomaniac]

Unlike the Red, the Yellow are not terrorist.

They occupy the airports with all their hearts and love of the country.

You are joking right? destroying businesses, destroying tourism, humilitating Thailand in the eyes of the world community - and breaking the law?

'love of the country'?

Burning down Thailand (Central world, public building, town hall, banks, MRT, government hall, oil depots) = destroying businesses, destroying tourism, humiliating Thailand in the eyes of the world community.

These are the act of the RED, and not the YELLOW.

The criminal reds 'think' they are National heroes. The criminal yellows 'think' they are National heroes. They canNOT both be right; however they can BOTH be wrong, especially when they both have terrorist leaders.

The victims at those airports should get to decide if Sondhi is a terrorist.

The acts of the reds AND yellows fit definitions of terrorism of modern, civilized countries. NObody, red, yellow, or WOTever would say Thailand is a modern & civilised country, though it could be within months, not years, if A Governement, ANY Governement would separate Itself from the corrupted system of politics.

Why do you reds and yellows keep calling each other terrorists? You are BOTH right!!!

[kissdani]

What about the damage done to the country, the hundreds of thousands of tourists stranded here and not compensated for their losses. I would call seizing an airport a terrorist offence

"hundreds of thousands of tourists stranded here and not compensated for their losses", you must be over reacting based on rumors.

Show me a single case where the PAD was sue for compensation or losses. NONE. This is a fact.

Show me a single case in EUROPE where after a general Strike the workers or after a demonstration which shut down maybe a runway, or an airport, or a whole city center, those involved had to compensate those who suffered losses?

And where, since when is such an act labeled "terrorism"?

According to fellow board members it is standard all over the world that when people dare to protest against a legitimate govt, their rally site gets declared to a live fire zone and anti-govt criminals get pacified by snipers.

I don't know if they hold afterwards in Europe special sales week like "We Care, We Shop" or if that is only in Thailand, where all people help each other.

[Samuian]

What about the damage done to the country, the hundreds of thousands of tourists stranded here and not compensated for their losses. I would call seizing an airport a terrorist offence

"hundreds of thousands of tourists stranded here and not compensated for their losses", you must be over reacting based on rumors.

Show me a single case where the PAD was sue for compensation or losses. NONE. This is a fact.

Show me a single case in EUROPE where after a general Strike the workers or after a demonstration which shut down maybe a runway, or an airport, or a whole city center, those involved had to compensate those who suffered losses?

And where, since when is such an act labeled "terrorism"?

This thead is sinking into farce - no airport has ever been shut down in Europe - if they tried it they would be dealt with severely. Let's get back to some serious comment - 80 PAD leaders have been summonsed - let's hope they are prosecuted - moving on...

Sorry Sir, I prove you wrong = Stansted/Heathrow/UK, Frankfurt-West/FRG......

1.)

Manchester Airport Freight Protest: Airport Int. News

Campaigners have breached security at one of the UK's main airports to protest against future freight expansion..

2.)

Jul 20, 2007] Police have warned taxi drivers against holding further protests over the new passenger pickup zone at the Hong Kong International Airport.

3.)

Violent Korean airport protests not isolated ... It seems that violent Korean airport protests are not at all isolated. ...

4.)

German police have closed off Frankfurt international airport after the threat of demonstrators protesting nearby.

5.)

Police and protesters clashed at Frankfurt's airport after supporters of asylum-seekers tried to burst into the main terminal.

6.)

Groups of demonstrators have stripped off at airports in Berlin, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf in reaction to the news that officials are considering installing scanners.

7.)

Police say more than 57 people have now been arrested in connection with the protests which have caused chaos at Stansted airport.

news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Stansted-Airport-Climate-Protest...

8.)

Southampton Airport, February 2009

Protesters outside Southampton Airport

Activists chained themselves to the main entrance to Southampton Airport and put up tents which they referred to as a 'climate refugee camp' in protest at plans to expand the airport[18]

9.)

Aberdeen Airport, March 2009

On 3 March 2009, seven protesters from Plane Stupid occupied a taxiway at Aberdeen Airport, barricading themselves within a makeshift wire enclosure while two further protesters occupied the roof of the main terminal building.

10.0

On 29 September 2009 Plane Stupid activists together with activists from Flight the Flights dressed up in business suits protested loudly at London City Airport.

well, google yourself... and you'll see... you're wrong, the protesters are charged with tresapssing and maybe endangering others... but never with terrorism - get real!

[nakachalet]

Yep,.. got to agree,.. her argument that "non filing for damages proves or indicates no loss suffered is as prepsterous as it is stupid" thats like saying a victim of violence didn't suffer or no crime was perpetrated just because the victim never lodged a complaint or filed a suit for a civil remedy. Lets face it,... in Thailand... and particularly in this case where its taken the government 2 years to show the first signs of restitution, what's the point of making a claim? Your (Thailand's) judicial system is a complete joke. As an ex student at law and paralegal I have first hand experience of both western and Thai courts. Personally we currently have a civil claim in the Thai court for 600,000 baht owed for which we have cash receipts,.. took 2 years for the judge to award refund and damages,... that was 19 months ago... still no payments and it could still roll on for years. There's no accountability or responsibility with your system,.. much like your entire country (mai pen rai!).

My advice to this silly girl is to go and get a proper education,.. overseas! Get some real experience and then come back and look at your wonderful Thai judicial system and the entire political circus from a truly informed and balanced perspective!

"My advice to this silly girl is to go and get a proper education,.. overseas!"

If I have the money to travel overseas, I won't be sitting here learning English via ThaiVisa.

The only other country I have visited is Laos, using a border pass.

You think USA give give me a Visa?

ree....

u r comical.... and that is super.... besides, i like it...

Why would'nt the US give her a visa unless she is a criminal or a prostitute?

kilgore trout....

there are possibly hundred upon hundred of discreet reasons.... why the almighty u.s. govt won't grant a person a visiting visa....

in lax and nyc alone, there were literally several thousands of robinhoods....

and unfortunately, i met many many of them during the 1980 era.... most were from high or middle income families....

and contrary to what many of us might think and imagine.... they did not drain on us govt resources at all....

many were driving bmw.... their preferred vehicles of transport.... many were also showing off their mercedez.... and a handful were driving ferrari....

yes, they entered u.s. of a. on students visa.... and the only crime they committed was.... over staying and refusing to return home....

it is virtually and practically impossible to locate, much less to arrest them.... unless of course, they were caught speeding or something similar....

all these preceding occurrences only add to current multiple complex reasons why a person is not granted a visiting visa to enter the united states of america....

personally, i am still a little annoyed that my friend and her children were not afforded the opportunity to visit the usa.... in spite of every thing that pointed to the fact that they would return to their homeland thailand.... where they owned thousand of acres of rubber plantation, in addition to restaurants and resorts, not to mentioned undisclosed timber land and liquid assets....

regardless of how i personally felt.... i begrudgingly accept bangkok embassy's decision to refuse.... whoever and upon whatever ground, rhyme and reason....

the family involved traveled overseas many times since....

i cheer on those granted visiting visa and the likes.... but i also understand.... granting a visa for an individual is a personal thing.... and the embassy is the only one who would decide yae or nay....

[ChiangMaiFun]

This thead is sinking into farce - no airport has ever been shut down in Europe - if they tried it they would be dealt with severely. Let's get back to some serious comment - 80 PAD leaders have been summonsed - let's hope they are prosecuted - moving on...

Sorry Sir, I prove you wrong = Stansted/Heathrow/UK, Frankfurt-West/FRG......

1.)

Manchester Airport Freight Protest: Airport Int. News

Campaigners have breached security at one of the UK's main airports to protest against future freight expansion..

2.)

Jul 20, 2007] Police have warned taxi drivers against holding further protests over the new passenger pickup zone at the Hong Kong International Airport.

3.)

Violent Korean airport protests not isolated ... It seems that violent Korean airport protests are not at all isolated. ...

4.)

German police have closed off Frankfurt international airport after the threat of demonstrators protesting nearby.

5.)

Police and protesters clashed at Frankfurt's airport after supporters of asylum-seekers tried to burst into the main terminal.

6.)

Groups of demonstrators have stripped off at airports in Berlin, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf in reaction to the news that officials are considering installing scanners.

7.)

Police say more than 57 people have now been arrested in connection with the protests which have caused chaos at Stansted airport.

news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Stansted-Airport-Climate-Protest...

8.)

Southampton Airport, February 2009

Protesters outside Southampton Airport

Activists chained themselves to the main entrance to Southampton Airport and put up tents which they referred to as a 'climate refugee camp' in protest at plans to expand the airport[18]

9.)

Aberdeen Airport, March 2009

On 3 March 2009, seven protesters from Plane Stupid occupied a taxiway at Aberdeen Airport, barricading themselves within a makeshift wire enclosure while two further protesters occupied the roof of the main terminal building.

10.0

On 29 September 2009 Plane Stupid activists together with activists from Flight the Flights dressed up in business suits protested loudly at London City Airport.

well, google yourself... and you'll see... you're wrong, the protesters are charged with tresapssing and maybe endangering others... but never with terrorism - get real!

none were closed... move on

[way2muchcoffee]

none were closed... move on

The AoT made the decision to close the airport, not the PAD. Are you saying that if airport authorities in any of the incidents listed above had decided to close the airport in the face of a protest, that the charges against the protesters would somehow be terrorism instead of trespassing? I don't think you have thought through your position.

[nakachalet]

What about the damage done to the country, the hundreds of thousands of tourists stranded here and not compensated for their losses. I would call seizing an airport a terrorist offence

----------------

may i just add another tiny bit of recalled fact....

the charges of terrorism against the yelllows were drummed up by samark and somchai short-lived govt

in order, hopefully, to threaten off further demonstration against tuksin's remaining representives....

if we would recall.... the morning after the charges.... the govt press representative came out and announced further that....

according to thai laws.... traitors such as yellowshirts can be subject to execution to the 7th generation....

now that was really really scary....

[ChiangMaiFun]

none were closed... move on

The AoT made the decision to close the airport, not the PAD. Are you saying that if airport authorities in any of the incidents listed above had decided to close the airport in the face of a protest, that the charges against the protesters would somehow be terrorism instead of trespassing? I don't think you have thought through your position.

without PAD would they have shut it down for safety? any airport authority in the world would have done the same - the other minor incidents another poster brought up were dealt with swifty by the Police - not carry on for weeks like your friends did - your position in untennable but I doubt I'll shake your utter faith in PAD and the yellow cause - can you imagine Heathrow, JFK shut down for weeks? dream on!

[ThaksinKharma]

let's hope at long last - two years later - the Yellows get to be prosecuted - it will show that the system is fairer than many thought (but I'm but holding my breath)

Agreed. Not holding my breath but crossing my fingers that the yellows be prosecuted...got to get rid of that double standard. If the reds can't get away with it neither should the yellows.

Agreed. Not holding my breath but crossing my fingers that the Reds be prosecuted...got to get rid of that double standard. If the reds can't get away with it three times, neither should the yellows once.

I believe the reds possibly would not have protested the way they did had the yellows not got away with it - if they had been dealt with swiftly all the rest may not have followed

But you are failing to see that it was actually the reds who were the first to protest violently in 2007. The yellows protest in 2008, then the reds again in 2009 and 2010.

The same adage you mention should be applied to the earlier incident in that one would believe the yellows would not have protested the way they if the reds had not got away with it. If the reds had been dealt with swiftly for injuring the hundreds, all the rest (the yellows, and then the reds again two more times) may not have followed.

[ThaksinKharma]

- not many yellows died in the government crackdown of the airport did they?

Do the deaths and hundreds of injured at the October police carnage at Parliament compensate any for the lack of an airport slaughter?

Not to mention the deaths and injured by near-nightly grenade assaults at other locations.

[LomSak27]

They say they want to reconcile. Unless you have justice for both sides there will be no reconciliation. The ball is Abhisits court, if they really want to reconcile then they must show equal justice for REDs and YELLOWs.

It's great to talk about reconciliation but you have to walk the walk. Methinks their actions will speak louder than the sweet words which fall from their lips.

[ThaksinKharma]

none were closed... move on

The AoT made the decision to close the airport, not the PAD. Are you saying that if airport authorities in any of the incidents listed above had decided to close the airport in the face of a protest, that the charges against the protesters would somehow be terrorism instead of trespassing? I don't think you have thought through your position.

without PAD would they have shut it down for safety? any airport authority in the world would have done the same - the other minor incidents another poster brought up were dealt with swifty by the Police - not carry on for weeks like your friends did - your position in untennable but I doubt I'll shake your utter faith in PAD and the yellow cause - can you imagine Heathrow, JFK shut down for weeks? dream on!

as opposed to "shut down for weeks", swampy was, in the real world, closed for 9 days.

[ThaksinKharma]

They say they want to reconcile. Unless you have justice for both sides there will be no reconciliation. The ball is Abhisits court, if they really want to reconcile then they must show equal justice for REDs and YELLOWs.

It's great to talk about reconciliation but you have to walk the walk. Methinks their actions will speak louder than the sweet words which fall from their lips.

I agree with the equal justice and so first up, the reds for 2007, then the yellows for 2008, then the reds for 2009, and then the reds for 2010.

Equal justice right down the line.

[mazeltov]

none were closed... move on

The AoT made the decision to close the airport, not the PAD. Are you saying that if airport authorities in any of the incidents listed above had decided to close the airport in the face of a protest, that the charges against the protesters would somehow be terrorism instead of trespassing? I don't think you have thought through your position.

Can you tell me if that 'we didn't close the airport' is a official yellow defence line by their lawyers or is it just some stupid argument taken from some yellow propaganda fan page?

[peecee]

Unlike the Red, the Yellow are not terrorist.

They occupy the airports with all their hearts and love of the country.

You are joking right? destroying businesses, destroying tourism, humilitating Thailand in the eyes of the world community - and breaking the law?

'love of the country'?

I think we should just ignore her & she might go away!

[FarangKyAy]

I'm not sure about that : the Thai legislation isn't qualifying the trespassing of an international airport or any demonstration leading to the close down as "Terrorism"?

If the law is written lik this, there's no matter to discuss wether it should be considered as Terrorism or not ...

[nickjam]

A potential step in the right direction but is anyone really expecting any prosecutions?

The yellow's occupation of the airports was an absolute disgrace and all these protesters should have been forcibly removed at the time. I would have liked to have seen their reaction if they had been confronted by the police or army. Their protest remained peaceful only because nobody engaged them and it usually takes two sides to have a battle. We can only speculate what would have happened had the authorities had the balls (and desire) to face them down but I'm sure they would have resorted to some underhand tactics which could have earned them the label "terrorists".

I sincerely hope that my cynicism is misplaced and that people can be held accountable for their actions during the airports seizure. I think such crimes are serious enough to warrant lengthy sentences and dissuade any groups from trying this in the future. Just out of interest, have we ever received an official explanation from the head of police / army as to why the yellows weren't removed?

No reason to wonder. We know exactly what the yellows did when the police started firing at them with bombs in the shape of tear gas canisters.

They did nothing!

That is right. They let the police force their way through and not a single person shot back or launched a grenade at them. They knew where the limits were on civil disobediance.

The PAD certainly were not model citizens, but they were significantly better behaved than the red insurgents who were intent on starting a civil war. The PAD are guilty of trespassing for sure, and can probably be found guilty of some other statutes, not to mention countless civil crimes, but unlike the violent faction of the reds, they are not terrorists.

The police will never get a conviction on that charge, and everyone knows it.

To be honest the police should be put on trial for negligence in not doing their job and clearing the PAD demonstration. If the Thai police were simply a responsible organization rather than a corrupt group of criminals we wouldn't have 10% of the problems we have right now.

I say the police need to file charges against themselves. Then I'll believe Thailand is on the road to recovery.

I completely agree that the police should "file charges against themselves" for general incompetence corruption etc. In both instances (yellow and red) they should have acted swiftly and immediately. I'm all for peaceful protests if they don't disrupt the lives of everyday working or holidaying people. From my memory, the yellow's dispersed after they'd got what they wanted.

Here's wikipedia's summation of the facts (which I agree is subject to clarification on its neutrality)

Police manned checkpoints on roads leading to the airport. At one checkpoint, police found 15 home-made guns, an axe and other weapons in a Dharma Army six-wheel truck taking 20 protesters to Suvarnabhumi airport.^[124] Another checkpoint found an Uzi submachine gun, homemade guns, ammunition, sling shots, bullet-proof vests and metal rods. The vehicle had the universally recognised Red Cross signs on its exterior to give the impression it was being used for medical emergencies.^[125] At another checkpoint, about 2 kilometers from the airport, was attacked by armed PAD forces in vehicles, causing the police to withdraw. Police Senior Sgt Maj Sompop Nathee, an officer from the Border Patrol Police Region 1, later returned to the scene of the clash and was detained by PAD forces. He was interrogated by Samran Rodphet, a PAD leader, and then detained inside the airport. Reporters and photographers tried to follow Sompop to his interrogation, but PAD forces did not allow them.^[126] PAD supporters were moved from Government House to the airport.^[127]

The airport remained closed due to the PAD seizure as of 2 December. With the exception of one airplane leaving for the Hajj, no flights were allowed.^[128] The PAD has been apologetic to inconvenienced foreigners in the airports and offered them food.^[129]

[edit]End of the siege

Shortly after the Constitutional Court dissolved the three parties of the government coalition on 2 December 2008, the PAD held a press conference where they announced that they were ending all of their protests as of 10 AM on 3 December 2008.^[130] "We have won a victory and achieved our aims," said Sondhi Limthongkul.

The yellows are widely credited with bringing down 2 elected governments of Thaksin's allies/cronies and when you get what you want, there's no need to resort to any real violence. It also looks like they were tooling up should it not have gone their way. I would again ask the question how they would have reacted if they hadn't have got what they wanted. With Abhisit constantly going on about "the law" and the illegality of protests that hold the country to ransom I still feel that their actions were serious enough to warrant serious charges (if only to dissuade others in he future) As it stands, it remains an unbalanced response which the reds perceive as unfair and therefore will continue to inhibit the so-called reconciliation process.

[longtom]

Now imagine what the police would have found if they'd manned checkpoints around the red protester's area(s) this year.

[chantorn]

none were closed... move on

The AoT made the decision to close the airport, not the PAD. Are you saying that if airport authorities in any of the incidents listed above had decided to close the airport in the face of a protest, that the charges against the protesters would somehow be terrorism instead of trespassing? I don't think you have thought through your position.

Can you tell me if that 'we didn't close the airport' is a official yellow defence line by their lawyers or is it just some stupid argument taken from some yellow propaganda fan page?

I think fact is fact.

Did PAD order the closure of the airports?

Is there any witness? Please bring forward.

[eggomaniac]

I'm not sure about that : the Thai legislation isn't qualifying the trespassing of an international airport or any demonstration leading to the close down as "Terrorism"?

If the law is written lik this, there's no matter to discuss wether it should be considered as Terrorism or not ...

I don't know, either, whether 'Thai' law classifies the storming of International airports as 'terrorism'; I doubt it. However, there are definitions whereby modern, 'civilized' countries DO agree that would be a class of 'terrorism'. That raises the question; is Thailand a modern, civilized country???.

====================================

Here is the SIMPLE problem with the whole 'terrorism' issue; there should NOT be a crime of 'terrorism! [Wasn't it brainless Bush who started that nonsense?] Just like 'hate crimes', 'terror crimes' should only be an issue of sentencing NOT conviction! No 'hatist' gets charged with 'hatism'. < sounds stupid right!? So is charging someone with 'terrorism', stupid. Those words are not even in the dictionary, for Vishnu's sake.

After the criminals of 'hate crimes' get charged, it is argued whether they will be 'classified' as 'hate crimes' only to allow harsher punishment guidlines.

The actual criminal act is processed on the facts and evidence. If you punch out a man in the Park, you get charged with assault. If evidence shows you were shouting anti-gay epitaphs, then it gets sentenced as a 'hate crime'.

There have been 'convictions' for violence, where the defense argued 'succesfully' it was not a hate crime getting a prison sentence, but a reduced one. Firebomb a religious building, arson... don't shout anti religious slogans and you might avoid 'hate' crime status?

All of these red AND yellow criminals should just be charged with the normal criminal acts they commited, convicted, and sentenced how severely their actions affected the lives of foreigners and the economy of Thailand.

Reds call Yellows 'terrorists'; Yellows call Reds 'terrorists': hey they BOTH committed 'terror' crimes, they should BOTH get appropriate punishment. INSTEAD, they will continue to fight for political control to free themselves and prosecute the other.

Those Government seats used to only be important to get one's nose in the pig trough, NOW it is ALSO a fight to make one side heroes and the other side 'terrorists'.

If Thaksin AND Sondhi are not seriously serving hard time before the next elections, WATCH OUT!!! get out, even.<<< some 'smart' expats have made the move, already.

[chantorn]

I'm not sure about that : the Thai legislation isn't qualifying the trespassing of an international airport or any demonstration leading to the close down as "Terrorism"?

If the law is written lik this, there's no matter to discuss wether it should be considered as Terrorism or not ...

I don't know, either, whether 'Thai' law classifies the storming of International airports as 'terrorism'; I doubt it. However, there are definitions whereby modern, 'civilized' countries DO agree that would be a class of 'terrorism'. That raises the question; is Thailand a modern, civilized country???.

====================================

Here is the SIMPLE problem with the whole 'terrorism' issue; there should NOT be a crime of 'terrorism! [Wasn't it brainless Bush who started that nonsense?] Just like 'hate crimes', 'terror crimes' should only be an issue of sentencing NOT conviction! No 'hatist' gets charged with 'hatism'. < sounds stupid right!? So is charging someone with 'terrorism', stupid. Those words are not even in the dictionary, for Vishnu's sake.

After the criminals of 'hate crimes' get charged, it is argued whether they will be 'classified' as 'hate crimes' only to allow harsher punishment guidlines.

The actual criminal act is processed on the facts and evidence. If you punch out a man in the Park, you get charged with assault. If evidence shows you were shouting anti-gay epitaphs, then it gets sentenced as a 'hate crime'.

There have been 'convictions' for violence, where the defense argued 'succesfully' it was not a hate crime getting a prison sentence, but a reduced one. Firebomb a religious building, arson... don't shout anti religious slogans and you might avoid 'hate' crime status?

All of these red AND yellow criminals should just be charged with the normal criminal acts they commited, convicted, and sentenced how severely their actions affected the lives of foreigners and the economy of Thailand.

Reds call Yellows 'terrorists'; Yellows call Reds 'terrorists': hey they BOTH committed 'terror' crimes, they should BOTH get appropriate punishment. INSTEAD, they will continue to fight for political control to free themselves and prosecute the other.

Those Government seats used to only be important to get one's nose in the pig trough, NOW it is ALSO a fight to make one side heroes and the other side 'terrorists'.

If Thaksin AND Sondhi are not seriously serving hard time before the next elections, WATCH OUT!!! get out, even.<<< some 'smart' expats have made the move, already.

The Red is actually want the Yellow to walk free. Really.

So that the Red can go storm the airport themselves next time. Last time (Apr-May 2010) the Red cannot because Red criticism Yellow as terrorist (for taking the airports), so they have to take Ratchpasong instead, which is no where close, in term of its disruption power.

[symbiosis]

and don't forget occupying the PM's office for two months!

we all know the yellows will go free, so why waste time? The Isan people are smarter than you think - they understand a hypocritical charade when they see one. That's why they protested in BKK in the first place!

[ThaksinKharma]

we all know the yellows will go free, so why waste time? The Isan people are smarter than you think - they understand a hypocritical charade when they see one.

Perhaps some additional math skills are needed:

I agree with the equal justice and so first up, the reds for 2007, then the yellows for 2008, then the reds for 2009, and then the reds for 2010.

Equal justice right down the line.

[gregb]

Here's wikipedia's summation of the facts (which I agree is subject to clarification on its neutrality)

Sorry Nick.

I don't accept anything posted on Wikipedia as factual. It is much too easy for anyone to edit. You might as well say it is true because I say it is true.

It is disingenuous to post it and think a simple disclaimer that you understand it might be biased is sufficient. You need to find some credible sources to support your position, or it isn't worth posting.

For myself, I saw absolutely no weapons carried by the yellows, despite significant television coverage. When the yellows were attacked by the police, they surrendered and tended to their wounded. They put up no violent protests. They may not be model citizens, but there is no primary evidence that they were violent. There is hearsay and untrustworthy Wikipedia entries. That's all.

The reds on the other hand clearly had an armed faction that were violent. You can let your personal biases colour your judgement all you want. I believe what I saw. The yellows should not have been allowed to get away with what they did, but they did know when to quit.

The reds went too far.

Charging the yellows with terrorism is ridiculous. Everyone knows it. Charging the violent faction of the reds with terrorism is not so far fetched.

[overhaul38]

Truly Alice in Wonderland material. Block the streets resulting in several deaths and multiple injuries, occupy the gov. building and both airports causing tremendous property damage, strand tens of thousands of travelers for days and the perpetrators are outraged that they MIGHT be charged!

In the world of reality that is Thailand I will be the most surprised person in the world if any charges are actually made and anyone is actually held accountable and punished.

[overhaul38]

Here's wikipedia's summation of the facts (which I agree is subject to clarification on its neutrality)

Sorry Nick.

I don't accept anything posted on Wikipedia as factual. It is much too easy for anyone to edit. You might as well say it is true because I say it is true.

It is disingenuous to post it and think a simple disclaimer that you understand it might be biased is sufficient. You need to find some credible sources to support your position, or it isn't worth posting.

For myself, I saw absolutely no weapons carried by the yellows, despite significant television coverage. When the yellows were attacked by the police, they surrendered and tended to their wounded. They put up no violent protests. They may not be model citizens, but there is no primary evidence that they were violent. There is hearsay and untrustworthy Wikipedia entries. That's all.

The reds on the other hand clearly had an armed faction that were violent. You can let your personal biases colour your judgement all you want. I believe what I saw. The yellows should not have been allowed to get away with what they did, but they did know when to quit.

The reds went too far.

Charging the yellows with terrorism is ridiculous. Everyone knows it. Charging the violent faction of the reds with terrorism is not so far fetched.

There was very little need for arms by the yellow shirts.

They were totally supported by the army and police and there was never any threat that force would be used to breakup their occupation.

They surrendered when they obtained their goals with no arrests.

The airlines and the airports bore the expense of repairs and loss of revenue without a whimper. They were aware of the

status of power and filed no complaints or requests for compensation. Big hearted? I think better judgment.