Australian Red Shirt Conor David Purcell Wants To Return To Thailand

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Aussie protester claims he was beaten in Thai prison

Erik Jensen

An Australian man deported from Thailand after supporting anti-government Red Shirt protesters says he was beaten in prison and feared the Thai government would plant drugs on him.

Conor Purcell arrived in Sydney this morning after more than three months in prison.

He said he intended to return to Thailand but was critical of the support he had received from the Australian government while in prison.

"I'm going to go through the FOI Act to find out what exactly was happening."

He said he was beaten by seven other prisoners in an "ordered assault" and denied medical attention for almost two weeks afterwards.

After the attack he could not walk and had blood in his urine, he said.

He said he was kept in a cell with almost 40 prisoners, some convicted murderers awaiting appeal.

"On the second day, they had seven criminals beat the living shit out of me," he said.

"It was the most cowardly assault you could imagine. They went crazy on my spine, my back, my ribs, my kidneys.

"They [the Thai government] could plant whatever they wanted on me."

Mr Purcell - who accepted political charges against him but did not plead guilty - said he did not know a lot about Thai politics before he became involved with the Red Shirt but felt compelled to help after seeing the violence at protests in April.

"I had to speak out against what I'd seen ... what I saw on April 10 was absolutely horrendous. Compared to the Bloody Sunday massacre [in Northern Ireland] this was way worse, this was incredible," he said.

"I am almost certain they will prevent me from returning. I will do whatever I can ... and then try to go back to Thailand."

Mr Purcell was met by a group of about 15 supporters from Thai Red Australia, carrying banners that called him a hero and welcomed him home.

"Welcome home Conor Purcell," read one poster. And, on the reverse, referring to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva: "Abhisit is a tyrant. We don't want murderer PM. We don't want mafia ruler government in Thailand."

source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/aussie-protester-claims-he-was-beaten-in-thai-prison-20100908-150jl.html

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

-- 2010-09-08

[Tigs]

"I am almost certain they will prevent me from returning. I will do whatever I can ... and then try to go back to Thailand."

:cheesy:

[bdenner]

Som nom nah!

[webfact]

Aussie Red Shirt Returns Home Professing Thai Prison Hell

An Australian man deported from Thailand over his involvement with the April/May anti-government Red Shirt protests has explained how he was beaten while in prison and feared the Thai government would plant drugs in his possession.

Thailand, the 8th of September 2010: Conor Purcell arrived in Sydney on Wednesday morning after spending more than three months in a Thai prison over his involvement in the recent anti-government Red Shirt protests in Bangkok.

Despite complaining that he was brutally beaten in an ‘ordered assault’ while in prison and constantly fearing for his life and safety, Purcell stated that he intended to return to Thailand. He also voiced his criticism of the Australian government at their lack of support, stating, “I’m going to go through the FOI Act to find out what exactly was happening.”

Full story HERE

PATTAYA DAILY NEWS

-- 2010-09-08

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[Pib]

Guess he liked being beaten in Thai prison so much, he wants to come back to see if he can get seconds. Maybe he should just stay in Australia and shoot himself in the foot...that should be pretty painful also.

[xen]

Mr Purcell - who accepted political charges against him but did not plead guilty - said he did not know a lot about Thai politics before he became involved with the Red Shirt but felt compelled to help after seeing the violence at protests in April.

It is obvious that he still does not understand Thai politics.

[ToffeEFCpower]

Maybe he can come back here in time for the reconciliation talks. LOL

[TCW]

What an idiot, or does he have mental health issues? Not content with alleging a fake consipracy against the government of Thailand (they "could have" planted drugs, but they didn't did they?) he now wants to take on the Australian government.

At least the other Red Shirt British gentleman has had the decency to shut his mouth about it once he was deported.

[neverdie]

I can see the Prison beating didnt knock any sense into him

[Cuchulainn]

Didn't beat him hard enough!

[sevenhills]

What an idiot, or does he have mental health issues? Not content with alleging a fake consipracy against the government of Thailand (they "could have" planted drugs, but they didn't did they?) he now wants to take on the Australian government.

At least the other Red Shirt British gentleman has had the decency to shut his mouth about it once he was deported.

But you must remember he is of Irish descent.

[Arjay]

Mr. Purcell go back to Australia and involve yourself of politics there! Don't come back. You are not welcome here by the Thais and us foreigners. You give us a bad name.

[BettleBailey]

Can't figure out if he is a drama queen, dumb arse, or douch bag. I think he should come back.

[HKTMAN]

He should stay away from the beginning. This is not his country and shouldn't be involved. What a pitty. This is all his own fault.

[Rumblecat]

Well, I'll probably be dragged through the streets for this, but I think what he did was fairly brave. He saw what he perceived to be a big social injustice and he spoke out about it, knowing that his position as a foreigner would gain a certain level of media exposure to what he had to say. If you watch his speeches (which are fairly painful to sit through, I know) there isn't really anything that bad he says in them, or that controversial. And the message he promotes is one of reconciliation and peace.

Now I might be wrong about that and if anyone has chunks from his speech where he's doing otherwise, I'd be genuinely interested in reading or seeing them. But there seems to be some truth in what he reported seeing, concerning troops and civilians, and it takes a certain amount guts to stand up and be counted.

Don't get me wrong- I'm no red shirt sympathiser, and on a personal level I find Purcell oddly creepy, but I'm honestly interested to know what portions of his speech and what he said that people find so appalling that they'd wish various levels of physical harm on him. Or is it just a belief that a foreigner should never get involved in the politics of any country that isn't their own?

[dudeinthailand]

People love to complain about what the Thai Police do or don't do and then choose to live here and want to come back. Live by rules and you wont have any problems.

[Xircal]

Well, according to http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2487 (see #11), he wouldn't be allowed back in anyway. He just loves being in the limelight I think.

[cushendall]

What an idiot, or does he have mental health issues? Not content with alleging a fake consipracy against the government of Thailand (they "could have" planted drugs, but they didn't did they?) he now wants to take on the Australian government.

At least the other Red Shirt British gentleman has had the decency to shut his mouth about it once he was deported.

But you must remember he is of Irish descent.

Keep your racist remarks to yourself

[YuriGuest2010]

<P>Great that he get the tasted of thai prison and he still do not repent after being released and send back home.<BR>This type of person need a better lesson then in Jail coz he is interferring thai internal politics which foreigners <BR>shouldn't involved. Everybody are the same when you goes to other countries you need to abide their rules and<BR>regulations set by each country. Why mess up yourself with all these dirty politics which doesn't involve yourself.<BR>Hope the Thai Immigration will banned him to enter thailand forever. It does make us (Australian) like a fool and <BR>disgrace when coming to BKK for holiday.</P>

[charmonman]

Well, I'll probably be dragged through the streets for this, but I think what he did was fairly brave.

They say there is a fine line between bravery and stupidity, but this guy is way over on the stupid side. By his own admission he knows nothing about Thai politics but decided to jump in head first and shoot his mouth off about it in public in the middle of a clearly dangerous and volatile situation. Then he expects the Australian embassy to bail him out of the consequences of his ill-considered actions? What a goof! Maybe on his next adventure he should go to Iran and join anti-government protesters there, or how about Burma? Might be an education for him as he obviously needs it, as does anyone who actually thinks Abhisit is anything remotely close to a "tyrant".

[OJAS]

If his ancestors were convicts who were transported from Blighty to Aussieland way back when, he is now back in his rightful home IMHO

[midasthailand]

What an idiot, or does he have mental health issues? Not content with alleging a fake consipracy against the government of Thailand (they "could have" planted drugs, but they didn't did they?) he now wants to take on the Australian government.

At least the other Red Shirt British gentleman has had the decency to shut his mouth about it once he was deported.

But you must remember he is of Irish descent.

Keep your racist remarks to yourself

Stating the mans ethnicity is hardly a racist comment. And he himself refers to the bloody Sunday massacre in Ireland! As far as I'm concerned he is Irish by birth with Australian citizenship and WRONGLY involved himself in the politics of a third country. &lt;deleted&gt; was he doing there on April 10 to get shot by rubber bullets anyway! Unfortunately this moron will now make appearances on Australian TV and in magazines and get handsomely paid for his trouble. I can think of easier ways to make a quid!

The guy claims he was beaten on orders in Thai prison, but if he behaved in prison the way he behaved in public I expect the beating (if given) was not ordered but deserved.

[garyh]

No wonder we have Irish jokes in Australia, if you listen to him speak he does not have an ozzie accent.

[paymaster]

Can't figure out if he is a drama queen, dumb arse, or douch bag. I think he should come back.

Dear Beetle, Is it possible he could be all three?

[Screws]

Well, according to http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2487 (see #11), he wouldn't be allowed back in anyway. He just loves being in the limelight I think.

And he didn't know much about Thai politics before he joined the yellow shirts a couple of years earlier. Pics elsewhere on TV of him with yellow headband in airport hong narm. Desperate for his sip ha natee.

"Can't figure out if he is a drama queen, dumb arse, or douch bag"

Hat trick.

[mmh8]

I would love to ask this guy some questions

lol, what did you think would happen when you were arrested? heros reception, lol another dropkick

[w11guy]

It's hilariously funny that so many people don't think he should get involved in the politics of another country. But hang on a minute. The USA, UK and many other countries are only too happy to stick their nose into the affairs of almost any country they disagree with. Not only that but they are happy to allow hundreds of thousands of civilians to be killed. But that's ok, it's only colleateral damage. There seem to be plenty of double standards here. I don't hear you all saying how wrong it is to be involved in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

[Englander]

Mr Purcell - who accepted political charges against him but did not plead guilty - said he did not know a lot about Thai politics before he became involved with the Red Shirt but felt compelled to help after seeing the violence at protests in April.

It is obvious that he still does not understand Thai politics.

Yes he's probably thinking why didnt i get locked up for 3 month and deported after being pictured protesting with the Yellow shirts the other year, maybe its the blatant double standards that he doesnt understand.

Link to him as a yellow -

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/8454/img6593f.jpg

[jeanpierre]

in the seventhys i was working in east germanie not alowed to speak about politics

two years later algeria same thing both communist countrys

same same thailand?

[kutjebu]

Mr. Purcell go back to Australia and involve yourself of politics there! Don't come back. You are not welcome here by the Thais and us foreigners. You give us a bad name.

We have already a bad name over here.Read the Pattaya post.Everyday bullshit with farangs.