Tight Security As Red Shirts Plan Mass Weekend Rally

[george]

Thailand's Red Shirts plan mass weekend rally

BANGKOK, October 15, 2010 (AFP) - Thailand's "Red Shirt" anti-government movement said Friday it expected thousands of supporters to join a mass rally outside Bangkok this weekend, with authorities planning tight security.

The gathering in Ayutthaya on Sunday could be even bigger than one on September 19 in the capital, said co-organiser Somyot Pruksakasemsuk.

Police estimated that about 6,000 people attended that rally, which marked four years since a coup ousted their hero Thaksin Shinawatra as premier and commemorated those slain in a May crackdown on the Reds' Bangkok protests.

Thai authorities said the Red Shirts would be allowed to gather on Sunday provided their activities were within the law.

"If they come and do not break the laws and protest for a short period of time to express their opinion, they can do that," army chief General Prayut Chan-O-Cha told reporters.

"If the protest turns violent, the leader of the protests must be responsible under the law," he said. "I'm asking the protesters to rally under the law and not disturb other people's freedom."

Mass rallies by the Red Shirts in the heart of Bangkok in April and May left 91 people dead -- mainly civilians -- in clashes between demonstrators and armed soldiers.

The mainly poor and working class Reds accuse the current government of being elitist and undemocratic and want immediate elections.

Bangkok and three surrounding provinces -- but not Ayutthaya -- remain under a state of emergency, which gives the authorities broad security powers.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-10-15

[nong38]

Are they making a late bid to take control of Liverpool?

[powderpuff]

Good to see that Army is in charge rather than the inept "police".

Firepower on an equal basis.

[Buchholz]

The gathering in Ayutthaya on Sunday could be even bigger than one on September 19 in the capital, said co-organiser Somyot Pruksakasemsuk.

The Red Shirt Leader of the Suicide Bomber threat thread.

[chantorn]

Red shirts would not be prevented from submitting complaint to United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon who is scheduled to visit Thailand in two weeks, Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation's spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Friday. - The nation

Good news. Thanks CRES. I am sure that you also approved BKM visit, and all his itinerary, while in Thailand ofcause.

[jackr]

Stroll on. Don't even let the perps congregate, full stop! We all know what they're about and capable of. The bane of Thailand.

[ozsamurai]

When will the government realize they can never compete with a martyr, they should have him back, pardoned and prove that he is nothing but a fantasy to the 'rural poor'.

Oz

[Bizz]

I'm tried of listening who gives a v shit any more.

[silp1979]

5000 now 6000 it will be much, much more

they could invade bkk anytime, with a lot of lifes lost (99 % on the red side)

nobody leads them to that destructive way for now, we will see what the future brings

militant extremists probably busy in a very destructive way now

have a good weekend in BKK and better stay home, lying on the ground so the bullets can not hit you

Edited October 16, 2010 by silp1979

[Ricardo]

I find it an encouraging sign, that the new army-chief both understands & supports the right to peaceful political-gatherings, so long as they remain peaceful.

Given the history of the supposed-peaceful gathering in April/May, and all the recent pronouncements about 'Red Warriors' & 'Red Suicide-Bombers', it might have been easy to over-react and simply say "No" to the gathering.

Well done general ! Carry on !!

[asiawatcher]

More back slapping and brainwashing. (yawn).

[Buchholz]

5000 now 6000 it will be much, much more

they could invade bkk anytime, with a lot of lifes lost (99 % on the red side)

nobody leads them to that destructive way for now, we will see what the future brings

militant extremists probably busy in a very destructive way now

have a good weekend in BKK and better stay home, lying on the ground so the bullets can not hit you

The Reds do have a leader now for this... he's the maniacal one warning of Red Suicide Bombers... which, if it's not just another Red empty bald-face lie, would result in 99.99% dead who are NOT on the red side.

The gathering in Ayutthaya on Sunday could be even bigger than one on September 19 in the capital, said co-organiser Somyot Pruksakasemsuk.

The Red Shirt Leader of the Suicide Bomber threat thread.

[Pi Sek]

I see a lot of people here that post bad stuff about the red shirts not because the govt is paying them, but mainly because the govt ISN'T paying someone else as they possibly should!

You've also got to realise that a lot of people here are very angry about the destruction to Bangkok in April-May. A lot of people here have businesses and the there are SO many problems already without having a bunch of terrorists invade hospitals, close down important access roads, scare off tourists, punch passers-by, shoot grenades at Skytrain platforms, try to burn down the capital city & provincial halls or whatever. It doesn't matter if the business is in Bangkok or not - it affected everyone, in a time where consumerism was already at a 20-year low.

But, thunder30101, I have to say that having anti-reds is healthy, as they bring balance to the pro-red obviously-paid trolls around (I am sure I have seen more than 10). The difference between the anti-red trolls and the pro-red trolls is that the pro-red ones use false information to make their point (e.g. the army killed the poor unarmed protesters, the Abhisit govt wasn't democratically elected, the black shirts weren't anything to do with the red shirts, etc, etc) whereas the anti-red ones use news sources (OK, news isn't exactly neutral, but at least it's a documented source), photo and video evidence, facts...

[maraudingscot]

The difference between the anti-red trolls and the pro-red trolls is that the pro-red ones use false information to make their point (e.g. the army killed the poor unarmed protesters, the Abhisit govt wasn't democratically elected, the black shirts weren't anything to do with the red shirts, etc, etc) whereas the anti-red ones use news sources (OK, news isn't exactly neutral, but at least it's a documented source), photo and video evidence, facts...

Ok you post any video clip without commentar and you will get different stories from different people as to the actual story. What is the truth, it is only someones take on that paricular subject. There will always be pro and anti in everything. Its just sad that it comes down to one side or the other using violence to quell the other sides voice. Throw the verdict to the whole country and let everyone (who has a right to vote) vote and have the result counted by a trustworth independant source, only that way would you get what the majority want.

Some people will say this is a nono as you have people voting and they do not know the correct way to vote! a person voting will vote for what they feel that they should votefor, why should someone else tell them how to vote! Why should someone else "dictate" what the other person should vote for. If someone breaks the law fine then they should be subject to that law. Telling someone that they do not know the right way to vote is only another form of dictatorship. People make there decision on what they perceive around them and what they think is best for them. So YOU cannot tell someone how they should voteor why the cannot say what they believe in. If they break the law then ok,

The red shirts are only voicing what they believe in, as the yellow shirts have done. I believe the red shirts wanted a vote to take place in November?

anyway I have ranted enough. This is only my thoughts )

[chantorn]

Somyot Pruksakasemsuk is a Re-shirt leader. Why is he not arrested for causing public nonsense? Like the flip flop seller?

http://trinleychodron.wordpress.com/2010/06/03/somyot-pruksakasemsuk-says%E2%80%9D-i-wanna-sacrifice-my-liberty-but-my-humanity-%E2%80%9C-the-written-declaration-was-being-written-before-he-was-detained-on-26-may-2010-bangkokthailand/

Edited October 17, 2010 by chantorn

[Ricardo]

<snip for brevity>

The red shirts are only voicing what they believe in, as the yellow shirts have done. I believe the red shirts wanted a vote to take place in November?

<snip>

Unfortunately when PM-Abhisit offered the Red-Shirt leaders an election in November, live on national-TV, they initially liked the idea but, after one of them got an SMS from an unknown person, they then firmly rejected the offer.

Clearly someone of influence on their side made a serious misjudgement. It wasn't the poor rank-and-file, who were never consulted, one can only speculate who might have had so much power to sway or over-rule the leaders' decision ?

[hammered]

It will beinteresting to see how many people the feudal lord of Ayuthaya will turn out as he is in the running to head up the ole PTP and this is a test for him.

[Ulysses G.]

Unfortunately when PM-Abhisit offered the Red-Shirt leaders an election in November, live on national-TV, they initially liked the idea but, after one of them got an SMS from an unknown person, they then firmly rejected the offer.

Who could that be...

Edited October 17, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[SergeiY]

Unfortunately when PM-Abhisit offered the Red-Shirt leaders an election in November, live on national-TV, they initially liked the idea but, after one of them got an SMS from an unknown person, they then firmly rejected the offer.

Who could that be...

Maybe Santa. ...

btw. Abhisit never really offered an election in November.

[way2muchcoffee]

Maybe Santa. ...

btw. Abhisit never really offered an election in November.

Err. Okay. I watched it live. The offer was indeed made by Abhisit. It was made during the live televised debate. Veera had all but agreed to the offer when suddenly Jatuporn received a phone call. He called for a break in the negotiations, met privately with Veera and Nathawut, and then they came back and said 'No deal'. The whole thing was televised. For you to deny this is ludicrous.

The offer was made again about a week before the military moved in to contain the Ratchaprasong area. It was again rejected.

Edited October 17, 2010 by way2muchcoffee

[SergeiY]

Maybe Santa. ...

btw. Abhisit never really offered an election in November.

Err. Okay. I watched it live. The offer was indeed made by Abhisit, but rejected by Jatuporn. The whole thing was televised.

The offer was made again about a week before the military moved in to contain the Ratchaprasong area. It was again rejected.

Not really.

[way2muchcoffee]

[Not really.

Okay. Whatever. No point discussing anything further with you. You have now shown yourself to be a liar who will say anything to further your agenda.

You have some nerve coming on here and denying what hundreds of thousands of people, including myself, viewed live on television.

Edited October 17, 2010 by way2muchcoffee

[basjke]

Somyot Pruksakasemsuk is a Re-shirt leader. Why is he not arrested for causing public nonsense? Like the flip flop seller?

http://trinleychodron.wordpress.com/2010/06/03/somyot-pruksakasemsuk-says%E2%80%9D-i-wanna-sacrifice-my-liberty-but-my-humanity-%E2%80%9C-the-written-declaration-was-being-written-before-he-was-detained-on-26-may-2010-bangkokthailand/

Congratulations,after 965 posts at last you made a sensible one.

[Insight]

Maybe Santa. ...

btw. Abhisit never really offered an election in November.

Err. Okay. I watched it live. The offer was indeed made by Abhisit. It was made during the live televised debate. Veera had all but agreed to the offer when suddenly Jatuporn received a phone call. He called for a break in the negotiations, met privately with Veera and Nathawut, and then they came back and said 'No deal'. The whole thing was televised. For you to deny this is ludicrous.

The offer was made again about a week before the military moved in to contain the Ratchaprasong area. It was again rejected.

Red apologists haven't got much ground here. They could attempt to use the caveat of there having no unrest between when the offer was made and the election, but once the rejection was given the reasons why were obvious to Thais and their agenda revealed to the world. The rejection of this offer also is arguably the main reason Amsterdam's lobbying efforts have fallen on deaf ears diplomatically.

There's every chance this conflict will get bloody again as the red shirts are being instructed to press on as I type (although news of this gathering is very thin on the ground tonight). Whatever democratic legitimacy the reds are choosing to press on with however has been left completely in tatters.

[SergeiY]

Maybe Santa. ...

btw. Abhisit never really offered an election in November.

Err. Okay. I watched it live. The offer was indeed made by Abhisit. It was made during the live televised debate. Veera had all but agreed to the offer when suddenly Jatuporn received a phone call. He called for a break in the negotiations, met privately with Veera and Nathawut, and then they came back and said 'No deal'. The whole thing was televised. For you to deny this is ludicrous.

The offer was made again about a week before the military moved in to contain the Ratchaprasong area. It was again rejected.

Red apologists haven't got much ground here. They could attempt to use the caveat of there having no unrest between when the offer was made and the election, but once the rejection was given the reasons why were obvious to Thais and their agenda revealed to the world. The rejection of this offer also is arguably the main reason Amsterdam's lobbying efforts have fallen on deaf ears diplomatically.

There's every chance this conflict will get bloody again as the red shirts are being instructed to press on as I type (although news of this gathering is very thin on the ground tonight). Whatever democratic legitimacy the reds are choosing to press on with however has been left completely in tatters.

[whybother]

Maybe Santa. ...

btw. Abhisit never really offered an election in November.

Err. Okay. I watched it live. The offer was indeed made by Abhisit, but rejected by Jatuporn. The whole thing was televised.

The offer was made again about a week before the military moved in to contain the Ratchaprasong area. It was again rejected.

Not really.

Maybe you can explain why you think it was 'not really'.

[hyperdimension]

I watched it live. The offer was indeed made by Abhisit. It was made during the live televised debate. Veera had all but agreed to the offer when suddenly Jatuporn received a phone call. He called for a break in the negotiations, met privately with Veera and Nathawut, and then they came back and said 'No deal'. The whole thing was televised.

Does anyone have a YouTube link of this actual event so that we can show documented proof to everyone that the UDD leaders did indeed reject the generous offer of what they supposedly were fighting for?

[SergeiY]

Maybe Santa. ...

btw. Abhisit never really offered an election in November.

Err. Okay. I watched it live. The offer was indeed made by Abhisit, but rejected by Jatuporn. The whole thing was televised.

The offer was made again about a week before the military moved in to contain the Ratchaprasong area. It was again rejected.

Not really.

Maybe you can explain why you think it was 'not really'.

I don't even know why you think he really has.

[Throatwobbler]

Don't feed the troll

[sjjmmi]

:cheesy: :cheesy:

Don't feed the troll