Thai Yellow Shirts Rally Against Government

[webfact]

Thai 'Yellow Shirts' rally against government

BANGKOK, November 23, 2010 (AFP) - More than 1,000 "Yellow Shirt" royalist protesters rallied outside Thailand's parliament Tuesday in protest at the government's proposed amendments to the constitution.

Abandoning their trademark yellow garb for multi-coloured clothing, leaders of the movement accused Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of betraying voters by trying to change the current charter without a referendum.

The Yellows, officially known as the People's Alliance for Democracy, used to be closely linked to Abhisit, who came to power in 2008 after their protests helped to bring down the former government, but relations have since soured.

"Today you have seen Abhisit's true colours. Just being good-looking and good at talking is not always good for the people," said Yellow leader Sondhi Limthongkul.

"It's time for his backers to know the truth," he told the crowd.

The establishment-backed Yellows are rallying against proposed amendments which would benefit smaller parties in elections.

It is the latest in a series of Yellow rallies that are seen by many as a general show of strength by the movement rather than inspired by ideology.

Police said that by midday the crowd numbered between 1,000 and 1,200 Yellows, who rival the mainly poor and working-class "Red Shirts" in Thailand's colour-coded and crippling street politics.

The Reds, who mainly support fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, held mass anti-government rallies earlier this year, which culminated in deadly clashes with troops.

Their hero Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup following large-scale Yellow Shirt protests, after which the current constitution was brought in.

His supporters have called for the charter to be scrapped and replaced with the one from 1997, often referred to as the "People's Constitution".

The government meanwhile has proposed a return to smaller, single-seat constituencies from multi-seat ones and clarification on which international treaties require parliamentary approval.

Parliament will vote on proposals on Thursday after two days of debates, during which the Yellows intend to continue their protests.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-11-23

[hearditallbefore]

Here we go again with the yella bellies RUINING the tourism, blocking the investments from abroad, burning and damaging personal property, taking over the airport again, costing taxpayers millions, terrorist yellows, blah blah blah the nation said this and the nation said that..........crap

[jdinasia]

This story should pretty well put to rest many of the criticisms about the current government

[BusyBee123]

'Today you have seen Abhisit's true colours. Just being good-looking and good at talking is not always good for the people," said Yellow leader Sondhi Limthongkul'

someone needs to go to specsavers

[Godolphin]

I suppose they will be continuing to call for 70% of the voting population being disenfranchised because they are too stupid and poor.

Let's see how many of them end up in the slammer.

[rubl]

The OP suggests that the PAD doesn't want changes to the constitution without a referendum. Still changes should be discussed and agreed upon in parliament before put to a referendum, otherwise we would really get into an ongoing, neverending saga.

Costs and elapsed time should not be a consideration, democracy has it's price

[hammered]

It is politcal play. The PAD want to ensure none of the three possible ammendments get passed. That is a quite likely outcome unless enough senators back the government one. If none are passed the PAD can claim they pressured X,Y and Z to not vote for them and look important. If none are passed Dems and PTP will be happy as they lobve the big constituencies. It will be interesting to see how many dems and how many independent senators no show, vote against or abstain. Only a handful of Dems who resist the party position and a the few unaligned senators will decide the vote on the government ammendment. The rest of the ammendments are dead before they even get considered, and most parliamentarians and senators are locked into a vote by their patrons.

[random]

Maybe it should read 'convicted criminal Sondhi Limthongkul', I detest this guy but at least he has finally realised that abhist is a damp squib

[rubl]

Maybe it should read 'convicted criminal Sondhi Limthongkul', I detest this guy but at least he has finally realised that abhist is a damp squib

K. Sondhi was convicted to pay damages in a defamation case against k. Thaksin. Does that justify 'convicted criminal' ?

As for calling PM Abhisit a 'damp squib', name calling may be a British tradition, but not done in Thailand. Please tone down your replies.

[evanson]

Maybe it should read 'convicted criminal Sondhi Limthongkul', I detest this guy but at least he has finally realised that abhist is a damp squib

And Taksin is a ... ?

[philw]

Maybe it should read 'convicted criminal Sondhi Limthongkul', I detest this guy but at least he has finally realised that abhist is a damp squib

And Taksin is a ... ?

How about tepid squib ?

[jdinasia]

Maybe it should read 'convicted criminal Sondhi Limthongkul', I detest this guy but at least he has finally realised that abhist is a damp squib

And Taksin is a ... ?

A convicted criminal on the run from justice who is still bankrolling the red insurrection movement?

[ChiangMaiFun]

Maybe it should read 'convicted criminal Sondhi Limthongkul', I detest this guy but at least he has finally realised that abhist is a damp squib

And Taksin is a ... ?

dry squib? and 1000 yellows? - wow what a show of force

Edited November 23, 2010 by ChiangMaiFun

[SergeiY]

Maybe it should read 'convicted criminal Sondhi Limthongkul', I detest this guy but at least he has finally realised that abhist is a damp squib

K. Sondhi was convicted to pay damages in a defamation case against k. Thaksin. Does that justify 'convicted criminal' ?

As for calling PM Abhisit a 'damp squib', name calling may be a British tradition, but not done in Thailand. Please tone down your replies.

Didn't he got some jail sentences too and not only once but a couple of times. there are LM charges, slander and libel not only related to Thaksin but other persons too. The Thai law see that as criminal offence.

[Scott]

The thread is about the Yellow-Shirt Rally. It's not about finding new ways to call politicians and former politicians names. Unless, of course, you want a posting holiday.

Opinions, even strong ones are welcomed, but please exercise care in your posts.

Thanks.

[Phatcharanan]

Here we go again with the yella bellies RUINING the tourism, blocking the investments from abroad, burning and damaging personal property, taking over the airport again, costing taxpayers millions, terrorist yellows, blah blah blah the nation said this and the nation said that..........crap

Won't happen.

Stop being such a drama queen.

[jayjay0]

The thread is about the Yellow-Shirt Rally. It's not about finding new ways to call politicians and former politicians names. Unless, of course, you want a posting holiday.

Opinions, even strong ones are welcomed, but please exercise care in your posts.

Thanks.

Now look what you have done no more posts you scared the troll's

I followed it to see if any thing had happened apparently it was not well supported. Maybe it is time for the yellow and red shirts to join forces and ride off into the setting sun.

[Scott]

Well jayjay0, I apologize if I have chased people away!

I was wondering if the rally had ended, if there were any untoward events, if there was anything of substance that came out of it.

If the numbers were low, as had been earlier reported, does that signal anything? Has the gov't responded in anyway? Any analysis?

[Ulysses G.]

If the yellow shirts and the red shirts are against him, the PM must be doing something right.

[truethailand]

Maybe it should read 'convicted criminal Sondhi Limthongkul', I detest this guy but at least he has finally realised that abhist is a damp squib

K. Sondhi was convicted to pay damages in a defamation case against k. Thaksin. Does that justify 'convicted criminal' ?

As for calling PM Abhisit a 'damp squib', name calling may be a British tradition, but not done in Thailand. Please tone down your replies.

Damp squid "please tone it down' you need get out more.. Thats the nicest thing most are saying. I can forgive Suthep he does not know any better but Abhisit was raised in a more democratic country with at least some standards and morals, he knows real democracy but comes back as leader and oversees the massacre of his own people. I cannot believe for one minute he wanted that outcome but the ones pulling his strings did. We call that a puppet

And if I am not mistaken Sondhi went bankrupt for around a billion baht and there was some dodgy deal with a man he knew at a bank. If we wait long enough we may have a luk krueng Prime Minister who can draw on experience from two cultures not just this corrupt one.

[jdinasia]

If the yellow shirts and the red shirts are against him, the PM must be doing something right.

+1

as for truethailand's "massacre of his own people" ---- They simply should not have been armed and carrying out an insurrection. You can only warn people for so many months before they HAVE to be shut down. The difference between May 2010 and the past is that the government survived, and that the military responded to the call from the civilian government.

[ChiangMaiFun]

If the yellow shirts and the red shirts are against him, the PM must be doing something right.

+1

as for truethailand's "massacre of his own people" ---- They simply should not have been armed and carrying out an insurrection. You can only warn people for so many months before they HAVE to be shut down. The difference between May 2010 and the past is that the government survived, and that the military responded to the call from the civilian government.

'and that the military responded to the call from the civilian government' oh dear oh dear - you are aware they pull the strings period

[philw]

If the yellow shirts and the red shirts are against him, the PM must be doing something right.

+1

as for truethailand's "massacre of his own people" ---- They simply should not have been armed and carrying out an insurrection. You can only warn people for so many months before they HAVE to be shut down. The difference between May 2010 and the past is that the government survived, and that the military responded to the call from the civilian government.

'and that the military responded to the call from the civilian government' oh dear oh dear - you are aware they pull the strings period

Good point and which should be accepted but probably not.

The country is now run by the Army with the Prime Minister ( elected according to many here.... ) reduced to the level of asking the military to "reconsider" their latest edict.

They in substance declined.

I think we should get accustomed to the fact the Army are running , and will continue, to run the show.

Is anybody optimistic for Thailand's medium term future ?

[afarang]

If the yellow shirts and the red shirts are against him, the PM must be doing something right.

+1

as for truethailand's "massacre of his own people" ---- They simply should not have been armed and carrying out an insurrection. You can only warn people for so many months before they HAVE to be shut down. The difference between May 2010 and the past is that the government survived, and that the military responded to the call from the civilian government.

'and that the military responded to the call from the civilian government' oh dear oh dear - you are aware they pull the strings period

The military responded to the call of Govt?. You have got it the wrong way round ,The military TOLD the Govt. to fall in line. Nothing in Thailand happens without military approval. Why do you think Abisiht was holed up in a military camp ,for some weeks?. He has no power . The kindest thing you could ,is that he is a puppy -dog

[afarang]

The Govt. told the army what to do?Sorry, you have got it back to front. The army told the Govt, what they intended to do. Why do you think the P.M. ,was holed up in an Army camp for weeks?He was under starters orders. Who is the starter> The army. Nothing gets done here ,without the army's approval

[jdinasia]

No, I don't think the military is "in charge" though I would not argue a stance that they still have too much power. The military (like the reds) is not an entirely cohesive group. That is why Thaksin wanted the Dems out before October, which is why the redshirt rally was timed the way it was.

Afarang brings up a point that should be touched on somewhere. Why was Abhisit staying at 1st Regiment? As a puppet the way Afarang suggests? or was the threat against the civilian government by Sae Daeng's Ronin so credible that there was no other safe option at the time? If Abhisit was toeing the party-line and not suggesting things that actually work against the "elite" and the military, then I would agree with the statements made by some people here. Since, however, he is actually working to get things done and make some changes. I would have to say that overall ... the folks that have bought into the red party-line are the puppets

[animatic]

If the yellow shirts and the red shirts are against him, the PM must be doing something right.

Now THAT we can agree on!

[lungmi]

Here we go again with the yella bellies RUINING the tourism, blocking the investments from abroad, burning and damaging personal property, taking over the airport again, costing taxpayers millions, terrorist yellows, blah blah blah the nation said this and the nation said that..........crap

#

blah, blah, blah

[rubl]

A few posts saying that it's 'known' the army rules the country, pulls the ropes of the PM, etc., etc. Not much proof given, not really. Just some 'agree'.

I don't think the army rules the country, I don't think the PM has his ropes pulled by the army. Don't ask for proof, this I only think

[whybother]

A few posts saying that it's 'known' the army rules the country, pulls the ropes of the PM, etc., etc. Not much proof given, not really. Just some 'agree'.

I don't think the army rules the country, I don't think the PM has his ropes pulled by the army. Don't ask for proof, this I only think

I agree.