Red Shirts Setting Back Up For A Long Gathering Again?

[coma]

All quiet and no streets blocked off out the front of the Red Mini Mart and the Train Station as of midday.

[slapout]

To disrupt traffic seems to be a pastime here in CM. We have the schools having a march around the moat, the loud speaker trucks following closely behind. The next day a temple caravan is driving around the moat with their solicitors walking and asking patrons of various venues for a donation. One day (at least) each week there will be a cement truck parked in the roadway while discharging their load of slurry. The vans for various tourist group travels, park haphazardly during the day to load and offload. The double/triple parking at various markets, noodle shops and 7/11 are a part of every photo. Then the delivery service for each brand of water, beer, ice, and other condiments for the restaurants, etc. The water trucks hardly rate a mention nor do the escorted VIP, as that caravan crowd vehicles off the roadway. The political marches/caravan/stages seem to have lost their flavor of the month, following, and I do not even count them as a hindrance to navigating the cities streets. We need to look at the bright side of life.

[coma]

To disrupt traffic seems to be a pastime here in CM. We have the schools having a march around the moat, the loud speaker trucks following closely behind. The next day a temple caravan is driving around the moat with their solicitors walking and asking patrons of various venues for a donation. One day (at least) each week there will be a cement truck parked in the roadway while discharging their load of slurry. The vans for various tourist group travels, park haphazardly during the day to load and offload. The double/triple parking at various markets, noodle shops and 7/11 are a part of every photo. Then the delivery service for each brand of water, beer, ice, and other condiments for the restaurants, etc. The water trucks hardly rate a mention nor do the escorted VIP, as that caravan crowd vehicles off the roadway. The political marches/caravan/stages seem to have lost their flavor of the month, following, and I do not even count them as a hindrance to navigating the cities streets. We need to look at the bright side of life.

Ahh! Never a dull moment here in Chiang Mai. I guess that is why I love living here.

[jdinasia]

Not sure where this quote comes from

"no more prolonged rallies that affect local citizenry",

but as millwall says democratic rallies by any faction wanting to express their views is acceptable in most democracies

are you suggesting free speech should be blocked?

May be you just arrived and do not remember what really happened before. The 'reds' (later without red shirt so they could create even more problems anonymously), closed that road (and sometimes adjacent roads) for almost a YEAR!

All day and night long they were shouting from the stage how to burn Bangkok and Chiang Mai(they did it later), how to kill people not agreeing with them (they did it later)and how to make as many huge problems as possible (they did it later). All day and night long really hatred and sickening dangerous speeches to bring one convicted and dangerous man on the run back here.

We all witnessed the sad results. If you don't know about it; I suggest you to find some videos on YouTube, if still there. Most of them were removed to clean Thailand's image a bit. Another suggestion would be to learn Thai so you know what they talking about and not look at the smile only. They have a different culture and education and a Thai smile is NOT the same as a farang smile. A Thai smile is much more like something friendly; it has many more meanings and can go from being ashamed over something to hide or doing wrong to really evil things . Listen to them to understand, not only look at them.

In every civilized country those disgusting speeches on the stage would not last more than 1 day. It had NOTHING to do with freedom of speech but all with power, money and corruption by some people. Many 'reds' were pushed to do it and all got paid to participate.

Nice to see a poster that really understands what is going on. Spot on.

AS sbk said in a post above " This thread is about CHIANG MAI and current possible demonstrations in CHIANG MAI.

There were no major problems during the demonstration. Pingandsing is just spouting the same mainly unfounded propaganda and is nothing to do with the Chiangmai demonstration

( I had thought of writing my response to him in Thai to counter his cheap point on not understanding what is going on but did not do so as (1) responding to a cheap point is not goodf style, (2) writing Thai in this forum is not acceptable and (3) it is important that ALL members can see the illogic of his post.

caf

There were plenty of problems here in Chiang Mai in the past, and when they started blocking off the road a full day in advance of an announced BKK rally, it was looking like a repeat of the past. Yes they have killed and done MAJOR damage here in Chiang Mai in the past. Including but not limited to destruction of public property, arson, murder, terrorism (using grenade launchers on businesses certainly counts!) and terroristic threats .... all from right here in Chiang Mai.

Don't be deluded by propaganda from Spring News, look at the papers, listen to the speeches, follow the violence as the red leadership squares off against political rivals. Even here in Chiang Mai this isn't about the poor. It is about one group of elite fighting another.

[jdinasia]

Prolonged shutdowns of public roads aren't normal in ANY western country that I know of (particularly for adherents to a particularly violent faction of a group that uses violence and threats of violence to get their way).

Someone questioned "free speech" --- should we point to Arisaman's call for the redshirts to bring empty bottles to fill with petrol to burn BKK down as an example of "free speech" that caf deems acceptable?

I ride through the area around Wat Phra Singh on a daily basis. So yes I object to a prolonged closure. If, it happens to have been just for children's day, then why set up he night before blocking traffic from 9pm?

As for Millwell fan's rhethoric and assumptions ... (oh well!) perhaps they could choose to close Loi Kroh rd instead?

Depends what is defined as prolonged. You seem a bit out of touch quite frankly. The students demonstration in London was longer and spread further than the present road closure; and I could give further examples.

But why let facts get in the way of a good argument

And for the record I did not deem bringing empty bottles to fill with petrol as an example of free speech. Someone's imagination is running a little wild, methinks

This one was short ---- the last one lasted MONTHS (longer then the same action in BKK). The last one DID include the violent rhetoric from the stage. When I posted it was unclear what their plans would be (as there was obviously no need to barricade the road etc at 9pm.)

You made a question about free speech, assuming I was against it. (note --- free speech does NOT include the right to close public thoroughfares). I pointed out an example of "free speech" as practiced by the redshirts that is clearly not legal --- (in Thailand or elsewhere.)

Protest is acceptable in a democracy ....closing other people's businesses and restricting the rights of others for prolonged periods is not. This begs the question I posed at the end ---- wwmwt (what would millwall fan think) if it happened to be a road that affected HIS life and business? If the reds were protesting about democracy .... well .... they wouldn't be the grenade launching terrorist group they are

[PlanetX]

Prolonged shutdowns of public roads aren't normal in ANY western country that I know of (particularly for adherents to a particularly violent faction of a group that uses violence and threats of violence to get their way).

Someone questioned "free speech" --- should we point to Arisaman's call for the redshirts to bring empty bottles to fill with petrol to burn BKK down as an example of "free speech" that caf deems acceptable?

I ride through the area around Wat Phra Singh on a daily basis. So yes I object to a prolonged closure. If, it happens to have been just for children's day, then why set up he night before blocking traffic from 9pm?

As for Millwell fan's rhethoric and assumptions ... (oh well!) perhaps they could choose to close Loi Kroh rd instead?

Depends what is defined as prolonged. You seem a bit out of touch quite frankly. The students demonstration in London was longer and spread further than the present road closure; and I could give further examples.

But why let facts get in the way of a good argument

And for the record I did not deem bringing empty bottles to fill with petrol as an example of free speech. Someone's imagination is running a little wild, methinks

This one was short ---- the last one lasted MONTHS (longer then the same action in BKK). The last one DID include the violent rhetoric from the stage. When I posted it was unclear what their plans would be (as there was obviously no need to barricade the road etc at 9pm.)

You made a question about free speech, assuming I was against it. (note --- free speech does NOT include the right to close public thoroughfares). I pointed out an example of "free speech" as practiced by the redshirts that is clearly not legal --- (in Thailand or elsewhere.)

Protest is acceptable in a democracy ....closing other people's businesses and restricting the rights of others for prolonged periods is not. This begs the question I posed at the end ---- wwmwt (what would millwall fan think) if it happened to be a road that affected HIS life and business? If the reds were protesting about democracy .... well .... they wouldn't be the grenade launching terrorist group they are

dont count out agent provocateurs - I doubt very much that this is exclusively a Thai conflict

[jdinasia]

dont count out agent provocateurs - I doubt very much that this is exclusively a Thai conflict

If you mean the Montenegro citizen --- then you are correct. Anything else would lend itself to a tin-hat theory.

[PlanetX]

dont count out agent provocateurs - I doubt very much that this is exclusively a Thai conflict

If you mean the Montenegro citizen --- then you are correct. Anything else would lend itself to a tin-hat theory.

Train station still clear from demonstrations

Edited January 9, 2011 by PlanetX

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Careful chaps, the bulldozer'll be along in a minute, whether the road's closed or not.

The bulldozer on this forum right? Very clever one, and it stayed up the full day!

Can't really add anything on this topic. Perhaps I can just get away with stating that the spot in question is not an essential thoroughfare, with a road immediately parallel to it. And then leave it at that..

Edited January 9, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[dave2]

red shirt protest 8 jan 11

from what i saw at red shirt h q on the 8 th it was all about childrens day with dozens of children being given prizes / balloons / soft toys and small gifts but i was only there 10 minits and all i saw was a lot of happy people with their children dancing singing and a lot of waving their arms in the air and smiling.

after that i dont know what happend but it didnt look like they were angry or unhappy to me.

pic 1 ... 11 30 am ish 8 jan 11

pic 2 ... 11 30 am ish 9 jan 11 .... all gone : )

dave2

[WinnieTheKhwai]

red shirt protest 8 jan 11

from what i saw at red shirt h q on the 8 th it was all about childrens day with dozens of children being given prizes / balloons / soft toys and small gifts but i was only there 10 minits and all i saw was a lot of happy people with their children dancing singing and a lot of waving their arms in the air and smiling.

after that i dont know what happend but it didnt look like they were angry or unhappy to me.

pic 1 ... 11 30 am ish 8 jan 11

pic 2 ... 11 30 am ish 9 jan 11 .... all gone : )

dave2

Thank you for that!!! That's a lot more informative than all the hate & hot air being posted!

[hanuman1]

red shirt protest 8 jan 11

from what i saw at red shirt h q on the 8 th it was all about childrens day with dozens of children being given prizes / balloons / soft toys and small gifts but i was only there 10 minits and all i saw was a lot of happy people with their children dancing singing and a lot of waving their arms in the air and smiling.

after that i dont know what happend but it didnt look like they were angry or unhappy to me.

pic 1 ... 11 30 am ish 8 jan 11

pic 2 ... 11 30 am ish 9 jan 11 .... all gone : )

dave2

Thank you for that!!! That's a lot more informative than all the hate & hot air being posted!

I second that, my friend.

[Loaded]

I'm not sure the reds did close off that stretch of road for any sustained period of time during last years' protests. yep, I saw the barricades, the chairs, songtaews and the demonstrators but every time I drove my pick up around that part of town, I managed to drive through the centre of the protests from one side of the hotel to the other. They may have closed it at times and it was certainly a little intimidating driving through, but I always managed it.

Edited January 9, 2011 by Loaded

[jdinasia]

Congrats Loaded.

Many of us in the area certainly could not make it through the bamboo barricades with tires etc. Perhaps you were lucky. I know that the Fai Bakery trucks just went in and out from the moat side and that other businesses had issues as well. They certainly did completely shut the area for extended periods of time. (and yes they did spout hate speech and violence from the stage night and day)

I am glad they didn't do an extended event this time.

[jayjay0]

Congrats Loaded.

Many of us in the area certainly could not make it through the bamboo barricades with tires etc. Perhaps you were lucky. I know that the Fai Bakery trucks just went in and out from the moat side and that other businesses had issues as well. They certainly did completely shut the area for extended periods of time. (and yes they did spout hate speech and violence from the stage night and day)

I am glad they didn't do an extended event this time.

How big was it? And was it just another poor me thing every one is against me thing.

[jdinasia]

Congrats Loaded.

Many of us in the area certainly could not make it through the bamboo barricades with tires etc. Perhaps you were lucky. I know that the Fai Bakery trucks just went in and out from the moat side and that other businesses had issues as well. They certainly did completely shut the area for extended periods of time. (and yes they did spout hate speech and violence from the stage night and day)

I am glad they didn't do an extended event this time.

How big was it? And was it just another poor me thing every one is against me thing.

This time? It seems it was orderly and had things for the kids as well as some political speeches. I only rode past once.