The Red Propaganda Machine

[SomTumTiger]

Today I was sitting in Wongsawong Rd, heading towards Vipawadi Rangsit, when a small procession of cars carrying Red shirts edged up on the left, blaring loudspeakers. Interesting - the speakers were taking turning criticising Abhisit for the bad economy since 2006. That was it - nothing else. Thaksin was PM and we had a good economy, Abhisit was PM and economy bad.

Now, after this long winded blathering of bs, the speaker urged all to honk their horns for Thaksin - silence. Not a single horn.

I laughed my ass off. Apparently the Thais In Bangkok don't like Reds burning down their buildings.

[H2oDunc]

And you think a bunch of yellow shirts doing the same type of thing in Nakhon Nowhere would be any different ?

[geriatrickid]

Are you sure it wasn't a honk your horn if you believe in Peter Pan?

Don't believe me? google pixeyland

[SomTumTiger]

It was funny, and sad, at the same time.

[sbk]

And you think a bunch of yellow shirts doing the same type of thing in Nakhon Nowhere would be any different ?

True, Pheua Thai members got stones thrown at them by locals and had to get police protection on a trip to Samui to investigate Suthep for land fraud (never mind all the TRT party members who bought land illegally there I guess)

Fact is, this country is sadly divided and the divisions are not going to lessen with this kind of thing.

[colinscarr]

I recall the Tories in the UK made a real botchup of selling off British Railways. Then within a couple of months of losing the 1997 election, they were slagging off the Labour government for the shambles on the railways. Clearly they thought the British electorate had a short memory, just as the red/yellow shirts in Thailand believe. It's all about the contempt politicians everywhere feel for the people they are supposedly there to serve...

[scorecard]

And you think a bunch of yellow shirts doing the same type of thing in Nakhon Nowhere would be any different ?

As of today you may be right, that not too many are now supporting the yellow shirts.

But that doesn't change anything about the dislike of the red shirts.

'Economy has been bad since Abhisit became the PM'. Again the red shirts have no hesitation to tell blatant lies, because in fact the economy now is bouyant, tax receipts are way above forecast and continue to beat all expectations, vast numbers of Thai business people (those who look longer-term) strongly support abhsiit and korn (And many see korn as the next Thai statesman), there are more inguiries about foreign invetsment (my professor colleague just accompanied Abhsit to the Davos meeting and just yesterday afternoon shared, by e.mail that 2 major car / large equipment manaufacturers have indicated they want further talks).

This reminds me of another point. There is a middle aged Thai businesswoman living in my condo. She's educated abroad (UK MBA), speaks perfect English, normally very rational. She loves thaksin, because she says her business was better under Thaksin. She admits that overall business is good now, but the bottom line for her; she supports whichever PM will personally support her, and she claims that her red shirt contacts have promised that thaksin will ensure she gets government contracts. If someone suggests that she's asking for special treatment which is basically collusion, she says 'that's not my problem, this is the Thai way, and it's good business!'

On the other hand when asked about the other red shirt claims like: inequities in Thai society, better education, better broad based opportunities for all Thais so that they can gain a better quality of life through their own productivity, equal justice for all Thais, etc., she says, 'I don't care and I'm not interested'!

[rixalex]

This reminds me of another point. There is a middle aged Thai businesswoman living in my condo. She's educated abroad (UK MBA), speaks perfect English, normally very rational. She loves thaksin, because she says her business was better under Thaksin. She admits that overall business is good now, but the bottom line for her; she supports whichever PM will personally support her, and she claims that her red shirt contacts have promised that thaksin will ensure she gets government contracts. If someone suggests that she's asking for special treatment which is basically collusion, she says 'that's not my problem, this is the Thai way, and it's good business!'

On the other hand when asked about the other red shirt claims like: inequities in Thai society, better education, better broad based opportunities for all Thais so that they can gain a better quality of life through their own productivity, equal justice for all Thais, etc., she says, 'I don't care and I'm not interested'!

Nice lady your neighbour.