Red Shirt Leader Natthawut: 'We Will Never Accept A Coup'

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Natthawut: 'We will never accept a coup'

By Noppatjak Attanon

The Nation

One day after his release from prison, red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua gave an exclusive interview to Nation Group's Noppatjak Attanon on his nine months in jail, the fight ahead and his role as "man of the house".

"I am always confident in what I do. But I realised an innocent little girl deserves love and warmth from her father, just like other little lives. Although her father has less time than others… when her father can [give her his time], he will," he said, referring to Chad-arphorn, his second child, who was born on May 10, shortly before he went to jail.

Natthawut had the chance to hold her for the first time on Tuesday, the day he was released. At first she did not recognise him and cried. "I kept saying in her ear, 'this is Papa, this is Papa'," he said.

Natthawut said he visited her - in disguise - in hospital on the day she was born. Before leaving he told her he wasn't leaving her and her mother because he was afraid of being caught but because so many people were waiting for him to continue the fight.

"I wasn't sure if I would have a chance to hold her. But I was confident that I was doing the right thing. I could not desert the masses," he said.

Now he is more confident in his family's strength. And all three members - his wife, son and daughter - will join and fight for the people in the red-shirt movement.

"My wife and children as well as those of the other detainees have passed through a very painful period," he said. "Now that we have passed it, we can be sure we will have our families fighting side-by-side with us along our path. And all of us are stronger."

The red-shirt leaders turned themselves in after buildings, including the CentralWorld shopping mall, were set on fire and the protest turned to chaos.

Video clips of Natthawut telling protesters to fight back by burning buildings or raiding shopping malls were distributed by the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation.

For the first time, Natthawut made a clear denial that he provoked the protesters to do so.

"In the clip featuring me telling protesters to burn places in case of power seizure [military coup], I was talking during a rally at Khao Soi Dao in Chanthaburi in January 2010. It had nothing to do with the rallies at Phan Fah Bridge or Ratchaprasong at all… I just wanted to warn the coup-makers not to do that because people won't let it happen," he said.

"When I told the protesters that if they were terrified they should raid shopping malls, I just wanted to discourage people who planned to use violence against the people. Watch the whole speech. At the end of each speech I said I did not mean for them to really do so," he said.

Natthawut said he would use the full version of the clips to defend himself in court.

He also insisted it was not the red shirts who burned the buildings.

In jail, Natthawut did not sit around doing nothing. He spent his time studying political history and other political movements.

"The struggle of Mahatma Gandhi, the path of Mao Zedong and many books, I studied, revised and I learned a lot," he said, adding that he learned what was going on outside through the red shirts who visited him daily.

Natthawut said the group would continue the fight in the same way as before. In the next election, it will certainly support the Pheu Thai Party.

It will join in reconciliation on the basis of justice and equality but will never accept a military coup.

"If it's announced clearly that this country is under dictatorship or authoritarian rule, my group won't have to fight any more - if the majority of more than 60 million people agree on that. But I don't think so. Therefore, anybody trying to distort this country's democracy must learn and accept the system. Otherwise, the people will fight until they claim victory," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-02-25

[Jingthing]

Mao Zedong?

Uh oh.

His rule from 1949 to 1976 is widely believed to have caused the deaths of 40 to 70 million people

wiki

[siampolee]

"If it's announced clearly that this country is under dictatorship or authoritarian rule, my group won't have to fight any more - if the majority of more than 60 million people agree on that. But I don't think so. Therefore, anybody trying to distort this country's democracy must learn and accept the system. Otherwise, the people will fight until they claim victory," he said.

One only needs to look at the Thaksin regimes to see that the people did fight until they claimed victory.

Does he also feel remorse for the people who died as a result of his groups actions?

Those children will never ever see their mother or father again.

Indeed the quoting of Mao Tse Tung and his policies is indeed enlightening.

No mention of Brother number 1 yet , however it seem that if Brother number 1s old stamping ground is a favourite refuge and training ground for these Red Shirts.

It won't be long before the brothers try yet again to impose their perverted Thaksin idolatry self serving self enriching corrupt policies in place . Such a campaign fuelled by the blood of the misled masses, who too late, will realise that they have sold themselves to the devil.

[phiphidon]

Well, I wonder if all the posters that have used the "burndown bangkok" video in their various postings will now recant?

George Orwell 1984;

“To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed....

[yumidesign]

Mao Zedong?

Uh oh.

His rule from 1949 to 1976 is widely believed to have caused the deaths of 40 to 70 million people

wiki

At the end of each speech I said I did not mean for them to really do so," he said.

why is the nation newspaper printing this rubbish

[Insight]

He also insisted it was not the red shirts who burned the buildings.

Red shirts have no accountability whatsoever. Shameful.

[hammered]

This is from th guy who tried to overthrow the government in an armed uprising in which his people killed their own fair share. Uprisings and coups are both wrong. Until though both sides accept and apologise for their own wrongs nothing good is going to come of the continuing intra-elite pwoer struggle

Some of his co-leaders have also wanted coups for their side too although with their aging military bureacrats now pretty much sidelined they likley wont be again

Silly season hits the Thai political farce

[asiawatcher]

"... "In the clip featuring me telling protesters to burn places in case of power seizure [military coup], I was talking during a rally at Khao Soi Dao in Chanthaburi in January 2010. It had nothing to do with the rallies at Phan Fah Bridge or Ratchaprasong at all… I just wanted to warn the coup-makers not to do that because people won't let it happen," he said.

"When I told the protesters that if they were terrified they should raid shopping malls, I just wanted to discourage people who planned to use violence against the people. Watch the whole speech. At the end of each speech I said I did not mean for them to really do so," he said."

Does this guy think we are all buffaloes ? I wonder which university he got his bus ticket from?

[philw]

Well, I wonder if all the posters that have used the "burndown bangkok" video in their various postings will now recant?

George Orwell 1984;

“To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed....

Nice one !!!

[MikeOboe57]

If he is a Red Shirt leader, it reveals a lot about the Red Shirt Movement.

From Thaksin downwards these "leaders" are just one major embarrasment.

[Insight]

Well, I wonder if all the posters that have used the "burndown bangkok" video in their various postings will now recant?

George Orwell 1984;

“To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed....

Are you implying there's a problem with disputing these repeated (pathetic) denials every time they're repeated?

Nice one !!!

Do you actually have an opinion of your own?

[agord]

Well, I wonder if all the posters that have used the "burndown bangkok" video in their various postings will now recant?

George Orwell 1984;

"To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed....

nonsense

[hyperdimension]

I did not mean for them to really do so

Do people really believe that?

To me, the leaders look like they really meant it when they instructed the crowd to burn the country. The crowd even cheered, as if they wanted to do so. Watch again:

[truethailand]

Mao Zedong?

Uh oh.

His rule from 1949 to 1976 is widely believed to have caused the deaths of 40 to 70 million people

wiki

At the end of each speech I said I did not mean for them to really do so," he said.

why is the nation newspaper printing this rubbish

Because it is Rubbish. Very mild for an arse wipe of a rag

[timekeeper]

Well, I wonder if all the posters that have used the "burndown bangkok" video in their various postings will now recant?

George Orwell 1984;

"To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed....

recant? why? because this lying, red traitor said he didn't really mean it?

give me a break........

Edited February 26, 2011 by timekeeper