Democrat Party Says Provoking 'Red Shirts' Is Not Plan For Rally At Bangkok's Ratchaprasong

[jdinasia]

I find it strange that we've had 3 pages of this thread and no one has yet complained - as they did when the red shirt movement held rallies there - about the total lack of consideration given to the ordinary people who work in or use the Ratchprasong area to commute through on a daily basis, and the disruption and loss this event will doubtless bring them.

Did I miss the thread dedicated to the Dems' traffic-easing contingency plans and compensation scheme for time or money lost due to this event?

Or does everyone automatically think that the number of people in attendance is hardly going to raise such concerns?

Just seems strange, that's all.

Let's wait for the reaction from the shop owners and traders there first. However perhaps no trade will be "lost" as they'll be too busy participating

This is political campaigning --- aimed at those that were most affected by the Redshirts --- It isn't the Dem's fault that many of the leaders of the violent, arsonistic (is that a word?) violent, group who have many leaders charged with terrorism are now running under the PTP banner.

Think about the imagery if they are allowed to use Arisaman's words and speech calling on people to bring 1,000,000 bottles to be filled with gasoline to burn BKK, and the same for Natthuwut's speeches ... and Weng's and Isaan Rambo, and and and and --- (all but Arisaman are on PTP party-list --- since he is STILL a fugitive they had to pick his wife to put on the PTP party-list)

I am not sure they will be allowed to use those images, but I hope they can! (Using the men's unedited public speeches might be legal ..... )

[Nickymaster]

OK, alleged. Who's playing the FEAR card now?

The Dems playing the Fear card. PT wants to bring *Thaksin back*, they say. to appeal those people who fear/hate Thaksin.

Problem: Thaksin was the most popular PM ever, during his days as PM. And it is only a tiny minority who actually hate him or hate the reds. Many people still support Thaksin and/or the reds. And probably much more don't care, don't hate Thaksin and don't mind if he would come back or not.

The Dems playing a game that they cannot really win, alleged target are the undecided voters, but they have probably those in mind who would choose the NO Vote option. For that ultra wing they are now trying to look a little bit like tough girls.

So you are saying he is, or was popular? Ok, then let's have a look at the Proportional votes of the 2007 election by comparing the valid votes of all adult citizens who were eligible to participate.

In 2007 TRT Party received 14,071,799 of the Proportional votes, and the Dems received 14,084,265 of the Proportional votes.

Can we say that in 2007 Abhisit was more popular than Thaksin (Samak)?

Luckily, now the Proportional votes are becoming more important then that they were in 2005. In 2005 it was all about the Constituency votes.

Or let's look at it this way. From all the 38,981,412 Thai People that were eligible to vote in 2007, TRT Party received 14,071,799 votes.

Why the huge decline in votes in 2007 from the landslide wins in 2001 and 2005? Because people were fed up with over-the-top corruption and started voting for the Dems.

I believe that today his propaganda machine is trying to make him very popular again by portraying him as the "warrior for justice". Our own Super Hero. And it might work.

Remember, the best way to confuse (and then brain-wash) people, is by making them believe the exact opposite.

.

PPP won 199 of possible 400 seats in the constituencies. they won 34 seats of possible 80 seats in the proportional voting.

And that after the gerrymandering of the constituencies and the voting system by the military.

This election will have different constituencies again.

For the proportional vote there isn't any Samak anymore, but Yingluck and she is very popular according to the polls.

The promising new comer - 'lets give it a try' - bonus for Abhisit in 2007 don't exist anymore and people have seen how is under the Dems. Check the latest polls how convincing it was.

You can only talk about the Constituency voting.

So you are saying that 1 person 1 vote is not the best way to measure a party's/person's popularity? (one question that only needs one short answer)

[Jingthing]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

[MrChangers]

thats besto ne ive heard to date no one except Taksin and reds even as a total red hater i had to laugh at that one. Well done for best joke of year

BANGKOK, June 18 -- The Democrat Party is planning to hold a major election campaign at Bangkok's Ratchaprasong intersection on June 23 while the party's leaders said they would explain the facts to the public on involved incidents.

No this has to be the best sick joke of the decade

[Nickymaster]

I find it strange that we've had 3 pages of this thread and no one has yet complained - as they did when the red shirt movement held rallies there - about the total lack of consideration given to the ordinary people who work in or use the Ratchprasong area to commute through on a daily basis, and the disruption and loss this event will doubtless bring them.

Did I miss the thread dedicated to the Dems' traffic-easing contingency plans and compensation scheme for time or money lost due to this event?

Or does everyone automatically think that the number of people in attendance is hardly going to raise such concerns?

Just seems strange, that's all.

Let's wait for the reaction from the shop owners and traders there first. However perhaps no trade will be "lost" as they'll be too busy participating

This is political campaigning --- aimed at those that were most affected by the Redshirts --- It isn't the Dem's fault that many of the leaders of the violent, arsonistic (is that a word?) violent, group who have many leaders charged with terrorism are now running under the PTP banner.

Think about the imagery if they are allowed to use Arisaman's words and speech calling on people to bring 1,000,000 bottles to be filled with gasoline to burn BKK, and the same for Natthuwut's speeches ... and Weng's and Isaan Rambo, and and and and --- (all but Arisaman are on PTP party-list --- since he is STILL a fugitive they had to pick his wife to put on the PTP party-list)

I am not sure they will be allowed to use those images, but I hope they can! (Using the men's unedited public speeches might be legal ..... )

One of Thaksin's lawyers who was involved in the cookie box scandal is on the party list too.

[jdinasia]

Remember, last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats in the parliament. With Samak!

Now PT has Yingluck and even putsch general Sonthi doesn't have any hard feelings.

Didn't the Democrats get more Proportional-votes than PPP, in the December-2007 election ?

So it's surely slightly-misleading to say only "last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats", without mentioning the proportional-vote which they lost, for balance.

Perhaps Ms-Yingluck's smile will overcome PTP's many other problems, so long as she isn't exposed to a debate, with the other party-leaders.

But the Democrats have every right to remind the voters of exactly what many of her fellow MP-candidates said or did a year ago.

It doesn't mention the defection of many MP's (taking their voters with them) ----

It's gonna be a squeaker .... but I think the Dem's will win out in the end. They have to start getting as direct and to the point as the reds are. The Dems have the benefit of not having to be liars to do it though

[lannarebirth]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

Why is it fairly obvious? People like to talk about "the latest polls", but no one ever posts them. Don't get caught up in the spin.

[MrChangers]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

Jingthing I would like to think it would but the army will step in and back to square one. They will never let the Red/Pheu Thai et al rule. Military rule for a while then and military rule always ends up in personal fortunes ...... South America for a start...

[jdinasia]

One of Thaksin's lawyers who was involved in the cookie box scandal is on the party list too.

Are you sure? I thought all the lawyers were convicted and sentenced to 6 months in prison (I think that disqualifies them)

[Insight]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

Why is it fairly obvious? People like to talk about "the latest polls", but no one ever posts them. Don't get caught up in the spin.

Exactly, Jing. Disappointed you're so quick to cling to this manipulated viewpoint. Let's see what the numbers are like for this Dem rally before buying into the doom 'n gloom projected from certain corners.

[hanuman1]

I find it strange that we've had 3 pages of this thread and no one has yet complained - as they did when the red shirt movement held rallies there - about the total lack of consideration given to the ordinary people who work in or use the Ratchprasong area to commute through on a daily basis, and the disruption and loss this event will doubtless bring them.

Did I miss the thread dedicated to the Dems' traffic-easing contingency plans and compensation scheme for time or money lost due to this event?

Or does everyone automatically think that the number of people in attendance is hardly going to raise such concerns?

Just seems strange, that's all.

Let's wait for the reaction from the shop owners and traders there first. However perhaps no trade will be "lost" as they'll be too busy participating

Looks like the Dems have got BKK sewn up then. :jap:

[MrChangers]

Remember, last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats in the parliament. With Samak!

Now PT has Yingluck and even putsch general Sonthi doesn't have any hard feelings.

Didn't the Democrats get more Proportional-votes than PPP, in the December-2007 election ?

So it's surely slightly-misleading to say only "last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats", without mentioning the proportional-vote which they lost, for balance.

Perhaps Ms-Yingluck's smile will overcome PTP's many other problems, so long as she isn't exposed to a debate, with the other party-leaders.

But the Democrats have every right to remind the voters of exactly what many of her fellow MP-candidates said or did a year ago.

It doesn't mention the defection of many MP's (taking their voters with them) ----

It's gonna be a squeaker .... but I think the Dem's will win out in the end. They have to start getting as direct and to the point as the reds are. The Dems have the benefit of not having to be liars to do it though

You jest!

[lannarebirth]

I find it strange that we've had 3 pages of this thread and no one has yet complained - as they did when the red shirt movement held rallies there - about the total lack of consideration given to the ordinary people who work in or use the Ratchprasong area to commute through on a daily basis, and the disruption and loss this event will doubtless bring them.

Did I miss the thread dedicated to the Dems' traffic-easing contingency plans and compensation scheme for time or money lost due to this event?

Or does everyone automatically think that the number of people in attendance is hardly going to raise such concerns?

Just seems strange, that's all.

Let's wait for the reaction from the shop owners and traders there first. However perhaps no trade will be "lost" as they'll be too busy participating

This is political campaigning --- aimed at those that were most affected by the Redshirts --- It isn't the Dem's fault that many of the leaders of the violent, arsonistic (is that a word?) violent, group who have many leaders charged with terrorism are now running under the PTP banner.

Think about the imagery if they are allowed to use Arisaman's words and speech calling on people to bring 1,000,000 bottles to be filled with gasoline to burn BKK, and the same for Natthuwut's speeches ... and Weng's and Isaan Rambo, and and and and --- (all but Arisaman are on PTP party-list --- since he is STILL a fugitive they had to pick his wife to put on the PTP party-list)

I am not sure they will be allowed to use those images, but I hope they can! (Using the men's unedited public speeches might be legal ..... )

One of Thaksin's lawyers who was involved in the cookie box scandal is on the party list too.

"Isn't it rich? Isn't it queer?...

And where are the clowns?

Quick, send in the clowns.

Don't bother - they're here."

[samurai]

Remember, last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats in the parliament. With Samak!

Now PT has Yingluck and even putsch general Sonthi doesn't have any hard feelings.

Didn't the Democrats get more Proportional-votes than PPP, in the December-2007 election ?

So it's surely slightly-misleading to say only "last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats", without mentioning the proportional-vote which they lost, for balance.

Perhaps Ms-Yingluck's smile will overcome PTP's many other problems, so long as she isn't exposed to a debate, with the other party-leaders.

But the Democrats have every right to remind the voters of exactly what many of her fellow MP-candidates said or did a year ago.

It isn't misleading to count the seats that were actually won. Its a representative democracy and what matters are the number of seats in the House of Representatives.

But okay the 48.5% seats are a result of the 2007 voting system. 2011 is it very different.

Did they lost the proportional vote?

Adam Carr's Election Archive has two different results

http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/t/thailand/

ELECTION COMMISSION OF THAILAND FIGURES
====================================================================

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SEATS
=============================================================================
Party                                      Votes       %        Seats    
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thai Nation Party (PCT)                     1,440,287  04.4       4
Neutral Democratic Party (PMT)                480,893  01.5       -
People's Power Party (PPP)                 13,166,335  40.3      34
Royalist People's Party (PPR)                 580,768  01.8       1
Democrat Party (PP)                        12,765,281  39.1      33
For the Motherland Party (PPP)              1,863,156  05.7       7
Thais United Nat Dev Party (PRJTCP)           894,391  02.7       1
Others                                      1,495,630  04.6       -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                      32,686,741            80
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

MCOT MEDIA WEBSITE VOTING FIGURES
================================================================
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SEATS
=============================================================================
Party                                      Votes       %        
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thai Nation Party (PCT)                     1,545,282  04.4       
Neutral Democratic Party (PMT)                528,464  01.5       
People's Power Party (PPP)                 14,071,799  39.6      
Royalist People's Party (PPR)                 750,158  02.1       
Democrat Party (PP)                        14,084,265  39.6      
For the Motherland Party (PPP)              1,981,021  05.6       
Thais United Nat Dev Party (PRJTCP)           948,544  02.7       
Others                                      1,626,234  04.6
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                      35,535,767
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

What are your sources to speak of a defeat?

[Nickymaster]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

Why is it fairly obvious? People like to talk about "the latest polls", but no one ever posts them. Don't get caught up in the spin.

Thaksin has been saying for the last 2 years that he would win 270 seats, nothing new. He know it's not true but that's the only way he can blame the military for manipulating the results which gives him more reason to start a new round of violence with the reds. So called injustice.

That's why Yingluck keeps on saying: "all the polls say we will win, so we should win" Well, no poll has convinced me.

But it will fire back. More and more anti-Thaksin people will go to vote now. Thaksin has scared them. I still believe Mingkwan would have been a better choice. The should have kept it quiet but Thaksin cannot be quiet.

[samurai]

That are laws in Thailand and nobody is above them.

thats besto ne ive heard to date no one except Taksin and reds even as a total red hater i had to laugh at that one. Well done for best joke of year

Wow, it wasn't said without a touch of irony but I didn't expect that reaction. Thank you for the compliment.

Edited June 18, 2011 by samurai

[Nickymaster]

Remember, last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats in the parliament. With Samak!

Now PT has Yingluck and even putsch general Sonthi doesn't have any hard feelings.

Didn't the Democrats get more Proportional-votes than PPP, in the December-2007 election ?

So it's surely slightly-misleading to say only "last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats", without mentioning the proportional-vote which they lost, for balance.

Perhaps Ms-Yingluck's smile will overcome PTP's many other problems, so long as she isn't exposed to a debate, with the other party-leaders.

But the Democrats have every right to remind the voters of exactly what many of her fellow MP-candidates said or did a year ago.

It isn't misleading to count the seats that were actually won. Its a representative democracy and what matters are the number of seats in the House of Representatives.

But okay the 48.5% seats are a result of the 2007 voting system. 2011 is it very different.

Did they lost the proportional vote?

Adam Carr's Election Archive has two different results

http://psephos.adam-...ies/t/thailand/

ELECTION COMMISSION OF THAILAND FIGURES
====================================================================

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SEATS
=============================================================================
Party                                      Votes       %        Seats    
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thai Nation Party (PCT)                     1,440,287  04.4       4
Neutral Democratic Party (PMT)                480,893  01.5       -
People's Power Party (PPP)                 13,166,335  40.3      34
Royalist People's Party (PPR)                 580,768  01.8       1
Democrat Party (PP)                        12,765,281  39.1      33
For the Motherland Party (PPP)              1,863,156  05.7       7
Thais United Nat Dev Party (PRJTCP)           894,391  02.7       1
Others                                      1,495,630  04.6       -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                      32,686,741            80
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

MCOT MEDIA WEBSITE VOTING FIGURES
================================================================
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SEATS
=============================================================================
Party                                      Votes       %        
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thai Nation Party (PCT)                     1,545,282  04.4       
Neutral Democratic Party (PMT)                528,464  01.5       
People's Power Party (PPP)                 14,071,799  39.6      
Royalist People's Party (PPR)                 750,158  02.1       
Democrat Party (PP)                        14,084,265  39.6      
For the Motherland Party (PPP)              1,981,021  05.6       
Thais United Nat Dev Party (PRJTCP)           948,544  02.7       
Others                                      1,626,234  04.6
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                      35,535,767
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

What are your sources to speak of a defeat?

We are getting close. You finally start to realise that the Proportional votes might be the most important in judging a person's or party's popularity.

If you look at the trend between 2001, 2005 and 2007, you might think that 2011 might be even worse for Thaksin.

My source is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_general_election,_2007

Wikipedia

[jdinasia]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

Jingthing I would like to think it would but the army will step in and back to square one. They will never let the Red/Pheu Thai et al rule. Military rule for a while then and military rule always ends up in personal fortunes ...... South America for a start...

I guess I just dreamed about Samak and Somchai?

[OzMick]

I find it strange that we've had 3 pages of this thread and no one has yet complained - as they did when the red shirt movement held rallies there - about the total lack of consideration given to the ordinary people who work in or use the Ratchprasong area to commute through on a daily basis, and the disruption and loss this event will doubtless bring them.

Did I miss the thread dedicated to the Dems' traffic-easing contingency plans and compensation scheme for time or money lost due to this event?

Or does everyone automatically think that the number of people in attendance is hardly going to raise such concerns?

Just seems strange, that's all.

"....the number of people in attendance ........" is not the issue, rather it is the duration. One day will not cripple a small business like the prior disaster, and strangely, the only compensation offered for the prior event came from those holding the latter. Has there been an apology, let alone a compensation offer made by the red shirt movement? Or are the snivelling, grasping subsidised poor above that?

I was poor once. My fathers advice was "Get a haircut and get a real job" which translates to "Stop whining that you don't get enough money for your rice and find employment that pays better."

[janverbeem]

EC commissions on holiday, no one to stop it and if they do, on what basis?

so its finally time for some blood and guts home truths about the red leaders

no one can dispute the video evidence as to the moral character of the red candidates

its been seen 10,000 times by those who already have a computer and aren't just bottle fed pictures of dead reds and the associated propaganda that goes with them

i think its a great idea to have this rally, Thais are at best forgetful

i hope to see the worst of the worst excesses by the reds re-publicised for all to see

i can see it now

ok here we go then dems we have a great show for you tonight:

red lawyers, you ready for this? get your pencils ready

you wanted press freedom, freedom of speech, democracy as you call it, so lets do that: right now

OK this is what red candidate # said and did:

roll it..........

this is the five * hotel he stayed in while you reds slept on the street

this is what 25 million baht looks like

this is what he has in his bank account from sources unknown while you reds get 500 baht for being here

this is one of his five imported vehicles

this is one of his two mansions

this is him evicting red farmers like yourselves from land they owned to make way for a palm oil producer

this is him inciting you reds to riot

this is him telling you reds to kill your fellow thais

this is him telling you reds to burn bangkok

this is him telling you reds to burn town halls

this is him with the convicted red fugitive Thaksin

this is him with the red (and black) mercenary Sae Daeng

this is him.................

this is him..................

this is him.................

this is him..................

next up we have candidate #

this is her..................

get it?

do you think Farangs can go to this rally?

sounds like it will be very entertaining especially if the reds turn up.......

You might wanna study what the electoral law allows in a campaign and what not. The OP has some hints about it.

Maybe you wanna read that other topic where is said that 4 out of 5 election commisioners are out of the country and then the other news item where was mentioned that a 4 out of 5 vote is needed to enforce election laws and apply sanctions on the spot.Coincidence isn't it?

Time that the truth is proclaimed without restrictions.

[samurai]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

PT don't make a secret out of it who thinks for them. All the smaller parties, beside the Dems, keep the option open to join a coalition with them. Time to get over it is the message.

[OzMick]

Abhisit has been harping on reconciliation and now why this provocation..and to explain why 90+ civilians were slaughtered..

Simply because of lies like the one above 90+ civilians were not slaughtered.

ok you going to settle for 70, 71, 82? Try and get a grip. 1 human being is 1 too many. You are in denial.

Would that be the one Thai soldier murdered on video after surrendering? Or one of the other soldiers murdered while just doing their lawful job? Perhaps the lady waiting for her train when some (confessed red-shirt) fired a M-79 grenade at her? Perhaps we should consider all those who escaped a fiery death when the (confessed red-shirt) RPG didn't set fire to the fuel tank farm. How many lives were OK to settle a (confessed red-shirt) political point of view?Who is in bloody denial?

Edited June 18, 2011 by OzMick

[hanuman1]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

PT don't make a secret out of it who thinks for them. All the smaller parties, beside the Dems, keep the option open to join a coalition with them. Time to get over it is the message.

So it will be a question of who has the greatest influence over the smaller parties - Thaksin and his millions or the Dems and their millions. Plus the army. I'm forecasting PTP gets the most votes but Dems to form government with money plus (smaller parties influenced by) guns. Democracy Thai style. It's exotic, but isn't that why we live here?

[OzMick]

Abhisit has been harping on reconciliation and now why this provocation..and to explain why 90+ civilians were slaughtered..

The 90+ figure also includes a number of members of the RTA, who presumably committed suicide in your book. With the possible exception of the soldier videoed being shot to death after he surrendered to the "peaceful protesters" rather than drive his truck over them.

Opinion is fine, facts are fine, deliberate lies are against the rules.

This is the video you are referring to.

There's really no need for reconcilliation. If the Reds stand for anything other than Thaksin and his largess, they should abandon him and form a new movement seeking whatever it was that Thaksin gave them (other than the cost of their votes) and return to civilised norms. The criminal element are thus marginalised and for everyone else, it's win-win. There's no reason to negotiate with them except to demand their disbandment.

There is something drastically wrong with this video and not speaking from a political party but as an ex-paramedic. Something is not right, if anyone can show me the camera from a different angle then please do so

What do you expect, multi-cameras, slo-mo and close-ups? As an ex-paramedic, can you appreciate that a living man put his hands up and ended up a corpse thanks to a bullet?

[jdinasia]

Abhisit has been harping on reconciliation and now why this provocation..and to explain why 90+ civilians were slaughtered..

Simply because of lies like the one above 90+ civilians were not slaughtered.

ok you going to settle for 70, 71, 82? Try and get a grip. 1 human being is 1 too many. You are in denial.

You missed the point ------ if it were all civilians it would have been tragic. Instead it was civilians, soldiers,reporters etc .... many killed by weapons the military didn't have such as M-79 grenade launchers. That puts the ROE into a different place. It wasn't a slaughter nor a massacre --- it was a prolonged engagement against an armed insurgency in an urban environment who were mingled with protesters and using war weapons. People putting this on the army and using emotive words like "slaughtered" and "massacre" are the ones in denial.

[MrChangers]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

Jingthing I would like to think it would but the army will step in and back to square one. They will never let the Red/Pheu Thai et al rule. Military rule for a while then and military rule always ends up in personal fortunes ...... South America for a start...

I guess I just dreamed about Samak and Somchai?

Did you? There are a lot of males bearing that name here in Thailand. Thank you for sharing that with us.

[OzMick]

It's fairly obvious now the reds/Pheu Thai/Thaksin/Shinawatras will win this election. Then what? Does anyone seriously believe that victory will lead to peace and reconciliation?

PT don't make a secret out of it who thinks for them. All the smaller parties, beside the Dems, keep the option open to join a coalition with them. Time to get over it is the message.

Another porky! BJT ring a bell?

[samurai]

Remember, last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats in the parliament. With Samak!

Now PT has Yingluck and even putsch general Sonthi doesn't have any hard feelings.

Didn't the Democrats get more Proportional-votes than PPP, in the December-2007 election ?

So it's surely slightly-misleading to say only "last election PPP won 48.5% of the seats", without mentioning the proportional-vote which they lost, for balance.

Perhaps Ms-Yingluck's smile will overcome PTP's many other problems, so long as she isn't exposed to a debate, with the other party-leaders.

But the Democrats have every right to remind the voters of exactly what many of her fellow MP-candidates said or did a year ago.

It isn't misleading to count the seats that were actually won. Its a representative democracy and what matters are the number of seats in the House of Representatives.

But okay the 48.5% seats are a result of the 2007 voting system. 2011 is it very different.

Did they lost the proportional vote?

Adam Carr's Election Archive has two different results

http://psephos.adam-...ies/t/thailand/

ELECTION COMMISSION OF THAILAND FIGURES
====================================================================

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SEATS
=============================================================================
Party                                      Votes       %        Seats    
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thai Nation Party (PCT)                     1,440,287  04.4       4
Neutral Democratic Party (PMT)                480,893  01.5       -
People's Power Party (PPP)                 13,166,335  40.3      34
Royalist People's Party (PPR)                 580,768  01.8       1
Democrat Party (PP)                        12,765,281  39.1      33
For the Motherland Party (PPP)              1,863,156  05.7       7
Thais United Nat Dev Party (PRJTCP)           894,391  02.7       1
Others                                      1,495,630  04.6       -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                      32,686,741            80
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

MCOT MEDIA WEBSITE VOTING FIGURES
================================================================
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SEATS
=============================================================================
Party                                      Votes       %        
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thai Nation Party (PCT)                     1,545,282  04.4       
Neutral Democratic Party (PMT)                528,464  01.5       
People's Power Party (PPP)                 14,071,799  39.6      
Royalist People's Party (PPR)                 750,158  02.1       
Democrat Party (PP)                        14,084,265  39.6      
For the Motherland Party (PPP)              1,981,021  05.6       
Thais United Nat Dev Party (PRJTCP)           948,544  02.7       
Others                                      1,626,234  04.6
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                      35,535,767
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

What are your sources to speak of a defeat?

We are getting close. You finally start to realise that the Proportional votes might be the most important in judging a person's or party's popularity.

If you look at the trend between 2001, 2005 and 2007, you might think that 2011 might be even worse for Thaksin.

My source is:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_general_election,_2007

Wikipedia

According to this the Dems won by a massive margin of 0.03% in the proportional votes. What for a defeat.

The 2007 election was overshadowed by the coup. 2011 is different and PT campaigns very confident with their man who thinks for them and makes no secret out of it.

What says General Sonthi Boonyaratglin?

Coup Leader Willing To Join Government Of Thaksin's Sister

You think there is a trend?

More likely Yingluck is the combo breaker and becomes the first female PM.

IMHO it depends only how the BJT will score. If BJT does quite well and is the tip on the scale - PT must sacrifice the Thaksin sibling for the sake of a face saving 'reconciliation' between PT and BJT.

PT will still lead the next government. But i guess that PT will easy get the 50%+1 with the other smaller parties.

[MrChangers]

Abhisit has been harping on reconciliation and now why this provocation..and to explain why 90+ civilians were slaughtered..

Simply because of lies like the one above 90+ civilians were not slaughtered.

ok you going to settle for 70, 71, 82? Try and get a grip. 1 human being is 1 too many. You are in denial.

You missed the point ------ if it were all civilians it would have been tragic. Instead it was civilians, soldiers,reporters etc .... many killed by weapons the military didn't have such as M-79 grenade launchers. That puts the ROE into a different place. It wasn't a slaughter nor a massacre --- it was a prolonged engagement against an armed insurgency in an urban environment who were mingled with protesters and using war weapons. People putting this on the army and using emotive words like "slaughtered" and "massacre" are the ones in denial.

Missed the point? So civilians, reporters -not civilians??? look you are faltering and as for grenade launchers you have no idea. You do not even know what one looks like and yes the Thai military do have them and any other weapons the US/UK can sell them before the French and Italians. Go back to school.

[phiphidon]

I find it strange that we've had 3 pages of this thread and no one has yet complained - as they did when the red shirt movement held rallies there - about the total lack of consideration given to the ordinary people who work in or use the Ratchprasong area to commute through on a daily basis, and the disruption and loss this event will doubtless bring them.

Did I miss the thread dedicated to the Dems' traffic-easing contingency plans and compensation scheme for time or money lost due to this event?

Or does everyone automatically think that the number of people in attendance is hardly going to raise such concerns?

Just seems strange, that's all.

"....the number of people in attendance ........" is not the issue, rather it is the duration. One day will not cripple a small business like the prior disaster, and strangely, the only compensation offered for the prior event came from those holding the latter. Has there been an apology, let alone a compensation offer made by the red shirt movement? Or are the snivelling, grasping subsidised poor above that?

I was poor once. My fathers advice was "Get a haircut and get a real job" which translates to "Stop whining that you don't get enough money for your rice and find employment that pays better."

So you were a long haired rice farmer in a previous life and that experience has produced this "wisdom". Or perhaps, less tongue in cheek,we could assume you are approaching this with a western mindset? Lets take this a little further, say all rice farmers stop whining, move to Bangkok to work as labourers or tuk yuk drivers, as per your advice, just who is going to feed the nation? I'm sure the "snivelling, grasping subsidised poor" are waiting for your advice, not to mention the democrats who I'm sure are glad to have your support - They're welcome to it.