Pheu Thai And Red Shirts Do Nothing To Help Their Own

[chowder]

If the Temple of the Emerald Buddha were to be completely underwater, Thais would have been dealt a big shock, losing all morale and strength to fight back. If the Emerald Buddha cannot protect the City of Angels, then the angels would have taken flight and the capital would have fallen

All a bit dramatic don't you think, Mr Khanthong.

The Emerald palace is the heart and soul of all thai, if you cannot protect it what good are you, it should be protected at all cost.

[siampolee]

With all due respect Nick I suggest that possibly post # 30 might well be worth a look and it might just give you a different perspective on the matter concerning the relief supply situation .

[whybother]

I am working on the Red - Yellow conflict, and not on incidents of presumed corruption (all sides guilty), presumed mismanagement (all sides guilty), bad water management (decades of that by all governments), Banharn the eel (around for decades), or any nutty conspiracy theory that has nothing to do with the basic Red - Yellow conflict, and the differing ideological views on the future the Thai state, which is what i work on.

Right now - there is the flood, and so far attempts to draw the Red - Yellow conflict into this disaster is not reflected on the ground in more than on a miniscule level, and any attempt by "journalists" to artificially pull this conflict into the flood itself is nothing but blatantly taking advantage of this disaster, and leaving the path of any journalistic ethics and professionalism.

If you actually go to the affected areas, you can see military, police, Red Shirts and volunteers of many organizations working together (of course with the normal conflicts between humans). Therefore, from the ground perspective, which is my favored perspective - i really cannot say anything else than that, so far.

Have you noticed that none of the reporters that actually get their feet wet have anything else to say, and that the attempts to connect the flood with the sozio-political conflict come only from the reporters that never get down to the ground level - neither during the protests, nor now in the flood?

So, i would suggest the impossible here on Thaivisa: just leave the politics out of it for the time being.

Nick, what have you seen in relation to relief goods being labelled with PT / Thaksin / Red shirt stickers and banners? There seems to be a lot of evidence of it happening.

[TexasRanger]

The red shirts have been driving around my area collecting supplies for people in Bangkok, thats helping in my book.

[h90]

some people wake up. Dear Mr. Thanong Khanthong. Be carefully. There is a high risk that you get an "accident", if you continue to write the true.

[nicknostitz]

Nick, what have you seen in relation to relief goods being labelled with PT / Thaksin / Red shirt stickers and banners? There seems to be a lot of evidence of it happening.

There are many organizations that label their relief supplies, which is normal in any disaster zone. On the ground is so much happening, and i do honestly not see that much going on as is suggested here. Maybe i am in the wrong places for that, as i go to the worst inundated areas to take pictures there. I have met there many Red Shirts, both affected, and helping, and there just is not much political talk going on at all, but talk about the flood, and trying to keep a smile to get over this mess.

Both Red Shirts and military say the same thing - that the colors are right now not important, but working together is.

That is all i can say about this now, and i gotta get going.

Later, Nick

[TAWP]

Now if anyone was unsure about some peoples bias before...

[siampolee]

Methinks that Nick is in denial,

[siampolee]

Evolution is changing our lives in Bangkok !! Courtesy of the great flood relief scam scheme being perpetrated by the government

[whybother]

Nick, what have you seen in relation to relief goods being labelled with PT / Thaksin / Red shirt stickers and banners? There seems to be a lot of evidence of it happening.

There are many organizations that label their relief supplies, which is normal in any disaster zone. On the ground is so much happening, and i do honestly not see that much going on as is suggested here. Maybe i am in the wrong places for that, as i go to the worst inundated areas to take pictures there. I have met there many Red Shirts, both affected, and helping, and there just is not much political talk going on at all, but talk about the flood, and trying to keep a smile to get over this mess.

Both Red Shirts and military say the same thing - that the colors are right now not important, but working together is.

That is all i can say about this now, and i gotta get going.

Later, Nick

Are many organizations labeling the relief supplies that they pick up from FROC? Or labeling things that they are only for particular groups?

[ES1]

Oh please. What is with the drama. Bangkok is built on top of a swamp at sea level and has always been prone to floods. Couple that with the worst monsoon season in many years and an incompetent prime minister who's only qualification is that she comes from a filthy rich family of politicians.

[Kriver]

Nation news sides with Democrat party for as long as I can remember. This news is just another biased point of view and should be viewed objectively.

I do not see how this kind of writing going to help people get through flood. It will only provoke hatred and enrage discrimination here. However, there are a few people who benefit from this red-yellow problem.

Really, I do not understand why my home country has come to this. People just label who don't agree with them using red-yellow. Blaming Sondhi for starting his yellow revolution is valid, and I see he is no where to be found now.

Back to the Thaksin-helping label thing, have a look at following pictures.

Sure, there are evidences of Thaksin and PT party putting their names on those stuffs. But how about this,

To sum it, putting names on these are "normal practice". Even TV3 does this.

[TAWP]

Kriver>> There is a big difference of a company labeling the gods THEY donate (I helped out at CH3 relief packaging before btw) and groups labeling relief bags from the GOVERNMENT aka paid by TAX MONEY, to be labeled with the labels of a party or a specific MP!

Btw, would you protest if the boats had signs saying 'NO BLACKS'?

[whybother]

<snip>

To sum it, putting names on these are "normal practice". Even TV3 does this.

TV3 is NOT the government, or a political party, and didn't they organise the collection of goods?

Now, people are donating goods to the government to give to the people. They are not donating the goods to PT or Thaksin.

[Gillespie]

If the Temple of the Emerald Buddha were to be completely underwater, Thais would have been dealt a big shock, losing all morale and strength to fight back. If the Emerald Buddha cannot protect the City of Angels, then the angels would have taken flight and the capital would have fallen.

With talk like that, anyone would think Thailand was a backward, primitive country, its barely literate, ill-informed, pathologically incurious citizens still hobbled by pre-scientific superstitions and liable to the whims of fakers, charlatans and pseudo-religious, mumbo-jumbo-spouting con artists.

Oh, right.

[Kriver]

Sorry I do miss the certain point. Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual.

But I see people do this times and times again. Now it's the highlight because the situation is big and people need somewhere to put their anger. And it's being flamed actively by a few. I can only think of it as another political game.

Btw, I just watched the actual video clip. That's inappropriate.

About the info source, TV3, TPBS and CH9 tend to be more objective. The rest has their sides.

Edited October 28, 2011 by Kriver

[Arkady]

If the Temple of the Emerald Buddha were to be completely underwater, Thais would have been dealt a big shock, losing all morale and strength to fight back. If the Emerald Buddha cannot protect the City of Angels, then the angels would have taken flight and the capital would have fallen

I think Thanong has gone over the top with this superstitious nonsense after The Nation quite rightly ridiculed Sukhumbhand for his ceremony to appease the Godess of Water. He could argue with as much credibility that the floods are an omen that the Emerald Buddha would like to go home to Vientiane.

[whybother]

Sorry I do miss the certain point. Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual.

But I see people do this times and times again. Now it's the highlight because the situation is big and people need somewhere to put their anger. And it's being flamed actively by a few. I can only think of it as another political game.

Btw, I just watched the actual video clip. That's inappropriate.

About the info source, TV3, TPBS and CH9 tend to be more objective. The rest has their sides.

"Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual." - That's correct. To suggest that my donation to the people that I gave through the government is from anyone else but "The Government" is absolutely wrong.

Labeling goods donated by the people as being from PT or from Thaksin is the "political game".

[noahvail]

Sorry I do miss the certain point. Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual.

But I see people do this times and times again. Now it's the highlight because the situation is big and people need somewhere to put their anger. And it's being flamed actively by a few. I can only think of it as another political game.

Btw, I just watched the actual video clip. That's inappropriate.

About the info source, TV3, TPBS and CH9 tend to be more objective. The rest has their sides.

"Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual." - That's correct. To suggest that my donation to the people that I gave through the government is from anyone else but "The Government" is absolutely wrong.

Labeling goods donated by the people as being from PT or from Thaksin is the "political game".

Absolutely correct!!!

And looking at some of the Thai blogs, many Thai are aghast, angry, and offended by that practice. It may well backfire.

[Justaword]

If the Temple of the Emerald Buddha were to be completely underwater, Thais would have been dealt a big shock, losing all morale and strength to fight back. If the Emerald Buddha cannot protect the City of Angels, then the angels would have taken flight and the capital would have fallen.

With talk like that, anyone would think Thailand was a backward, primitive country, its barely literate, ill-informed, pathologically incurious citizens still hobbled by pre-scientific superstitions and liable to the whims of fakers, charlatans and pseudo-religious, mumbo-jumbo-spouting con artists.

Oh, right.

Oh, well...

[allan michaud]

But why do they need to work as Red Shirts, surely they are Thais? It seems to me that much of the efforts are politically biased which is outrageous at a time like this. The damned politicians, on both sides, are to blame.

This story is wrong, and it is worse than just bad journalism. Thanong gives preference to his radical political views than to facts on the ground, and instrumentalizes this desaster to further his political hate agenda.

There are many Red Shirt teams indeed helping out where they can. Yesterday i accompanied, for example, a Red Shirt team working under the Ministry of Interior to rescue people on Lam Luka Road stuck in their Mu Bans by the approaching waters. Many of the teams members have helped since Ayutthaya was flooded, even though their own homes are under water now. There are many teams that work under the UDD independent of FROC, other locally organized teams of different community Radio Stations are working very hard as well. They do also work hand in hand with the military. Sombat's mirror foundation is working very hard as well.

I have accompanied teams of the fire brigade, i have been on boats with police officers patrolling inundated neighborhoods by boat, and helping wherever they can. If you travel the roads to the worst hit areas, you can see police officers trying to regulate the impossible traffic. I have met Sae Daengs daughter, now a Puea Thai party list MP on a boat inspecting one of the worst hit areas. Soldiers are working incredibly hard.

Naturally, given the nature of the disaster, it takes a long time to get supplies to affected neighborhoods, when so many roads are almost impossible to pass, or when it needs long detours to reach heavily hit areas. The resources are simply stretched to thin, and nobody can be blamed for that as huge areas are affected.

Basically, on the ground, everybody does what they can, regardless of political affiliation, as everybody is affected. And furthermore, i have seen all - military, police, government, Red Shirts, locals, doing their utmost to support us reporters in our work as well. It is well known and accepted by all that the causes of the flood is basically man made - decades of wrong city planning, wrong water management, and we all know that there are problems in communication. But anyone who has some experience with disasters knows that things could be handled much worse as it is done here.

I would suggest Thanong and his ilk to shut up and get wet before writing such rubbish.

[MunterHunter]

I have heard people complaining (although i have no links/proof to back it up) that in some areas, the relief packages that are being handed out comes with the question "are you a red shirt?" - answer "No" and you are told "supplies have run out"

I really *really* hope this is BS... because if its true, it would be disgusting beyond imagination!

Has anyone else heard of this?

[serenitynow]

Sorry I do miss the certain point. Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual.

But I see people do this times and times again. Now it's the highlight because the situation is big and people need somewhere to put their anger. And it's being flamed actively by a few. I can only think of it as another political game.

Btw, I just watched the actual video clip. That's inappropriate.

About the info source, TV3, TPBS and CH9 tend to be more objective. The rest has their sides.

"Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual." - That's correct. To suggest that my donation to the people that I gave through the government is from anyone else but "The Government" is absolutely wrong.

Labeling goods donated by the people as being from PT or from Thaksin is the "political game".

Absolutely correct!!!

And looking at some of the Thai blogs, many Thai are aghast, angry, and offended by that practice. It may well backfire.

It's just an "honest mistake".

[noahvail]

Sorry I do miss the certain point. Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual.

But I see people do this times and times again. Now it's the highlight because the situation is big and people need somewhere to put their anger. And it's being flamed actively by a few. I can only think of it as another political game.

Btw, I just watched the actual video clip. That's inappropriate.

About the info source, TV3, TPBS and CH9 tend to be more objective. The rest has their sides.

"Govt should not label donations from others as from any individual." - That's correct. To suggest that my donation to the people that I gave through the government is from anyone else but "The Government" is absolutely wrong.

Labeling goods donated by the people as being from PT or from Thaksin is the "political game".

Absolutely correct!!!

And looking at some of the Thai blogs, many Thai are aghast, angry, and offended by that practice. It may well backfire.

It's just an "honest mistake".

Of course it is Which is why Thaksin's mouthpiece said only that Thaksin didn't order it done. It might have been nice for him to say, "Thaksin tells you all to stop putting his name and picture on privately donated goods being sent out by the government."

Boats for red shirts only... join us or drown. Very clever way of decreasing the opposition's voting bloc.

[Buchholz]

More corruption from UDD

New FROC speaker to replace Ai Wim to Ajarn Thongthogn does not help - better check the way to distribute donated stuffs along with using the facts instead of the politically distorted in and use her own power to open the watergates

http://www.oknation.net/blog/nailert/2011/10/27/entry-1

Yinglux and FROC to peter Bangkokians out of BKK

http://www.oknation.net/blog/setth/2011/10/27/entry-3

Websites that tell the truths about the flood situation in BKK instead of FROC which keep lying the public

http://www.oknation.net/blog/SOUTHER.../10/27/entry-2

Endless evil deeds by UDD men in FROC

http://www.oknation.net/blog/anonym/2011/10/27/entry-3

PT/UDD men stealing donated stuffs from China to be Ai maew Donation

http://www.oknation.net/blog/setth/2011/10/27/entry-1

PT men stealing BMA sandbags o be used for protecting Chan Song Lah house of EE Photjaman and The Shinnawatra clan

http://www.oknation.net/blog/rethink/2011/10/27/entry-2

Yingluk's government's days are numbered

http://www.oknation.net/blog/Smartle.../10/26/entry-1

Thanks for posting.

It really shows how things are going on.

.

[serenitynow]

More corruption from UDD

New FROC speaker to replace Ai Wim to Ajarn Thongthogn does not help - better check the way to distribute donated stuffs along with using the facts instead of the politically distorted in and use her own power to open the watergates

http://www.oknation.net/blog/nailert/2011/10/27/entry-1

Yinglux and FROC to peter Bangkokians out of BKK

http://www.oknation.net/blog/setth/2011/10/27/entry-3

Websites that tell the truths about the flood situation in BKK instead of FROC which keep lying the public

http://www.oknation...../10/27/entry-2

Endless evil deeds by UDD men in FROC

http://www.oknation.net/blog/anonym/2011/10/27/entry-3

PT/UDD men stealing donated stuffs from China to be Ai maew Donation

http://www.oknation.net/blog/setth/2011/10/27/entry-1

PT men stealing BMA sandbags o be used for protecting Chan Song Lah house of EE Photjaman and The Shinnawatra clan

http://www.oknation.net/blog/rethink/2011/10/27/entry-2

Yingluk's government's days are numbered

http://www.oknation.net/blog/Smartle.../10/26/entry-1

Thanks for posting.

It really shows how things are going on.

.

Apparently it's going on everwhere Nick Nostitz isn't.

[Buchholz]

Kriver>> There is a big difference of a company labeling the gods THEY donate (I helped out at CH3 relief packaging before btw) and groups labeling relief bags from the GOVERNMENT aka paid by TAX MONEY, to be labeled with the labels of a party or a specific MP!

Btw, would you protest if the boats had signs saying 'NO BLACKS'?

Or, even more over the top, labeling relief bags funded by public donations, with the labels of a party or a specific MP.

.

[TAWP]

Apparently it's going on everwhere Nick Nostitz isn't.

He is just so objective and color-blind...that he is blind for anything done by those wearing that red color. Or the red signs. Or text labels being put on things saying anything 'in red'.

[qualtrough]

A disgusting piece of garbage by one of the Nation's worst, a new low. Have they no shame at all?

[Buchholz]

I have heard people complaining (although i have no links/proof to back it up) that in some areas, the relief packages that are being handed out comes with the question "are you a red shirt?" - answer "No" and you are told "supplies have run out"

I really *really* hope this is BS... because if its true, it would be disgusting beyond imagination!

Has anyone else heard of this?

There was a post to that effect by a board member whose family was denied assistance because they were not Red Shirts.

There have also been a video posted where Red Shirts were given priority in receiving relief packages at Don Meung.