Abhisit Pens Account Of 2010 Red-Shirt Riots

webfact · October 17, 2012

Abhisit pens account of 2010 violence

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Opposition and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday launched a book, "The Truth Has No Colour", chronicling his real-life ordeal during the 2010 red-shirt riots, during which he was the prime minister.

At the Democrat Party's headquarters, 40 of Abhisit's avid supporters showed up to buy the book and have him autograph their copies.

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots. He said he believed national reconciliation could only be achieved by acknowledging the truth of what happened during the incident.

He expressed concern that the truth is being distorted for political reasons and that the justice system has been influenced by politicians.

The book gives Abhisit's perspective of what happened during the red-shirt rallies and the crackdown on the protesters by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES), and features pictures of red-shirt rallies at various places.

"I affirm that everything written in this book is taken from actual experience. Is it a tale, or not? I have evidence to prove that it is the truth,'' he said.

One of the significant incidents highlighted in the book is the red-shirt attack on Abhisit's car at the Interior Ministry in 2009. The picture caption reads, "Escaping death at the Interior Ministry".

-- The Nation 2012-10-18

Thai at Heart · October 17, 2012

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots. He said he believed national reconciliation could only be achieved by acknowledging the truth of what happened during the incident.

I really thought Abhisit had more brains than this. Seems he is just as patronizing as any other pooyai towards the people.

Om85 · October 18, 2012

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots. He said he believed national reconciliation could only be achieved by acknowledging the truth of what happened during the incident.

I really thought Abhisit had more brains than this. Seems he is just as patronizing as any other pooyai towards the people.

Amen, to that , brother

Soupdragon · October 18, 2012

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots. He said he believed national reconciliation could only be achieved by acknowledging the truth of what happened during the incident.

I really thought Abhisit had more brains than this. Seems he is just as patronizing as any other pooyai towards the people.

Amen, to that , brother

Interesting you say that. What is in the book to make you draw that conclusion, or is it a preconceived idea ?

fareastguy · October 18, 2012

The truth is all parties concerned were to blame, the reds for massing in such numbers & turning a protest into a living village, the yellows for inciting red camps by being in close proximity instead of staying well out of the way. Eventually the politicians who belatedly tried to clamp down on the situation but lost control themselves, protest leaders who lost control of their own protesters the police & army officials who had ulterior motives of their own to account for their actions & the worst of all the anarchists dressed in black whose ultimate aim was to kill anyone in the opposition.

It's history, leave it behind & move on, learn from the carnage it caused & become a truly democratic society.

Look around & as all the other Asian countries are embracing progress Thailand stands alone in the middle with it's internal fighting, politics & corruption.

Thailand is not emerging as Yingluk spouts around the globe as an emerging world leader, a hub of this that or the other, it is stagnating in a pool of hatred, it will slip forever backwards until it is too far behind to catch up & other leaders will not wish to bail them out with investment.

Thailand can hold onto the only brand it has "Land of Smiles" not land of Investment, education, agriculture, health, industry, technology, democracy.

The only thing Thailand was once famous for it's rice is now being trashed by governmental ignorance.

When will it all end.. I don't think it ever will !!

IMHO

Sharp · October 18, 2012

Abhisit pens account of 2010 violence
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Opposition and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday launched a book, "The Truth Has No Colour", chronicling his real-life ordeal during the 2010 red-shirt riots, during which he was the prime minister.

At the Democrat Party's headquarters, 40 of Abhisit's avid supporters showed up to buy the book and have him autograph their copies.

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots. He said he believed national reconciliation could only be achieved by acknowledging the truth of what happened during the incident.

He expressed concern that the truth is being distorted for political reasons and that the justice system has been influenced by politicians.

The book gives Abhisit's perspective of what happened during the red-shirt rallies and the crackdown on the protesters by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES), and features pictures of red-shirt rallies at various places.

"I affirm that everything written in this book is taken from actual experience. Is it a tale, or not? I have evidence to prove that it is the truth,'' he said.

One of the significant incidents highlighted in the book is the red-shirt attack on Abhisit's car at the Interior Ministry in 2009. The picture caption reads, "Escaping death at the Interior Ministry".

-- The Nation 2012-10-18

AB don't waste your time with these people there not educated enough to understand and too greedy to care

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Sharp · October 18, 2012

The truth is all parties concerned were to blame, the reds for massing in such numbers & turning a protest into a living village, the yellows for inciting red camps by being in close proximity instead of staying well out of the way. Eventually the politicians who belatedly tried to clamp down on the situation but lost control themselves, protest leaders who lost control of their own protesters the police & army officials who had ulterior motives of their own to account for their actions & the worst of all the anarchists dressed in black whose ultimate aim was to kill anyone in the opposition.
It's history, leave it behind & move on, learn from the carnage it caused & become a truly democratic society.

Look around & as all the other Asian countries are embracing progress Thailand stands alone in the middle with it's internal fighting, politics & corruption.

Thailand is not emerging as Yingluk spouts around the globe as an emerging world leader, a hub of this that or the other, it is stagnating in a pool of hatred, it will slip forever backwards until it is too far behind to catch up & other leaders will not wish to bail them out with investment.

Thailand can hold onto the only brand it has "Land of Smiles" not land of Investment, education, agriculture, health, industry, technology, democracy.

The only thing Thailand was once famous for it's rice is now being trashed by governmental ignorance.

When will it all end.. I don't think it ever will !!

IMHO

Spot on my friend ...

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

asiawatcher · October 18, 2012

The truth is all parties concerned were to blame, the reds for massing in such numbers & turning a protest into a living village, the yellows for inciting red camps by being in close proximity instead of staying well out of the way. Eventually the politicians who belatedly tried to clamp down on the situation but lost control themselves, protest leaders who lost control of their own protesters the police & army officials who had ulterior motives of their own to account for their actions & the worst of all the anarchists dressed in black whose ultimate aim was to kill anyone in the opposition.

It's history, leave it behind & move on, learn from the carnage it caused & become a truly democratic society.

Look around & as all the other Asian countries are embracing progress Thailand stands alone in the middle with it's internal fighting, politics & corruption.

Thailand is not emerging as Yingluk spouts around the globe as an emerging world leader, a hub of this that or the other, it is stagnating in a pool of hatred, it will slip forever backwards until it is too far behind to catch up & other leaders will not wish to bail them out with investment.

Thailand can hold onto the only brand it has "Land of Smiles" not land of Investment, education, agriculture, health, industry, technology, democracy.

The only thing Thailand was once famous for it's rice is now being trashed by governmental ignorance.

When will it all end.. I don't think it ever will !!

IMHO

Ignorance and arrogance are a certain recipe for failure and Thailand endorses both as they continue to bumble along the path of recorded history. Your summation is spot on.

carra · October 18, 2012

how confusing for the book shops, will they display this in the fiction or non fiction section? My guess it will be in the fiction section

EvilDrSomkid · October 18, 2012

So, this book is in English? Where can I get it?

Thai at Heart · October 18, 2012

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots. He said he believed national reconciliation could only be achieved by acknowledging the truth of what happened during the incident.

I really thought Abhisit had more brains than this. Seems he is just as patronizing as any other pooyai towards the people.

Amen, to that , brother

Interesting you say that. What is in the book to make you draw that conclusion, or is it a preconceived idea ?

The odds that this book contains, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth are absolutely zero. There are thousands of issues that will be classified secret that he can't even touch upon. Anyone reckon he is going to get into the minutiae of the operations of the CRES? Harldy. Will he able to criticise the army in any way shape or form? I will wait and see, because since the birth of time, Thai PM's dare not to criticise the army. Not to say, that in many ways the army was wrong in their actions, but it is basically impossible to say that the army were perfect in their actions.

Beyond that, if he was PM still, would he write such a book? No. It will be his abridged version of events, which by definition cannot ever represent the "truth" of the issue. Providing completely unbiased truth from one side of the fence is virtually impossible.

This isn't accusing him of anything underhand, it is just the responsibility that Prime Ministers have. Thus, to say that this book will represent the truth of the matter, is beyond the limits of credibility.

rixalex · October 18, 2012

The odds that this book contains, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth are absolutely zero. There are thousands of issues that will be classified secret that he can't even touch upon. Anyone reckon he is going to get into the minutiae of the operations of the CRES? Harldy. Will he able to criticise the army in any way shape or form? I will wait and see, because since the birth of time, Thai PM's dare not to criticise the army. Not to say, that in many ways the army was wrong in their actions, but it is basically impossible to say that the army were perfect in their actions.

Beyond that, if he was PM still, would he write such a book? No. It will be his abridged version of events, which by definition cannot ever represent the "truth" of the issue. Providing completely unbiased truth from one side of the fence is virtually impossible.

This isn't accusing him of anything underhand, it is just the responsibility that Prime Ministers have. Thus, to say that this book will represent the truth of the matter, is beyond the limits of credibility.

The problem here for Abhisit is, the people who he most wants to read it, and to understand his side, understand some of the decisions he made, will draw conclusions without even opening the first page, much less read it.... just as you have done.

Perhaps the book will be biased - it wouldn't surprise me if it is - but i'm more interested to know if it tells bare-faced lies and makes things up. If it doesn't, well then i think it would have value and shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. We hear enough in the media from people who weren't even here, giving all their wisdom and insight into what went down. Let's hear from the man who was in the centre of it all. Don't have to take his word as gospel of course, but let's at least listen.

EvilDrSomkid · October 18, 2012

That's why I want to read his book.

mic6ard · October 18, 2012

The truth is all parties concerned were to blame, the reds for massing in such numbers & turning a protest into a living village, the yellows for inciting red camps by being in close proximity instead of staying well out of the way. Eventually the politicians who belatedly tried to clamp down on the situation but lost control themselves, protest leaders who lost control of their own protesters the police & army officials who had ulterior motives of their own to account for their actions & the worst of all the anarchists dressed in black whose ultimate aim was to kill anyone in the opposition.

It's history, leave it behind & move on, learn from the carnage it caused & become a truly democratic society.

Look around & as all the other Asian countries are embracing progress Thailand stands alone in the middle with it's internal fighting, politics & corruption.

Thailand is not emerging as Yingluk spouts around the globe as an emerging world leader, a hub of this that or the other, it is stagnating in a pool of hatred, it will slip forever backwards until it is too far behind to catch up & other leaders will not wish to bail them out with investment.

Thailand can hold onto the only brand it has "Land of Smiles" not land of Investment, education, agriculture, health, industry, technology, democracy.

The only thing Thailand was once famous for it's rice is now being trashed by governmental ignorance.

When will it all end.. I don't think it ever will !!

IMHO

Ignorance and arrogance are a certain recipe for failure and Thailand endorses both as they continue to bumble along the path of recorded history. Your summation is spot on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism

LOS isn't a democratic country, rather authorian. Power belong to the selected group with apparent display of "democracy". However instead of having just one group. here we have 2 competing groups

saltandpepper · October 18, 2012

how confusing for the book shops, will they display this in the fiction or non fiction section? My guess it will be in the fiction section

Fiction? Your guess?

I would very much read Abhisit book, as I am pretty convinced that his version will be the nearest to the truth.

And then I would love to read the version from......errr from who by the way? Thaksin? Jatuporn? Nattawut? Yingluck? Weng? Well, none of them would be smart enough to put their thought together by writing anyway. Might have to ask to their smart a8s lawyer Amsterdam to do it for them... Anyway, truth is not to be expected from this side....definitely NOT

OzMick · October 18, 2012

Without having read it, I can say that the book will be Abhisit's version of events, and may well contain some self-serving presentation of disputed events.

But it will without doubt be much more accurate than the garbage doled out by Thaksin's red press and television before, during and since the 2010 insurrection.

Not that I expect it to happen, but it would be good for this country if the book was read widely in red circles, if only to let them know that others don't see their action as a reasonable attempt to restore democracy and justifiable on that basis.

Thai at Heart · October 18, 2012

Without having read it, I can say that the book will be Abhisit's version of events, and may well contain some self-serving presentation of disputed events.

But it will without doubt be much more accurate than the garbage doled out by Thaksin's red press and television before, during and since the 2010 insurrection.

Not that I expect it to happen, but it would be good for this country if the book was read widely in red circles, if only to let them know that others don't see their action as a reasonable attempt to restore democracy and justifiable on that basis.

Let's see, it may have some insights into the decision making that went on.

siampolee · October 18, 2012

One must remember that in any situation where there is a difference of opinion there are three sides to the argument.

For,

Against,

Then in the middle of the above two antagonists that endangered if not actually extinct beast THE TRUTH.

Edited October 18, 2012 by siampolee

Jobiwankenobi · October 18, 2012

Like most of the above posts, I agree that Abhisit's account of what went on during this time may very well be the most accurate writing available on the subject; a statement which I intend as both praise and criticism. Surely, it's better than anything written by these "Red" morons and I look forward to reading an English version if one becomes available. I'll surely pick an original Thai copy up for my wife and get her to tell me a few stories.

Looking forward to it, and good for Abhisit for having the wherewithal and cajones for compiling his experiences during this bizarre time. Beauty eh.

Nickymaster · October 18, 2012

how confusing for the book shops, will they display this in the fiction or non fiction section? My guess it will be in the fiction section

So it will be in the section you get all your knowledge from. Happy reading.

gl555 · October 18, 2012

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots. He said he believed national reconciliation could only be achieved by acknowledging the truth of what happened during the incident.

I really thought Abhisit had more brains than this. Seems he is just as patronizing as any other pooyai towards the people.

Have you actually read the book yet? Or is it just easy to slam Abhisit without even knowing what's what?

Thai at Heart · October 18, 2012

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots. He said he believed national reconciliation could only be achieved by acknowledging the truth of what happened during the incident.

I really thought Abhisit had more brains than this. Seems he is just as patronizing as any other pooyai towards the people.

Have you actually read the boo of thek yet? Or is it just easy to slam Abhisit without even knowing what's what?

He signed various bits of paper that ended up with the army shooting people. so you reckon we are going to get the whole unabridged truth, which could give his political enemies any mud to sling back at him? Politicians on all sides trade in their variations of the truth. That's politics

rixalex · October 18, 2012

He signed various bits of paper that ended up with the army shooting people.

Except there was a bit more to it than that, wasn't there?

Politicians on all sides trade in their variations of the truth. That's politics

I think it would be fair to say though that the loudest voices giving their variation of the truth, has consistently been from the voices opposed to Abhisit.

What's the problem with hearing Abhisit's side of things?

EvilDrSomkid · October 18, 2012

He signed various bits of paper that ended up with the army shooting people.

Except there was a bit more to it than that, wasn't there?

Politicians on all sides trade in their variations of the truth. That's politics

I think it would be fair to say though that the loudest voices giving their variation of the truth, has consistently been from the voices opposed to Abhisit.

What's the problem with hearing Abhisit's side of things?

Thank you, sir, for providing a voice of reason.

In the OP it did say the book represents Abhisit's version of events.

lujanit · October 18, 2012

Has anybody actually read the book? Or are most of the posts just biased opinions?

EvilDrSomkid · October 18, 2012

Btw, the book is only available in Thai and will probably not become available in English either.

Thai at Heart · October 18, 2012

He signed various bits of paper that ended up with the army shooting people.

Except there was a bit more to it than that, wasn't there?

Politicians on all sides trade in their variations of the truth. That's politics

I think it would be fair to say though that the loudest voices giving their variation of the truth, has consistently been from the voices opposed to Abhisit.

What's the problem with hearing Abhisit's side of things?

None whatsoever, the funny thing is though, as I mentioned further up the thread, he claims

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots.

Now if you are naive enough to believe this one, coming from any politician, anywhere in the world, particularly one who was absolutely in the middle of a massive national crisis, you really have to be very naive. I await the detailed discussion that he had with the army, I await the detailed discussion that he must have been having with Suthep through the whole thing.

The world is littered with massive political moments, which are covered in biographies years after the event, say, the Cuban missile crisis, or to a lesser extent the miners strike in the UK, or for an Asian version, lets say Tianenman. Yes, great, you read the book, of one's person view of the events, but their character ALWAYS sways to what they believe is the right way of doing things. So, of course, you need to read the opposition view to get some balance. To claim, that Abhisit's will be without political slant would be nice, but pretty much impossible to achieve. Sometimes, politicians have to take terrible decisions for the greater good. Let's see how he views his own decision making of this event in his book.

I wonder if he will have ONE word to discuss the rights and wrongs about how the army acted during the whole event? Now that would be political dynamite, but to coin a phrase "We/They/You can't handle the truth".

Moruya · October 18, 2012

how confusing for the book shops, will they display this in the fiction or non fiction section? My guess it will be in the fiction section

Only the illiterate judge books by their covers.

rixalex · October 18, 2012

None whatsoever, the funny thing is though, as I mentioned further up the thread, he claims

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant, as he wanted to reveal the truth about what happened during the red-shirt riots.

Now if you are naive enough to believe this one, coming from any politician, anywhere in the world, particularly one who was absolutely in the middle of a massive national crisis, you really have to be very naive. I await the detailed discussion that he had with the army, I await the detailed discussion that he must have been having with Suthep through the whole thing.

The world is littered with massive political moments, which are covered in biographies years after the event, say, the Cuban missile crisis, or to a lesser extent the miners strike in the UK, or for an Asian version, lets say Tianenman. Yes, great, you read the book, of one's person view of the events, but their character ALWAYS sways to what they believe is the right way of doing things. So, of course, you need to read the opposition view to get some balance. To claim, that Abhisit's will be without political slant would be nice, but pretty much impossible to achieve. Sometimes, politicians have to take terrible decisions for the greater good. Let's see how he views his own decision making of this event in his book.

I wonder if he will have ONE word to discuss the rights and wrongs about how the army acted during the whole event? Now that would be political dynamite, but to coin a phrase "We/They/You can't handle the truth".

You seem to be making a strawman argument. Nobody has said they believe this book will be totally unbiased or will reveal everything that went on, no holds barred. People have just said he has a right to express his side of things, and people should judge the book by what is inside it, not what they think is inside it, and try to keep something of an open mind.

nurofiend · October 18, 2012

Abhisit said he wrote the book without adding any political slant

i haven't read it but......

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