An unusual rally was held today at the Royal Turf Club racetrack in Bangkok. It brought together a variety of groups, including the conservative Pitak Siam, Dr Tul's multi-coloured shirts, Santi Asoke's Dhamma Army and the old communists (Mao hats, red stars and all) to protest against the Yingluck Government's ineptitude and corruption.

The yellow-shirted PAD was not represented, at least formally. Perhaps that's why there was little or no reporting, apart from a couple of tweets by Richard Barrow. I didn't really take any interest in the rally other than to note the strangeness of the bedfellows running it, but Mrs Xangsamhua followed most of it on Santi Asoke's FMTV channel.

Police, according to Richard Barrow, estimated an attendance of 7,000. However, the organizers said that 20,000 had registered and were definitely present and there were many more who attended without registering. They estimated 30,000.

The developing mutual respect between the old communists and Santi Asoke intrigues me. I saw the red star men interviewed on FMTV some weeks ago and it seems there's some commonality of view among the unreconstructed, and aging, Thai communists and the barefoot Buddhist reformers of Santi Asoke. I was most interested to hear that the old reds venerate the King.

please continue:

Second anti-govt rally planned at Government House: Thailand

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....house-thailand/

//CLOSED//