We Lost To Evil: Rally Leader

[Lite Beer]

We lost to evil: rally leader

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- General Boonlert Kaewprasit, left, and other organisers of yesterday

Boonlert abruptly ends anti-govt rally, says supporters blocked from site; 117 protesters arrested; police use tear gas

The leader of yesterday's anti-government protest admitted to his "loss to evil" after calling off the rally in the evening.

Retired General Boonlert Kaewprasit said he called off the protest because the number of participants was smaller than expected. He blamed this on efforts by authorities and police to prevent many prospective protesters from taking part. He did not want the protesters to risk "further violence" at the hands of police following clashes between the two sides.

Police estimated the number of protesters at 20,000, while organisers put the figure at 50,000. Earlier, Boonlert had vowed that his protest would draw 1 million people.

Boonlert, leader of the Pitak Siam group, said that all over the country, supporters of the protest were blocked from travelling along the main roads to Bangkok, such as Phetchakasem, Sukhumvit and Phaholyothin.

He also said he was concerned about the well-being of protesters at the Royal Plaza and in adjacent areas after police fired several tear-gas canisters at them. He added that signs that bullets had been fired were also found at the protest site.

Boonlert said he would not lead such a street demonstration again and that it would depend on others in the anti-government movement whether there would be a new leader.

"General Boonlert is already dead. I have lost to evil," he said in an emotional announcement on the protest venue's main stage under heavy rain.

He added that the protesters who were arrested during yesterday's clash with police would get legal assistance.

A total of 117 protesters - 94 men and 23 women - were being detained at the Border Patrol Police Region 1 headquarters in Pathum Thani yesterday, according to Pol Lt-General Nares Nanthachot, commander of Police Region 1.

Many protesters became angry after hearing Boonlert's announcement calling an abrupt end to the protest. Some of them shouted that they would not join him in future protests. Some angry rain-soaked protesters threw things at crowd-control police nearby.

Observers said the organisers' lack of experience in holding large protests was the main cause for the premature end of the anti-government rally.

"It's clear that Pitak Siam has no experience, when compared to the People's Alliance for Democracy or the red shirts," said Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn.

A source said the early end of the protest could be due to a lack of funding and psychological warfare by the authorities, as well as poor management on the organisers' part.

Meanwhile, the government was likely to consider lifting the Internal Security Act soon, now that the protest had been called off, according to PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn.

Fifteen people were injured during yesterday's clashes.

-- The Nation 2012-11-25

[nurofiend]

maybe next time, people should protest for general elections if they have a probelm with this government.

no problem with that whatsoever, whether i agree with their reasoning or not.

this group was just a ridiculous joke from the beginning.

[FOODLOVER]

Calling for a coup, calling for a freezing of democracy was pure stupidity. If it is true that someone called for the murder of the PM they should be arrested and put in jail. There are however many reports of police not allowing folks to travel to the rally. With Yingluck and Chalerms proclivity for lying does not seem we have a government source for the truth. Calling this a victory for red " justice" is utterly rediculous. Just look at the national road blocks to stop the peoples.

[ttelise]

I wish everyone would be honest and admit they could care less about democracy or the right to protest. These people, including whybother, hellodolly et al., just wanted to see current government overthrown through protest as in years past. That is not democracy. That is mob rules. Then when the mob rules escalated violence and millitary coup did not happen or is stopped by police intervention, you all play this whinney little victim card routine.

Evil won . . . haha, give it rest. It was those whack jobs saying Yinluck needed to be killed. Inciting people to kill the PM is about as bad or evil as it gets. If you condone that, then you are part of the problem and not even close to be a part of the solution.

There is a new sheriff in town. Things are going to be different now. The days of using coups and mob rules to force someone out of office is over. The government apparently had security measures in place to defeat such efforts and perhaps US has assisted in planning. I am sure the government had more in store to meet any further esclation in violence.

You guys need to stop being so devisive. This actually hurts your party more in the long term than helps it. Constantly obcessing on how to make Yingluck's plans fail, make her look bad or how to take her out is just pure insanity and destructive to the country. That should be patently obvious. It is this very attitude both in the streets and seen here on TV that keep the country in turmoil and lead to further political instability. Stop being part of the probelm and become a part of the solution.

Edited November 24, 2012 by ttelise

[chainarong]

It's a long road to travel General Boonlert, all good leaders lead by example, what come's around go's around. W

[JurgenG]

Pitak Siam lost to common sense and democracy !

For quite some time already a growing number of us are saying that the posters mentioned above ^^ and those who support them are getting increasingly out of touch with the feelings of the large majority of the Thai population.

Edited November 24, 2012 by JurgenG

[DP25]

Save it for when Thaksin tries to come back, or at least until the attempt to pardon criminal number one moves forward. That is the event that will galvanize millions to take to the streets. Let anger over the government's mismanagement and massive corruption continue to grow in the meantime. The day will come when all of them will reap what they have sown.

Edited November 24, 2012 by DP25

[Roadman]

Calling for a coup, calling for a freezing of democracy was pure stupidity. If it is true that someone called for the murder of the PM they should be arrested and put in jail. There are however many reports of police not allowing folks to travel to the rally. With Yingluck and Chalerms proclivity for lying does not seem we have a government source for the truth. Calling this a victory for red " justice" is utterly rediculous. Just look at the national road blocks to stop the peoples.

Agree. Nothing has really changed and it was about what was to be expected. For those arrested they deserved to be...they were being directed along an agreed path, not barred. The stuff up to this was the call for a coup...utter stupidity. That basically lost public support there and then. This is neither here nor there. The call has always been Constitution rewrite and a pardon for the criminal in Dubai. Thats when the people who care for Thailand need to stand up.

[edwinchester]

The army must be well pleased this particular general is retired. No clue at all on how to organise and capitulates at the first opposition.

[LuckyLew]

People want to move forward and not backwards

[Cnxforever]

"we lost to evil " says a fascist who was playing and singing to right wing tunes on stage yesterday which were popular among his kind while the massacres of students in 1976 where going on! Cheering protesters on to confront police and hoping for a bloodbath so his army pals could step in!

The sooner this old guard with their outdated thinking dissapears the better!

Thailand lost nothing yesterday – Thailand only won!

Edited November 25, 2012 by Scott
font

[jonclark]

Pitak Siam lost to common sense and democracy !

For quite some time already a growing number of us are saying that the posters mentioned above ^^ and those who support them are getting increasingly out of touch with the feelings of the large majority of the Thai population.

There is no arguing with the idea of he majority of the Thai population, evident by the last election 18 months ago. But Jurgen as you know a large minority of the population (the 10 million + Dem voters) feel abandoned by this government. Those feelings will not end soon and unless PTP government is able to provide some meaningful policies and direction and treat all Thai as equals, as opposed to one rule for the reds and another for everyone else. (and don't nit pick you know its true) the fractured nature of Thai politics will remain (just as it did under the Dems) and protests will become more frequent, violent and larger (just as it did under the dems)) The writing is on the wall.

Majority rule, doesn't equal you do what we say, want, or tell you to. That is democratic slavery.

Yingluck came to power with the promise of bringing reconciliation to Thailand - clearly she has failed as she (and i blame her advisers on this one) sought to conquer as opposed to reconcile with her opponents. This rally was a symptom of that failure. Lets just hope she learns from this.

Boonlert is a dick, but he vocalized the concerns, and opposition od an increasing number of people in Bangkok have too the direction the country is moving in (that's another topic) and as history teaches - In Thai politics you ignore fickle Bangkok at your peril.

Edited November 25, 2012 by jonclark

[JurgenG]

"we lost to evil " says a fascist who was playing and singing to right wing tunes on stage yesterday which were popular among his kind while the massacres of students in 1976 where going on! Cheering protesters on to confront police and hoping for a bloodbath so his army pals could step in!

The sooner this old guard with their outdated thinking dissapears the better!

Thailand lost nothing yesterday – Thailand only won!

You're right, yesterday was a big victory for Thailand and democracy .

We should thank Pitak Siam for organizing this protest, showing to the world how completely out of touch these ideas of violence and military coup are with the general population.

It should be also a great wake up call for the democrats. If they want to come back to power, it has to be through the ballot box. Yesterday, by a large majority, the general population rallied behind the elected government against the threat of fascism and an other military coup. It's also a clear personal defeat for Abhisit, who failed (again) to understand what the Thai want and what they are not ready to accept. Yesterday's fiasco is also a clear call for Abhisit resignation.

[dcutman]

Pitak Siam lost to common sense and democracy !

For quite some time already a growing number of us are saying that the posters mentioned above ^^ and those who support them are getting increasingly out of touch with the feelings of the large majority of the Thai population.

You are absolutely right G.

The above mentioned posters and many many more are so out of touch with majority of Thai's. I mean near 70%, a vast majority believe corruption and cronyism is good and is accepted as normal in a Thai democracy. Why on earth would anybody want other than a self serving government?

Obviously it baffles you and myself and the vast majority of Thai's, why these TVF posters cant get on board with this sound democracy.

[JurgenG]

Pitak Siam lost to common sense and democracy !

For quite some time already a growing number of us are saying that the posters mentioned above ^^ and those who support them are getting increasingly out of touch with the feelings of the large majority of the Thai population.

You are absolutely right G.

The above mentioned posters and many many more are so out of touch with majority of Thai's. I mean near 70%, a vast majority believe corruption and cronyism is good and is accepted as normal in a Thai democracy. Why on earth would anybody want other than a self serving government?

Obviously it baffles you and myself and the vast majority of Thai's, why these TVF posters cant get on board with this sound democracy.

Now we have the voice of the enlightened missionaries who are going to bring civilization to the savage population. The sword or the democrats.

Colonialism is soooo yesterday ...

[rubl]

A total of 117 protesters - 94 men and 23 women - were being detained at the Border Patrol Police Region 1 headquarters in Pathum Thani yesterday, according to Pol Lt-General Nares Nanthachot, commander of Police Region 1.

Will the government provide bail for these obviously political prisoners, or just let them go to save money and show some real reconciliation spirit ?

[arthurboy]

We lost to evil: rally leader

No, no and thrice no.

This is not and has never been about democracy.

It's simply about corruption. Whatever you think about this or that - red, yellow or whatever colour - claim to the democratic process, always and always lurking behind that facile cosmetic is corruption.

The chance, the opportunity to get one's sticky fingers in that oh so lucrative pie.

[chooka]

Boo Hoo the Thai elite, yellow shirts failed. Lets feel sorry for the rich and powerful of Thailand who are no longer in control and able to rape the country of it's wealth. There are others with their snouts in their yellow bowl and they don't like it.

[FOODLOVER]

Boo Hoo the Thai elite, yellow shirts failed. Lets feel sorry for the rich and powerful of Thailand who are no longer in control and able to rape the country of it's wealth. There are others with thier snouts in thier yellow bowl and they don't like it.

Change the yellow to red and come next election or sooner it will make perfect sense.

[Bluespunk]

"we lost to evil " says a fascist who was playing and singing to right wing tunes on stage yesterday which were popular among his kind while the massacres of students in 1976 where going on! Cheering protesters on to confront police and hoping for a bloodbath so his army pals could step in!

The sooner this old guard with their outdated thinking dissapears the better!

Thailand lost nothing yesterday – Thailand only won!

You're right, yesterday was a big victory for Thailand and democracy .

We should thank Pitak Siam for organizing this protest, showing to the world how completely out of touch these ideas of violence and military coup are with the general population.

It should be also a great wake up call for the democrats. If they want to come back to power,it has to be through the ballot box. Yesterday, by a large majority, the general population rallied behind the elected government against the threat of fascism and an other military coup. It's also a clear personal defeat for Abhisit, who failed (again) to understand what the Thai want

and what they are not ready to accept. Yesterday's fiasco is also a clear call for Abhisit resignation.

While i am glad this fascist has been exposed for what he is, a fool of the highest order, a dangerous fool, but still a fool I can't see what he had to do with Abhisit. PS, while attracting some PAD support, would have been no friends of the democrats. Fascists are a whole different breed of political animal, generally rabid and dangerous to all. Stop linking Abhisit with them please.

[jcw]

Observers said the organisers' lack of experience in holding large protests was the main cause for the premature end of the anti-government rally.

Yeah, they should have put women, grandmothers and little kids near the stage as a human shield to protect them, not leave the site for a month or more, then burn the city down to get their way, well at least they know for next time .

Argh the Thai Way

[Valentine]

Pitak Siam could not organize a piss up at a brewery & then running away before the whistle has hardly blown for the kick off. Between that, the measures put in place to prevent protesters reaching the rally site & the police actually doing their (unlike in 2010) the rally was never going to be successful. Mr T & the red shirts are simply much more clever while the opposition continually look like dinosaurs watching the dreaded asteroid, flying overhead, which doomed them to extinction.

[bunnaag]

The army must be well pleased this particular general is retired. No clue at all on how to organise and capitulates at the first opposition.

should have asked Chamlöng and other yellow shirts for advise.

[Crushdepth]

The loser, as usual, is Thailand.

[noitom]

And the drama continues. Stay tuned after a brief message from the sponsors.

[dcutman]

Pitak Siam lost to common sense and democracy !

For quite some time already a growing number of us are saying that the posters mentioned above ^^ and those who support them are getting increasingly out of touch with the feelings of the large majority of the Thai population.

You are absolutely right G.

The above mentioned posters and many many more are so out of touch with majority of Thai's. I mean near 70%, a vast majority believe corruption and cronyism is good and is accepted as normal in a Thai democracy. Why on earth would anybody want other than a self serving government?

Obviously it baffles you and myself and the vast majority of Thai's, why these TVF posters cant get on board with this sound democracy.

Now we have the voice of the enlightened missionaries who are going to bring civilization to the savage population. The sword or the democrats.

Colonialism is soooo yesterday ...

G whats with the harsh words.

Like you I am all for a being in touch with with the feelings of the majority, and love living in my world within the Thai democracy.

[Noistar]

maybe next time, people should protest for general elections if they have a probelm with this government.

no problem with that whatsoever, whether i agree with their reasoning or not.

this group was just a ridiculous joke from the beginning.

The problem seems to be what happens after these general elections.

You can have elections ad-infinitum, but if they don't result in democracy there will continue to be conflict.

Perhaps someone has a view as to why the ruling party are quick to mobilize the security forces against protestors, while at the same time they refuse to at least pretend to govern democratically.

If the government (maybe the PM one day??), wont debate policies, options within the 'democratic' framework are limited.

General elections are fine, but it's what happens after them which counts, or is the blank cheque enough?

[binjalin]

1 million? 12,000 turned up? let's hope it's over - the Police actually did an excellent job for once

[asiawatcher]

If Boonlert had called his rally one against corruption, left the politics out of it, he may have had more support. Unlike the reds 2010 protest, the govt way outmaneuvered the General. Thanks goodness he never had to meet an enemy at war!!! Blocked participants, had barricades in place way before they turned up and had a show of force by police the dems could never arrange. Crushed prior to birth. The reds and the Thaksin faction are in power and they will hang on to it to milk Thailand as long as they can by any means possible. The spin doctors like Chalerm pre-empting violence and then no doubt undertaking it when not called for, does not cause him any concern whatsoever. The next few days as to charges against the demonstrators, you can bet he will make examples of them to ensure people will think twice about further demonstrations. Welcome to dictatorship 'Thaksinocracy'. You wanted it, you got it.

Edited November 25, 2012 by asiawatcher

[binjalin]

If Boonlert had called his rally one against corruption, left the politics out of it, he may have had more support. Unlike the reds 2010 protest, the govt way outmaneuvered the General. Thanks goodness he never had to meet an enemy at war!!! Blocked participants, had barricades in place way before they turned up and had a show of force by police the dems could never arrange. Crushed prior to birth. The reds and the Thaksin faction are in power and they will hang on to it to milk Thailand as long as they can by any means possible. The spin doctors like Chalerm pre-empting violence and then no doubt undertaking it when not called for, does not cause him any concern whatsoever. The next few days as to charges against the demonstrators, you can bet he will make examples of them to ensure people will think twice about further demonstrations. Welcome to dictatorship 'Thaksinocracy'. You wanted it, you got it.

don't be so silly, 'Thaksinocracy'? nothing to do with Thaksin you guys blame him for every and anything here and it's absurd. I am not a fan of Thaksin but this really has nothing to do with him it's a government it seems, that has learned how to crush a potentially violent demo led by a general who calls for a coup in a country which has an elected government through the democratic process. YOU might not like it, you might not approve (as many on TV don't) but tough s**t the people chose not you nor TV posters - get over it.