Red Shirt Recruiting Scheme!?

[thaibutty]

My wife got a phone call by her outraged mother this morning. Last week my mother in law went on a free one-week holiday organized by the Thessabaan at her community in Nakhon Sri Thammarat. The Thessabaan usually organizes 1-2 trips a year to different places in Thailand, where the villagers can go for free. My mother in law already went to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai etc. in recent years and never encountered any problems.

This time they were supposed to go on a sightseeing tour to Khao Yai. Around 60 villagers, mostly woman went on the trip, which they thought would be a vacation trip. Howeverm when they arrived just outside Khao Yai NP, the bus stopped and everyone was handed red clothing, which they were forced to wear before the bus continued. They were than brought to a large Red Shirt camp, where they should stay for the coming week. All new arrivals were supposed to listen to a Red Shirt propaganda speak.

As most Southeners my mother in law and her friends have no sympathy for the Red Shirts and were outraged by being tricked into this situation. Some of them organized a taxi to the nearest bus station and went back home by themselves the same evening. My mother in law spent one night outside the Red Shirt camp before they convinced the bus driver, who apparently also had no idea about the destination of the trip, to bring them back to NST the next morning.

We asked my mother in law about the other people in the camp. According to her most people where from Isaan and also brought their by their Thesabaan, but they seemed to have no problem with being brought their. Apparently there were THais from all over the country brought to gather there.

Has anyone heard anything similar? Is this a new tactic other than the vote buying before elections?

[Hedghog]

Where do you sign up?

I don't care what colour T-shirt I wear.

Free holiday.

Can't go wrong.

[chickenslegs]

I don't know who said this first but "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch"

[TomTao]

Could this be considered to be a re-education camp, or brainwashing, how many of the other people who were taken to such camps under false pretenses have had the fortitude to leave and how many may have stayed out of either curiosity or fear?

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[rene123]

Despite it being a free trip, I would be angry as well; even if I actually WAS a red shirt disciple. It's like going to one of those "free" time share promotion trips where they try to sell you a week's holiday scheme at an overpriced resort somewhere you don't want to be.

[kevvy]

the quicker they get rid of these murders(not all) the better it will be in Thailand

[Jingthing]

That's outrageous! Is this being covered in the Thai press? I see no problem if people are told coming in what the deal is. What you described sounds like a very serious deception.

[15Peter20]

The event was called 'Bonanza' and is (I think, not sure) an annual Music Festival held at the Bonanza Resort, which has strong links to the red shirt movement.

I'm surprised nothing was mentioned about it in the News Forum actually, as Thaksin made a live phone-in. Would have been suitable raw meat for the usual anti-red TV posters.

[cdnvic]