Red Shirts Gather At Ratchaprasong; Mark 3Rd Anniversary Of May 19 Crackdown

[15Peter20]

That's more like it. Maybe so, maybe not, depending on what proof you have of such tight control. Thanks anyway.

The "red shirt guard" do have such control. News articles, YouTube videos and other eyewitness accounts confirming such are really not hard to find...

So you should be able to source announcements where the 'red shirt guard' has told everyone to be peaceful on this occasion, right?

They only act when people start breaking the rules.

At ~2.50 you hear about the red guard stopping the protesters "surging forward" getting too close to the army.

At 3.36 you hear the first boom. The first M79...?

In the aftermath, the protesters were free to attack the army, in whatever injured state they were in.

I can understand why protester would pay attention to what the guards preach.

So the last 'announcement' by the red shirt guards - according to you on that day - was to stop the protesters surging forward. Doesn't seem overly offensive to me, but anyway I'm trying to get a handle on what happened today. Specifically, I'm looking for evidence of the 'tight control' that red shirt guards had over today's demonstrators in ensuring that no violent conduct took place. You have explicitly said they have tight control over the demonstrators so I hoped to have some evidence of that occurring today. Cheers.

[Insight]

They only act when people start breaking the rules.

At ~2.50 you hear about the red guard stopping the protesters "surging forward" getting too close to the army.

At 3.36 you hear the first boom. The first M79...?

In the aftermath, the protesters were free to attack the army, in whatever injured state they were in.

I can understand why protester would pay attention to what the guards preach.

So the last 'announcement' by the red shirt guards - according to you on that day - was to stop the protesters surging forward. Doesn't seem overly offensive to me, but anyway I'm trying to get a handle on what happened today. Specifically, I'm looking for evidence of the 'tight control' that red shirt guards had over today's demonstrators in ensuring that no violent conduct took place. You have explicitly said they have tight control over the demonstrators so I hoped to have some evidence of that occurring today. Cheers.

10 days ago:

Around noon, a woman in her 30s dressed in black lambasted the media near the rally stage opposite Parliament.

One of the red shirts shouted out that she was not a red shirt, causing others to flock to her.

Red-shirt guards rushed to remove her from the scene as others tried to assault her physically. The woman fled in one of the buses that carried the red shirts to Parliament, before she was pulled out and hit in the head.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Yellows-stay-as-reds-head-to-Parliament-30205735.html

The protest the article refers to was relatively minor compared to today's 20,000+ (?) turnout.

You really believe this same guard, operating under the same modus operandi, was not present today?

[15Peter20]

They only act when people start breaking the rules.

At ~2.50 you hear about the red guard stopping the protesters "surging forward" getting too close to the army.

At 3.36 you hear the first boom. The first M79...?

In the aftermath, the protesters were free to attack the army, in whatever injured state they were in.

I can understand why protester would pay attention to what the guards preach.

So the last 'announcement' by the red shirt guards - according to you on that day - was to stop the protesters surging forward. Doesn't seem overly offensive to me, but anyway I'm trying to get a handle on what happened today. Specifically, I'm looking for evidence of the 'tight control' that red shirt guards had over today's demonstrators in ensuring that no violent conduct took place. You have explicitly said they have tight control over the demonstrators so I hoped to have some evidence of that occurring today. Cheers.

10 days ago:

>Around noon, a woman in her 30s dressed in black lambasted the media near the rally stage opposite Parliament.

One of the red shirts shouted out that she was not a red shirt, causing others to flock to her.

Red-shirt guards rushed to remove her from the scene as others tried to assault her physically. The woman fled in one of the buses that carried the red shirts to Parliament, before she was pulled out and hit in the head.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Yellows-stay-as-reds-head-to-Parliament-30205735.html

The protest the article refers to was relatively minor compared to today's 20,000+ (?) turnout.

You really believe this same guard, operating under the same modus operandi, was not present today?

Like you, I don't know for sure. But if it was their 'modus operandi' surely there would have been a standoff at least? I like to know facts before I get all agitated. The only thing that is apparent is that 20,000+? red shirts gathered in town yesterday and there was no violence as far as I can tell. Did red shirt guards/leaders/Thaksin have control over everything they did? If so, does their non-violence mean those parties are not bent on violent confrontation? I'm not presupposing anything. Just wish some other 'career' posters here were the same.

[Insight]

I'm not presupposing anything. Just wish some other 'career' posters here were the same.

Bless.

[waza]

I thought the red shirts were supposed to be violent. Why didn't it kick off?

Even the Redshirts are not dumb enough to kick off against their own government with their favourite criminal leading it.

We remember the victims of the 2010 Red riots............

No amnesty for anyone, let the rule of law apply.

Edited May 19, 2013 by waza

[Joe Mamma]

Back for more. Are they gluttons of punishment.

[apetley]

Right now they are selling weapons at the red demonstration!   Here is a picture I took at 3 pm

You will get that sort of offering in just about any night market throughout Thailand.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[p_brownstone]

So what's the situation this morning - are roads still blocked or has everyone gone home?

I want to go into town later today!

Patrick

[Xonax]

UDD

United Front for Democracy and against Dictatorship?

The name is hilarious.

Surely agree, but kinda smart, as they won´t have to change the UDD logo, when reality strikes after Thaksin is welcomed back. UDD can also be used for United Front for Dictatorship and against Democracy!

[GrantSmith]

So what's the situation this morning - are roads still blocked or has everyone gone home?

I want to go into town later today!

Patrick

Roads are back to their vehicular packed best...

[15Peter20]

I'm not presupposing anything. Just wish some other 'career' posters here were the same.

Bless.

Thank you!

[PREM-R]

UDD

United Front for Democracy and against Dictatorship?

The name is hilarious.

PAD

People's Alliance for Democracy

The name is hilarious.

[whybother]

UDD

United Front for Democracy and against Dictatorship?

The name is hilarious.

PAD

People's Alliance for Democracy

The name is hilarious.

You're both right.

[waza]

UDD

United Front for Democracy and against Dictatorship?

The name is hilarious.

PAD

People's Alliance for Democracy

The name is hilarious.

You're both right.

Whats even more hilarious is they are in English and most members cant speak it, including the PM.

Edited May 20, 2013 by waza

[Wombat6]

The first photo shown on this thread says it all. A mob of sheep all penned in.

[hyperdimension]

Were the attendees mostly the elderly?

[Centrum]

Was there any Black Shirts there honoring the martyr's. Or do they have no honor?

Yes, I did see some young guys dressed up in all-black. I presume they weren't the 'real deal' but paying the illusive black-shirts some respect.

I did manage a small chuckle as I was being herded out of Central World at one o'clock.

I looked at all the Red-shirts taking refuge inside from the heat and thought 'Well if you hadn't burned the place down 3 years ago, they might have let you cool off! Som nam na"

[rubl]

In line with activities in ChiangMai with 'concerned citizens' protecting a source of income, next time we might here have:

"This Ratchaprasong area delivers huge benefits to Thais across the country and generates income for Bangkok. The No-shirt Group will therefore not allow anyone to block this area," local no-shirt Notmahsert Wattafun said. He mobilised supporters to "stand guard" around the commercial area.

[mrtoad]

I thought the red shirts were supposed to be violent. Why didn't it kick off?

They only just set up camp. A few days of brainwashing by those on the red stage and free whiskey at night and they would/will be off. Have they all gone home now?

If they have gone home, would that mitigate your speculation of forthcoming violence, or would you say that knowing there was violence to come, the red shirt leaders acted responsibly in dispersing the crowd? Or, regardless of anything I could possibly write, would you still have a go at the red shirt crowd that gathered there?

The Red shirts have a long history of violence , note April 2009 and the protests in 2010. Don think for one moment that they are peace loving, democracy championing organization. They are a paid for rent a thug outfit, serving the DL.

[Pimay1]

I thought the red shirts were supposed to be violent. Why didn't it kick off?

They only just set up camp. A few days of brainwashing by those on the red stage and free whiskey at night and they would/will be off. Have they all gone home now?

If they have gone home, would that mitigate your speculation of forthcoming violence, or would you say that knowing there was violence to come, the red shirt leaders acted responsibly in dispersing the crowd? Or, regardless of anything I could possibly write, would you still have a go at the red shirt crowd that gathered there?

The Red shirts have a long history of violence , note April 2009 and the protests in 2010. Don think for one moment that they are peace loving, democracy championing organization. They are a paid for rent a thug outfit, serving the DL.

Everyone on this fourm is well aware of that fact. Even our red defender friends. They just won't admit it.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Pimay1

[hyperdimension]

The Red shirts have a long history of violence , note April 2009 and the protests in 2010. Don think for one moment that they are peace loving, democracy championing organization. They are a paid for rent a thug outfit, serving the DL.

Some are thugs, but not all. The rest are a mixture of brainwashed useful idiots and/or lonely senile people who use the red shirt movement for free entertainment and social gathering where they can feel a sense of acceptance and belonging to something.

Edited May 20, 2013 by hyperdimension

[Pimay1]

The Red shirts have a long history of violence , note April 2009 and the protests in 2010. Don think for one moment that they are peace loving, democracy championing organization. They are a paid for rent a thug outfit, serving the DL.

Some are thugs, but not all. The rest are a mixture of brainwashed useful idiots and/or lonely senile people who use the red shirt movement for free entertainment and social gathering where they can feel a sense of acceptance and belonging to something.

With no idea what the ideology of the red thug leaders is. Just ask this lady the definition of ideology or democracy. Sad but true.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Pimay1

[samran]

This footage is of the Sathorn Narathiwas intersection, not Ratchaprasong.

That was from years ago as I recall...

[hyperdimension]

The Red shirts have a long history of violence , note April 2009 and the protests in 2010. Don think for one moment that they are peace loving, democracy championing organization. They are a paid for rent a thug outfit, serving the DL.

Some are thugs, but not all. The rest are a mixture of brainwashed useful idiots and/or lonely senile people who use the red shirt movement for free entertainment and social gathering where they can feel a sense of acceptance and belonging to something.

With no idea what the ideology of the red thug leaders is. Just ask this lady the definition of ideology or democracy. Sad but true.

I don't think ideology matters to these people, as long as they feel good about themselves and feel powerful and important whilst being part of the collective. If they leave the movement (and maybe denounce it) then they may lose these feelings of self-worth and their friends and social life.

[hellodolly]

I thought the red shirts were supposed to be violent. Why didn't it kick off?

Yep, this peaceful (6 hour?) gathering has completely eradicated the memories which occurred during that 2 month siege. What have I completely forgot about? Let's see...

The blood pouring... can't remember a thing about it.

The M79 attacks on the soldiers...

The armed "black shirts" firing at the soldiers...

The lynching of injured soldiers shortly afterwards...

The (first!) raiding of the hospitals to collect and display the bodies of the protesters...

The stockpiling of weapons... can't remember nada...

The M79 firing of the opposing protest at Silom.

The hospital raids which followed at Chula.

The burning of Central World. Which might as well be forgotten as the red shirts didn't do it anyway. Honest.

The burning and ransacking of the 7-11's along Sukhumvit during the night after the clampdown...

The various bombings around the city, which stopped after they blew themselves up in Bang Bua Tong... really difficult to forget, but I think this gathering helped managed it...

Yep, the pictures of the red shirts with those "toy" weapons today helped eradicate all these memories. Yay peaceful reds.

My question was why it didn't kick off, which your insightful reminiscences have failed to answer. Maybe try again?

My question is how many were there.

In 2010 they had dam near 100,000 with more on the way. How many did they have yesterday and was Thaksin sending in armed red shirts.

They did not get violent yesterday because Thaksin was not paying them to do it and they had the Dems out of office and had gained the PM job the same way the Dems had. Now if they say the dems were not democratic and they were why did they not change the system when they got in?

Simple answer because the Dems were democratic Thai style and Thaksin didn't want to.

[indyuk]

I just so want the yellows to arrange a similarly disruptive 'gathering', absolutely identical mind, same place, same numbers, say maybe next week, blocking off main roads and costing Central 1/2 a days business and see how far it gets. See if the police even let them set up camp and take a seat.

But why would you want that. The protest is about the absence of Justice for the 90 inocent protesters that lost their lives three years ago and the injustice of the extra judicial incaceration of numerous prostesters that remain in prison. Your view is irrational in respect to the yellow shirt movement since none of them suffered such momentious damages and supression of their human rights. You are presenting an elitest opinion which has lost all meaning by the passage of time and which of course appears to be the achiles heel of the burned out social democrats.

Edited May 20, 2013 by indyuk

[indyuk]

The Red shirts have a long history of violence , note April 2009 and the protests in 2010. Don think for one moment that they are peace loving, democracy championing organization. They are a paid for rent a thug outfit, serving the DL.

Some are thugs, but not all. The rest are a mixture of brainwashed useful idiots and/or lonely senile people who use the red shirt movement for free entertainment and social gathering where they can feel a sense of acceptance and belonging to something.

With no idea what the ideology of the red thug leaders is. Just ask this lady the definition of ideology or democracy. Sad but true.

I don't think ideology matters to these people, as long as they feel good about themselves and feel powerful and important whilst being part of the collective. If they leave the movement (and maybe denounce it) then they may lose these feelings of self-worth and their friends and social life.

And you sweep away the human rights of the prolitairiot of and entire nation. Do you know nothing of political precidence and history.

[whybother]

I just so want the yellows to arrange a similarly disruptive 'gathering', absolutely identical mind, same place, same numbers, say maybe next week, blocking off main roads and costing Central 1/2 a days business and see how far it gets. See if the police even let them set up camp and take a seat.

But why would you want that. The protest is about the absence of Justice for the 90 inocent protesters that lost their lives three years ago and the injustice of the extra judicial incaceration of numerous prostesters that remain in prison. Your view is irrational in respect to the yellow shirt movement since none of them suffered such momentious damages and supression of their human rights. You are presenting an elitest opinion which has lost all meaning by the passage of time and which of course appears to be the achiles heel of the burned out social democrats.

You're making up numbers there. How many protesters died? Not 90. And how many of those that died were "innocent"? Many of those killed were amongst armed protesters. Some of them were possibly armed themselves. I'm sure there were quite a few basically innocent protesters that died, particularly on April 10. Most there had no idea what was planned with the black shirts. But after that, are you innocent if you're out of the barricaded protest area attacking the army? Some innocent people died in the Wat on May 19, but were they killed by the army?

"extra judicial incarceration"? What is extra judicial about any of the protesters being in jail? Are you suggesting that they haven't been before the courts?

[indyuk]

Once again, lawlessness prevails and only red shirt law dominates the city.

"Red-shirt guards used barriers and trucked to block the both inbound and outbound Rajdamri Road for setting up a stage."

http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Red-shirts-rally-at-Rajprasong-Rajdamri-Road-close-30206465.html

The rallying Red Shirts are exercisng theie democratic right to rememeber their dead, apeal for justice for the innocents that lost their lives and represent the plight of those of their number that remain in prison illegally.

[AleG]

I thought the red shirts were supposed to be violent. Why didn't it kick off?

Because they are not trying to topple the current government or stop other people from protesting about something they don't approve.