White Masks Leave Virtual World For Real Rally In Bangkok

[webfact]

White masks leave virtual world for real rally
Akkarachai Kantamala,
Nattanut Wongpariyakul
The Nation


Anti-government protesters wearing white masks gather in Silom and persuade others to join in the evening rally at Sanam Luang.



BANGKOK: -- The "Declaration of the White Maskers" group left the virtual world yesterday and showed up on Silom Road to persuade people to join them in Sanam Luang every evening until the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is ousted.

People wearing Guy Fawkes masks began their march from United Tower on Silom Road and started calling on citizens who were unhappy with this government to join their "Palang Thammatippatai" rally at Sanam Luang every evening.

The campaign, being held in collaboration with the "Youth Palang Thammatippatai" and "Woman Thailand", aims to reveal what it claims are the government's dubious schemes, such as the rice-pledging policy and its stance on territorial claims on the area surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple in Cambodia.

Somboon Subhannaphai said founders of the Palang Thammatip-patai group were once members of the now-defunct Communist Party of Thailand (CPT).

"I would like to join the campaign against parliamentary dictatorship and want the campaign to be widely reported in the media," said Pudith Suksawat, a former CPT member.

A woman from the "Woman Thailand" Facebook page who identified herself as Honey said her group was the one that started the "Declaration of the White Maskers" movement on Facebook. The idea of wearing Guy Fawkes masks came from the Hollywood film "V for Vendetta". The real Fawkes was executed in England in 1606 for his involvement in a plot to assassinate the king and restore a Catholic monarch to the throne.

"We will not stand for such dictatorial behaviour from the government. They control the media and keep citizens from the truth. You can see that there is no news about the people at Sanam Luang," she said.

Police dispersed the gathering on Silom.


-- The Nation 2013-06-01

[noitom]

White masks. What next?

[Thai at Heart]

The real Fawkes was executed in England in 1606 for his involvement in a plot to assassinate the king and restore a Catholic monarch to the throne.

Seems the nation reads thaivisa too.

[chainarong]

The masks are to protect that person from victimisation, harassment , court action and all the other below the belt schemes the PTP can throw at someone , just because they wish to voice their opposition , the placard the good lady is holding , Say's it all, I wish them good luck with Yingluck.

[WhizBang]

What we need are T-shirts and buttons with the Guy Fawkes image on them. Such items we can wear anywhere and always until these crooks are ousted. Keep the pressure on and they will surely collapse like the house of cards they are.

[sscsamui]

More power to you...

[phosphorescent]

White masks. What next?

Probably red masks!

[Rich teacher]

Good turnout. Less than 100!

Retards!

[Payboy]

Less than 100 retards, is a good turnout anywhere, I say.

[jonclark]

Good turnout. Less than 100!

Retards!

Two very pertinent things can be taken from your 'sarcastic' 6 words - RT

1) you clearly don't support freedom of speech or the right to demonstrate

2) you seem to believe that might = right

It appears the 'mask' of red democracy has slipped a wee bit there and the real face has been exposed - Nice one RT

.

Edited June 1, 2013 by jonclark

[jayboy]

Good turnout. Less than 100!

Retards!

Two very pertinent things can be taken from your 'sarcastic' 6 words - RT

1) you clearly don't support freedom of speech or the right to demonstrate

2) you seem to believe that might = right

It appears the 'mask' of red democracy has slipped a wee bit there and the real face has been exposed - Nice one RT

.

I don't think he was suggesting demonstrators shouldn't turn out: he was simply mocking the small numbers.

It is certainly a novel explanation in my experience that a miniscule demonstration implies that those who hold different views believe that "might is right".

The soubriquet "retards" is certainly rather rude, but I think fairly used in this instance given the historical context of Guy Fawkes (which the Nation extract explains) is directly opposite the protestors professed aims.

[kimamey]

Good turnout. Less than 100!

Retards!

There may not be many of them now but that may or may not change. Even if it were 1 person they still have their right to an opinion.

The red and PTP supporters aren't that numerous on here either. Does that make them, and possibly you, retards?

[Rich teacher]

Good turnout. Less than 100!

Retards!

Two very pertinent things can be taken from your 'sarcastic' 6 words - RT

1) you clearly don't support freedom of speech or the right to demonstrate

2) you seem to believe that might = right

It appears the 'mask' of red democracy has slipped a wee bit there and the real face has been exposed - Nice one RT

.

1) I never said they couldn't protest, just that their turnout is pitiful

2) The government is elected because the highest number of voters chose them over the other parties, so yes numbers are extremely important

[animatic]

Coming soon the 'Proxy War Of The Masks'.

[amore]

Is that Jeff Savage at 0'26"? That whitening cream really works, although the gray hair is a bit of a give away. Come on own up, which one of you retirees was at the "rally"?

[Payboy]

Coming soon the 'Proxy War Of The Masks'.

I miss the good old days when we only had hand clappers or foot clappers.

[amore]

White masks. What next?

Well apparently anything from the nearest fancy dress shop will do. Seems like all the V masks have sold out.

I look forward to the next rally of the Stop Dictator/Yingluck Out/We love Preah Vihear even though it's in Cambodia and was originally dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva and were good Buddhists Party all coming dressed as the back end of a pantomine cow, 'cos, like, it's dangerous to speak the truth here.

[amore]

What we need are T-shirts and buttons with the Guy Fawkes image on them. Such items we can wear anywhere and always until these crooks are ousted. Keep the pressure on and they will surely collapse like the house of cards they are.

Or, if you're a Thai and directly affected, wait until the next election and vote them out in a democratic way - but hey, where's the fun in that?

Bless up, Blud..............

[Insight]

Good turnout. Less than 100!

Retards!

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

[Jawnie]

How silly it is to call Thaksin a dictator and blame him for political problems six years after he was throw out by the military and left the country. If it is really true he's got that much power, the elites are much much more feeble minded than anyone could begin to imagine.

[jayboy]

Good turnout. Less than 100!

Retards!

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

Doesn't really make sense because the protestors haven't been ignored, far from it.They have been certainly mocked because the Guy Fawkes masks they wear indicate an agenda opposite to what they profess.Still never mind, it's harmless enough.The much more absurd feature is their use of the term "Thai Spring" indicating they have no idea what was behind the Arab Spring - ie a popular revolt against the old entrenched establishment.It's important to understand there's nothing new about this movement - just another incarnation of PAD, Pitak Siam, the multicoloureds etc - just fronts populated by useful idiots (admittedly somtimes well meaning) for the old order.

[rubl]

"Somboon Subhannaphai said founders of the Palang Thammatip-patai group were once members of the now-defunct Communist Party of Thailand (CPT)."

Now that is interesting. If I remember correctly we had a few of the former communist end up in Pitak Siam, and of course some others in the UDD. Or as some have it 'all useful idiots'.

As for 'Thai spring' if I remember correctly the same term has been used over the last two years describing the red-shirt movement. The idea behind it is not necessarily identical to the 'Arab spring', but more to a dictatorial government. Although some here might not agree, but the Yingluck government hasn't been very open on lots of things, starts to be repressive, charging or threatening discord voices, etc., etc.

[axact]

The real truth about all this is that a Thai wholesaler had loads of theses masks for sale that no one want. He then came up with a marketing scheme.

Now he has ordered 1000's more & red ones as well !

This is another armchair theory special

[JetsetBkk]

<snip>

It's important to understand there's nothing new about this movement - just another incarnation of PAD, Pitak Siam, the multicoloureds etc - just fronts populated by useful idiots (admittedly somtimes well meaning) for the old order.

Yes, but someone is making money out of these masks.

[dansan]

How silly it is to call Thaksin a dictator and blame him for political problems six years after he was throw out by the military and left the country. If it is really true he's got that much power, the elites are much much more feeble minded than anyone could begin to imagine.

With that post your own feeble mind was revealed for all to see.

[thhMan]

"Are you ready to stop the dictator" ... ???

Thats why you have elections.... !!!

What a bunch of losers.... Dont protest.. Educate your stupid countrymen so they vote with their brains next time !!!

Use your brains and be pro active... dont just cry about it in protest!

Problem solved !

There are bigger issues that need standing up for !!!

Edited June 1, 2013 by thhMan

[jonclark]

Good turnout. Less than 100!

Retards!

Two very pertinent things can be taken from your 'sarcastic' 6 words - RT

1) you clearly don't support freedom of speech or the right to demonstrate

2) you seem to believe that might = right

It appears the 'mask' of red democracy has slipped a wee bit there and the real face has been exposed - Nice one RT

.

1) I never said they couldn't protest, just that their turnout is pitiful

2) The government is elected because the highest number of voters chose them over the other parties, so yes numbers are extremely important

Ahh typical red response, make a comment, but don't like the response, so change tack; by explaining what you didn't say, reaffirm how a government is formed in the name of democracy, job done.

What you don't realize is that tone of your initial post says more about your view of democracy, legitimate peaceful protests and the right to be heard, than a million of your written posts could - Nice one RT. The mask of red democracy has slipped so far it must be round your ankles by now.

[rubl]

"Dont protest.. Educate your stupid countrymen"

But we already have a Ministry of Education with a 420++ billion Baht budget doing that. Furthermore we have 'red-shirt schools' educating people in democracy and how they should see that. Surely there is no need for yet another educational institution? That would be counter productive and the idea needs to be suppressed for the good of the Nation. Remember, we Thai struggled for almost a decade to reach democracy as we have it now, as so clearly voiced by our PM in Mongolia.

[Salapoo]

Well they do crave to have white skin, so why not.

[amore]

"Dont protest.. Educate your stupid countrymen"

But we already have a Ministry of Education with a 420++ billion Baht budget doing that. Furthermore we have 'red-shirt schools' educating people in democracy and how they should see that. Surely there is no need for yet another educational institution? That would be counter productive and the idea needs to be suppressed for the good of the Nation. Remember, we Thai struggled for almost a decade to reach democracy as we have it now, as so clearly voiced by our PM in Mongolia.

You implied you were Dutch in the forum a couple of days ago - now you're Thai?