PM urged to condemn attack by red shirts

[rubl]

200 red-shirts attack a small group of white masks.

Comments: 'they asked for it', 'they deserved it', 'they are undemocratic', 'red-shirts model of restraint in their attack'

Or as our PM so succinctly phrased in Mongolia "democracy has arrived"

[chainarong]

Prime Minister , you need to act and stamp out the thuggery that exists in your misguided supporters, these people should be identified , , they should be told that they no longer represent the PTP , warnings should be issued that any unprofessional conduct by persons in red shirts , people who are members of the PTP, they will be expelled from the party , DSI must take a stand and arrest and charge any person who, assault other people of the public ,who are performing a peaceful protest, this sort of behaviour in front of tourists will damage Thailand's reputation as a tourist destination, if not already damaged.

[OzMick]

When jayboy speaks about 'undemocratic mob' in the context of the OP I assume he refers to the red-shirts who gave a boisterous reception to attacked a small group of protesters of a different mindset.

There is very little truck to give to proto fascists who hold democracy in contempt and are openly echoing their patrons call to overthrow an elected government.It's not the same as a different mindset.Personally I thought the red shirts were a model of restraint in this instance.The counterpart fascists in London in the 1930's were given a deserved thrashing

Jboy's version of democracy - cancel the right to free speech, install the right to commit violence upon those whose views you find objectionable

And THEY"RE the fascists!

[MikeOboe57]

The redshirts certainly gave a boisterous reception to a small bunch of proto fascists.

This sentence is certainly the most pathetic and preposterous statement describing a blatant attack on freedom of expression that was ever made in this forum - and not immediately cashiered by the mods.

[hellodolly]

Hardly looks like an attack but more like a staged event. You have six people wearing red clothing and one with a mask. Everyone seems to be in party mood with happy smiling faces. Look at the pic, that is definitely staged. The guy in red is smiling and the little woman in the stripes is apparently being held back by the invisible man.

I took another look at this photo and think that you need to look again as well. I cannot see anyway to draw the same conclusion that you have.

Look at the pic, that is definitely staged. The guy in red is smiling and the little woman in the stripes is apparently being held back by the invisible man

I think that he you should visit an optometrist, there is no smile on the face of the red shirt and there is no one restraining the woman in the striped shirt.

I agree entirely with the 2nd posters comments.

Some people just see what they want to see.

Some people see what is really going on but the paymaster does not allow them to say it.

[Thai at Heart]

There was a white mask protest up country on our hometown today, warmly received by the reds.

Not sure if anything went off violently, but they were separated by a decent sized road and a minor police and army presence. Brave of the whites/yellows to protest up here. Things appear to be ramping up slowly.

Driving past the red area that had very loud speakers some woman was rattling on about how much they miss Thaksin.

[Thai at Heart]

Just wait for the rice crop subsidy money to run out.

That will cause a sea change in the villages.

[rametindallas]

Yellow shirts, Red shirts, thats all normal part of Thai politics now and quite acceptable. However this new act of wearing stupid masks which is only designed to provoke and insult, thus stirring tempers by incitement . Must be stopped before it gets out of hand. Ban the wearing of these masks.

Apart from making more trouble, they have no use whatsoever.

Yellow shirts, Red shirts, thats all normal part of Thai politics now and quite acceptable. However this new act of wearing Red Shirts which is only designed to provoke and insult, thus stirring tempers by incitement . Must be stopped before it gets out of hand. Ban the wearing of these Red Shirts.

Apart from making more trouble, they have no use whatsoever.

[jayboy]

When jayboy speaks about 'undemocratic mob' in the context of the OP I assume he refers to the red-shirts who gave a boisterous reception to attacked a small group of protesters of a different mindset.

< Deleted post edited out >

Overthrow an elected government ? ..... Not sure if the Dems have ever said that. I certainly do not advocate 'overthrow' as it suggests something which any Thai I know wants to avoid at all costs. Where do you stand on this point Jayboy?

Now if we are talking about change, well quite simply the electorate of Dom Muang have spoken.

Even paying the slightest amount of attention would have informed you nobody was talking about the Democrat Party.

I don't understand your comment about "overthrow" or your waffling about what it might "suggest",

Edited June 16, 2013 by metisdead

[worgeordie]

Look at the picture,even the police are wearing masks !

regards Worgeordie

[lostmebike]

'Police were present but did not try to stop the red shirts from attacking the white-masked demonstrators'

&lt;deleted&gt; not? Is violently attacking someone not a crime in this country?

[ginjag]

Yellow shirts, Red shirts, thats all normal part of Thai politics now and quite acceptable. However this new act of wearing stupid masks which is only designed to provoke and insult, thus stirring tempers by incitement . Must be stopped before it gets out of hand. Ban the wearing of these masks.

Apart from making more trouble, they have no use whatsoever.

Yellow shirts, Red shirts, thats all normal part of Thai politics now and quite acceptable. However this new act of wearing Red Shirts which is only designed to provoke and insult, thus stirring tempers by incitement . Must be stopped before it gets out of hand. Ban the wearing of these Red Shirts.

Apart from making more trouble, they have no use whatsoever.

Similar to the MAO -Chinese style...they want a sea of red. Nth Korea push the same idea. My Idea is that this is their way to get all Thailand buying up red. the problem being is that it is now having an opposit effect. This is the Khun Thaksin brain wave that is backfiring.

[Thai at Heart]

Yellow shirts, Red shirts, thats all normal part of Thai politics now and quite acceptable. However this new act of wearing stupid masks which is only designed to provoke and insult, thus stirring tempers by incitement . Must be stopped before it gets out of hand. Ban the wearing of these masks.

Apart from making more trouble, they have no use whatsoever.

Yellow shirts, Red shirts, thats all normal part of Thai politics now and quite acceptable. However this new act of wearing Red Shirts which is only designed to provoke and insult, thus stirring tempers by incitement . Must be stopped before it gets out of hand. Ban the wearing of these Red Shirts.

Apart from making more trouble, they have no use whatsoever.

If you note the connotation of yellow as a color and the repeated claims that ptp/trt was trying to mess with the monarchy, yellow became pro monarchy and red mildly anti.

I like the idea of the masks. You don't even have to be pro or anti monarchy, just pro change and anti totalitarian. This might mark the start of something where you don't have to be a largely wealthy yellow shirt pro-establishment supporter to be in.

Today I noted at the white masked get together upcountry, that I saw, and in fairness, only 10% had masks, that it included a lot of 18-25 year olds. Seemed to be a lot of students. There they were in Khon Kaen, maybe 300 with the reds having maybe 450 to 500. Sunday in front of the new central plaza.

The PAD never mobilised the youth, rather more bored housewives. Maybe this thing has legs

[ianf]

For those who do not fully understand what happened during the 'elections': PTP's/Thaksin's game plan was to create an appearance of democracy but behind this facade there was a massive undemocratic move against the democrats that denied them a level playing field. In many villages people were scared to vote for the Dems so they either abstained or voted reluctantly; the promises made under the Thaksin Stinks (sorry mods) programme, such as tax back on cars, free computers, money to famers etc, made no economic or social sense. These were not the kind of offerings you would see in a western democracy. But, they were typical of the Thaksin style. Remember the 1000 baht notes he used to hand out to the masses when he was campaigning a few years ago? Was this a democratic thing to do? Off course not. The sole purpose of all his policies is to gain power at whatever social and fiscal cost and with no regard for the consequences. Sadly when Thaksin opens the trapdoor many people fall in and he was able to create an impression that the election was run democratically.

Any intelligent observer would have seen the thousands of Abhisit election posters destroyed almost as soon as they were displayed. Interesting, it was always Abhisit's face that was cut out. What psychology was at play here? Because of the Thai obsession with spirits and the like, tearing out the face from the posters helped to create a subliminal climate of fear. I am not surprised, given the tactics employed by Thaksin and his henchmen, that they "won" the election. Now the project continues. Mussolini's pre-war Italy all over again: I can see it coming.

Edited June 16, 2013 by ianf

[iancnx]

Even paying the slightest amount of attention would have informed you nobody was talking about the Democrat Party.

I don't understand your comment about "overthrow" or your waffling about what it might "suggest",

Your words:

Quote//

There is very little truck to give to proto fascists who hold democracy in contempt and are openly echoing their patrons call to overthrow an elected government.It's not the same as a different mindset.Personally I thought the red shirts were a model of restraint in this instance.

//

You did write that? Seems to me (and perhaps others) you were referring to the Dem patrons calling to overthrow the elected PTP govt? Can you add some clarity to what you meant?

On a personal note, I do not waffle!

[lostmebike]

The rate at which the Maoist Red mob surged to all out full on violent shows what this country is in for under Thaksin. The Isaan vote brought and paid for by the RED Maoist thugs who basically call the political shots in the Isaan electorates. Thailand's credibility is going to take another hit (add to the rice incompetence, non compliance to world bodies, Moody's) if the puppet PM does not take a stand on this, especially after her Mongolia speech on the wonders of democracy in her beloved Thailand. If there is silence then it is just another step to full on dictatorial rule.

In total agreement.

Bearing these facts in mind though, will it stop foreign (western) governments doing business with this current 'circus'? Me thinks not!

[ginjag]

For those who do not fully understand what happened during the 'elections': PTP's/Thaksin's game plan was to create an appearance of democracy but behind this facade there was a massive undemocratic move against the democrats that denied them a level playing field. In many villages people were scared to vote for the Dems so they either abstained or voted reluctantly; the promises made under the Thaksin Stinks (sorry mods) programme, such as tax back on cars, free computers, money to famers etc, made no economic or social sense. These were not the kind of offerings you would see in a western democracy. But, they were typical of the Thaksin style. Remember the 1000 baht notes he used to hand out to the masses when he was campaigning a few years ago? Was this a democratic thing to do? Off course not. The sole purpose of all his policies is to gain power at whatever social and fiscal cost and with no regard for the consequences. Sadly when Thaksin opens the trapdoor many people fall in and he was able to create an impression that the election was run democratically.

Any intelligent observer would have seen the thousands of Abhisit election posters destroyed almost as soon as they were displayed. Interesting, it was always Abhisit's face that was cut out. What psychology was at play here? Because of the Thai obsession with spirits and the like, tearing out the face from the posters helped to create a subliminal climate of fear. I am not surprised, given the tactics employed by Thaksin and his henchmen, that they "won" the election. Now the project continues. Mussolini's pre-war Italy all over again: I can see it coming.

Think it may well have arrived, BUT more to come from other than (red) on the horizon me thinks.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. This has nothing to do with London in the 1930's.

[Thai at Heart]

For those who do not fully understand what happened during the 'elections': PTP's/Thaksin's game plan was to create an appearance of democracy but behind this facade there was a massive undemocratic move against the democrats that denied them a level playing field. In many villages people were scared to vote for the Dems so they either abstained or voted reluctantly; the promises made under the Thaksin Stinks (sorry mods) programme, such as tax back on cars, free computers, money to famers etc, made no economic or social sense. These were not the kind of offerings you would see in a western democracy. But, they were typical of the Thaksin style. Remember the 1000 baht notes he used to hand out to the masses when he was campaigning a few years ago? Was this a democratic thing to do? Off course not. The sole purpose of all his policies is to gain power at whatever social and fiscal cost and with no regard for the consequences. Sadly when Thaksin opens the trapdoor many people fall in and he was able to create an impression that the election was run democratically.

Any intelligent observer would have seen the thousands of Abhisit election posters destroyed almost as soon as they were displayed. Interesting, it was always Abhisit's face that was cut out. What psychology was at play here? Because of the Thai obsession with spirits and the like, tearing out the face from the posters helped to create a subliminal climate of fear. I am not surprised, given the tactics employed by Thaksin and his henchmen, that they "won" the election. Now the project continues. Mussolini's pre-war Italy all over again: I can see it coming.

Think it may well have arrived, BUT more to come from other than (red) on the horizon me thinks.

Seeing the protest up country today, I think this is possibly the start of some very serious turmoil. Watch this space, the white masks have balls, and it seems very different in mix from the pad.

[ianf]

I sometimes wonder if Thaksin fully understands what he has unleashed upon this country.

[rametindallas]

Thank you for accusing me of wearing red glasses but I am definitely not a red shirt supporter nor am I a yellow shirt supporter. Personally I think they are as bad as each other. I sit on the fence and watch and haven't taken sides. It appears that you have chosen you side. Maybe it is easier to make an observation if you do not have bias opinion.

If you have noticed some of my other posts I condemn both sides on certain issues.

Spin your earlier comments as you will, but when you state 'Everyone seems to be in a party mood with happy smiling faces.", you are denying the violence of the Red Shirts and you are taking the side of the Red Shirts who are trying their best to stop other Thai people from exercising their constitutional rights. Deny all you want but if you can't see the violent nature of the Red Shirt mob you truly are wearing RED glasses.

I don't support any political group in Thailand. I am against Thailand being destroyed by a man in Dubai who wants to be the Hun Sen of Thailand and who has the money, the political network, and the will to continue that quest.

So please tell me, which political side do the ones wearing these stupid provoking masks belong to. And as for "The man in Dubai" statements i ask the question, Why in the hell does any farang allow themselves to be brainwashed into following and believing all this propaganda. Its Thai politics, where the strong try to influence the weak and its plain to see where you stand.

I am so pleased that it is clear to you where I stand. Growing up in the second oldest Democracy in the World, I stand on the side of minorities protesting whatever they want in a peaceful manner being left in peace. I don't care who/what the white mask like/dislike; I defend their civil rights on this forum. No one in Thailand denies that Dr. Thaksin (the man in Dubai) controls the PT government (not even the PT government) so where is the brainwashing? The brainwashing is of the Red Shirts who just want to trade one set of uber rich overlords for another.

"It's Thai politics where the strong try to influence the weak" No. It's Thai politics where the strong 'dominate' the weak. As far as me believing in propaganda, I certainly am not believing yours.

[chooka]

What is the official injury count of this violent attack so far?

[OzMick]

What is the official injury count of this violent attack so far?

Do you think minor injuries/contusions would be reported to the police? To what end?

[Thai at Heart]

I sometimes wonder if Thaksin fully understands what he has unleashed upon this country.

He didn't unleash anything. It was bubbling under for a long time because there are massive issues about how to sustain the countryside. It was there to tap into because the Bangkok bastard exporters did exploit the farmer for a long long time.

Thaksin hasn't made it right either, but the resentment was already there.

[ianf]

I sometimes wonder if Thaksin fully understands what he has unleashed upon this country.

He didn't unleash anything. It was bubbling under for a long time because there are massive issues about how to sustain the countryside. It was there to tap into because the Bangkok bastard exporters did exploit the farmer for a long long time.

Thaksin hasn't made it right either, but the resentment was already there.

I don't think that's the issue. When you manipulate the psychology of a mass, issues, such as being a poor farmer, are of no consequence. I am sure that the thousands of people who chose to side with Mussolini (for example) had no idea what they were being dragged into. Once there off course, they defend their position to the hilt because people locked in a closed cultish environment, as a rule, do not kick against the staus quo. The psychology here, off course, is that you don't want to become an 'outsider', so you accept what you are involved in is 'the truth' (if I can call it that). That's why you see so much fervent behaviour amongst the reds. This is carefully manipulated by the leadership (we saw exactly this during the Red occupation) when rule number 1 was followed: The rally speeches of the leadership were conspicuous for their skilfullness in operating upon the emotions of the people in the red crowd and avoiding all relevant and policy argumentation. Hitler's Mein Kampf stresses that mass psychological tactics dispense with 'argumentation' and keep the masses fixated on the 'great final goal' at all times. In this case that goal was, and is, the issues that surround Thaksin. This is very clever and sophisticated stuff and I don't know whether it comes from Thaksin, Amsterdam and their ilk or whether they are just falling into this by accident.

Edited June 16, 2013 by ianf

[Scott]

Off-topic posts have been deleted. Please stay on topic.

[yoshiwara]

Yellow shirts, Red shirts, thats all normal part of Thai politics now and quite acceptable. However this new act of wearing stupid masks which is only designed to provoke and insult, thus stirring tempers by incitement . Must be stopped before it gets out of hand. Ban the wearing of these masks.

Apart from making more trouble, they have no use whatsoever.

Let's hear you call for the banning of Thaksin masks.

The real objection of the thug redshirts for the white masks is that the reds demand exclusive rights to be the only show in town. This tactic is not going to stop.

Edited June 16, 2013 by yoshiwara

[Thai at Heart]

I sometimes wonder if Thaksin fully understands what he has unleashed upon this country.

He didn't unleash anything. It was bubbling under for a long time because there are massive issues about how to sustain the countryside. It was there to tap into because the Bangkok bastard exporters did exploit the farmer for a long long time.

Thaksin hasn't made it right either, but the resentment was already there.

I don't think that's the issue. When you manipulate the psychology of a mass, issues, such as being a poor farmer, are of no consequence. I am sure that the thousands of people who chose to side with Mussolini (for example) had no idea what they were being dragged into. Once there off course, they defend their position to the hilt because people locked in a closed cultish environment, as a rule, do not kick against the staus quo. The psychology here, off course, is that you don't want to become an 'outsider', so you accept what you are involved in is 'the truth' (if I can call it that). That's why you see so much fervent behaviour amongst the reds. This is carefully manipulated by the leadership (we saw exactly this during the Red occupation) when rule number 1 was followed: The rally speeches of the leadership were conspicuous for their skilfullness in operating upon the emotions of the people in the red crowd and avoiding all relevant and policy argumentation. Hitler's Mein Kampf stresses that mass psychological tactics dispense with 'argumentation' and keep the masses fixated on the 'great final goal' at all times. In this case that goal was, and is, the issues that surround Thaksin. This is very clever and sophisticated stuff and I don't know whether it comes from Thaksin, Amsterdam and their ilk or whether they are just falling into this by accident.

Do you think that the pad rhetoric was any less calculated? It is tapping into a visceral feeling of dissatisfaction or contentment of the way the country has been set up.

This desperation to maintain the way it is and avoid discussion, debate and reasoned confrontation eventually leads to physical confrontation. Thailand is changing, that's life.

Thaksin isn't right but neither are the defenders of the way it always used to be.

[yoshiwara]

Thank you for accusing me of wearing red glasses but I am definitely not a red shirt supporter nor am I a yellow shirt supporter. Personally I think they are as bad as each other. I sit on the fence and watch and haven't taken sides. It appears that you have chosen you side. Maybe it is easier to make an observation if you do not have bias opinion.

If you have noticed some of my other posts I condemn both sides on certain issues.

Some people seem to think that by taking the stance that both sides are as bad as each other, that must automatically make their position neutral. It does not. In terms of violence, intimidation and destruction, the red shirt movement has been responsible for a lot more than any other group (this incident being a prime example of how they operate).

Failing to acknowledge the differences that separate the red shirt movement from others, and attempting as you are, to label them all as bad as each other, is just a backhanded attempt at playing down what the red shirts are guilty of. It is the sort of approach i have observed in quite a number of people who were once vocal in their support of the reds, and who still deep down have their sympathies in that direction, but who have realized that actually defending the red shirts has become too difficult a task with all that they have done in the last few years, and so instead they take a different approach, that of attempting to distribute the blame out equally on all sides.

I wish some could just accept that other can be fence sitters.

O.K O.K to stop people attacking me I will declare I hate the red shirt people and everything they stand for. They are the lowlifes of human race, nothing but violent murdering evil scum. Lower than dog &lt;deleted&gt; and every one of them should be exterminated. I hope that is what everyone wants to hear and helps to keep the peace here.

Sit on a fence long enough and you get splinters up your ar**.

[15Peter20]

What is the official injury count of this violent attack so far?

As far as has been reported so far, pretty much zero. What we have seen on the local news would probably be described in western media as a scuffle the like of which we see at every G8 summit, assorted football matches around the world and outside pubs after closing on a regular basis. Not to mention the far worse scenes witnessed in places such as London and most recently Stockholm when riots break out.

But this is the red shirts, so a red shirt scuffle must by definition be far more sinister and dastardly even if it involves a grand total of...a dozen people? Stay tuned though, the reds are again on alert tonight in CM so maybe we will get to see some meatier scenes. I'm just wondering - who wins and who loses support among the broader electorate when reds are shown to 'terrorize' peaceful anti-government demonstrators this way? As the reactionaries on this forum so ably demonstrate, it would be the red shirts whose reputation would be further tarnished. Now who would want that to happen?

No excuse ever for assaulting peaceful protesters, so the hotheaded elements of the red shirts remain a thorn in their own side and are ripe for exploitation by those who know how easily these few can be cajoled into losing their minds to the detriment of their own movement. And I don't buy the idea that this small group are paid to agitate. If they were, surely they'd be making a terrible hash of it by returning the kind of injury count (0) we currently see, even with the police standing by reportedly letting it happen.

Edited June 16, 2013 by 15Peter20