White masks adamant on rallying at CentralWorld despite ban

[Lite Beer]

White masks adamant on rallying at CentralWorld despite ban
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- The white-masks are adamant about rallying at CentralWorld today as part of their weekly anti-government protest, although the department store yesterday imposed a ban on protesters using its premises for political rallies.

CentralWorld, in a statement, announced that it wanted to operate its business professionally and with political neutrality. Although it did not object to political rallies or political expression, it has decided not to allow any group to use its premises for political activities.

After the ban was announced on Friday night, Facebook page "V for Thailand", which provides information about the rally plans of the white masks, posted a message yesterday on the website saying the Bangkok rally would take place there.

The group had earlier planned to converge in a show of force against the Yingluck government at 1pm yesterday and rallies of provincial white masks were planned at 38 locations across the country today.

The white masks also posted a message asking members to persuade friends and families to join the rally to "liberate the country''.

"The more the obstacles, the more will power we have. Our mission is to suppress the corrupt,'' the message stated.

The message was posted after Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung warned of a bomb threat at the white mask rally, which was interpreted as a veiled threat against the protesters.

Senior Democrat MP Ongart Klampaiboon yesterday urged Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to order police to keep security at the white mask rally.

He said government officials had leaked news that a third ill-intentioned group might incite violence at the white mask rally.

"Since the government already has this information, it must safeguard the protesters against any group. We have only seen the red shirts harass the white masks and resort to violence and force,'' he said.

Government Spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi said Yingluck had instructed security officials to keep a close watch on the rally sites.

He said the government has not asked political groups to refrain from staging rallies as it believed they have the right to express their political opinion but police would monitor rallies to prevent any ill-intentioned group from creating a violent situation.

Yingluck was scheduled yesterday to attend the wedding of her niece, Chayika Wongnapachan at Plaza Athenee hotel.

-- The Nation 2013-06-23

[bigbamboo]

Let's hope we don't get to see Men In Black... The Sequel.

[MaxLee]

Let's hope we don't get to see Men In Black... The Sequel.

Nope we will rather see the RED DELTA FORCE SQUAD featuring the FAST AND THE FURIOUS RICE FARMERS

[LuckyLew]

why were red shirts allowed to protest there?

[jaidam]

So long as they don't express themselves by burning it down, and(both sides) keep their rally peaceful I can't see the problem.

[scorecard]

why were red shirts allowed to protest there?

Good point. I suspect that the owners of the building would have been very frightened to challenge the

red shirts / demand that they not use the said land for rallies / protest, etc.

[oceanview]

CentralWorld, in a statement, announced that it wanted to operate its business professionally and with political neutrality. Although it did not object to political rallies or political expression, it has decided not to allow any group to use its premises for political activities.

The new policy is three years too late.

[Noistar]

why were red shirts allowed to protest there?

Was that in 2010?

We all know the answer to your question. Another brick in the Thai "Democracy" wall.

[lemonjelly]

The movement has instantly given the authoroties reason to challenge the demonstration by not moving location. One wonders if the group is seeking a confrontation with the police for publicity reasons (think: "ikes" on their FB page).

[Roadman]

The movement has instantly given the authoroties reason to challenge the demonstration by not moving location. One wonders if the group is seeking a confrontation with the police for publicity reasons (think: "ikes" on their FB page).

Trial by Facebook...it will be pure internet gold if the police start heavy handling them, and more so if at the same time or else where Reds attack them as in Chang Mai. The White Masks are the geeks so they need do better media coverage in future attacks that they will need to defend against the corrupt Thaksin hoods.

As long as their body cover stays within a set perimeter and defends as opposed to enciting them I wish them luck.

Thaksin would have to be getting pretty p!ssed with how things are going right now. It is about now that great western leaders like Thatcher or Clarke would put their balls on the line, alas the pretty puppet clone has none. Another trip dear....

[whybother]

The movement has instantly given the authoroties reason to challenge the demonstration by not moving location. One wonders if the group is seeking a confrontation with the police for publicity reasons (think: "ikes" on their FB page).

Why should they move from a location that is regularly used as a protest location? All they are doing is challenging the governments double standards.

[Nowhereman60]

I hope it rains on them. In fact I hope for a blizzard.

[jcb2001]

I hope it rains on them. In fact I hope for a blizzard.

Who? the red shirts or the White Masks?

[aaacorp]

Maybe one day the 'white masks' will read the story of Guy Fawkes and realize how stupid they look

[antfish]

their facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/V.For.Thailand

[GentlemanJim]

Maybe one day the 'white masks' will read the story of Guy Fawkes and realize how stupid they look

And maybe someday people on here will stop making the stupid comparison between the Guy Fawkes story and the movie V for Vendetta.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies have been deleted. The topic is about the White Masks.

Please stay on-topic.

[aaacorp]

Maybe one day the 'white masks' will read the story of Guy Fawkes and realize how stupid they look

And maybe someday people on here will stop making the stupid comparison between the Guy Fawkes story and the movie V for Vendetta.

And maybe people here and there will know historical guy fawkes wanted to kill th king of UK.. so ME i not mix movie and history

[whybother]

Maybe one day the 'white masks' will read the story of Guy Fawkes and realize how stupid they look

And maybe someday people on here will stop making the stupid comparison between the Guy Fawkes story and the movie V for Vendetta.

And maybe people here and there will know historical guy fawkes wanted to kill th king of UK.. so ME i not mix movie and history

Except the mask came from the movie which was about corrupt governments, not monarchies.

[aaacorp]

Maybe one day the 'white masks' will read the story of Guy Fawkes and realize how stupid they look

And maybe someday people on here will stop making the stupid comparison between the Guy Fawkes story and the movie V for Vendetta.

Maybe one day the 'white masks' will read the story of Guy Fawkes and realize how stupid they look

And maybe someday people on here will stop making the stupid comparison between the Guy Fawkes story and the movie V for Vendetta.

And maybe people here and there will know historical guy fawkes wanted to kill th king of UK.. so ME i not mix movie and history

Except the mask came from the movie which was about corrupt governments, not monarchies.

Oh yes you mean tye masks which represents ..... guy fawkes...a mask with not any link to the historical figure with the mustaches. The hat...

A movie without any ressemblane link or whatsoever history of a man named guy fawkes

[billd766]

Maybe one day the 'white masks' will read the story of Guy Fawkes and realize how stupid they look

And maybe someday people on here will stop making the stupid comparison between the Guy Fawkes story and the movie V for Vendetta.

And maybe people here and there will know historical guy fawkes wanted to kill th king of UK.. so ME i not mix movie and history

Strangely enough I learnt that over 50 years ago at primary school.

Now at 69 even I recognise the difference between something that happened 408 years ago and a mask for a movie 8 years ago about a bold, charismatic freedom fighter, attempting to ignite a revolution against the brutal fascist regime.

At this point in IMO Thailand is heading that way and IF Thaksin gets his way and comes back that is what Thailand will have.

The White masks in Thailand are another protest group against the PTP government and the Red Shirts.

Every week they seem to get more supporters and every week the government gets more worried and concerned and the Red Shirts get more upset.

If the White Masks are no problem then ignore them because the more upset the government gets the more sympathy the White Masks gain.

[whybother]

Oh yes you mean tye masks which represents ..... guy fawkes...a mask with not any link to the historical figure with the mustaches. The hat...

A movie without any ressemblane link or whatsoever history of a man named guy fawkes

You obviously know nothing about the movie.

The fact that the mask comes from the movie (or more correctly, the comic books) and not actually from Guy Fawkes, would indicate that the meaning is more about what happens in the movie and not what happened with Guy Fawkes.

[GentlemanJim]

And maybe people here and there will know historical guy fawkes wanted to kill th king of UK.. so ME i not mix movie and history

Except the mask came from the movie which was about corrupt governments, not monarchies.

Oh yes you mean tye masks which represents ..... guy fawkes...a mask with not any link to the historical figure with the mustaches. The hat...

A movie without any ressemblane link or whatsoever history of a man named guy fawkes

I take it when they use Hitlers face on a Macdonalds poster in Bangkok you thought they want to murder 6 million people? To add what Oceanview has correctly said

The symbolism of the mask itself, adopted by anti-authoritarian protesters from OWS to the Arab Spring, seems to have reverted to more closely embody the meaning in the V for Vendetta comics and film. Rather than overtly mocking those targeted by the protesters, the mask (an anarchic folk hero with a smile and curved mustache) serves as a political identifier. The wearer is identified as anti-authoritarian, a member of an online generation that values the freedom of communication and assembly that the internet has so powerfully enabled.

The mask has nothing to do with any anti monarchy movement. It is a symbol of anti authority towards bad Government, and in the movie AND the book the main character is trying to bring down a facist post nuclear war Government and return power to the people! Do you understand now?

Edited June 23, 2013 by GentlemanJim

[aaacorp]

You seems not to understand that tha movie is still based on a historical figure named guy fawkes.. if i follow your path i should be able to wear a funny little adolphe because it based on a cartoon of an angry guy named dolphi

[Robby nz]

Hang on a bit here fellas.

It is not the Govt telling the white masks not to use Central world it is the owners.

They say, and probably rightly, that protests at their place are hurting their business.

Seems to me they have a very good point there and to my way of thinking the ones in masks should be showing some respect for them.

It would be very easy for them to come out publicly and say they have no intention of hurting anyone's business that their gripe is against the Govt and its actions and as a show of consideration for others they will hold their rallies at a public park or other public place.

This I would think would gain them some respect and probably support.

To my way of thinking saying that they will do what they want regardless of others smacks of just what they are protesting against.

[whybother]

You seems not to understand that tha movie is still based on a historical figure named guy fawkes.. if i follow your path i should be able to wear a funny little adolphe because it based on a cartoon of an angry guy named dolphi

Was there anything in the movie about bringing down monarchies?

[ratcatcher]

You seems not to understand that tha movie is still based on a historical figure named guy fawkes.. if i follow your path i should be able to wear a funny little adolphe because it based on a cartoon of an angry guy named dolphi

Do you understand "obtuse"? Good.

[chinostar]

why were red shirts allowed to protest there?

Was that in 2010?

We all know the answer to your question. Another brick in the Thai "Democracy" wall.

Fear of losing business? Why not boycott Central World for allowing the Red Shirts and banning the White Masks.

Just a suggestion, because money is the best weapon against these shopping malls.

[aaacorp]

Ti mark my point just answer this: are the comic and movie have a link to historical guy fawkes? Does the mask used has any ressemblance with the historical guy fawkes paintings and drawings? I understandyou people say the movement is based on goverment contestation and not the historical figure but it s still Strongly connected to the original on

[GentlemanJim]

You seems not to understand that tha movie is still based on a historical figure named guy fawkes.. if i follow your path i should be able to wear a funny little adolphe because it based on a cartoon of an angry guy named dolphi

The Guy in the movie is NOTHING to do with Guy Fawkes. Have you even seen the movie? Have you read the writers reviews and their synopsis of the meaning behind the movie? It gets so tiresome on here sometimes explaining the same thing to people over and over again because they cannot be bothered to do even the slightest research.