Thai amnesty bill: Fears of major clash if rivals face off at House

[Emptyset]

It's the imagery. I don't think anyone expected or wanted the Democrats to charge the police barricade. I certainly did not. But the Democrats set this up as a dramatic venue to promote their cause. The organizers of the protest talked about it all in military terms, some even verging on apocalyptic terms. The least they could have done is march up to the police barricade and have delivered a moving, stirring speech that encapsulated and provided vividness for their position. Instead, they went up there and essentially said, "Okay, we quit. Everybody go home." That looked pathetic.

You're confusing what are actually two protest groups. The Democrats had their rally and their march whilst the guys who said they were going to 'attack' remained in the park - where they still are. Apparently the numbers in Lumpini dwindled during the Democrat march on parliament, so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them were Democrat supporters who went back to the park after Suthep told them to go home.

If I was cynical, I might think the Democrats knew a lot of them would head back to the park and this was all done deliberately to enhance their image. They lead people to the parliament and quickly told them to disperse - knowing the police wouldn't allow them through - in order to be able to take the moral highground if the protesters at the park do get violent during the next couple of days (i.e. 'we showed how it was done, we had our peaceful [though entirely ineffective] march and told everyone to go home. don't blame us for the actions of these protesters. we're not part of it' etc).

If something does happen, I wouldn't be surprised if it was at night. Or maybe they'll just decide they've made their point and go home. That would be a major anti-climax as far as the organizers are concerned, surely? So much for public discontent with the government. It would actually be a worse washout than the Pitak Siam business.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Emptyset

[zydeco]

It's the imagery. I don't think anyone expected or wanted the Democrats to charge the police barricade. I certainly did not. But the Democrats set this up as a dramatic venue to promote their cause. The organizers of the protest talked about it all in military terms, some even verging on apocalyptic terms. The least they could have done is march up to the police barricade and have delivered a moving, stirring speech that encapsulated and provided vividness for their position. Instead, they went up there and essentially said, "Okay, we quit. Everybody go home." That looked pathetic.

You're confusing what are actually two protest groups. The Democrats had their rally and their march whilst the guys who said they were going to 'attack' remained in the park - where they still are. Apparently the numbers in Lumpini dwindled during the Democrat march on parliament, so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them were Democrat supporters who went back to the park after Suthep told them to go home.

If I was cynical, I might think the Democrats knew a lot of them would head back to the park and this was all done deliberately to enhance their image. They lead people to the parliament and quickly told them to disperse - knowing the police wouldn't allow them through - in order to be able to take the moral highground if the protesters at the park do get violent during the next couple of days (i.e. 'we showed how it was done, we had our peaceful [though entirely ineffective] march and told everyone to go home. don't blame us for the actions of these protesters. we're not part of it' etc).

If something does happen,, I wouldn't be surprised if it was at night. Or maybe they'll just decide they've made their point and go home. That would be a major anti-climax as far as the organizers are concerned, surely? So much for public discontent with the government. It would actually be a worse washout than the Pitak Siam business.

Well, this was certainly beyond my imagination. The fact that the Democrats might actually use the protest to avoid yet more responsibility is even more damning. While the Democrats take "the moral high ground", the PTP takes the country. If this is true, the Dems should just all go home and STAY home. Let's just get it all over. At least we wouldn't need to worry about anymore downtown disruptions.

[Emptyset]

A vastly different style of leadership from the Democrats compared to the to the Red Shirt leadership who led from the back and the comfort of four and five star hotels and as such they had no compunction about exhorting their rank and file members to defy the security forces and fight them and harry them.

Oh yes we saw a leadership that is involved with and who had the courage of their convictions to actually march with their supporters in the Democrats, unlike the Red Shirt leadership.

So not only is Abhisit morally superior to the red shirt leaders, he's also physically braver? It's not really true anyway. I'm pretty sure there have been loads of marches, peaceful and otherwise, where the leaders were walking at the head of the protesters. It's more noticeable when things get violent though I suppose. Surely you remember Arisman leading the protesters to the Asia summit in Pattaya, or Kwanchai marching on the the 1st Army Region? It does seem Abhisit is getting gradually used to 'rally politics' though. He actually looks quite comfortable as part of the 'mob'. I've always thought the stuff about him being aloof was mostly just cheap point scoring anyway. I can see how it would be hard for someone from his background to relate to your average person, but then I think a billionaire businessman is probably even further removed from the life of your average person.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Emptyset

[Emptyset]

Well, this was certainly beyond my imagination. The fact that the Democrats might actually use the protest to avoid yet more responsibility is even more damning. While the Democrats take "the moral high ground", the PTP takes the country. If this is true, the Dems should just all go home and STAY home. Let's just get it all over. At least we wouldn't need to worry about anymore downtown disruptions.

Well, I obviously don't know for sure if the Democrats planned things that way. I think I'm just assuming that because that's the way I would play things if I were them... lol.

[zydeco]

Well, this was certainly beyond my imagination. The fact that the Democrats might actually use the protest to avoid yet more responsibility is even more damning. While the Democrats take "the moral high ground", the PTP takes the country. If this is true, the Dems should just all go home and STAY home. Let's just get it all over. At least we wouldn't need to worry about anymore downtown disruptions.

Well, I obviously don't know for sure if the Democrats planned things that way. I think I'm just assuming that because that's the way I would play things if I were them... lol.

For me, this is just another reason to avoid these matters, which I usually do, even on TV. It's like what they said about Free Agency when it started back in the NFL, back in the mid 1990s: the players constantly change, and all you're left to cheer for is a uniform. Or, in this case, empty suits on both sides.

[Chalard]

Any bets on who is going to win this one.

I bet that the man in Dubai who might be in Koh Chang at the moment will win this one.

Sorry to disappoint u on this 1. If he ever comes come back someone will have him taken out. Sure 110%. That's why he hasn't come back since he fled.......

[rijit]

What's all the fuss about ... if your brother was a convicted criminal, and also worth billions of USD, and you became Prime Minister, wouldn't you change the law to grant him an amnesty?

Who wouldn't?

putting it that way of coarse you would, whether you should is a V DIFFERENT MATTER.

[Sunderland]

Watched the last 2 hours of the .... debate ... ??? ... in Parliament this evening. The usual shambles. Mostly off topic debate. They spent the last hour arguing about what time to finish today and what time to continue tomorrow.

And they expect to reconcile amid strong differences of opinion when they can't even compromise about what time they have to get up for work in the morning!!

Thai Parliament is one giant dustbin. Is it really any wonder that the population generally don't care about politics and would rather read cartoon books and watch the God awful soaps instead? I'm thinking of burying my head in the sand and joining them ...

Edited August 7, 2013 by Sunderland

[bigbamboo]

But the majority of Thai people's don't whant to live under military dictatorship !! The problem is that Democratic party PAD and the old patronage coup makers don't have enough intellect to understand that. Remember Khun Thaksin is a "Goldmind" if you put him as an buiseness and Economic Senior adviser for Thailand.

Don't you mean "Goldfinger" - the fictional character with designs on Fort Knox?

After all, Thaksin has already gold-mined Thailand - he got the gold, Thailand got the shaft.

Glad to see the Aussies have retained their sense of humour in spite of losing the Ashes.... again.

But the first post is confusing. It almost sounds as if he is suggesting an economic advisory role for the man responsible for the Elite card and the Thai rice pledging debacle but I must have that wrong surely.

[MaiChai]

Interesting to see the police political alignment? Back in 2010, and the following floods, the police were nowhere to be seen. Now we have the PT government and now the police are used as a tool by the government to suppress peaceful protest. A shameful state of affairs.

[Choonpon]

Peace and harmony please.....

There are enough natural disasters, illnesses, poverty and many more to deal with.

Surely there are much better things to do.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[roadrunner300]

Peace and harmony please.....

There are enough natural disasters, illnesses, poverty and many more to deal with.

Surely there are much better things to do.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

No peace and harmony both party s are to stupid for this and stand to far away from each other aswell .

We are lucky there is the one border hurting the toerist sector.

From the past we know this can happen easy, actually it did happen twice over the last 3 years.

First with the yellows on the airport and later the riots in Bkk.

The visa bussnes would serious decline to without tourists, starting as a tourist many of them become visa needed.

After the riceprofits tourists is the big income here.

For the Thaksins there are no better thinks to do then this thats the problem you gattered power and money in the past buying

of stupid people with few 100 bahts for there votes or other services and avoid to pay tax.

Ofcourse you didn t change because it went well ,so to come back legal in your country is your major interrest.

Im even suprised it took them so long to come with this stupid bill maybe they needed to find the right moment to lounge it.

Al the trouble you wrote they just don t care about this, this is why there is a lot of poverty with out any social securitysystem and the land still overflods almost every year

Yes after your house ,car and other things are flushed away you get few 100 bahts again for your trouble haha.

Thats Thailand .

[metisdead]

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