People blow whistle on Thai govt

[webfact]

People blow whistle on govt
The Nation



Opposition to the amnesty bill has manifested into different displays of protest across the country.

BANGKOK: -- Apart from the big show of opposition on Bangkok's streets, people from all walks of life - from academics and doctors to villagers - have organised a variety of activities to send a message to the Parliament that it should scrap the explosive draft law.

l Thammasat University rector Somkit Lertpaithoon, who also chairs the Council of University Presidents of Thailand, confirmed that the council was ready to work with other groups to push for the scrapping of the draft law.

l More than 600 Thammasat University lecturers and staff signed a petition against the amnesty bill.

l Somkit and the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand called on the Senate to take a stance against the bill.

l Chulalongkorn University Students Organisation issued a statement against the bill.

l The National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) launched a signature campaign against the bill. Thousands have already put their names down.

l Srinakharinwirot University has launched a similar campaign that has also attracted thousands of signatures.

l The Association of Rural Doctors in the Seven Southernmost Provinces publicly condemned the amnesty bill. Encouraged by the association, many hospitals in the South will fly banners against the bill from today onward.

l Khon Kaen University students and lecturers launched a signature campaign against the bill.

l In front of the Khon Kaen City Pillar Shrine, businessmen, academics and locals also gathered to declare their stance against the controversial draft law.

l In a recent survey in the Northeast, 46.6 per cent of 1,190 respondents voiced their opposition.

l In Phitsanulok, a group of students and lecturers at Naresuan University launched a signature campaign.

l More than 10,000 university students and people in Trang joined a rally against the blanket amnesty.

l Students at Surat Thani Rajabhat University condemned the bill, saying it would hurt the rule of law and democratic principles.

l A youth network submitted an open letter against the bill to the Group of 40 Senators, now that the bill has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

l Hundreds of people in Yala marched down the main road to express their stance against the bill, and won cheers of support along the way.

l Healthcare workers in Nakhon Si Thammarat publicly denounced the bill.

l Lawyers in Loei and Uttaradit condemned the bill.

l The Thai Labour Solidarity Committee issued a statement against the bill. The statement encourages workers to join like-minded organisations in stopping the passage of the bill.

l Students in Ubon Ratchathani declared their opposition to the amnesty bill.


-- The Nation 2013-11-05

[klubex99]

But its all OK, because Yingluck produced the families of the murdered protestors which all agree with the bill.

It wasn't paid for....... honest it wasn't.

[ratcatcher]

Well it looks as if the well laid plans made by Thaksin, Yingluck and the other Shinawat cronies are starting to come apart at the seams.

An interesting 2 months ahead for sure.

[sscsamui]

Mr T. Want The money back and all charges dropped… And he will not stop till he gets what he wants, so it seems...

[sscsamui]

Power to the People….

[JoeThePoster]

The whole idea blows on so many counts.

[noikrit]

Oh Goody !!! More Whistles !!

[webfact]

Silom overflows with whistle blowers
Asina Pornwasin
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Thousands of office workers in tidy dresses and suits joined a large protest in Silom Road at noon yesterday for an event called "Green Silom", which saw an act of symbolic whistle-blowing against the controversial amnesty bill.

This activity was led by the Business Club for Democracy (BCD), a coalition of business leaders who advocate good governance.

Pracha Sangthongsuk, director of a private company named Danecraft Inc at Empire Tower, brought all staff to join the whistle-blowing at 11am. He said he took part to show business people's stance against the controversial bill.

"Coming here today signifies my responsibility to my country. We have to live with responsibility to our duty. Passing of the amnesty bill [by the House] is an action without responsibility to the country," Pracha said.

He said he wanted to show children that people in the country should adopt good practices.

"In the short term, we aimed to raise awareness to the government about opposition to the amnesty bill. We want to see the amnesty bill revoked," Pracha said.

Somkiat Homlaor, a BCD leader, said another rally will be held in Silom tomorrow at 11am. He described yesterday's rally as a success, judging from a crowd that numbered in the tens of thousands - although police put the number at just thousands.

The whistleblowers were a wide range of ages, from the younger generations to middle-aged and elderly people. Most dressed in black, with women in working dresses, and men in suits and casual dress. Some came in groups, some came alone, carrying a smart-phone or tablets.

Those in the rally took photos or recorded video clips of the whistle-blowing. With whistles hung around their necks, protesters also carried Thai flags in one hand, and phones in the other. Some blew their whistles, while others took photos of colleagues and the mob.

Most people kept posting photos or "tweeting" messages while blowing whistles - and this caused mobile signals from the heart of the event to jam. Some people talked with their friends, but found they could not upload pics, comments, or posts for a while.

Sarisa Vliaivis, 55, a business owner, had a Thai flag in one hand and a whistle hung round her neck for the rally in Silom. She said she was one of the "silent" people who normally protest online and via social media.

"But today, we could not be silent anymore. It is the time we come together to show the government that we are against the amnesty bill. Thaksin's family has taken advantage of Thais and the country. He has not shown any responsibility for the wrong that he has done," Sarisa said.

Nichanun Rattarojthajul, 30, an employee at a medical distribution firm in Thonglor, went to Silom with colleagues. They held self-made signs saying 'Against the amnesty bill' while joining the whistle-blowing.

"We really hope that the amnesty bill will be rejected by the Senate. A huge number of people were here to show that we oppose the amnesty bill and hope the Senate will reject it," she said.

The huge crowd flowed into the Silom Complex building, on the ground floor and second floor, linked to the BTS Sala Daeng station. The walkway connecting MRT Silom station and BTS Sala Daeng station was also packed with whistle-blowers.

Mass transit lines, both MRT and BTS, were the way that most people headed to and from Silom. The MRT Silom exit was packed by noon, and after the event was over in the afternoon, many were massed there to get trains back from where they came.


-- The Nation 2013-11-05

[ramrod711]

It's encouraging to see people come out to fight a bill that is obviously not intended to promote law and order. If you can have an amnesty for people who pay for terrorism, promote arson, manufacture and use of explosive devices and ecourage general mayhem, what happens to the rule of law. What are the odds that you can get a fair decision in a property dispute or a traffic accident. Once the public faith in law and order is lost, so is the country.

[Frank James]

The Nation, again.They keep blowing into the kindling, trying to start a real fire, but it keeps going out.

[Chao Lao Beach]

I can never figure out the logic of the parking whistle man that blows his whistle to mean keep going and when he stops you stop, I thought it would be logical for a whistle blast to mean stop.

[DocN]

As much as I think, they are right to stop this insane bill...where are all of them, when politicians of all colors fxxx over the country on a daily basis, when corruption is rife (oh yeah...68% like it, if it benefits themselves!), when they hang the poor and let the rich and connected go scott- free...and...and...and...

[Neilly]

People blow whistle on govt

The Nation

I should guess there's been an increase in Skype calls between the clan recently

[Magenta2013]

The Nation, again.They keep blowing into the kindling, trying to start a real fire, but it keeps going out.

Yes the media are really trying but the simple fact is most people do not care if there is an amnesty or not.

It does not effect them in the slightest and the majority of people do not care one bit.

The people who do care are all those who conspired against Thaksin, who made false testaments to get him convicted etc.... They really do not want him back as they perceive that he may embark on a mission on vengence against them.

So this is why a very small amount of people, less than 20,000 even at its peak - are out on the streets being "paid in kind" with food and drinks and entertainment and travel and free flags and free whistles - to go around causing mayhem.

Paid for protesters..................... take away the free food, the free drinks, the free transport for some and all the "free" trimmings and there would not be many people there at all.

[jdinasia]

So Magenta's arguments are

1) The citizens are not passionate about this subject. Which is shown to be untrue simply by the protests happening as far away from BKK as Had Yai and Khon Kaen.

2) People are getting food and drink and whistles for free. Probably true, but really ... giving up time and effort and energy for a plastic whistle?

3) Yingluck can do anything she wants since she was elected. This shows absolutely no understanding of democracy or rule of law.

4) Most people do not care. That is a simple assumption based upon what appears to be personal wishes. Since it appears that people do in fact care.

5) The people that do care are afraid of Thaksin on a personal revenge motive. Certainly the people on the streets all over the country have nothing to fear from Thaksin ......

WB Mags .. whoever you were.

[waza]

This is the way a grassroots protest movement grows. Thaksin may be achieving the re-unification of Thai society by default, with all in mutual opposition to his amnesty.

[jdinasia]

This is the way a grassroots protest movement grows. Thaksin may be achieving the re-unification of Thai society by default, with all in mutual opposition to his amnesty.

Agreed .... the amnesty bill as proposed is not liked by many people in different groups and the sheer audacity of PTP in proposing an amnesty bill that lets both Thaksin and Abhisit/Suthep/CRES off the hook makes nobody really like it.

[Baerboxer]

The Nation, again.They keep blowing into the kindling, trying to start a real fire, but it keeps going out.

Yes the media are really trying but the simple fact is most people do not care if there is an amnesty or not.

It does not effect them in the slightest and the majority of people do not care one bit.

The people who do care are all those who conspired against Thaksin, who made false testaments to get him convicted etc.... They really do not want him back as they perceive that he may embark on a mission on vengence against them.

So this is why a very small amount of people, less than 20,000 even at its peak - are out on the streets being "paid in kind" with food and drinks and entertainment and travel and free flags and free whistles - to go around causing mayhem.

Paid for protesters..................... take away the free food, the free drinks, the free transport for some and all the "free" trimmings and there would not be many people there at all.

Just one question. Can you please explain the false witness allegations regarding the corruption case for which Kuhn Dr, Thaksin was convicted, sentenced and jumped bail rather than appeal or serve the sentence?

Did his government seize the land? Did his then wife purchase the seized piece of land at much less than market price ? Or was this all made up as you suggest ?

[tingtongteesood]

The funny thing is that the whole cover story for this was that it would bring about reconciliation and unite the Thai people -- it is uniting them against the band of crooks in charge who have brought it on through their callous flouting of the law. Very ironic !

[gemini81]

Take the protest to the Shinawatra assets, the university of Shinawatra, camp out there. Force a non-violent shut down. That would send the little weasel into worry.

[Benmart]

Power to the People.

People Power does cause change, regardless of who is at the wheel.