30,000 red-shirts coming to Bangkok

[webfact]

POLITICS
Red-shirts promise no confrontation
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The United Front for Democracy which is bringing 30,000 red-shirt supporters to Bangkok this week promises that they would not embark on actions that would lead to the confrontation with anti-government protesters.

Anuwat Thinnarat, chairman of the group, said that all the red-shirts would gather in peace at the Rajamangala stadium during November 19-20.

They will not leave the stadium or go near the Democracy Monument where anti-government protesters are, he said.

However, he said that on November 20, the red-shirts would move to the Constitutional Court on Chaeng Wattana Road, to observe the Court’s ruling on the senator-related case.

Anuwat said that the red-shirts wanted to just observe the ruling, without any intention to put pressure on the Court which should have liberty in its deliberation.

The group plans to mobilise 30,000 red-shirts. Leaders in 20 Northeastern provinces are told to prepare buses for the supporters, Anuwat said.


-- The Nation 2013-11-18

[wprime]

That's nice of them, I hope they keep to their word.

[ratcatcher]

"Anuwat said that the red-shirts wanted to just observe the ruling, without any intention to put pressure on the Court which should have liberty in its deliberation."

Looks like troops of advance red shirts are being assembled and moved for the battle to come.

[bigbamboo]

I wonder who's paying for this......

[Local Drunk]

Good! There will be more Reds to witness "real democracy according to the Constitution" when the government is dissolved on Wednesday.

[Local Drunk]

I wonder who's paying for this......

That was my first question!

[Nickymaster]

Didn't know the reds are also legal experts. I always thought that their field of expertise was setting things on fire.

[gemini81]

I wonder who's paying for this......

That was my first question!

No doubt in my mind..only one sneaky snake would rent such a mob...

[hammered]

Well the Dems are busy pressuring the court to dissolve PT, so did anyone not expect a response?

[Local Drunk]

I wonder who's paying for this......

That was my first question!

No doubt in my mind..only one sneaky snake would rent such a mob...

I would hope that the PM would act now to protect the the integrity of the decision of The Constitutional Court and its safety the same way she has tried to protect her own.

[Rob8891]

I wonder who's paying for this......

Do they iron the money after it has been thru the laundry

Such a cynical man....55555

[rubl]

Pressuring as in requesting the court to rule on something or another?

Well the Dems are busy pressuring the court to dissolve PT, so did anyone not expect a response?

[Rob8891]

30,000 just popping down to BKK for a wee chat and all playing nicely. Aye, that sounds about right......

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies deleted

[fab4]

I wonder who's paying for this......

Who's paying for the Suthep Show? What does it matter? Probably the same in each case, Rich benefactors.

[fab4]

Pressuring as in requesting the court to rule on something or another?

Well the Dems are busy pressuring the court to dissolve PT, so did anyone not expect a response?

Endlessly and frivolously invoking Article 68 is not the way forward as they have been told on a number of occasions by the Constitutional Court.

Unless of course you can explain why a "proposed" change to the composition of the Senate is a threat to the Ruling System with the King as the Head of State. It wasn't regarded as such when it was written into the 1997 Constitution so why should it be so now?

[rubl]

1. the CC has on occasions ruled a request to be rejected, but never said to be bothered by 'endlessly /and/or frivolously' requests. The current Pheu Thai led government is bothered by the invocation of article 68 and wants a 'screening' commission to help the CC on what the government thinks is important.

Anyway the proposed change to the setup of the Senate has two main aspects

- All senates elected

- family members of parliament MPs can be elected

As we have seen with Pheu Thai government easily modifying bills and pushing those through two readings/votes within slightly more than 24 hours, a really independent Senate for checks and balances seems essential.

As for 1997 well Thaksin c.s. weren't busy corrupting the checks and balances yet at the time, or at least not as openly as later when TRT was just a amalgamation of bought-in parties under the leadership of a 'honest mistake' chap.

Pressuring as in requesting the court to rule on something or another?

Well the Dems are busy pressuring the court to dissolve PT, so did anyone not expect a response?

Endlessly and frivolously invoking Article 68 is not the way forward as they have been told on a number of occasions by the Constitutional Court.

Unless of course you can explain why a "proposed" change to the composition of the Senate is a threat to the Ruling System with the King as the Head of State. It wasn't regarded as such when it was written into the 1997 Constitution so why should it be so now?

[Robby nz]

bigbamboo, on 18 Nov 2013 - 11:49, said:

I wonder who's paying for this......

As I posted elsewhere, it's very simple really.

Answer the following two question to get the answer.

Who will the red rallies benefit the most?

Who has their hands on (in) the public purse?

Answer to both questions, the PT Govt.

So where will the funding for the 500b PP and the rest of the expenses like busses, food, sound systems, and all the rest come from?

You got it, the long suffering tax payer.

[ballpoint]

They will not leave the stadium or go near the Democracy Monument where anti-government protesters are, he said.

However, he said that on November 20, the red-shirts would move to the Constitutional Court on Chaeng Wattana Road, to observe the Courts ruling on the senator-related case.

So they will leave the stadium? Seems that even one of them on his own can't get his story straight.

[bigbamboo]

It is essential that the two houses are kept as independent of each other as possible. Of course it won't stop corrupt practices completely but it will help.

Senators should be elected in some way but families should not be represented in both houses at the same time. You can't have num, dad and the two kids having parliamentary meetings around the dinner table in a transparent democracy.

[jayboy]

Mostly Bangkok middle class....you can't buy them for 500 baht

No need to.They have already been bought ...through the massive bias in state expenditure on urban infrastructure, education and health .. at the expense of the Thai majority.

[Thainy Tim]

I wonder who's paying for this......

Me.... The taxpayer!

[rubl]

Whereas the red-shirts are happy with their shirt and having all (rice) farmers rich by now, curtsy of the middleclass taxpayers.

PS massive bias in education and health? Wasn't this government busy working on that by 'optimising / merging' upcountry schools and of course the re-introduction of 30 Baht for a health system still not financially supported sufficiently?

Anyway 30,000 red-shirts to the rescue, all knowing it's about the red shirt, the being for against blanket amnesty including Abhisit/Suthep and the request for Thaksin returning to serve (his time). Somehow democracy doesn't seem to play in that

Mostly Bangkok middle class....you can't buy them for 500 baht

No need to.They have already been bought ...through the massive bias in state expenditure on urban infrastructure, education and health .. at the expense of the Thai majority.

[Valentine]

Well the Dems are busy pressuring the court to dissolve PT, so did anyone not expect a response?

In what way? I have not seen any evidence of the Dems camped outside the court or homes of the judges nor have they given out addresses.

[hammered]

Well the Dems are busy pressuring the court to dissolve PT, so did anyone not expect a response?

In what way? I have not seen any evidence of the Dems camped outside the court or homes of the judges nor have they given out addresses.

They have repeatedly said that they want to give the constitution court the support to make the right decision. The reds have said that they are interested in the courts decision. Both meanings are the same and that is obvious to everyone: we want a decision favouring us and after Wassant's interview both sides know that decisions based on politics, and street demos and not law happen. In fact it is no surprise that both sides take to the streets after what Wassant said.

To understand the subtexts and how these things work PAD Sondhi statements before he was shot in the head are revealing along with lots of wikileaks too). The context is important and does anyone think the players are neutral (check polls on what the Thai people think of some of the courts, or just listen to Wassant on the perception of the court he used to head.

[jaltsc]

"However, he said that on November 20, the red-shirts would move to the Constitutional Court on Chaeng Wattana Road, to observe the Court’s ruling on the senator-related case."

Haven't they ever heard of TV.? Could observe much better with a close up camera, and think of the time, effort and money that would be saved. Me thinks there is something more to this.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies deleted.

[Local Drunk]

Well the Dems are busy pressuring the court to dissolve PT, so did anyone not expect a response?

In what way? I have not seen any evidence of the Dems camped outside the court or homes of the judges nor have they given out addresses.

They have repeatedly said that they want to give the constitution court the support to make the right decision. The reds have said that they are interested in the courts decision. Both meanings are the same and that is obvious to everyone: we want a decision favouring us and after Wassant's interview both sides know that decisions based on politics, and street demos and not law happen. In fact it is no surprise that both sides take to the streets after what Wassant said.

To understand the subtexts and how these things work PAD Sondhi statements before he was shot in the head are revealing along with lots of wikileaks too). The context is important and does anyone think the players are neutral (check polls on what the Thai people think of some of the courts, or just listen to Wassant on the perception of the court he used to head.

"The reds have said that they are interested in the courts decision."

The Reds have said a lot of things or rather their leaders have. There are many memorable quotes from the Red's leaders and many that are recorded on youtube.

[hammered]

Well the Dems are busy pressuring the court to dissolve PT, so did anyone not expect a response?

In what way? I have not seen any evidence of the Dems camped outside the court or homes of the judges nor have they given out addresses.

They have repeatedly said that they want to give the constitution court the support to make the right decision. The reds have said that they are interested in the courts decision. Both meanings are the same and that is obvious to everyone: we want a decision favouring us and after Wassant's interview both sides know that decisions based on politics, and street demos and not law happen. In fact it is no surprise that both sides take to the streets after what Wassant said.

To understand the subtexts and how these things work PAD Sondhi statements before he was shot in the head are revealing along with lots of wikileaks too). The context is important and does anyone think the players are neutral (check polls on what the Thai people think of some of the courts, or just listen to Wassant on the perception of the court he used to head.

"The reds have said that they are interested in the courts decision."

The Reds have said a lot of things or rather their leaders have. There are many memorable quotes from the Red's leaders and many that are recorded on youtube.

As are there from the Suthep, the Democrats and their assorted supporters. Point is both sides are trying to show that they have the support to influence the court (read the Wassant interview to know why this is important). The interesting thing if the 30K number is correct, is why the reds are going for less than they had at Muang Thong. We know Suthep's numbers are dropping so it could be that, or it could be for control reasons.

[Thormaturge]

They are welcome to pop into Gateway. I was there over the weekend and it is becoming a huge white elephant. It could do with some of their expertise.