Red-shirts to stage mass rally in Bangkok this Saturday

[Scott]

Some off-topic posts and replies have been deleted. More should be deleted.

Please stay on topic.

[midasthailand]

So the Red-Shirt leaders are still not upset, about the attempts by PTP to give a full-amnesty, to people who they claim ordered the murders of their comrades-in-arms three years ago ?

What very short memories, and conveniently forgetful ones too, these delightful people appear to have.

Why do the Red-masses still trust & follow them ?

Because its better than the centuries of being forgotten about and repressed.

I expect many 'red shirts' are not personally keen on TS, but the thought of voting for the oldest party in Thailand who has over the years completely disregarded them is so sickening that they continue to support the PTP.

I hate the conflict now, and find it difficult to see a proper resolution, but its lovely to see these old families in Thailand who have barely lifted a finger in their lives, other than to call the hired help, get a right royal shafting:) Sadly i know they have already siphoned off 100's of million of dollars over the years out of the country and really whatever is happening here is just a minor inconvenience that they can sit out abroad.

You are so misguided by your unfounded hatred of the democrats and the elite of Thailand.

You say that the Democrat party has ignored and repressed the poor for centuries? can you gather together some evidence of this? I don't recall seeing anything in Thailand's history over the centuries.

Regardless of Thailand, over the centuries all countries have had poor people who eeked out a living from the land and lived hand to mouth including your own home country. So how can that be the fault of a current political party? Are you serious??

As a matter of fact, if it was not for the more educated classes and 'elites' as you call them in many other threads, there would be no industry, large scale farming, factories, infrastructure, commerce, running water, electricity, tourism industry, airlines, manufacturing, jobs, or future for the people of Thailand. Without these necessary forces Thailand would be 100 years behind Myanmar in development.

We would just have a nation of peasant farmers plowing the fields with buffalo with their kids running around with their <deleted> hanging out of their rags with empty bellies and no education.

It is the 'elites' that you so hate who are 'solely' responsible for the wealth and development of Thailand, and have made Thailand a MUCH better place for the people. Without the 'elites' Thailand's government wouldn't even have 10% of the GDP it has today, so your health and educations systems would not exist, because the government would not be able to afford them.

Go look in the fields, are the farm owners the ones standing up to their ankles in snake infested water? No, mostly the poor who are still only getting 150 to 200 baht a day (I wouldn't challenge me on that either, because we own rice land). So where is the massive improvement you speak of?

Thaksin has done nothing to the masses of Thailand who blindly follow him. Most of the poorest are carrying most of the debt in this country because this government fails to see the bubble economy they and their policies are creating. Lots of the farmers may now be driving shiny new D-Maxs and have a shine new Kubota harvester sat in the front of the farmyard, but it's almost all on credit and the rice pledging scheme is going to pay... Don't hold your breath.

Thaksin and the PTP have set up these exact same people whom you assume have much more enriched lives, to take a huge fall in the future and probably pushing their situation back by 30 years.

Show me the proof of the Dems totally disregarding these people over the years? It;s because of non-populist policies that these people have improved lives in general in the first place.

A proper government needs to focus where it is needed for the good of the country as a whole and that lies at the feet of the 'so called elites'... and lest you not forget that Thaksin and every other PTP minister are all elites themselves with no real interest in the people and a hell of a lot of interest in their own gains.

Give me a vote and I will always vote for the party that has the biggest credibility in growing the sector of society that does the most towards the development of the country as a whole and the poor benefit a lot more.

Smutcakes.....you sound more and more like a communist every day, and we all know communism worked don't we?

Whilst I am no fan of communism, it is hard to argue that communism doesn't work in the face of the rise in China's prosperity and power.

[stegee]

So the Red-Shirt leaders are still not upset, about the attempts by PTP to give a full-amnesty, to people who they claim ordered the murders of their comrades-in-arms three years ago ?

What very short memories, and conveniently forgetful ones too, these delightful people appear to have.

Why do the Red-masses still trust & follow them ?

maybe they just don't trust the other lot to do any better- after all they are attempting to overthrow the duly elected government with no plan of action for what will follow..

[pumpuiman]

These post are so funny from the ones who support the yellows and the ones that support the reds! There is really no difference between either party its all about money and greed, they could have picked any politician from either party and convicted him for what Thaskin has done or even worse, he was singled out over money and greed and pissing off the wrong people. This process will continue on until the puppets from both sides say enough is enough when it comes to corruption and greed and the likelyhood of that ever happening is far away since most Thais think corruption is just a way of life and accepted.

Well said.

[SPIKECM]

I don't think there's an argument to say that you don't need a middle class. You don't need a self perpetuating elite though, who survive through the absence of a meritocracy.

Thailand's fundamental problem is the education system and that has been self perpetuated by "the elite". How many sons of Issan farmers end up as airline pilots or join the middle class? Compare that to Singapore. In one generation, you have huge numbers of the sons and daughters of illiterate migrants becoming doctors, teachers and engineers to make up what is now a huge middle class in Singapore. This cannot happen in Thailand for socio-historical reasons... this is why people are on about "the elite"....they are responsible for the absence of a meritocracy that Thailand needs to develop into a modern and fair nation, but this is impossible to see happening for at least another 50 years.

An elite and a middle class are not the same thing.

So the Red-Shirt leaders are still not upset, about the attempts by PTP to give a full-amnesty, to people who they claim ordered the murders of their comrades-in-arms three years ago ?

What very short memories, and conveniently forgetful ones too, these delightful people appear to have.

Why do the Red-masses still trust & follow them ?

Because its better than the centuries of being forgotten about and repressed.

I expect many 'red shirts' are not personally keen on TS, but the thought of voting for the oldest party in Thailand who has over the years completely disregarded them is so sickening that they continue to support the PTP.

I hate the conflict now, and find it difficult to see a proper resolution, but its lovely to see these old families in Thailand who have barely lifted a finger in their lives, other than to call the hired help, get a right royal shafting:) Sadly i know they have already siphoned off 100's of million of dollars over the years out of the country and really whatever is happening here is just a minor inconvenience that they can sit out abroad.

You are so misguided by your unfounded hatred of the democrats and the elite of Thailand.

You say that the Democrat party has ignored and repressed the poor for centuries? can you gather together some evidence of this? I don't recall seeing anything in Thailand's history over the centuries.

Regardless of Thailand, over the centuries all countries have had poor people who eeked out a living from the land and lived hand to mouth including your own home country. So how can that be the fault of a current political party? Are you serious??

As a matter of fact, if it was not for the more educated classes and 'elites' as you call them in many other threads, there would be no industry, large scale farming, factories, infrastructure, commerce, running water, electricity, tourism industry, airlines, manufacturing, jobs, or future for the people of Thailand. Without these necessary forces Thailand would be 100 years behind Myanmar in development.

We would just have a nation of peasant farmers plowing the fields with buffalo with their kids running around with their <deleted> hanging out of their rags with empty bellies and no education.

It is the 'elites' that you so hate who are 'solely' responsible for the wealth and development of Thailand, and have made Thailand a MUCH better place for the people. Without the 'elites' Thailand's government wouldn't even have 10% of the GDP it has today, so your health and educations systems would not exist, because the government would not be able to afford them.

Go look in the fields, are the farm owners the ones standing up to their ankles in snake infested water? No, mostly the poor who are still only getting 150 to 200 baht a day (I wouldn't challenge me on that either, because we own rice land). So where is the massive improvement you speak of?

Thaksin has done nothing to the masses of Thailand who blindly follow him. Most of the poorest are carrying most of the debt in this country because this government fails to see the bubble economy they and their policies are creating. Lots of the farmers may now be driving shiny new D-Maxs and have a shine new Kubota harvester sat in the front of the farmyard, but it's almost all on credit and the rice pledging scheme is going to pay... Don't hold your breath.

Thaksin and the PTP have set up these exact same people whom you assume have much more enriched lives, to take a huge fall in the future and probably pushing their situation back by 30 years.

Show me the proof of the Dems totally disregarding these people over the years? It;s because of non-populist policies that these people have improved lives in general in the first place.

A proper government needs to focus where it is needed for the good of the country as a whole and that lies at the feet of the 'so called elites'... and lest you not forget that Thaksin and every other PTP minister are all elites themselves with no real interest in the people and a hell of a lot of interest in their own gains.

Give me a vote and I will always vote for the party that has the biggest credibility in growing the sector of society that does the most towards the development of the country as a whole and the poor benefit a lot more.

Smutcakes.....you sound more and more like a communist every day, and we all know communism worked don't we?

[Nickymaster]

According to some posters here on TV the stadium was already full since day one.

[Theoutsider]

They should just go head to head and see who wins.

[Thait Spot]

Mass rally?

Are they expecting the pope in a red smock?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[hawker9000]

So the Red-Shirt leaders are still not upset, about the attempts by PTP to give a full-amnesty, to people who they claim ordered the murders of their comrades-in-arms three years ago ?

What very short memories, and conveniently forgetful ones too, these delightful people appear to have.

Why do the Red-masses still trust & follow them ?

Because its better than the centuries of being forgotten about and repressed.

I expect many 'red shirts' are not personally keen on TS, but the thought of voting for the oldest party in Thailand who has over the years completely disregarded them is so sickening that they continue to support the PTP.

I hate the conflict now, and find it difficult to see a proper resolution, but its lovely to see these old families in Thailand who have barely lifted a finger in their lives, other than to call the hired help, get a right royal shafting:) Sadly i know they have already siphoned off 100's of million of dollars over the years out of the country and really whatever is happening here is just a minor inconvenience that they can sit out abroad.

You are so misguided by your unfounded hatred of the democrats and the elite of Thailand.

You say that the Democrat party has ignored and repressed the poor for centuries? can you gather together some evidence of this? I don't recall seeing anything in Thailand's history over the centuries.

Regardless of Thailand, over the centuries all countries have had poor people who eeked out a living from the land and lived hand to mouth including your own home country. So how can that be the fault of a current political party? Are you serious??

As a matter of fact, if it was not for the more educated classes and 'elites' as you call them in many other threads, there would be no industry, large scale farming, factories, infrastructure, commerce, running water, electricity, tourism industry, airlines, manufacturing, jobs, or future for the people of Thailand. Without these necessary forces Thailand would be 100 years behind Myanmar in development.

We would just have a nation of peasant farmers plowing the fields with buffalo with their kids running around with their <deleted> hanging out of their rags with empty bellies and no education.

It is the 'elites' that you so hate who are 'solely' responsible for the wealth and development of Thailand, and have made Thailand a MUCH better place for the people. Without the 'elites' Thailand's government wouldn't even have 10% of the GDP it has today, so your health and educations systems would not exist, because the government would not be able to afford them.

Go look in the fields, are the farm owners the ones standing up to their ankles in snake infested water? No, mostly the poor who are still only getting 150 to 200 baht a day (I wouldn't challenge me on that either, because we own rice land). So where is the massive improvement you speak of?

Thaksin has done nothing to the masses of Thailand who blindly follow him. Most of the poorest are carrying most of the debt in this country because this government fails to see the bubble economy they and their policies are creating. Lots of the farmers may now be driving shiny new D-Maxs and have a shine new Kubota harvester sat in the front of the farmyard, but it's almost all on credit and the rice pledging scheme is going to pay... Don't hold your breath.

Thaksin and the PTP have set up these exact same people whom you assume have much more enriched lives, to take a huge fall in the future and probably pushing their situation back by 30 years.

Show me the proof of the Dems totally disregarding these people over the years? It;s because of non-populist policies that these people have improved lives in general in the first place.

A proper government needs to focus where it is needed for the good of the country as a whole and that lies at the feet of the 'so called elites'... and lest you not forget that Thaksin and every other PTP minister are all elites themselves with no real interest in the people and a hell of a lot of interest in their own gains.

Give me a vote and I will always vote for the party that has the biggest credibility in growing the sector of society that does the most towards the development of the country as a whole and the poor benefit a lot more.

Smutcakes.....you sound more and more like a communist every day, and we all know communism worked don't we?

Whilst I am no fan of communism, it is hard to argue that communism doesn't work in the face of the rise in China's prosperity and power.

'Guess that depends on who you define it to be working FOR... Many in China I'm sure that aren't that thrilled with it, not that they get much chance to voice their opinion. The Soviet Union was quite powerful as well...back in the day.

[siampolee]

Whilst I am no fan of communism, it is hard to argue that communism doesn't work in the face of the rise in China's prosperity and power.

Their record on corruption and shoddy practices leaves a bit to be desired, however now and again the odd corrupt villain who plainly hadn't shard the loot gets to buy his or her own bullet and also invite their close family members to witness their grand finale show.

[Johnnie99]

Saturday, If the anti-govt protesters are within 10 miles of these crazies, the head cracking will begin. Thai on Thai violence. All Farang's, including Journalists/Photopgraphers should take head and stay away.

Taking head? With any luck, yes, but I would imagine it would be better to take heed of the problems and stay away ...

[Tatsujin]

So the Red-Shirt leaders are still not upset, about the attempts by PTP to give a full-amnesty, to people who they claim ordered the murders of their comrades-in-arms three years ago ?

What very short memories, and conveniently forgetful ones too, these delightful people appear to have.

Why do the Red-masses still trust & follow them ?

Cos they're deaf, dumb, blind and stupid. Oh, and great at doing as they are told for a small fee.

T

Seems that could equally apply to the anti-govt mob who, after all, are just like the tea party on steroids.

Not sure you're fully understanding who is actually involved on both side of this. Do you live here?

[klikster]

Rice harvest is mainly over by now. Will be interesting to see if those red masses will show up this time. Perhaps they can fill the national stadium now? But only if the missunderstood fugitive pulls out some money again.

I doubt the "red masses" will show up.

Some of the workers building our house in Isaan have yet to come back from the rice harvest. Those who have come back have returned with skeleton crews. This is also the building season and much of Isaan is growing fast. They are getting all the work they can handle at Bt 300 - 800/day.

[SPIKECM]

What's working now is unfettered capitalism in China, not communism! That idea never worked, so the State threw it out and adopted capitalism.

So the Red-Shirt leaders are still not upset, about the attempts by PTP to give a full-amnesty, to people who they claim ordered the murders of their comrades-in-arms three years ago ?

What very short memories, and conveniently forgetful ones too, these delightful people appear to have.

Why do the Red-masses still trust & follow them ?

Because its better than the centuries of being forgotten about and repressed.

I expect many 'red shirts' are not personally keen on TS, but the thought of voting for the oldest party in Thailand who has over the years completely disregarded them is so sickening that they continue to support the PTP.

I hate the conflict now, and find it difficult to see a proper resolution, but its lovely to see these old families in Thailand who have barely lifted a finger in their lives, other than to call the hired help, get a right royal shafting:) Sadly i know they have already siphoned off 100's of million of dollars over the years out of the country and really whatever is happening here is just a minor inconvenience that they can sit out abroad.

You are so misguided by your unfounded hatred of the democrats and the elite of Thailand.

You say that the Democrat party has ignored and repressed the poor for centuries? can you gather together some evidence of this? I don't recall seeing anything in Thailand's history over the centuries.

Regardless of Thailand, over the centuries all countries have had poor people who eeked out a living from the land and lived hand to mouth including your own home country. So how can that be the fault of a current political party? Are you serious??

As a matter of fact, if it was not for the more educated classes and 'elites' as you call them in many other threads, there would be no industry, large scale farming, factories, infrastructure, commerce, running water, electricity, tourism industry, airlines, manufacturing, jobs, or future for the people of Thailand. Without these necessary forces Thailand would be 100 years behind Myanmar in development.

We would just have a nation of peasant farmers plowing the fields with buffalo with their kids running around with their <deleted> hanging out of their rags with empty bellies and no education.

It is the 'elites' that you so hate who are 'solely' responsible for the wealth and development of Thailand, and have made Thailand a MUCH better place for the people. Without the 'elites' Thailand's government wouldn't even have 10% of the GDP it has today, so your health and educations systems would not exist, because the government would not be able to afford them.

Go look in the fields, are the farm owners the ones standing up to their ankles in snake infested water? No, mostly the poor who are still only getting 150 to 200 baht a day (I wouldn't challenge me on that either, because we own rice land). So where is the massive improvement you speak of?

Thaksin has done nothing to the masses of Thailand who blindly follow him. Most of the poorest are carrying most of the debt in this country because this government fails to see the bubble economy they and their policies are creating. Lots of the farmers may now be driving shiny new D-Maxs and have a shine new Kubota harvester sat in the front of the farmyard, but it's almost all on credit and the rice pledging scheme is going to pay... Don't hold your breath.

Thaksin and the PTP have set up these exact same people whom you assume have much more enriched lives, to take a huge fall in the future and probably pushing their situation back by 30 years.

Show me the proof of the Dems totally disregarding these people over the years? It;s because of non-populist policies that these people have improved lives in general in the first place.

A proper government needs to focus where it is needed for the good of the country as a whole and that lies at the feet of the 'so called elites'... and lest you not forget that Thaksin and every other PTP minister are all elites themselves with no real interest in the people and a hell of a lot of interest in their own gains.

Give me a vote and I will always vote for the party that has the biggest credibility in growing the sector of society that does the most towards the development of the country as a whole and the poor benefit a lot more.

Smutcakes.....you sound more and more like a communist every day, and we all know communism worked don't we?

Whilst I am no fan of communism, it is hard to argue that communism doesn't work in the face of the rise in China's prosperity and power.

[Siripon]

Rice harvest is mainly over by now. Will be interesting to see if those red masses will show up this time. Perhaps they can fill the national stadium now? But only if the missunderstood fugitive pulls out some money again.

I doubt the "red masses" will show up.

Some of the workers building our house in Isaan have yet to come back from the rice harvest. Those who have come back have returned with skeleton crews. This is also the building season and much of Isaan is growing fast. They are getting all the work they can handle at Bt 300 - 800/day.

They'll certainly have to pay a lot, I expect we'll see, like the present crowd at Rajamangala, a lot of aunties and grandmothers.

[pkspeaker]

This thread started out with people saying the Reds can only muster a pathetic small group of protesters-this is nonsense; the history has been that the reds can bring out a larger number of protesters than the yellow/PAD/whatever they call themselves now. At least the reds always have a clear agenda, when Abhisit had been installed PM by the courts..The reds demanded new elections, he refused, they took over central bangkok; he offered fresh elections in 3 months, they refused and wanted snap elections, Abhisit refused and sent the army in to restore order, they got their elections about 6 months later and Yingluck won, they were satisfied and we have not heard from them since.

With the yellow/PAD/whoever it's always this conspiracy to avoid elections, they want Yingluck to quit but they don't want new elections because they'd lose, so instead they want some 'process' where 'smart people are appointed' and 'crack down on vote buying' but you really don't know what they want, their always screaming colorful words like "despot, corrupt, elected dictatorship" as if the democrat party is perfect when it comes to cronyism and corruption, it's just a bunch of vague frivolous accusations, she hasn't done anything seriously illegal but she's "corrupt and a puppet of her brother" and they think upcountry people are too stupid to engage in critical thought so their votes shouldn't matter because they are not so sophisticated as those PAD idiots that took over the airport a few years ago and threatened to burn it down. it's just a conspiracy to avoid elections and a PM/cabinet elected by the people ..they have no realistic solution to democracy, democracy isn't great but it's the only system we got. Just because there is corruption it doesn't mean that democracy is dead. You can't forget that the PAD agenda is to have 'less democracy' by having most of the parliament appointed because rural people are too stupid to vote..THIS IS LITERALLY their agenda.. there are alot of stupid people that vote in America, and there's alot of corruption there too but we don't start appointing the government by smart people.

Another issue is the amnesty bill which has already dies in the Senate, Yingluck wanted some people who had been caught up in the chaos of the coup and previous protests to be granted amnesty, not embezzlers, not Thaksin himself, it was a limited amnesty, there was an uproar, she effectively killed it by sending it to the half-military appointed Senate, BUT thats NOT ENOUGH! now the PAD wants her out because she dare suggest that some people be given amnesty.

[hyperdimension]

Will Thaksin appear on the video screen to make his usual profound statements?

[hyperdimension]

Yingluck wanted some people who had been caught up in the chaos of the coup and previous protests to be granted amnesty, not embezzlers, not Thaksin himself, it was a limited amnesty, there was an uproar, she effectively killed it by sending it to the half-military appointed Senate, BUT thats NOT ENOUGH! now the PAD wants her out because she dare suggest that some people be given amnesty.

Didn't you know that the bill was quietly modified from "amnesty to some" to "amnesty for all"?

Also, you make it sound like Yingluck was behind the amnesty bill, when in reality she did her best to distance herself far from it.

[jayboy]

Time Magazine gets it right.

http://world.time.com/2013/11/28/thailands-democrat-party-is-hilariously-misnamed/

[saltandpepper]

Is it just me, or can you hear the army fueling all their vehicles?

It's just you

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed.

[ggold]

Is it just me, or can you hear the army fueling all their vehicles?

and on TV last night it showed troops from one army camp giving blood?

[Choonpon]

Saw the news, hot meals are given regularly to the protestors. Even the newscaster said the protestors seemed more to having picnic;)

One wonders how much each is paid daily to be there.

Edited November 28, 2013 by Choonpon

[bunuel]

Regret to inform you that Thailand is not unique. And, like many countries in the world, Thailand has an income disparity problem. The heart of the matter is how this income disparity is resolved. Shall not bore you with 19th and 20 the century European history, but the countries that managed to solve this disparity through democratic means are those that have fared the best. Those countries who, like Russia, attempted to maintain a feudal system, have flirted with disaster.

Same is true of the United States and South America. During the Depression in the US, FDR created the New Deal which offered the majority of the population some security, and thus averted what might have been a major upheavel. Likewise, in South America today, most countries have elected left of center governments that are providing some basic services. Sure there is a lot of corruption, but there has always been a lot of corruption, and what most people care about are improvements in basic services and quality of life. That does not mean they are stupid - that means they are realistic.

Thailand has had what amounts to a feudal system, and the haute bourgeosie in Bangkok should be grateful to the Shinawatras for enabling the great majority of the people to feel like they can improve their lives through democratic means , while not rocking the boat too much for the elite. The fact that the Shinawatras have won all elections by a large margin for more than a decade says it all. For all their faults, the Thaksin parties have done more for the great majority of the population than the opposition.

The bottom line is that you cannot turn the clock back to the Middle Ages. That train has left the station.

If you want to be old and bitter, like some Americans who still hate black people, that is your choice.

But please realize you are a bit out of date, and attacking all those you dislike will not change things.

Peace!

So the Red-Shirt leaders are still not upset, about the attempts by PTP to give a full-amnesty, to people who they claim ordered the murders of their comrades-in-arms three years ago ?

What very short memories, and conveniently forgetful ones too, these delightful people appear to have.

Why do the Red-masses still trust & follow them ?

Because its better than the centuries of being forgotten about and repressed.

I expect many 'red shirts' are not personally keen on TS, but the thought of voting for the oldest party in Thailand who has over the years completely disregarded them is so sickening that they continue to support the PTP.

I hate the conflict now, and find it difficult to see a proper resolution, but its lovely to see these old families in Thailand who have barely lifted a finger in their lives, other than to call the hired help, get a right royal shafting:) Sadly i know they have already siphoned off 100's of million of dollars over the years out of the country and really whatever is happening here is just a minor inconvenience that they can sit out abroad.

You are so misguided by your unfounded hatred of the democrats and the elite of Thailand.

You say that the Democrat party has ignored and repressed the poor for centuries? can you gather together some evidence of this? I don't recall seeing anything in Thailand's history over the centuries.

Regardless of Thailand, over the centuries all countries have had poor people who eeked out a living from the land and lived hand to mouth including your own home country. So how can that be the fault of a current political party? Are you serious??

As a matter of fact, if it was not for the more educated classes and 'elites' as you call them in many other threads, there would be no industry, large scale farming, factories, infrastructure, commerce, running water, electricity, tourism industry, airlines, manufacturing, jobs, or future for the people of Thailand. Without these necessary forces Thailand would be 100 years behind Myanmar in development.

We would just have a nation of peasant farmers plowing the fields with buffalo with their kids running around with their <deleted> hanging out of their rags with empty bellies and no education.

It is the 'elites' that you so hate who are 'solely' responsible for the wealth and development of Thailand, and have made Thailand a MUCH better place for the people. Without the 'elites' Thailand's government wouldn't even have 10% of the GDP it has today, so your health and educations systems would not exist, because the government would not be able to afford them.

Go look in the fields, are the farm owners the ones standing up to their ankles in snake infested water? No, mostly the poor who are still only getting 150 to 200 baht a day (I wouldn't challenge me on that either, because we own rice land). So where is the massive improvement you speak of?

Thaksin has done nothing to the masses of Thailand who blindly follow him. Most of the poorest are carrying most of the debt in this country because this government fails to see the bubble economy they and their policies are creating. Lots of the farmers may now be driving shiny new D-Maxs and have a shine new Kubota harvester sat in the front of the farmyard, but it's almost all on credit and the rice pledging scheme is going to pay... Don't hold your breath.

Thaksin and the PTP have set up these exact same people whom you assume have much more enriched lives, to take a huge fall in the future and probably pushing their situation back by 30 years.

Show me the proof of the Dems totally disregarding these people over the years? It;s because of non-populist policies that these people have improved lives in general in the first place.

A proper government needs to focus where it is needed for the good of the country as a whole and that lies at the feet of the 'so called elites'... and lest you not forget that Thaksin and every other PTP minister are all elites themselves with no real interest in the people and a hell of a lot of interest in their own gains.

Give me a vote and I will always vote for the party that has the biggest credibility in growing the sector of society that does the most towards the development of the country as a whole and the poor benefit a lot more.

Smutcakes.....you sound more and more like a communist every day, and we all know communism worked don't we?

[millwall_fan]

So the Red-Shirt leaders are still not upset, about the attempts by PTP to give a full-amnesty, to people who they claim ordered the murders of their comrades-in-arms three years ago ? alt=blink.png>

What very short memories, and conveniently forgetful ones too, these delightful people appear to have. alt=whistling.gif width=19 height=18>

Why do the Red-masses still trust & follow them ?

Werent Abhisit and Suthep the alleged perpetrators of the 2011 murders, exempted from the amnesty?

[whybother]

Because its better than the centuries of being forgotten about and repressed.

I expect many 'red shirts' are not personally keen on TS, but the thought of voting for the oldest party in Thailand who has over the years completely disregarded them is so sickening that they continue to support the PTP.

The Democrats have barely been in power for 20 years. That's nearly a generation. Isn't it time the red shirts looked at what's happening now instead of dwelling on the past?

I hate the conflict now, and find it difficult to see a proper resolution, but its lovely to see these old families in Thailand who have barely lifted a finger in their lives, other than to call the hired help, get a right royal shafting:) Sadly i know they have already siphoned off 100's of million of dollars over the years out of the country and really whatever is happening here is just a minor inconvenience that they can sit out abroad.

I agree. The old Shinawatra family of Chang Mai, and particularly Yingluck, who has barely lifted a finger all her life (having been appointed to high positions in her brothers companies - which is what Thaksin sees Thailand as, as well). She's probably already siphoned off millions of dollars in the short time she's been in "power". Her brother sees these issues as a minor inconvenience which he is sitting out abroad.

[whybother]

I wonder if this red protest will go the way of one up north, with the red shirts attacking anti government protesters.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

According to some posters here on TV the stadium was already full since day one.

Re Rajamangala Stadium, I was watching the TV coverage on various stations on Wednesday day and evening.

And after hearing all the Red rhetoric about "mass rallies", I was surprised to see how few people (relatively speaking) were there and how much of the stadium seating was empty. I would have believed 10,000 or maybe a bit more, but not much more than that.

Is that going to dramatically change by this Saturday???

[hawker9000]

This thread started out with people saying the Reds can only muster a pathetic small group of protesters-this is nonsense; the history has been that the reds can bring out a larger number of protesters than the yellow/PAD/whatever they call themselves now. At least the reds always have a clear agenda, when Abhisit had been installed PM by the courts..The reds demanded new elections, he refused, they took over central bangkok; he offered fresh elections in 3 months, they refused and wanted snap elections, Abhisit refused and sent the army in to restore order, they got their elections about 6 months later and Yingluck won, they were satisfied and we have not heard from them since.

With the yellow/PAD/whoever it's always this conspiracy to avoid elections, they want Yingluck to quit but they don't want new elections because they'd lose, so instead they want some 'process' where 'smart people are appointed' and 'crack down on vote buying' but you really don't know what they want, their always screaming colorful words like "despot, corrupt, elected dictatorship" as if the democrat party is perfect when it comes to cronyism and corruption, it's just a bunch of vague frivolous accusations, she hasn't done anything seriously illegal but she's "corrupt and a puppet of her brother" and they think upcountry people are too stupid to engage in critical thought so their votes shouldn't matter because they are not so sophisticated as those PAD idiots that took over the airport a few years ago and threatened to burn it down. it's just a conspiracy to avoid elections and a PM/cabinet elected by the people ..they have no realistic solution to democracy, democracy isn't great but it's the only system we got. Just because there is corruption it doesn't mean that democracy is dead. You can't forget that the PAD agenda is to have 'less democracy' by having most of the parliament appointed because rural people are too stupid to vote..THIS IS LITERALLY their agenda.. there are alot of stupid people that vote in America, and there's alot of corruption there too but we don't start appointing the government by smart people.

Another issue is the amnesty bill which has already dies in the Senate, Yingluck wanted some people who had been caught up in the chaos of the coup and previous protests to be granted amnesty, not embezzlers, not Thaksin himself, it was a limited amnesty, there was an uproar, she effectively killed it by sending it to the half-military appointed Senate, BUT thats NOT ENOUGH! now the PAD wants her out because she dare suggest that some people be given amnesty.

I don't think I'd much like it either if the other side were buying votes with impunity, and even paying people to come to the capital, wear a t-shirt, wave a sign, and stand where told... If you're going to tell a story, tell the WHOLE story! And as for what YS wanted... Come now, we all know what Thaksin's little sister wanted & wants! She distanced herself from the amnesty bill only after it became apparent that it was a stinker. She "sent" it to the senate? Where ELSE was it going to go exactly? Lol

[hellodolly]

Time Magazine gets it right.

http://world.time.com/2013/11/28/thailands-democrat-party-is-hilariously-misnamed/

Time magazine misleads jayboy.

Easily done.

The article is all about fiction.

It is based on a Yellow shirt led protest. Any body see yellow shirts in the protesters. I saw a red shirt talking on the stage urging them to oust the Shinawatra clan.

Actually the article and any one dumb enough to fall for it is an insult to honest hard working Thai's. The very claim of it being a Yellow shirt led protest denies the fact that the people from all walks of life and political belief came together at their own expense. It claims that it is a Yellow Shirt demonstration.

The Yellow Shirts were useless waste of air until they saw a chance to hook their wagon to a group of people seeking justice for Thailand.