Thai PM calls elections as 100,000 join protests

[Crushdepth]

100.000 only???

What a loss of face for insane Suthep

And the majority were bought from the deep south...

Sorry, "brought"

If it's only 100.000 it is a very good news. It means that there are less brainwashed extremists than I thought.

Sound people would never follow or support Suthep in his acts of treason and insurrection.

Whatever the number it is apparently enough to make the government crap its pants.

[kingalfred]

Its massive protest,more than 100,000 far more ,look at the different locations shown on thai tv channels hundreds of thousands and they keep coming.You red/ptp/yingluck apologists just hate it!!!!

[robblok]

100.000 only???

What a loss of face for insane Suthep

And the majority were bought from the deep south...

Sorry, "brought"

If it's only 100.000 it is a very good news. It means that there are less brainwashed extremists than I thought.

Sound people would never follow or support Suthep in his acts of treason and insurrection.

Whatever the number it is apparently enough to make the government crap its pants.

Sure looks a lot different as that stadium the reds hired and could not fill... Almost claiming higher numbers as this total demonstration.

[Smokemachine]

100.000 only???

What a loss of face for insane Suthep

And the majority were bought from the deep south...

Sorry, "brought"

If it's only 100.000 it is a very good news. It means that there are less brainwashed extremists than I thought.

Sound people would never follow or support Suthep in his acts of treason and insurrection.

100000 is BS. Protesters are in millions.

[Roadman]

Amazing Thailand !!!

That is disgusting..these rabble rousing anti democratic yellow shirts...oh it must be the old dear in the yellow shirt giving the fingers salute.

[Robby nz]

The reds on here don't seem to understand that only a small proportion of those who oppose what PT has and is doing to this country can get to BKK to protest.

They post that there are only so many in BKK out of 64 million but seem to want to forget that 11 million voted for the Dems last general election plus those who voted for the smaller parties, over 3 million for Newin alone.

There are many people here where I live who would like to be there but cant, some who are physically unable and many more who cant stop what they are doing, not only for themselves but for others who rely on them.

Hay a thought ; now that parliament is desolved Nattawat, Weng and all the other red leaders now have no parliamentary immunity.

Time for them to be rounded up and slung back into jail.

They have, along with Jatuporn, broken their bail conditions.

[Emptyset]

CAPO have updated their estimate to 150,000.

Which we may assume is at the extreme low end given that Thaksin's cousin is running it.

Hard to say yet:

Richard Barrow ‏@RichardBarrow 44s

3pm BBC World news anchor now saying "tens of thousands" but @JonahFisher immediately corrected her by saying more than 100,000 #Bangkok

Richard Barrow ‏@RichardBarrow 34m

Thai journalist @noppatjak: Yep. 100K+ but less than 24 Nov though.

'BP: It is a big, big crowd. These are CAPO numbers too and BP’s rule of thumb from their previous estimates of a much smaller, easier to estimate defined area was that they underestimate by 50%. Hence, applying that we are looking at 225,000 and that may not even be the peak. It will be easier to tell when they converge at Government House as now they are spread into multiple crowds.'

http://asiancorrespondent.com/116982/yingluck-dissolves-parliament-but-will-the-opposition-contest-the-election

Agree with Pundit, not sure when it'll peak though. However, I think we'd do well to bear in mind the wise words of Abhisit back in 2010: “Each side, each political party has a lot of support,” Abhisit said Saturday. “The issue is not about showing numbers or strength in some kind of demonstration. It’s about how we can solve the differences to the best interests of the country.”

[kingalfred]

Yes .send them into exile with their dubai paymaster, thugs unite

[DocN]

Yes .send them into exile with their dubai paymaster, thugs unite

Very balanced and nice guy, aren't ya'?!

[jdinasia]

Whatever the number it is apparently enough to make the government crap its pants.

Sure looks a lot different as that stadium the reds hired and could not fill... Almost claiming higher numbers as this total demonstration.

To be fair, the reds did fill the stadium before the violence broke out in a big way.

The number of people on the streets today certainly makes the number at Rajamangala stadium look like just a drop in the bucket though.

We need to face the fact that nobody will ever know how many people actually came out in BKK today. Many will continue on to Gov't house, but after the heat of the day and with the logistics of getting there and home I am sure many will return home prior to arriving there.

I am hoping that ThaiPBS and some foreign news outlets that had multiple teams out at the same time covering all 9 routes will come up with a crowd estimate. From near simultaneous pictures from multiple locations along with the descriptions that go with them (such as people have been streaming past here for more than 1 hour) I am hoping that an overall idea of how many people came out can be guessed at.

[jdinasia]

Suthep is speaking now ... gonna listen. (He is already claiming the largest ever non-violent demonstration)

[GAZZPA]

100,000 on the streets in a country of 50,000,000.

A small minority trying to impose their will on a large majority.

When will Bangkokians learn that Thailand is much bigger than just Bangkok?

Bangkok is not Thailand. It's a part of Thailand.

Only a small minority will ever actively protest in the streets, this is normal, it doesn't mean that this is the ONLY number of people unhappy.

The protests will always take place in Bangkok because that is capital and where the government is based, where do you think it should be held? It is a protest against the Government running the entire country, it is not just a Bangkok people protest.

It doesn't really matter what I think about it all, it is down to the Thai people to sort it out and I have no rights or say on the issue but from what i have seen the anti government protesters seem to have huge support.

[siampolee]

zydeco post # 57

Parliament dissolves.

Arrest warrants for protesters denied.

Maybe one million plus in the streets.

The worm has turned.

Methinks that some people Tharit for one might just now be wearing somewhat stained underwear due to incontinence.

No matter what the count is regarding the people on the street, the message being sent in no uncertain manner is, ''Thaksin, your family and your brown nosing acolytes enough is enough.''

To hazard a guess in the upcoming general election any shadow of Thaksin, his family or that of their brown nosing acolytes that may fall upon a candidate or a party may well be the shadow of political death.

[anon467367354]

Do you think it's possible the protests are where the gov't is located?

Sent from my GT-P6800 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[lemonjelly]

100,000 on the streets in a country of 50,000,000.

A small minority trying to impose their will on a large majority.

When will Bangkokians learn that Thailand is much bigger than just Bangkok?

Bangkok is not Thailand. It's a part of Thailand.

Every Provincial Hall in the south of Thailand is currently surrounded by protesters, it's not just a 'Bangkok thing'.

[Smokemachine]

BBC reported 5 millions

[citizen33]

There is a reason why we count votes at elections rather than deciding who governs on the basis of estimates of the size of street demonstrations and counter demonstrations. Abhisit had it right in the quote early in the thread, though he never actually achieved the numbers in the popular vote. Let us hope that it does not come to a red backlash, because I think that, despite the restrained response to date, there is a deep sense of unfairness on the red side. Things look very different in the NE, even among educated middle class people, than in Bangkok and the South.

[jdinasia]

BBC reported 5 millions

No, that was reported at the rally but BBC at that point said 50,000. Later when it was repeated the BEEB guy here quickly corrected to "more than 100k"

[jdinasia]

There is a reason why we count votes at elections rather than deciding who governs on the basis of estimates of the size of street demonstrations and counter demonstrations. Abhisit had it right in the quote early in the thread, though he never actually achieved the numbers in the popular vote. Let us hope that it does not come to a red backlash, because I think that, despite the restrained response to date, there is a deep sense of unfairness on the red side. Things look very different in the NE, even among educated middle class people, than in Bangkok and the South.

Cit ... that does not explain the anti-government rally in Chiang Mai today (or in other "red" cities)

I agree that a backlash is a risk. It is one reason why an end to this madness has to be in the form of real REFORM. The only way we get that with elections is to have a Unity government agreed upon before the elections.

The other 2 options seem to be coup, or civil strife of significant magnitude.

[jdinasia]

Tulip Naksompop ‏@Tulip_Oum4m

RT @tulsathit: RT @Gmontadaro: Pictures of protesters in #Bangkok. pic.twitter.com/HYwUUZlxMA ” via @richardbarrow

That is a lot of people

edit-- full link here to the photos from @richardbarrow

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/409947855931977728/photo/1

This was posted in response to the 5,000,000 claim.

Edited December 9, 2013 by jdinasia

[OKF]

This is no more about yellow vs. red. Even some red shirts got disappointed with Mr. and Ms. Shin and went with the people now. You see something happening that Thailand has not seen like this before. Even the students are back to the streets to. It is not that the people on the street do not want an elected parliament, it is about getting rid of the Shin Clan. New elections will end up in the same situation with the Shins robbing the country further. This is why there is this request for that council. However we all agree that this des not work and that the poeple to deal with it are not so much better then the Shins. Everything here is about some interest someone has in something. People here are aware of all this. They know that Suthep is not an angel but they do not see any other way to try to get rid of the man in Dubai and his cronies. People here are afraid that Thailand could end up like the Philippines. Surely not desirable. So they choose between Pest and Cholera. The choice is not good but the only one at the moment. So lets see how the 'kindergarden' goes and grows and what happens over the next days. The situation now is a little bit like a dead end but I think to mobilise between 500.000 and 1 mio people on a work day without paying them means at least something in this country.

[gerry1011]

This evening Suthep will declare a new "victory" to his bunch of naive followers.
What victory, it's difficult to find one, but he will surely have some insanity to bark at his exhilarated (and "educated") crowd, we can rest assured

In the meantime, PT will start to work at the next general elections, in which they will, as usual, be victorious again.

So, the next "upgrade" for Suthep and the Dems is to make everything they can to avoid the next elections.
That's going to be fun too
Next protest: Say NO to elections !!!

So far, the government is doing no mistake, by eliminating one by one the silly pretexts used by Suthep and the Dems to gain power undemocratically.
After this, what are these insane people going to protest for?
What about more portable toilets in the gardens of the Government House?

[Smokemachine]

BBC reported 5 millions

No, that was reported at the rally but BBC at that point said 50,000. Later when it was repeated the BEEB guy here quickly corrected to "more than 100k"

ic..

[zydeco]

This evening Suthep will declare a new "victory" to his bunch of naive followers.

What victory, it's difficult to find one, but he will surely have some insanity to bark at his exhilarated (and "educated") crowd, we can rest assured

In the meantime, PT will start to work at the next general elections, in which they will, as usual, be victorious again.

So, the next "upgrade" for Suthep and the Dems is to make everything they can to avoid the next elections.

That's going to be fun too

Next protest: Say NO to elections !!!

So far, the government is doing no mistake, by eliminating one by one the silly pretexts used by Suthep and the Dems to gain power undemocratically.

After this, what are these insane people going to protest for?

What about more portable toilets in the gardens of the Government House?

I'll say one thing for you gerry, you're still in here pitching, even after all your friends have skidaddled.

[mikemac]

It seems the power of the people is greater than the power of Thaksin's ill gotten gains !

[mikemac]

Cit ... that does not explain the anti-government rally in Chiang Mai today (or in other "red" cities)

I agree that a backlash is a risk. It is one reason why an end to this madness has to be in the form of real REFORM. The only way we get that with elections is to have a Unity government agreed upon before the elections.

The other 2 options seem to be coup, or civil strife of significant magnitude.

@ jdinasia - I can tell you in the last eight years that I know of, four years visiting Chiang Mai often, and the past four years living there, it is not the "red" city it used to be. People are not afraid to voice their disdain of Thaksin or his equally corrupt family. Times have changed !

[millwall_fan]

I neither support The Reds or the Yellows, but really can people count. I think that there is at least more than a million people on the streets today. was taking the bts to check out the turnouts and God! At Silom, Sukhumvit and Saphan Kwai etc the crowds were enormous.

Those TV members who are pro red......why do u guys just don your red shorts and go out and tell ur views to the protesters.

Firstly because the Yellows are not interested in free speech and free debate, secondly because I am a foreigner and expressing my views on TV and in the pub are my only outlets - quite properly the Thai people should decide, thirdly because I would fear for my safety - I'd rather be a Millwall supporter at West Ham than get involved with some of those i saw this morning.

It is my understanding that the people of Thailand still have their sovereignty but if The Mouth from the South gets his way it will be taken from the people and put into the hands of a few selected men. Who you can bet will all be Hi-So Thais from Bangkok plus "wonder of wonders" Suthep himself. Then what will life hold for the poorer people of 'anywhere' above Bangkok. alt=whistling.gif pagespeed_url_hash=3700464609 width=19 height=18>

Nice expression 'the mouth from the South'

[tragickingdom]

It is clear that being anti democratic in this country pays off. What are the democrats with 4 million votes going to tell the 15 million who voted not for them? That they are stupid, uneducated, not rich enough?

[AllanB]

It is unfortunate that the poor outnumber the rich in Thailand. so unless they adopt an 18th Century British voting system where only the rich can vote, we are destined to have the reds in charge. It's a bit of a bugga this democracy malarkey isn't it?

As for the corruption issue, well the corruption is where the money is and that is predominately in the yellow camp. So democracy wins really, until a handful of people take to the streets.

What a to-do.

I don't think Taksin is any more corrupt than anyone else who is rich and powerful, his mistake was to upset the wrong people.

Edited December 9, 2013 by AllanB

[mca]

I refuse to believe that it is possible to have so many misguided people in any one place at any one time.

You're obviously not a member of the Barry Manilow fan club then.