A letter to the well-heeled protesters of Bangkok

[SaamBaht]

great words

[antimuds]

Well, have u guys read about thaksin 59 cases of corruption cases?? To thai people, they feel that thaksin are selling thailand to foreign countries which is not the way to manage a country. Building a railway to china? Train tickets cost u 1000+baht? Who the hell will take the train everyday? So most of the time is to delivery vegetables from china into thailand? Hmm....arent there lots of vegetables grown in thailand?

[antimuds]

That is why most of the protestors cant take it anymore and decide to join in the protest. Not all issans are stupid, u didnt notice the amount of red shirts turned out for their own rally? They are getting lesser, most likely they do understand that they are being conned all along by the exiler..

[scorecard]

A sentiment from a Thai citizen who is living in Thailand - so much more refreshing to read than the usual hate speech on here - and with so much more to say.

Unfortunately it will only be a matter of time before the usual suspects will be cherrypicking the article and filling the pages with bile.

Really fab4,,,,,,,,,,,, when will you write something new?

[JRSoul]

Perhaps if the poor Isaaners voted for a party that actually improved their country and area, the protesters in BKK would be more sympathetic. Propping up their inefficient industry, then misappropriating most of the hundreds of billion spent, should get up everybody's nose, but the northeners are happy to take the dregs while the primo is siphoned off.

But why should people be allowed to be angry at a blatantly self-serving and corrupt government?

[brewsterbudgen]

I know quite a few who are participating in the protests. Most are not rich, many are not from Bangkok. And many are protesting in areas all over the country. So this is not just about Bangkok.

This is not a class war, though some like to portray it as such. Especially the red shirts. This is about getting rid of corruption and politicians who try to do things against the rules (i.e. the amnesty bill, the rice pledging scheme, the water manager bill, the 2T Baht infrastructure bill, etc).

Saying this is rich vs. poor is a ploy by the red shirts. I don't know of one of their leaders who is truly poor. They've done a great job conning the Issan masses.

If that's so, why are protests being led by one of the most corrupt politicians in Thailand? It's very naive to think that one side is any more or less corrupt than the other.

[manwithai]

I fully agree with "lovetotravel".

The letter of K. Pravit is just childish

[scorecard]

Agree on some of the points, and disagree on others.

I don't agree with the notion that the protestors are mostly Bangkok elite. Some simple observation shows that the protest joiners are from:

- Well educated and poorly educated

- Rich and poor

- Students (rich and poor)

- Professional folks. Factory workers, office workers, many on minimum or close to minimum wages

- Many folks working/resident in Bangkok, but actually from many different provinces

- Quite a few protest locations in the provinces as well as Bangkok, and in many locations these folks are pretty brave to stand up and blow their whistles

[maddermax]

Well said Pravit. I agree 100%. These protesters keep saying that they are acting in a democratic manner but this is clearly not the case. I also feel that Yingluk was starting to have some effect and appears to be her own prime minister, not that of her brother's choice. I also agree that it was a good thing that the amnesty bill was voted down. Justice should be seen to be done and be equal for all. I also believe that the upper house, the Senate, should be democratically elected and do not beleive that there is any threat to the monarchy, all Thais and foreigners dearly loving the King.

[newcomer71]

"We have to learn to co-exist with others. And this cannot be done peacefully if you think that your views are the only ones that count."

Please forward your rant to the Northeast and their elected MPs.

Cheers, from a well heeled Drunk...

The real shame is both sides are so narrow minded and so full of themselves that cannot see further than their nose.

It's a never ending story...

[Local Drunk]

"We have to learn to co-exist with others. And this cannot be done peacefully if you think that your views are the only ones that count."

Please forward your rant to the Northeast and their elected MPs.

Cheers, from a well heeled Drunk...

Oh,oh, the first one has turned up

In your own words fab...

"Yes , my answer probably is contrary to yours but it is not a troll post. It's called an alternative viewpoint. Difficult concept to understand, I know."

A loud drunk with a viewpoint. I'm at the edge of my seat.

It's Mister Local Drunk to you...

[zyphodb]

Good letter, surprised the Nation published it...

[spirit47]

Sounds like PTP members are all reincarnations of "Robin Hood", and Taksin is "Santa Claus". If you realy want do something for the poor, than fight for a honest Government. And dont forget that millions, who work here in Bangkok sent money to their familes. So please, be mercy, and save this polemic nonsense for your party-meetings. Ask Taksin, where his money come from...

[DocN]

Yep...this is as good or bad as anything I have read lately.

[catweazle]

Pravit Rojanaphruk, I salute you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well written, nothing more to say but thank you!!!!!

Edited December 11, 2013 by catweazle

[PeterSmiles]

While Suthep is known for getting carried away in his speeches his protest is the one out there trying to fix something which is not right. If there is a very large part of population disagreeing with what he does his enemies would utilise it a long time ago. Everywhere i go i see people watching blue sky tv bangkok and provinces. And I do believe majority of thais following this political drama want a genuine change which he is promising .

This is a small example of how the Isaan people start to think about this government.

Rice farmers threatened to block roads in 26 provinces if govt fails to pay money owed to them from 2013/2014 main crops

[JCauto]

While Suthep is known for getting carried away in his speeches his protest is the one out there trying to fix something which is not right. If there is a very large part of population disagreeing with what he does his enemies would utilise it a long time ago. Everywhere i go i see people watching blue sky tv bangkok and provinces. And I do believe majority of thais following this political drama want a genuine change which he is promising .

I think they understand clearly that one of the strategies is to get a strong opposing protest into the streets, thereby precipitating the inevitable violence between the two sides and resulting in the Army stepping in to take over. In fact, this is the only logical path that Suthep has at this point. You saw this already in the brief Red shirt counter-protest. Should the government get taken over by the Army rather than a new election, you can count on there being quite a number of Red shirts around. History repeating.

It's quite amusing to see how many of the opposition supporters claim to be speaking for the "silent majority" of Thai, yet are terrified of having an election knowing that they will lose. You cannot see the contradiction there?

[gamini]

There seems to be a lot of class hatred on this forum. Abhisit is a good an honest politician who has a lot of "class". Perhaps that's why many TV posters dislike him. They are rather typical of the low class British in the UK who dislike others from different backgrounds. It a pity they did not leave behind these prejudices when they left the UK. They should remember that this forum has members of vastly different backgrounds and some of us feel strongly about some of the uncalled for remarks about the elite, royalists and upper class to which some of us belong

[wedders]

Very well put. Thailand needs to wake up and start healing its self-inflicted wounds. If the Dems truly believed that their policies would benefit Thais from all segments of Thai society, then they wouldn't be afraid to fight for their beliefs and principles at the ballot box.

As it is they are probably going to take the coward's way out (again) by boycotting the election (if we get that far), thereby hoping to get into power by the back door. As they did last time.

But that will only serve to broaden the divide, and lead to more conflict. Even greater divisions between the urban and rural working classes, and the better off.

Once again Thailand is heading into the abyss, lemming-like, never learning from previous mistakes. One side cannot rule over the other. Only cooperation will take Thailand forward.

[Spare]

"... and even sex workers jump to satisfy you." Don't you just love these phase. I bet the sex workers wear red undies.

[kingalfred]

It was absolute nonsense,A PTP RED op diatribe,the protesters were and are not all"well heeled bangkokians" and anyone who knows anything about the city knows there are many low paid working bangkok folk and they were out demonstrating as well as the poor from other parts of Thailand . So all the farang who say they agree with this "ptp red op" with it's stereo typical view of who were demonstrating and attack suthep and the millions who know he is telling it as it is when he talks about this thaksin corrupt proxy government. We are not blind to what is happening even if you are

Edited December 11, 2013 by kingalfred

[englishoak]

There seems to be a lot of class hatred on this forum. Abhisit is a good an honest politician who has a lot of "class". Perhaps that's why many TV posters dislike him. They are rather typical of the low class British in the UK who dislike others from different backgrounds. It a pity they did not leave behind these prejudices when they left the UK. They should remember that this forum has members of vastly different backgrounds and some of us feel strongly about some of the uncalled for remarks about the elite, royalists and upper class to which some of us belong

Class is the way you act and the measure of it is integrity/honesty and hard work that is all. .A birthright.is a privilege that should not be abused and it is not based on wealth it is based on position and the more privileged that position of birth is the greater the responsibility and care to be taken not to abuse it. All men and women are equal and as such also subject to the same in scrutiny and deserve respect. When found wanting no matter the birth of privilege it is the duty of all people to remind them they have no rights to lord it over others, just money. They are in fact nothing but just another human. No more no less.

British citizen, guest of Thailand, Free Speaker and not afraid to use it.

Edited December 11, 2013 by englishoak

[kingalfred]

And this "pravit " guy was and has been tweeting for weeks attacking the protests,he's not some ordinary joe but a political activist.so much for an "ordinary common view" fake,

[thaisail]

I know quite a few who are participating in the protests.  Most are not rich, many are not from Bangkok.  And many are protesting in areas all over the country.  So this is not just about Bangkok.

 

This is not a class war, though some like to portray it as such.  Especially the red shirts.  This is about getting rid of corruption and politicians who try to do things against the rules (i.e. the amnesty bill, the rice pledging scheme, the water manager bill, the 2T Baht infrastructure bill, etc).

 

Saying this is rich vs. poor is a ploy by the red shirts.  I don't know of one of their leaders who is truly poor.  They've done a great job conning the Issan masses.

If that's so, why are protests being led by one of the most corrupt politicians in Thailand? It's very naive to think that one side is any more or less corrupt than the other.

Why can't the Thai people see that both sides in this conflict are wrong. Where is the 3rd political party that is NOT corrupt?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[SICHONSTEVE]

you mostly-Bangkokian middle class protesters should be mindful that you are not the majority of the people, and that Bangkok is just one part of Thailand

LOVE IT - great piece

....and those up North should appreciate that it is the Bangkokians and people from the South that generate the money for Thailands economy. We should not allow this government to waste this on stupid populist policies and the rice scam in particular. They should also realise that despite Yingluck's insistence, it doesn't benefit them that much and that Abhisit's rice scheme was far cheaper and DID benefit the poor farmers (as they openly admitted before the last election).

Get your heads straight, or I have a right to call you buffalo's (ostriches is probably more applicable) as that is exactly how you appear to me!!

[Katipo]

Revolutions start when the middle classes rise on behalf of the poor and down trodden.

And fascism was (arguably) the radicalism of the lower middle class. Of course, there have been progressive movements lead by middle class activists, but are you honestly saying this is true of Suthep's group? What if the 'poor and down trodden' don't want them to 'rise on their behalf'?

As the author of the piece asks, what gives these people the right to speak for all of Thailand? Your theory that they're rising on behalf of the poor would still be an example of exactly that sort of arrogance if it were true. But it isn't.

Suthep is by no means clean, and I certainly do not see him as the end solution to the problem. But he has caused an awakening, a stirring of people who otherwise did not have a unifying voice. So I see Suthep as one means to an end. The end being a clean and fairly governed Thailand that belongs to all Thais.

You can't tell me that if this goal is somehow achievable, that even the traditional Thaksin supporters would not want it. One thing is for sure, it's not a goal that will be achieved with any of the Shinawats in power.

[rjcampbe]

I know quite a few who are participating in the protests. Most are not rich, many are not from Bangkok. And many are protesting in areas all over the country. So this is not just about Bangkok.

This is not a class war, though some like to portray it as such. Especially the red shirts. This is about getting rid of corruption and politicians who try to do things against the rules (i.e. the amnesty bill, the rice pledging scheme, the water manager bill, the 2T Baht infrastructure bill, etc).

Saying this is rich vs. poor is a ploy by the red shirts. I don't know of one of their leaders who is truly poor. They've done a great job conning the Issan masses.

You are drinking the koolaid...

Corruption is an issue on both sides and it IS and issue to be dealt with, but at the core this IS about CLASS WARFARE and the writer from the Nation, in a rare instance of sound writing from that paper, did an outstanding job of laying it out.

You are correct that these Red leaders are not poor. You are also correct that they are a bunch of rich people who have positioned themselves as the "defenders of the poor" (in much the same way as the Democrat party in the US has done).

But the fact is that they tapped into the existing discontent between the classes that was brought about by centuries of elite vs. peasant divisions.

This country will not move forward until this rift is addressed.

[Harry2]

Revolutions start when the middle classes rise on behalf of the poor and down trodden.

Exactly, which is the opposite of what Suthep and his hired gang of thugs are doing by seeking to deny votes & representation to Thailand's poor and down-trodden.

[kingalfred]

Revolutions start when the middle classes rise on behalf of the poor and down trodden.

Exactly, which is the opposite of what Suthep and his hired gang of thugs are doing by seeking to deny votes & representation to Thailand's poor and down-trodden.

they will be "poor and down trodden" if this government continues it corrupt bankrupting management. Oh how the naive are conned by thaksin clan

[spirit47]

Sounds like PTP members are all reincarnations of "Robin Hood", and Taksin is "Santa Claus". If you realy want do something for the poor, than fight for a honest Government. And dont forget that millions, who work here in Bangkok sent money to their familes. So please, be mercy, and save this polemic nonsense for your party-meetings. Ask Taksin, where his money come from...