Red Shirts pause during Thailand's political crisis

[webfact]

Red Shirts Pause During Thailand's Political Crisis
Ron Corben

BANGKOK: -- Leaders of Thailand's Red Shirt movement, the key support base for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, say they are increasingly united behind her ruling Pheu Thai party and are preparing for February 2 polls.

The boisterous protesters who have turned out in Bangkok in recent weeks have dominated headlines and shaken the government, but their political clout at the polls is less impressive.

The so-called Yellow Shirts are largely made up of wealthier Bangkok residents, as well as Democrat Party allies in Thailand's south. Protest leaders have rejected the prime minister's call for elections in early February, which analysts say is a recognition that after a decade of election losses, they do not expect to win at the polls.

A Red Shirt leader, Thida Thavornseth, the chairwoman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, says the protesters stance against elections has electrified the prime minister's supporters.

"They are angry. People in the North, people in the North Eastern, people [in the] up country area, they are angry. I try to tell them to keep calm because we want just a few days.” [read more...]

Full story: http://www.voanews.com/content/thai-red-shirts-wait-as-political-standoff-continues/1809633.html

-- VOA Voice of America 2013-12-14

[Emptyset]

'Chris Baker, a commentator and author on Thai politics says the circumstances make for a complicated outlook.

"If you think for a minute about what Suthep is proposing - an 18 month interim parliamentary government while they think up reform - which is what they did after the coup (2006) and they want to try it again - it's outrageous - really outrageous. There seems to be this extraordinary faith that this process which has been done countless times before without achieving anything will suddenly deliver nirvana - unbelievable, he said."'

Indeed. I recently watched the documentary about Thai political history Pen Ek made earlier in the year, 'Paradoxacracy' (definitely worth seeking out for anyone interested in Thai politics), and the renowned historian Thongchai Winichakul says at the end of the film, something like "there will never be a government entirely made up of 'good people', it is fantasy".

Yep. Even if you don't particularly believe in parliamentary democracy, there's no guarantee that an unelected council would make things better e.g. less corrupt, more orderly. Far from it. And, right now, should such a thing come to pass, it would just be pouring fuel onto the fire, really...

Edited December 14, 2013 by Emptyset

[NongKhaiKid]

Sine this is December could it be ' Santa Pause ' ?

[LuckyLew]

"Leaders of Thailand's Red Shirt movement, the key support base for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, say they are increasingly united behind her ruling Pheu Thai party and are preparing for February 2 polls."

I guess the bank transfer have been completed

[noikrit]

Quote ..
"They are angry. People in the North, people in the North Eastern, people [in the] up country area, they are angry.

probably because they still Haven't been paid their rice money.......

[Skywalker69]

They are angry. People in the North, people in the North Eastern

Sure they are, they haven´t been paid for the rice, as promised.

[mca]

Heard about an hour ago from a family member whose a cop in lopburi all police leave is cancelled in his area and they're off to Bangkok. Apparently a big fleet of red shirt buses on their way from udon

[Nibbles48]

The boisterous protesters who have turned out in Bangkok in recent weeks have dominated headlines and shaken the government, but their political clout at the polls is less impressive.

But not a mention of massive vote buying by their competition.

Voice Of America, same as the BBC... They don't like to report the corrupt elections in Thailand do they?

The so-called Yellow Shirts are largely made up of wealthier Bangkok residents, as well as Democrat Party allies in Thailand's south. Protest leaders have rejected the prime minister's call for elections in early February, which analysts say is a recognition that after a decade of election losses, they do not expect to win at the polls.

Nope... the yellows are made up of ultra-royalists and represent only a fraction of the protesters.

They still don't get it do they?.. The Dems don't want elections until the election system is cleaned up as with politics. They were ahead in the last polls and that was without reform. More false reporting.

[Nibbles48]

Heard about an hour ago from a family member whose a cop in lopburi all police leave is cancelled in his area and they're off to Bangkok. Apparently a big fleet of red shirt buses on their way from udon

Well we all know what happens when that rabble comes to town.

[comeondoit]

it is easy for the red shirts, do not bring the old corrupt incompetent politicians back, bring new integer and clever people and they would save thailand...but PT are short sighted and Thida has to say what people want to hear...so sad

[jaidam]

Heard about an hour ago from a family member whose a cop in lopburi all police leave is cancelled in his area and they're off to Bangkok. Apparently a big fleet of red shirt buses on their way from udon

Well we all know what happens when that rabble comes to town.

Likely get their asses whooped again, like last week when the red aggressors attacked college kids and somehow managed to come off worse with 75% of the mortalities on their own side. Talk about scoring an own goal! They must have gone soft since all becoming rich after 6 months of Thaksin's clone assuming power.

[Ricardo]

"Leaders of Thailand's Red Shirt movement, the key support base for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, say they are increasingly united behind her ruling Pheu Thai party and are preparing for February 2 polls."

I guess the bank transfer have been completed

So I guess their members have forgotten all about Yingluck/Thaksin's attempt to amnesty Abhisit & Suthep, then ?

And nobody's noticed they're not getting paid, for their rice ?

And rising inflation doesn't concern the poor , either ?

[brewsterbudgen]

Heard about an hour ago from a family member whose a cop in lopburi all police leave is cancelled in his area and they're off to Bangkok. Apparently a big fleet of red shirt buses on their way from udon

Well we all know what happens when that rabble comes to town.

Likely get their asses whooped again, like last week when the red aggressors attacked college kids and somehow managed to come off worse with 75% of the mortalities on their own side. Talk about scoring an own goal! They must have gone soft since all becoming rich after 6 months of Thaksin's clone assuming power.

You might want to read about what actually happened in Rhamkhamhaeng.

[spare5]

The boisterous protesters who have turned out in Bangkok in recent weeks have dominated headlines and shaken the government, but their political clout at the polls is less impressive.

But not a mention of massive vote buying by their competition.

Voice Of America, same as the BBC... They don't like to report the corrupt elections in Thailand do they?

The so-called Yellow Shirts are largely made up of wealthier Bangkok residents, as well as Democrat Party allies in Thailand's south. Protest leaders have rejected the prime minister's call for elections in early February, which analysts say is a recognition that after a decade of election losses, they do not expect to win at the polls.

Nope... the yellows are made up of ultra-royalists and represent only a fraction of the protesters.

They still don't get it do they?.. The Dems don't want elections until the election system is cleaned up as with politics. They were ahead in the last polls and that was without reform. More false reporting.

vote buying by their competition? Not a chance said Korn

http://asiancorrespondent.com/116697/vote-buying-thaksin-and-the-democrats/

[Emptyset]

Heard about an hour ago from a family member whose a cop in lopburi all police leave is cancelled in his area and they're off to Bangkok. Apparently a big fleet of red shirt buses on their way from udon

Well we all know what happens when that rabble comes to town.

Likely get their asses whooped again, like last week when the red aggressors attacked college kids and somehow managed to come off worse with 75% of the mortalities on their own side. Talk about scoring an own goal! They must have gone soft since all becoming rich after 6 months of Thaksin's clone assuming power.

You're referring to the incident where "students" attacked unarmed red shirts trying to get to the stadium for a rally well within their democratic rights to peaceful assembly, yes? Yes, red shirts hit back and came off worse in the end, but it isn't at all clear that so many of the aggressors were these innocent studious college kids you want to present them as at all. Many were technical students and many seemed to be older guys, hate to stereotype, but on the basis of what they did, nak leng types. Possibly RU alumni or just plain troublemakers.

Don't want to keep repeating myself here, but I find it astonishing that red shirts are still being blamed for this. Sure, there are incidents where they clearly have been in the wrong, but that people continually paint them as violent ruffians whereas all other sides are decent people who want peace... well, that's just complete nonsense.

[dominique355]

If nobody pays them, they won't protest or join any demonstration, simple as that.

[FangFerang]

Third world diseases? The red shirts did it. Global warming? The red shirts did it. All the corrupt acts of Suthep and the Democrat party? The red shirts did it, and showed their conniving cleverness by framing the good and honest public servants.

I stubbed my toe getting out of bed today. Some red shirt thug must have broken into my house and put one of my books next to my bed just so I would stub my toe, and like all those stupid red shirts he was not even smart enough to to steal anything.

I pray all you TV posters can finally see this is a team sport, not people's lives, and if you don't support the highly moral, democratic, and eternally peaceful Suthep you are simply being misled into an undue consideration of the real issues. The central issue is that TS is the antichrist. I read a post from a new member that verified this incontrovertably, although I suspected it all along. There was no corruption in Thailand before TS was born, and no violence either; therefore, once the antichrist and his spawn are gone there will no more corruption or violence. 1976 never happened. The calendar went from 1975 to 1977...and, of course

the red shirts did it.

Amen, brothers! And amen.

[northernjohn]

'Chris Baker, a commentator and author on Thai politics says the circumstances make for a complicated outlook.

"If you think for a minute about what Suthep is proposing - an 18 month interim parliamentary government while they think up reform - which is what they did after the coup (2006) and they want to try it again - it's outrageous - really outrageous. There seems to be this extraordinary faith that this process which has been done countless times before without achieving anything will suddenly deliver nirvana - unbelievable, he said."'

Indeed. I recently watched the documentary about Thai political history Pen Ek made earlier in the year, 'Paradoxacracy' (definitely worth seeking out for anyone interested in Thai politics), and the renowned historian Thongchai Winichakul says at the end of the film, something like "there will never be a government entirely made up of 'good people', it is fantasy".

Yep. Even if you don't particularly believe in parliamentary democracy, there's no guarantee that an unelected council would make things better e.g. less corrupt, more orderly. Far from it. And, right now, should such a thing come to pass, it would just be pouring fuel onto the fire, really...

Yes I read the article. I believe it is a one year interim counsel to be made up of many different sectors not the Army.

The whole article is based on a false premises. This will be the first time it has been tried. Picking the members will not be that easy but when you are not making them up out of just politicians it will be a lot easier to find honest people to participate plus I believe he wants to televise the whole proceedings,

Legally it might be rite or it might be wrong. That I don't know. But if it is not done and they go ahead with the election Feb 2 we will for sure have solved nothing and just changed a few faces at the trough.

The article headline should read Thaksin closes his check book.

[northernjohn]

"Leaders of Thailand's Red Shirt movement, the key support base for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, say they are increasingly united behind her ruling Pheu Thai party and are preparing for February 2 polls."

I guess the bank transfer have been completed

So I guess their members have forgotten all about Yingluck/Thaksin's attempt to amnesty Abhisit & Suthep, then ?

And nobody's noticed they're not getting paid, for their rice ?

And rising inflation doesn't concern the poor , either ?

Also Abhist and Suthep have said they are against the amnisty they are willing to go to court. Thaksin has declined comment other than to say he is innocent.

[northernjohn]

Heard about an hour ago from a family member whose a cop in lopburi all police leave is cancelled in his area and they're off to Bangkok. Apparently a big fleet of red shirt buses on their way from udon

Well we all know what happens when that rabble comes to town.

Likely get their asses whooped again, like last week when the red aggressors attacked college kids and somehow managed to come off worse with 75% of the mortalities on their own side. Talk about scoring an own goal! They must have gone soft since all becoming rich after 6 months of Thaksin's clone assuming power.

You're referring to the incident where "students" attacked unarmed red shirts trying to get to the stadium for a rally well within their democratic rights to peaceful assembly, yes? Yes, red shirts hit back and came off worse in the end, but it isn't at all clear that so many of the aggressors were these innocent studious college kids you want to present them as at all. Many were technical students and many seemed to be older guys, hate to stereotype, but on the basis of what they did, nak leng types. Possibly RU alumni or just plain troublemakers.

Don't want to keep repeating myself here, but I find it astonishing that red shirts are still being blamed for this. Sure, there are incidents where they clearly have been in the wrong, but that people continually paint them as violent ruffians whereas all other sides are decent people who want peace... well, that's just complete nonsense.

Depends on how you look at it. How many protests have the police protected the red shirts on. In fact directed traffic for them. How many opposition protests have the police make it difficult to get to including the use of barb wire and violence.

How many rallies by the Democrats had where the red shirts threw things at them and tried to shout them down? The one in Yasothon they actually had to delay it.

Kind of makes it easy to see them as people wanting peace. NOT More like people wanting their own way and willing to get violent to get it. remember 2010. What have they done to change that image?

[ggold]

Sine this is December could it be ' Santa Pause ' ?

I think you'll find it is Men-a-Pause!

[NongKhaiKid]

Sine this is December could it be ' Santa Pause ' ?

I think you'll find it is Men-a-Pause!

Nurse, Nurse we have both missed our medication.

[ggold]

Sine this is December could it be ' Santa Pause ' ?

I think you'll find it is Men-a-Pause!

Nurse, Nurse we have both missed our medication.

Well she needs to put it in her mouth, might stop these stupid statements!

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Red Shirts Pause During Thailand's Political Crisis

Please make that a very long pause, Bangkok will not miss you.

[Baerboxer]

Third world diseases? The red shirts did it. Global warming? The red shirts did it. All the corrupt acts of Suthep and the Democrat party? The red shirts did it, and showed their conniving cleverness by framing the good and honest public servants.

I stubbed my toe getting out of bed today. Some red shirt thug must have broken into my house and put one of my books next to my bed just so I would stub my toe, and like all those stupid red shirts he was not even smart enough to to steal anything.

I pray all you TV posters can finally see this is a team sport, not people's lives, and if you don't support the highly moral, democratic, and eternally peaceful Suthep you are simply being misled into an undue consideration of the real issues. The central issue is that TS is the antichrist. I read a post from a new member that verified this incontrovertably, although I suspected it all along. There was no corruption in Thailand before TS was born, and no violence either; therefore, once the antichrist and his spawn are gone there will no more corruption or violence. 1976 never happened. The calendar went from 1975 to 1977...and, of course

the red shirts did it.

Amen, brothers! And amen.

That's right - Thaksin, his proxy PM/DM, all their clan and gang, and the red shirts - all totally innocent.

2010 - never happened apart from the facist Abhisit and Suthep murdering all those people. No insurgency or terrorism.

2006 - wannabee dictator and illegal caretaker PM should have been left in power. Then 2010 wouldn't have happened

There had to be one who believed the PTP propaganda - let's try to use the protests against our illegal, cheating and self serving acts to whitewash ourselves. Maybe we can even get the "actress" to shed more tears and blub a bit. (Shame she was caught grinning after such a good performance). We can keep waffling on about democracy, people's majority and arrange lots of talking shops. That should do it, the silly farangs will all buy it!

Seems politicians in Thailand are all keen to find enough rope..........................................

[tingtongteesood]

The so-called Yellow Shirts are largely made up of wealthier Bangkok residents, as well as Democrat Party allies in Thailand's south. Protest leaders have rejected the prime minister's call for elections in early February, which analysts say is a recognition that after a decade of election losses, losing elections because Thaksin makes his cronies fix it and 3 of his parties have been dissolved for proven electoral fraud - they do not expect to win at the polls until Thaksin's brown nosers have been ousted and there is a slim chance that there may finally be a FAIR election....

Now this sentence has been corrected.....

[tingtongteesood]

Heard about an hour ago from a family member whose a cop in lopburi all police leave is cancelled in his area and they're off to Bangkok. Apparently a big fleet of red shirt buses on their way from udon

Well we all know what happens when that rabble comes to town.

Likely get their asses whooped again, like last week when the red aggressors attacked college kids and somehow managed to come off worse with 75% of the mortalities on their own side. Talk about scoring an own goal! They must have gone soft since all becoming rich after 6 months of Thaksin's clone assuming power.

You might want to read about what actually happened in Rhamkhamhaeng.

Some of us have, that's why we know what really happened. Seems YOU need to do some more reading brewsterbudgen

....

[Thailand]

Just realized how pointless it would responding to such knowledgeable posters.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Thailand

[Local Drunk]

Heard about an hour ago from a family member whose a cop in lopburi all police leave is cancelled in his area and they're off to Bangkok. Apparently a big fleet of red shirt buses on their way from udon

Well we all know what happens when that rabble comes to town.

Likely get their asses whooped again, like last week when the red aggressors attacked college kids and somehow managed to come off worse with 75% of the mortalities on their own side. Talk about scoring an own goal! They must have gone soft since all becoming rich after 6 months of Thaksin's clone assuming power.

You're referring to the incident where "students" attacked unarmed red shirts trying to get to the stadium for a rally well within their democratic rights to peaceful assembly, yes? Yes, red shirts hit back and came off worse in the end, but it isn't at all clear that so many of the aggressors were these innocent studious college kids you want to present them as at all. Many were technical students and many seemed to be older guys, hate to stereotype, but on the basis of what they did, nak leng types. Possibly RU alumni or just plain troublemakers.

Don't want to keep repeating myself here, but I find it astonishing that red shirts are still being blamed for this. Sure, there are incidents where they clearly have been in the wrong, but that people continually paint them as violent ruffians whereas all other sides are decent people who want peace... well, that's just complete nonsense.

Empty you should know quite well by now that the people crying for peace or change mean nothing to the people who tell them what to cry for. It's ignorance and poverty on both sides. If a few on either side get killed it a funeral for their relatives and maybe a few mentions in the paper, but for the people that tell them who to cry, it's a monster of a political weapon.

It's all rather sad...

[Skywalker69]

Third world diseases? The red shirts did it. Global warming? The red shirts did it. All the corrupt acts of Suthep and the Democrat party? The red shirts did it, and showed their conniving cleverness by framing the good and honest public servants.

I stubbed my toe getting out of bed today. Some red shirt thug must have broken into my house and put one of my books next to my bed just so I would stub my toe, and like all those stupid red shirts he was not even smart enough to to steal anything.

I pray all you TV posters can finally see this is a team sport, not people's lives, and if you don't support the highly moral, democratic, and eternally peaceful Suthep you are simply being misled into an undue consideration of the real issues. The central issue is that TS is the antichrist. I read a post from a new member that verified this incontrovertably, although I suspected it all along. There was no corruption in Thailand before TS was born, and no violence either; therefore, once the antichrist and his spawn are gone there will no more corruption or violence. 1976 never happened. The calendar went from 1975 to 1977...and, of course

the red shirts did it.

Amen, brothers! And amen.

That's right - Thaksin, his proxy PM/DM, all their clan and gang, and the red shirts - all totally innocent.

2010 - never happened apart from the facist Abhisit and Suthep murdering all those people. No insurgency or terrorism.

2006 - wannabee dictator and illegal caretaker PM should have been left in power. Then 2010 wouldn't have happened

There had to be one who believed the PTP propaganda - let's try to use the protests against our illegal, cheating and self serving acts to whitewash ourselves. Maybe we can even get the "actress" to shed more tears and blub a bit. (Shame she was caught grinning after such a good performance). We can keep waffling on about democracy, people's majority and arrange lots of talking shops. That should do it, the silly farangs will all buy it!

Seems politicians in Thailand are all keen to find enough rope..........................................

Here is some more rope, but for the red shirt supporters.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/07/17/national/Ex-Khattiya-aide-behind-weapons-attacks-DSI-30133963.html