Bangkok overrun by huge protest

[Baerboxer]

The PM posted a picture of her hugging her son with the caption: "I'm inspecting the work in many Northeast provinces and I have many missions to do each day. At least I have my son. We give moral support to each other."

So it's OK for her to bring her son into politics, but not if anyone else mentions him.

Of course, in the Shin world, it's "do as I say, not as I do".

All part of presenting a happy homely mummy image for the caretaker PM/DM. She'll use the kid to promote her family, after all it might be all his one day!

He'll be seen with Chlesea or Man U again no doubt - "randomly" picked as a lucky winner and representative of the youth of Thailand.

Of course, making up stories he was bullied at school, which the school denies, and no evidence has been produced is all part of the PTP propaganda and sympathy creation attempt.

All this acting reasonable - carefully crafted to get support and sympathy whilst clinging on the power at any cost.

[cbluck58]

I think that not too many Farangs actually understand the depth of feeling surrounding this issue.

Many red shirts worship Thaksin however his levels of corruption have disgusted many of them as well.

My wife and her family , for example , are red shirts to the bone but are equally determined that Thaksin must be brought to justice, and they are far from being alone in the red shirt community to feel this way.

Suthep is a nutter who is extremely likely to force the hand of the military and bring about another coup.

At least the country works when the Army run it...

[Spalpeen]

What most people have missed is that the rice harvest is still in full swing up country. A month from now the harvest will be finished and 15 million PTP voters will be expecting to get an election on 2nd of February, and will be very unhappy if they don't get it.

[oldsailor35]

So while the protests in Bangkok continue where is the boss?

During her train journey from Udon Thani to Nong Khai, she monitored protesters' moves via iPad, which was linked to signals from a camera circuit at her home via the Internet. She admitted she was worried about the rallies in Bangkok, and passed a message to her staff to tell the protesters that the house's owner was not there.

Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

So she has run away just like her brother who is stuck in a place where no one wai's him.

That must wind him up every day. Better punishment than an open hi-so prison in Thailand where he would have emerged a peoples hero.

She is no leader and brother Thaksin has run out of cash to fund the farmers who are waiting to be paid from the rice that is rotting and will take over half a decade to sell.

The Democrats are not prepared to pick up this hot potato and say the kitty is empty.

The mad building boom has to be financed but who will pay? With no stupid mega projects with borrowed money it looks like the house of cards is on the verge of collapse. Spain...Greece... Thailand?

Tourists move quickly unlike the infrastructure.

Please tell me you fool, what would be the use of her staying in Bangkok with Benito Suthep whipping the crowd up into a frenzy. No she has gone where the majority of Thais live, turning her back on the uncontrollable crazy mob that are running the streets of Bangkok. If Benito Suthep is so popular, why is'nt he in Chang Mai. The answer to that is that he is too gutless to step outside of his safety zone. The fact is that Benito Suthep is running away from the majority and preaching to his own mob. A bit like the Pope waving his arms over the Vatican Square, knowing that there are no Muslims there to convert.

[Baerboxer]

Looks like failed politico Suthep does not want elections. He wants to seize power.

Another mad man using similar language managed to manipulated the people in a country with the highest level of general knowledge, science and technology of the time. Hitler was elected to office by the overwhelming voting majority of Germans. His speeches containing trigger phrases such as the "struggle of the people" and "power to the people" are similar to the language Suthep is using now to rouse Thais. It speaks volumes of the Thai mindset and character. They seem prone to become blind drones for one side or the other.

Why is it that in a country where vote buying (from all sides) is a tradition, a Democrat does not want elections but to seize power?

Those who believe what Suthep said about retiring from politics are in deep denial of the obvious. They might as well join the hordes of his drones.

Hitler never obtained more than 40% of the vote, he was appointed German Chancellor on the basis that he led the largest party.

At last, someone who actually knows History!

Interesting parallel. Leader of the party with the largest minority wins the election, forms a government and then manipulates and changes things to favor themselves and keep power for ever. That reminds me of someone more recent................. like Hitler also a convicted criminal.

[rametindallas]

It becomes more and more a Thai soap opera, with bad actors. On one side a PM remote controlled but legally appointed and on the other side a corrupt politician with personnel hate towards TS claiming that he speaks for the Thai population. If this would be the case why not facing the election and than with a democrat lead government all the changes could be implemented. He can't agree to that because he knows he would loose the election. Now he wants to block the election and ensure that nobody goes for voting taking away the basic right of each Thai to express their will. What is wrong with the people that they don't understand that on the end it could only mean a total split of the Thai society, ideas of unelected government different voting rights for different classes of Thai people is far from Democracy.

Perhaps the people are tired of being ruled by a self exiled criminal. As long as Yingluck stays, the police general stays, Tarit stays and the cabinet has a hard time "trying to balance how much influence Thaksin should have" the people will not be happy, and i don't blame them. If they quit i would think that people would leave the streets, return to their homes, but the man in Dubai can't spell lose.

Word on the wall reads: Lose
[Man standing is Suthep Thuagsuban, leader of the anti-government protesters]
Suthep: How is it read?
Thaksin: L… O… S… E It reads……….
Caption: Maew is being forced to read the word he doesn’t know how to spell
['Maew' is nickname of Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin once said that he did not know how to spell the word 'lose' in terms of politics.]

Edited December 23, 2013 by rametindallas

[PREM-R]

All part of presenting a happy homely mummy image for the caretaker PM/DM. She'll use the kid to promote her family, after all it might be all his one day!

He'll be seen with Chlesea or Man U again no doubt - "randomly" picked as a lucky winner and representative of the youth of Thailand.

Of course, making up stories he was bullied at school, which the school denies, and no evidence has been produced is all part of the PTP propaganda and sympathy creation attempt.

All this acting reasonable - carefully crafted to get support and sympathy whilst clinging on the power at any cost.

You say PTP "clinging on to power at any cost", surely if that were the case they would not have disolved parliament and called 'snap' elections. Yingluk was elected by over 15 million voters, she had a couple of years more before she needed to call another election. Clinging to power, are you sure?

Edited December 23, 2013 by PREM-R

[pumpuiman]

I challenge anyone to make a conservative estimate of the number of people in the op's photo. Blow up the photo, count a hundred people and then conservatively estimate 1000. Now count out the blocks that represent 1000 people. Even if you allow for double your estimate you will see that there are far less than the numbers quoted by protesters. I find the numbers closer to 130,000.

Try it.

There are also buses in the photo. How many people can occupy the space a bus takes up.... 50?...lets call it 150 to be damn sure. Now how many buses could you fit in that photo?

Not a thousand. No way, no how.

Edited December 23, 2013 by pumpuiman

[Trembly]

So while the protests in Bangkok continue where is the boss?

During her train journey from Udon Thani to Nong Khai, she monitored protesters' moves via iPad, which was linked to signals from a camera circuit at her home via the Internet. She admitted she was worried about the rallies in Bangkok, and passed a message to her staff to tell the protesters that the house's owner was not there.

Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

So she has run away just like her brother who is stuck in a place where no one wai's him.

That must wind him up every day. Better punishment than an open hi-so prison in Thailand where he would have emerged a peoples hero.

She is no leader and brother Thaksin has run out of cash to fund the farmers who are waiting to be paid from the rice that is rotting and will take over half a decade to sell.

The Democrats are not prepared to pick up this hot potato and say the kitty is empty.

The mad building boom has to be financed but who will pay? With no stupid mega projects with borrowed money it looks like the house of cards is on the verge of collapse. Spain...Greece... Thailand?

Tourists move quickly unlike the infrastructure.

Thaksin isn't short of cash. His war chest is filled by Wall Street.

The remaining farmers haven't been paid because the scheme was never meant to pay them in the first place.

The rice now gets sold under "G to G" to a Chinese company whose sole appointed agent in Thailand is a nominee of Sia Piang, a notorious big-time rice merchant who is a pal of Thaksin's. Sia Piang then "imports" the rice (which has been exported only on paper) and sells it to the Thai rice mills at market rates and pockets a handsome profit from the rice that was sold to him at desperation prices. The rice mills then bung the rice straight back into the pledging scheme which is still running and get 40% above the market rate, courtesy of all tax-payers in the Kingdom.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Trembly

[Thailand]

[Thailand]

I challenge anyone to make a conservative estimate of the number of people in the op's photo. Blow up the photo, count a hundred people and then conservatively estimate 1000. Now count out the blocks that represent 1000 people. Even if you allow for double your estimate you will see that there are far less than the numbers quoted by protesters. I find the numbers closer to 130,000.

Try it.

I think there were quite a few but not as many as a big lot.

[rotary]

When they finish could they come to Washington DC, we need a bit of protesting there too.

[Trembly]

Oops. Deleted.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Trembly

[rametindallas]

Bangkok Post said the security officials have estimated 270,000, and we all know being in the control of the government that the quote will be definitely played down.

So was it the big million + ??

Possibly.

Ok, one report say ten's of thousands, another report say's at least 150,000 thousand, but didn't Suthep say he would get 1.7 - 2.3 million???

and your asking "SO was it the big million+?"

and Y/L got seven protestors blowing whistle's,,, the numbers speak for themselves mate. The people of Thailand are against you.

The thing is, you're not really in Aussie in Thailand but an Aussie in Isaan.

Err, no you wrong, but no surprise there, I live south of BKK so now what have you got?

Samut Prakarn is the only place south of Bangkok and it is as Red as anywhere in Isaan, maybe more so. Dru2 is right on point about where you live.

[CIHUAHUA]

Some countries are not enlightened enough to run themselves. Money power and greed is the song the Thai people need to sing rather than "Unity and love forever".

[smoochy]

All quiet on Monday morning?

[oldsailor35]

Having FAILED to remove the govt by any of his moving feasts of final, absolute deadlines, he is now ThREATENING those who do wish to participate in the democratic process. What a sad and sorry excuse for someone meant to be serving the interests of the people ( corruption, insurrection and murder charges notwithstanding).

Yesterday's rally was a major flop for Suthep . It achieved nothing, so now he reverts to the previous policy of intimidation and implied violence. I wouldn't trust this guy for a second

So you think Yingluck has more credibility ...

How many promises has she completed?

Additionally, I am not a big beliver on the elections here in Thailand, it's widely known how the red buying votes...

But even the poor rice farmers also been cheated of the promised money, so the dissatisfaction is increasing even among them.

And the Dems do not buy votes i suppose. Well if that is what you believe, all i can advise you is get some facts together and then come back and make some educated remarks. Of course the Dems pay for votes like all politicians do. A dem woman recently complained to electoral office wanting a recount as she has bought 20,000 votes and only recieved 14,000.

[Robby nz]

You need to educate yourself a little better. The Amnesty Bill would have whitewashed the Dems too.

Did you notice that the voted against it and said they didn't want it.

It would also have absolved more than 25,000 cases of corruption now with the NAAC, if I remember correctly the NAAC said at the time that most of those were against senior pollies.

[LomSak27]

Yep ... .Looks like D Day will be Next Sunday, or New Years Day!

Make or Break it day, here we go again.

[oldsailor35]

I don't normally read the garbage you post Fab4 but because you have decided to pick on me, this time I have and I will answer.

Perhaps if you and your red mates wont believe words but perhaps you will believe photos. and the link :

http://www.dhammawhe...hp?f=12&t=19354

Looks like more uninformed sheep are jumping on the bandwagon.

Free food and drink and a day's free entertainment !

[Prbkk]

All quiet on Monday morning?

Yes. although many of the "small" people ( ie those who live by working, selling, cooking, cleaning and so on) are complaining about the prospect of more interruptions, fewer tourists, and consequently less money to feed their families.

[Somboon1958]

If both parties could agree on a Finance Committee appointed equally with power to provide the necessary 'checks and balances' ..might provide a temporary solution....Agreeing on who should be on the committee is another matter.

[elzach]

The "People's Democratic Reform Committee" is calling for an unelected "people's council" to be installed to oversee sweeping but loosely-defined reforms before new elections in around a year to 18 months....which, of course, if any Shinawatra wins, they will be disputed again and back to square one.

I'm with neither side, but this is becoming a farce.

[pumpuiman]

This headline should read " Bangkok briefly annoyed by protesters, again."

Edited December 23, 2013 by pumpuiman

[Bluespunk]

""Whoever wants to go inside to register will have to pass through us," he said.

"If we do not hold the country by February 2, we will shut the country down. No one will go to vote," he added."

Did Suthep really say this? I know the APP seems to take a pro govt line in most of its stories, but they don't make stuff up. Suthep's authoritarian, PT like attitude of "my way is the only way" is getting worse. Man's barking mad and gorged on power, dangerous combination. He will be no better than PT and their red stormtroopers if he carries out these threats.

According to the BBC they are stopping anyone who wishes to register for Feb 2 elections, HOW VERY DEMOCRATIC,,, NOT...

The democrats or Suthep? They are not the same thing.

[Hawkman]

Makes me laugh when people focus on one photo and say that's not 100,000 without realising the protests were in many, many places.

The western media are then fed lies about how many are protesting by reducing a huge percentage off the total (no one knows for sure, but it was big) and then you get the red shirt/sheep on here who believe what they are told.

For all the red shirts here moaning at the reasons behind the protests, I have one question, if it was the Dems in power and they tried to bring in a bill that would whitewash themselves from the shootings in 2010 and any other corruption they've done and at the same time brought in a Pledging Scheme that with Isaan tax money benefited certain elite in BKK and made some people in the Dems very rich while putting the country's finances under huge strain and then lie and talk down to the people it was all done in the sake of "reconciliation and forgiveness" (yes Yingluck, we believe in Santa Claus too).

What would they red shirts have done? Nothing?

You need to educate yourself a little better. The Amnesty Bill would have whitewashed the Dems too.

We are all quite aware of that, the Dems didn't want the bill though, did they?

[tezzainoz]

Having FAILED to remove the govt by any of his moving feasts of final, absolute deadlines, he is now ThREATENING those who do wish to participate in the democratic process. What a sad and sorry excuse for someone meant to be serving the interests of the people ( corruption, insurrection and murder charges notwithstanding).

Yesterday's rally was a major flop for Suthep . It achieved nothing, so now he reverts to the previous policy of intimidation and implied violence. I wouldn't trust this guy for a second

I wonder what well know person showed thais how to do this

Not a good idea to dress like a priest

we know what they did to young children in the past

Oh sorry ..........Now Peau thais are doing it to Thailand

[Bluespunk]

Bangkok Post said the security officials have estimated 270,000, and we all know being in the control of the government that the quote will be definitely played down.

So was it the big million + ??

Possibly.

Ok, one report say ten's of thousands, another report say's at least 150,000 thousand, but didn't Suthep say he would get 1.7 - 2.3 million???

and your asking "SO was it the big million+?"

and Y/L got seven protestors blowing whistle's,,, the numbers speak for themselves mate. The people of Thailand are against you.

The thing is, you're not really in Aussie in Thailand but an Aussie in Isaan.

Since when is Isaan not a part of Thailand or is that one of the proposed political reforms - get rid of all the poor provinces?

To argue corruption as a reason to bring down a government in Thailand was a joke back in 2006 and is no less a joke today with an unconvicted criminal leading the opposition - Suthep needs to take power because it is now the only thing that can keep him out of jail or exile.

Protestors are determined it seems to rip the heart out of the country destroying investment, tourism and ordinary peoples lives

Which opposition has an unconvicted criminal as leader?

[Bluespunk]

Makes me laugh when people focus on one photo and say that's not 100,000 without realising the protests were in many, many places.

The western media are then fed lies about how many are protesting by reducing a huge percentage off the total (no one knows for sure, but it was big) and then you get the red shirt/sheep on here who believe what they are told.

For all the red shirts here moaning at the reasons behind the protests, I have one question, if it was the Dems in power and they tried to bring in a bill that would whitewash themselves from the shootings in 2010 and any other corruption they've done and at the same time brought in a Pledging Scheme that with Isaan tax money benefited certain elite in BKK and made some people in the Dems very rich while putting the country's finances under huge strain and then lie and talk down to the people it was all done in the sake of "reconciliation and forgiveness" (yes Yingluck, we believe in Santa Claus too).

What would they red shirts have done? Nothing?

You need to educate yourself a little better. The Amnesty Bill would have whitewashed the Dems too.

And to their credit they still opposed it.

[webfact]

Bangkok gridlock, protesters warn of harsher action
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Dec 23 – Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has threatened to paralyse Bangkok on a working day instead of weekend in retaliation against the government’s insistence to hold on to power.

In a speech at Democracy Monument last night, he thanked Thai people for pouring onto the capital’s streets yesterday, claiming that the total number was higher than the recorded demonstration on December 9.

The People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), of which Mr Suthep serves as secretary general, estimated the December 9 demonstrators in Bangkok at five million people.

“Today, we shut down Bangkok for half a day. Next time, we’ll gather for an entire day and on a working day. If it (government) is stubborn, we’ll close the capital for seven days,” he said.

Yesterday’s gridlock in Bangkok was from midday until dusk.

Mr Suthep knelt down on the stage and gestured a “krab” (a traditional Thai expression of thanks) to express deep gratitude to Thai people who came out in full force yesterday to show their strong protest against the Yingluck Shinawatra’s government and demand political reform before the next general election.

He said provincial people throughout the country also came onto the streets to chase Ms Yingluck out of the caretaker premiership.

“This is a historic day with a new record of people rising to protest with bare hands in a peaceful and non-violent manner,” he said.

The former Democrat MP added, “If the government and Election Commission insist to move on with the elections, they are challenging the Thai people. We are not against elections, but we want fair and clean ones, without vote buying or the crooks running the country.”

Mr Suthep vowed to continue the anti-government demonstrations, organised every day since October 31, until the government steps down.

“Please do not ask when (the protest) will end. We’ll carry on until they are no longer in power. We have clearly stated that we want to reform the election system and impose new regulations,” he said.

“Millions of people countrywide who have risen will not step back. We’d rather fight until death, instead of living as slaves.”

He said a huge group of people would gather at the Thai-Japan Stadium in Din Daeng since last night to protest against the registration of party-list election candidates which starts today.

The party-listed candidates for the February 2 elections are required to submit their applications in Bangkok between today and Friday. The registration for constituencies seats set for December 28- January 1 and provincial candidates can register in their respective provinces. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-12-23