Bangkok: Taxi driver beaten unconscious by anti-govt protesters

[ChoakMyDee]

Something I wonder about as the country slowly descends into mob rule, will farangs become targets for their rage? I keep hearing that many Thais hate us and only put up with us because we spend money. I don't know how true this is or even what percentage hate us if it is true but something to think about perhaps.

Fairly weak attempt at trolling.

I hear many Thais love us. Especially 'long time'!

I asked a legitimate question because it is honestly something that is on my mind. Not trolling at all.

[soi41]

Wonder if TAT is going to use this photo in their new campaign "Amazing countdown in Thailand" ??

Am I the only one?? But seeing behavior like this makes me really angry!!

[Spare]

xtaxi_jpg_pagespeed_ic_G5TZHiO4az.jpg

Wonder if TAT is going to use this photo in their new campaign "Amazing countdown in Thailand" ??

Am I the only one?? But seeing behavior like this makes me really angry!!

It is just an isolated incident. People don't get too carried away and act irrationally towards protesters on the street.

[moonao]

Its not difficult to see where these yellow shirt protesters are heading.

Anyone who is still supporting Suthep and the disgusting behaviour of these animals should be ashamed of themselves.

[Centrum]

Something I wonder about as the country slowly descends into mob rule, will farangs become targets for their rage? I keep hearing that many Thais hate us and only put up with us because we spend money. I don't know how true this is or even what percentage hate us if it is true but something to think about perhaps.

Fairly weak attempt at trolling.

I hear many Thais love us. Especially 'long time'!

I asked a legitimate question because it is honestly something that is on my mind. Not trolling at all.

'You keep hearing Thais hate us' but you have no first hand evidence of it, do you? Otherwise you wouldn't have asked the question.

Do you stay locked in your hotel room/condo everyday? Or do you get out amongst them?

I certainly do and have done for 11 years and I've never had an issue with a Thai because I'm western.

[blaze]

xtaxi_jpg_pagespeed_ic_G5TZHiO4az.jpg

Wonder if TAT is going to use this photo in their new campaign "Amazing countdown in Thailand" ??

Am I the only one?? But seeing behavior like this makes me really angry!!

It is just an isolated incident. People don't get too carried away and act irrationally towards protesters on the street.

What?

Are you too trying to gain a cabinet post in the Nutocracy? Assuming that your TV postings will qualify you?

But taking your advice- we will allow for a certain amount of violence against the instituitions that we rely on for security.

[lemonjelly]

Something I wonder about as the country slowly descends into mob rule, will farangs become targets for their rage? I keep hearing that many Thais hate us and only put up with us because we spend money. I don't know how true this is or even what percentage hate us if it is true but something to think about perhaps.

I walked among the crowd at Metropolitan police headquarters a few weeks ago, I could hear people say "farang this & farang that..."

While I was not concerned as it felt like a harmless gathering, it was in stark contrast to what I experienced in the same location in 2010 when the UDD was there.

As a street photographer, I don't think I would venture anywhere near the "mad mob" at this point in time.

Indeed, one starts to dread what tomorrow may bring. The situation could change rapidly at this juncture and perhaps we should pay extra vigilance to the surrounding atmosphere when outside.

[Prbkk]

xtaxi_jpg_pagespeed_ic_G5TZHiO4az.jpg

Wonder if TAT is going to use this photo in their new campaign "Amazing countdown in Thailand" ??

Am I the only one?? But seeing behavior like this makes me really angry!!

It is just an isolated incident. People don't get too carried away and act irrationally towards protesters on the street.

NOT isolated incident....a pattern and recurring theme, Thailand has extremely high rate of violent crime. I doubt that any will be directly at foreigners in the initial stages of this conflict, but the potential for it is there

These thugs are the attack dog vanguard in Suthep's army of the will of the people. The picture shows what they will do to anyone who gets in their way or tries to defy .

[dru2]

So I think you can put your mind at ease. An anti-Western pogrom is most, most, most unlikely. Unless against me by my wife, of course.

Uh huh.

Wait- you claim to an education- hasn't your education prepared you for the xenophobia that accompanies all fascist movements?

What Nutocracy that your PhD lilluminated did NOT include blaming the 'other'.?

Hopefully just a bit of interesting information... Of course feel free to ignore it.

[Prbkk]

Something I wonder about as the country slowly descends into mob rule, will farangs become targets for their rage? I keep hearing that many Thais hate us and only put up with us because we spend money. I don't know how true this is or even what percentage hate us if it is true but something to think about perhaps.

Some 25 years ago I participated in an international history conference at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. I was an Dr in Asian Studies at the University of Aberdeen at the time.

One particularly interesting paper that was presented concerned Thai perceptions of foreigners. It was long and inevitably rather academic, but in the conclusion there was a table indicating Thai respondents rating of their likes and dislikes of foreign nationalities.

The long and the short of it was:

The two nationalities most disliked and mistrusted by the Thais were (1) The Burmese and (2) The Vietnamese, both scoring less than 10 percent approval ratings.

The two national groups (both being more than just representatives of a single nation) most favoured by the Thais were (1) Westerners and (2) Chinese. Both scored in the upper 90s.

Things may possibly have changed. I certainly hope the Burmese and Vietnamese rate much higher today - after all, after several generations in Thailand, Vietnamese refugee settlers have at last been given Thai nationality.

I guess it is also possible that Westerners and perhaps even Chinese are less popular or less trusted - but I rather doubt it. These are visceral responses rooted in the Thai education system and years of warfare.

So I think you can put your mind at ease. An anti-Western pogrom is most, most, most unlikely. Unless against me by my wife, of course.

A progrom, no. Increase in ant- western sentiment , yes ...and most particularly since the 'IMF' crisis. Most of the crime

opportunistic but IMO the sentiment runs quite deep ( maybe not as extreme as that reported yesterday from mr Pathumphong's page, but increasing nonetheless).

[philw]

som nom na .... find it hard to feel sorry for a taxi driver after seeing one of his own kill a man with a sword for a couple baht.

Last year a taxi driver stopped and helped me change a flat tyre on petchburi and wouldn't accept a single baht for his trouble so yeah some nam nah to this poor bastard. And some folks on here consider thais to be dumb shits. They're mental giants compared to a lot of the mongs on tvf

It looks like "luckylew's" post , thankfully, has been removed.

However, what a disgusting attitude he has displayed.

Shame on him.

[kkerry]

Things have clearly ratcheted up a notch today so you have to wonder what will be next. I'm not expecting any trouble where I live but I will be taking just that little bit more notice of my surroundings when I'm out and about.

[SaamBaht]

One policeman shot dead. One taxi driver beaten unconscious. Best to their families...very sad for them. Hope the taxi guy pulls through.

[pisico]

Fair warning!! Then live ammunition!! Time to get the thugs of the streets. Enough is enough!!

NO!!!That would be criminal! Live ammo is only to be used against the Red Shirts. Don't you know that?

[gerry1011]

Low level yellow thugs supporting Suthep in his insane battle against democracy and behaving like animals is, sadly, not something unexpected.

I feel sorry for this driver…
But I also feel sorry for all the others who have been beaten, the journalists who have been intimidated and brutalized, the policemen who ended up in hospital, the son of Yingluck who was cowardly attacked, the unarmed pro-government protesters who were besieged in their buses, the three red shirts shot dead at the stadium, as well as the policeman shot dead today by the protesters... All this was, very unfortunately, something that was foreseeable, and probably unavoidable, taking into account the low level of the people who, for those who are not paid, blindly follow Suthep, however crazy and full of hate he might be.

But, and sorry to repeat myself, what is astonishing is to read comments from so called "educated" farangs who support Suthep and his criminal movement. That is far above insanity...

How can anyone educated support a minority trying to gain power through illegal means, violence, murder and the mob rule?
A psychiatrist’s mystery...

Edited December 26, 2013 by gerry1011

[Yunla]

I pray for a full and swift recovery for the poor gentleman, who was just trying to do his job. My prayers are also with his family at this difficult time.

The extent of the head injuries mark this as "attempted murder." The criminals who committed this horrific act should receive a prison sentence that gives them many, many, many years during which to find remorse, and live a life of sincere atonement for their shameful and barbaric actions.

.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Yunla

[anon467367354]

Something I wonder about as the country slowly descends into mob rule, will farangs become targets for their rage? I keep hearing that many Thais hate us and only put up with us because we spend money. I don't know how true this is or even what percentage hate us if it is true but something to think about perhaps.

I walked among the crowd at Metropolitan police headquarters a few weeks ago, I could hear people say "farang this & farang that..."

While I was not concerned as it felt like a harmless gathering, it was in stark contrast to what I experienced in the same location in 2010 when the UDD was there.

As a street photographer, I don't think I would venture anywhere near the "mad mob" at this point in time.

somehow I seriously doubt this.

[AryanicAristocrat]

Enough is Enough. Mob rule by any kind of protesters be it the PRDC, Yellow Shirts, Red Shirts, Multi-Coloured , etc should be stopped as its ruining the country and the economy. Strict laws needs to be introduced and enforced even extreme measures like instant life execution of any protesters by extra-judicial terms.

Differences and Grievances should be aired and resolved thru other civilised and educated means not unruly protestings though claiming to be peaceful , enough of traffic jams and inconveniences etc. everyone contributed to this mess in thailand and everyone have to blame themselves but also find a more peaceful approach, not protesting.

[dru2]

Something I wonder about as the country slowly descends into mob rule, will farangs become targets for their rage? I keep hearing that many Thais hate us and only put up with us because we spend money. I don't know how true this is or even what percentage hate us if it is true but something to think about perhaps.

Some 25 years ago I participated in an international history conference at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. I was an Dr in Asian Studies at the University of Aberdeen at the time.

One particularly interesting paper that was presented concerned Thai perceptions of foreigners. It was long and inevitably rather academic, but in the conclusion there was a table indicating Thai respondents rating of their likes and dislikes of foreign nationalities.

The long and the short of it was:

The two nationalities most disliked and mistrusted by the Thais were (1) The Burmese and (2) The Vietnamese, both scoring less than 10 percent approval ratings.

The two national groups (both being more than just representatives of a single nation) most favoured by the Thais were (1) Westerners and (2) Chinese. Both scored in the upper 90s.

Things may possibly have changed. I certainly hope the Burmese and Vietnamese rate much higher today - after all, after several generations in Thailand, Vietnamese refugee settlers have at last been given Thai nationality.

I guess it is also possible that Westerners and perhaps even Chinese are less popular or less trusted - but I rather doubt it. These are visceral responses rooted in the Thai education system and years of warfare.

So I think you can put your mind at ease. An anti-Western pogrom is most, most, most unlikely. Unless against me by my wife, of course.

A progrom, no. Increase in ant- western sentiment , yes ...and most particularly since the 'IMF' crisis. Most of the crime

opportunistic but IMO the sentiment runs quite deep ( maybe not as extreme as that reported yesterday from mr Pathumphong's page, but increasing nonetheless).

Could well be... I'm certainly much less in touch than I was. Also, I live in a northern Red Shirt majority village, with a wife who admires Yingluck and hates Suthep....But for the record (Mr Blaze) I am certainly no monarchist or Yellow Shirt. I like to think of myself as Green. After all, that's the colour of a farang.

[surangw]

next time after this , a cabbie will roll up the windows and floor it.

[LadPhrao1]

xtaxi_jpg_pagespeed_ic_G5TZHiO4az.jpg

Wonder if TAT is going to use this photo in their new campaign "Amazing countdown in Thailand" ??

Am I the only one?? But seeing behavior like this makes me really angry!!

It is just an isolated incident. People don't get too carried away and act irrationally towards protesters on the street.

NOT isolated incident....a pattern and recurring theme, Thailand has extremely high rate of violent crime. I doubt that any will be directly at foreigners in the initial stages of this conflict, but the potential for it is there

These thugs are the attack dog vanguard in Suthep's army of the will of the people. The picture shows what they will do to anyone who gets in their way or tries to defy .

There are a quite a few clowns in these forums ready to make excuses for and brush past common sense in order to maintain a separate reality that supposes a rising up over a corrupt power by some group other than sheep who love a parade and a thug mob hungry for stealing power outside the rules of democratic elections.

Add the beaten taxi driver's photos to todays' mob trying to stop the EC's work today and Suthep and other organizer's harangues and fanatical 'ideas' on gaining power and you start to see what's really at work here.

No doubt there are plenty of other stories of thuggery out there that don't rise to the level of a guy with his brains beat out or hit men trying to scale walls, that haven't made it into the press. NOT isolated incidents.

[waza]

A shocking incident made even worse by its rarity.

[hughben]

What always gets me about these rabid thugs is no matter who is in charge nothing much about their daily lives, what they earn etc will change. It is not like they are the 'elite' doing land deals and ripping the poor off. They are useful idiots to the elite.

[retsdon]

Poor guy he was just trying to do his job. Why can't the military just step and tell the protesters to clear off?

It wouldn't surprise me if the brass are scared to act for fear that deployment might precipitate a split in the military itself. And of course if that happens, then all out civil war would be almost inevitable.

[Midfield General]

Disgraceful attack on a man trying to earn a living but its a sign of the sheer contempt that the hi so protesters show for the rest of the Thai Population. The government must stand firm against this thuggery and intimidation.

[SaamBaht]

Suthep is reported to have said to the police during a speech: "don't oppress the protesters." I guess we in the West don't understand that mob rule is the law. So if a Thai feels justified anything goes, eh?

[JAG]

Enough is Enough. Mob rule by any kind of protesters be it the PRDC, Yellow Shirts, Red Shirts, Multi-Coloured , etc should be stopped as its ruining the country and the economy. Strict laws needs to be introduced and enforced even extreme measures like instant life execution of any protesters by extra-judicial terms.

Differences and Grievances should be aired and resolved thru other civilised and educated means not unruly protestings though claiming to be peaceful , enough of traffic jams and inconveniences etc. everyone contributed to this mess in thailand and everyone have to blame themselves but also find a more peaceful approach, not protesting.

I doubt if instant extra judicial executions (however attractive them may be to some here) would help at all!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ChoakMyDee]

Something I wonder about as the country slowly descends into mob rule, will farangs become targets for their rage? I keep hearing that many Thais hate us and only put up with us because we spend money. I don't know how true this is or even what percentage hate us if it is true but something to think about perhaps.

Fairly weak attempt at trolling.

I hear many Thais love us. Especially 'long time'!

I asked a legitimate question because it is honestly something that is on my mind. Not trolling at all.

'You keep hearing Thais hate us' but you have no first hand evidence of it, do you? Otherwise you wouldn't have asked the question.

Do you stay locked in your hotel room/condo everyday? Or do you get out amongst them?

I certainly do and have done for 11 years and I've never had an issue with a Thai because I'm western.

There is no need to attack me. I asked a legitimate question. I got a couple of very good responses, and then yours, the typical angry ex-pat. It's posts like yours that remind me why I seldom post here.

[Yunla]

There's a fine line between fishing and just standing at the shore like an idiot. Similarly, there is a fine line between legit democratic massprotest (information booklets, speeches and soforth) and anarchy-as-gnosis. A lot of protesters worldwide don't know the difference. If you tear everything down you will be left with just naked men hitting eachother over the head with makeshift clubs, eventually the biggest brute becomes leader, and the women and children are all living in terror, again. It sounds extreme but that is the only possible endpoint of social deconstruction. Everything else is just the inbetween stages, as you can see in parts of the disintegrating middle-east etc. I would rather live in a total lock-down police state than in a country run by anarchist thugs. Ten times out of ten.

[Soi Sauce]

Disgraceful attack on a man trying to earn a living but its a sign of the sheer contempt that the hi so protesters show for the rest of the Thai Population. The government must stand firm against this thuggery and intimidation.

How many shop and hotel workers lost their living because of the reds at Central?

Sheer contempt by the reds for their fellow working class gang.

Difference was, the reds were paid to be there and if they say Hi So, the media is immediately on their side.

Please tell me how thaksin, with his billions and overseas education, and yingluck, with her millions worth of watches, handbags, etc, Chalerm with his pink Bentley, and the rest of their gang, are not the Elite?