PDRC to shut down Bangkok by end of next week

[Theoutsider]

Couldn't Thailand follow the UK and create a new "House of Lords". Perhaps membership requirements could be you must be ethnic Chinese, have a certain net worth, or be from a list of selected families.

Do you think this would satisfy the yellow shirts?

How does this work in England?

cash for honours

or cash for questions

[Theoutsider]

I thought the capital of Thailand was Dubai.

no it San Kamphaeng

[H1w4yR1da]

Thai people deserve better than this.

Come to think of it, I don't think they do. Any people that vote the likes of Samak, Chalerm and Taksin into positions of power get exactly what they deserve IMO.

I'm staying in Bangkok, and if he blockades the specialist brain-ward critical care hospital I have to go to without much warning sometimes, I will sue him until his ears ring.

Right. I'm sure he's shaking in his flip-flops.

[mca]

Well, Dear Leader did tell all Bangkokians not involved in demonstrations to leave the capital and go to resorts to relax. So people have been told what to do. It's clearly their fault if they stay in Bangkok and are inconvenienced.

Ohhhh riiight, it's only the rich, retired and connected who can afford to go outside Bangkok and relax at resorts. Oh well, never mind, <deleted> the rest.

Some of us actually love Bangkok, deeply. As strange as it may sound to beach-tourists, many people love to visit and stay in Bangkok, or to live here.

And play Visa Tennis to do so. And pay through the nose sometimes. Suthep can kiss my rusty old wheelchair, sincerely. I'm staying in Bangkok, and if he blockades the specialist brain-ward critical care hospital I have to go to without much warning sometimes, I will sue him until his ears ring.

I'm intrigued to know how the Bangkokians are going to react to this and if he can actually get the numbers to do as he promised. It's fine turning out one day on a Sunday en masse but I doubt millions of people aren't going to bother not going to work to fight for the cause. I doubt the office girls etc. I witnessed waving their Thai flags in Asoke as the posse went past a couple of weeks ago are going stop working to help Bangkok come to a standstill. Basically because if they did in any normal business they wouldn't have a job to come back to.

Plus what about surgeons who can't get to the hospital, emergency vehicles who can't get to an emergency etc?

And of course the funniest part ( as in not funny at all) they're led by a standard issue Thai kamnam whose sole three interests are me myself and I under the guise of overthrowing a bent administration who under different circumstances would most probably be his drinking buddies sharing hints on how to enrich themselves at the expense of others.

[Old Man River]

He going to try to hold Bangkok hostage and the police, courts and military do not have the balls to do anything about it.

Well, the courts and the military are on his side, and if the police were to dare do anything then this forum would be overwhelmed by the usual suspects shedding crocodile tears for the poor injured rioters!

Crowd control is up to the police. After all, they spend money on their crowd control toys.

[Gil]

Does Suthep have any plans for helping the poor of Thailand?. Does he have any policies for proving health care and financial aid to the people of Issan?

The people of Issan dont need re-education. They just need support of a government that cares about them.

There you go! Well put, and anything else nowadays can only be labeled as seductive attempts in seeking personal power based on poor people's infatuation. Red or yellow or all colors of the rainbow, the same...

[Gsxrnz]

No pain, no gain. I hope the PDRC have worked out how to implement a strategy for exit counseling for a couple of million people from the cult of Shinawat. As with any cult following, rebuilding the followers self esteem and life can be difficult and traumatic after coming to terms with having been used by the cult leader for his own personal benefit only. I have to admit some surprise that Thaksin has been so successful in building such a cult following, he can't levitate like Shoko Asahara, can't write pop songs like Charlie Manson and doesn't have the good looks of Jimmy Jones. Either way, I wish PDRC luck trying to deprogram and re-educate the Isaanites.

Thailands future rests in your hands Khun Suthep. Fight the good fight, uniting the country will earn you reverence in the Thai history books.

Does Suthep have any plans for helping the poor of Thailand?. Does he have any policies for proving health care and financial aid to the people of Issan?

The people of Issan dont need re-education. They just need support of a government that cares about them.

I'm not supporting my following conclusion, but perhaps the fact that agriculture contributes a little less than 8.5% of Thailand's GDP may be one of the reasons that the north is largely ignored by all political administrations.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand

[kranuan]

hey, does this mean there,ll be cheaper flights to LOS, plus a decrease in the baht would be sooo nice

[agam]

It's sort of quaint how so many of the insulting detractors here pontificating about the Whistlers' Rebellion just seem to ape a lot of the claptrap they must have read in western media reports (or what those Zentopian journos write on twitter), yet have such 'disunderstanding' ('dis' because it seems intentional) of the other side. It is trivially easy to tune in and listen to what the Whistlers are saying in their own words, and thus clear up some of their own disunderstandings. The group of civil servants testifying on stage last night was very enlightening -- especially one fellow in particular who I've heard has already become something of a folk hero to the movement.

Of course this may not be practical since I'm fairly sure that most of these insulting detractors wouldn't understand a single word being spoken. I would recommend for some of the barely open-minded to try it at least. Listening to the speeches from the protest stages of 1992 helped me immeasurably to increase my vocabulary.

There is frequently some very good music as well. (Plae Meuang) by (Malihuana) is a personal favourite.

[Malthus101]

54 baht to the pound.... come on you 55!

60... Oh how I want 60!

More protests! More shutdowns!

[hughben]

Go on, I dares ye. Shut down the airports and the ports and the industrial estates. No? Suthep, you're just chicken.

The Goal is not the airport, ports and industrial estates! It is the government offices and private house of the PM and other Ministers!

These people took the airport before, they will take it again if they get desperate.

But they don't really need to take it - they just need to block off the roads and rail link to it. Then again, clearing them out of the airport is a hell of a lot harder than clearing them from the roads.

[transam]

It's sort of quaint how so many of the insulting detractors here pontificating about the Whistlers' Rebellion just seem to ape a lot of the claptrap they must have read in western media reports (or what those Zentopian journos write on twitter), yet have such 'disunderstanding' ('dis' because it seems intentional) of the other side. It is trivially easy to tune in and listen to what the Whistlers are saying in their own words, and thus clear up some of their own disunderstandings. The group of civil servants testifying on stage last night was very enlightening -- especially one fellow in particular who I've heard has already become something of a folk hero to the movement.

He sang the right song...?

[charliebru]

Bring on the military, please. The children are getting badly out of hand.

[xenophon]

Where is the prime minister? What does she have to say in response to this latest plan by the protesters? Why isn't she in Bangkok overseeing the crisis?

Because someone "unknown" may attack or assassinate her.

[hughben]

Go on, I dares ye. Shut down the airports and the ports and the industrial estates. No? Suthep, you're just chicken.

The Goal is not the airport, ports and industrial estates! It is the government offices and private house of the PM and other Ministers!

These people took the airport before, they will take it again if they get desperate.

But they don't really need to take it - they just need to block off the roads and rail link to it. Then again, clearing them out of the airport is a hell of a lot harder than clearing them from the roads.

[backtonormal]

No pain, no gain. I hope the PDRC have worked out how to implement a strategy for exit counseling for a couple of million people from the cult of Shinawat. As with any cult following, rebuilding the followers self esteem and life can be difficult and traumatic after coming to terms with having been used by the cult leader for his own personal benefit only. I have to admit some surprise that Thaksin has been so successful in building such a cult following, he can't levitate like Shoko Asahara, can't write pop songs like Charlie Manson and doesn't have the good looks of Jimmy Jones. Either way, I wish PDRC luck trying to deprogram and re-educate the Isaanites.

Thailands future rests in your hands Khun Suthep. Fight the good fight, uniting the country will earn you reverence in the Thai history books.

yes i'm sure re-writing the history books is part of suthep's grand plan, but the rest of your post is just bizarre...

what gain has come from the many coups that have gone before?... what gain will come from taking power away from the people?... what gain will come from making the more fanatical reds angry and providing propaganda for their leaders?... what gain will come from replacing one corrupt leader with another corrupt leader?... what gain will come from demonstrating that power in thailand can be achieved by terrorism?...

There is a lot to be gained through returning the power back to the people instead of having thieves misusing and abusing it for their own personal enrichment!!

Suthep should be given a medal for his services to Thailand in returning democracy to it's people, we should be eternally grateful to him and I wish him a happy retirement once his task is completed.

Happy Retirement...lmfao This man is abusing the use of oxygen...hes still alive

[IAMSOBAD]

No pain, no gain. I hope the PDRC have worked out how to implement a strategy for exit counseling for a couple of million people from the cult of Shinawat. As with any cult following, rebuilding the followers self esteem and life can be difficult and traumatic after coming to terms with having been used by the cult leader for his own personal benefit only. I have to admit some surprise that Thaksin has been so successful in building such a cult following, he can't levitate like Shoko Asahara, can't write pop songs like Charlie Manson and doesn't have the good looks of Jimmy Jones. Either way, I wish PDRC luck trying to deprogram and re-educate the Isaanites.

Thailands future rests in your hands Khun Suthep. Fight the good fight, uniting the country will earn you reverence in the Thai history books.

Where is Kevin Bacon when we need him?

[jpeg]

Where is the prime minister? What does she have to say in response to this latest plan by the protesters? Why isn't she in Bangkok overseeing the crisis?

Because someone "unknown" may attack or assassinate her.

Bit pointless, rather like shooting the ventriloquist's dummy

[jonclark]

So it's necessary to destroy democracy in order to save it?

Can't make an omelette without smashing a few eggs.

[agam]

He sang the right song...?

He sang his own song, told his own stories, and he had many thousands doubled over with laughter. It was great. I'm sure it will be on YouTube, but how many here would get it?

[ozyjon]

I think there will be buss-loads of people coming from all over the north of Thailand (Issan region)

but what i'm wondering is who is paying all these people to come to Bangkok, as far as i know

each protester is paid 300 Baht per day (i think), it's going to be a lot of money.

[backtonormal]

Why can't this fool just wait for the elections. Scared he will lose? Even if he gets his own way, he'll be ousted within 3 years by another uprising that accuses him of getting into power illegally.

Why can't you bigoted numbskulls get it into your head that he is not seeking power.

He simply wants to set up an unbiased council of academics, professionals and people from all walks of life to amend the outdated and unfair practices that bedevil Thai politics and then he is going to walk away from it all!!

You should cut the cra* about him being power hungry when he is ALL FOR elections AFTER the reforms have been agreed and implemented. He even stated that if any PTP related party (without the Shinawatra element) gets into power in a fair election then he would respect their legitimacy to rule.

Have you got it yet!!.

Over 2700 posts and you believe what you have just wrote. You must have read other posts of a different political persuasion to your own and give thought to them. Your post is ridiculous in its. naiveness

[xenophon]

Suthep looks communist to the core. He wants to institute an unelected "peoples committee"? Where else have we seen that and what has been the end state of those countries? Bad news indeed.

Kleptocracist to the core.

Kleptocrats on both sides.

Cannot believe that posters think this has anything to do with democracy. Its a straight out power struggle between the old long established, but recently threatened, network and a nouveau (in Thai terms) plutocrat, both manipulating different groups of people to grab or hold onto power. As for Suthep being a communist - ridiculous. Have a look at his connections .... .

[DrDweeb]

No pain, no gain. I hope the PDRC have worked out how to implement a strategy for exit counseling for a couple of million people from the cult of Shinawat. As with any cult following, rebuilding the followers self esteem and life can be difficult and traumatic after coming to terms with having been used by the cult leader for his own personal benefit only. I have to admit some surprise that Thaksin has been so successful in building such a cult following, he can't levitate like Shoko Asahara, can't write pop songs like Charlie Manson and doesn't have the good looks of Jimmy Jones. Either way, I wish PDRC luck trying to deprogram and re-educate the Isaanites.

Thailands future rests in your hands Khun Suthep. Fight the good fight, uniting the country will earn you reverence in the Thai history books.

Only naive newbies would think the yellows are somehow better in this. For example the corruption index of Thailand jumped from position 62 to over 80 during the yellow rule of 2006-2008. Now it is over 100.

"Surayud's government was a controversial one. There was a significant worsening in perceived levels of corruption during his government. Surayud's Deputy Finance Minister, Sommai Pasee, was sentenced to jail for abuse of power. Surayud raised the military budget by 35% and was accused of economic mismanagement, rampant human rights abuses, and flip-flopping on numerous policies." - wiki

Quoting wiki will not earn you many points, wiki has its own problems where many contentious articles are regularly trolled and controlled by individuals telling one side of the story.

[Timwin]

I used to take a side in this yellow vs. red fight but then I realized it is like two bald men fighting over a broken comb. Total waste of energy. Thais will do whatever they want despite what we expats say or do. We do not get to vote except via the difficult path of getting Thai citizenship.

All we can hope is that the next fubared, corrupted, crooked, biased, elitist Thai government does not make the visa circus even more difficult than it is!

[mumjokmok]

No Shin's in, no cry

No Shin's in, no cry

Red red

Red I remember when u used to sit

in the government yard in Krung Tep

Krab-a krab pom, some might be hypocrites,

as they would mingle and give handouts or bricks to those they meet

Good friends we've had, good friends we've lost, it'sa lot of mon-ay ay

In this bright future, you can't forget ideas from the past

So get your coloured shirt I say

No fighting no cry, no fighting no cry

Oh little sister don't shed no tears

It's different this time

By Mob Gnarley

[Robby nz]

Midfield General, on 29 Dec 2013 - 18:15, said:

Does Suthep have any plans for helping the poor of Thailand?. Does he have any policies for proving health care and financial aid to the people of Issan?

The people of Issan dont need re-education. They just need support of a government that cares about them.

Yes he has.

He is all out to stop corruption which will mean that 30 to 50% will not be drained off into someones pocket but will go to the projects it is supposed to be spent on.

Unfortunately the people have voted for a Government that made promises that are unsustainable, the rice scheme which the farmers are now not getting paid for, a scheme that has lost the country hundreds of billions, its top place as the worlds rice exporter and destroyed confidence in the quality of Thai rice.

The rice farmers were better of under the Dems as they were paid a subsidy directly, cutting out the middle man and reducing the chance of corruption.

The Tablets which have in most cases not been delivered and which has sucked billions out of the education budget.

Reintroduce the 30b health care scheme which the Dems in their stint in power made free, because it was costing more to implement than it was bringing in and no doubt still is costing more thereby sucking more out of the health budget.

You are right the people, and not just those of Issan, need a government that cares about them, not one that cares only for themselves.

They do not need a Government that is planning to burden them and their offspring with trillions of debt that will take at least 50 years to pay off , debt that will all be borrowed off budget so there will be no way of accounting for just how it is spent or squandered.

Consider for a moment how far the billions lost on the rice scheme alone could have gone to improving schools, hospitals, roads and general infrastructure to improve peoples lives.

[xenophon]

I used to take a side in this yellow vs. red fight but then I realized it is like two bald men fighting over a broken comb. Total waste of energy. Thais will do whatever they want despite what we expats say or do. We do not get to vote except via the difficult path of getting Thai citizenship.

All we can hope is that the next fubared, corrupted, crooked, biased, elitist Thai government does not make the visa circus even more difficult than it is!

At last, someone who can see it as it is. It is raw, real politik - local style

[DrDweeb]

It is a one group play Yellow shirt elite will force the yellow shirt army backed by the yellow shirt judiciary to use a military coup to control the Yellow shirt backed Bangkok elite.

If the Red shirts tried this they'd be murdered by army shot in the head like the 93 unarmed Red Shirts 20 months ago.

The middle class do not support the Yellow shirt dogmatic, elite. The Yellow shirts are hired, thugs, miscreants and paid anarchists. Judiciary has caused this confrontation by not implemanting the rule of law they have sworn to up hold (no arrest war rent for Sutephs break ,enter inciting riot....give me a break...are the people niece in the face of a prjudice judiciary tandumed with eager generals waiting for their entrance cue from the elite. If I wasn't actually witnessing this I would never believe the

elite could corral the public like this, subvert democracy, distroy freedom of speach, walk over human rights, treat the general populice as ignorant inconsequential beings. The press in the West needs to get in here and witness the abuse of power....power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I must have missed something, I thought the Reds were in power and were absolutely corrupted, operating via remote control from Dubai with a puppet PM doing the puppeteer's dance.

And I not again, I simply do not see the "yellow" v "red" thing happening here. This is far more fundamental.

Latest from up country is the family still has received no money for rice, and no one else for miles around. Were the farmers to descend on Bangkok and uproot YS with pitchforks and axes it might get interesting

(PS. get a spell checker and/or learn to spell)

[falangadang]

Whilst I'm in favor of a beneficial change to government in this country, and whilst initially I saw Suthep as a principled warrior willing to take a stand, I now find myself a bit concerned as to how this will all end and furthermore at this latest claim to "seize Bangkok".

2010 was bad enough when the red shirts seized part of BKK and yes brought many businesses to their knees around Ratchaprasong as well as the attendant disruption to traffic, but this time Suthep is aiming to take Bangkok hostage in its entirety!

Surely there has to be other more "diplomatic" ways of moving the country forward?

Unless someone steps up to arrest and stop Suthep he will just keep going and going and getting more ambitious and emphatic by the day. After the last (2nd) D-day walk he claimed that he would surrender to officials if he wasn't successful but here we are getting ready for yet another march and it sounds like its set to be bigger than all the others. Seems like to me he is NOT a man of his word and is getting drunk on the power play!

I read yesterday where he petitioned his "supporters" to come to BKK and be prepared to dig in for "months" until this thing is won. That tells me that Suthep is basically carrying out a citizen lead coup which could either end up in a real military coup when they step in to stop him or it could get messy and violent as he keeps marching on unchallenged.

I hope that the seizing of BKK doesn't include the airports too as that IMHO would be the trumpet call that the cavalry is waiting for to call the coup and wrap the whole thing up.