Poll reveals fear of violence during 'Bangkok Shutdown'

[ikke]

Yea know, after being here in Thailand for over 22 years (this time) and never left, I hope suthep does bring Bangkok to a stop and the counrty loose billions. I am sorry for saying that as I do love Thailand. But that will be the only way to stop suthep premently. When he wins, wich I hope he doesn't, he will turn Thailand into a dictatorship with him as the dictator.

I agree 100%

And to add a little balance, I disagree 100%.

And I agree 50% with both of you - Viva the White Shirts !

;-)

[Bluespunk]

Polls are designed to give the pollster the answer they want. Who commissioned this poll?

Still at least it fits in nicely with the series of govt statements this weekend aimed at ramping up the fear factor.

[DrTuner]

There will be death, the question is if it'll be 10,100 or 1000+. I'll place my bet at 50, since it's dry season and rain won't pause the melee.

[attento]

One guess how Vladimir Putin would handle the Mr. Suthep problem ....

Mr Putin has not been so successful in handling his own "problem" citizens so far.

He has been in power, or de facto power, since 1999, and now is faced with having to impose heightened security at his "show piece" winter Olympics.

As for Suthep, the old saying may yet be true, " give him enough rope, and ... etc. etc. "

[F430murci]

What? Apparently you will just say anything without any basis whatsoever other than you wanting it to be true. Putin would have dispensed with Suthep before he made it into the streets. The FSB would have showed up at his house with machine guns and any businesses or assets would have been converted to state owned Putin controlled. I can provide many recent examples . . . Even the media source used to voice opposition in Russia was subject to hostile takeover by Putin. Pavel Durov escaped Russia the day before FSB showed up at VK with machine guns and Putin's right hand man mysteriously bought out Durov's two business partners so he could control VK.

This type of nonsense would not be permitted in any reasonable country. These people are not supressed and censored by some hard core dictator. Their businesses are not being taken by the government. They are not being starved or detained and physically abused or tortured by the police or state. This is more about childish fears of not getting one's way than preserving civil liberties and fundamental human rights.

Candidly, demonizing the reds is childish and ignorant. One cannot blame them for being upset when several hundred thousand apparently unemployed nonproductive members of Thai society clog the streets and cause financial harm to those honest hard working people trying to make a living.

The fact is Suthep and you whiners want violence and are trying to push this to violence. Then when you get what you seek, you whine more and throw stones. This situation just baffles me as an outsider looking in. Common sense, logic and rationale thought is utterly absent from the equation. Sounds like a grade school stand off logic between a couple of sixth graders.

We agree Putin would use Joseph Stalin style government against Suthep.

civil liberties and fundamental human rights

These are some of the things the protestors are seeking. First they must get rid of as much corruption as they can. They seek to bring fair elections to the people. That way the people will have to vote on the issues not who gives them the most money. You seem to have a problem with that.

Are you aware of the fact that the government has an anti corruption commission. With them in place the Government has gone from 65% corrupt to 67% corrupt in just one year.

Source http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/

Are you aware of the fact that during the 2011 floods this government refused help from the US Navy. They could have produced and delivered fresh water where it was needed rather than storing it in a warehouse. They had helicopters that could have transported personal to needed spots they could have evacuated people needing medical help. When it was all over they rejected an offer from The Netherlands to help with water management. Probably the worlds best at water management. They cobbled up a plan of their own and tried to implement it with out taking proper studies. But they awarded the contract to a very iffy Korean country to build a dam any how.

Were you aware of the fact that they had a Financial Minister who claimed it was OK to lie to the people if it made the people happy. Are you aware that they had a Prime Minister who condoned him. Were you aware that they had cabinet meetings the Prime Minister did not attend, She had her Convicted criminal brother living in self imposed exile to avoid the rule of law call into them for her.

The list goes on and yes some of the problems they inherited from all the previous governments such as no plan for flood control and an ineffective education system. Both of which we still have.

Are you aware of how the protestors came in to being. I will give you a hint it had nothing to do with a political party.

Do you call 500 baht a month to the elderly fundamental human rights. In fact what of any of these things do you call fundamental human rights.

If they were doing it to you would you call people who had the guts to try and defend you from it

whiners want violence and are trying to push this to violence

Your idea of fundamental human rights differs from mine.

Instead of standing on the out side looking in why not come on in and see what is really happening. You supply no facts just accusations that are in direct conflict with what Suthep has called for from the podium and on Television. peaceful protests.

You best stay in your nanny country.

Your whining about political problems that are actually quiet common everywhere. I have spent a sufficient time in Thailand to see that the level of corruption seemed to remain regardless as to who was in charge. A certain level of corruption is unfortunately acceptable to Thais until someone is not getting their way and they elect to play that card. Those choosing to play the corruption card now will continue to condone or participate in some level of corruption when their desired party is in power.

Thais have or can have a decent life They, unfortunately, are the only ones making their own lives or situation more difficult. Take to the streets when businesses are being taken, when they are denied food or shelter by state actors, when they are prohibited from receiving the education or jobs they desire, when they are censoring people or taking them off the streets without warning or justification, when their liberties are taken away without justification or when they use state actors to inflict physical or emotional abuse in response to disagreement with the government.

Those are reasons to take to the street, not because you upset with flood management, because politicians lie or your guy didn't win. Wow, politicians lie??? Imagine that. This is nothing but a power grab and I actually marvel as to whether guys like you are simply blinded by passion or really unable to discern reality . . . calling for peaceful protest, but actions are quiet different. A bit like saying I don't want to fight, but you keep pushing someone . . .

[15Peter20]

Jeez! The issue is Thailand, people. Who gives a rat's rectum for all these posts that keep popping up referring to Hitler, Stalin, or whining about how this impacts on the USA / UK / Nevernever land. Thailand (the country that some of us have chosen to live in full-time) is tearing itself apart, blood is being shed, the economy sliding down the tubes faster than lastnight's curry and what do we have here?....a bunch of keyboard warriors having a big d--k contest.

Mature and constructive, boys, mature and constructive.

To be fair Rob, I think the reason that we are treated to so many Hitler and Stalin comparisons is that half the people making such posts were their contemporaries.

[thailandpeter2]

i do know this 'som nam nah' feeling towards thailand and sometimes have irt myself. i have been here for more than 21 years, have my family here, am working here (incidentally i will have to renew my visa and work permit before the first week in february and am not sure whether i will manage to get both done before the 13th january - and thereafter it's just a guess how things will go here). and although i love thailand, i have to say that sometimes i do hope hat there will be a great wake-up call for thailand. obviously the current economic slump or loss of tourists during this high season is not sufficient yet. but i am sure, that, IF we pull through this period without any overt violence and chaos and 'only' a bad economy and loss of employment for many thais will result and thailand is among the economic taillights in the AEC in 2015, many people who are now the upcoming shutdown of bangkok will blame external factors, the government of the day, whoever, whatever, except themselves for any misery they have brought to thailand...

to be sure, there are reasonable thais, to judge from some newspaper editorials or forums in there - and i do hope their voices will get louder the longer the shutdown will proceed...

Yea know, after being here in Thailand for over 22 years (this time) and never left, I hope suthep does bring Bangkok to a stop and the counrty loose billions. I am sorry for saying that as I do love Thailand. But that will be the only way to stop suthep premently. When he wins, wich I hope he doesn't, he will turn Thailand into a dictatorship with him as the dictator.