Students gather to join 'last fight' for reform
ASINA PORNWASIN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- STUDENTS are gathering to join the protest of the People's Democratic Reform Committee at the Lat Phrao Intersection on January 13.

"We want to express the power of students who care for the country. Our mission is reform before the election. This is the last fight. We will collaborate with more and more students from more universities.

We hope to have students from 10 universities join us on the day of the Bangkok shutdown," Jirachai Pornsirianan, a senior economics student and leader of the "Look Mae Sai Hau Jai Rak Chat" group of students at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said yesterday.

The UTCC students are coordinating with their counterparts at Kasetsart University, Rangsit University and King Mongkut's University of Technology Ladkrabang to encourage students to assemble at the stage at the Lat Phrao Intersection.

Student power is "innocent" because they do not support the Democrat Party. They just want to have reform of the country before going to the polls, he said.

"If the Pheu Thai Party wins and becomes the government after completing the country's reform, that would be acceptable. But not now before the election," he said.

Jirachai's group has participated in the PDRC's rallies several times already, but this time they want to expand the scale of student power from only UTCC to the other campuses.

"This is the final battle for real democracy. We want reform before an election. We will stay at the Lat Phrao Intersection until we win. There must not be the election on February 2, and caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must resign, and we |have to set up the People's Council," he said.

Akanat Promphan, spokesman for the PDRC, said his group led by Suthep Thaugsuban will march today to drum up support for the Bangkok "shutdown".

They will start at the Democracy Monument at 8.30am and head to the Thon Buri side of Bangkok, passing along Pinklao Bridge, Arun Amarin, Charan Sanitwong, Sirindhorn Road, Krungthon Bridge, Samsen Road and Bang Lamphoo before returning to their major rally site.

-- The Nation 2014-01-07

So if Yingluck wins at the next election that is uite suitable and then he mentions that she has to go. Well done, your a very educated group of students. By the way, reform does not happen overnight, rather years of stabilitiy, rule of law being up held and democracy being adhered to. Guys your not exactly doing this, or have you not been told this by your Lecturer as yet?

Smart students know that you can't have any success with a "people's council" and reform before elected leadership. Thai students should know better.

Students should be protesting about the lack of quality education they recieve.I notice that objective reasoning isnt big on the agenda ,with that comes not believing in everything either party says ,and to ask serious questions about policy and reform .Sheep are easily lead .The pied piper of Bangkok has proven so in this instance.

Smart students know that you can't have any success with a "people's council" and reform before elected leadership. Thai students should know better.

Your wrong.

Students should be protesting about the lack of quality education they recieve.I notice that objective reasoning isnt big on the agenda ,with that comes not believing in everything either party says ,and to ask serious questions about policy and reform .Sheep are easily lead .The pied piper of Bangkok has proven so in this instance.

The one in exile also proved it in 2010, but in that case it was even easier to be the pied piper, just wave around some cash.

They want to reform the country? OK, they should understand the issues first, so it would be good to require all of them to spend a year in the countryside, working alongside ordinary people, so that their perspective becomes clearer. Maybe the leaders can volunteer.

Starting to sound more like October 1976, when the students joined the demonstrations against the government. Than like now the PM has ordered the military to control the demonstrations. I just hope the results are not the same.

They want to reform the country? OK, they should understand the issues first, so it would be good to require all of them to spend a year in the countryside, working alongside ordinary people, so that their perspective becomes clearer. Maybe the leaders can volunteer.

Sounds like a cultural revolution.

So if Yingluck wins at the next election that is uite suitable and then he mentions that she has to go. Well done, your a very educated group of students. By the way, reform does not happen overnight, rather years of stabilitiy, rule of law being up held and democracy being adhered to. Guys your not exactly doing this, or have you not been told this by your Lecturer as yet?

Changing his words to make an anomaly doesn't make him look stupid. Doing the same thing again and again, and getting the same bad result is the height of stupidity; because if something is obviously broken, you fix it before trying to use it again.

Try wearing a helmet.

They want to reform the country? OK, they should understand the issues first, so it would be good to require all of them to spend a year in the countryside, working alongside ordinary people, so that their perspective becomes clearer. Maybe the leaders can volunteer.

That worked so well in China. Next you will be calling for a Khmer Rouge style Year Zero, kill all those smarty-pants intellectuals.

That is exactly wrong: if this is "the last fight for reform", these students are just gullible sheep!

A "fight" for "reform" can not be fought on one day!

Peoples Council....

Both sides say reform, but neither is giving particulars, and that would be key to election results. What is reform? This should not be some vague issue, and right now it is very vague from both directions. Waiting for the military to hit the reset button is ridiculous. If reform means that the political map is redrawn, they need to make that clear now. If reform means that nothing changes and a small group grabs all the power, they need to make that clear now.

Thai politics is maturing. People want answers, not inflated phrases that are not actionable. The aftermath is unthinkable. I am thinking of critical mass, when too many active atoms are compressed into a small space and...disintegrate....

So if Yingluck wins at the next election that is uite suitable and then he mentions that she has to go. Well done, your a very educated group of students. By the way, reform does not happen overnight, rather years of stabilitiy, rule of law being up held and democracy being adhered to. Guys your not exactly doing this, or have you not been told this by your Lecturer as yet?

Changing his words to make an anomaly doesn't make him look stupid. Doing the same thing again and again, and getting the same bad result is the height of stupidity; because if something is obviously broken, you fix it before trying to use it again.

Try wearing a helmet.

Yes, i believe there are many guys much smarter as Cricketnut that have said trying the same thing over and over again expecting different results is crazy. That is what is happening, without a good cleanup of the constitution making corruption and graft harder (doubt they can abolish it fast) things will go like this.

The only reason crooks (Taksin is a corrupt crook he is convicted for it) come to politics is because there is money to be stolen. Without that money stream more honest people would go into politics to help the country ahead instead of their own pockets.

The anti governments have finally accepted that if they cant have a share of the pie (not all of them are angels for sure) then its better to make sure nobody steals. Sounds like a win win situation to me. Now is the time for reforms and everyone against it looks to be pro corruption.

I think that after reforms there is a good chance PTP gets back in power, and then this time their plans will be tested and contended like in a true democracy, checks and balances appear and corruption gets less. Sounds like a perfect thing to want.

Of course the head crook does not want something like this. I can imagine many crooks on the other side don't like it either but decided that if they cant have it nobody can. (so that leaves the country to benefit)

No democracy ever existed without equality! The concept of equality is the very foundation of democracy. How can Thailand shake off inequality and begin a new era.

alt=clap2.gif pagespeed_url_hash=892957568> Great job! Everyone whoever had some implication in any dirty business, crime and corruption should be banned for life to be eligible to run for elections.

No democracy ever existed without equality! The concept of equality is the very foundation of democracy. How can Thailand shake off inequality and begin a new era.

So your saying 'don't even try'.

You have any kids here?

Dear students, one advise:

"Don't get your behinds kicked once the tanks are rolling in Bangkok"

Democracy begins in the home .....and is supported by the education system in the schools. This is true for the democratized world....

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Smart students know that you can't have any success with a "people's council" and reform before elected leadership. Thai students should know better.

yes "smart students" are fighting FOR democracy the world over - here they are fighting AGAINST democracy

who are the "smart" ones? those in Myanmar helping Aung San Suu Kyi? those who helped bring elections in South Africa?

or those in Thailand helping to bring down democracy and support an attempted coup by imposing an unelected council? hmmm difficult one this...

They want to reform the country? OK, they should understand the issues first, so it would be good to require all of them to spend a year in the countryside, working alongside ordinary people, so that their perspective becomes clearer. Maybe the leaders can volunteer.

That worked so well in China. Next you will be calling for a Khmer Rouge style Year Zero, kill all those smarty-pants intellectuals.

No, not at all. I was thinking more of a gap year/ peace corps type experience. It would be good for students and maybe even make them remotely employable

They want to reform the country? OK, they should understand the issues first, so it would be good to require all of them to spend a year in the countryside, working alongside ordinary people, so that their perspective becomes clearer. Maybe the leaders can volunteer.

That worked so well in China. Next you will be calling for a Khmer Rouge style Year Zero, kill all those smarty-pants intellectuals.

No, not at all. I was thinking more of a gap year/ peace corps type experience. I would be good for students and maybe even make them remotely employable

I doubt you were thinking at all, just exercising your bias against young people educated to recognise that change is badly needed, and do something about it.

The many comments on here about the "amart" and the "elite" are shot out of the water now.

The rubber farmers, the students, government workers, civil servants, many workers organisations and unions and now rice farmers are all on the offensive with the government

When they use the word 'reform', what exactly are they reforming? What are the plans? Have they evaluated the impacts? How are they going to resolve the problems? Have they predicted what problems lie ahead? What is their road map? What do they considered 'successes' and 'failures'? I encourage reform, but don't fall into someone else's trap by putting the people council in place of the elected officials.

So if Yingluck wins at the next election that is uite suitable and then he mentions that she has to go. Well done, your a very educated group of students. By the way, reform does not happen overnight, rather years of stabilitiy, rule of law being up held and democracy being adhered to. Guys your not exactly doing this, or have you not been told this by your Lecturer as yet?

You're a 'nut'. He said and I'll repeat it for your benefit, if PTP become the next government AFTER reform that is acceptable but NOT BEFORE reform. That there must not be an election on 2nd February and YS must resign now so reform can take place. Is that quite clear?

Twisting the content of the article does nothing to enhance your argument.

So if Yingluck wins at the next election that is uite suitable and then he mentions that she has to go. Well done, your a very educated group of students. By the way, reform does not happen overnight, rather years of stabilitiy, rule of law being up held and democracy being adhered to. Guys your not exactly doing this, or have you not been told this by your Lecturer as yet?

You're a 'nut'. He said and I'll repeat it for your benefit, if PTP become the next government AFTER reform that is acceptable but NOT BEFORE reform. That there must not be an election on 2nd February and YS must resign now so reform can take place. Is that quite clear?

Twisting the content of the article does nothing to enhance your argument.

what reform? by an unelected council? who are they? who will choose them? who will control and monitor them? how will the reform be evaluated? WHO decide's "now we have reform"? how do we trust a man involved with the Phuket scandal? what about the 15.8 million Thais who voted PTP? how do you 'educate' these people to (presumably) vote Democrat? what about the arrest warrant for Suthep? how to, legally, get rid of the Shinawat's?

The many comments on here about the "amart" and the "elite" are shot out of the water now.

The rubber farmers, the students, government workers, civil servants, many workers organisations and unions and now rice farmers are all on the offensive with the government

That's ok for the Yingluck apologists as they'll just denigrate students (as we see on this thread), government workers, civil servants, etc. etc.

They want to reform the country? OK, they should understand the issues first, so it would be good to require all of them to spend a year in the countryside, working alongside ordinary people, so that their perspective becomes clearer. Maybe the leaders can volunteer.

Just like all the Shin clan did. 555555

Student power is 'ignorant', not "innocent". A 10 year old suicide bomber is innocent.

And now for something completely different: a well-thought piece on the election process here in Thailand by an International observer.

Well worth the read, and one these "students" should have read.

http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/3812

It is is astounding to think that ANY political group attempting to disenfranchise its own populace from an election process could ever be a step in the right Democratic direction.

I think that all on here agree that the reform council cannot be of Suthep's chosing and neither can it be a PTP function.

The question is "who can facilitate the reforms to everybody's satisfaction?"

Maybe the army chief is the answer