Respect my vote is political genius. Peace and love will always trump violence and hatred. Gandhi knew this. So did Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. Suthep needs to learn it.

Agree with the sentiment, but I'd leave mother Theresa out of it. (She was a villain with a very specific agenda of maintaining poverty depending on who you talk to, but anyway....)

^^ I was just going to post about that.

People have argued and reported quite convincingly that Mother Theresa rejoiced in others' suffering much more than she tried to soothe it.

What's with this fascination Thaksin's supporters have with fire?

Are they Thaksin supporters?

From Pro-govt UDD to counter ‘Bangkok shutdown’

Mr Vorachai called on students, businessmen and people who disagreed with the PDRC’s Bangkok shutdown on Monday to gather and rally at eight major spots in the capital including Victory Monument, Asoke, Silom-Saladaeng, Ratchprasong, Pathumwan, The Mall Bangkapi, The Mall Tha Phra, and Imperial Lat Prao tomorrow from 4 pm to 6 pm.

“Let me emphasise that we will rally tomorrow. We will not demonstrate in the PDRC’s demonstration sites on Monday,” he said.

So apparently yes.

Well I reckon this campaign is a good idea and it even may gain a little traction amongst the mud slinging from the two opposing sides.

It seems to reflect the thoughts of most the Thai people I know.

Shame this didn't start sooner as it may have gathered real momentum

Good to see people as a group making their voice heard

without someone else doing it for them and only doing it there way.

I think people will latch onto this after the Shutdown.

I hope a true voice that represents the people comes forward.

Thai Politics

Definition of Insanity

Doing the Same thing over and over again and expecting a different result

Schoolyard stuff

There was a group of around 200 people travelling down Lad Prao rd earlier, in the area of two of the sites mentioned for activity today, but there were no "respect my vote" placards that I could see.

They were wearing white shirts and held placards mainly in Thai but some English "Bangkok Open 24/7".

I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to respect other's votes if they were sure that they'd voted in good conscience and not been paid 500Baht and given a free day out to the polling station by the local Puu Yais, who, along with the local police chief, are all taking backhanders from the mill owners, casino owners and other organised crime sub-bosses who are themselves a rung down from some party list MP.

There's no such thing as democracy in Thailand; it's a feudal country run by allegiance to one power group or another.

Why are the signs in English, So Johnathon Head can read it I suspect, I it really surprises me how the BBC has become so one sided as Fox in the states, regardless of your opinion, if any on these shinagainas in Thailand.

It really highlights how the BBC is no longer a credible news source for anything. I used to kind of trust the BBC compared to the others.

BBC is reporting the truth - you don't like the truth so you slate the BBC

comparing the BBC to Fox is like comparing Santa to Jack the Ripper

OPEN your ears and eyes

half the world is fighting FOR democracy and here they fight to shut it down and you support it? Amazing Farang

Respect my vote

=

Don't make 'pre-election promises only'

Make doable promises only

Represent me the voter, rather than you the MP

Hearing voices raised in support of democracy from some of Bangkok's top universities doesn't fit the narrative about the uneducated brown yokels that some on here like to parrot. The latter pour scorn upon lighting candles, but seem to tolerate ping-pong ball bombs. I know which plays best in the international news.

I am sooooooo sick of this!

If you don't bow to the mighty Suthep, you are a Thaksin- supporter!

Don't you ever get bored of this black/white (red/yellow)- rethoric?

yes and as I have said zillions of times... NONE OF THEM ARE DEMOCRATIC. So,people... STOP ESPOUSING. That my vote blah blah bloody blah is Democratic here.

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At last, real students doing what students throughout the World do - supporting the right to vote and defending democracy.

A change from those middle-aged thugs that Suthep passes off as "students", hell bent on fighting, shooting and looting, in between beating up taxi drivers, that is!

"Respect my vote" will be the slogan that saves Thailand from slipping down into the cesspit of fascism, Suthep style.

but democracy pardon my laughter... Shin style is Democratic?. oh get off the grass and take your Prozac!

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At last, real students doing what students throughout the World do - supporting the right to vote and defending democracy.

A change from those middle-aged thugs that Suthep passes off as "students", hell bent on fighting, shooting and looting, in between beating up taxi drivers, that is!

"Respect my vote" will be the slogan that saves Thailand from slipping down into the cesspit of fascism, Suthep style.

excellent post and right on the button

peaceful demo trying to keep the REAL issue alive

we might not always like what democracy brings us but it has to be a preference to a dictatorship and an unelected elite

even if the government is in by way of BUYING their way in? ummm I don't think that is right way to govern either

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At last, real students doing what students throughout the World do - supporting the right to vote and defending democracy.

A change from those middle-aged thugs that Suthep passes off as "students", hell bent on fighting, shooting and looting, in between beating up taxi drivers, that is!

"Respect my vote" will be the slogan that saves Thailand from slipping down into the cesspit of fascism, Suthep style.

excellent post and right on the button

peaceful demo trying to keep the REAL issue alive

we might not always like what democracy brings us but it has to be a preference to a dictatorship and an unelected elite

True democracy, absolutely.

But, really, do you think the Shin clan are anymore interested in democracy than Suthep's mob? I suggest the Shins would respect the electoral system whilst it works in the favor. Should it not, they would ignore it in the same way they ignore laws and other procedures they don't like.

Throwing out a corrupt government is as much a part of democracy as one man one vote. Being elected doesn't make your corruption legal.

Reforms are needed to protect democracy in Thailand - and neither of the factions currently vying for power and control are really interested in democracy, are they?

and I agree 100 %

Did any of you from the USA throw your hands up saying " I didn't vote for him because I didn't vote" and then complain?

True democracy is where the government respects what it is there for. Buying or assuming power does not justify actions.

A true ... Yes true majority is when all vote with their own intentions.. Not some or others bought.

That is Thailand. Buy a government. Not elect one. Same as your USA where corporate buy the senators ... Congress

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On a strangely funny note, The Nation had a pic of their current story about the current Candle Vigil going on now. They had a picture that showed the whole assemblage. The original title was "Hundreds attend candle vigil" I spent ten minutes and counted candles, and saw over 2000. I posted that I had counted camndles and they were way off in calculating attendance. I went back, they did not remove my post, but they changed the title to "Over a thousand attend" and they changed the picture to a zoom shot of part of the original picture, the heart of the crowd, so no one else could do what I did.

Amazing Thailand!

Pro-corruption and political fraud candle lighting sessions. I see the following of the cult of Shinawat is still thriving in a fog of ignorance.

Ouch

It must be a serious blow for you and the supporters of insane Suthep to finally realize that not everybody is looking forward to a bloodshed.

What a difference these (really) nice people and students make, compared to the mad dogs and "students" of Suthep kicking everyone and shooting everywhere

The voice of Yingluck and the voice of peace will prevail at the end.

There is nowhere to go for Suthep, except hell, once his criminal, naive, or brainwashed supporters will fade away...

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Pro-corruption and political fraud candle lighting sessions. I see the following of the cult of Shinawat is still thriving in a fog of ignorance.

You are very wrong. These are the actual students taking a stand. It is one of neutrality asking for peace.

To date, we have been treated to descriptions of Suthep's protestors as being heavily supported by university students. Anyone who has seen the protestors knows they do not represent the students at the majority of Thai universities. Now, when actual students come out to say no to violence you dismiss them.

Again, they are not supporting the government or the PTP. Instrad they are saying no to the protests and no to Suthep. Very, very big difference.

On a strangely funny note, The Nation had a pic of their current story about the current Candle Vigil going on now. They had a picture that showed the whole assemblage. The original title was "Hundreds attend candle vigil" I spent ten minutes and counted candles, and saw over 2000. I posted that I had counted camndles and they were way off in calculating attendance. I went back, they did not remove my post, but they changed the title to "Over a thousand attend" and they changed the picture to a zoom shot of part of the original picture, the heart of the crowd, so no one else could do what I did.

Amazing Thailand!

No. Amazing Nation Media Group.....................

[...] I spent ten minutes and counted candles, and saw over 2000.[...]

That´s the spirit.

I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to respect other's votes if they were sure that they'd voted in good conscience and not been paid 500Baht and given a free day out to the polling station by the local Puu Yais, who..............

.

.........etc., etc., etc., (as Yul Brynner said). It's too bad there isn't a forum rule against broken records. The 'Respect my vote' campaign is a great way for the pro democracy majority to show their opposition to fascism.

What's with this fascination Thaksin's supporters have with fire?

Are they Thaksin supporters?

From Pro-govt UDD to counter ‘Bangkok shutdown’

Mr Vorachai called on students, businessmen and people who disagreed with the PDRC’s Bangkok shutdown on Monday to gather and rally at eight major spots in the capital including Victory Monument, Asoke, Silom-Saladaeng, Ratchprasong, Pathumwan, The Mall Bangkapi, The Mall Tha Phra, and Imperial Lat Prao tomorrow from 4 pm to 6 pm.

“Let me emphasise that we will rally tomorrow. We will not demonstrate in the PDRC’s demonstration sites on Monday,” he said.

So apparently yes.

Why doe's it have to be so black and white. You are with us or against us. You do not support Suthep the idiot then you support Thaksin the criminal. Why on earth can't there be a middle road where some intelligent people support neither side or are these people in the middle laughing at both sides the real idiots.

I am sooooooo sick of this!

If you don't bow to the mighty Suthep, you are a Thaksin- supporter!

Don't you ever get bored of this black/white (red/yellow)- rethoric?

yes and as I have said zillions of times... NONE OF THEM ARE DEMOCRATIC. So,people... STOP ESPOUSING. That my vote blah blah bloody blah is Democratic here.

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True as that may be it doesn't give the whistle blowers the right to take away anyone's vote. The way to better quality politicians is to entrench democracy and the rule of law - not to abandon it altogether.

I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to respect other's votes if they were sure that they'd voted in good conscience and not been paid 500Baht and given a free day out to the polling station by the local Puu Yais, who..............

.

.........etc., etc., etc., (as Yul Brynner said). It's too bad there isn't a forum rule against broken records. The 'Respect my vote' campaign is a great way for the pro democracy majority to show their opposition to fascism.

Surely you would agree then that the current government did not respect people's vote and pushed through the amnesty bill which lead to all this mess, wouldn't you? Bear in mind the fact that 32% of Thai eligible voters voted for PTP. Did they respect the vote of people who were against the amnesty bill? No.

I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to respect other's votes if they were sure that they'd voted in good conscience and not been paid 500Baht and given a free day out to the polling station by the local Puu Yais, who..............

.

.........etc., etc., etc., (as Yul Brynner said). It's too bad there isn't a forum rule against broken records. The 'Respect my vote' campaign is a great way for the pro democracy majority to show their opposition to fascism.

Surely you would agree then that the current government did not respect people's vote and pushed through the amnesty bill which lead to all this mess, wouldn't you? Bear in mind the fact that 32% of Thai eligible voters voted for PTP. Did they respect the vote of people who were against the amnesty bill? No.

.

Surely I wouldn't agree. That's how democracy works. It may not be perfect but anyone who doesn't like it gets their say every four years at the election. What the anti-Democrat party should have been doing for the last two years is their homework. Work out which are the marginal constituencies and target them. Go there, kiss babies, convince people that Thaksin is a villain and above all show respect to the rural people instead of constantly saying they are too stupid to vote (see tedious 500 baht comment above). Put forward some candidates with a local Isaan background instead of English public schoolboys like Abhisit. But that's a lot of hard work, so instead they aren't going to bother standing, and instead hope that if they whinge enough and wreck the economy of Bangkok, then the army will hand them government house on a plate.

Beneath contempt.

Yingluck said it best "If you don't want me, don't vote for me".

This comment by Spalpeen is probably the best that I have seen in the weeks since this political crisis started.

The person who has failed most in all these weeks of argument and demonstrations is Abhisit. He has shown himself to be lazy, unimaginative and incapable of decisive political decision-making. He has hidden behind the rabble-rousing Suthep, the two of them playing a kind of nice-cop, nasty cop routine. Mr Abhisit evidently failed to learn anything about democracy at Oxford, and perhaps should go back for a refresher course. In the meantime his class-mate Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, England, is showing enlightened conservatives how they should do their job (even though he sometimes puts foot in mouth) in terms of winning votes by doing what most of the voters want most of the time.

Going back a few years, Mr Thaksin also knew what it takes.

It ain't rocket science.

I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to respect other's votes if they were sure that they'd voted in good conscience and not been paid 500Baht and given a free day out to the polling station by the local Puu Yais, who..............

.
.........etc., etc., etc., (as Yul Brynner said). It's too bad there isn't a forum rule against broken records. The 'Respect my vote' campaign is a great way for the pro democracy majority to show their opposition to fascism.

Surely you would agree then that the current government did not respect people's vote and pushed through the amnesty bill which lead to all this mess, wouldn't you? Bear in mind the fact that 32% of Thai eligible voters voted for PTP. Did they respect the vote of people who were against the amnesty bill? No.

.
Surely I wouldn't agree. That's how democracy works. It may not be perfect but anyone who doesn't like it gets their say every four years at the election. What the anti-Democrat party should have been doing for the last two years is their homework. Work out which are the marginal constituencies and target them. Go there, kiss babies, convince people that Thaksin is a villain and above all show respect to the rural people instead of constantly saying they are too stupid to vote (see tedious 500 baht comment above). Put forward some candidates with a local Isaan background instead of English public schoolboys like Abhisit. But that's a lot of hard work, so instead they aren't going to bother standing, and instead hope that if they whinge enough and wreck the economy of Bangkok, then the army will hand them government house on a plate.
Beneath contempt.

Clearly these people are the red-shirts (temporary dress in white) and support Thaksin,and quick like receive 500 Baht from Thaksin to vote for his sister (but I have no prove).

Is that all Thaksin have left? 200 people at best?

Their voice would not be heard when Suthep's "the people" come with their pee pee whistle.

Clearly these people are the red-shirts (temporary dress in white) and support Thaksin,and quick like receive 500 Baht from Thaksin to vote for his sister (but I have no prove).

Is that all Thaksin have left? 200 people at best?

Their voice would not be heard when Suthep's "the people" come with their pee pee whistle.

This comment sure ain't worth 5 bucks for a cup of coffee...................

Good to see these peaceful students. No surprise from 3 of the best universities in BKK. But to some their voice is less worthy, less shrill perhaps, than others

Absolutely right Prbkk.

In addition to the 3 headlined universities, it's good to see that students from Thammasat University are also active in the candle campaign. This shouldn't be a surprise. Thammasat was founded by Pridi Banomyong, perhaps the greatest ever hero of Thailand (or 'Siam' as it then was, and still should be). Pridi was instrumental in changing Siam/Thailand forever. He helped turn an absolute monarchy into a constitutional democracy, and was then exiled for doing so, though that wasn't the ostensible reason. Some of his story is told in one of the most engaging books written about Siam: Alexander Macdonald's 'Bangkok Editor' (1949).

Other parts of the story can be seen by visiting Thammasat University itself. Do go and see the sculpture area (just next to the big assembly hall) and then go and see, outside in the road leading to the river, the exhibition of images that has been placed on the outside walls of the university, telling the story year by year since its founding in 1934. It's a microcosm of Siam/Thailand: demonstrations, coups, students killed by the state, fascist leaders of Thailand/Siam, dubious rectors, dictatorship supported by the USA. An absolutely shameful history in many ways, and of course it's still continuing with the clampdown on democracy we have today.

That's why it's so shocking to see so many farangs on here, ignorant of history, trying to defend what Suthep is doing. It's the defence of quasi feudalism. Surely, eventually, Siam/Thailand has got to come into the 21st century, doesn't it?

Another great comment on this thread came from Melpomene with this quote: "The way to better quality politicians is to entrench democracy and the rule of law - not to abandon it altogether."

The rule of law is of course crucial, but I reckon Melpomene's 2 key words are:

"entrench democracy".

These 2 words are worth repeating time and again to Suthep and to other rabble-rousing politicians:

"entrench democracy"

"entrench democracy"

"entrench democracy"

Obviously one does not "entrench democracy" by abandoning it and refusing to stand in elections and cutting off water and electricity to the homes of elected rivals, even if those rivals have made numerous bad decisions.

I see the candle holding white/red shirts have their own thread so additional info transferred from a separate thread:.

Just spotted a group of around 200 people on trucks and motorbikes on Lad Prao rd making a lot of noise waving placards with "Bangkok open 24/7".They were wearing white shirts

They are known as the 3rd group trying to advocate no coup, no violence, pro-vote on Feb 2.They are actually led by red shirts (Korkaew Pikultong) masquerading as civil people to deceive those who believe Suthep is too radical, to join them in order to lull us into voting, which of course will turn into a farce as the EC plans to store the ballot boxes at Police Stations nationwide. They plan to lead a candle lit protest.Of course the candles will come in handy when you want to burn things.

Hmmmm... Yet another Red Shirt Leader violating his bail conditions.Korkaew Pikultong

Ahh yes, I forgot he was violating his bail.He'll probably plead either "insanity", "I forgot" or "an alien told me to do it".I guess jail "violates" people they therefore feel it necessary to "violate" their terms