Suthep kicks off Bangkok shutdown mass protest

[DocN]

yeah...for those of you who think, this is over and was so well handled ...you are right with the handling for today...but wrong on the "this is over"-part!

[falangadang]

"Suthep said last night that there was no negotiation with the caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"He said she now has one choice, to step down and leave the country."

If she goes north, do you have the balls to take your protests there?

She isn't going anywhere, fool. Though she may setup her government there, with or w/o a "coup" of various kinds occuring.

"If she goes north, do you have the balls to take your protests there?"

...oh please don't put suggestions in his mind. Things are nice and peaceful up here in CM and that's just the way we like it thanks!

actually,.. my wife spotted Yingluck and what appeared to be a couple of family members at the shopping mall a week or so ago. No crowds or protesters around,.. just a few people muttering "isn't that YL?" as she got closer to the checkouts.

She had a couple of minders with them on walkie talkies so it would appear that security had the situation covered.

Apart from that,.. just another Hi-So out for a bit of shopping (groceries this time).

[MobileContent]

Just called a Thai friend, a retired general, whose house is right on one of the roads used by the "protesters". He said that he went out to talk to them and found that many of the people he saw had been bused in from southern Thailand. They had been given 2,000 baht a piece for their "protesting" efforts. We are planning to get a group of us friends together and go protest tomorrow. What a great party we could have for 2,000 baht each.

That's strange, my wife and her friends as well as several hundred others from our village have been in BKK for several weeks protesting and no one has offered them any money to go. I had better let her know she is losing out .

Several hundreds from your village. That must be a big village. So I guess those hundreds of villagers must arrange for their own transportations as well. Must be working at some kind of farms linked to Comrade Suthep.

[fiberman]

Just called a Thai friend, a retired general, whose house is right on one of the roads used by the "protesters". He said that he went out to talk to them and found that many of the people he saw had been bused in from southern Thailand. They had been given 2,000 baht a piece for their "protesting" efforts. We are planning to get a group of us friends together and go protest tomorrow. What a great party we could have for 2,000 baht each.

That's strange, my wife and her friends as well as several hundred others from our village have been in BKK for several weeks protesting and no one has offered them any money to go. I had better let her know she is losing out .

My wife tells me they are offering 500bht per day in Kanchanaburi but very few takers.

Realistically I am sure it is happening, but I am sure that the average farmer around here (NST) earning 200 -300 Baht a day would jump at the chance! What I have been amazed at though is how militant everyone around here has become especially as the attitude has always been that it doesn't matter who you vote for, it's not going to any difference. If nothing else comes of this at least it may make Thais take their politics a bit more seriously which can only be a good thing.

[tullynagardy]

my wife and her friends as well as several hundred others from our village have been in BKK for several weeks protesting and no one has offered them any money to go

Do they not have jobs to go to? How do they fund this near 2 month holiday!?

It reminds me of those guys that sit beside Westminster in endless protests. Mere mortals like myself have to work for a living

[gerry1011]

Oh my, an estimated 10,000 people joined him.

So much for the millions then.

If Suthep doesn't have at least 1 million or even a few hundred thousand and can only muster 50,000 in total, he's not going to look too good as he said millions were coming.

10.000 protesters means "millions of Thais representing the "people"",... At least in the eyes of the naive anti-Thaksin farangs who support Suthep and his insanity.

Hopefully the real numbers do not mean anything substantial.

Suthep's irrational movement will be allianated by the Bangkok people themselves.

Yingluck and the reds can just wait peacefully, while the yellow thugs shoot themselves.

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

so your are a sane thaksin supporter. do you support the amnesty bill?

Of course

[fiberman]

Just called a Thai friend, a retired general, whose house is right on one of the roads used by the "protesters". He said that he went out to talk to them and found that many of the people he saw had been bused in from southern Thailand. They had been given 2,000 baht a piece for their "protesting" efforts. We are planning to get a group of us friends together and go protest tomorrow. What a great party we could have for 2,000 baht each.

That's strange, my wife and her friends as well as several hundred others from our village have been in BKK for several weeks protesting and no one has offered them any money to go. I had better let her know she is losing out .

Might be hoarding it in the "cunning kit"

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Cunning%20Kit

Nah, it would take more than 2000 Baht to get my wife to move if it was something she didn't believe in. She didn't even tell me she was going, just disappeared one evening and phoned me the next morning to tell me she was in BKK (and t o ask me to send her some money) .Saw her later that day on the TV jumping around like a loony.

[tullynagardy]

yeah...for those of you who think, this is over and was so well handled ...you are right with the handling for today...but wrong on the "this is over"-part!

haha so is Suthep going to have another FINAL, FINAL, Triple FINAL, promise this is the last one big push to follow on from todays FINAL FINAL double FINAL big push?

How many final pushes can their be? Ever hear about the boy that cried wolf?

[fiberman]

Just called a Thai friend, a retired general, whose house is right on one of the roads used by the "protesters". He said that he went out to talk to them and found that many of the people he saw had been bused in from southern Thailand. They had been given 2,000 baht a piece for their "protesting" efforts. We are planning to get a group of us friends together and go protest tomorrow. What a great party we could have for 2,000 baht each.

That's strange, my wife and her friends as well as several hundred others from our village have been in BKK for several weeks protesting and no one has offered them any money to go. I had better let her know she is losing out .

Several hundreds from your village. That must be a big village. So I guess those hundreds of villagers must arrange for their own transportations as well. Must be working at some kind of farms linked to Comrade Suthep.

Population 4000 and they paid their own fares on the train or bus (yes our village is really advance they have a train station).

[hansnl]

Perchance those ardent supporters of Thaksin and his ideals might find this an interesting view. The clip encapsulates succinctly why the Thai people want to see the Thaksin clan and their P.T.P. puppet gone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXa5O7VyUes

Certainly more interesting than the Suthep Stroll through Bangkok today

The 'protest' has been exceptionally well handled, allowed to take place with minimum interference by the current administration, how refreshing, especially when one recalls the the abysmal and inept performance of Abhisit and Suthep when facing simiar situations

I presume you want to forget the difference between the "protesters" then and the protesters now?

I mean in the violence department.

Not in the least by the leaders then who were very good in shouting "burn & destroyl".

[Sayonarax]

That falang lady painting Thai flags on protesters faces "in last closed thread" should be a little cautious I would say.

Crime of the century.

[fiberman]

my wife and her friends as well as several hundred others from our village have been in BKK for several weeks protesting and no one has offered them any money to go

Do they not have jobs to go to? How do they fund this near 2 month holiday!?

It reminds me of those guys that sit beside Westminster in endless protests. Mere mortals like myself have to work for a living

Nobody said they went for 2 months, many just go for a few days, come back for a few days and then go again. Most are just rubber farmers but I should add that a lot of teachers and government workers have been going, again just for a few days at a time.

[bobmac10]

smutcakes post # 18.

Yeah truly enlightening, I am sure 100% true as well. So much work and research must have gone into making that, I am sure it could be put forward for a Golden Globe it is just so full of interesting fact- a truly brilliant piece of work and simply unrepeatable.

Indeed you seem to find the facts uncomfortable .The truth hurts doesn't it?

I have seen some cunning stunts here over my 22 + years living here and Thaksin is the expert at formulating both deceit and self serving projects.

And in my 35 years of living here I've watched the poor become politically aware and that's why they vote for PTP.

Democrats are just the old clique, recycled again and again.

Every General when he retires moves straight into the businesses he cultivated through graft and favours during his time in the forces.

It has always been.

That is why the military won't let go of their grip on the throat of the Thai people.

The old families from earliest times control 90% of the economy.

Why would they let the poor spoil their party?

PTP and Thaksin recognised this and brought policies to give them a better go.

The yellows, Suthep and his ilk are just puppets for the real power in Thailand.

Thaksin was an upstart who didn't want to play in their game.

Reminds me a little of Anwar Ibrahim's situation in Malaysia.

He didn't want to play by Mahathir Mohammed's rules so trumped up charges were used to silence him.

Thaksin wasn't a cleanskin, show me one Thai politician who is, but when it suited the Dems, they dragged out the corruption mantra to demonise him.

And all the little public servants in their offices were told to get down to the airport in a yellow shirt and shut it down.

This is as transparent a game as one could wish to see.

I doubt whether the people will ever have real political power here until the military are told to do as they are instructed by a democratically elected government.

As seen in most Western democracies.

That is why Suthep came out with that outrageous idea of an unelected "people's council", they don't want an election, they can't win one.

So the tanks will be rumbling down the streets very soon.

[TVGerry]

Just called a Thai friend, a retired general, whose house is right on one of the roads used by the "protesters". He said that he went out to talk to them and found that many of the people he saw had been bused in from southern Thailand. They had been given 2,000 baht a piece for their "protesting" efforts. We are planning to get a group of us friends together and go protest tomorrow. What a great party we could have for 2,000 baht each.

That's strange, my wife and her friends as well as several hundred others from our village have been in BKK for several weeks protesting and no one has offered them any money to go. I had better let her know she is losing out .

My wife tells me they are offering 500bht per day in Kanchanaburi but very few takers.

Realistically I am sure it is happening, but I am sure that the average farmer around here (NST) earning 200 -300 Baht a day would jump at the chance! What I have been amazed at though is how militant everyone around here has become especially as the attitude has always been that it doesn't matter who you vote for, it's not going to any difference. If nothing else comes of this at least it may make Thais take their politics a bit more seriously which can only be a good thing.

Without any evidence it is happening, all we have is the word of someone who knows a 'general' and who claims his wife told him.

[tullynagardy]

Nobody said they went for 2 months,

You did, re read what you wrote. Makes more sense now.

[dunque]

..or as the BBC has it the 'shutdown' - they are obviously not convinced.

[BeachGuySamui]

Regarding the earlier posts where people are talking about 10,000 protesters, I would caution against believing any numbers you see in th media, but rather believe first hand accounts and aerial photographs. I live in Surat Thani and I can tell you that 10-20% of the businesses here are closed today, maybe more, because the owners are in BKK protesting. Those that are open are probably missing several staff.

Just to show how implausable 10,000 protestors is, let's look at BKK itself. Everyone agrees that BKK is fully against the current administration. Everybody agrees that Bangkok's population is 10 million or more. Thus, if only 1% of Bangkokians protested, that would be 100,000 protestors. I would guess it's more likely that there are 10 - 20% of the Bangkok public protesting today (they have the day off, why not?). Add to this all the folks from the South and it's hard to imagine that there aren't over a million, maybe several million.

Secondly, the comment about Southern protestors being paid 2,000 baht to go to protest probably requires more explanation. The Southerners I speak to truly believe what they are doing is right and good for the country and all the ones I know who go to BKK are certainly not making any money doing this. Many who want to go of course cannot go for business, family, or health reasons, so many of them pass the protestors some money to offset their travel, lodging, and food expenses.

I'm not saying I'm on the side of the protestors, I just want to clarify some things based on first hand information, rather than listening to the media.

[brewsterbudgen]

yeah...for those of you who think, this is over and was so well handled ...you are right with the handling for today...but wrong on the "this is over"-part!

Definitely not over. Wait until later tonight when the motorcycle taxis, bargirls and sex tourists can't get access to Soi Cowboy!

[fiberman]

Just called a Thai friend, a retired general, whose house is right on one of the roads used by the "protesters". He said that he went out to talk to them and found that many of the people he saw had been bused in from southern Thailand. They had been given 2,000 baht a piece for their "protesting" efforts. We are planning to get a group of us friends together and go protest tomorrow. What a great party we could have for 2,000 baht each.

That's strange, my wife and her friends as well as several hundred others from our village have been in BKK for several weeks protesting and no one has offered them any money to go. I had better let her know she is losing out .

My wife tells me they are offering 500bht per day in Kanchanaburi but very few takers.

Realistically I am sure it is happening, but I am sure that the average farmer around here (NST) earning 200 -300 Baht a day would jump at the chance! What I have been amazed at though is how militant everyone around here has become especially as the attitude has always been that it doesn't matter who you vote for, it's not going to any difference. If nothing else comes of this at least it may make Thais take their politics a bit more seriously which can only be a good thing.

Without any evidence it is happening, all we have is the word of someone who knows a 'general' and who claims his wife told him.

Just making a comment, don't really give a sh%t whether you believe my wife or not.Okay I confess, Suthep is paying me 2000 Baht a day to make comments on TV about him. Yingluck only offered 1000 so she's got no chance

[LadPhrao1]

Regarding the earlier posts where people are talking about 10,000 protesters, I would caution against believing any numbers you see in th media, but rather believe first hand accounts and aerial photographs. I live in Surat Thani and I can tell you that 10-20% of the businesses here are closed today, maybe more, because the owners are in BKK protesting. Those that are open are probably missing several staff.

Just to show how implausable 10,000 protestors is, let's look at BKK itself. Everyone agrees that BKK is fully against the current administration. Everybody agrees that Bangkok's population is 10 million or more. Thus, if only 1% of Bangkokians protested, that would be 100,000 protestors. I would guess it's more likely that there are 10 - 20% of the Bangkok public protesting today (they have the day off, why not?). Add to this all the folks from the South and it's hard to imagine that there aren't over a million, maybe several million.

Secondly, the comment about Southern protestors being paid 2,000 baht to go to protest probably requires more explanation. The Southerners I speak to truly believe what they are doing is right and good for the country and all the ones I know who go to BKK are certainly not making any money doing this. Many who want to go of course cannot go for business, family, or health reasons, so many of them pass the protestors some money to offset their travel, lodging, and food expenses.

I'm not saying I'm on the side of the protestors, I just want to clarify some things based on first hand information, rather than listening to the media.

" Everyone agrees that BKK is fully against the current administration. " No

Hope you're not considering a career in anything involving numbers or for that matter facts.

Agreed, you did definitely 'clarify some things' unintentionally.

How about evolution, for or against there?

[spidermike007]

I hope Mr Suthep will denounce the call by one of his leaders to sieze air traffic control.

Yes, that is one of the singularly most boneheaded ideas, especially coming on the heels of the goombahs promise to not disrupt transportation. But, if he is insistent on driving the baht down to 37, diminishing tourism to the point where we get treated very well everywhere we go, and lowering Thai real estate prices, so be it. We will all just have to live with that outcome. LOL.

[Centrum]

Just called a Thai friend, a retired general, whose house is right on one of the roads used by the "protesters". He said that he went out to talk to them and found that many of the people he saw had been bused in from southern Thailand. They had been given 2,000 baht a piece for their "protesting" efforts. We are planning to get a group of us friends together and go protest tomorrow. What a great party we could have for 2,000 baht each.

I think I know this general. In 2010 he told me he went outside to talk to the protesters and found that they all come from Isaan and were paid 2,00baht to sit at Rajprasong.

His name is General isation if I remeber correctly.

[Centrum]

Oh dear a thread about Suthep protest marching in Bangkok turns into another anti Thaksin rant......oh well......such is life on Tvisa

It would appear by the way, the protest was not overly well supported.......

you OBVIOUSLY weren't anywhere near a protest site, were you.

[belg]

^{15000 cops, 10.000 protesters, but the police can do ...NOTHING}

[BeachGuySamui]

Regarding the earlier posts where people are talking about 10,000 protesters, I would caution against believing any numbers you see in th media, but rather believe first hand accounts and aerial photographs. I live in Surat Thani and I can tell you that 10-20% of the businesses here are closed today, maybe more, because the owners are in BKK protesting. Those that are open are probably missing several staff.

Just to show how implausable 10,000 protestors is, let's look at BKK itself. Everyone agrees that BKK is fully against the current administration. Everybody agrees that Bangkok's population is 10 million or more. Thus, if only 1% of Bangkokians protested, that would be 100,000 protestors. I would guess it's more likely that there are 10 - 20% of the Bangkok public protesting today (they have the day off, why not?). Add to this all the folks from the South and it's hard to imagine that there aren't over a million, maybe several million.

Secondly, the comment about Southern protestors being paid 2,000 baht to go to protest probably requires more explanation. The Southerners I speak to truly believe what they are doing is right and good for the country and all the ones I know who go to BKK are certainly not making any money doing this. Many who want to go of course cannot go for business, family, or health reasons, so many of them pass the protestors some money to offset their travel, lodging, and food expenses.

I'm not saying I'm on the side of the protestors, I just want to clarify some things based on first hand information, rather than listening to the media.

" Everyone agrees that BKK is fully against the current administration. " No

Hope you're not considering a career in anything involving numbers or for that matter facts.

How about evolution, for or against there?

Apologies, I guess I should have said that "The majority of BKK supports the protesters," I had sort of thought that our readers here understood that aspect of my comment. Does anyone disagree with this comment?

As for numbers. 1% of 10 million is determined by multiplying 10 million by 0.01 and the product is 100,000. The balance of my estimates are simply estimates coming from what I've personally observed.

As far as my comments about "facts," everything I said was from first hand experience and thus a fact.

As for evolution. I believe that homo sapiens did indeed evolve over millions of years, but sadly, some of us still have a lot of evolving to do in order to catch up. For instance those of us who insult a perfectly objective, fact-filled post.

[Centrum]

This seems to be the death throes of Sutheps moment of fame and sadly he`ll want to go out with a bang before being arrested. What is clear is that ordinary people, regardless of their feelings on Yingluck, dont have the stomach for this and the economic damage it will cause.

The Dems have shocked me thoughout at how badly they`ve played their hand, which at times has been so strong Yingluck shoudn`t even have had a chance. With the amnesty bill, non payment of rice and other general discontentment, for the first time in years there was a visible gap between Shinawatras and the reds that was crying out to be exploited. The stage was set for a liberal smooth talker from the Dems to come out to promise the middle ground and investment to these Northern heartlands and landslide the next election.

Instead they backed Suthep

You should have got off your butt and taken a stroll through the protests sites, as I did today.

The crowds I saw today would be at least five times larger than the red shirts at the greatest.

I would think Suthep would be walking on air at the moment.

[F430murci]

hmp bears a striking resemblance to a cane toad.

pictures of any closed 7 elevens out yet?

And the kids love him too

Crazy ole kooter.

[rwdrwdrwd]

^{15000 cops, 10.000 protesters, but the police can do ...NOTHING}

Yeah, right, 10k.

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/422686218694823936/photo/1

[Evolare]

Just called a Thai friend, a retired general, whose house is right on one of the roads used by the "protesters". He said that he went out to talk to them and found that many of the people he saw had been bused in from southern Thailand. They had been given 2,000 baht a piece for their "protesting" efforts. We are planning to get a group of us friends together and go protest tomorrow. What a great party we could have for 2,000 baht each.

im not calling you a liar but 2000 baht is highly unlikely any southerners would go to bangkok for. this post is BS sorry but if you dont have solid evidence like thaksins 2010 blooper or people being filmed like at redshirt rallies getting paid you just seem silly.

however there are plenty of people that have been filmed driving up in nice cars, chartering entire planes driving up with speed boats, over crowded trains etc...I know several people demonstrating hat makes more than 2000 per day working.

[bronco10250]

i think social media has been used, to give the general public the impression a huge movement is underway against the current govt . today will indicate how many real followers they have , not just fb friends ... what i dont understand is why the democrats have not hit the road with real policies , real solutions and gained voter confidence , to then have at least a chance at winning an election ... that is the democratic way to get change for the better ...instead they take the bat and ball and go home , to now return and try and tear up the pitch .... childish !!!

You are so right! Just a joke this guy :-)