Red shirts in Chiang Mai in favour of new capital in case of coup

[WhizBang]

Actually it might be a good idea. The reds can split Chiang Mei and the surrounding areas off from Thailand and set up ShinatwatraLand with Thaksin as King (or more likely Dictator).

But the kicker is, how will they finance their new country? Does anyone really think that Thaksin would dig deep (very deep) into his pockets to finance this. Highly unlikely.

So just more hot air from another brainless red.

[JRSoul]

Some red shirts are getting a bit emotional. I don't think they represent most red shirts nationwide.

Some are getting a bit emotional?? Good one.

"Tired and emotional" is an Aussie euphemism for "Phissed as a pharrot."

[JRSoul]

" The Post quoted Supon, a former policeman as saying "The majority of redshirts really like the idea of a separate state. If they stage a coup, we can live without Bangkok."

Yeah right. Then you will end up like other land locked metropolis' such as Loas, Afghanistan, South Sudan etc etc

Don't forget Switzerland

Oh right! All the world's banks will flock to a country run by the Shinawatras.

Or they could invent sow-wow clocks.

[coma]

" The Post quoted Supon, a former policeman as saying "The majority of redshirts really like the idea of a separate state. If they stage a coup, we can live without Bangkok."

Yeah right. Then you will end up like other land locked metropolis' such as Loas, Afghanistan, South Sudan etc etc

Don't forget Switzerland

Yes. But I don't think North / North Eastern Thailand will get the same amount of snow as Switzerland anytime soon.

[ramrod711]

This democracy thing confuses me. As i understand it, if you want to be elected to represent the folks in you riding, you have your name put on the ballot, and if you win you're in. You now represent these good people, they trust you to do what is best for them. There doesn't appear to be any other way to become an Mp, and only MPs can make laws. These laws can be very strict, especially when someone who wasn't elected runs the democracy. In Thailand we find this phenomenon, the cabinet has said that it is very difficult to decide how much influence this exiled, convicted criminal should have on the government and they are in constant Skype dialogue with him. The party slogan, proudly stated states, that what ever this person says, they will do. As difficult as that is to grasp, the next part is very wierd, the exiled person, in charge, doesn't believe in demacracy, he even said so. So people take to the streets, they say, this isn't democracy, the criminals name wasn't on the ballot, and it is, in fact illegal, for our elected representatives to be talking to this man, never mind taking orders from him. Then i see on Thai Visa that some foreigners are in favour of this, that it is perfectly ok. But, they say, if a person or group protests, that wouldn't be allowed in their countries.....i sure wouldn't want to live in those countries.

[taiping]

On a recent 3-day trip to Nan in the North I did not see a single plastic bag or other litter discarded anywhere. Early one morning outside the Guest House in a small Soi in Nan where I was staying, there was someone sweeping the Soi with a jacket saying "Volunteer" on it. Everything was neat and tidy.

Compare that to the situation near my condo at Cha-Am to the South. Plastic bags and rubbish in large amounts strewn everywhere beside the roads. It's a disgrace.

Maybe the North/South divide is more than just politics.

By the way, I was pleasantly surprised by the general prosperity of Nan and even (surprisingly) in the remoter areas in the vicinity like Pua and Chiang Klang. There was even a Tesco-Lotus in the latter town. Many road works in progress in the area. I don't believe the support for Phua Thai is due to the alleged vote buying to any significant extent. No doubt there is poverty in the remote areas, but even at the end of the road near the border with Laos I did not see any extreme poverty.

I do not support any political faction - I'm only reporting my observations.

[ShannonT]

Great idea, I think!

Once they're landlocked I wonder how they will get products, etc. delivered.

But they can try selling their rice 40% above market value. Any industry that produced would likely move to "South Thailand" (if there is North & South Thailand as the new states) where the minimum wage would probably be reversed to a level that reflects the actual qualification of workers.

Wonder how they will finance this new country then!

That's an easy one: SHIN-CASINOS INC. ! ! ! ! ! !

Great idea. All the rich Bangkok highso's will come to play. Shorter trip than to Cambodia.

[gerrythepoet]

To the Northeast, the spoils'

Economic Review

Thai manufacturers such as CP All Plc, Thai Beverage Plc and Siam Cement,plus foreign firms with Thai plants such as Panasonic Corp, Kraft Foods Group Inc and Fraser and Neave Ltd are gravitating towards the Northeast." If you look at all corporations- every single large-cap out there-they don't talk about Bangkok anymore. They talk about provincials," said Patrick Chang, head of Asean equity for BNP Paribas Investment Partners." The sexy stuff is the provincial urbanisation and the way it impacts consumption"

Well from the above it indicates that the Bangkok Elite are scared really scared of losing their grip in Thailand.

The floods have shown how vulnerable Bangkok is as a Capital City, talk was floated around forgive the pun of Korat or Khon Kaen being the next Capital.

So the Reds have a point but for a different reason not just the stronghold connection

Independence is a fairly difficult road to plan out but a civilised referendum is out of the box for the moment due to the moody guards.

Tough times ahead with the really big question on every one's mind where is the true allegiance going to lie in the coming years

[Nickymaster]

" The Post quoted Supon, a former policeman as saying "The majority of redshirts really like the idea of a separate state. If they stage a coup, we can live without Bangkok."

Yeah right. Then you will end up like other land locked metropolis' such as Loas, Afghanistan, South Sudan etc etc

Are you sure? According to the last election results, it seems to me that Bangkok would be the almost land locked metropolis in such a scenario. Even the entire North East of Bangkok is red:

From your OWN image: Bangkok results: Democrats 23, Pheu Thai 10

[AleG]

The DSI will be filling insurrection charges aaaaaaany moment now. Wait for it, wait, waaaaaaaait....

Falls asleep

[tcris52]

Sadly enough this might be the only solution.

Let's do it right. Two more cuts. Isaan separated from the North (and the rest of the country). The South separated from the rest of the country.

[Om85]

Some people blame Thaksin because of this split , but I think that this problem is not so simple as it seems to be and it has it roots deep in Thai history, a hundred years ago Thailand didn't exist, this part of the world was called Siam, and Siam was kinda empire(Lanna, Isaan, Laos, Cambodia, and the South) dominated(conquered) by the kingdom of Ayutthaya and they imposed their language, ways etc. Siam lost control over Cambodia, Laos and some other pieces of land but managed to keep the rest and I think that one of the reasons why they changed the name of the country to Thailand is because of fears of separatism from the North and Isaan regions, but this is only my humble opinion.

[Jingthing]

Thaksinland Seaport? Pattaya!

[Mr Yim]

The friendliest people, the prettiest girls and a better quality expat live in the North and North East. Foreign investment would be relocate there due to the low risk of flooding and good communications with Lao. Already many companies are moving to Khon Kaen and the Chinese are buying land like like it was going out of fashion. Without the racist Democrats (ha ha) a better relationship would be forged with Cambodia. The North and North East would retain its land of smiles. The South would be run by corrupt nationalists, where everyone is fighting to get to the trough.

[Nickymaster]

Why not? Bangkok is sinking anyway, literally and figuratively.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Bangkok-is-Worlds-Best-for-4th-year-30210861.html

[bigbamboo]

" It is likely the government will move to Chiang Mai. We can defeat tanks because we have the numbers," Kawang added. "

The stark reality is that many, many people within the UDD actually think like this. The broadcasts of UDD radio are filled with images like these. There is rhetoric. And then there is this. When pictures like these are being imprinted on the minds of others it is not hard to see that at some point reason itself becomes expendable.

And maybe Thaksin will return to lead his troops from the front, as he promised he would back in 2010. On that occasion just as things started to get a bit serious he remembered he had a prior engagement shopping with the family in Paris otherwise I'm sure he would have been there.

[ShannonT]

" The Post quoted Supon, a former policeman as saying "The majority of redshirts really like the idea of a separate state. If they stage a coup, we can live without Bangkok."

Yeah right. Then you will end up like other land locked metropolis' such as Loas, Afghanistan, South Sudan etc etc

Are you sure? According to the last election results, it seems to me that Bangkok would be the almost land locked metropolis in such a scenario. Even the entire North East of Bangkok is red:

From your OWN image: Bangkok results: Democrats 23, Pheu Thai 10

Not sure what you mean. If you read my original post, I said the ENTIRE NORTH EAST of Bangkok was red. See the little Mini Map in there? That's Bangkok. Right side = red.

So, we have over 30% of Bangkok red, plus over half the rest of the country.

Seems to me the only ones at risk of being land locked would be Bangkokians.

[Theoutsider]

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

Red shirts in Chiang Mai in favour of new capital in case of coup

BANGKOK: -- The red shirt movement in Chiang Mai province has prepared a retreat for caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should the military stage a coup d'etat.

In that case, Yingluck government can be relocated to Chiang Mai, the home province of the Shinawatra clan, with the Northern city becoming the capital.

Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted red shirt activist, Mahawang Kawang, as saying that their movement is large enough to challenge the military.

"We are not afraid. All the red groups will unite. We are willing to sacrifice our lives," said Kawang, president of the alumni association of Yupparaj school in Chiang Mai where Yingluck was once a student.

"It is likely the government will move to Chiang Mai. We can defeat tanks because we have the numbers," Kawang added.

Red shirt supporters have spread rumours that the military will intervene to quell the ongoing chaos in the country caused by antigovernment protests led by former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban. Suthep has led 'Bangkok Shutdown' campaign since January 13, seeking national reform

The Post reported that some experts consider the government relocating as an unlikely prospect.

Red shirt organiser Supon Fumuljaroen, a former classmate of Thaksin, is now vicechairman of the UDD in Chiang Mai province. They both hail from the small town of San Kamphaeng, about 30 minutes drive from the city of Chiang Mai.

The Post quoted Supon, a former policeman as saying "The majority of redshirts really like the idea of a separate state. If they stage a coup, we can live without Bangkok."

Pinkaew Laungaramsri, a sociologist at Chiang Mai University, said the northsouth divide meant that Thailand was breaking up.

"If the government is kicked out then Yingluck will be invited to set up a government here in Chiang Mai," she said.

-- The Nation 2014-01-30

It's not a 30 min drive.

[BrooklynNY]

I am certain that if Thailand was divided, the other part would do well on its own without those red shirts and Thugsin.

Edited January 30, 2014 by BrooklynNY

[NormanChomsky]

put yourselves in the shoes of people from isaan for example.....Each time your democratically elected government by huge majority gets overthrown by upperclass coups, then surely your logical course of action would be to want autonomy.

[Mosha]

" The Post quoted Supon, a former policeman as saying "The majority of redshirts really like the idea of a separate state. If they stage a coup, we can live without Bangkok."

Yeah right. Then you will end up like other land locked metropolis' such as Loas, Afghanistan, South Sudan etc etc

Are you sure? According to the last election results, it seems to me that Bangkok would be the almost land locked metropolis in such a scenario. Even the entire North East of Bangkok is red:

From your OWN image: Bangkok results: Democrats 23, Pheu Thai 10

Plus every bye election since 2010 PTP have lost I believe.

[RubbaJohnny]

" The Post quoted Supon, a former policeman as saying "The majority of redshirts really like the idea of a separate state. If they stage a coup, we can live without Bangkok."

Yeah right. Then you will end up like other land locked metropolis' such as Loas, Afghanistan, South Sudan etc etc

Yup they really struggle in Leichtenstein Andorra and Switzerland the richest countries in Europe,Vatican,Austria not doing too bad either.

Once the Slowvaks checked out even the Bohemians are doing fine albeit recovering from decades of Russian serfdom.

I think a soul cotrolled by geography is limited.As to your substantive point I think the split unlikely as America wouldn''t like it.This is why the Chinese may encourage a new "Lanna" planner .Interesting times.

[Suffinator]

Civil War = No Tourists and No Foreign Investment = No Money = Bankrupt Country... sounds like a plan

[15Peter20]

Some red shirts are getting a bit emotional. I don't think they represent most red shirts nationwide.

Some are getting a bit emotional?? Good one.

Well, compared to Suthep's protesters over the last 3 months I think most red shirts have been positively stoic, wouldn't you agree?

[pete66]

oh god - time to leave Chiang Mai

[johnthompson]

If they split how are the northern provinces going to get their funds? And without funds how are Shinawatras going to keep up their populist policies. Surely most taxpayers are bangkokians and big corporates centered in and around bangkok.

[ShannonT]

put yourselves in the shoes of people from isaan for example.....Each time your democratically elected government by huge majority gets overthrown by upperclass coups, then surely your logical course of action would be to want autonomy.

That unfortunately is the sad truth of this whole mess.

The more you try and control and oppress people, the more freedom they want.

This is the first time I've heard Thai people talk about dividing the nation, but I'm sure we'll hear much more about this in the near future.

[brucegoniners]

PERFECT!!! I was going to suggest two separate countries. We can call the one in the North and Northeast "Ignorance" and the rest Thailand.

[pete66]

put yourselves in the shoes of people from isaan for example.....Each time your democratically elected government by huge majority gets overthrown by upperclass coups, then surely your logical course of action would be to want autonomy.

An autonomous Isan. How to make poor people much much poorer. They would really thank you for that.

[Cuchulainn]

Run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run run run...........................