Video: Thailand is spiraling out of control

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thailand is spiraling out of control

Human rights groups have warned that the political situation in Thailand is spiralling out of control after three months of increasingly violent protest

Source: Channel 4 News

[MacWalen]

Hopefully it doesn't split in two.

[TVGerry]

1:30

Ah ah uh uh I think you have to ask for the army.

Oh Yingluck!

Edited January 30, 2014 by TVGerry

[Costas2008]

MacWalen, on 30 Jan 2014 - 21:40, said:

Hopefully it doesn't split in two.

It has been split in two a long time ago, and the butcher's name that cut Thailand in two is Thaksin Siwanatra.

[STEELINOX]

Simmer down peeps, ya get to vote on the situation in a few !

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Prbkk]

Ah ah uh uh I think you have to ask for the army.

Oh Yingluck!

I wouldn't be blaming YL for that comment. She is very astute.

[kurnell]

I thought Thaksin had the support in Isaan, not Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai?

[englishoak]

Isn't a great advertisement for tourists or very encouraging it'll improve. Bound to turn a lot more off from coming here this year.

[DiamondKing]

Might be the only solution just like what happened in India

[davejones]

So, who's planning to leave Thailand. I already have a Plan B. Will probably leave for a while anyway, as it's just getting worse and worse and could explode at any time. I don't want to be around when that happens.

If you left, where would you go. My next choice has always been Phnom Penh, but that seems to be going the same way.

Malaysia maybe or Europe for a while. Oh, hang on, there's a civil war about to start there as well.

Edited January 30, 2014 by davejones

[Finkelstein]

I thought Thaksin had the support in Isaan, not Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai?

Yes the family is from Chiang Mai - but Nakhon Sawan no I wouldn't think so too...

5:07 Now THAT is scary... And again makes other allegations about intimidation of the ricefarmers all that more trustworthy...

[fleeing]

Absolutely heart-wrenching to see the family of the farmer who killed himself. That could just as well be my in-laws in Nakhon Sawan province.

Perhaps the PDRC's proposal to give more power and responsibility to directly elected provincial assemblies, is not so stupid, and may be an inevitable solution to this regionalism that seems to be tearing Thailand apart.

[Neurath]

Tragic, absolutely tragic. Prime Minister Yingluck a good hearted, feeling, marionette jerked this way and that. When people look at her, especially those in her own party, they don't see her. They see her brother. She is invisible to them. She's a cypher, and only as useful as what can be read about her brother's needs and wants. An avatar. Sad, very sad.

[pedro01]

Fair & balanced reporting. Well done Channel 4.

[Yahooka]

I thought Thaksin had the support in Isaan, not Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai?

Has a just as big supporter base there as in Issan.

[fleeing]

I thought Thaksin had the support in Isaan, not Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai?

Yes the family is from Chiang Mai - but Nakhon Sawan no I wouldn't think so too...

5:07 Now THAT is scary... And again makes other allegations about intimidation of the ricefarmers all that more trustworthy...

With the 2011 elections Pheu Thai gained support of nearly all the rice-growing provinces exactly because of the promised rice-subsidy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2011_Thai_general_election_results_per_region.png

[zydeco]

So, who's planning to leave Thailand. I already have a Plan B. Will probably leave for a while anyway, as it's just getting worse and worse and could explode at any time. I don't want to be around when that happens.

If you left, where would you go. My next choice has always been Phnom Penh, but that seems to be going the same way.

Malaysia maybe or Europe for a well. Oh, hang on, there's a civil war about to start there as well.

Malaysia is already cleaner and better organized. But it's much more expensive. Vietnam also a possibility--I've been around Vietnamese since I was in my early 20s; while I like them, they are hard nosed, all business, and vicious in a way that Thais cannot imagine. But I will not go back to the US. If I was 10 years younger, it might be worth while to go to Myanmar and watch it build up.

[draggons]

And if it all does totaly spiral out of control I think we'll need to keep our heads well below the parapet.

[surangw]

spiraling or circling the drain ?

[davejones]

And if it all does totaly spiral out of control I think we'll need to keep our heads well below the parapet.

Yes, I think so. Too many farangs on here stirring things up as well.

[nottocus]

This ain't gonna stop after the election. Yellows will be unhappy, which will make the reds unhappy and same old same old.

It can only escalate and when something extremely significant to Thailand happens in the future……KaBOOM!

[nottocus]

This ain't gonna stop after the election. Yellows will be unhappy, which will make the reds unhappy and same old same old.

It can only escalate and when something extremely significant to Thailand happens in the future……KaBOOM!

[phka]

it might not be such a bad thing if it was split in two it could save a lot of lives better than civil war if it came to that, berlin was split in 2 ireland split in 2 vietnam korea to name a few, could reunite at a later day when the 2 political rivals pass away of old age

[bigbamboo]

MacWalen, on 30 Jan 2014 - 21:40, said:

Hopefully it doesn't split in two.

It has been split in two a long time ago, and the butcher's name that cut Thailand in two is Thaksin Siwanatra.

Not so much split in two as carved up.

[RKASA]

So, who's planning to leave Thailand. I already have a Plan B. Will probably leave for a while anyway, as it's just getting worse and worse and could explode at any time. I don't want to be around when that happens.

If you left, where would you go. My next choice has always been Phnom Penh, but that seems to be going the same way.

Malaysia maybe or Europe for a while. Oh, hang on, there's a civil war about to start there as well.

I was thinking the same thing 40 years ago - something has changed here? Nope. Maybe I ll just hang around a few more then.

Oh - I know the army does not kill as many or as often anymore - now that's change we can all live with - even if the price of Kowpot is way up from 5 baht a plate.

[love1012]

Ah ah uh uh I think you have to ask for the army.

Oh Yingluck!

I wouldn't be blaming YL for that comment. She is very astute.

Of course she is - and you know astute when you see it dont you?

[lovetotravel]

Tragic, absolutely tragic. Prime Minister Yingluck a good hearted, feeling, marionette jerked this way and that. When people look at her, especially those in her own party, they don't see her. They see her brother. She is invisible to them. She's a cypher, and only as useful as what can be read about her brother's needs and wants. An avatar. Sad, very sad.

If she was good hearted, she'd do the right thing. Tell the truth and do what's best for the people. Not her brother and her family. She may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she's far from dumb. She know's what shes doing and it isn't good for the country. If she had killed the amnesty bill last year, we wouldn't be here. It was within her power to do so, or to resign. She did neither.

[Emptyset]

I thought Thaksin had the support in Isaan, not Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai?

Yes the family is from Chiang Mai - but Nakhon Sawan no I wouldn't think so too...

5:07 Now THAT is scary... And again makes other allegations about intimidation of the ricefarmers all that more trustworthy...

I don't see what some guy in CM has to do with intimidation of rice farmers. If true, it would've been someone local. I am surprised you are shocked by what the red shirt DJ says. Surely it's just obvious? I have been telling (Thai) supporters of Suthep's council that if it comes to pass it'll require massive repression and bloodshed to suppress the red shirts and they either don't seem to care or are oblvious to it... quite remarkable.

[wellwell]

I thought Thaksin had the support in Isaan, not Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai?

Yes the family is from Chiang Mai - but Nakhon Sawan no I wouldn't think so too...

5:07 Now THAT is scary... And again makes other allegations about intimidation of the ricefarmers all that more trustworthy...

With the 2011 elections Pheu Thai gained support of nearly all the rice-growing provinces exactly because of the promised rice-subsidy.

2011_Thai_general_election_results_per_region.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2011_Thai_general_election_results_per_region.png

I keep seeing that election result map popping up today.

I dfon'r know why people are still pimping it, because it means absolutely zero now.

I spent this evening talking almost exclusively about the elections and the troubles here in Thailand at the moment. The contrast of opinion about the PTP compared to 2 and a half years ago could not be so vivid.

PTP has lost MASSIVE support up here in the north now..... Yes I live in the north, and I have not found a single person willing to vote for them, they are hated here now, and it is just the UDD and their red shirt minority brigade of thugs that for some reason cling to supporting this rabble. I would say that 70% of the red on that map is either against Thaksin now, or at best swing areas.

The most interesting thing, is that I wanted to know if the PTP are buying votes still in the north, and not a single person has been approached by anyone. The wife's cousin has been trying to contact the lead campaigners to see where the money is available, and not a single baht being offered because the Dems are not running..... That says a lot doesn't it.

But I was being told that even if they get paid by PTP they are going to put their X in the 'no vote' section.

PTP seem pretty smug that this is a one horse race. But the number of votes counted will reveal the real and true picture. I would not be surprised if their count came to something like 8 million as opposed to over 15 million last time out..... Even if they secured 11 million votes, it woiuld have spelled a major defeat had the Dems run.... I can tell you that now, because I am there in the north talking to all the EX-PTP voters.

[SamMunich]

Folks, if you have been living here together or door to door with Thais how can you now already talk about jumping ship?

One thing is, that in Thailand things normally don't get as bad as they might look from afar. Unless you insist (like e.g. news photographer, who'se job it is to be right in the middle), then there is little chance of getting hurt.

Then again, Thais will be glad to hear somebody, who is not directly involved, to call for calm (as opposed to compromise). That could be YOUR mission in the ongoing conflict. Else, why don't you just stay in the office or at home,- just as on a regular day?

Slim chance anybody will fire a M-79 into your appartment...

Instead think positive, live positive.

Edited January 30, 2014 by SamMunich