Defiant Thai protesters disregard poll with fresh efforts to force out PM
No solution seen to Thailand’s dysfunctional political status quo
Reuters in Bangkok

Anti-government protesters planned to forge ahead on Monday with efforts to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, a day after a disrupted election that is unlikely to settle Thailand’s long-running political conflict.

The demonstrators blocked balloting in a fifth of the country’s constituencies and say Yingluck must resign and make way for an appointed “people’s council” to overhaul a political system they say has been taken hostage by her billionaire brother and former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Sunday’s election, which the main opposition party boycotted, is almost certain to return Yingluck to power and, with voting passing off peacefully across the north and northeast, Yingluck’s supporters will no doubt claim a legitimate mandate.

But the vote is unlikely to change the dysfunctional status quo in a country popular with tourists and investors yet blighted by eight years of polarisation and turmoil, pitting the Bangkok-based middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poor, rural supporters of the Shinawatras. [read more]

Full story: http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1419789/defiant-thai-protesters-disregard-poll-fresh-efforts-force-out-pm

-- South China Morning Post 2014-02-03

Ignorance is bliss. Yes, why does a vote matter? No way in hell she leaves now!

The Shinatwatras have bought a lot of time to posture and secure alliances in Thailand. You can bet that Mr. Thaksin and Ms. Yiingluck will appear in 80% of the news stories for the next six months and beyond. You can bet that the Thai press will be engendering conflict and acrimony on a daily basis rather than reporting and opinionizing what needs to be done and how to do it. Let's get some Thai leaders to appear - real leaders not round up the usual suspects. Let's hear what those "leaders" are proposing - specific roadmaps on how Thailand is to evolve.

So what else protesters can do? They have spent 3 months on the streets and tons of cash on night entertainment, just to pack up and go home to drink sensless kao lao?

You really want to f'ck YL's sh't up, Suthep? Pour all of that money you were handed into nationwide voter education and a get out the vote blitz.

I smell a Nobel PP, baby!

"Defiant Thai protesters disregard poll with fresh efforts to force out PM"

People are prohibited by law from discussing the movers and shakers in the current conflict or mentioning the names of those who cannot be mentioned openly and truthfully. Discussions of this nature are illegal in Thailand. At best one needs to read between the lines.

Why would they quit now? The goal was to rid the country of the Shinawatras politically, they're not gone....yet. No one i know would be happy to accept the fact that the country is being run by an exile. As long as he calls the shots there will be trouble, Samak, Somchai and Thaksin himself have tossed, Yingluck will be next. PTP, or whatever they call themselves next would be well advised to shed the Shins, win elections and serve the people. If they insist on serving Thaksin instead of serving their country, the killings, protests and corruption will continue.

The PTP has played this well. I didn't expect they would be able to pull the election off. 80% successful is good given the ass Suthep has plenty of backing from high up. Thailand has a winner now.

The last brainwashed yellow thugs, still following Suthep like stupid barking dogs, did not get it yet... Their irrational and violent fight is lost !

The people won. Democracy won.

Were they fed with some kind of mushrooms? They seem to fly so much above the real world... Funny

Chalerm, please round them up now, please...

Sent from my iPhone...

And interesting is the dog that didn't bark. The army hasn't been heard from the last few days. A good sign which means a judicial coup by one of the kangaroo courts is unlikely as they wouldn't try mischief unless sure the generals have their back.

The PTP has played this well. I didn't expect they would be able to pull the election off. 80% successful is good given the ass Suthep has plenty of backing from high up. Thailand has a winner now.

Was that even a question????.... Seriously????

Suthep and his cohorts are toast but simply don't know it. He will have a minimal hardcore of supporters and guards who will do their best to wreak havoc until the powers controlling him pull the plug an throw him aside.

The last brainwashed yellow thugs, still following Suthep like stupid barking dogs, did not get it yet... Their irrational and violent fight is lost !

The people won. Democracy won.

Were they fed with some kind of mushrooms? They seem to fly so much above the real world... Funny

Chalerm, please round them up now, please...

Sent from my iPhone...

The closer we get to the end of the Thaksin regime, the wilder the claims of the cult-like Red followers. It feels sometimes like the Branch Davidians have risen from the grave.

These loonies need to pack up an go home. They have been trounced. The people have spoken: they want to be able to choose their government, not have it dictated to them by corrupt former politicians like Suthep, D-list celebrities no one ever heard of, and the likes of the beer heiress. Fortunately Thai people have better sense and are brave enough not to be intimidated by the hired goons.IT'S OVER...

A post in violation of this forum rule has been removed:

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Until the surname Shinawatra is drummed out of Thai politics, this unrest will prevail un-till the cows come home, there will always will be an undercurrent of hate between the two factions forever, no doubt a bout that , Thaskin Shinawatra has brought shame to Thailand and he's sister is carrying on the name and flying the flag of corruption.

The last brainwashed yellow thugs, still following Suthep like stupid barking dogs, did not get it yet... Their irrational and violent fight is lost !

The people won. Democracy won.

Were they fed with some kind of mushrooms? They seem to fly so much above the real world... Funny

Chalerm, please round them up now, please...

Sent from my iPhone...

The closer we get to the end of the Thaksin regime, the wilder the claims of the cult-like Red followers. It feels sometimes like the Branch Davidians have risen from the grave.

Funny thing is, they are White and they are backing a Government, that is racist in many ways. For example, two of my buddies went in and signed up for the 2000 Baht per year medical for foreigners, a few weeks ago. Today, I wanted to put it to the test (even so it would be very unlikely, that I would ever use it)

The wife and I, went to the local hospital, to apply for it and we were told that the Government clarified the policy and it is only for Burmese and other foreign workers, not people like me (White, or White foreign workers). I couldn't really care less, as I am covered by my home Country, for 6 month, every year and pay cash most of the time, anyways, but it does show how racist this Government is.

There are many teachers, who get paid low wages in this Country, who are white foreign workers. Only allowing Asian foreign workers access to this program, is clearly racist. So was Thaksin's comment, that "Farangs bought up MOST of the agriculture land in Thailand and that is why Thai people don't have enough to eat.

So if you guys want to keep spouting of your support for a Government that will take your money, but doesn't like you and would gladly see you gone forever, as long as you keep sending them money, you go right ahead

The last brainwashed yellow thugs, still following Suthep like stupid barking dogs, did not get it yet... Their irrational and violent fight is lost !

The people won. Democracy won.

Were they fed with some kind of mushrooms? They seem to fly so much above the real world... Funny

Chalerm, please round them up now, please...

Sent from my iPhone...

How do you benefit from PTP? Why the cheers for such graft and endless violence, kleptocracy? They're going to be out, it is only a matter of time; we all know that, and one can clearly see that. The people didn't win, why would you say such silly things? PTP are not democracts either. Neither the protesters, along with anti-rice scheme farmers yellow shirts. You are way, way off the mark. Just takin' the piss?

It has to be said that Thai people receive a lot of flak on TV from many posters and in many forums.

It should be recognised just how brave the people have been to go out and vote in the face of harassment, intimidation and violence. Especially the voters of Bangkok.

Putting aside the politicians for the moment, this has been a massive victory for democracy and the people.

They have shown they can defeat the crazy Amnesty bill. They have refused to back down to Suthep's fascist thugs. Now they need leaders to emerge from the ranks of the ordinary people.

That picture of the elderly woman holding aloft the chains broken from the polling station in Din Daeng can become a symbol for the breaking of chains in a wider context. We can hope that real reform will now take place and if politicians wish to know where to start then they should begin by trusting the people.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

SCMP wrote: "...election that is unlikely to settle Thailand’s long-running political conflict." In this regard they have more intelligence in HK than some posters here, who think the election is over and that was it.

Election statistics are way too tricky to trust: Remember, the US President is to be elected (indirectly!) by the majority of the American electorate, but in fact not over 50% but only over 25% is enough. Only half of those elegible to vote do use their right.

Similar here: If one of the candidates gets more votes than the others and he has only around 20%, he is still elected, even though he can't say he represents the will and intentions of most of the people in his district.

From some figures I read late yesterday (Sunday), about 25% didn't vote and of the rest 20% voted "no vote". So the "winner" had to be first among the 60% of all voters, which is much easier to acchieve... These are not totals, just some figures to indicate a trend.

So let's be serious, this election was more of a North Korean style, with only one party and a few "others" to make it look nicer. And btw that is the proof: North Korea holding elections, so... it must be a democracy (Not my opinion, but the logic of the red-shirts). Or the elections in the former East Germany: 99.x% for "The Party" plus a few toe-lickers around it.

And most important, the issue at hand is not over as hoped for by Taksin & Co., only the next steps will most likely be by courts.

It has to be said that Thai people receive a lot of flak on TV from many posters and in many forums.

It should be recognised just how brave the people have been to go out and vote in the face of harassment, intimidation and violence. Especially the voters of Bangkok.

Putting aside the politicians for the moment, this has been a massive victory for democracy and the people.

They have shown they can defeat the crazy Amnesty bill. They have refused to back down to Suthep's fascist thugs. Now they need leaders to emerge from the ranks of the ordinary people.

That picture of the elderly woman holding aloft the chains broken from the polling station in Din Daeng can become a symbol for the breaking of chains in a wider context. We can hope that real reform will now take place and if politicians wish to know where to start then they should begin by trusting the people.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I'll second that.

Suthep and his merry band are no longer a major threat to Thailand's stability. The fact that they are having to consolidate their rally sites due to ever decreasing numbers reflects that.

However as long as the Democrats refuse to take part in any dialogue regarding elections, reform or anything else the country will remain on the edge of the precipice.

Unless there is dialogue this judicial posturing will continue on for months until one side finally uses the judiciary to vanquish the other. Meanwhile the country is falling apart as foreign investment dries up, projects are stalled or cancelled across the board and people begin to lose their jobs and livelyhoods.

Yingluk should be smart to let another redshirt leader now step in, even announce her intent. This allows her to raise up anothr Red shirt leader to become PM and she now gracefully leaves and allows the nation to move on. Her family will still have influence but not the direct influence that has been so divisive. Its her opportunity to gracefully move on.

A flame post has been removed as well as a reply.

And interesting is the dog that didn't bark. The army hasn't been heard from the last few days. A good sign which means a judicial coup by one of the kangaroo courts is unlikely as they wouldn't try mischief unless sure the generals have their back.

Kangaroo courts? Explain?

These loonies need to pack up an go home. They have been trounced. Fortunately Thai people have better sense and are brave enough not to be intimidated by the hired goons.IT'S OVER...

Did you cut and paste from a post after 2010?

Until the surname Shinawatra is drummed out of Thai politics, this unrest will prevail un-till the cows come home, there will always will be an undercurrent of hate between the two factions forever, no doubt a bout that , Thaskin Shinawatra has brought shame to Thailand and he's sister is carrying on the name and flying the flag of corruption.

Just in case you hadn't noticed, Thai politics is divided along family lines and has been for a very long time. The current problem exists precisely because the old families (cannot name them of course - let's just say they own some big banks, big dept. stores, big hotels etc.) who have been in power for a very long time do not like the new upstart family coming along and thinking that they can play in the same sandbox. That new family is the Shins of course. And guess what - they got power the smart way - through the ballot box. Like it or not, they went out into the provinces and spent money on people who had been ignored for generations. Vote buying, pork barrelling - call it what you like but it is common practice right around the world. The forces lined up against the Shins are huge. They have a lot to lose. But the Shins have been very clever. They now have the high moral ground. If the old guard want to win they now have to play by a new set of rules. The rural poor won't be hoodwinked the way they have been in the past. The old guard now have to go out and win the hearts and minds. Google some photos of Abhisit on the campaign trail in Isaan and see how uncomfortable he looks. Do the same for Thaksin. See the difference.

Disclaimer - I am not a red shirt supporter, simply an interested observer.

Defiant Thai protesters have to SHUTDOWN 2 site...... my guess, lack of protesters during day time.

These loonies need to pack up an go home. They have been trounced. The people have spoken: they want to be able to choose their government, not have it dictated to them by corrupt former politicians like Suthep, D-list celebrities no one ever heard of, and the likes of the beer heiress. Fortunately Thai people have better sense and are brave enough not to be intimidated by the hired goons.IT'S OVER...

Fine......They can all go ahead and drown in a mire of corruption then.

These loonies need to pack up an go home. They have been trounced. The people have spoken: they want to be able to choose their government, not have it dictated to them by corrupt former politicians like Suthep, D-list celebrities no one ever heard of, and the likes of the beer heiress. Fortunately Thai people have better sense and are brave enough not to be intimidated by the hired goons.IT'S OVER...

46% of the people have spoken. We don't know what percentage of those voted "None of the above".

But I forget, 46% is a huge majority, isn't it?