Suthep to unblock Bangkok and return traffic space to Bangkokians Monday

[cnxdefyer]

I hope he has enough people left to be able to move all his stuff. They will have to do several trips each.

I am glad to see that he has been beaten at last.

Now we need to finish the elections and move on.

Unfortunately your use of the word 'beaten' highlights the lack of understanding of the need for reconciliation - Beating people doesn't provide reconciliation. It suppresses it.

That is perhaps what you seek suppression of opposition? Yes? Hardly a democracy.

Thailand for all Thais and not those who only vote PTP. The millions of protesters still exist, the grievances still exist and haven't been beaten anymore than Abhisit beat the Reds. You can't beat your own people.

This is an honest fair and great response.

Edited March 1, 2014 by cnxdefyer

[ManofReason]

I had a very interesting chat with a high ranking politico yesterday (father of a friend).

His firm advice was for this Sunday ''stay at home'' and ''avoid Bangkok..!!

Now this news has broken that the ''Bangkok Shutdown'' has been quickly abandoned.....

Coincidence..??

Time will tell. If nothing happens will you come back and let us know that you told the high ranking father of a friend politico that he's full of shi...

[jero]

"We will stop closing Bangkok and give every intersection back to Bangkokians. We will stop closing Bangkok from Monday. I have to apologise business operators for disruptions to their activities and Bangkokians for making more traffic congestion during the Bangkok Shutdown," he said."

No doubt he will be compensating everyone who lost money from the donations that were made to his "war chest"

How about compensating the nearby business that had to close temporarily or suffered significant downturn in customers?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[harber8]

So this weekend is our last chance to stroll roads along Sukhumvit/Asoke/Rajprasong?

Better'd take some photos of the sites as souvenirs first.

Hope Suthep does not get the clever idea to raise funds by (instead of dismantling) selling the stages and the light/sound systems at these sites, as-is, to the Reds ...

I think you might be right!!! Shutep is going to sell the stages, light and sound systems he's been hireing to the red shirts.

Seriously man. Don't post such utter rubbish.

[Nervosa]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

What's with all the flag-waving in the other thread on this news item?

Just another day as the clock runs down on the caretaker gov. Not long now.

Let's see if the army moves all its Bangkok bunkers. I don't think they are in place for the protests - they are there waiting for the redshirt reaction to yet another elected government being bundled out.

Thing is, after the wind is taken out of everyone's puffed up hubris, how are the elite going to design an electoral system in which they don't lose time after time?

How to design a system so that the trough is at such an angle that the swill naturally flows to the fattest pigs?

Given the cyclic nature of Thai politics, this article is still relevant: http://www.cfr.org/thailand/thailand-democratic-failure-its-lessons-middle-east/p24485

This ain't over by a long stretch...

An interesting article! Little could the authors have predicted about what actually happened in Thailand or Egypt or Tunisia since 2011.

The problem for the middle classes is that they forget about the poor and economic inequality and in the case of the Middle East, the political power of religion.

The only ways that the middle class can regain power in Thailand in the longer term are to either remove democracy entirely which is what Suthep was ordered to try and achieve or they could be more populist than Thaksin - offer the poor a stake in the country's prosperity. Abhisit kind of tried this when he introduced universal old age pensions - but it was too little, too late. The Democrat party can no longer be the vehicle for this - it is too wedded to the Ruling Elite. They need a new party with new leaders that can play Thaksin and his friends and family at their own game. Only then can they legitimately wrest power from the Shinawatras.

Millwall, I can just agreed with you.

[Dogmatix]

In the endgame hub the endgame of shutdowns in nigh.

[Dumu Ali]

Very confusing! Importing mobs, exporting mobs, promoting mobs, mob marketing what next ?? International Hub of Mobs? The Bangkok air was fresher without the traffic so nice if reduce traffic without mob somehow

[nycjoe]

I stayed at the intercontinental and they were at 20% occupancy. I am sure they will be thrilled.

Happy, joyous and free

[CockneyGit]

I had a very interesting chat with a high ranking politico yesterday (father of a friend).

His firm advice was for this Sunday ''stay at home'' and ''avoid Bangkok..!!

Now this news has broken that the ''Bangkok Shutdown'' has been quickly abandoned.....

Coincidence..??

Time will tell. If nothing happens will you come back and let us know that you told the high ranking father of a friend politico that he's full of shi...

Will do. I'll see him again in the week.

Hopefully nothing will happen today.

[rebelplatoon]

What I saw the last days doesn't seem like a few old ladies in wheelchairs nor 5 people in a phone booth. I think there are talks behind the scene and he is going by the rule book. Great to hear they clean up the mess, we couldn't say that for the Taksin paid "protestors" back in the days. I hope now there is at least the possibility for talks. A government without Suthep or any Shin clan members would be a relief. Maybe an acting PM until all is well. A privy council member? I saw a retired high court judge on the list who has never been involved with politics. Just a thought. People on the Suthep side should start checking out independent news reels. Red shirts should turn off their red channel and check what's going on. It would help a lot. Or maybe just take all those channels off the air so the spilling of hatred can finally be stopped?

[beautifulthailand99]

Good to see the street cleaning has begun - saw this in Sala Daeng earlier this afternoon.

[ManofReason]

What I saw the last days doesn't seem like a few old ladies in wheelchairs nor 5 people in a phone booth. I think there are talks behind the scene and he is going by the rule book. Great to hear they clean up the mess, we couldn't say that for the Taksin paid "protestors" back in the days. I hope now there is at least the possibility for talks. A government without Suthep or any Shin clan members would be a relief. Maybe an acting PM until all is well. A privy council member? I saw a retired high court judge on the list who has never been involved with politics. Just a thought. People on the Suthep side should start checking out independent news reels. Red shirts should turn off their red channel and check what's going on. It would help a lot. Or maybe just take all those channels off the air so the spilling of hatred can finally be stopped?

I think the generally accepted numbers are:

6 wheelchair grannies

100 homeless Bankokians

60 (ex?) navy seals

1 fat slob western reporter Michael Yon

2000 t-shirt / noodle / whistle vendors

1-200 paid imports from the south

and...

4 genuine Bangkok protestors (including Suthep)

Edited March 2, 2014 by ManofReason

[steven100]

I hope he has enough people left to be able to move all his stuff. They will have to do several trips each.

I am glad to see that he has been beaten at last.

Now we need to finish the elections and move on.

I know where you can get some really cheap rice if you and your cronies are interested.

BTW ... the protesters may hinder the route chosen for the tanks hence they were asked to move.

just heard in one consistancy where 400 people were eligable to vote today only 30 turned up .... says alot for the legitimacy of the so called election ...haha ... I think it's good bye Yingluck

Edited March 2, 2014 by steven100

[speedtripler]

Tanks cannot move quickly with the crowd there.

actually tanks can move at the same speed whether people move or stay ......just theyde leave a trail of ketchup behind

[ManofReason]

I hope he has enough people left to be able to move all his stuff. They will have to do several trips each.

I am glad to see that he has been beaten at last.

Now we need to finish the elections and move on.

I know where you can get some really cheap rice if you and your cronies are interested.

BTW ... the protesters may hinder the route chosen for the tanks hence they were asked to move.

just heard in one consistancy where 400 people were eligable to vote today only 30 turned up .... says alot for the legitimacy of the so called election ...haha ... I think it's good bye Yingluck

"It appears that it has dawned on the army that Mr Suthep’s bid to preserve the role of the establishment might well backfire. Safer for everyone, then, that his insurrection should be boxed into a public park".

The above is a quote from an interesting new article in The Economist. You should read it. The circus is over and the good guys won. It's all just face saving from here on in.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed. This is not about the red shirt gathering up in Udon/Khon Kaen, stay on topic.

[speedtripler]

bankokians should surround the park and lock him in for 6 weeks

barricade the exits so everyone who thought it was smart to block the roads

for 6 weeks gets a taste of their own medicine for the same 6 weeks .......if only.......

[Goat Roper]

bankokians should surround the park and lock him in for 6 weeks

barricade the exits so everyone who thought it was smart to block the roads

for 6 weeks gets a taste of their own medicine for the same 6 weeks .......if only.......

And that accomplishes exactly what?

[ManofReason]

bankokians should surround the park and lock him in for 6 weeks

barricade the exits so everyone who thought it was smart to block the roads

for 6 weeks gets a taste of their own medicine for the same 6 weeks .......if only.......

And that accomplishes exactly what?

Well for one thing, it will free up the presidential suite at the Dusit Thani

[Old Man River]

What's with all the flag-waving in the other thread on this news item?

Just another day as the clock runs down on the caretaker gov. Not long now.

Let's see if the army moves all its Bangkok bunkers. I don't think they are in place for the protests - they are there waiting for the redshirt reaction to yet another elected government being bundled out.

Thing is, after the wind is taken out of everyone's puffed up hubris, how are the elite going to design an electoral system in which they don't lose time after time?

How to design a system so that the trough is at such an angle that the swill naturally flows to the fattest pigs?

Given the cyclic nature of Thai politics, this article is still relevant: http://www.cfr.org/thailand/thailand-democratic-failure-its-lessons-middle-east/p24485

This ain't over by a long stretch...

Great article.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[speedtripler]

bankokians should surround the park and lock him in for 6 weeks

barricade the exits so everyone who thought it was smart to block the roads

for 6 weeks gets a taste of their own medicine for the same 6 weeks .......if only.......

And that accomplishes exactly what?

they disrupted bkk and peoples livlehoods for 6 weeks

now they should have no opportunity to make money for 6 weeks

and be forced to live through 6 weeks discomfort

[ManofReason]

What's with all the flag-waving in the other thread on this news item?

Just another day as the clock runs down on the caretaker gov. Not long now.

Let's see if the army moves all its Bangkok bunkers. I don't think they are in place for the protests - they are there waiting for the redshirt reaction to yet another elected government being bundled out.

Thing is, after the wind is taken out of everyone's puffed up hubris, how are the elite going to design an electoral system in which they don't lose time after time?

How to design a system so that the trough is at such an angle that the swill naturally flows to the fattest pigs?

Given the cyclic nature of Thai politics, this article is still relevant: http://www.cfr.org/thailand/thailand-democratic-failure-its-lessons-middle-east/p24485

This ain't over by a long stretch...

Great article.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Kraisak Choonhavan, from the opposition Democrat Party of which Suthep was also a member, said the time to end the street protests was appropriate because they failed to force Yingluck from office.

"The most important thing is the fact that the protests are not going to resolve anything if it keeps on the way it is; you know, spread out with four or five stages spending as if there is no tomorrow on entertainment and yet getting hit on a nightly basis with gunmen. So you have to try different things," said Kraisak.

[jennywren]

Such a long time ago, but this morning as I drove to work on rama 4 from Asoke towards Soi 22, there were banners over the road saying No Mob and other things in Thai. They were being removed at around 8am.

It was outside Klong Toey market and there was quite a crowd of locals looking down the road at it.

Any thais see it or read what they said in Thai? Have the locals had enough? There were 1,000's of Red shirts living there in 2010.. have they all changed sides? or are they waiting for something?

Perhaps Suthep is not as popular as he and his media friends try to portray

[Mentors]

I guess there is some very big move behind the heavy curtain during this young month...