We favour a democratic Lanna republic, Chiang Mai group says

[ratcatcher]

Calling them red water buffalo is the first reason fr them to separate!! Now i know why PDRC called them that!

Carabao Daeng is very popular in Thailand especially with country folk.

[BLUENILE]

Petchawat said people who prefer dictatorship can move from the northern region to other parts of Thailand......therefore we advise foreigner to wear a red armband to show their sympanty or back up and move out

[StealthEnergiser]

This is another way of the tyrant Thaksin having all his wishes , cut the snakes head off and thailand may be more peaceful and united.

[smovi57]

No doubt they would bring Thaksin back as their democratic elected leader for life, succeeded by his son.

They would have their red army, red schools, red law for the masses with leaders exempt and anyone who didn't agree with them would be banned, like the singers.

And falangs.

[mrtoad]

Petchawat said people who prefer dictatorship can move from the northern region to other parts of Thailand......therefore we advise foreigner to wear a red armband to show their sympanty or back up and move out

Under Thaksin, the New Democratic Republic of Sinawatra will be far from democratic.

[smovi57]

democratic republic of taksin shinawatra buffaloes? The reality is nothing is made up there and everything would need to be imported from Thailand, including rice. Then they would become a land locked poor country like Laos. It would be economic suicide. Also all the people around Chiang Mai are from different ethnic groups and are not one people, so its not true you could have a united Lanna kingdom. idiotic thinking?

I have seen numerous rice fields in the north, no need to buy from Bangkok. I think they could survive on their own. It won't happen tho and it shouldn't happen. What next the people in the south set up their own little state? The Hi So's of Bangkok would be cut off and would have to actually set up their own rice fields in the city and work them.

where will they get there cars motorcycles, plasmas surround sound systems.

[whybother]

<snip>

Finally, as another poster in this thread stated, Thaksin is one of the richest people in the world.

The farmers in Issaan knows that and Thaksin has been helping the Issaan people for many years.

He would be welcomed back in Issaan and help the Issaan community and economic.

Not what Suthep did with his rally,

Rant on as much as you want, it is a fact that the idea of segregation will be the only way out for the Bangkokian hate culture.

You make it sound like Thaksin helped the people of Isaan with his own money.

How do you reckon he would go without tax payers money to split between himself and "the people"?

[BirdsandBooze]

Hong Kong's position within China isn't a good model for comparison. Maybe he means something along the lines of the United Kingdom in which Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own assemblies and budget. I'm not sure Thailand is politically mature enough for something like this to work though. Money would still disappear into politicians and officials pockets.

[lostinsurin]

No one is talking about suthep anymore.

[whybother]

Petchawat Wattanapongsirikul said the PDRL would just be a separate political system for the North, split from Bangkok, and not an independent state. He claims as many as four million out of six million northerners support the idea.

Any attempt to stage a coup or to shut down Thailand would result in a struggle to create an independent Lanna Republic, which he insisted would continue to respect HM the King as head of state. He claims to have the support of 80 per cent of people in the North, including those who are not red shirts.

Maths isn't his strong point, is it?

[johnthompson]

Funny how he accuses Bangkok for wanting a dictatorship. Yet it is actually Thaksin that shows the most characteristics of a dictator. Lets see

1) Abuse of power for personal gain

2) Fleeing from justice

3) Trying to whitewash his crimes by implementing a new law

4) Tries to get an elected senate so that he can just buy his way in and replace all the members of the senate with friends/family

5) Having all political positions occupied by family members or friends.

[thesetat2013]

Should the North separate and form their own Gov I would seriously doubt that they would receive any money from taxes paid by the rest of Thailand and if the people who are not in the North learned they were supporting this PRDL they would put an end to it quickly. Since this is where the majority of money comes from for the Ministries and Gov then I find it hard to believe it would be a functioning Democratic Gov. Perhaps with Thaksins billions they could get a new Gov started but without continuous monies collected they could not survive for long.

The North doesn't control all the water supply as stated by some here. This comes mostly from Central Thailand so it is not an issue that would affect Bkk or the South. I do believe that there would be a chance that the rest of Thailand would boycott any products from this new Gov as they are easily bought in other parts of Thailand or imported cheaply from neighboring countries.

I do understand the desperation to make such a claim to be openly discussing this idea. It is secession surely and to do this carries a serious punishment. I think that the ones openly talking about this will find that if it does not happen they may wake up one day to soldiers and a hanging squad. I am just surprised it has not happened already.

Anyone who has been following the news can see why these people are talking about separating and forming a new Gov. It has nothing to do with Democracy. It has everything to do with pressure from the REDS and PTP and i also seriously doubt this has the approval of 80% of the Norths population.

YL is losing control. She is faced with litigation that will only increase in numbers with time. Which means Thaksin will lose his chances to return.

The Reds who are led by the PTP are facing the real conclusion that they will not be in power here for much longer and so many of them will also be facing litigation. What better reason for them all to be thinking about separating. Every crook knows eventually they will be caught. This has been their thinking for 6 months now and this has been their plan to escape punishment. 1+1 will always add up to 2.

What really surprises me is WHY the army has not march to the North and taken these people into custody yet. Secession is still secession no matter how you try to make it look pretty by saying they will still respect the King as head. They have already openly ridiculed the king. Some have already expressed their desire to make Thaksin a king. These things are of the most severe crimes in Thailand and should have been addressed immediately. So why has the Army not interneved? The REDS and PTP have openly stated in an article a few days ago that they are seeking 600,000 young men to join their party. To me this means 600,000 soldiers. A small Army in their own right. If the Army waits to long they may find it difficult to keep the North or to stop secession.

As for the Democracy the PTP is claiming to worship and follow and their desire to protect to the death. They have no clue what Democracy means. If they think for a second Democracy is about voting for a leader by the majority they are soooo wrong. This is only a small part of it. This Gov has forgotten Democracy and throw the word majority around like it is gospel. Once they have their (PRDL) they will start doing the same they have done here. It will soon be a Dictatorship even if their fearless leader was voted for by a majority. The difference will be that the PTP will have more people (600,000) to quell any would be protesters.

[FiftyTwo]

This group is as representative of Northern Thai public opinion as the the Tonbridge Wells Nazi Party is of UK public opinion. Chiang Mai isn't going anywhere.

What if they offered citizenship to foreigners with a Thai spouse?

The current system hates foreigners, any change has to be for the good IMHO.

I often wonder about foreigners that appear to support a system that is so completely broken.

There is nothing good about the current government, it's opposition, or any part of the existing selfish and corrupt system.

[ratcatcher]

No one is talking about suthep anymore.

I guess the same could be said of Yingluck wherever she is at this moment in time.

Suthep's work is almost done anyway. Yingluck's has just begun.

[Thait Spot]

Headbands clearly say republic

Red shirt says King remains the head of state

Those 2 statements are contradictory

Why would they want an army of 800,000+?

The CM red shirts do do have a good track record. Murdering opposition candidates, attacking gay marches.

Proclaiming 80% support is not democratic. Let them try it though the ballot box

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Thai at Heart]

When bangkok receives 14 times the public service spending per head to the rest of the country, there has to be something that needs to be done to modify that situation.

[binjalin]

this people so stupid.

go away from my country please !!

they maybe stupid but they are Thai?

anyway it will never happen

[FiftyTwo]

Funny how he accuses Bangkok for wanting a dictatorship. Yet it is actually Thaksin that shows the most characteristics of a dictator. Lets see

1) Abuse of power for personal gain

2) Fleeing from justice

3) Trying to whitewash his crimes by implementing a new law

4) Tries to get an elected senate so that he can just buy his way in and replace all the members of the senate with friends/family

5) Having all political positions occupied by family members or friends.

A dictatorship is where you don't get to vote for the big boss.

Thaksin and Yingluck were both elected by the people, so not a dictatorship.

The yellow leaders were chosen by coup, so dictators.

Dictatorship isn't defined by corruption, it's defined by lack of votes.

1,2,3 Not connected to dictatorship.

4,5 is normal democracy in action, if you don't like it, don't vote for him.

[AleG]

this people so stupid.

go away from my country please !!

I guess you are from BKK and that is why you are calling them stupid and looking down on them.

As the great philosopher said: Stupid is as stupid does.

The only poll I've ever seen on Red (and Yellow) Shirt numbers put the reds with 7% membership and another 7% sympathizers, and that was a couple years ago when there was less discontent.

Even assuming 7% of the population still call themselves Red Shirts only the most lunatic fraction would support such idiocy as a Democratic Republic of Lanna. So let's put that 80% claim to the test and have a referendum in the prospective separatist states, you know, the democratic way, not just claiming to have the support of a majority as Red Shirts love to profess but never prove.

[WhizBang]

I think there may be a misquote here...

Petchawat said people who prefer dictatorship can move from TO the northern region

Also, I doubt he has any clue what a Republic actually means. From Wikipedia... 'In modern times the definition of a republic is also commonly limited to a government which excludes a monarch.'

Lese Majeste anyone.

[smovi57]

Thaksin always one move ahead.

[johnthompson]

Funny how he accuses Bangkok for wanting a dictatorship. Yet it is actually Thaksin that shows the most characteristics of a dictator. Lets see

1) Abuse of power for personal gain

2) Fleeing from justice

3) Trying to whitewash his crimes by implementing a new law

4) Tries to get an elected senate so that he can just buy his way in and replace all the members of the senate with friends/family

5) Having all political positions occupied by family members or friends.

A dictatorship is where you don't get to vote for the big boss.

Thaksin and Yingluck were both elected by the people, so not a dictatorship.

The yellow leaders were chosen by coup, so dictators.

Dictatorship isn't defined by corruption, it's defined by lack of votes.

1,2,3 Not connected to dictatorship.

4,5 is normal democracy in action, if you don't like it, don't vote for him.

I know what a dictatorship is. You don't have to lecture me.

I am just saying that he shows the characteristics of a dictator. And if he keeps on getting elected in the future he is going to slowly take away the power of the people and transform it from a faux dictatorship to a true one. Tweak a few laws here and there. Add a few that only benefits his family. They probably wouldn't notice it until its too late.

[WhizBang]

When bangkok receives 14 times the public service spending per head to the rest of the country, there has to be something that needs to be done to modify that situation.

Yes, I agree, the system is completely lopsided and broken. This is why reforms are so desperately needed.

[Thai at Heart]

When bangkok receives 14 times the public service spending per head to the rest of the country, there has to be something that needs to be done to modify that situation.

Yes, I agree, the system is completely lopsided and broken. This is why reforms are so desperately needed.

You think Suthep bunch are going to enact this reform?

Do what?

Reduce Bangkok's spend and move it outside? Or tax everyone more to spend it in the regions?

Somehow I don't think that type of reform is what Suthep was thinking about.

[noikrit]

..... Just like the "Democratic " Republic of North Korea dictated by the Kims ... The Shins Dynasty will dictate the Rpublic of Lanna .... Go ahead!!!! and take ya Thai Rouge Thugs with you ! The rest of thailand will say thank you more then 3 times !! .... Amazing Lanna ...

[aussieinthailand]

this people so stupid.

go away from my country please !!

"this people so stupid" " "go away from my country" It's this kind of thinking of people such you is why Chiang Mai, (lanna) are talking this way. anyone who has read some of your comments here will know just what kind of attitude you have to other people, ie your slave fishing comments, "why we care, not Thai people,"

and your, we don't need you people we don't need your money comment,

It is absolute fact that (NOT ALL) but many people are very bias and discriminate against people from the north and north east, not only by southern Thai's but even some foreigners are guilty of the same attitude

I feel Thailand should stay as one country and one people, but it is no surprise that this is what is being talked about.

[Thait Spot]

When bangkok receives 14 times the public service spending per head to the rest of the country, there has to be something that needs to be done to modify that situation.

Yes, I agree, the system is completely lopsided and broken. This is why reforms are so desperately needed.

Like a high speed train to Chiang Mai that makes it just as far as Korat?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Briggsy]

Whilst Khun Petchawat comments could end up in him or her being imprisoned or assassinated, a decentralisation of power and wealth in Thailand, both geographically and economically, is both inevitable and desirable however it happens and whatever name it is given.

[whoisyourdaddy]

This group is as representative of Northern Thai public opinion as the the Tonbridge Wells Nazi Party is of UK public opinion. Chiang Mai isn't going anywhere.

What if they offered citizenship to foreigners with a Thai spouse?

The current system hates foreigners, any change has to be for the good IMHO.

I often wonder about foreigners that appear to support a system that is so completely broken.

There is nothing good about the current government, it's opposition, or any part of the existing selfish and corrupt system.

You want to be a citizen of Lanna? Good luck traveling overseas on that passport

[whoisyourdaddy]

When bangkok receives 14 times the public service spending per head to the rest of the country, there has to be something that needs to be done to modify that situation.

Yes, I agree, the system is completely lopsided and broken. This is why reforms are so desperately needed.

You think Suthep bunch are going to enact this reform?

Do what?

Reduce Bangkok's spend and move it outside? Or tax everyone more to spend it in the regions?

Somehow I don't think that type of reform is what Suthep was thinking about.

You think in Isaan they work hard? Or try to do anything other than drink.

Too many of them do not work , but not because there are no jobs, because they do not want to work for small money.

What skill or education do they have to get more money? None and no desire to improve

Farmers only harvesting once, while the rest of the time doing nothing .

Those who work hard are not poor and not the ones complaining