Thousands of Thai anti-government protesters march in Bangkok

[Fat Haggis]

Here's the thing. Support Suthep or not, prior to today, he "boasted", more than once, that today's rally would be the "biggest ever". In my personal opinion, he's definitely missed the mark on that one.

You could be right about this is not the biggest show of support ever. However after 4 months of continuous protesting and givin the fact is is near 40 c in the shade walking over 15 km. in the sun, it is pretty impressive.

IMHO it has nothing to do with Suthep, this and all previous protest marches has to do with people sick and tired of the way this country is and has been governed, and want something better without a Shin or its clan in that equation.

Then let them vote on it, prove beyond all reasonable doubt that this is indeed what the "Majority" want.

[dcutman]

Here's the thing. Support Suthep or not, prior to today, he "boasted", more than once, that today's rally would be the "biggest ever". In my personal opinion, he's definitely missed the mark on that one.

You could be right about this is not the biggest show of support ever. However after 4 months of continuous protesting and givin the fact is is near 40 c in the shade walking over 15 km. in the sun, it is pretty impressive.

IMHO it has nothing to do with Suthep, this and all previous protest marches has to do with people sick and tired of the way this country is and has been governed, and want something better without a Shin or its clan in that equation.

Then let them vote on it, prove beyond all reasonable doubt that this is indeed what the "Majority" want.

If you were not such a pathetic TROLL I would I would respond to your post.

[BlueNoseCodger]

how about this drone from the nation https://twitter.com/vapee/status/449804117913767936/photo/1

Just got back, I couldn't find them this time.

Did you get the wrong link? i clicked on it and got the low angle shot from BlueSky

I think you meant this photo?

nation-photo2.jpg

I make it (36+10) * 2 across, 100 deep in the main block, = 9200, plus some bits on the arms, say 2000 in the left, 1000 in the top, 1000 in the right (I'll assume people behind the trees), and a bit along the bottom...

About 14000.

That'll get you about 25% of one seat in parliament.

Note to self: when it gets really hot in TH, remember to drink more fluids and stay out of the sun.

Ok, round 2 next week, let's see what team red can pull off - are they coming by police escorted boats this time?

Well from this turnout I think its safe to say that Abhisit won't be going to elections, not enough support. Not even one electoral seats worth of support.

Also clear that these people protests won't be winning them their coup.

So I'm assuming Abhisit and Suthep will go 100% behind the judicial coup attempt in the senate, and that they won't risk a full Senate to vote, so they'll rush the coup attempt through while only the coup-half of the senate is in power.

I sort of hope the reds aren't stupid enough to protest in Bangkok. Prayuth is in town, PDRC guards are armed. Not smart. The independent 'neutral' officials will do a runner and won't be in Bangkok anyway.

[Bluespunk]

@bluenosecodger

Pdrc and the Dems are not the same body. This is a suthep event, hopefully the last. Nothing to do with the Dems.

Just because the EC insists on the law being followed does not mean they are not neutral. Despite what PT thinks they and the senate are not obliged to bend to their will. Not every institution is the DSI.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Bluespunk

[rabas]

If you truly believe Suthep is any less corrupt than the Shins you are very naive.

Sent from my GT-S7270L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I believe that is no reason not to rid the country of rampant corruption.

Edited March 29, 2014 by rabas

[larsjohnsson]

Am watching Blue Sky as well ...same locked off shot of umbrellas...an occasional wide angle drone shot... does not at this point look as big as the "6 million" figure purported awhile back at the other biggest ever event... but the day is young...who cares they are having a nice walk in the sun.... something to do... Suthep is collecting money....

The 6 million figure........ha ha ha ha

[Yunla]

If they could all march on treadmill generators, Thailand would be the Hub of Clean Energy. Especially as this marching seems to be going on all year round, it could be an endless supply of power.

They could even blow whistles and wave placards while they walk on the treadmills. Everyone's a winner!

[tullynagardy]

@bluenosecodger

Pdrc and the Dems are not the same body. This is a suthep event, hopefully the last. Nothing to do with the Dems.

Most naive post of the day award goes to........

Edited March 29, 2014 by tullynagardy

[MobileContent]

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

so how many against 20mln voters and millions, who were prevented from voting?

You mean the 20 million of which around 50% voted NO, and the rest were a couple of million for assorted parties and 8 million buffalos for the PTP.

The ones obstructed were not PTP strongholds and I think the 2% in some provinces that turned out in the re-runs says it all really.

The real majority are speaking.

Not the 8 million MINORITY!!!!!!!!!

The other 40 MILLION VOTERS!

Well over a million on the streets, and the rest voted with their feet.

Of the 40 million in un-obstucted areas, 20 million did not even bother to vote. 10 million who did voted NO and the other 8 million who didn't get the chance to vote would be pretty much all NO votes, and not a single vote would have been PTPO anyway.

So stick that in your pipe and smoke it pal.

Looks like Kamnan Suthep and one of his rubber tapper just joined TV. I wonder where you get those 40 million voters from that were not obstructed. The South was completely obstructed so was a large part of Bangkok and Central Thailand. Oh yeah your buffalo comment shows what kind of character you are.

If your calculation is right I wonder why Suthep and his mafia guys from Surat Thani don't go on with the next election. With your calculation Democrats will win every election on this planet but of course not in Thailand.

BTW: Welcome to ThaiVisa.

Edited March 29, 2014 by MobileContent

[Fat Haggis]

Here's the thing. Support Suthep or not, prior to today, he "boasted", more than once, that today's rally would be the "biggest ever". In my personal opinion, he's definitely missed the mark on that one.

You could be right about this is not the biggest show of support ever. However after 4 months of continuous protesting and givin the fact is is near 40 c in the shade walking over 15 km. in the sun, it is pretty impressive.

IMHO it has nothing to do with Suthep, this and all previous protest marches has to do with people sick and tired of the way this country is and has been governed, and want something better without a Shin or its clan in that equation.

Then let them vote on it, prove beyond all reasonable doubt that this is indeed what the "Majority" want.

If you were not such a pathetic TROLL I would I would respond to your post.

Really? Is that the best you can come up with? When you and many others here are repeating the same mantra over and over and over again about how the "Majority" want reforms before election without even putting it to the vote, then how on earth can you turn a "minority" into a majority ?

Where do you gauge the public opinion without letting them speak for themselves?

How do you consider it trolling when I'm asking you directly why do you not let the "Alleged Majority" that you are claiming to be, vote? Nothing trolling about it, it's a direct question to you and the other PDRC supporters who are riding rough shot over the rest of the country by preventing elections or a referendum to take place, that's not trolling, that's asking the same legitimate questions many others have been asking.

It's more pathetic that you cannot answer because it's simple, you don't have a clue, and you're just following the rest of the sheeple that have no idea who will be the "ideal good people" responsible for reforms, YOU do not speak on behalf of all of the Thai people, you have an opinion, you probably don't have a say in Thai Politics anyway as you're just another farang who's avoiding the question .. Why are you so afraid to let the population of Thailand vote???

[Bluespunk]

@bluenosecodger

Pdrc and the Dems are not the same body. This is a suthep event, hopefully the last. Nothing to do with the Dems.

Most naive award of the day goes to........

Nope

[davidmann]

Go on with this nonsense.

The rich influence people always can leave Thailand, the ordinary people from North to East to South can't. They will suffer as always.

ITS the bad Government the making the people POOR , i will tell a english farmer to give your milk ,i will pay you in a year or two ,Maybe ,if your lucky and if still have some money ,but first i have to pay for my private Jet ,

[harada]

Almost 2 hours in since the front marchers took off and there are still hundreds of thousands of marchers still waiting at Lumpini to start marching.

The wife is still waiting to get into the park area let alone start in the procession.

This is going to be the biggest yet.

Nice to hear a bunch of them went to Nontaburi and booted the red terrorist out from the NACC... Lets hope they hold that area till at least Tuesday.

The biggest yet.

[MobileContent]

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

Go on with this nonsense.
The rich influence people always can leave Thailand, the ordinary people from North to East to South can't. They will suffer as always.

And you really think Thaksin will help them?

And do you think that being given 300-500 baht every 3-4 months to vote (I'm being very conservative here) has a significant impact on their quality of life over a period of a year ??

Sorry but YS at least on our area didn't gave anything. Some other parties did paid between 100-300 Baht. My inlaws took from all 3 parties and voted for PTP which didn't gave them anything.

[GunterChiangMai]

Who is the tanned short guy who does not look like a thai? He has a whistle around his neck. Is he a football referee? Who is playing?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kkerry]

Walking miles in the heat of the day, mostly without hats or sunglasses. Good way to end up with heatstroke and some very blistered feet.

[notmyself]

So, in a country with a population of approx 66.7million, if he is lucky to get 1 million (.015%), he thinks he speaks for the "majority" of the Thai people?

Gotta love Thai logic and "new math".

.015% Are you sure?

[Pimay1]

Pimay,

How about letting the Thai people speak for themselves through either a referendum or an election instead of having a small minority group in Bangkok speak on their behalf without their consent..

Win the Majority through a referendum /election and you can reform away till your little hearts content, until then, stop dictating as to what the rest of the country wants, without letting them prove it !!

The Majority hasn't spoken, if anything they're saying nothing as they're fed up being stuck in limbo, with neither side willing to negotiate or withdraw demands, they didn't vote as there was no point, everyone knew the elections would be voided, so again stop assuming a non vote is a no vote, if you're so confident you're the majority ..prove it, hold the referendum/election and silence the critics once and for all

Deleted.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Pimay1

[Puccini]

so how many against 20mln voters and millions, who were prevented from voting?

You mean the 20 million of which around 50% voted NO, and the rest were a couple of million for assorted parties and 8 million buffalos for the PTP.

The ones obstructed were not PTP strongholds and I think the 2% in some provinces that turned out in the re-runs says it all really.

The real majority are speaking.

Not the 8 million MINORITY!!!!!!!!!

The other 40 MILLION VOTERS!

Well over a million on the streets, and the rest voted with their feet.

Of the 40 million in un-obstucted areas, 20 million did not even bother to vote. 10 million who did voted NO and the other 8 million who didn't get the chance to vote would be pretty much all NO votes, and not a single vote would have been PTPO anyway.

So stick that in your pipe and smoke it pal.

Wow

With numbers like that the PDRC must be so excited by the chance of a new election, they are bound to win.

Nothing to worry, the Constitutional Court has shown the way. The People’s Democratic Reform Committee will again prevent candidate registration and polling in enough places so that the next election can also be declared invalid. This can be repeated ad infinitum, by both sides of the political divide, under the current constitution.

[jcb2001]

March seems to be stalling at Si Ayutia/Pria Thai junction. Suthep and about 1000 protesters are nearing Royal plaza, then a big gap to the main march which is very big 9over 10,000) people. There is some kind of holdup at the Junction.

Are you close by and can see all of this?

Some people keep stating that Numbers are not important, oh really, why is then you use the very same numbers to state there's now a majority who want reforms before elections ??

The true numbers are from all across Thailand in either a non impeded referendum, or unimpeded election, then the numbers will be more significant, until then, it's spin, spin an more spin.. If you have a Majority, prove this by letting the elections run.. if not.. well the wheel will keep on turning and nobody will go anywhere fast and the people who's opinions do matter, as in the Thais, will still not get their say.

Blockage has cleared now, it was another march joining from Si Ayuthia and they had a discussion on who was to go firt. The march is moving very quickly now to catch up.

Rubbish.... as from 12.14 there were stll 2 sections yet to start marching.

Anyone else in the Lumpini area that can tell us who is lying here???

Anyway, let's wait till next Saturday to see what the PRO GOVERNMENT can reply with.

Oh I forgot, the UDD would first 'monitor' this rally and then make their decision.

Meaning, they will call it off because the support for the government can no way beat the support for the anti-government movement.

Not even 10% of it.

Right on. It was just announced the rally is exceeding 3 million anti-govt protestors. I believe this exceeds any previous protest, as Suthep predicated.

[Prbkk]

This one could be described as the mother of all mega flops. Do we wait until it's Suthep and the guards left, or does someone need to call time ? The latter IMHO

[jollyman]

Reds will turn Bangkok? well?? red Poor old Suthep, yesterdays man, fool on the hill man

[marcusd]

so how many thousands against 20mln voters, millions, who were prevented from voting and millions intimidated by armed and violent mob?

These are more civilized and orderly than Red Shirt. It shows the level of education. for my money I rather the educated people make decisions than uneducated at anytime

wise words of gratitude. It is a shame the other dim wits supporting corruption under the guise of WE WERE ELECTED don't realize it is the few rich people they previously were EMPLOYED by now pay their pensions so,they can write the drivel whilst falling into,their cheap beers

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[Fat Haggis]

Pimay,

How about letting the Thai people speak for themselves through either a referendum or an election instead of having a small minority group in Bangkok speak on their behalf without their consent..

Win the Majority through a referendum /election and you can reform away till your little hearts content, until then, stop dictating as to what the rest of the country wants, without letting them prove it !!

The Majority hasn't spoken, if anything they're saying nothing as they're fed up being stuck in limbo, with neither side willing to negotiate or withdraw demands, they didn't vote as there was no point, everyone knew the elections would be voided, so again stop assuming a non vote is a no vote, if you're so confident you're the majority ..prove it, hold the referendum/election and silence the critics once and for all

I have no objection to a referendum. In my opinion (I know the saying about opinions) the Thai people are so divided and now resorting to all kinds of violence on both sides a referendum should be held to determine if the majority of the populace want reforms before there is an election with the results binding. If they want reforms first so be it. If they want elections first so be it. In order for this to succeed both pro and anti government supporters must agree to abide by the decision of the people.

I think you are correct about people being stuck in limbo. I live in a red area and the people here are saying they are fed up with politics and corrupt politicians. Based on what I hear from the locals who are red supporters I believe the reforms before elections would be the people's choice.

What I do object to is the current ruling party pushing full speed ahead with elections without any consideration given to reforms first. It appears they are afraid of losing the next election if reforms come first. And even if they commit to reforms after the election, they have less than a pristine record of moral character when it comes to honesty.

I'd have hit the like button but have used up all my quotes, thank you for your answer, to be honest I and like many others here don't actually have dogs in this fight, and get waaaaaay too emotional when it's not actually up to them to change how Thai ploitics are run, that is down to the Thai people themselves and to the expats who have the right to vote, everyone else seems to be jumping up and down and getting very animated over something that they have zero control over..

I have never been hindered nor maltreated or subjected to any bad practices by the current Government they've done nothing personal to me, so I neither love nor hate them, It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if Yingluck was ousted tonight, tomorrow or in a week or a month,but I'd rather see it done through the population's choice, and that's simply to vote her out, it's as obvious as the nose on ones face that she's not for moving, so everything is being done through the courts and she will more than likely succumb to a judicial coup.. perpetrated by a minority, then the troubles will really begin, as what's good for the goose will be good for the gander, even disbanding the PTP/UDD will not stop the Thaksin supporters in their tracks, the key to progress is winning over the entire population, and this is what I've been questioning all along, how do you know you're winning them over? Give the country a chance to vote through a referendum, and if you get that Majority, then brilliant, you've got 12 months to deliver on your promises or you're out!! Doesn't get any simpler.

They, the PDRC have had since November to know what these reforms are, and how they will be implemented, and as long as they're not taking away the rights of the people, so they don't need 12-18 months, they had 6 months already in which to have a head start.

Again, good post

[3NUMBAS]

further damage to tourism as this reported around the world ,it could go into permanent decline

whatever the numbers the silent majority far exceed the suthep numpties

Edited March 29, 2014 by 3NUMBAS

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed.

[soalbundy]

I agree with the missus,who cares what corrupt government is in power,where is my rice money

[soalbundy]

@bluenosecodger

Pdrc and the Dems are not the same body. This is a suthep event, hopefully the last. Nothing to do with the Dems.

Just because the EC insists on the law being followed does not mean they are not neutral. Despite what PT thinks they and the senate are not obliged to bend to their will. Not every institution is the DSI.

are not the same body? The names are different to protect the innocent,they go hand in hand.Remind me again what party Suthep belonged to before he "resigned". Next you will be saying the red shirts have nothing to do with PT

I say let the fools from both sides have a massive punch up.......idiots fighting for their corrupt masters.

[marcusd]

This one could be described as the mother of all mega flops. Do we wait until it's Suthep and the guards left, or does someone need to call time ? The latter IMHO

why are you being unrealistic. Crowds are huge. What makes you so,negative? Failed marriages???

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[dcutman]

I agree with the missus,who cares what corrupt government is in power,where is my rice money

This is the attitude this country is were it is, and why it will stay this way.