Red-shirt rally at Aksa Road just a rehearsal: organisers

[webfact]

MASS RALLY
Red-shirt rally at Aksa Road just a rehearsal: organisers
Olan Lertrudtanadumrongkul
The Nation


A rally stage is set up on Aksa Road in Nakhon Pathom

BANGKOK: -- The red shirts' rally will stay onsite, and there will not be marches anywhere, organisers say. Activities will include talks by leaders and "educational" exchanges of information and ideas.

The length of the rally has been set initially for three days, but the leaders will evaluate the situation after that. Factors to extend the rally would mainly depend on the number of people participating and the reaction of anti-government protesters.

This rally is regarded as a "rehearsal" to prepare the space, the stage, accommodation, food, toilets, security and live broadcasts, some of which has to be done in advance of a more ambitious campaign. Jatuporn Promphan, leader of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), has said there will be a bigger rally, which could be a prolonged one.

There are many reasons behind the selection of Aksa Road as the rally site. It is spacious, open, and far from the site held by the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

The reds' rally in a Bangkok suburb aims to send a signal that the group is ready to rally in the capital at any time. Moreover, this beautiful road has no history of political rallies, and is a fresh site for the event.

Before this, Rajamangala Stadium was a choice for reds' organisers, but there were a series of problems and chaos late last year because the venue is a closed location.

"If the rally on Aksa Road

goes smoothly, we might consider this as the venue for the next rally, which might be prolonged," a red-shirt leader said.

Red-shirt leaders estimate the number of demonstrators this time could reach 100,000, considering that five previous rallies in different regions drew crowds of about 30,000-40,000 people.

Transport of protesters this time will mainly be in cars and pickups, in the form of a caravan, unlike in buses as before.

Meanwhile, the central and local red-shirt leaders have coordinated more. In doing this, rally leaders plan to fix flaws from previous rallies - they want broadcasts to demonstrate the large number of red shirts to the public.


-- The Nation 2014-04-05

[zydeco]

Anyone who travels this road, as I usually do just about every day, knows about the images and banners that are put up every few meters. By taking over this road, a clear symbolic message is being sent about a revered institution that these descendants of Pol Pot intend to replace with their regime of Red Terror.

[Artisi]

Red shirts and educational in the same paragraph is a bit of a stretch.

[zydeco]

Red shirts and educational in the same paragraph is a bit of a stretch.

Yeah. "Re-education" and "camp" would be much more appropriate.

[Robby nz]

I see it reported elsewhere that some of the (previous) PT MP's are said to be reluctant to 'fund' their supporters to go to the rally.

Also said that each MP and senator who support PT are expected to take (and no doubt fund) 500 supporters to the rally.

[MaxLee]

Red shirts and educational in the same paragraph is a bit of a stretch.

Wrong they will be the Yala force of future Bangkok, using X-treme methods for REDEMOCRACY wanna bet???? That's what they want, so god get the innocent people out of Bangkok while you can...

[rametindallas]

Rehearsal,,eh? Jatuporn went from claiming 500,000 would attend, to 200,000 would attend, to now, just a rehearsal. Talk about lowering expectations. So, really all that need to attend are stage hands and invited speakers and it will be considered a successful 'rehearsal'.

[winstonc]

500.000 down to 40,000 wow lets see those piccys later the pro gov on here might show different snaps from there anti gov last week just to show they are always right..with maybe 30,000 plain clothed police to boost there numbers..

[Somtamnication]

Rehearsals for what? Protests? Ping pong bombs? Shootings? Fair elections?

[zydeco]

These UDD are the spiritual heirs of The Shining Path, Khmer Rouge, the Cultural Revolution, and Red Army Faktion/Baader Meinhof, all of whom have been discredited and are receding into the darkness of history whence they first emerged. Only in Thailand does it seem that these sinister forces still thrive. This is a country literally going back to the future.

Edited April 5, 2014 by zydeco

[Tatsujin]

Anyone who travels this road, as I usually do just about every day, knows about the images and banners that are put up every few meters. By taking over this road, a clear symbolic message is being sent about a revered institution that these descendants of Pol Pot intend to replace with their regime of Red Terror.

There's a lot of things going on under the "surface" of this, lots of messages being sent, and most are too blind to see them or simply refuse to.

[gabruce]

I see it reported elsewhere that some of the (previous) PT MP's are said to be reluctant to 'fund' their supporters to go to the rally.

Also said that each MP and senator who support PT are expected to take (and no doubt fund) 500 supporters to the rally.

Actually to be more precise, each former MP was asked to bring 100 supporters, and the new senators-elect were asked to bring 500 supporters. The reason was that the national party reps were reluctant to invest the money necessary. My addition is the conclusion that they asked the former MP's for fewer so their monetary outlay would be less and therefore more likely to happen.

[sweatalot]

Rehearsal,,eh? Jatuporn went from claiming 500,000 would attend, to 200,000 would attend, to now, just a rehearsal. Talk about lowering expectations. So, really all that need to attend are stage hands and invited speakers and it will be considered a successful 'rehearsal'.

pray this to be true

[AleG]

Rehearsal,,eh? Jatuporn went from claiming 500,000 would attend, to 200,000 would attend, to now, just a rehearsal. Talk about lowering expectations. So, really all that need to attend are stage hands and invited speakers and it will be considered a successful 'rehearsal'.

At the current rate of back peddaling by midday it's going to end up being a PowerPoint slide showing how a Red Shirt rally should look like.

[AleG]

I see it reported elsewhere that some of the (previous) PT MP's are said to be reluctant to 'fund' their supporters to go to the rally.

Also said that each MP and senator who support PT are expected to take (and no doubt fund) 500 supporters to the rally.

Actually to be more precise, each former MP was asked to bring 100 supporters, and the new senators-elect were asked to bring 500 supporters. The reason was that the national party reps were reluctant to invest the money necessary. My addition is the conclusion that they asked the former MP's for fewer so their monetary outlay would be less and therefore more likely to happen.

Senators are supposed to be independent, if they are found to by funding and mobilizing Red Shirts would that be grounds for impeachement?

[ginjag]

About the same amount attending as the rice auction.

[klauskunkel]

A rehearsal for what? Jatuporn doing the CanCan on stage?

...the color is about right...

[GeorgeO]

What a load of crap...

You don't have rehearsals with rallies... you assemble your biggest mob possible in any rally.

The numbers that will arrive will be their maximum support..

Simple as that, everything else is pure bullshit and he knows it.

They are hinting at prolonging it into some sort of semi-permanent thing then?

Great. Now the anti-government have something that the reds have taken complete advantage of for 5 months..... a target.

I hope there are nightly attacks, and then we will see how much enthusiasm there is to investigate and make arrests by CAPO and the police... Oh I forgot... this is probably funded by the taxpayer via the CAPO budget..

Probably why Chalerm wanted the extra budget.

They are cowardly clandestine terrorists whose true colours we will see once they are faced with any show of resistance.

They will head back north with their tail between legs if they find any resistance whatsoever, just as they did at the Ramkhamhaeng clashes, and then continue throwing grenades under cover of darkness and firing at the crowds from a distance...!!

[GeorgeO]

Rehearsal,,eh? Jatuporn went from claiming 500,000 would attend, to 200,000 would attend, to now, just a rehearsal. Talk about lowering expectations. So, really all that need to attend are stage hands and invited speakers and it will be considered a successful 'rehearsal'.

At the current rate of back peddaling by midday it's going to end up being a PowerPoint slide showing how a Red Shirt rally should look like.

I think it's just great. Let them shout out their war cry from the highest building and see just how many "true" supporters they actually have. A militia of 600,000 ...? Yeah right ... I'll wager they don't even get 6,000, and if Thailand had a decent police force, that wouldn't take very long at all to break up...!!

[PatOngo]

Activities will include talks by leaders and "educational" exchanges of information and ideas.

No doubt they'll be discussing brain surgery and rocket science.

[metisdead]

A post advocating the escalation of violence has been removed as well as the replies. Other inflammatory posts have been removed as well.

[Scamper]

From 1,000,000 to 500,000 to 60,000 to 40,000 to 30,000 to - cancelled rally ! But whatever the numbers, what the UDD actually do is what will count. Already, Jatuporn's words have crossed the line into criminality - as he says that the rally is intended to send a " message " to the Constitutional Court. That's intimidation of the court and that's illegal. So already the UDD rally has by that framing become unconstitutional. The PDRC want to strengthen the checks and balances. The UDD wants them to go away.

[tx22cb]

Anyone who travels this road, as I usually do just about every day, knows about the images and banners that are put up every few meters. By taking over this road, a clear symbolic message is being sent about a revered institution that these descendants of Pol Pot intend to replace with their regime of Red Terror.

As many if us do not know where this road is, let alone travel on it, can you oblige with a few pics? Ta.

[Old Man River]

Anyone who travels this road, as I usually do just about every day, knows about the images and banners that are put up every few meters. By taking over this road, a clear symbolic message is being sent about a revered institution that these descendants of Pol Pot intend to replace with their regime of Red Terror.

I have seen it elsewhere and then it has been changed. Hence, I can assume Suthep is aware. Prayuth, who says they are there to protect this revered institution should be aware. Perhaps, we will find out in the coming weeks what will be done about it.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[hanuman2543]

These UDD are the spiritual heirs of The Shining Path, Khmer Rouge, the Cultural Revolution, and Red Army Faktion/Baader Meinhof, all of whom have been discredited and are receding into the darkness of history whence they first emerged. Only in Thailand does it seem that these sinister forces still thrive. This is a country literally going back to the future.

You forgot to say that Suthep's armed mob is the spiritual heir of the SA.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ XA using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[zydeco]

Anyone who travels this road, as I usually do just about every day, knows about the images and banners that are put up every few meters. By taking over this road, a clear symbolic message is being sent about a revered institution that these descendants of Pol Pot intend to replace with their regime of Red Terror.

As many if us do not know where this road is, let alone travel on it, can you oblige with a few pics? Ta.

Look at the yellow banners that are featured in the photo at the head of this thread. Those yellow banners adorn every dragon topped flagpole on the street. Effectively, the banners with photo at the top of them are being defaced and dwarfed by the Reds.

Edited April 5, 2014 by zydeco

[outsider]

Sorry I had to laugh when I read the "..."educational" exchanges of information and ideas" part. I am still wondering how that is possible.

[outsider]

Also this... "this beautiful road has no history of political rallies, and is a fresh site for the event". As far as really stupid rationale goes, this statement must win an award. You know what Reddies... the runways at Suvarnabhumi are fresh sites too! Also a good chance for you guys to go one up on your Yellow cousins. They closed the airport, you close the runway! How about that? Sheesh...

[Baerboxer]

From 1,000,000 to 500,000 to 60,000 to 40,000 to 30,000 to - cancelled rally ! But whatever the numbers, what the UDD actually do is what will count. Already, Jatuporn's words have crossed the line into criminality - as he says that the rally is intended to send a " message " to the Constitutional Court. That's intimidation of the court and that's illegal. So already the UDD rally has by that framing become unconstitutional. The PDRC want to strengthen the checks and balances. The UDD wants them to go away.

PTP and their great thinker must be feeling really desperate by now. They need to be in office to get him back whitewashed and above the law, and to keep the gravy train generating income. There are so many cases and investigations going on, they must be scared someone will crack and spill the beans, or things will surface that they can no longer hide.

They seem, through a combination of fear, intimidation, false promises and propaganda to have silenced the farmers. FiL has been waiting several months, but he just to frightened to complain. He's fed the usual bullshit that its all the fault of Suthep, protesters, the banks and the elite, That YL is really so upset for them. And, it's made very clear if you dare to speak out you'll be listed and never receive payment. They'll only look after their friends. If that fails you'll get a good kicking before being shunned.

This step up in violence, intimidation, open threats, and constant reminders the violence can get worse is their tactic of dealing with the likely dismissal of YL and her current cabinet by the CC, the likely indicting of YL and others by the NACC, and the likely revoking of bail for J and N as they have very clearly breached the terms. Their trick is to try to convince everyone in their areas of support, the international community and the media that this is all "politically motivated dirty tricks and conspiracy" against them. Then if they are impeached, indicted or found guilty of anything, they hope attention will be diverted from the evidence and they can shout "conspiracy" and unleash their militia,

There is an old picture of a truck load of SA in the 1930's. They have a big poster that states - we won't stand for any sabotage of the leader's work. Then their are drawings of a priest, a jew, and two workers whispering over a beer, You could up date that to UDD very easily.

[mrtoad]

The Thai Rouge are stepping up their campaign of terror and intimidation , with Jatuporn leading the thugs this has all the ingredients for serious violence.