German reporter 'attacked' by PCAD at Constitutional Court

[gangrel]

Or like human right activist australian Connor Purcell who was horribly tortured in jail for opposing the Abhisit -the British puppet military dictatorship....

Human rights activist?

Deranged Farang Red Shirt, you mean.

Horribly tortured?

Unsubstantiated nonsense. He was held in IDC for 2 weeks because he couldn't scrape together a meager sum to pay for his deportation airline ticket.

[gangrel]

The fact that he's honest about his biases

A posting review reveals the polar opposite as he stridently professes to not being biased, even though it registers a massive FAIL.

Of course he argues his reporting is unbiased, but he's never denied his sympathies. I see no inconsistency here. You can be sympathetic to a cause but still report fairly on it. If he'd said his work, rather than he himself was biased, obviously people would have good reason not to trust him. But he argues he goes about his work in a professional manner regardless of his sympathies, which is what all good journalists should do anyway.

Then you should have stuck with saying he's honest about his sympathies and not his biases.

Anyway, he's an amateur blogger, not a professional reporter, and biases are more understandable in that situation.

However, it's his adamant denial of being biased which hurts his credibility, possibly even more so than the biases themselves. He's anything BUT honest.

[fab4]

Do you happen to have the death certificates for all the dead?

I do agree highly unlikely "many " but who knows one or two .. maybe!

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Are you seriously asking me that?

[oldsailor35]

Nick.jpg Look they made me cry

Yea it was just an attempted kidnapping and an assault by a group of thugs against a single person. He should man up grow a pair, real men only dream of such joy, being kidnapped beaten and probably thrown into a river to die.

Wow, they were about to beat him and throw him into a river to die?

I didn't read that part in the article.

Thanks for shedding some light. BTW, whats your source?

Their past record shows that this is how they behave, go learn something.

[Mrgk]

Just plain mental.

Gotta give him credit for creativity at least, no? As far as propagandists go, though, I find him kinda entertaining to read.

[oldsailor35]

These court protected thugs are untouchable; all be warned. They behave like a state within a state with their own brand of justice with Issara Buddha as official head of state. If you seen their protest site, it is like sandbags castle 4 m high with entrance manned by menacing mask men. These are dangerous thugs lead by a dangerous irrational mad monk and their supreme fascist master at Lumpini. Thailand will be doomed if they get to rule.

Issarra and his thugs are becoming to 'cocky' and confident that they are the masters, something like the German Brownshirts. However if they are not careful , sooner or later they will come up against the Redshirts who have behaved up till now. Then all i can say is 'serve them right'

[Mrgk]

Re: Leftist bias being responsible for anti-yellow sentiments in the international press, I went out and grabbed some actual (but legally safe) commentary from conservative-leaning US publications on the topic of Yingluck´s ouster.

First, Walter Russel Mead in the American Interest:

http://www.the-american-interest.com/blog/2014/05/07/royalists-oust-shinawatra-in-judicial-coup/

"Royalists Oust Shinawatra in Judicial Coup"

...

"The opposition essentially wants to establish a non-democratic government because it can’t hope to win an election against the more numerous government supporters. An election is currently scheduled for July 20, though it’s not clear if it will take place. The opposition (ironically named the Democrat Party) vowed to disrupt any upcoming elections until the rules were changed to make sure their rivals couldn’t win."

The Wall Street Journal editorial page:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304431104579547340574302518

"Thailand's Aristocratic Dead-Enders"

...

"Royalist forces struck another blow against Thai democracy Wednesday when the country's Constitutional Court staged a judicial coup and removed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office."

...and so on. You should get the picture.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Mrgk

[gangrel]

So any further information relevant to this .. pictures? Other witnesses?

No further information found. No pictures found. No other witnesses found.

[casualbiker]

Do you happen to have the death certificates for all the dead?

I do agree highly unlikely "many " but who knows one or two .. maybe!

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Are you seriously asking me that?

Your statement was

" It is plainly a lie. As far as mental is concerned, I truly think that Cartalucci is mentally unstable, it wasn't a figure of speech"

So unless you have categorical proof that none died as a result of smoke inhalation .. you cannot call it "plainly a lie "

Cartalucci and Yon are both blogging (reporting) for their own reasons .. some of which are extreme. Mentally unstable ... dunno!

I would say that your apparent support of the Thaksin regime to be similar, though not as extreme.

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[rubl]

Hi Rubl. I've got several relatives and friends at Chaengwatana, and they confirm that Luang Pu has absolutely no idea of who is that reporter that people is talking about. They neither know who are those alleged guards that approached NN.

The target of NN is to gain popularity and to demonize the anti-government protesters using dirty tricks.

Thanks for the info. The last sentence I'm not surprised about.

No offence meant, the first paragraph I take as is. Unfortunately there are too many on all sides of the fence who have no problem 'stating facts'. On the other hand I also had heard about 'fake guards' and some even misusing the situation to 'earn some more money'.

Stay cool and keep smiling,

uncle rubl

You really do have a hate thing about Nostitz.

First you imply he's responsible for being beat up in 2013 by allegedly arguing with "guards", next you imply he's responsible for Thailands worsening reputation with Reporters without Borders "Not NN's fault, although one might 'argue' about it." and now you agree with some muppet that the "target of NN is to gain popularity and to demonize the anti-government protesters using dirty tricks."

Probably to be expected from someone who has trouble admitting that unarmed civilians were killed by the RTA.

You really have it in for me to the point anything I write to you regard as negative or just twist into something you can regards as negative, don't you?

I didn't imply NN was responsible for being slapped a bit in 2013, just that it was reported he argued with guards before he was slapped. Secondly there is a distinct possibility that NN's argumentative style and subsequent being slapped will cause RsF to remark on reporters status in Thailand. Thirdly I agree with some other poster that 'dirty trick' are a possibility for someone who always insists to be neutral.

You finish with an untruth as well. I freuently say that most likely some of the protesters shot could have been unarmed. Next I add that with heavely armed militants mingling with peaceful protesters that's to be expected especially when the army in being shot at, gets grenades lobbed on them and is in gunfights.

Now be off and annoy other posters.

Edited May 8, 2014 by rubl

[DrDweeb]

Sorry for my naivety, why was this Nick Nostitz specifically targeted?

He could not have been the ONLY foreign journalist in that location isn't it? Or for that matter in Thailand?

Because he's done a lot of first hand street reporting that PDRC supporters dislike (going back to 08 when he claimed PAD had used violent force against police etc - which was later substantiated by other sources), and he's admittedly pro-red in his views. People get touchy when you tell the truth. Even Michael Yon, for instance, realized he'd made a huge mistake when he made some honest comments about what he saw at the Thai-Japanese stadium. Many of his followers started saying they regretted giving him money and that he'd obviously been bought off etc. Realizing that, he seems to have decided not to report first hand on any confrontation. That way he could just go with what PDRC supporters told him had happened, rather than being put in the far more difficult position of having to turn a blind eye to PDRC violence or lie about what he'd seen.

Nick, to his credit, has never done this. He's reported on violence carried out by reds, but some hate him because he's had the effrontery to report that it's not just red shirts who have done bad things. Others have too. They seem to want to believe it's just the red shirts that are evil and everyone who confronts the red shirts are righteous freedom fighters carrying out a Ghandi style peaceful democratic campaign against Thaksin's rabid red dictatorship. It's a complete fairy tale, of course. But we all like our fairy tales. Anyway, these types attempt to discredit Nick at every opportunity, despite him being highly regarded by other serious journalists such as the BBC's Jonathan Head. The fact that he's honest about his biases where most are not simply gives them more ammunition, when such candidness should actually be considered in his favour.

He was also roughed up by the same bunch back in November after being singled out from the PDRC stage as a "red shirt journalist". IIRC, many on here suspected that was a fabrication, but it was later confirmed as true when pictorial and video evidence emerged.

Not wishing to put too fine a point on it, but Johnathan's Name should be Richard, and he and Mr. Snotitz are cut from the same very biased cloth.

[DrDweeb]

QUOTE FROM PUBLICUS-

There is more to the story.

It's clear that the militant absolutist Suthep and his fellow cave man PDRC subscribe to the Totalitarian Theory of the Press/Media which means the state owns, controls and directs all media of the society in all of its forms.

After the militants seize state power they formally identify who throughout the media are their enemies, who are their friends. The BP and the Nation will be fine as long as they comply with the new social order. However, the broader purge of political and socio-economic opponents includes specifically the new fascist state's enemies in the MSM and in all forms of media.

Under the Totalitarian Theory of the Press/Media the Boyz in Beijing censor - prohibit, block - from the mainland PRC social websites such as Facebook, Twitter, U-Tube; also, CNN, BBC, ABC and all of the other global satellite cable programming provided here by True (certain foreigner's ghetto hotels only in the PRC carry this programming).

Website forums in the PRC are tightly controlled and censored by more than 30,000 CCP censors who work full time to find and identify websites globally that they want to censor and to censor all global sites on their ever expanding list of censored sites.

One of the first orders of the new feudalism in Thailand, such it occur, would be for the new fascist PDRC government led by Suthep to identify internet websites to shut down, to include such forums as Political Prisoners, Bangkok Pundit, Thai Intelligence News, Thailand's Political Watch and so many others who are either based here or that have sources here to reveal events, developments, the interaction of people and their fate.

Make no mistake about it. Suthep, Abhisit, the PDRC and the rest of them fully intend to take complete control of all media in Thailand and will do so regardless of the consequences to journalists and bloggers and to the people themselves.

Dissent or opposition is not acceptable or allowed, as we see in the instances of certain existing laws.

ARJUNADAWN

THIS POST Above IS DRIVEL

I can see your point through the haze of hyperbole and fantasy, but there is nothing in your post that can be intellectually concluded outside your mind. Your trying to make an analogy but your wild inferences and baseless associations actually don't connect. I don't recall any citations wherein the PDRC announced such a ludicrous motivation and since their actions which you protest seem to live in the future, it is all ad hominen attack. Perhaps your correct about the future... Perhaps we could intellectually conclude your point... you just don't achieve it with the analogies today.

However, what can be managed, evidenced, and traced in the present are the partisan actions of the subject of the OP- the "journalist." There is an inexhaustible bounty of evidence on the subject of left leaning journalists working for or through NGO funding that destabilizes and foments dissent and agitation under the guise of democratic reporting, especially those ancillary press organs and NGOs that receive funding from the Soros Tides Foundation and their malignant derivatives. Sure, they can freely do as they wish, but there is no requirement we call this objective reporting and dangerous to assign them the carte blanche of "Press."

So, while all reasoned minds agree physical harm is not only beneath us, it actually doesn't achieve much anyway, and in the battle of perceptions, can be quite harmful to your cause. But did this act really happen? Seems a little to much to ask an observer to believe this particular man is telling the truth, or hasn't an agenda. Lastly, your point overlooks one glaring condition- the press market is not impartial, certainly not international press. Know a man by his fruit. The international press sing one single, left-leaning tune, with few exceptions. So the future you protest is already here. Perhaps you don't note it because they agree with you?

Your post condenses to the following question in your third paragraph:

But did this act really happen?

You could have saved yourself time, effort and much right wing verbiage by making one short and concise post to pose your deniers question posted repeatedly throughout this thread - and you are a denier, nothing more. Your are a denier who blusters his way through your post in the same manner as the PDRC black shirts strode forward to seize their targeted journalist.

I haven't any doubt the attack was real. Nor do I have any doubt the masked goon attackers from the PDRC were able to brazenly stride their way into an enclosed and crowded setting to execute a violent act with the stated intention of abduction.

Your bombastic rhetoric exhibited below of the extremist right sector of societies in turmoil reveals the shameless nature and character of the PDRC and its men in hooded black masks who openly attack innocent voters at polling stations or journalists at their assignment venue. Some of the soldiers of the far right perform physical assaults while others are more suitable as keyboard warriors. To wit:

There is an inexhaustible bounty of evidence on the left leaning journalists working for or through NGO funding that destabilizes and foments dissent and agitation under the guise of democratic reporting, especially those ancillary press organs and NGOs that receive funding from the Soros Tides Foundation and their malignant derivatives. Know a man by his fruit. The international press sing one single, left-leaning tune, with few exceptions. So the future you protest is already here. Perhaps you don't note it because they agree with you?

I read and re-read your post to see where you said you do support "democratic reporting" but I couldn't find any such statement by you, only one passing reference to it amidst a jungle of right sector rhetoric and accusations against a broad swathe of journalists you have identified as the enemy and have decided not to like or accept. You don't discuss the particulars of this incident or of the journalist, preferring instead to condemn and denounce an entire class of journalist bogey men to whom your mind arbitrarily assigns a political persuasion you disapprove.

So my only real question to you here at TVF is: Would you care to list the right wing journals that have published your writings?

Or that have rejected them.

I think we are fast approaching this point ...

[Dogmatix]

Of course the attempted abduction of Mr von Nostitz is deplorable, as was the assault on him last November, but I don't think the FCCT does itself or its membership any good by describing Nostitiz as a foreign correspondent. A foreign correspondent, according to Thai Foreign Ministry regulations, should be working for a bona fide international news organisation head quartered abroad in order to qualify for a Thai work permit.

Von Nostitz is actually an amateur hack who only uploads his blogs on red shirt websites like New Mandala. He has also been interviewed on Voice TV which is owned by Thaksin's son. Unfortunately his red shirt activism is bound to make him a target for PDRC guards and other anti-Thaksin militants. They could have gone for Jonathan Head who was standing next to him and is well known for his pro-red shirt broadcasts for the BBC but they presumably accept that, in spite of all, Mr Head is a genuine foreign correspondent, rather than a farang red shirt activist. If you involve yourself in today's Thai colour coded politics as a farang, you stick out like a sore thumb and should accept that you might make some very nasty people angry.

Better to go home and blog in safety about the Greens, the Christian Democrats and Turkish immigration. The money can't be any worse than what New Mandala pays.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Dogmatix

[Baerboxer]

The BBC correspondent in question was Jonathan Head who tweeted on the incident at the time:

Jonathan Head ‏@pakhead 16h

Nick Nostitz was attacked by PDRC thugs at Const. Court. Police and soldiers right next to him but scared to intervene.

Jonathan Head ‏@pakhead 16h

Nick is OK. He got out. But PDRC heavies were trying find him and detain him. And we all know what happens to people they detain.

Jonathan Head ‏@pakhead 16h

@FreeMindXs I think they'd have done same any time. Their (PDRC) people control access to CC. Their cameras filmed him. Then reported to security.

Jonathan Head ‏@pakhead 10h

@GVSRsiam @8td @CMDThai There were dozens of journalists at CC with Nick. I was close and saw what happened.

Comment from the FCCT:

"Nostitz was sitting close to the court's entrance and wearing a green Thai Journalists' Association (TJA) armband clearly identifying him as a member of the press. Having been singled out, Nostitz was told to come and see 'Luang Bu'. He was shoved hard in the chest and pushed around when he declined, and the guards attempted to take him with them.

The court was being guarded by some 20 police officers and soldiers. Police intervened after shouts from Nostitz and another journalist. Nostitz took shelter inside the courthouse and was eventually smuggled away from the scene in a police vehicle. Credit is due to everyone who contributed to defusing this incident."

http://fccthai.com/items/1401.html

Head's reporting always leans heavily towards supporting Thaksin and his allied supporters. No idea why, but he is very economical in presenting any facts that don't show Thasin's side in a good light.

[Piichai]

The Wall Street Journal editorial page:

I'm afraid that was NOT a Wall Street Journal editorial at all, but rather an Opinion piece, which WSJ buys by the dozen.

In other words, just another article from the Thaksin PR machine.

[Mrgk]

The Wall Street Journal editorial page:

I'm afraid that was NOT a Wall Street Journal editorial at all, but rather an Opinion piece, which WSJ buys by the dozen.

In other words, just another article from the Thaksin PR machine.

Fair enough - "from the Wall Street Journal opinion pages". As for your predictable bleating about the WSJ piece being "from the Thaksin PR machine", I will just let it speak for itself.

(Curious: Given that the yellows elicit roughly 0% approval in the international press, is it your standpoint that they are to a (wo)man paid by Thaksin?)

[gangrel]

Better to go home and blog in safety about the Greens, the Christian Democrats and Turkish immigration. The money can't be any worse than what New Mandala pays.

Many valid points, and yes, he does appear rather destitute in this thread's photos and elsewhere.

I thought I had read somewhere that after the alleged incident last November that he did have plans to return home as it had all become too much for him here, what with the lack of funds and trying to provide for a family. I was a bit surprised when I first read this thread that he was even still here.

Perhaps with this latest alleged incident, it really, really has become too much and he'll go back. However, instead of continuing with the street blogger of political violence career that you suggested, I would suggest a return to the porn-style photo essay of street prostitutes (as aforemntioned in earlier posts). Surely there's some sleazy area of Berlin (I'm unfamiliar myself) or other city that he could replicate his Patpong book photos. Anyway, just a suggestion.

btw, nearly an another day has passed since :

casualbiker, on 08 May 2014 - 21:46, said:

So any further information relevant to this .. pictures? Other witnesses?

gangrel posted Yesterday, 22:42

No further information found. No pictures found. No other witnesses found.

.... And still nothing.

[Piichai]

The Wall Street Journal editorial page:

I'm afraid that was NOT a Wall Street Journal editorial at all, but rather an Opinion piece, which WSJ buys by the dozen.

In other words, just another article from the Thaksin PR machine.

Fair enough - "from the Wall Street Journal opinion pages". As for your predictable bleating about the WSJ piece being "from the Thaksin PR machine", I will just let it speak for itself.

(Curious: Given that the yellows elicit roughly 0% approval in the international press, is it your standpoint that they are to a (wo)man paid by Thaksin?)

It's important to remember that the PDRC is a collection of grassroots organizations.

Admittedly, they have yet to exhibit Thaksin's media savvy. On the other hand, they are focusing on what's right for Thailand instead of trying to form opinions in the international press.

Thaksin's strategy will work well for a while, up until some little no name reporter gets the idea that everything looks just a little too polished, and decides to go digging on their own. Once the international press realizes they've been duped, there'll be an anti-Thaksin backlash like you won't believe.

To answer your question: No, I don't think they are all paid by Thaksin. Nor must they be to be part of his PR machine. Writers need access to information to write articles they can in turn sell. The upper tier get paid to write, but the scruffs just get a list of talking points that they must turn into cash. That's how the game works.

Lists that show a dozen pro-Thaksin articles does Thaksin no favors. It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to notice familiar threads running through the articles, and when the right person does, that's when the unraveling will begin.

[Dogmatix]

Better to go home and blog in safety about the Greens, the Christian Democrats and Turkish immigration. The money can't be any worse than what New Mandala pays.

Many valid points, and yes, he does appear rather destitute in this thread's photos and elsewhere.

I thought I had read somewhere that after the alleged incident last November that he did have plans to return home as it had all become too much for him here, what with the lack of funds and trying to provide for a family. I was a bit surprised when I first read this thread that he was even still here.

Perhaps with this latest alleged incident, it really, really has become too much and he'll go back. However, instead of continuing with the street blogger of political violence career that you suggested, I would suggest a return to the porn-style photo essay of street prostitutes (as aforemntioned in earlier posts). Surely there's some sleazy area of Berlin (I'm unfamiliar myself) or other city that he could replicate his Patpong book photos. Anyway, just a suggestion.

btw, nearly an another day has passed since :

casualbiker, on 08 May 2014 - 21:46, said:

So any further information relevant to this .. pictures? Other witnesses?

gangrel posted Yesterday, 22:42

No further information found. No pictures found. No other witnesses found.

.... And still nothing.

At least the German state will take care of him and provide decent healthcare and education for his family, if he can't get a proper job. He has been saying he was going back to Germany for the last 5 or 6 years but is addicted to the political violence and the sleaze, even though it doesn't pay. Now would be a good time to make the move before he ends up in the Bangkapong River with a PDRC cravat around his neck.

[Mrgk]

It's important to remember that the PDRC is a collection of grassroots organizations.

Admittedly, they have yet to exhibit Thaksin's media savvy. On the other hand, they are focusing on what's right for Thailand instead of trying to form opinions in the international press.

Thaksin's strategy will work well for a while, up until some little no name reporter gets the idea that everything looks just a little too polished, and decides to go digging on their own. Once the international press realizes they've been duped, there'll be an anti-Thaksin backlash like you won't believe.

To answer your question: No, I don't think they are all paid by Thaksin. Nor must they be to be part of his PR machine. Writers need access to information to write articles they can in turn sell. The upper tier get paid to write, but the scruffs just get a list of talking points that they must turn into cash. That's how the game works.

Lists that show a dozen pro-Thaksin articles does Thaksin no favors. It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to notice familiar threads running through the articles, and when the right person does, that's when the unraveling will begin.

1.) Re: The PDRC being "grassroots", well, nah. They have most of the entire Thai media establishment on hand (The Nation, BKK Post, you name it), in addition to the Democratic party (please, please don´t claim that they are separate in any meaningful sense because Suthep bailed from the Dems before starting the PDRC) and a few other pretty important actors with plenty of cash *cough cough*.

2.) They have had what, more than a decade to do so to "find out" Thaksin? But I am sure they will come around. Any day now .

3.) When you claimed that the WSJ article was "from the Thaksin PR machine", I assume that was merely speculation (or rather, wishful thinking), no?

4.) The obvious reason for why there are "familiar threads running through the articles" (that are published in outlets that run the gamut from liberal to conservative and from small journals to major newspapers) is that the situation in Thailand is not that hard to analyze from outside of the Yellow bubble that exists only in some areas of Thailand.

[Mrgk]

We can now also add the New York Times editorial board to those paid/duped by the all-conquering Shin Machine:

"A Coup by Another Name in Thailand"

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/09/opinion/a-coup-by-another-name-in-thailand.html?_r=0

[casualbiker]

It's important to remember that the PDRC is a collection of grassroots organizations.

Admittedly, they have yet to exhibit Thaksin's media savvy. On the other hand, they are focusing on what's right for Thailand instead of trying to form opinions in the international press.

Thaksin's strategy will work well for a while, up until some little no name reporter gets the idea that everything looks just a little too polished, and decides to go digging on their own. Once the international press realizes they've been duped, there'll be an anti-Thaksin backlash like you won't believe.

To answer your question: No, I don't think they are all paid by Thaksin. Nor must they be to be part of his PR machine. Writers need access to information to write articles they can in turn sell. The upper tier get paid to write, but the scruffs just get a list of talking points that they must turn into cash. That's how the game works.

Lists that show a dozen pro-Thaksin articles does Thaksin no favors. It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to notice familiar threads running through the articles, and when the right person does, that's when the unraveling will begin.

1.) Re: The PDRC being "grassroots", well, nah. They have most of the entire Thai media establishment on hand (The Nation, BKK Post, you name it), in addition to the Democratic party (please, please don´t claim that they are separate in any meaningful sense because Suthep bailed from the Dems before starting the PDRC) and a few other pretty important actors with plenty of cash *cough cough*.

2.) They have had what, more than a decade to do so to "find out" Thaksin? But I am sure they will come around. Any day now .

3.) When you claimed that the WSJ article was "from the Thaksin PR machine", I assume that was merely speculation (or rather, wishful thinking), no?

4.) The obvious reason for why there are "familiar threads running through the articles" (that are published in outlets that run the gamut from liberal to conservative and from small journals to major newspapers) is that the situation in Thailand is not that hard to analyze from outside of the Yellow bubble that exists only in some areas of Thailand.

You may be correct about the PDRC backers BUT your wrong about the people on the street at the protests .. they are normal office workers from middle class families.

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bkkgooner]

I don't think the Bangkok Post backs the PDRC at all in, they have one writer in particular who supports them in his opinion piece but as a newspaper I think they have been critical of the PDRC several times in editorials

[DrDweeb]

The Wall Street Journal editorial page:

I'm afraid that was NOT a Wall Street Journal editorial at all, but rather an Opinion piece, which WSJ buys by the dozen.

In other words, just another article from the Thaksin PR machine.

Fair enough - "from the Wall Street Journal opinion pages". As for your predictable bleating about the WSJ piece being "from the Thaksin PR machine", I will just let it speak for itself.

(Curious: Given that the yellows elicit roughly 0% approval in the international press, is it your standpoint that they are to a (wo)man paid by Thaksin?)

Have you ever worked for Burson-Marstellar?

No, didn't think so. You have probably not even heard of them.

But I have worked for them. But not longer than was absolutely necessary.

I would suggest you <deleted> about things of which you are totally, utterly and wholly ignorant.

What makes B-M and their ilk so insidious, is that the world is full of sheeple like you, people completely ignorant of their own ignorance and who wear it like a badge.

Really, you have absolutely NFC about how easy it is to seed this sort of crap.

[Piichai]

It's important to remember that the PDRC is a collection of grassroots organizations.

Admittedly, they have yet to exhibit Thaksin's media savvy. On the other hand, they are focusing on what's right for Thailand instead of trying to form opinions in the international press.

Thaksin's strategy will work well for a while, up until some little no name reporter gets the idea that everything looks just a little too polished, and decides to go digging on their own. Once the international press realizes they've been duped, there'll be an anti-Thaksin backlash like you won't believe.

To answer your question: No, I don't think they are all paid by Thaksin. Nor must they be to be part of his PR machine. Writers need access to information to write articles they can in turn sell. The upper tier get paid to write, but the scruffs just get a list of talking points that they must turn into cash. That's how the game works.

Lists that show a dozen pro-Thaksin articles does Thaksin no favors. It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to notice familiar threads running through the articles, and when the right person does, that's when the unraveling will begin.

1.) Re: The PDRC being "grassroots", well, nah. They have most of the entire Thai media establishment on hand (The Nation, BKK Post, you name it), in addition to the Democratic party (please, please don´t claim that they are separate in any meaningful sense because Suthep bailed from the Dems before starting the PDRC) and a few other pretty important actors with plenty of cash *cough cough*.

2.) They have had what, more than a decade to do so to "find out" Thaksin? But I am sure they will come around. Any day now .

3.) When you claimed that the WSJ article was "from the Thaksin PR machine", I assume that was merely speculation (or rather, wishful thinking), no?

4.) The obvious reason for why there are "familiar threads running through the articles" (that are published in outlets that run the gamut from liberal to conservative and from small journals to major newspapers) is that the situation in Thailand is not that hard to analyze from outside of the Yellow bubble that exists only in some areas of Thailand.

1.) One wonders if you understand what 'grassroots' means. Go back and research how they came together *before* Suthep became involved. You might also find some clues about how and why Suthep became involved, and his true importance to the reform movement.

The Nation and BKK Post are far from "most of the entire Thai media establishment." And I'd venture a guess that precious few Thais read either. You might have missed it, but there's a reason the Reformists marched to the half-dozen or so State-owned media outlets yesterday; TV stations that are beamed for free into every Thai's home. Since being pressured by CAPO, the State-owned outlets haven't really covered arguably one of the biggest if not the biggest stories in the kingdom in the last six months, and that's just not cricket. I noticed that some outlets have agreed to start covering the Reformists again, but who knows if that will last past additional pressure from CAPO.

BTW, it's my experience that guys that pepper their submissions with "cough, cough" and the like, tend to be paid by the word. Clear and concise, pithy comments (as opposed to, "This guy is dumb" or "That guy is stupid") don't pay as well, but will get one noticed by those who matter, enabling them to move up the ladder. And that's where the bigger bucks are.

2.) I hate to break it to you, but as an oversimplified, general rule, people outside Thailand don't give a rat's patootie about Thaksin. Something big happening would focus the world's spotlight on Thailand, but Thaksin really should be afraid of that; far too many skeletons in the closet.

No doubt Thaksin thinks he can bamboozle and lie his way out of problems as he does in Thailand, but hasn't really played with the big boys yet. Look how he was chased out of Liverpool! If the world's press starts looking into Thaksin's Social Order Campaign, the ex judicial War on Drugs killings, and stacking muslims like cord wood in the back of trucks, he'll wish he was never born. And we haven't even touched on the nepotism, cronyism, and corruption.

3.) Just follow the threads; it's really not that difficult.

4.) It was just a few weeks ago that Thaksin lamented (and I'm paraphrasing), "My team is stupid. We need more smart people!" Since then we've seen a stream of questionable academics from dubious or lower level institutions. Although Thaksin doesn't check their backgrounds, others do.

"The obvious reason for why there are "familiar threads running through the articles"" is that Thaksin's team is unimaginative. They don't really understand how to manage a seeding operation. They can only deflect about the Ammart, Suthep, and democracy, when those really aren't the issues at all.

Tell me, what does Thaksin think about nepotism? No wait, please don't. How about if you list countries other than Cuba and North Korea that think nepotism is a good idea?

The reason PR groups seed articles is so that guys like you can point to them. Others that know how the game works, know what's really going on.

If you've truly found someone to love, I feel happy for you. But Thaksin isn't the kind of person with which I'd climb into bed; Yingluck neither, for that matter.

Things happen for a reason. There's a reason most of the members here are anti-Thaksin. If you want to argue effectively, learn why that is. List all the things you think are cool about Thaksin, and investigate the arguments against them. You'll learn a lot about Taksin, and just maybe yourself.

[jaidam]

Does anybody know what has become of this Thaksin propagandist since the post coup clampdown? Talk about having backed the wrong horse!!

[Morch]

Does anybody know what has become of this Thaksin propagandist since the post coup clampdown? Talk about having backed the wrong horse!!

Still around:

RT@Aim_NT:Nick Nostitz asked when the people who beat him up would be arrested.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/733396-thailand-live-wednesday-11-jun-2014/?p=7959331

Not sure this is about backing the right or wrong horse, seems like he's a true believer.

Some said the very same circa 2010, ended up with the PTP forming the next government....

[bigbamboo]

Does anybody know what has become of this Thaksin propagandist since the post coup clampdown? Talk about having backed the wrong horse!!

Still around:

RT@Aim_NT:Nick Nostitz asked when the people who beat him up would be arrested.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/733396-thailand-live-wednesday-11-jun-2014/?p=7959331

Not sure this is about backing the right or wrong horse, seems like he's a true believer.

Some said the very same circa 2010, ended up with the PTP forming the next government....

This time it's a bit different though. General Prayuth seems to know what he's doing.

[Morch]

Does anybody know what has become of this Thaksin propagandist since the post coup clampdown? Talk about having backed the wrong horse!!

Still around:

RT@Aim_NT:Nick Nostitz asked when the people who beat him up would be arrested.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/733396-thailand-live-wednesday-11-jun-2014/?p=7959331

Not sure this is about backing the right or wrong horse, seems like he's a true believer.

Some said the very same circa 2010, ended up with the PTP forming the next government....

This time it's a bit different though. General Prayuth seems to know what he's doing.

Not sure how do you mean "different".

The coup leaders already said they won't disband parties, and that eventually there will be elections held.

Just saying things could be different a couple of years from now.

Agree that they learned from past mistakes as far as handling things, and that from a PR/social psychology point of view -

someone is doing superb work, really. Not saying this to downplay what they are doing, quite the opposite - rather impressed

with how prepared they were on many levels.

I hope that at least some of the initiatives they promote will stick for the long term future.

[Emptyset]

This time it's a bit different though. General Prayuth seems to know what he's doing.

Not sure how do you mean "different".

The coup leaders already said they won't disband parties, and that eventually there will be elections held.

Just saying things could be different a couple of years from now.

Agree that they learned from past mistakes as far as handling things, and that from a PR/social psychology point of view -

someone is doing superb work, really. Not saying this to downplay what they are doing, quite the opposite - rather impressed

with how prepared they were on many levels.

I hope that at least some of the initiatives they promote will stick for the long term future.

What like free haircuts and free tickets to Naresuan 5? That stuff might delight people who already support the coup but it might well come across as patronising to those who don't. Social media response to the latter iniative seems pretty mixed. But there's nothing like a good piece of chest thumping nationalism to get people to forget about their petty internal squabbles and to remember that the real enemy is... the Burmese. lol.

As for Nick, those who accuse him of being a propagandist sound far more like propagandists than he does, especially as they've never adduced any evidence to show that he's been deliberately lying or twisting the truth in his reports for political purposes (i.e. propaganda). But the people that say this stuff are the same people that think that the BBC and The Economist have been bought off by The Economist. It's just conspiracist claptrap.