Thai 'Red Shirts' rally to defend wounded government

[Lite Beer]

Thai 'Red Shirts' rally to defend wounded government

BANGKOK, May 10, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's pro-government "Red Shirts" began massing Saturday in Bangkok to challenge a bid by opposition protesters to install an unelected regime in power after the removal of the prime minister.

The dismissal of premier Yingluck Shinawatra and nine ministers by the Constitutional Court this week for the improper transfer of a top security official has plunged the restive kingdom deeper into crisis.

Officials said about 3,000 police officers were on stand-by for the pro-government rally on the western outskirts of Bangkok on Saturday, with turnout expected to peak in the evening.

"We are ready to fight," senior Red Shirt Kwanchai Pripana told AFP ahead of the gathering.
"We will not use violence but we will use the power of the masses to fight for democracy."

The Red Shirts have said they will keep up their protests for as long as necessary to defend the wounded administration.

Rival opposition demonstrators are gearing up to try to deliver a knock-out blow to the remnants of the government to enable an unelected leadership to take the reins of the Southeast Asian nation.

Such a move would infuriate supporters of Yingluck and her elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed by royalist generals in a coup in 2006, an event that ushered in years of political turmoil.

Political violence has left at least 25 people dead and hundreds wounded in gun and grenade attacks by shadowy assailants in recent months, mostly targeting opposition demonstrators.

The fear is that armed elements on both sides of the political divide could seek to incite further unrest.

Police used water cannon on Friday against anti-government protesters attempting to enter a state security agency.

The opposition activists also surrounded a number of television stations in a move decried by rights campaigners as media intimidation.

The anti-government protesters want the upper house of parliament -- almost half of whose members are unelected -- to remove the weakened cabinet including new Prime Minister

Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, a Thaksin loyalist.
But critics say their call for the Senate to appoint a new prime minister has no legal basis.

Thai courts have removed three prime ministers linked to Yingluck's family, who have won every election completed since 2001.

The last round of polls held in February was voided after disruption by opposition protesters and the results were never announced.

Thaksin lives in Dubai to avoid jail for a corruption conviction that he says was politically motivated, but he is accused by his opponents of clinging to power through his political allies at home.

The billionaire tycoon-turned-politician is popular in the northern half of Thailand thanks to his policies aimed at rural voters, but hated by many southerners and members of the Bangkok-based elite and middle classes.

The government wants to press ahead with a planned July 20 election but the new poll date has yet to be endorsed by a royal decree and critics have accused poll officials of siding with the opposition.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-05-10

[winstonc]

if you want to fight for democracy your supporting the wrong team sunshine...now why is it they call the reds kwai..

[zydeco]

What has Thailand come to that it would allow the desecration of Phuttamonthon, a religious district, during a religious holiday by these vile, lewd celebrants of murder and terrorism?

[wedders]

What has Thailand come to that it would allow the desecration of Phuttamonthon, a religious district, during a religious holiday by these vile, lewd celebrants of murder and terrorism?

Seriously? I saw a lot of vile, lewd, murderous women and children terrorists at a recent redshirt rally in Pattaya.

Not.

[bigbamboo]

What has Thailand come to that it would allow the desecration of Phuttamonthon, a religious district, during a religious holiday by these vile, lewd celebrants of murder and terrorism?

Sadly whilst most nations and its people have progressed since the turn of century Thailand isn't one of them

[Jack Mountain]

Wondering or Yingluck will show up ...

[Arkady]

Wondering or Yingluck will show up ...

Gone shopping.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Scamper]

The Pheu Thai administration is indeed wounded and this AFP article is right to put quotation marks around the word " rally " when describing whatever the red shirts are doing. The UDD has been struggling to try to gather as many of their members as possible for weeks now. They may indeed miss the train, because events have now taken much more speed. Pheu Thai is losing the airwaves. CAPO no longer is able to transmit on Channels 3, 5, 7, and Thai PBS. They still transmit on Channel 9. They were able to get on Channel 11's signal momentarily through a circuitous route but that was apparently short-lived. CAPO's increasing surreal announcements are therefore reaching a diminishing audience. The Pheu Thai administration ceases to function in any conceivable and practical sense. They selected a man through the cabinet, but that holds no constitutional weight as a prime minister can only be nominated through a quorum-filled parliament or through the Senate in the event of a quorum-less parliament. Pheu Thai has half a cabinet, no legislative power, no parliament, and no public mandate. They even can't have an election. For three reasons - 1) the unrest on the ground is as disruptive if not more than before the last election. Everyone outside of Pheu Thai acknowledges that. - 2) Pheu Thai wanted the EC to include a provision in the decree that would allow the EC to postpone the election again if there were difficulties with the poll. That is something that could be successfully challenged constitutionally. There is no precedent for that. You simply can't have a decree that includes a clause that allows the discretion for a movable election date. - 3) As the man Pheu Thai has chosen is not through constitutional means, he would therefore not have the authority to set an election date. The Pheu Thai administration is - in effective - frozen.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Scamper

[rijb]

I'll say this. You're copy and pasting skills are top notch. You post the same dizzy crap on every thread.

We get it. You think PT is dying. But, they're not dying quietly. They're being disruptive.

If everyone outside PT knows this, why do you feel the need to tell them over and over again? Is it because you're not convinced, yourself?

[billd766]

Whilst I do agree with the report here "Thai courts have removed three prime ministers linked to Yingluck's family, who have won every election completed since 2001."

AFP, at least in this report, fails to mention the reasons.

1 Thaksin was found guilty of one charge and fled from the country. There are more charges and more serious ones awaiting his return.

2 Somchai was dismissed and the PPP disbanded due to electoral fraud.

3 Yingluck was dismissed for breaking the laws of the country. Impeached at present and possibly facing a jail sentence for the rice scam.

If they do report on something surely they should research the subject first.

[h90]

if you want to fight for democracy your supporting the wrong team sunshine...now why is it they call the reds kwai..

You look at the red leaders bank accounts and you look at your bank account and than you reconsider who the kwai is.

I am sure the man in Dubai pays them very well to fight for HIS democracy.

[fab4]

Wondering or Yingluck will show up ...

Gone shopping.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Oh and I thought there would be a silver lining with Yingluck having been dismissed (pending impeachment vote) - that there would be no more references to "thank you three times", "puppet", remarks about intelligence, her schooling, etc. oh, and "shopping".

Seems I was wrong

[Piichai]

Looks like a big turnout!

Richard Barrow photo taken at 11AM.

[Soutpeel]

Looks like a big turnout!

Richard Barrow photo taken at 11AM.

Elevated Porta potties out number protester's ?.....same as last time ?

[zydeco]

Looks like a big turnout!

Richard Barrow photo taken at 11AM.

Elevated Porta potties out number protester's ?.....same as last time ?

I drove down the road yesterday. The service roads were still open, then, around noon. There were more toilets this time. As The Voice says in Field of Dreams: "Build it and they will come."

[winstonc]

if you want to fight for democracy your supporting the wrong team sunshine...now why is it they call the reds kwai..

You look at the red leaders bank accounts and you look at your bank account and than you reconsider who the kwai is.

I am sure the man in Dubai pays them very well to fight for HIS democracy.

my money was earned through actual work not theft..my heart and mind is clear of any guilt...but then you dont know how much im worth...i retired at 46..

[Luk Mhee]

"We will not use violence but we will use the power of the masses to fight for democracy."

Will this be the Red Shirt version of democracy? or the international version of democracy?

[zydeco]

"We will not use violence but we will use the power of the masses to fight for democracy."

Will this be the Red Shirt version of democracy? or the international version of democracy?

It likely is the Khmer Rouge version of democracy.

[Baerboxer]

Whilst I do agree with the report here "Thai courts have removed three prime ministers linked to Yingluck's family, who have won every election completed since 2001."

AFP, at least in this report, fails to mention the reasons.

1 Thaksin was found guilty of one charge and fled from the country. There are more charges and more serious ones awaiting his return.

2 Somchai was dismissed and the PPP disbanded due to electoral fraud.

3 Yingluck was dismissed for breaking the laws of the country. Impeached at present and possibly facing a jail sentence for the rice scam.

If they do report on something surely they should research the subject first.

Of course they do the research. Then selectively report what supports their agenda.

This is really the first time I've followed something this closely, from being on the ground, in the international press. Certainly changed my opinions of journalistic professionalism.

[Baerboxer]

Wondering or Yingluck will show up ...

Gone shopping.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Oh and I thought there would be a silver lining with Yingluck having been dismissed (pending impeachment vote) - that there would be no more references to "thank you three times", "puppet", remarks about intelligence, her schooling, etc. oh, and "shopping".

Seems I was wrong

As usual. No change there then

[billsmart]

Good luck to the Red Shirts! I hope they succeed in bolstering the democratically-elected government and try to stave off the attacks from the anti-democratic, aristocratic Yellow Shirts.

Let Thailand have a vote. Let the Thai people decide their future for better or worse. Better an inept, corrupt but democratically-elected government than an efficient, corrupt, elitist government brokered in some backroom deal.

[bigbamboo]

Wondering or Yingluck will show up ...

Gone shopping.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Oh and I thought there would be a silver lining with Yingluck having been dismissed (pending impeachment vote) - that there would be no more references to "thank you three times", "puppet", remarks about intelligence, her schooling, etc. oh, and "shopping".

Seems I was wrong

Come on, fab. Only a fool gets in the way of any woman's shopping!

[rabas]

Good luck to the Red Shirts! I hope they succeed in bolstering the democratically-elected government and try to stave off the attacks from the anti-democratic, aristocratic Yellow Shirts.

Let Thailand have a vote. Let the Thai people decide their future for better or worse. Better an inept, corrupt but democratically-elected government than an efficient, corrupt, elitist government brokered in some backroom deal.

I hope they stop throwing grenades and shooting at my house, I can't sleep with all this democracy.

So, brokered from a condo in Dubai is more to your choice?

Edited May 10, 2014 by rabas

[mikemac]

I'll say this. You're copy and pasting skills are top notch. You post the same dizzy crap on every thread.

We get it. You think PT is dying. But, they're not dying quietly. They're being disruptive.

If everyone outside PT knows this, why do you feel the need to tell them over and over again? Is it because you're not convinced, yourself?

If it is "the same dizzy crap" you are after then catch up on some of the riveting posts by fabio, moonao, mangobob, gk, bluey etc etc.

And yes, PTP is dying, but unfortunately will probably be replaced by another equally evil party, such are the ways of the Shinawatra regime.

[Mr Yim]

if you want to fight for democracy your supporting the wrong team sunshine...now why is it they call the reds kwai..

I dont know please tell me why Mr I think I'm Superior?

[mikemac]

Wondering or Yingluck will show up ...

Gone shopping.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Oh and I thought there would be a silver lining with Yingluck having been dismissed (pending impeachment vote) - that there would be no more references to "thank you three times", "puppet", remarks about intelligence, her schooling, etc. oh, and "shopping".

Seems I was wrong

As usual. No change there then

"Seems I was wrong" !!!!!! (we are still waiting for you to list the glowing achievements of the PTP in the last 3 years)

The "silver lining" you speak of is when the PTP crooks are all behind bars, (think blackmarket ear-medicine) or in Dubai, the Shinawatras are eradicated from Thai politics, the redshirts are run out of the country like the soi rats they really are, and you have no more reason to post your boring PTP/Red propaganda anymore. That is our silver lining.

[Mr Yim]

The Pheu Thai administration is indeed wounded and this AFP article is right to put quotation marks around the word " rally " when describing whatever the red shirts are doing. The UDD has been struggling to try to gather as many of their members as possible for weeks now. They may indeed miss the train, because events have now taken much more speed. Pheu Thai is losing the airwaves. CAPO no longer is able to transmit on Channels 3, 5, 7, and Thai PBS. They still transmit on Channel 9. They were able to get on Channel 11's signal momentarily through a circuitous route but that was apparently short-lived. CAPO's increasing surreal announcements are therefore reaching a diminishing audience. The Pheu Thai administration ceases to function in any conceivable and practical sense. They selected a man through the cabinet, but that holds no constitutional weight as a prime minister can only be nominated through a quorum-filled parliament or through the Senate in the event of a quorum-less parliament. Pheu Thai has half a cabinet, no legislative power, no parliament, and no public mandate. They even can't have an election. For three reasons - 1) the unrest on the ground is as disruptive if not more than before the last election. Everyone outside of Pheu Thai acknowledges that. - 2) Pheu Thai wanted the EC to include a provision in the decree that would allow the EC to postpone the election again if there were difficulties with the poll. That is something that could be successfully challenged constitutionally. There is no precedent for that. You simply can't have a decree that includes a clause that allows the discretion for a movable election date. - 3) As the man Pheu Thai has chosen is not through constitutional means, he would therefore not have the authority to set an election date. The Pheu Thai administration is - in effective - frozen.

But they will still win the next election .

[gabruce]

if you want to fight for democracy your supporting the wrong team sunshine...now why is it they call the reds kwai..

You look at the red leaders bank accounts and you look at your bank account and than you reconsider who the kwai is.

I am sure the man in Dubai pays them very well to fight for HIS democracy.

Low blow. I look at my bank account and now realize that contrary to what I previously believed about myself I am one of the biggest buffalo around. (I assume that I am interpreting your statement correctly, small bank account, big buffalo, big bank account, small buffalo).

Sigh! It was a nice day.

[Tywais]

A link to an article that some comments verge on LM. If you post a link to an article please check the comments too as they can be too dangerous to be referenced from TV.

[Jackson86]

the court has sent a wrong signal to everyone in such that no one has faith in thai politics anymore since even a caretaker PM can be sacked in between Feb and July elections. in short, yellow shirt people don't know democracy.