Thai 'Red Shirts' rally to defend wounded government

[Mentors]

There is a very large crowd at the UDD rally even it is raining now.

[zydeco]

There is a very large crowd at the UDD rally even it is raining now.

That's because they have no place to seek shelter. They picked a bad location for when something like this large storm happens. The area is a park, a collection of moobahns, and, down the road, Mahidol University. These clods are not even within walking distance of the nearest 7-11. They are stuck in the middle of a road that has no place for them to go. Not the best strategic planning. All because they wanted to be able to stick their loudspeakers over the pictures of the king lining the street.

[AleG]

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

This really is quite insulting and typical of the pathetic level of many on this forum.

Learn to rejoice when Kwai win the next election and "you know who" does not.......

Hope it won't be too painful for you, sunshine.

15 million Kwai, indeed..............

15 million Red Shirts? have a cite to support that ridiculous statement?

[AleG]

Redshirts, when are you going to wise up ? Break away and you stand a chance, and a very good one, but the false prophet you are mindlessly following is going to lead you only down

Not very likely because in spite of the histerical exagerations of UDD fanboys here the fact is Red Shirts represent a small minority of the population.

[espinoza]

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.

And your suggestion is ?

[mikemac]

Redshirts, when are you going to wise up ? Break away and you stand a chance, and a very good one, but the false prophet you are mindlessly following is going to lead you only down

Not very likely because in spite of the histerical exagerations of UDD fanboys here the fact is Red Shirts represent a small minority of the population.

Besides that they are paid thugs, arsonists, a real rent-a-crowd. Sponsored by an on-the-run criminal who needs someone to do his dirty work. If these idiots went it alone even they know their income would disappear.

Would love to know how much this latest rabble is costing Thaksin. If they really want to shut the ThaiRouge down it's simply a matter of stopping Thaksin's money getting to them.Cannot work out who is the least sharp, these drunken red scumbags, or the morons who support them. I know lots of every day Thai people who hate them. What does that tell you ?

[mikemac]

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

This really is quite insulting and typical of the pathetic level of many on this forum.

Learn to rejoice when Kwai win the next election and "you know who" does not.......

Hope it won't be too painful for you, sunshine.

15 million Kwai, indeed..............

15 million Red Shirts? have a cite to support that ridiculous statement?

Your average red won't get out of bed unless he is paid to.

15,000,000 x 500 baht = 7,500,000,000.00 baht.

Let's hope for Thaksin's sake they don't all rally on the same day !

[pmugghc]

It's good to know that there is a jointly owned drone working the among those UDDer idiots. Now, where is the clone?

You don't know about overhead photos in the past six months, but you are qualified to speak on Thai politics.

Interesting claim. Some might disagree, even silently.

.

Perhaps you can share with us what the required qualifications are to comment on Thai politics on TVF?

I'm sure most of us has seen previous drone photos, but now you tell us we should have known about said drones ownership in order to comment here, interesting.

Please tell the moderators to amend the TVF rules!

[See the bears]

I hope that Suthep will use his hijacking of the TV stations to broadcast his official admission of defeat on the number of protesters.

[rebelplatoon]

Looks like a big turnout!

Richard Barrow photo taken at 11AM.

Don t worry the reds channel can take such an angle that it looks like a massive crowd. . .

[phutoie2]

Not very likely because in spite of the histerical exagerations of UDD fanboys here the fact is Red Shirts represent a small minority of the population.

Besides that they are paid thugs, arsonists, a real rent-a-crowd. Sponsored by an on-the-run criminal who needs someone to do his dirty work. If these idiots went it alone even they know their income would disappear.

Would love to know how much this latest rabble is costing Thaksin. If they really want to shut the ThaiRouge down it's simply a matter of stopping Thaksin's money getting to them.Cannot work out who is the least sharp, these drunken red scumbags, or the morons who support them. I know lots of every day Thai people who hate them. What does that tell you ?

It tells me that you know SFA, leave the confines of your bar and meet some more Thai people. "Red shirts represent a small minority of the population" - total BS.

[Piichai]

Looks like a big turnout!

Richard Barrow photo taken at 11AM.

Don t worry the reds channel can take such an angle that it looks like a massive crowd. . .

Notice the placement of large umbrellas throughout the site so overhead observation cannot be used to determine crowd size.

[rebelplatoon]

Odd to see fellow TV members getting their balls in a twist over this all the time. Opinions differ thats fine and actually the way it can be. Agree to disagree. No need to get personal. I think Suthep is as dangerous as Thaksin. Both camps of elected people should sit down and find a way out. Abhisit has already said he won t join a government. If the Shins do the same it solves a lot.

Have a short lived business government. Change the laws so both sides can live with it. Have elections. Shouldn t be that hard. If even TV members keep on emphasizing the differences, society stands no chance. Thailand needs a way out.

[mikemac]

Actually I am surprised there is not a bigger crowd. 500 baht a day to dress up, free food and transport to and from BKK, what a junket !

A couple of years ago the reds went to my wife's family village in Surin and one of them approached my brother-in-law about joining them. When his father was told he said to his son "If you join them you will not be welcome back in our home ever again. You decide what you want to do." Not everyone in Issan are ThaiRouge fans, some of the people can see them for what they really are, lazy, good for nothing opportunists.

[AleG]

Not very likely because in spite of the histerical exagerations of UDD fanboys here the fact is Red Shirts represent a small minority of the population.

Besides that they are paid thugs, arsonists, a real rent-a-crowd. Sponsored by an on-the-run criminal who needs someone to do his dirty work. If these idiots went it alone even they know their income would disappear.

Would love to know how much this latest rabble is costing Thaksin. If they really want to shut the ThaiRouge down it's simply a matter of stopping Thaksin's money getting to them.Cannot work out who is the least sharp, these drunken red scumbags, or the morons who support them. I know lots of every day Thai people who hate them. What does that tell you ?

It tells me that you know SFA, leave the confines of your bar and meet some more Thai people. "Red shirts represent a small minority of the population" - total BS.

Come on, show us the numbers. How many people in Thailand identify as Red Shirts?

The only poll I've seen says 7%, back in 2010, plus another 7% sympathetic with their ideas; since then and after the betrayal of the Amnesty Bill and the debacle of the Rice Scheme I don't believe those numbers would have increased.

Go on, you know they are the majority, prove it.

[rametindallas]

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.

I think you guys are misinterpreting h90. I think his point was that the Red leaders are fighting for 'democracy' (Red Shirt democracy that supports dictatorship by Thaksin) because they are very well paid by Thaksin. He wasn't trying to slight you own bank accounts. It is well know that Jatuporn's bank account swelled hugely during and after the 2010 Ratchaprasong protests. Those guys are dollar millionaires now. Far wealthier than I. h90 is saying they fight for Red style 'democracy' because of money and not because of their love of true democracy. Haven't you guys read enough of his posts by now to know where he's coming from?

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

[DGIE]

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..

did you retire in job? why so early?

Why not!?!?

Piichai, who did you reply to?

[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.

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?

The Red Shirts practice democracy at the polls. On the street they are responding to a challenge to democracy.

The era when Thaksin was PM was the most economically successful era Thailand has seen in recent history. He was an excellent leader in that respect, and he woke up the non-Bangkok, rural people to realize Thailand was their country too and they should have a say in what happens. I don't think this realization can be stuffed back into the box again, at least not without a lot of resistance.

Charges of corruption are not as important to me here as they would be in a country where democracy has been well-established. And as we all know even in countries like these corruption still runs rampant. I believe the overt corruption here is a residual of the Thai's historic and still current system of government by patronage. The Thais are used to giving gifts to their leaders in exchange for favors. That's the way it was historically, and that's still the way the local system of government works with it's hierarchy of abitor, pu-yai, pu-wa, etc... - at least out here in the rural areas. I don't know how that's done in Bangkok.

[Jackson86]

Thai people are still politically immature due to lack of education. Govt needs to do more. I oppose the yellow shirts coz of the nonsensical idea of a group of people not elected via democratic elections. Opposing yellow shirts don't mean opposing the king. It's still a fact that yingluck and red shirts will always win elections. The yellow shirts are simply sore losers.

[rubl]

The Red Shirts practice democracy at the polls. On the street they are responding to a challenge to democracy.

The era when Thaksin was PM was the most economically successful era Thailand has seen in recent history. He was an excellent leader in that respect, and he woke up the non-Bangkok, rural people to realize Thailand was their country too and they should have a say in what happens. I don't think this realization can be stuffed back into the box again, at least not without a lot of resistance.

Charges of corruption are not as important to me here as they would be in a country where democracy has been well-established. And as we all know even in countries like these corruption still runs rampant. I believe the overt corruption here is a residual of the Thai's historic and still current system of government by patronage. The Thais are used to giving gifts to their leaders in exchange for favors. That's the way it was historically, and that's still the way the local system of government works with it's hierarchy of abitor, pu-yai, pu-wa, etc... - at least out here in the rural areas. I don't know how that's done in Bangkok.

So, let me see. The red-shirts practice democracy at the polls, but charges of corruption are not important here as it would be in well-established democracies and the age old patronage system is still alive and well.

Seems like you're saying the democracy is only practices during elections and forgotten about before and after. Here I can totally agree with you, dear billyboy.

BTW Thaksinomics only works in a period of global economic growth.

[billd766]

The Red Shirts practice democracy at the polls. On the street they are responding to a challenge to democracy.

The era when Thaksin was PM was the most economically successful era Thailand has seen in recent history. He was an excellent leader in that respect, and he woke up the non-Bangkok, rural people to realize Thailand was their country too and they should have a say in what happens. I don't think this realization can be stuffed back into the box again, at least not without a lot of resistance.

Charges of corruption are not as important to me here as they would be in a country where democracy has been well-established. And as we all know even in countries like these corruption still runs rampant. I believe the overt corruption here is a residual of the Thai's historic and still current system of government by patronage. The Thais are used to giving gifts to their leaders in exchange for favors. That's the way it was historically, and that's still the way the local system of government works with it's hierarchy of abitor, pu-yai, pu-wa, etc... - at least out here in the rural areas. I don't know how that's done in Bangkok.

So, let me see. The red-shirts practice democracy at the polls, but charges of corruption are not important here as it would be in well-established democracies and the age old patronage system is still alive and well.

Seems like you're saying the democracy is only practices during elections and forgotten about before and after. Here I can totally agree with you, dear billyboy.

BTW Thaksinomics only works in a period of global economic growth.

Thaksinomics as practised from 2011 to 2014 have not benefitted Thailand in the slightest just using the rice scheme as one example.

Trying to corner the worlds markets with a perishable product by buying that product at highky inflated prices and then being unable to sell the said product at exceptional losses without taking into account storage and transportation costs is NOT the act of a financial genius.

Even after 3 years there is STILL no verifiable profit and loss account though there are vast amounts of money that are still not accounted for.

In addition to this there are still MILLIONS of farmers who have not yet been paid for nearly 8 months. Some have committed suicide yet STILL the PTP government has not paid them.

Thaksin a financial genius?

In a pigs ear he is!!!

[CantSpell]

Thaksinomics as practised from 2011 to 2014 have not benefitted Thailand in the slightest just using the rice scheme as one example.

Thaksin a financial genius?

Would tend to agree with you and to counter what most would say about Thaksin area and the growth of Thailand during this time, I would answer:

It is all about been at the right place at the right time.....

2000+ all over the world has seen a big trend growth of technology and development.

Thailand been under the USA has surely benefited from this trend... Worldwide trend, just look at Europe in 95-2000 and what is is now....

So Thailand rode a worldwide trend, nothing to do with Thaksin...

[Nickymaster]

Red Shirts rally to defend corrupt government.