'Don't remove the cone': latest advice on the Net

[JohnnyJazz]

This morning I witnessed what maybe the obvious explanation to the guards attitude. I was shopping at the Lotus which is at one end of the Chaeng Wattana protest site when my helper showed me a group of people loading cartons of alcohol into their shopping carts, at least 5 carts full of whisky and beer. She said it was for the protesters. I asked her how she knew, she laughed and she pointed at one of the cart "Singha beer, only them drinking that". I was not really convinced but we met them again in the parking lot where they were loading their pick up. This time there was no mistake, they were helped by people in the typical all-black guard uniform. It's totally crazy, everybody knows that alcohol and extremely hot weather don't mix well. If the protesters were really serious about safety, they would totally ban alcohol from the protest site. But obviously they don't care much.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, it's not that I care so much about the health of the "guards", I was talking about the safety of the innocent by-standers who are routinely beaten up by those drunkards.

Edited May 12, 2014 by JohnnyJazz

[kimamey]

This morning I witnessed what maybe the obvious explanation to the guards attitude. I was shopping at the Lotus which is at one end of the Chaeng Wattana protest site when my helper showed me a group of people loading cartons of alcohol into their shopping carts, at least 5 carts full of whisky and beer. She said it was for the protesters. I asked her how she knew, she laughed and she pointed at one of the cart "Singha beer, only them drinking that". I was not really convinced but we met them again in the parking lot where they were loading their pick up. This time there was no mistake, they were helped by people in the typical all-black guard uniform. It's totally crazy, everybody knows that alcohol and extremely hot weather don't mix well. If the protesters were really serious about safety, they would totally ban alcohol from the protest site. But obviously they don't care much.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, it's not that I care so much about the health of the "guards", I was talking about the safety of the innocent by-standers who are routinely beaten up by those drunkards.

A very good point and I'm sure it's true. I suspect it happens on both sides.

[rubl]

This morning I witnessed what maybe the obvious explanation to the guards attitude. I was shopping at the Lotus which is at one end of the Chaeng Wattana protest site when my helper showed me a group of people loading cartons of alcohol into their shopping carts, at least 5 carts full of whisky and beer. She said it was for the protesters. I asked her how she knew, she laughed and she pointed at one of the cart "Singha beer, only them drinking that". I was not really convinced but we met them again in the parking lot where they were loading their pick up. This time there was no mistake, they were helped by people in the typical all-black guard uniform. It's totally crazy, everybody knows that alcohol and extremely hot weather don't mix well. If the protesters were really serious about safety, they would totally ban alcohol from the protest site. But obviously they don't care much.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, it's not that I care so much about the health of the "guards", I was talking about the safety of the innocent by-standers who are routinely beaten up by those drunkards.

Please note that tomorrow is Visakha Bucha and there is a 24-hour alcohol ban. I find it unbelievable Buddha Issara will not encourage this although he may not be in the position to 'force'. Note that even normal Thai have no problem finding alcohol at any time of the day and on any day.

BTW your previous post had

"We are scared ! When moving to Thailand 6 month ago we were very excited to live in such a lovely country. Now my wife doesn't want to leave the house, actually she wants to leave the country. We live near Chaeng Wattana. We have met very often the "guards", either in the street or in the nearby shopping mall. "

Does the "she laughed and she pointed at one of the cart "Singha beer, only them drinking that"." mean your wife is Thai, or do you have a Thai helper ?

Edited May 12, 2014 by rubl

[kimamey]

If these people are unarmed, non violent and peaceful why is the monk handing over his guards and paying hush money to family. Are they only violent pieces of excrement when they get caught? If the monk is the leader of this site then the buck stops with him and he is entirely responsible for the actions of his militia.

Isn't that why he said he'd hand them over. How do you know it's hush money as if it is it's not working?

[kimamey]

This morning I witnessed what maybe the obvious explanation to the guards attitude. I was shopping at the Lotus which is at one end of the Chaeng Wattana protest site when my helper showed me a group of people loading cartons of alcohol into their shopping carts, at least 5 carts full of whisky and beer. She said it was for the protesters. I asked her how she knew, she laughed and she pointed at one of the cart "Singha beer, only them drinking that". I was not really convinced but we met them again in the parking lot where they were loading their pick up. This time there was no mistake, they were helped by people in the typical all-black guard uniform. It's totally crazy, everybody knows that alcohol and extremely hot weather don't mix well. If the protesters were really serious about safety, they would totally ban alcohol from the protest site. But obviously they don't care much.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, it's not that I care so much about the health of the "guards", I was talking about the safety of the innocent by-standers who are routinely beaten up by those drunkards.

Please note that tomorrow is Visakha Bucha and there is a 24-hour alcohol ban. I find it unbelievable Buddha Issara will not encourage this although he may not be in the position to 'force'. Note that even normal Thai have no problem finding alcohol at any time of the day and on any day.

You'll probably find they'll get blind drunk and complain about farangs not respecting their religion.

[kimamey]

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We are scared ! When moving to Thailand 6 month ago we were very excited to live in such a lovely country. Now my wife doesn't want to leave the house, actually she wants to leave the country. We live near Chaeng Wattana. We have met very often the "guards", either in the street or in the nearby shopping mall. They look look like thugs, my wife says they look like bikers, now the sunday riders, the gangsters. Until now they were keeping their distance but now we read in the newspapers that they start to attack people at random. According to our expat colleagues it's the first time in recent time that protesters attack innocent bystanders. So far the violence has always been confined around the protest sites but now things seem to change especially for the follower of this monk. How can someone call himself "Buddha". It shows what a fanatic nuts we are dealing with.

Last night I couldn't sleep well. I am up very early this morning and the first I did was checking the news to see if anything happened in our neighborhood. Yesterday I was talking to my boss. I asked him either to assign me somewhere else or to accept my resignation. He asked me to wait a few days and promised a special bonus to make up for the trouble. Money is fine but if we see any new report of people attacked in their car by these so called "guards", we are out of here !

What you say is very sad. Just bear in mind though, that this is still one of the safest countries in the world in every other respect. Your location at Chaeng Wattana is unfortunate. Presumably you are renting as you've only been here a few months. Why not surrender your deposit and move to a more stable part of town. Then you can relax and enjoy the company of Thais at their best: jovial, fun loving, gentle, friendly people.

These thugs are like the Nazi brownshirts -mindless violent thugs, acting at the behest of a man who sounds more like Hitler every day. They do not represent the Thai people who reject them repeatedly at the ballot box. They represent the rich elite who are using them to maintain their control of the country.

I live in Isaan and it's very peaceful up here. I've never seen any trouble between the opposing views and I'm sure you're right that unless you're unlucky to be in the wrong area of Bangkok JohnnyJazz will be fine. I've had to go to the capital or several occasions over the last few months and even walked through one of the protest sites with no problems.

I'm not sure about it being one of the safest countries in the world in every other respect as the road death figures say otherwise but the people are generally very friendly.

There are definitely some violent ones amongst the guards but it would be wrong to just point at one side as some of the red leaders have openly encouraged violence in the past and I don't believe that the current protest leaders are the only ones representing a rich elite either.

To JohnnyJazz take the advice and move don't leave.

[kimamey]

Phra Buddha Issara handed the PDRC guards responsible for the assault over to police and gave Bt50,000 to Wittawat's family.

Why doesn't UDD police their following the same way?

because it is these same PDRC thugs who are shooting their own side to garner public sympathy? Once the protesters go away, attacks on the protesters will go away as well I think.

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The first part has no evidence as far as I know and the last part shows a complete lack of logic.

[JohnnyJazz]

This morning I witnessed what maybe the obvious explanation to the guards attitude. I was shopping at the Lotus which is at one end of the Chaeng Wattana protest site when my helper showed me a group of people loading cartons of alcohol into their shopping carts, at least 5 carts full of whisky and beer. She said it was for the protesters. I asked her how she knew, she laughed and she pointed at one of the cart "Singha beer, only them drinking that". I was not really convinced but we met them again in the parking lot where they were loading their pick up. This time there was no mistake, they were helped by people in the typical all-black guard uniform. It's totally crazy, everybody knows that alcohol and extremely hot weather don't mix well. If the protesters were really serious about safety, they would totally ban alcohol from the protest site. But obviously they don't care much.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, it's not that I care so much about the health of the "guards", I was talking about the safety of the innocent by-standers who are routinely beaten up by those drunkards.

Please note that tomorrow is Visakha Bucha and there is a 24-hour alcohol ban. I find it unbelievable Buddha Issara will not encourage this although he may not be in the position to 'force'. Note that even normal Thai have no problem finding alcohol at any time of the day and on any day.

BTW your previous post had

"We are scared ! When moving to Thailand 6 month ago we were very excited to live in such a lovely country. Now my wife doesn't want to leave the house, actually she wants to leave the country. We live near Chaeng Wattana. We have met very often the "guards", either in the street or in the nearby shopping mall. "

Does the "she laughed and she pointed at one of the cart "Singha beer, only them drinking that"." mean your wife is Thai, or do you have a Thai helper ?

The answer is in the post

Edited May 12, 2014 by JohnnyJazz

[kimamey]

I don't know whats more disgusting, the PDRC guards or those supporters of the PDRC who defend these thugs. Their behaviour is indefensible

You call these thugs? Nah, They are far from it.

The real thugs are coming out and recently they hire a farang leader as well.

My answer to this is "Snipers" do you have a source of this farang leader your talking about, I have rad about farand 'supporters' but not leaders.

Well, as I watched the udd rally, there is a farang on the red stage giving a long speech. He sounds like a new UDD core member. I suppose him the first farang udd leader? 5555......

I don't know about this but could it be the lawyer Robert Amsterdam pretending to be a redshirt? Haven't seen him in a while but I did see him in a picture posted on Facebook. It was in Thai so I've no idea if it was recent.

[millwall_fan]

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....and these are the people who want to run the country. I'd prefer to stick with democracy..

I wouldn't worry. Many people want to run the country but that doesn't mean they can. It also depends on who you mean by these people? I can't see a monk being PM and anyway he seems not to condone this sort of behaviour and Suthep never even led the Democrats so I can't see him suddenly making it either. There are extremists on both sides but most are peaceful.

Let's not forget though that in 2010 whilst most red shirts are non violent there were people on stage promoting violence and arson. Where are those people now.

These PDRC guards need to be brought before the courts and at least the monk has said he will hand them over and if he is able to but doesn't then I would be the first to condemn him.

If we're talking about handing people over who have been violent when are the democratically elected caretaker government going to hand over the soldiers who shot people in 2010 instead of protecting them?

Your post is, I fear, very muddled and does not show a terribly good understanding of the situation: the soldiers who shot and killed more than 90 protesters in 2010 are not being 'protected' by the caretaker government, quite the reverse, the 'caretaker government' represent the party that the dead protesters supported. The soldiers were allegedly ordered to open fire by Messrs Abhisit and Suthep - who stand indicted for murder. Mr Suthep has so far not complied with any of the summonses against him, claiming he is currently 'too busy'. If the courts pursued Abhisit and Suthep with the same vigour that they have proceeded against the 'caretaker government' we might not be in th impasse we currently are in.......

[kimamey]

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....and these are the people who want to run the country. I'd prefer to stick with democracy..

I wouldn't worry. Many people want to run the country but that doesn't mean they can. It also depends on who you mean by these people? I can't see a monk being PM and anyway he seems not to condone this sort of behaviour and Suthep never even led the Democrats so I can't see him suddenly making it either. There are extremists on both sides but most are peaceful.

Let's not forget though that in 2010 whilst most red shirts are non violent there were people on stage promoting violence and arson. Where are those people now.

These PDRC guards need to be brought before the courts and at least the monk has said he will hand them over and if he is able to but doesn't then I would be the first to condemn him.

If we're talking about handing people over who have been violent when are the democratically elected caretaker government going to hand over the soldiers who shot people in 2010 instead of protecting them?

Your post is, I fear, very muddled and does not show a terribly good understanding of the situation: the soldiers who shot and killed more than 90 protesters in 2010 are not being 'protected' by the caretaker government, quite the reverse, the 'caretaker government' represent the party that the dead protesters supported. The soldiers were allegedly ordered to open fire by Messrs Abhisit and Suthep - who stand indicted for murder. Mr Suthep has so far not complied with any of the summonses against him, claiming he is currently 'too busy'. If the courts pursued Abhisit and Suthep with the same vigour that they have proceeded against the 'caretaker government' we might not be in th impasse we currently are in.......

I don't want to stray off topic too much but I think I should point out that I think your understanding is lacking. Abhisit and Suthep did not order the army to open fire on anyone. They were given permission to shoot under certain circumstances. I can't remember the exact English translation but basically it was if there was a danger to life or property. This isn't alledged as it's in the ROE. Only a few of the deaths have been investigated but those that have, including the 2 journalists (Not all those killed were red supporters) say that the military fired the shots and the victims weren't threatening life or property so they were disobeying orders. Because of this I would suggest they aren't covered by the immunity given under the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in State of Emergency, BE 2548 (2005) Tarit of the DSI who according to him follow government policy said that the military wouldn't be investigated but would be just called as witnesses. Notice also that Tarit isn't being charged either. Therefore it's the last government who are protecting the army despite their promise of justice.

As I said the guards should be handed over which is what Buddha Issara says he will do. If he is able to and doesn't or if he doesn't at least help the police then he is basically condoning the violence. My point is that there are two sides to this and there are justified criticisms of both sides.

[Smokemachine]

I don't know whats more disgusting, the PDRC guards or those supporters of the PDRC who defend these thugs. Their behaviour is indefensible

You call these thugs? Nah, They are far from it.

The real thugs are coming out and recently they hire a farang leader as well.

My answer to this is "Snipers" do you have a source of this farang leader your talking about, I have rad about farand 'supporters' but not leaders.

Well, as I watched the udd rally, there is a farang on the red stage giving a long speech. He sounds like a new UDD core member. I suppose him the first farang udd leader? 5555......

I don't know about this but could it be the lawyer Robert Amsterdam pretending to be a redshirt? Haven't seen him in a while but I did see him in a picture posted on Facebook. It was in Thai so I've no idea if it was recent.

He doesn't need to pretend to be a red shirt. He is a red shirt. Pro-Thaksin right hand man

[kimamey]

I don't know whats more disgusting, the PDRC guards or those supporters of the PDRC who defend these thugs. Their behaviour is indefensible

You call these thugs? Nah, They are far from it.

The real thugs are coming out and recently they hire a farang leader as well.

My answer to this is "Snipers" do you have a source of this farang leader your talking about, I have rad about farand 'supporters' but not leaders.

Well, as I watched the udd rally, there is a farang on the red stage giving a long speech. He sounds like a new UDD core member. I suppose him the first farang udd leader? 5555......

I don't know about this but could it be the lawyer Robert Amsterdam pretending to be a redshirt? Haven't seen him in a while but I did see him in a picture posted on Facebook. It was in Thai so I've no idea if it was recent.

He doesn't need to pretend to be a red shirt. He is a red shirt. Pro-Thaksin right hand man

A good point. The reason I said pretending to be a redshirt is because I saw a Youtube video of him a while back addressing a redshirt rally. Now I don't know about you but even before I first came here to meet the woman who is now my wife I'd learnt to say 'sawatdee krap'. He went through about 15 minutes in which he claimed 'I'm one of you I'm a redshirt' without one word of Thai. Not even to say hello. It seemed a bit strange to me baring in mind how much contact he must have with Thais. At the end he turned round to leave and you could see a guy behind him say 'sawatdee krap' which he then turned and said. Without that prompt he wouldn't have bothered.

[apiwan]

Couple of pics from yesterday s TV programme.

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