Red shirt radio 92.5

[Puwa]

This isn't meant to be a political topic per se. If you want to reply with your views on the national crisis better to go to one of the threads in the News forum.

Instead, this is a Chiang Mai-specific topic about what is being broadcast over the airwaves here in Chiang Mai.

Sometimes I turn on 92.5 in the car to follow what the red shirt movement is saying. It's not a matter of whether I agree or disagree; I just want to know what's being said.

Over the last week the call to arms has become louder and clearer. This morning they were advocating the "summary execution" (visaman-kattagam) of Suthep as the only solution to the crisis. And there are the daily exhortations to "fill up your tanks with fuel," to go fight in Bangkok in case of a coup or martial law. That message echoes the 2010 exhortation to all red shirts to each bring a liter of fuel to start burning Bangkok. Also lots of talk daring any Democrat politicians, members of independent agencies, or PDRC supporters to come to Chiang Mai.

I am curious to know if anyone else listens and what you hear, from 92.5 or other grassroots source, and what you make of it. Just bluster or are we on the edge?

Moderators, feel free to keep the thread on topic.

[Oscar2]

i was a little surprised to hear this radio station being played [loud!] over the speaker system in a village near the Mae Rim road yesterday. and yes, i too noticed the angry tone. i would say there is some time before we are on the edge but it could escalate quickly.

i also saw the economic report today and things are starting to unravel economically. people should be cautious in terms of making any major investments. JMO.

[mesquite]

Thanks for posting Puwa and Oscar2. Along these lines, does anyone know of an English language media outlet that might provide this same information? Right now it looks like thaivisa is the best thing going for this type of info. I was wondering if there might be other sources.

[debcmai]

Just saw in the news that the new PM is open to having talks with the protesters...he says he wants to avoid civil war...and that there is no need. He did say the talks have to be realistic...Suthep and gang might have a problem with that....

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Giving people a taste of democracy, a voice and respect for the first time ever, and then have it taken away by traditional institutions including but not limited to the military and courts, does cause a level of grievance.

Removing a previous PM for appearing on a TV cooking show, and now again for something almost as silly. Not sure what else they should feel but anger.

So that's not good news, especially not for those enjoying the fruits of institutionalized inequality. Which includes pretty much all of us.

Edited May 12, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Baerboxer]

Giving people a taste of democracy, a voice and respect for the first time ever, and then have it taken away by traditional institutions including but not limited to the military and courts, does cause a level of grievance.

Removing a previous PM for appearing on a TV cooking show, and now again for something almost as silly. Not sure what else they should feel but anger.

So that's not good news, especially not for those enjoying the fruits of institutionalized inequality. Which includes pretty much all of us.

So you don't consider perjury and nepotism by illegal transfer serious issues?

One PM lied to a court. The other was found guilty of breaking the law and guilty of breaking the law to benefit her family and political party by 2 different courts.

So PM's that don't consider they have done anything wrong when they break the law or lie to hide it are o k for you?

If they hadn't broke the law and lied then removing them would indeed be unjust.

[heybruce]

Giving people a taste of democracy, a voice and respect for the first time ever, and then have it taken away by traditional institutions including but not limited to the military and courts, does cause a level of grievance.

Removing a previous PM for appearing on a TV cooking show, and now again for something almost as silly. Not sure what else they should feel but anger.

So that's not good news, especially not for those enjoying the fruits of institutionalized inequality. Which includes pretty much all of us.

So you don't consider perjury and nepotism by illegal transfer serious issues?

One PM lied to a court. The other was found guilty of breaking the law and guilty of breaking the law to benefit her family and political party by 2 different courts.

So PM's that don't consider they have done anything wrong when they break the law or lie to hide it are o k for you?

If they hadn't broke the law and lied then removing them would indeed be unjust.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was removed by the courts for hosting a televised cooking show and receiving modest pay for his efforts. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was removed for transferring the National Security Chief who had been appointed by predecessor.

To the outside world this looks like an out of control judiciary. From inside Thailand I have to agree. Apparently the 2007 Constitution is so vague that anything the government attempts can result in charges filed by the opposition, then the judiciary, accountable to nobody and filled with traditional elites, will eventually choose which charges to consider. Shouldn't a Prime Minister be able to choose his or her Cabinet Ministers?

[waza]

Didn't take long for the narrow minded to turn a current topic into a blame game of past deeds and spin it way off topic.

I agree the situation is precarious, their are hot heads on both sides stoking the peoples discontent for their own or their benefactors benefit and agenda. What we need are cool heads to take the lead and calm the situation down, the last thing any reasonable person wants is to see bloodshed.

[icare999]

its been like that for many years not only up in CM but in other areas. Its just like Hitlers propaganda and is sickening to know poor brainwashed or many of them believe every word. Ive even heard red shirt rallies blame Dems for lower price of gold and claim the elite in BKK have orgies eating Issan bandies. I am not kidding.

IF Red shirt fanatics ever get their way the onyl hope is the army or within a few years Thailand will be as bad as most of other places run and rules by evil dictators.

I do however see signs in our red village and area that at last some of those who worshipped Taksin before are beginning to wake up to truth and their are far fewer Taksin and red shirt posters around than before although every house still has to on pain of severe implications fly red flags.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Giving people a taste of democracy, a voice and respect for the first time ever, and then have it taken away by traditional institutions including but not limited to the military and courts, does cause a level of grievance.

Removing a previous PM for appearing on a TV cooking show, and now again for something almost as silly. Not sure what else they should feel but anger.

So that's not good news, especially not for those enjoying the fruits of institutionalized inequality. Which includes pretty much all of us.

So you don't consider perjury and nepotism by illegal transfer serious issues?

One PM lied to a court. The other was found guilty of breaking the law and guilty of breaking the law to benefit her family and political party by 2 different courts.

So PM's that don't consider they have done anything wrong when they break the law or lie to hide it are o k for you?

If they hadn't broke the law and lied then removing them would indeed be unjust.

I said nothing of the sort. The core issue is that elected government does not run this country. Other institutions do. And when it pleases them they can remove a government for the silliest of reasons, either through courts that are not impartial courts, or through military coup.

This is not to say I like or don't like those governments, but I'm signalling that the rural poor no longer take this sort of thing lying down.

[Puwa]

As the starter of this thread, let me reiterate that many, many topics already exist elsewhere on thaivisa where supporters of either side can air their views and grievances. Please use those. The purpose here is to discuss media in Chiang Mai.

In answer to the question about English sources, Bangkok Pundit is good for news analysis. Prachathai's English site is ok, too. However, both lean noticeably in the same direction. For background on modern Thai politics, check out any of the excellent books by Pasuk Pongpaichit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasuk_Phongpaichit

Although she is described as a critic of Thaksin, her scholarship predates his rise and anyway is not polemical.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I don't particularly enjoy listening to Red Shirt radio. They're nutters, just like Suthep's mob / Bluesky.

That said I don't think we're on the brink of civil war, mostly because nobody has something to gain from that and especially not the people running PTP, nor the people running the Democrat party. A compromise between PTP and the Democrat party about elections and some reform would be a great way forward. If the Democrats (Or "Democrats" if you will) keep saying 'Nyet' and continue to boycott the electoral process then the silliness continues.

Edited May 13, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Sparkles]

In the Chiang Mai City Life Magazine, September 2009 there was a very interesting interview with DJ Aom who heads up the Chiang Mai Rak 51 group whose mouthpiece is the red shirt radio

92.5.

Pim Kemasingki, Editor of CL conducted the interview and the answers she received from DY Aom are very interesting and will shed light on the groups ideology.

You can read it and make up your own mind.I found it quite disturbing.

I think the link is www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/viewfa.php?id=2637 if not google Chiang Mai City Life interview with Kanyapak DJ Aom

[Puwa]

As of this morning, 92.5's signal is much weaker, and I haven't heard any political discussion. It would appear that the station is complying with the terms of martial law.

[northernjohn]

Giving people a taste of democracy, a voice and respect for the first time ever, and then have it taken away by traditional institutions including but not limited to the military and courts, does cause a level of grievance.

Removing a previous PM for appearing on a TV cooking show, and now again for something almost as silly. Not sure what else they should feel but anger.

So that's not good news, especially not for those enjoying the fruits of institutionalized inequality. Which includes pretty much all of us.

I can understand why they have their grievance's over these things. But where do you draw the line. It is OK to break the law up to one point but not beyond. I would think that they should instead of making allowances for the PM to cross over the line they should hold them to a higher standard.

Thanks to the posters who have translated the red shirt radio. It is pretty much what I would have expected. I do feel that the red shirts are not as strong as they think they are. The Thai's I know are against them and afraid to speak out about it. As was hinted at here earlier they if talking out loud will tend to follow the red shirt line. If I remember correctly there was not a lot of them that actually went to Bangkok in 2010 and very little done here when it was over. They burned a fire truck down and closed some roads and threatened some shopping centers.

But what got me to wondering was how come there was only 100 of them at the train station to welcome the ones who had gone to Bangkok home. They in my mind are the true red shirts the others just an excuse to act out. Let us hope they have decided to follow more peaceful means this time. After all they still have the PM chair.

[northernjohn]

Giving people a taste of democracy, a voice and respect for the first time ever, and then have it taken away by traditional institutions including but not limited to the military and courts, does cause a level of grievance.

Removing a previous PM for appearing on a TV cooking show, and now again for something almost as silly. Not sure what else they should feel but anger.

So that's not good news, especially not for those enjoying the fruits of institutionalized inequality. Which includes pretty much all of us.

So you don't consider perjury and nepotism by illegal transfer serious issues?

One PM lied to a court. The other was found guilty of breaking the law and guilty of breaking the law to benefit her family and political party by 2 different courts.

So PM's that don't consider they have done anything wrong when they break the law or lie to hide it are o k for you?

If they hadn't broke the law and lied then removing them would indeed be unjust.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was removed by the courts for hosting a televised cooking show and receiving modest pay for his efforts. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was removed for transferring the National Security Chief who had been appointed by predecessor.

To the outside world this looks like an out of control judiciary. From inside Thailand I have to agree. Apparently the 2007 Constitution is so vague that anything the government attempts can result in charges filed by the opposition, then the judiciary, accountable to nobody and filled with traditional elites, will eventually choose which charges to consider. Shouldn't a Prime Minister be able to choose his or her Cabinet Ministers?

Not as long as Thaksin is running the government. As for any thing the government wants to charge the opposition with well if they are guilty of it why not?

I seem to get the feeling here that you are approving of nepotism and part time jobs for the Prime Minister. The nepotism they might get away with if they have a better person to fill the job. But that was not the case here. Yingluck had plenty of time to assemble the facts for her relative being the best man but couldn't find any.

[northernjohn]

As the starter of this thread, let me reiterate that many, many topics already exist elsewhere on thaivisa where supporters of either side can air their views and grievances. Please use those. The purpose here is to discuss media in Chiang Mai.

In answer to the question about English sources, Bangkok Pundit is good for news analysis. Prachathai's English site is ok, too. However, both lean noticeably in the same direction. For background on modern Thai politics, check out any of the excellent books by Pasuk Pongpaichit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasuk_Phongpaichit

Although she is described as a critic of Thaksin, her scholarship predates his rise and anyway is not polemical.

It would be good to hear from other posters who can understand Thai. You talk about the media has any one read any thing in the local papers yet on it. What is the regular Thai TV saying about it. I presume Chiang Mai has a local station. In fact what has the local papers been presenting for the last six months? No surprise the red shirt radio station would go over the top with it. What about regular stations?