More redshirts heading for Bangkok

[Bluespunk]

good for them and for every 1 that goes another 10 in the village cheering them on

was chatting to a Thai teacher the other day and she was explaining how the ammart control everything but the red tide cannot be stopped just slowed down until a fairer, just society is formed

paradigm shift, once started, never stops

Red tide or just dumb country bums who are still looking for handouts? For them its just about the money. C'mon, stop the trolling.

Your choice of words reveals your ignorance and racism: "dumb country bums". That's just how the PDRC and the ammart put it, and that's why they are ultimately going to lose. The redshirts don't come to the demonstration for the money, they come because they believe in democracy.

No they don't. They come because they believe in power, in winning, in thaksinomics, in using violence to achieve there aims, in refusing to accept that their party broke the law and is now paying the price, but the give and take, consensual basis of democratic rule. No that they do not believe in.

and yes i don't think suthep does either, but then again I don't like him either.

[Bluespunk]

But you miss the fundamental point. You may be well versed on the economics of it all, but the simple fact is they voted in the government. If it's so beastly to themas you say, they can chuck it out at a fresh election, something the other side don't want, as they are opposed to any election as I can see.

That was not the point made in the post at all.

As for elections I'm all for them. As I am for the legal system prosecuting and gaoling those who abuse their position of power and spend their time in power using street thugs to intimidate opponents, the judiciary and generally undermine democratic rule. PT can rule if they win elections, however if they rule as they did over the last three years they deserve gaol and political bans. Winning elections obliges a party to rule for the benefit of the country not themselves and fugitive criminals. PT failed to grasp this basic principle and that is why we have the current mess.

to rule for the benefit of the country not themselves

Oh come on? Other than say perhaps Singapore, I can't think of another country in this entire region where your rather fantasy like conditions actually exist in practice.

Really? You see the democratic rule of law as a fantasy? To rule for the countries sake, not your family's as fantasy?

What a sad, depressing view of the world.

Condolences.

[anteater]

"They planned to join their colleagues on Aksa road to demand justice for their ousted premier on Constitutional Court’s judgement,"

Yingluck wasn't ousted. She abused her position and paid the price.

She got justice, more may follow once the scale of her incompetence in overseeing the rice scheme is revealed.

She was ousted by a court system devised by the coup-mongers of 2006. Such decisions have made Thailand the laughing-stock of the world. The words "cooking show" come to mind.

Re the rice scheme: you admit that details haven't been revealed. So it is entirely possible that she was not at all incompetent. Or do you have the full details there in your briefcase?

[Puwa]

Both sides have participants who join for free and those who are paid to take part.

Both sides include peaceful demonstrators who sit-in, listen to speeches, clap, whistle, and cheer, as well as more aggressive protesters who confront opponents and authorities, seize public and private property, and disrupt the lives and safety of others.

Both sides have used similar tactics of trespass, intimidation, and street violence to coerce goverment, civil service, media and businesses for one reason or another.

Both sides employ "guards" who are given localized, quasi-police powers. They control access to public places, command traffic, and exercise powers of search and detention.

Both sides claim to have the spirit of the law, if not always the letter of law or the institutions of law, on their side.

Both sides use the rhetoric of "eliminating" the enemy from Thai society.

Both sides have their moderate and radical factions. The moderates distance themselves from their movements' individual political leaders and prefer to focus on questions of structural reform. The radicals focus on personalities and reject the idea of compromise.

Both sides must tiptoe around a set of prohibited topics that none of us is permitted to discuss in public, but which are ultimately central to the conflict at hand.

* * *

For these reasons, and many, many others, I don't see how anyone who cares about peace, justice, truth, or--dare I say it?--democracy can choose one side and attack the other as vehemently as many TV users do. Honestly, I think Thailand's political crisis is just another opportunity for angry, frustrated, possibly intoxicated farang to vent their rage, without effect.

Are you above all that? If you are, what brings you to participate at this thread of frustrated farangs? Monday intoxication?

I just don't see the point of crass partisanship.

[Asiantravel]

But you miss the fundamental point. You may be well versed on the economics of it all, but the simple fact is they voted in the government. If it's so beastly to themas you say, they can chuck it out at a fresh election, something the other side don't want, as they are opposed to any election as I can see.

That was not the point made in the post at all.

As for elections I'm all for them. As I am for the legal system prosecuting and gaoling those who abuse their position of power and spend their time in power using street thugs to intimidate opponents, the judiciary and generally undermine democratic rule. PT can rule if they win elections, however if they rule as they did over the last three years they deserve gaol and political bans. Winning elections obliges a party to rule for the benefit of the country not themselves and fugitive criminals. PT failed to grasp this basic principle and that is why we have the current mess.

to rule for the benefit of the country not themselves

Oh come on? Other than say perhaps Singapore, I can't think of another country in this entire region where your rather fantasy like conditions actually exist in practice.

Really? You see the democratic rule of law as a fantasy? To rule for the countries sake, not your family's as fantasy?

What a sad, depressing view of the world.

Condolences.

ha ha it's not sad its pragmatic when you face facts that politicians in any country put their own interests first. Look at the expenses scandal in the House of Commons in Britain? Who would have thought eh.

and if you think for one moment that a self appointed People's Council and all their henchmen who will not be answerable to any one, and who will not be able to be voted out of office wont be tempted at all to dip their hands in the coffers even just a bit during the extended period they will take to resolve the so-called reforms-then I have a bridge to sell you

[tiredofpolitics]

Hmm! Instead of being sensible and encouraging the end of all these protests and potential violence, many TV members are taking sides and spewing comments that fuels more hatred and encourage all these divisions in this country. Common, both sides are eqaully to be blame and both sides are just as bad. Stop encouraging them.

Those of you who enjoy all these problems in thailand....if you are man enough....put on either of the colours who claim to support ie red or yellow during the critical days and go and out and hang out with your groups. I would love to see what happens. Please for the sake of this country and the economy encourage all your thai friends and families and anyone else you can, to stop all these madness and move on.

[Asiantravel]

"They planned to join their colleagues on Aksa road to demand justice for their ousted premier on Constitutional Court’s judgement,"

Yingluck wasn't ousted. She abused her position and paid the price.

She got justice, more may follow once the scale of her incompetence in overseeing the rice scheme is revealed.

She was ousted by a court system devised by the coup-mongers of 2006. Such decisions have made Thailand the laughing-stock of the world. The words "cooking show" come to mind.

Re the rice scheme: you admit that details haven't been revealed. So it is entirely possible that she was not at all incompetent. Or do you have the full details there in your briefcase?

" entirely possible that she was not at all incompetent "

You should Google the words Thailand on the brink of civil war on Al Jazeera America regarding this in a new article. I cannot post the link here because the author also covers points that we are not allowed to discuss

But I hope someone gets around to translating it into Thai for the people here

[chooka]

If you keep kicking the Soi dogs they will rise up and bite you, Suthep you idiot.

Edited May 19, 2014 by chooka

[ppmacready]

good for them and for every 1 that goes another 10 in the village cheering them on

was chatting to a Thai teacher the other day and she was explaining how the ammart control everything but the red tide cannot be stopped just slowed down until a fairer, just society is formed

paradigm shift, once started, never stops

OK....a major prediction based on a "chat with a Thai teacher". Tell the UN!

'' Power concedes nothing without a demand.

It never did and it never will.''

''Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.''

China

Cambodia

Malaysia

Laos

Vietnam

Nepal

You would think the elitists would have learnt something from Asian political history.

If not the western worlds!

[Bluespunk]

"They planned to join their colleagues on Aksa road to demand justice for their ousted premier on Constitutional Courts judgement,"

Yingluck wasn't ousted. She abused her position and paid the price.

She got justice, more may follow once the scale of her incompetence in overseeing the rice scheme is revealed.

She was ousted by a court system devised by the coup-mongers of 2006. Such decisions have made Thailand the laughing-stock of the world. The words "cooking show" come to mind.

Re the rice scheme: you admit that details haven't been revealed. So it is entirely possible that she was not at all incompetent. Or do you have the full details there in your briefcase?

PT abused their power and paid the price.

The details of the rice scheme ineptness and corruption have been widely reported. I recall one civil servant who went public and was forced to retract under threats from PT. Yingluck was in charge of this inept, criminally stupid economic policy and the debacle it became, she cannot have not seen what was going on.

However, yes, the courts have to decide and I unlike you will accept any verdict they reach. I think she is guilty and culpable. I hope she is treated fairly but if she is found guilty she should receive no special treatment. The guilty go to gaol. No amnesty.

[rebelplatoon]

Money must ve come in. Lets go fight for 'de mockracy'.

As long and until mr T still has money to spend this will never be over. But. . He s all doing it for the good of the country.

Wish it would ALL stop. Suthep, Jatuporn, The monk and the red militia firing away.

PTP sit around the table with the Dems. Discuss a way out of this mess.

[bander]

Are they on the way to burn down Bangkok like in 2010 and then kill the dictator? Sorry, forgot that the dictator live in Dubai

[Bluespunk]

@asiantravel:

You said:

ha ha it's not sad its pragmatic when you face facts that politicians in any country put their own interests first. Look at the expenses scandal in the House of Commons in Britain? Who would have thought eh.

and if you think for one moment that a self appointed People's Council and all their henchmen who will not be answerable to any one, and who will not be able to be voted out of office wont be tempted at all to dip their hands in the coffers even just a bit during the extended period they will take to resolve the so-called reforms-then I have a bridge to sell you

Me:

No, it's depressing. The UK scandal? I believe that justice was served on the abusers of the system. However their criminality does not match that of the lords and lady of misrule that is PT. Not even close.

Once more I find that because I despise PT, their street thug UDD red guard and the damage they have inflicted upon Thailand being accused of supporting suthep and his fascist council. I don't. He is wrong. However PT are as wrong and in many respects worse.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Bluespunk

[bander]

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"They planned to join their colleagues on Aksa road to demand justice for their ousted premier on Constitutional Courts judgement,"

Yingluck wasn't ousted. She abused her position and paid the price.

She got justice, more may follow once the scale of her incompetence in overseeing the rice scheme is revealed.

She was ousted by a court system devised by the coup-mongers of 2006. Such decisions have made Thailand the laughing-stock of the world. The words "cooking show" come to mind.
Re the rice scheme: you admit that details haven't been revealed. So it is entirely possible that she was not at all incompetent. Or do you have the full details there in your briefcase?

PT abused their power and paid the price.

The details of the rice scheme ineptness and corruption have been widely reported. I recall one civil servant who went public and was forced to retract under threats from PT. Yingluck was in charge of this inept, criminally stupid economic policy and the debacle it became, she cannot have not seen what was going on.

However, yes, the courts have to decide and I unlike you will accept any verdict they reach. I think she is guilty and culpable. I hope she is treated fairly but if she is found guilty she should receive no special treatment. The guilty go to gaol. No amnesty.

If the next PM is a Shinawatra there will be another amnesty bill, one for Mr. T and one for Mrs. YL, both convicted criminals living in Dubai.

[Local Drunk]

I hope they take a bath before they enter the city proper, and I really hope they make an effort to learn to speak Thai.

[farangbanok]

'' Power concedes nothing without a demand.

It never did and it never will.''

''Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.''

China

Cambodia

Malaysia

Laos

Vietnam

Nepal

You would think the elitists would have learnt something from Asian political history.

If not the western worlds!

Your list of countries doesn't have France.

The peasants there rose up and got rid of their version of the ammart!

The final verse of the French National Anthem is

Aux armes, citoyens,

(To arms, citizens,)

Formez vos bataillons,

(Form your battalions,)

Marchons, marchons !

(Let's march, let's march!)

Qu'un sang impur

(Let an impure blood)

Abreuve nos sillons !

(Water our furrows! )

I don't think I would like that for Thailand.

[farangbanok]

I hope they take a bath before they enter the city proper, and I really hope they make an effort to learn to speak Thai.

I guess you really are a drunk and have never got beyond the nearest bar. Never been upcountry and met REAL Thai people.

In the North East most people take at least two showers a day - I have even seen a guy coming back to his village with his buffalos, stop and wash himself and his clothes before entering the village. In my vocabulary that is "self-pride" something that is sadly lackimg in all the drunks I have known.

If Thai is the yapping soi dog language used by all the women on Channel 3 soap operas I hope that the the Bangkokians learn to speak a more gentle, graceful version of Thai.

I guess your ears are numb through perpetual drunkeness.

[djjamie]

good for them and for every 1 that goes another 10 in the village cheering them on

was chatting to a Thai teacher the other day and she was explaining how the ammart control everything but the red tide cannot be stopped just slowed down until a fairer, just society is formed

paradigm shift, once started, never stops

I was chatting to a Thai teacher that said the opposite. They said the red shirts are a scourge on society and accountability will stop them.

So I can extract from your comment that the 2 teachers we spoke to have different opinions and under a democratic society difference in opinions are still legal and should be encouraged.

Are differences in opinion still legal PTP? From your actions over the past 3 days it seems that may not be the case.

Tell me what I should think PTP so I don't get arrested?

[pmugghc]

"They planned to join their colleagues on Aksa road to demand justice for their ousted premier on Constitutional Court’s judgement,"

Yingluck wasn't ousted. She abused her position and paid the price.

She got justice, more may follow once the scale of her incompetence in overseeing the rice scheme is revealed.

She was ousted by a court system devised by the coup-mongers of 2006. Such decisions have made Thailand the laughing-stock of the world. The words "cooking show" come to mind.

Re the rice scheme: you admit that details haven't been revealed. So it is entirely possible that she was not at all incompetent. Or do you have the full details there in your briefcase?

Thailand was made the laughing-stock of the world when Samak was 1) hosting a cooking show, 2) got paid for it, 3) lied about it under oath, 4) Thaksin could have reinstated him but picked another puppet.

Imagine Obama , Merkel or Cameron in the same situations!

[pmugghc]

"They planned to join their colleagues on Aksa road to demand justice for their ousted premier on Constitutional Court’s judgement,"

Yingluck wasn't ousted. She abused her position and paid the price.

She got justice, more may follow once the scale of her incompetence in overseeing the rice scheme is revealed.

She was ousted by a court system devised by the coup-mongers of 2006. Such decisions have made Thailand the laughing-stock of the world. The words "cooking show" come to mind.

Re the rice scheme: you admit that details haven't been revealed. So it is entirely possible that she was not at all incompetent. Or do you have the full details there in your briefcase?

" entirely possible that she was not at all incompetent "

You should Google the words Thailand on the brink of civil war on Al Jazeera America regarding this in a new article. I cannot post the link here because the author also covers points that we are not allowed to discuss

But I hope someone gets around to translating it into Thai for the people here

I don't want to understate the danger of the current situation, but the Al Jazeera article you referred to was about as objective as a Bangkok Pundit article.

[ikke]

At a 1000bht per head wow!

The PDRC were 'compensating' supporters 750baht a day for 'loss of earnings' in January - I know some teacher's that attended and confirmed this. How did you come by your information, or are you just making things up?

thats funny my thai wife and many of her uni friends where also there

and they never saw any one paid

so it sounds like some one is making things up to make the red shirts not look so bad

Check your wife"s bank account.....she might be making things up...

[ableguy]

maybe the red shirts should emulate the PRDC and Sutheps manner of intimidation since te army and police do nothing to stop them ie start hounding all the Democart MPs, NACC and Cosntitutional and Election Commisioners and also all the families of the PRDC leaders including their supporters ie Singha, etc. Should be fun to watch.

For heavens sake everyone.......please stop all these nonsense both sides......this wonderful country and its economy is being ripped by both sides.....enough is enough.

The only wonderful thing about this country are the good looking females.

[Smokemachine]

Anyone have estimated numbers at Red rally site and the PDRC site?

This is one of the motorcycle brigades ..... no wonder PDRC are building earth berms at the Democracy Monument

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS-8vy-E_b0

You and Binjalin are as bad as fabby. The video was posted on youtube on the 17th with the title

I have never seen this before, do not explain.

So when exactly do you think this was tx22cb? Binjalin thinks they are driving down the road now.

You are saying this is in 2014?

[Mentors]

And when the Reds Shirts arrive in the inner city of Bangkok, the Army will suddenly step in...

[bigbamboo]

maybe the red shirts should emulate the PRDC and Sutheps manner of intimidation since te army and police do nothing to stop them ie start hounding all the Democart MPs, NACC and Cosntitutional and Election Commisioners and also all the families of the PRDC leaders including their supporters ie Singha, etc. Should be fun to watch.

For heavens sake everyone.......please stop all these nonsense both sides......this wonderful country and its economy is being ripped by both sides.....enough is enough.

The only wonderful thing about this country are the good looking females.

Except all the big tits seem to be in parliament.

[Thaddeus]

maybe the red shirts should emulate the PRDC and Sutheps manner of intimidation since te army and police do nothing to stop them ie start hounding all the Democart MPs, NACC and Cosntitutional and Election Commisioners and also all the families of the PRDC leaders including their supporters ie Singha, etc. Should be fun to watch.

For heavens sake everyone.......please stop all these nonsense both sides......this wonderful country and its economy is being ripped by both sides.....enough is enough.

The only wonderful thing about this country are the good looking females.

Except all the big tits seem to be in parliament.

I think great rather than big would be a better word BB.

Personally, I never seen a great tit that didn't spend most of its time beating up the smaller tits, banging its head on a tree and clamoring over fat soaked peanuts.

[Halion]

maybe the red shirts should emulate the PRDC and Sutheps manner of intimidation since te army and police do nothing to stop them ie start hounding all the Democart MPs, NACC and Cosntitutional and Election Commisioners and also all the families of the PRDC leaders including their supporters ie Singha, etc. Should be fun to watch.

For heavens sake everyone.......please stop all these nonsense both sides......this wonderful country and its economy is being ripped by both sides.....enough is enough.

Wonderful country ! Your delusional or you have just arrived. This country was well past enough twenty years ago.

[fasteddie]

good for them and for every 1 that goes another 10 in the village cheering them on

was chatting to a Thai teacher the other day and she was explaining how the ammart control everything but the red tide cannot be stopped just slowed down until a fairer, just society is formed

paradigm shift, once started, never stops

Red tide or just dumb country bums who are still looking for handouts? For them its just about the money. C'mon, stop the trolling.

Ha Ha! good one troll master.

[ChiangMike]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

good for them and for every 1 that goes another 10 in the village cheering them on

was chatting to a Thai teacher the other day and she was explaining how the ammart control everything but the red tide cannot be stopped just slowed down until a fairer, just society is formed

paradigm shift, once started, never stops

Red tide or just dumb country bums who are still looking for handouts? For them its just about the money. C'mon, stop the trolling.

Referring to all of these people as "dumb country bums" and that they only looking for "handouts" is naive. While they may be wrong about the Thaksin clan, they believe in their cause(s). These people for the most part come from a large section of the country which has been mistreated for a long time. The fact that Thaksin wanted to put up some money for their vote was just icing on the cake for them. Finally someone in politics actually did something for them in the way of projects that helped their communities. Too bad for them it turned out he was a criminal. I don't want to see them come to confront the yellows as it just means more misery and death. However, I understand how they think they are once again being shoved aside.

Almost felt a sense of relief reading your post, thanks for sharing. My foreign acquaintances in Bangkok are virulently against the redshirts (foreign like me, my Thai peers and friends are split or unsure). They fixate on Thaksin's corruption to the exclusion of a much bigger picture.

If you can get past all the garbage, at the core you have a populist movement of people who have historically been crapped on, attempting to assert themselves against an entrenched aristocracy (yes, it's much more complicated than that with corruption rife on both sides). Suthep as champion of the people is a complete joke. Suthep et al. is the face of the powers that be seeing their influence diminish and reacting.

I pray this doesn't come to more violence.

[ppmacready]

'' Power concedes nothing without a demand.

It never did and it never will.''

''Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.''