Motorbike taxis played a big part in 2010

BANGKOK: -- Motorcycle taxis played a big part in the 2010 red-shirt protests, a Chulalongkorn University (CU) seminar was told Monday.

Claudio Sopranzetti, a post-doctorate student at Oxford University, said the Pheu Thai Party had hired the motorbike taxis because they knew about Bangkok streets and alley-ways and could easily transport people to different parts of the city. Sopranzetti also pointed out that this gave rise to red-shirt motorbike taxis group.

These points were made at a seminar entitled "Moving in the Cracks: Motorcycle Taxi Drivers, Street Protest and the Fragility of Power in the Thai capital" organised by CU's Faculty of Political Science.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Motorbike-taxis-played-a-big-part-in-2010-30237935.html

-- The Nation 2014-07-07

What?? Pheu Thai in cahoots with mafia practices, corruption and overcharging mototcy drivers (many who don't even have licences never mind insurance)?

Never!!!

Now the recent action to control the motorbike taxi drivers makes sense.

Skillfull strategy to remove one of the opponents hidden weapons after the after.

I am impressed by the good general and wish him lasting success.

No disrespect, but what on earth is an Italian doing studying the role of motorcycle taxis in the Bangkok protests. Isn't there something a little more useful in the world to study?

If the taxis support the ptp.. Look at reasons why then address those reasons.

That's how you change things.

Sent from my RM-892_apac_laos_thailand_219 using Tapatalk

If the taxis support the ptp.. Look at reasons why then address those reasons.

That's how you change things.

Sent from my RM-892_apac_laos_thailand_219 using Tapatalk

The reason seems to be the money that they get from ptp

Edited July 7, 201412 yr by sweatalot

No disrespect, but what on earth is an Italian doing studying the role of motorcycle taxis in the Bangkok protests. Isn't there something a little more useful in the world to study?

If you asked the same question about who and where, there would be no wheel!

No disrespect, but what on earth is an Italian doing studying the role of motorcycle taxis in the Bangkok protests. Isn't there something a little more useful in the world to study?

Because it's interesting and historically interesting. In graduate school I did papers on some very esoteric topics that may have interested no one other than myself, but they did interest me... I would really like to read this paper, in fact....

Good to see in this new era of reconcilliation and happiness where it is frowned upon to discuss politics in a way that may inflame the situation, Chulalongkorn Uni decides now would be a good idea to hold a seminar on street politics. Praise also due to The Nation who managed to condense Claudio Sopranzetti's 350 page dissertation into this;

"BANGKOK: -- Motorcycle taxis played a big part in the 2010 red-shirt protests, a Chulalongkorn University (CU) seminar was told Monday.

Claudio Sopranzetti, a post-doctorate student at Oxford University, said the Pheu Thai Party had hired the motorbike taxis because they knew about Bangkok streets and alley-ways and could easily transport people to different parts of the city. Sopranzetti also pointed out that this gave rise to red-shirt motorbike taxis group."

For those people who are interested in what else he had to say, a copy of his complete dissertation is here:

http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/11169780/Sopranzetti_gsas.harvard_0084L_11155.pdf?sequence=1

So who, where and why those motorcicle drivers were transporting and why reds were paying for this service? Protests were at the major intersections, with wide roads as well as public transport.

Only in the last days before crackdown army was trying to block the main stage, but the protest did spread in the whole area.

And if the drivers played a big role, why only over 4 years after anybody starts talking about it?

Edited July 7, 201412 yr by londonthai

So who, where and why those motorcicle drivers were transporting and why reds were paying for this service? Protests were at the major intersections, with wide roads as well as public transport.

Only in the last days before crackdown army was trying to block the main stage, but the protest did spread in the whole area.

And if the drivers played a big role, why only over 4 years after anybody starts talking about it?

It takes time to do the research, since his name isn't Charlem it could not be done in 90 days

So who, where and why those motorcicle drivers were transporting and why reds were paying for this service? Protests were at the major intersections, with wide roads as well as public transport.

Only in the last days before crackdown army was trying to block the main stage, but the protest did spread in the whole area.

And if the drivers played a big role, why only over 4 years after anybody starts talking about it?

Only minor point, but the great bamboo and tire wall erected by the UDD supporters was already in place near the end of April I think. Like when some unknowns launched a grenade attack on multi-colored shirts and manage to hit the BTS SalaDaeng station and kill a lady there as well.

So, with both army setting up road blocks and red-shirts barricading themselves, a larger part of Bangkok inner city was difficult to pass by car or tuktuk.

As for why talk now? Might it have something to do with understanding what happened? Who knows, it might even help in the 'premeditated murder' cases against some.

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

No disrespect, but what on earth is an Italian doing studying the role of motorcycle taxis in the Bangkok protests. Isn't there something a little more useful in the world to study?

At least Thai's are listening to someone from out side of Thailand for a change.

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

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

No disrespect, but what on earth is an Italian doing studying the role of motorcycle taxis in the Bangkok protests. Isn't there something a little more useful in the world to study?

At least Thai's are listening to someone from out side of Thailand for a change.

Thais listen when it "suits" them.

Its a good job the red shirts didn't use the taxis to get about. They'd most probably still be standing at the side of the road finding somone willing to take them from Central World to Soi Ragnam...

Edited July 7, 201412 yr by mca

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

Good to see in this new era of reconcilliation and happiness where it is frowned upon to discuss politics in a way that may inflame the situation, Chulalongkorn Uni decides now would be a good idea to hold a seminar on street politics. Praise also due to The Nation who managed to condense Claudio Sopranzetti's 350 page dissertation into this;

"BANGKOK: -- Motorcycle taxis played a big part in the 2010 red-shirt protests, a Chulalongkorn University (CU) seminar was told Monday.

Claudio Sopranzetti, a post-doctorate student at Oxford University, said the Pheu Thai Party had hired the motorbike taxis because they knew about Bangkok streets and alley-ways and could easily transport people to different parts of the city. Sopranzetti also pointed out that this gave rise to red-shirt motorbike taxis group."

For those people who are interested in what else he had to say, a copy of his complete dissertation is here:

http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/11169780/Sopranzetti_gsas.harvard_0084L_11155.pdf?sequence=1

Thanks for the link.

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

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

No disrespect, but what on earth is an Italian doing studying the role of motorcycle taxis in the Bangkok protests. Isn't there something a little more useful in the world to study?

At least Thai's are listening to someone from out side of Thailand for a change.

Thais listen when it "suits" them.

Rather than 'listening', Thais are experts at being 'selectively deaf'.

I never knew Harvard had a college called Oxford University. <deleted>? Learn something new everyday, hey!

Edit: Maybe it was time Geography was introduced as a school subject? Kids and reporters might then know that Harvard is not in Oxford, and Oxford is not in Harvard, and that Harvard is a name, not a place. Kids might be able to find Thailand on the globe, and actually see that there's a lot more beyond its small borders!

Edited July 7, 201412 yr by UbonRatch

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

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

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

No disrespect, but what on earth is an Italian doing studying the role of motorcycle taxis in the Bangkok protests. Isn't there something a little more useful in the world to study?

At least Thai's are listening to someone from out side of Thailand for a change.

Thais listen when it "suits" them.

That's me all over

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

I never knew Harvard had a college called Oxford University. <deleted>? Learn something new everyday, hey!

Edit: Maybe it was time Geography was introduced as a school subject? Kids and reporters might then know that Harvard is not in Oxford, and Oxford is not in Harvard, and that Harvard is a name, not a place. Kids might be able to find Thailand on the globe, and actually see that there's a lot more beyond its small borders! alt=bah.gif>

I notice when I am up stairs watching good quality documentaries the Thai crew are down stairs watching cartoons or playing games, if they didn't have a degree in Law and electronic media I'd clip their ears,

Most taxi and scooter taxi drivers are from Issan. Easy to see why they'd support the PTP. But change is desperately needed. They are unregulated and at the mercy of mafia thugs. They don't have proper licenses, use vehicles that are not always road worthy, etc. I was on a scooter taxi yesterday and it had no tail light, no side mirrors, and the guy was so old he could barely turn it around in the soi. Working the clutch like a mad man.

I never knew Harvard had a college called Oxford University. <deleted>? Learn something new everyday, hey!

Edit: Maybe it was time Geography was introduced as a school subject? Kids and reporters might then know that Harvard is not in Oxford, and Oxford is not in Harvard, and that Harvard is a name, not a place. Kids might be able to find Thailand on the globe, and actually see that there's a lot more beyond its small borders!

Maybe it was time Geography was introduced as a school subject?

One can only hope nobody is fainting when they discover Thailand is actually not the center of the universe and has borders with neighboring countries...

Not news! This has been common knowledge all along, tho Mr Sopranzetti's dissertation--an ethnography of motocytaxi drivers looks fascinating (thanks to Fab4 for the link!)

Thaksin moved in a limited way to clean up the taxi mafias, one of the reasons the drivers became so devoted to him. One of the first rules of seizing power: get the taxi drivers on your side! This is but one way in which the junta's actions resemble those of TS. Let's hope it's not all a front for setting up a larcenous state.

I never knew Harvard had a college called Oxford University. <deleted>? Learn something new everyday, hey!

Edit: Maybe it was time Geography was introduced as a school subject? Kids and reporters might then know that Harvard is not in Oxford, and Oxford is not in Harvard, and that Harvard is a name, not a place. Kids might be able to find Thailand on the globe, and actually see that there's a lot more beyond its small borders!

His PhD was at Harvard. He is now a post-doctoral fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. The OP error is calling him a "student".

--S

Most taxi and scooter taxi drivers are from Issan. Easy to see why they'd support the PTP. But change is desperately needed. They are unregulated and at the mercy of mafia thugs. They don't have proper licenses, use vehicles that are not always road worthy, etc. I was on a scooter taxi yesterday and it had no tail light, no side mirrors, and the guy was so old he could barely turn it around in the soi. Working the clutch like a mad man.

Most of the motorcycle drivers work for a company. Know a tuttut driver in Chiang Mai who worked for such a company years ago he got sideways with the boss over the bosses sister. Like he said I cannot fight 100 drivers so came to Chiang Mai.

So who, where and why those motorcicle drivers were transporting and why reds were paying for this service? Protests were at the major intersections, with wide roads as well as public transport.

Only in the last days before crackdown army was trying to block the main stage, but the protest did spread in the whole area.

And if the drivers played a big role, why only over 4 years after anybody starts talking about it?

It takes time to do the research, since his name isn't Charlem it could not be done in 90 days

The dissertation that the seminar was discussing was accepted by Harvard University on 9th September 2013. Which begs the question I have already asked, why now, when the junta are trying to "reconcilliate" everybody?

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

Good to see in this new era of reconcilliation and happiness where it is frowned upon to discuss politics in a way that may inflame the situation, Chulalongkorn Uni decides now would be a good idea to hold a seminar on street politics. Praise also due to The Nation who managed to condense Claudio Sopranzetti's 350 page dissertation into this;

"BANGKOK: -- Motorcycle taxis played a big part in the 2010 red-shirt protests, a Chulalongkorn University (CU) seminar was told Monday.

Claudio Sopranzetti, a post-doctorate student at Oxford University, said the Pheu Thai Party had hired the motorbike taxis because they knew about Bangkok streets and alley-ways and could easily transport people to different parts of the city. Sopranzetti also pointed out that this gave rise to red-shirt motorbike taxis group."

For those people who are interested in what else he had to say, a copy of his complete dissertation is here:

http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/11169780/Sopranzetti_gsas.harvard_0084L_11155.pdf?sequence=1

Thanks for the link.

Judging from the first 20 pages a very interesting paper. Thanks for the link.

This story is a lie. I have never said that "Phua Thai had hired the motorbike taxis" to join the Red Shirts. The drivers who supported the movement did it because of their own ideology, belief in democracy, and hate for double standard and inequality. The Nation should be ashamed of calling itself a newspaper. They do not report news, they fabricate them.

The plot thickens...

This story is a lie. I have never said that "Phua Thai had hired the motorbike taxis" to join the Red Shirts. The drivers who supported the movement did it because of their own ideology, belief in democracy, and hate for double standard and inequality. The Nation should be ashamed of calling itself a newspaper. They do not report news, they fabricate them.

Thanks for an interesting well written paper. I will enjoy reading it.