Fatty, I agree with you 110 %.

I have never been a defender of the "yellows" and do not condone violence one little bit. But I do believe the killing of innocent and law abiding anti-government protesters, some of them children, was good enough reason for me to condemn the reds.

I just despise the reds for what they have done to this country, just to line their own pockets. They are mercenaries and would sell themselves to the highest bidder, who just happened to be Thaksin.

A lot of the Thai people I know in CM do not like them and are now quite prepared to say so.

I hope we never see a return to the violence of the past, and deaths and injuries to either side.

I also believe that peace will only last while it suits the Shin regime, coup or no coup.

Again, I can't disagree with the majority of what you're saying Mike, although I'd add that I doubt there are politicians and Military figures on the opposite of the fence to the Red Government, who were also lining their own pockets, and had only their own interests at heart, and not that of the eloctorate.

I don't believe that Thaksin has given up his quest for absolute power either, people like him just don't fade off into the sunset sippping Pina Colada's.. I'm also of the belief that the Junta and NCPO need to be seen to be completely impartial and unbiased and so far they're doing so, IF they decided not to life Martial Law in the red areas and lifted them over the rest of Thailand, what does that appear like to the ordinary citizens in these areas, that don't give a toss about Thaksin, I know many were happy to take his vote money, but many couldn't stand him either, and knew he was nothing but a crook, quite a few families in my village felt this way about him.

Is it right that these villagers still have martial law imposed on them? not that it made a blind bit of difference, I had over 300 people at my wedding and the celebrations went on till 0200 then the next night was the same at a another wedding in the village, the poilice were there, no sign of the army, an there has never been any army patrols seen in the surrounding villages either, so Martial Law?? what is that many of them seem to ask.

It hasn't stopped freedom of movement either, I was home last time for 8 weeks, and travelled the length and breadth of the country and wasn't stopped once, even the regular police "tea money" stops were few and far between. It is more of a red herring than it is an effective controlling of the population.

Its not in place to control the population in the normal course of events, its there to use against specific sections of the population, if and when required. It has the advantage that it can be swiftly implemented, with no oversight or accountability to any independent body. It is a far too useful tool for the Junta to give it up.