Khon Kaen students protest at coup during PM's speech

[mikemac]

Prayut asked the audience, "is there anybody else wanting to protest?"

The five were taken to an army camp for registration of their protest.

A whole new lexicon is appearing;

coup - intervention

protesting against a coup - not understanding

and now we have

"registration"?........................................

Your constant trolling has addled your memory, Pips.

As another poster mentioned, do you not remember the Red Shirt Schools (indoctrination and brainwashing centers) ???

Seeing as you love links so much here is one for you, just to refresh your memory -

http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/06/red-shirts-shift-to-village-based-politics-in-thai-heartland/

Happy reading !

[heybruce]

The PM office is a job. At the moment the PM is Prayuth. He is not a one man band he has many supporters. His job as PM is to serve the public the best he can. If you don't agree with his views on running the country then when the reforms are complete you may vote on who you want to represent the people. Reforms will take time and I agree it can be frustrating when discussing politics so for those who feel left out why not send off your opinions to the reform commitees and voice your concern to them.

Kind of the way the people who didn't agree with having half the Senate unelected voted in politicians in 2011 who promised to change the 2007 constitution to make the Senate fully elected. Except the people who tried to change the constitution were charged with violating the constitution.

Waiting until these unspecified reforms are decided upon by an undemocratic process and inserted in a constitution that will undoubtedly be very difficult or impossible to change isn't good enough for some people.

Edited November 20, 2014 by heybruce

[Wilsonandson]

A law has just been passed in Thailand which requires your protest to register with the local police authority one week at least before you protest. Try reading the newspaper.

[Wilsonandson]

Thay were trying to change the constitution to bring Thaksin back to Thailand by giving him amnesty for his crimes commited in Thailand.

[heybruce]

A law has just been passed in Thailand which requires your protest to register with the local police authority one week at least before you protest. Try reading the newspaper.

"A law has just been passed..."

The correct phrasing is "a law has just been decreed..."

[AleG]

Sorry mate but you are wrong,

Do you recall the whistle blowing lady that was given a gold whistle by Suthep??? after blowing her whistling brains out in Y/L's ear she was told it's ok you have the right to protest that is democracy, so it seems opinions did matter and were given to expression without "any army registration camps or attitude adjustment.

I do recall also the woman that blew a whistle at Thaksin's ex (and one of the heavyweights pulling strings behind PTP scnenes) having her house bombed twice and her mother's home riddled with bullets. You don't recall that?

Yu'p remember that, and those that did this should be thrown in gaol with all the other violent thugs, red or yellow, fair enough.

The difference would be that Y/L publicly said she has every right to protest and criticize, now the current powers say NO you can not criticize and you can NOT PROTEST, and or wright and publish any thing we don't like, and you'll be having an attitude adjustment at one of our camps if you persist.

Is that better? now you understand popit?

I think your life being threatened or directly being killed by pro-government goons is worse than being taken for a talk; I believe most people would agree with that.

I don't know why you bring Yingluck into it, she wasn't making any decisions so what does it matter what she said?

[Fat Haggis]

The current powers are saying this now because we have martial law still and the people of Thailand need a rest from this divide stirred up by corrupt politicians and their political propogandar groups. we are living in a tense Thailand still so stirring up trouble for the moment needs to be controlled. If not this vicous cycle of violence could happen again soon. First steps is to promote peace and harmony in Thailand.

You're another Kool aid drinker that seems to have forgotten there's a war going on in the South where violence is pretty much an everyday cycle but because it doesnt suit your agenda, you focus instead on Bangkok and the yellow/red issue when there's a lot more to Thailanda troubles than these two bickering parties behaving like spoilt children !!!

[metisdead]

Troll posts and other nonsense posts and replies have been removed.

[Wilsonandson]

The unrest in the south is due to religion not politics. It has risen in violence due to the global unrest of other similar religious wars. Radical Islam has nothing to do with the recent coup. Political unrest and their support groups causing chaos all over Thailand is.

[newcomer71]

The unrest in the south is due to religion not politics. It has risen in violence due to the global unrest of other similar religious wars. Radical Islam has nothing to do with the recent coup. Political unrest and their support groups causing chaos all over Thailand is.

If you concede me, radical Islam has nothing to do with the unrest in South...

[tullynagardy]

The content that got the Daily Mail blocked had nothing to do with the coup.

That content that got various other publications banned (including the economist) did.

[Fat Haggis]

The unrest in the south is due to religion not politics. It has risen in violence due to the global unrest of other similar religious wars. Radical Islam has nothing to do with the recent coup. Political unrest and their support groups causing chaos all over Thailand is.

Chaos all over Thailand? I think that's clutching at straws and a gross exageration at best !!

Bangkok isn't the whole of Thailand, sure there was the incident at Trat where the kids were killed in an attack but all over Thailand?

Let's me put something into perspective for you but it will not sit well with you or your beliefs , but 28 deaths in 8 months of protest in a country of over 65,000,000 people isn't justification for a coup , more people were killed on Thailands roads in the same period of time but I didn't see a call to ban buses or cars due to these deaths.

Were these dearhs any less significant than the ones killed protesting? A single death is a tragedy a hundred is just a statistic, but the percentage of deaths due to terrorist attacks on the protestors over the 8 months compared to places like CAR,Sudan,Syria,Iraq to name a few is very very very low, that it doesn't leap out at you as shocking.

26 000 British soldiers died on the opening offensive of the Somme in a matter of days now THAT is shocking but a simple statistic none the less .

The deaths of anyone protesting regardless of what that is, at the hands of nothing but scum irrespective of their political beliefs is just for having a different opinion is shameful.

All these deaths were tragic in their own rights but to say the level of violence was so high that the military had to step in is complete nonesence the General should have spent a week in Baghdad during the same time frame to know what a war zone feels like .

95% of Thailand was UNAFFECTED by the protests or the violence so your comments are so far from the truth.

There was never a threat of civil war either which would have been moot as you can't start something that's already been going on go the last 10 years in the South.

The status quo between the caretaker government and the PDRC demands of stepping down or else they'd seize power regardless is why Prayuth had little choice but to step in.

The RTA was already on the streets of Bangkok and it didn't do much to deter the attacks either with the inept and corrupt RTP doing nothing and the RTA turning VCPs into flower decorations they were not taking the violence too seriously by doing that.

The PTP had to go, no two doubts about that but the alleged and I use the term loosely of them losing support was never put to the test of the second ballot , it's nothing but hearsay to say they had become the " mimority" and anyone who classes a non vote as a no vote needs to catch a grip too .

Just like being anti Junta does not make you pro Shin, that's narrow minded and small minded thoughts and nothing more than assumptions and you know what they say about those?? ?

[chooka]

The three-fingered salute was copied from the Hunger-Games films. The latest of which was due to be shown this week but has now been withdrawn.

I heard the film is banned in Thailand. The Junta are very insecure if a fictional movie terrifies them so much. Anyway he has given the film publicity in Thailand and the black market dvd's will do well

[The stuttering parrot]

Yes chooka the overseas press have got hold of it and if this mob wasn't already a laughing stock then this latest suppression has put them on top of the list and they are getting ridiculed though mainstream media.

This just shows what an absurd joke this mob is because the first two hunger games have been out for a couple of years now so where did think they got the three finger salute from.

By banning the movie is going to backfire big time and make it more popular than ever.

If they keep going like this the PTP/UDD won't even have to an election campaign this lots doing a great job for them

[tbthailand]

Prayut asked the audience, "is there anybody else wanting to protest?"

The five were taken to an army camp for registration of their protest.

A whole new lexicon is appearing;

coup - intervention

protesting against a coup - not understanding

and now we have

"registration"?........................................

yeah, fab - nothing is according to the webster dictionary any longer. I'm wearing out my single-quote key over here.

could get 'interesting' for the 'PM' if more people 'do not understand' as it could lead to a surge in 'registrations'

ugh. can't believe this guy - what a dinosaur

[tbthailand]

double post

Edited November 20, 2014 by tbthailand

[tbthailand]

Prayut asked the audience, "is there anybody else wanting to protest?"

The five were taken to an army camp for registration of their protest.

A whole new lexicon is appearing;

coup - intervention

protesting against a coup - not understanding

and now we have

"registration"?........................................

Your constant trolling has addled your memory, Pips.

As another poster mentioned, do you not remember the Red Shirt Schools (indoctrination and brainwashing centers) ???

Seeing as you love links so much here is one for you, just to refresh your memory -

http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/06/red-shirts-shift-to-village-based-politics-in-thai-heartland/

Happy reading !

if you read your own link, then you would know that it doesn't actually discuss any details of the red shirt schools, nor does it talk about indoctrination and brainwashing centers.

However, you can find such comments in the article as these.

... this kind of activity is a way of showing unity and harmony in struggling for democracy,” says Praiwan Konjanthet, a 54-year-old mother of two from a rice-farming family. “It is the first time this village has shown a commitment to an idea like this.”

“We want to make our voices heard here first – do it openly – rather than spend time and energy losing jobs and getting killed by going to protest in Bangkok.”

Some communities have opted for alternatives, ... setting up “political” coffee shops, where those sympathetic to the Red Shirt cause stop by for discussions on politics while sipping cups of coffee, served free “It has become a place for people to gather and share ideas,” said Banchop Rinayom, a social studies teacher at a local junior high school, at one such shop where close to 20 people had gathered around a white Formica-topped table on Sunday afternoon. “Our village has a community centre, but that is for the government. Coffee shops like this are an alternative place, for people like us who are Red Shirts, to talk openly.”

The current developments in rural Thailand are an “assertion for a level of greater political participation that has been denied by the urban-based politics that have ruled Thailand for decades,” David Streckfuss, a U.S. academic who has specialised in Thai political culture

all of which sounds like a rather dangerous form of free speech and participatory democracy which is not currently allowed by the 'NCPO'

Wonder why?

[Wilsonandson]

The unrest in the south is due to religion not politics. It has risen in violence due to the global unrest of other similar religious wars. Radical Islam has nothing to do with the recent coup. Political unrest and their support groups causing chaos all over Thailand is.

Chaos all over Thailand? I think that's clutching at straws and a gross exageration at best !!

Bangkok isn't the whole of Thailand, sure there was the incident at Trat where the kids were killed in an attack but all over Thailand?

Let's me put something into perspective for you but it will not sit well with you or your beliefs , but 28 deaths in 8 months of protest in a country of over 65,000,000 people isn't justification for a coup , more people were killed on Thailands roads in the same period of time but I didn't see a call to ban buses or cars due to these deaths.

Were these dearhs any less significant than the ones killed protesting? A single death is a tragedy a hundred is just a statistic, but the percentage of deaths due to terrorist attacks on the protestors over the 8 months compared to places like CAR,Sudan,Syria,Iraq to name a few is very very very low, that it doesn't leap out at you as shocking.

26 000 British soldiers died on the opening offensive of the Somme in a matter of days now THAT is shocking but a simple statistic none the less .

The deaths of anyone protesting regardless of what that is, at the hands of nothing but scum irrespective of their political beliefs is just for having a different opinion is shameful.

All these deaths were tragic in their own rights but to say the level of violence was so high that the military had to step in is complete nonesence the General should have spent a week in Baghdad during the same time frame to know what a war zone feels like .

95% of Thailand was UNAFFECTED by the protests or the violence so your comments are so far from the truth.

There was never a threat of civil war either which would have been moot as you can't start something that's already been going on go the last 10 years in the South.

The status quo between the caretaker government and the PDRC demands of stepping down or else they'd seize power regardless is why Prayuth had little choice but to step in.

The RTA was already on the streets of Bangkok and it didn't do much to deter the attacks either with the inept and corrupt RTP doing nothing and the RTA turning VCPs into flower decorations they were not taking the violence too seriously by doing that.

The PTP had to go, no two doubts about that but the alleged and I use the term loosely of them losing support was never put to the test of the second ballot , it's nothing but hearsay to say they had become the " mimority" and anyone who classes a non vote as a no vote needs to catch a grip too .

Just like being anti Junta does not make you pro Shin, that's narrow minded and small minded thoughts and nothing more than assumptions and you know what they say about those?? ?

Wow!, you've been hard at it on Wikipedia. Still that is your opinion and your entitled to that, but the cache of weapons found in several parts of Thailand including Kon Kaen was proof that the attacks in Bangkok on the PDRC could have escalated into civil war and the Lanna Republic posters found in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand calling for a north south split and independent states were also signs of civil war, IMO. Also your personal attacks on my post and me calling me simple and narrow minded is childish.

[rickirs]

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Some of the comments reinforce my view that "beliefs" are more powerful than "facts for the bitter and twisted.

Some say "will these people be seen again" Why? There has been no evidence of anyone going missing under the Junta. There has under the previous regime. Akeyuth, yet that is ignored because yingluck was elected.

Some say "opinions are not appreciated under the current regime" Why? There has been no evidence of the Junta not taking on board any conflicting view points and in fact have set up meetings with a broad spectrum of society to discuss the way forward. The previous regime were not tolerant of opinions. The deputy PM said "protestors are garbage" and allured to the fact that violence will befall them if they protest in Chiang Mai yet that is ignored because yingluck was elected.

Some say "I wonder if these protestors will be allowed to graduate" Why? No thought even goes into some of these replies. Just simple rhetoric that has no backing whatsoever. I wondered if the Puhket residents were going to get a conference hall when the PT deputy PM stated we will build you one when you vote for the PTP yet that is ignored because yingluck was elected.

Seems you can get away with murder and corruption as long as the PM is elected. Unfortunately with this dangerous mindset shown in some of these comments the boundaries of what you can and cannot get away with in a democracy gets so extreme it is no longer a democracy.

And that my friends is why reform is needed.

When some ask why people cannot protest. I agree. Some should be able to, but then you cannot allow some to protest and not others so it is a cross the board. I remember a visit by Ahbisit to Khon Kaen. Me and my family went to hear him speak. We never even made it to the stage. We were confronted by red shirts threatening my wife and telling us to turn around. My kids cowered as much as the farmers would have when they wanted to protest in Bangkok, but were not allowed and instead were intimidated and threatened by the hardcore 7% red shirts.

My family nor I will ever forget that. Thank god they are a minority.

Thank god Prayut is not threatening the protestors with violence or calling them garbage. That is not the road to reform.

"Thank god Prayut is not threatening the protestors with violence or calling them garbage. That is not the road to reform."

General Prayuth doesn't need to threaten anyone. Martial law continues as does the repression of the nation under Articles 17 and 44 giving the NCPO and its members such as General Prayuth absolute power over the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. Prayuth IS THE LAW.

[Fat Haggis]

Touch a nerve have I?

Not Wikipedia just common knowledge of the country I have chosen to live in , I don't buy into polls about popularity as I said I another thread Sadsam Hussain had 100% popularity till Operation Iraqi Freedom took over and having worked in Iraq since 2004 I know all about oppression and the steps they have taken towards being a democracy. Saddam told his people to love and respect him too all the whole suppressing others opinions and views with arrests and detention and death!!

But let's no go down that road eh?

Name calling? Errr saying you're a troll isn't name calling it's what did you say " it's my opinion" yeah you post opinions and then started to slag off these students who protested within their own country making references to them being dumb and stupid for such a prank!!

Oh you really don't know anything about the south of the country you love in either? they have been calling for their own state either and this goes way way back in history between annexation of land between Malaysia and Thailand.

Weapons caches ? Yes there was a few found, but just how much weapons and ammo do you think you need to start a civil war???????

You're talking about hundreds of thousands of weapons and tens of millions of rounds of ammo.

You also need the personnel, all the crap coming from the UDDs mouth was just that sabre rattling crap, IF there was a risk of civil war, the Army were NOT deployed for it, I never saw them once in numbers outside their barracks in Issan around the Korat area or Down in Patong, or in Chiangmai maybe they all had stealth uniforms on ???

Now as soon as martial law was declared don't you think that the first port of call would have been to arrest all these tens of thousands of Red horde volunteers and seize all their weapons at the same time??? Maybe I missed that part of Prayuths power move?

Would you care to send me the links of the massive RTA operation to capture and detain all the red militias that were already to take the country into a civil war???

A few SMALL weapons caches were found but nothing of significance or alarming and no I don't believe that even 10-15 assault rifles is significant when 4,500,000 (7%) are hard core red shirts intent on taking the country into civil war!!!

4,500,000 that's probably more than the entire Thai Armed Forces put together, if your going to go to war, you make sure you have the right tools for the job, it's called logistics.

War was the furthest thing from the situation are you telling me and everyone else that Thais we're willing to go and start killing other Thais on a countrywide scale was on the cards?

There is every possibility that the red factions could have taken to insurgency tactics against the RTA but again, manpower weapons supply chains vehicles safe locations WTC etc etc etc all needed to be in place BEFORE anything begins.

The Army do not have the country under lockdown either in the 2 years I've lived here the only times I see the Army is manning checkpoints watching women's netball on the TV in the CP at regional borders.

There is complete freedom of movement all over the country wilsonandson does that sound anything like preparations for a civil war to you? V

Back in May June July I drove several times from Issan to Bangkok without seeing any military personnel apArt from these regional checkpoints and they were not stopping anyone either.

Does that sound like a preparation for an all out civil war to you ?

I am a former military man with a familiarity of a concept of operations I have been an operations manager in my line of work, and there was no combat indicators Thailand was about to go to an all out war, the vast majority of the country didn't seem to be panicking about this either.

Streets were packed nobody panic buying and stock piling food and water and no mass exodus of tourists or Farangs who live here

Again does that sound like war was imminent?

[mikemac]

Prayut asked the audience, "is there anybody else wanting to protest?"

The five were taken to an army camp for registration of their protest.

A whole new lexicon is appearing;

coup - intervention

protesting against a coup - not understanding

and now we have

"registration"?........................................

Your constant trolling has addled your memory, Pips.

As another poster mentioned, do you not remember the Red Shirt Schools (indoctrination and brainwashing centers) ???

Seeing as you love links so much here is one for you, just to refresh your memory -

http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/06/red-shirts-shift-to-village-based-politics-in-thai-heartland/

Happy reading !

if you read your own link, then you would know that it doesn't actually discuss any details of the red shirt schools, nor does it talk about indoctrination and brainwashing centers.

However, you can find such comments in the article as these.

... this kind of activity is a way of showing unity and harmony in struggling for democracy,” says Praiwan Konjanthet, a 54-year-old mother of two from a rice-farming family. “It is the first time this village has shown a commitment to an idea like this.”

“We want to make our voices heard here first – do it openly – rather than spend time and energy losing jobs and getting killed by going to protest in Bangkok.”

Some communities have opted for alternatives, ... setting up “political” coffee shops, where those sympathetic to the Red Shirt cause stop by for discussions on politics while sipping cups of coffee, served free “It has become a place for people to gather and share ideas,” said Banchop Rinayom, a social studies teacher at a local junior high school, at one such shop where close to 20 people had gathered around a white Formica-topped table on Sunday afternoon. “Our village has a community centre, but that is for the government. Coffee shops like this are an alternative place, for people like us who are Red Shirts, to talk openly.”

The current developments in rural Thailand are an “assertion for a level of greater political participation that has been denied by the urban-based politics that have ruled Thailand for decades,” David Streckfuss, a U.S. academic who has specialised in Thai political culture

all of which sounds like a rather dangerous form of free speech and participatory democracy which is not currently allowed by the 'NCPO'

Wonder why?

......................"if you read your own link, then you would know that it doesn't actually discuss any details of the red shirt schools, nor does it talk about indoctrination and brainwashing centers."............................

It does not have to, but what other purpose would there be for their existence ? A better education system for red villages than non-red villages ?

And did you pick up the line - "Some communities have opted for alternatives, considering that joining the Red Village movement can be dangerous." while you were reading the article ?

I wonder why ????

[rubl]

Please use discretion in your references to the government. Phrases which can be considered as anti-coup will be removed. Referring to Thailand or the government as a dictatorship, military dictatorship or other such terms will be removed.

So we can use military coup government, caretaker government? without offending anyone? Don't get me wrong, at least there are no street protests shutting down areas of the major cities, and things generally seem to be getting done.

But please when will the military coup governments Department of Information and Technology unblock the Daily Mail website?

With the Guardian and the Sun still accessible you complain about the Daily Mail ?

[tbthailand]

Prayut asked the audience, "is there anybody else wanting to protest?"

The five were taken to an army camp for registration of their protest.

A whole new lexicon is appearing;

coup - intervention

protesting against a coup - not understanding

and now we have

"registration"?........................................

Your constant trolling has addled your memory, Pips.

As another poster mentioned, do you not remember the Red Shirt Schools (indoctrination and brainwashing centers) ???

Seeing as you love links so much here is one for you, just to refresh your memory -

http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/06/red-shirts-shift-to-village-based-politics-in-thai-heartland/

Happy reading !

if you read your own link, then you would know that it doesn't actually discuss any details of the red shirt schools, nor does it talk about indoctrination and brainwashing centers.

However, you can find such comments in the article as these.

... this kind of activity is a way of showing unity and harmony in struggling for democracy,” says Praiwan Konjanthet, a 54-year-old mother of two from a rice-farming family. “It is the first time this village has shown a commitment to an idea like this.”

“We want to make our voices heard here first – do it openly – rather than spend time and energy losing jobs and getting killed by going to protest in Bangkok.”

Some communities have opted for alternatives, ... setting up “political” coffee shops, where those sympathetic to the Red Shirt cause stop by for discussions on politics while sipping cups of coffee, served free “It has become a place for people to gather and share ideas,” said Banchop Rinayom, a social studies teacher at a local junior high school, at one such shop where close to 20 people had gathered around a white Formica-topped table on Sunday afternoon. “Our village has a community centre, but that is for the government. Coffee shops like this are an alternative place, for people like us who are Red Shirts, to talk openly.”

The current developments in rural Thailand are an “assertion for a level of greater political participation that has been denied by the urban-based politics that have ruled Thailand for decades,” David Streckfuss, a U.S. academic who has specialised in Thai political culture

all of which sounds like a rather dangerous form of free speech and participatory democracy which is not currently allowed by the 'NCPO'

Wonder why?

......................"if you read your own link, then you would know that it doesn't actually discuss any details of the red shirt schools, nor does it talk about indoctrination and brainwashing centers."............................

It does not have to, but what other purpose would there be for their existence ? A better education system for red villages than non-red villages ?

And did you pick up the line - "Some communities have opted for alternatives, considering that joining the Red Village movement can be dangerous." while you were reading the article ?

I wonder why ????

but what other purpose would there be for their existence ?

given that the entire content of the article you linked to discussed people learning, sharing and talking about democracy, what 'other' reason do you think there could be besides 'brainwashing and indoctrination'? Especially given the fact that there is zero... zero evidence in existence that the democracy schools were 'brainwashing and indoctrinating' anyone.

Maybe that purpose was to learn about democracy?? Crazy idea, eh?

And did you pick up the line - "Some communities have opted for alternatives, considering that joining the Red Village movement can be dangerous." while you were reading the article ?

I wonder why ????

Well, given that I quoted the relevant part of that sentence, you might imagine that I 'picked up' on that. Maybe you could provide your reason why it might have been dangerous for a village to declare itself a red shirt village. I would be interested in knowing what you think. Why might people have felt threatened if they setup a red shirt village? Who might they have perceived as posing that threat? It's an interesting question.

[Fat Haggis]

There's another significant point that wilsnandson has overlooked with his civil war claim.

The RTA has tens of thousands of what they call "watermelon " soldiers, and these are I believe soldiers from areas such as Issan and the South, is he telling me that these lads many who are simply doing their national service would attack their home villages and villagers?

Not a chance !! The RTA would have had a significant amount of these conscripts simply down tools and go home in other words it would have become combat in effective and that's not something the General would have been prepared to have happened.

Dont be thinking for one minute that the Entire RTA was complicit on the coup either it was conducted by the "special ones" who have more wealth and power over many other armed forces branches.