The red-shirts' dilemma: to wear or not to wear

[webfact]

The red-shirts' dilemma: to wear or not to wear
Wasamon Audjarint
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- SUPPORTERS of Yingluck Shinawatra were divided yesterday over whether they should wear red to provide the former prime minister with moral encouragement as she face a criminal trial to decide her civil liability over damage incurred from her government's rice-pledging policy.

While some red-shirt leaders in the North have called on Yingluck supporters of wear red, others cautioned against it for fear the military government will use the campaign as a reason to stay in power longer and postpone the general election.

Not to be outdone, Yingluck's brother Thaksin Shinawatra posted his photo on his Instagram wall yesterday wearing a red shirt.

On his @thaksinlive wall, the fugitive former prime minister said he wore the red shirt to show moral support for those who love democracy and seek justice.

"But my red shirt has the colour yellow at the heart because I would like to see reconciliation in the country that I love and care for," Thaksin posted.

"Those who wear red today have the following reasons. First, it's a fashion trend. Second, it's Sunday and the colour of the day is red. Third, they have several red shirts at home and happen to wear one. And fourth, those, who share the same opinion as me and who are red-shirt people, want to see justice and democracy return to the country."

Thaksin added: "Anyone who would like to win the hearts of red-shirt people can do it easily without having to use guns and laws. It needs only justice and mercy to win the hearts of red-shirt people and it will save a lot of budget".

On the same day, Thaksin's son, Panthongtae, posted his picture on his Instagram wall wearing a white shirt. The photo showed Panthongtae's back with the inscription: "this shirt is red".

He posted: "Today, I'll lend you, Aung Poo [former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra], moral support without wearing red."

He also used the hashtag of "obeying by 99.99 per cent" in the post.

Meanwhile, Siriwat Jupamadta, leader of United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) in Phayao province, said he made a personal decision to wear red in support of Yingluck and it had nothing to do with the UDD.

He said he posted on his personal Facebook page that he would wear red yesterday but his intentions were misinterpreted by the media as an attempt to mobilise the red shirts to wear red. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the red shirts must act within the frame of the law and he believed the junta can keep the situation under control.

Suriyasai Katasila, director of Rangsit University's Thailand Reform Institute, criticised the red-shirt campaign. He said wearing red would only widen the national division and damage the reconciliation atmosphere and effort.

Suriyasai said wearing red would not help to change the fact that Yingluck is facing a civil action for damages from the rice-pledging scheme.

"It depends on facts and evidence. The red shirts must not create sentiment that pressure or intimidate judges,'' he said.

UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan said during a TV programme on Friday that the only way the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) can stay longer in power is to have the red shirts fall in the "trap".

He cited the example of when the government accused the red shirts of being involved in the Erawan Shrine bombing.

"The people in power blame it on red-shirt people. They even made up an actor named Odd as a prime suspect,'' he said.

"I'm not stopping anyone from wearing [red shirts], but I want to stop people who stir things up and blame the red-shirts."

Kokaew Pikulthong, another UDD figure, said both supporters and opponents of the red-shirt campaign should be united despite different opinions.

"The campaign supporters want to display support for Yingluck while opponents believe the campaign will disrupt the country's situation," Kokaew said "They both have their own reasons. It's a pity that they appear to blame each other only."

Kokaew added: "Red-shirt people are all free… You can wear whatever colour shirt on whatever day. Wearing red shirts is not against any law, but a rally is."

Journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk, who was summoned twice by the NCPO, also commented on the campaign in a caption of his Facebook photo of a red jacket. "The right to choose whatever shirt colour is a fundamental right of every human being."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/The-red-shirts-dilemma-to-wear-or-not-to-wear-30272060.html

-- The Nation 2015-11-02

[noitom]

Preposterous Thai obsession with red and yellow rather than principles and philosophy of each position.

[worgeordie]

Thaksin the shit stirrer,when will this man ever stop,

he still thinks the Universe revolves around him,how

he would love to return to power here,so he could

exact revenge on all those he imagines have wronged

HIM,its still all about HIM.

regards Worgeordie

[trogers]

Pink is an alternative...

[starky]

Awesome how much power he still wields that he can gee up a military government so much just by telling people to wear a shirt on a certain day. On a separate note are "yellows" still allowed to wear yellow shirts and gather?

[Thailand]

Hundreds of thousands of red shirts worn yesterday without any problems.

In support of democracy and the Lady in Myanmar.

[bangrak]

Hundreds of thousands of red shirts worn yesterday without any problems.

In support of democracy and the Lady in Myanmar.

Do you spot the difference with Thailand then: in Myanmar, colour, might it be red, is not the issue, it is, really, about democracy, and content, the female leader is a hero indeed, an admirable person for what she did, does and hopefully will be allowed to do, never shy to take responsibility for any of her actions...?

[bangrak]

Awesome how much power he still wields that he can gee up a military government so much just by telling people to wear a shirt on a certain day. On a separate note are "yellows" still allowed to wear yellow shirts and gather?

I can tell you already that people wearing yellow shirts will gather 'en masse', by the hundreds of thousands, in a month from now, many many of them riding bicycles... to honour their beloved King and celebrate His birthday, wishing Him a long life!

Or didn't you know about the origine of that yellow in Thai History? This colour at least was for sure not chosen by an evil couple of 'amended' communists called Weng and Thida to join the hired mobs of a lunatic megalomaniac, though it would have been quite fitting regarding the colour of their belly...

[EnglishJohn]

Awesome how much power he still wields that he can gee up a military government so much just by telling people to wear a shirt on a certain day. On a separate note are "yellows" still allowed to wear yellow shirts and gather?

..... or do you think the military are more concerned about the event revving up his thugs and some more innocent people die at the wrong end of an M79 ?.

Although I expect we will still see a bit of that as the prosecution continues.

Do you think that is 'awesome' as well ?.

You miss the point entirely. You can't see anything else except red and yellow : politics for the simple minded.

[MaeJoMTB]

I wore red on Sunday.

[MZurf]

Awesome how much power he still wields that he can gee up a military government so much just by telling people to wear a shirt on a certain day. On a separate note are "yellows" still allowed to wear yellow shirts and gather?

Of course the are! You don't really believe the junta is impartial, do you???

(Retorical question).

[NickJ]

He could just pay em to wear red. Why break with tradition?.........

[MZurf]

Awesome how much power he still wields that he can gee up a military government so much just by telling people to wear a shirt on a certain day. On a separate note are "yellows" still allowed to wear yellow shirts and gather?

..... or do you think the military are more concerned about the event revving up his thugs and some more innocent people die at the wrong end of an M79 ?.

Although I expect we will still see a bit of that as the prosecution continues.

Do you think that is 'awesome' as well ?.

You miss the point entirely. You can't see anything else except red and yellow : politics for the simple minded.

Well done, John. You are becoming quite adept at calling people stupid without actually using the word!

"Simple minded". Good one.....nay awesome!

[cobbler]

Just wear red.

[mikemac]

...................""But my red shirt has the colour yellow at the heart because I would like to see reconciliation in the country that I love and care for," Thaksin posted.".................

A yellow stripe down the back where the spine should be would be more apt.

[cobbler]

...................""But my red shirt has the colour yellow at the heart because I would like to see reconciliation in the country that I love and care for," Thaksin posted.".................

A yellow stripe down the back where the spine should be would be more apt.

yes where the spine should be. And a mirror so you can see both there faces. Lol