Leader of red shirts who burnt Ubon city hall given life sentence

[pedro01]

a life sentence for arson doesn't sound like justice. But I guess since the accused were red shits, justice has been served right ?

Stil waiting when the sharp shooters are going to face justice...

It was part of a co-ordinated terror attack across the whole country.

Doesn't matter who it is - it is a very serious crime.

A terror attack in which the main victims were a few buildings. Oh I forgot about the coordinated terror attack on over 90 thais in the streets of bangkok of course. However the guilty party of that coordinated attack will never face justice of course.

Give me a break please. Life sentence for Arson is ridiculous.

just as a bit of extra info, the gentleman who was sentenced to death and had that reduced to life in prison was actually found guilty and sentenced to 1 year for arson.

It was the supreme court that then stepped into the cow-pie and gave him a death sentence.

Thai justice under the junta...

You don't understand how these courts work.

The supreme court don't take up cases themselves - they are the last place to go and appeal. So you get criminal court, and you don't like the result, then you get to lodge and appeal and if you aren't happy with the result of the appeal, you can go to Supreme court.

Think about it - if the military wanted to skew the courts, they would not do it at Supreme court level because there is no guarantee the case would make it that far.

Your conspiracy theory basically says that the lower courts were allowed to pass a small sentence but the junta magically knew that the defendants would eventually go to supreme court as opposed to accepting a small sentence. It makes zero sense does it?

[billd766]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

You may not have noticed but the laws in the UK or the USA don't really apply in Thailand.

Conversely Thai laws do not apply in the UK or the USA.

However Thai laws do apply in Thailand and the penalties are laid down for it. It does not mean that the maximum penalty is applied all the time but it can be.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

This will probably piss-of most of the red skirts and end the so called "reconciliation"

not sure there are too many left, only the hard hitters and those well up the Thaksin payroll remain it seems

And how do you "seem" that? Have I missed a recent election that could have cleared this issue up??

30% of the poll even with no opposition and 90% of polling booths open at the last count. If that doesn't teach you anything, I don't think you are able to be taught.

The reason we haven't seen this big uprising (nor will we) is that normal people got fed up with the lies and corruption - particularly when there was no money left for them. All we have now are the hard-core nutters who got collectively spanked for stealing from the tuck-shop and have gone into that insane rage of spite which is a very Thai quality shared by a section of society here. A bit like those boys murdering someone because they beat them at a video game.

Everyone else is hoping something better will come along. Thaksin threw his loyal supporters under a bus for his own personal amnesty. How many red-shirts could be out of prison now ?. Anyone who things he gives a damn about them at this point are either unbelievably gullible or are just hypocrites who actually want a more corruption-friendly government.

And red-shirts have precisely zero interest in any reconciliation with any other group. They never have. That has been clear for a long time. Remember Yinglucks big party with Blair and the others ?. Followed swiftly by the amnesty bill. Save your hypocrisy for your village meetings.

If you come back on this topic, which I doubt, can you confirm to me which "government"recently made an amnesty bill for past, present,and future things they may do and give them basically a licence to kill ?

Look for them, they re in charge now

[MZurf]

This will probably piss-of most of the red skirts and end the so called "reconciliation"

not sure there are too many left, only the hard hitters and those well up the Thaksin payroll remain it seems

And how do you "seem" that? Have I missed a recent election that could have cleared this issue up??

30% of the poll even with no opposition and 90% of polling booths open at the last count. If that doesn't teach you anything, I don't think you are able to be taught.

The reason we haven't seen this big uprising (nor will we) is that normal people got fed up with the lies and corruption - particularly when there was no money left for them. All we have now are the hard-core nutters who got collectively spanked for stealing from the tuck-shop and have gone into that insane rage of spite which is a very Thai quality shared by a section of society here. A bit like those boys murdering someone because they beat them at a video game.

Everyone else is hoping something better will come along. Thaksin threw his loyal supporters under a bus for his own personal amnesty. How many red-shirts could be out of prison now ?. Anyone who things he gives a damn about them at this point are either unbelievably gullible or are just hypocrites who actually want a more corruption-friendly government.

And red-shirts have precisely zero interest in any reconciliation with any other group. They never have. That has been clear for a long time. Remember Yinglucks big party with Blair and the others ?. Followed swiftly by the amnesty bill. Save your hypocrisy for your village meetings.

If you come back on this topic, which I doubt, can you confirm to me which "government"recently made an amnesty bill for past, present,and future things they may do and give them basically a licence to kill ?
Look for them, they re in charge now

I have asked the same question and gotten some silly answer that "it's not the same", of course without explaining why it's not the same.
So don't expect too much of him.

[MZurf]

This will probably piss-of most of the red skirts and end the so called "reconciliation"

not sure there are too many left, only the hard hitters and those well up the Thaksin payroll remain it seems

And how do you "seem" that? Have I missed a recent election that could have cleared this issue up??

30% of the poll even with no opposition and 90% of polling booths open at the last count. If that doesn't teach you anything, I don't think you are able to be taught.

The reason we haven't seen this big uprising (nor will we) is that normal people got fed up with the lies and corruption - particularly when there was no money left for them. All we have now are the hard-core nutters who got collectively spanked for stealing from the tuck-shop and have gone into that insane rage of spite which is a very Thai quality shared by a section of society here. A bit like those boys murdering someone because they beat them at a video game.

Everyone else is hoping something better will come along. Thaksin threw his loyal supporters under a bus for his own personal amnesty. How many red-shirts could be out of prison now ?. Anyone who things he gives a damn about them at this point are either unbelievably gullible or are just hypocrites who actually want a more corruption-friendly government.

And red-shirts have precisely zero interest in any reconciliation with any other group. They never have. That has been clear for a long time. Remember Yinglucks big party with Blair and the others ?. Followed swiftly by the amnesty bill. Save your hypocrisy for your village meetings.

Oh John, here you go again with the poll results that you claim didn't go YL's way but they still blocked people from voting. If the opposition was so strong that YL would have been voted out why wasn't an election held, John? Why?

"Followed swiftly by the amnesty bill."

Do you know who granted themselves an amnesty John, from any past present and future crimes? You are constantly obsessing about the FAILED amnesty bid yet when the mother of all amnesties granted themselves by your junta is discussed you are unsurprisingly silent.

I'm going to call you on this one, John. I'm sure a lot of us are dying to hear why the successful junta amnesty is better than the failed YL amnesty.

So, what's the answer, John?

"Save your hypocrisy for your village meetings"

Tsk, tsk, John. Here you go again with your assumption that everyone that disagrees with your delusions live in villages. Not very intelligent, John.

[steve654]

Section 218. Penalty

Whoever sets fire to:

1. A building, vessel or floating house in which a human being dwells;
2. A building, vessel or floating house used for storage or manufacture of goods;
3. A house of entertainment or meeting place;
4. A building which is domain public of State, public place or place for performing religious ceremonies;
5. A railway station, airport, or public parking or mooring place for cars or vessel;
6. A steam-boat or motor-boat of five tons upwards, airplane or train used for public transportation, shall be punished with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment of five to twenty years.

Unless of course you're rich or have the right connections, then you can do whatever you want to and get away with it.

Yes, but you could make that same statement to just about every country on this planet.

[Thai at Heart]

Absolute facial sentence..... Murderers get less.

[tbthailand]

It was part of a co-ordinated terror attack across the whole country.

Doesn't matter who it is - it is a very serious crime.

A terror attack in which the main victims were a few buildings. Oh I forgot about the coordinated terror attack on over 90 thais in the streets of bangkok of course. However the guilty party of that coordinated attack will never face justice of course.

Give me a break please. Life sentence for Arson is ridiculous.

just as a bit of extra info, the gentleman who was sentenced to death and had that reduced to life in prison was actually found guilty and sentenced to 1 year for arson.

It was the supreme court that then stepped into the cow-pie and gave him a death sentence.

Thai justice under the junta...

You don't understand how these courts work.

The supreme court don't take up cases themselves - they are the last place to go and appeal. So you get criminal court, and you don't like the result, then you get to lodge and appeal and if you aren't happy with the result of the appeal, you can go to Supreme court.

Think about it - if the military wanted to skew the courts, they would not do it at Supreme court level because there is no guarantee the case would make it that far.

Your conspiracy theory basically says that the lower courts were allowed to pass a small sentence but the junta magically knew that the defendants would eventually go to supreme court as opposed to accepting a small sentence. It makes zero sense does it?

I understand the courts in Thailand just fine thank you. Prosecutors can appeal decisions as well as defendants. It's a bizarre system of double-jeopordy...

And the courts have been skewed for a long time... The most recent make-over was after 2006 under that military junta.

[springheeled jack]

the sooner they sort out the law the better it is at present an absolute mess death sentence for arson ? even a life sentence is way over the top I think because these people are red shirts they are being made an example of it is absolutely diabolical .l

[icare999]

lets hope he serves a lot of it as do most of red shirt scum

[bangrak]

the sooner they sort out the law the better it is at present an absolute mess death sentence for arson ? even a life sentence is way over the top I think because these people are red shirts they are being made an example of it is absolutely diabolical .l

Hmm, so you missed the story of Mr Wattana, their lawyer, apologizing for his ('honest'?!) 'mistake' when speaking to the media, as he was 'confused' at the time: there was no-one sentenced to the death penalty! Could Mr Wattana's (mis-)communication have been ...'absolutely diabolical', maybe?!

By the way, you must also have missed that 'red shirts', UDD, PTP have never, ever, done anything wrong, well, now you know!

Edited December 19, 2015 by bangrak

[bangrak]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Seeing you guys criticizing the sentence, but not having one word concerning the terrorist acts it is about, is telling a lot...

[SheungWan]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Seeing you guys criticizing the sentence, but not having one word concerning the terrorist acts it is about, is telling a lot...

Indeed. The real upset from our old team of forum red cheerleaders is that since they invested so much time denying red responsibility for the arson attack in Bangkok they don't really like to be reminded of red behaviour elsewhere in the country during that period burning down town halls. This case wasn't the only one.

[manarak]

Did the rich guy, the Red Bull Heir who killed the policeman whilst high on Cocaine and booze ever see the inside of a prison ?

These sentences are ridiculous and are aimed at putting the poor in their place, you have Army Generals who are USD Multi Millionaires which is impossible on their Salary, Police Chiefs who are also USD Multi Millionaires, again impossible on their salary given free reign to do anything they please, as long as they keep the super rich that run Thailand safe from the poor, and safe from any questions as to how they came by their vast wealth.

Hence the defamation laws, there purely to protect the corrupt from criticism.

If you're poor in Thailand you'd better do what the rich men tell you to do, they have thousands of armed thugs in uniforms and the Judiciary at their disposal.

a very leftist view.

setting fire to the city hall was:

1- intentional

2- organized

3- potential manslaughter, consciously taking the risk that someone dies

4- politically motivated

5- terrorism

causing an accident killing a cop is:

1- negligent and careless

2- stupid

3- unintentional

4- an accident !

I really don't see how you can relate the two.

[manarak]

a life sentence for arson doesn't sound like justice. But I guess since the accused were red shits, justice has been served right ?

Stil waiting when the sharp shooters are going to face justice...

It was part of a co-ordinated terror attack across the whole country.

Doesn't matter who it is - it is a very serious crime.

A terror attack in which the main victims were a few buildings. Oh I forgot about the coordinated terror attack on over 90 thais in the streets of bangkok of course. However the guilty party of that coordinated attack will never face justice of course.

Give me a break please. Life sentence for Arson is ridiculous.

just as a bit of extra info, the gentleman who was sentenced to death and had that reduced to life in prison was actually found guilty and sentenced to 1 year for arson.

It was the supreme court that then stepped into the cow-pie and gave him a death sentence.

Thai justice under the junta...

the 1 year sentence was probably a politically motivated sentence to promote "national reconcialiation", but since that didn't work the real sentence has now been pronounced.

and thinking about it, I really don't have any problems with this sentence for the leader of a group who incited/ordered his group to lay fire to a public building with no respect for people who potentially remained inside.

[tbthailand]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Seeing you guys criticizing the sentence, but not having one word concerning the terrorist acts it is about, is telling a lot...

I have always spoken out against violence, ... of any kind, in the Thai conflict.

You call it terrorism.

Maybe you forgot that these people set fire to the symbols of the Thai government as it was in reaction to the Thai government, and specifically the army, mowing down dozens of protesters in BKK in cold blood.

So yeah, we can criticise the sentence, the harshness of the penalty, the double standards, and now even the junta's attempt to confuse the sentencing while at the same time not condoning the actions. Even when the reaction of the government of the day was nothing less than an attempt to terrorize its own citizens and then to simply shoot them down.

[rubl]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Seeing you guys criticizing the sentence, but not having one word concerning the terrorist acts it is about, is telling a lot...

I have always spoken out against violence, ... of any kind, in the Thai conflict.

You call it terrorism.

Maybe you forgot that these people set fire to the symbols of the Thai government as it was in reaction to the Thai government, and specifically the army, mowing down dozens of protesters in BKK in cold blood.

So yeah, we can criticise the sentence, the harshness of the penalty, the double standards, and now even the junta's attempt to confuse the sentencing while at the same time not condoning the actions. Even when the reaction of the government of the day was nothing less than an attempt to terrorize its own citizens and then to simply shoot them down.

Well, the 'sea of fire' was already suggested in January of 2010. The dropping of grenades on non-red-shirt people and buildings had already started around end of February when a court decided on the billions confiscated from Thaksin.

Also the government buildings have been a government symbol since ages, even when Thaksin was PM.

So we can criticise the sentence and reasoning for it's relative harsness, but it's difficult to justify with 'government symbol' when some 'leaders' have made the suggestions of what to burn down. It would not be better or worse if they had burned down schools, temples, or a apartment building.

[bangrak]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Seeing you guys criticizing the sentence, but not having one word concerning the terrorist acts it is about, is telling a lot...

I have always spoken out against violence, ... of any kind, in the Thai conflict.

You call it terrorism.

Maybe you forgot that these people set fire to the symbols of the Thai government as it was in reaction to the Thai government, and specifically the army, mowing down dozens of protesters in BKK in cold blood.

So yeah, we can criticise the sentence, the harshness of the penalty, the double standards, and now even the junta's attempt to confuse the sentencing while at the same time not condoning the actions. Even when the reaction of the government of the day was nothing less than an attempt to terrorize its own citizens and then to simply shoot them down.

'Terrorism' indeed it was, it checks all the boxes of the definition, look it up, like it or not...

And you're turning and twisting facts again to make them fit your bias: there was an insurrection, did you forget, there was martial law, there were 'no go' zones where it had clearly been warned it would be 'shooting on sight' ...in an obvious attempt for the soldiers (doing the dirty, ugly, but, alas, highly necessary, 'job' the RTP should have been doing, when it would not have been Thaksin's pretorian guard, refusing to live up to its responsibility and task)... not to be anymore shot at, or thrown grenades at, by ... 'peacefull redshirt demonstrators' of yours, or the non-existing men-in-black (cfr PTP/UDD), that while attempting to protect the local citizens' lifes and what they owned!

Mind you, when the RTA would have not been acting in a, IMO, very 'discerning' way, own many in-spe terrorists, malignant elements, fired-up brainwashed hillbillies, silly youths high on lao kao, or drugs, and more generally a..holes knowinly ignoring the instructions would have been shot, by the RTA (not speaking of death-wish 'freelance''reporters', in 'for the kick' and the odd pile of money), I mean here, not all the ones 'done' by armed 'red guards' and the master's hired men-in-black mercenaries (Maj Gen 'Seh Daeng''s own declarations, anyone?), how many hundreds, thousands maybe?

'Terrorizing its own citizens' it was, indeed, by the hero Thaksin, paying for the lot, to regain the clan's imaginary birthright on the gravey train, and, in the first place, to recuperate some hundreds of millions of USD which were taken from him, as part of seized ill gained money (Yingluck, very hush-hush gave back to him under the carpet, while there was already not enough cash money in the State's coffers to pay 'to the poor farmers' for the Thaksinomics rice scam, family first...)...

This is IMO, not yours I guess, but there are thousands of pictures, lengthy videos, hours of recordings as facts, clear evidence, showing what I based my opinion on, where did you base your opinion on...?

Loud and clear, I would have nothing at all against a, real, true, 'grassroots'' movement, all the opposite actually, and I'm all but a fan of 'the other side', using and abusing the same poor under-educated layers of society South and Central!

When you would mean it good, wouldn't it be time for you, maybe together with the ones wearing the same bright red shades, to take off your glasses, and come up with something creative, positive...? I'd love to exchange with all of you, maybe together we could bring a tiny contribution to the land we live in...

[bangrak]

a life sentence for arson doesn't sound like justice. But I guess since the accused were red shits, justice has been served right ?

Stil waiting when the sharp shooters are going to face justice...

It was part of a co-ordinated terror attack across the whole country.

Doesn't matter who it is - it is a very serious crime.

A terror attack in which the main victims were a few buildings. Oh I forgot about the coordinated terror attack on over 90 thais in the streets of bangkok of course. However the guilty party of that coordinated attack will never face justice of course.

Give me a break please. Life sentence for Arson is ridiculous.

just as a bit of extra info, the gentleman who was sentenced to death and had that reduced to life in prison was actually found guilty and sentenced to 1 year for arson.

It was the supreme court that then stepped into the cow-pie and gave him a death sentence.

Thai justice under the junta...

There was no 'gentleman' among the accused, and nobody(!) was sentenced to death, your 'information' is dated (the lawyer's apology? No?), partial (at least 'fragmentary'), and, as usually colour-coded (very much so), but will you apologize, like that PTP/UDD lawyer 'honestly'(?!?) did...? Come on!

[sjaak327]

Shooting down over 90 people in BKK was state sponsored terrorism right ? What still baffles me is some people being shocked at the partial burning of Central World (a tasteless mall) but not about over 90 people being killed. And before the usual suspects start the ridiculous terrorism claim, this happened BEFORE even a single building was put on fire.

I get it, those som tam eating red shirts aren't proper citizens right ?

Reconciliation my ass, when are the people responsible for this state initiated terrorism going to be put on trial, the answer is never.

[halloween]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Well next time your thug mates want to light a fire, suggest they do it in the UK.

[EnglishJohn]

Shooting down over 90 people in BKK was state sponsored terrorism right ? What still baffles me is some people being shocked at the partial burning of Central World (a tasteless mall) but not about over 90 people being killed. And before the usual suspects start the ridiculous terrorism claim, this happened BEFORE even a single building was put on fire.

I get it, those som tam eating red shirts aren't proper citizens right ?

Reconciliation my ass, when are the people responsible for this state initiated terrorism going to be put on trial, the answer is never.

Get your facts right before you start venting gas. The reason your betters keep quiet about 2010 is that they know as well as the rest of us that the shooting was started by the men in black (scumbag UDD and other low-life mercenaries) with the intention of creating a bloodbath using the other gullible innocent people. All earlier attempts to compromise were refused because non led to a collapse of the government and the potential for the goblin to return as the hero who saved Thailand.

'State Sponsored terrorism' is Pheu-Thai sending red-shirts to fire M79 grenades at random into crowds of innocent, peaceful protesters with the intention of clinging on to power. Only one side was firing in over 90 attacks and thirty of the other side dead including women and children.

You infer Central World deserved to be burned down therefore it was OK. Thus you inadvertently admit you acknowledge who was behind it. Take your disgusting ethics back to your village and share them with your like-minded mates.

You give us an excellent example of the red-shirt who never wants reconciliation and are a stereotype who is racked with spite against the 'Bangkok Elite' who have all that money and you want it. I am quite sure you felt happiness at every report of the death of an anti-government protester after the disgraceful amnesty bill.

Every one of those protesters was worth 10 of your all-expenses-paid party-goers.

[EnglishJohn]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Seeing you guys criticizing the sentence, but not having one word concerning the terrorist acts it is about, is telling a lot...

I have always spoken out against violence, ... of any kind, in the Thai conflict.

You call it terrorism.

Maybe you forgot that these people set fire to the symbols of the Thai government as it was in reaction to the Thai government, and specifically the army, mowing down dozens of protesters in BKK in cold blood.

So yeah, we can criticise the sentence, the harshness of the penalty, the double standards, and now even the junta's attempt to confuse the sentencing while at the same time not condoning the actions. Even when the reaction of the government of the day was nothing less than an attempt to terrorize its own citizens and then to simply shoot them down.

Sorry to burst your disillusion bubble, but shooting at people shooting at you is not cold blood. Are you really so gullible you believe what you write or are you a monstrous hypocrite who is devoid of ethics ?. Surely after all the events we have seen involving red-shirts, firearms and violence, you don't believe they were sat there peacefully ?.

'Cold blood' and 'terrorism' are firing M79 shrapnel grenades into crowds of innocent men, women and children more than 90 times and murdering 30. 'Disgusting primitives' are those who cheer when hearing the news.

[Ricardo]

I have always spoken out against violence, ... of any kind, in the Thai conflict.

You call it terrorism.

Maybe you forgot that these people set fire to the symbols of the Thai government as it was in reaction to the Thai government, and specifically the army, mowing down dozens of protesters in BKK in cold blood.

So yeah, we can criticise the sentence, the harshness of the penalty, the double standards, and now even the junta's attempt to confuse the sentencing while at the same time not condoning the actions. Even when the reaction of the government of the day was nothing less than an attempt to terrorize its own citizens and then to simply shoot them down.

"in cold blood"

I would agree that most of the people who died were shot by the RTA, only some were shot by the 'Men in Black, mingling unchallenged among the Red-Shirt protesters.

But after months of rioting, building barricades and fighting with the troops (since the RTP were mysteriously absent from the fray), and after warnings to go home because it was now going to get violent, it is IMO untenable to try to claim that any of these deaths were "in cold blood".

The 'government of the day' had bent over backwards to be patient, and had even negotiated with the UDD-leaders on live TV, to try to end the protests peacefully. Then-PM Abhisit was criticised, then and later, for being too soft and accommodating, he deserves to be given credit for that at least.

[rubl]

Shooting down over 90 people in BKK was state sponsored terrorism right ? What still baffles me is some people being shocked at the partial burning of Central World (a tasteless mall) but not about over 90 people being killed. And before the usual suspects start the ridiculous terrorism claim, this happened BEFORE even a single building was put on fire.

I get it, those som tam eating red shirts aren't proper citizens right ?

Reconciliation my ass, when are the people responsible for this state initiated terrorism going to be put on trial, the answer is never.

Now let me see. about 16 military, police and other non-red-shirt supporters killed out of 93.

Now people are more important than buildings for sure. That doesn't make burning down buildings get any better. It was done on purpose, planned before and executed by red-shirts who didn't realise they could possibly be arrested, charged, convicted and jailed.

When the de facto UDD leader said to come back and stand with them if shots were fired and he just went to Paris to go shopping with his daughters, even those red-shirts should have realise their importance in the eyes of those leaders.

So, Pichet Thabuddha, who ordered 'his' red-shirts to set fire to the Ubon Ratchathani city hall, sentence to jail for life.

[lucky11]

Did the rich guy, the Red Bull Heir who killed the policeman whilst high on Cocaine and booze ever see the inside of a prison ?

These sentences are ridiculous and are aimed at putting the poor in their place, you have Army Generals who are USD Multi Millionaires which is impossible on their Salary, Police Chiefs who are also USD Multi Millionaires, again impossible on their salary given free reign to do anything they please, as long as they keep the super rich that run Thailand safe from the poor, and safe from any questions as to how they came by their vast wealth.

Hence the defamation laws, there purely to protect the corrupt from criticism.

If you're poor in Thailand you'd better do what the rich men tell you to do, they have thousands of armed thugs in uniforms and the Judiciary at their disposal.

What gives them the right to burn down a major building? Do you think that they deserve a 'slap on the wrist and to be told not to be a naughty boy and do it again'?

The thing is, sensible people don't commit arson on a major scale in a fit of anger simply because they don't like something and fail to get their way. It is not acceptable and must be punished.

Is it right that someone 'exceedingly rich' can commit massive fraud and losses to a Nation and then run away and live abroad to escape the consequences?

[tbthailand]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Seeing you guys criticizing the sentence, but not having one word concerning the terrorist acts it is about, is telling a lot...

I have always spoken out against violence, ... of any kind, in the Thai conflict.

You call it terrorism.

Maybe you forgot that these people set fire to the symbols of the Thai government as it was in reaction to the Thai government, and specifically the army, mowing down dozens of protesters in BKK in cold blood.

So yeah, we can criticise the sentence, the harshness of the penalty, the double standards, and now even the junta's attempt to confuse the sentencing while at the same time not condoning the actions. Even when the reaction of the government of the day was nothing less than an attempt to terrorize its own citizens and then to simply shoot them down.

'Terrorism' indeed it was, it checks all the boxes of the definition, look it up, like it or not...

And you're turning and twisting facts again to make them fit your bias: there was an insurrection, did you forget, there was martial law, there were 'no go' zones where it had clearly been warned it would be 'shooting on sight' ...in an obvious attempt for the soldiers (doing the dirty, ugly, but, alas, highly necessary, 'job' the RTP should have been doing, when it would not have been Thaksin's pretorian guard, refusing to live up to its responsibility and task)... not to be anymore shot at, or thrown grenades at, by ... 'peacefull redshirt demonstrators' of yours, or the non-existing men-in-black (cfr PTP/UDD), that while attempting to protect the local citizens' lifes and what they owned!

Mind you, when the RTA would have not been acting in a, IMO, very 'discerning' way, own many in-spe terrorists, malignant elements, fired-up brainwashed hillbillies, silly youths high on lao kao, or drugs, and more generally a..holes knowinly ignoring the instructions would have been shot, by the RTA (not speaking of death-wish 'freelance''reporters', in 'for the kick' and the odd pile of money), I mean here, not all the ones 'done' by armed 'red guards' and the master's hired men-in-black mercenaries (Maj Gen 'Seh Daeng''s own declarations, anyone?), how many hundreds, thousands maybe?

'Terrorizing its own citizens' it was, indeed, by the hero Thaksin, paying for the lot, to regain the clan's imaginary birthright on the gravey train, and, in the first place, to recuperate some hundreds of millions of USD which were taken from him, as part of seized ill gained money (Yingluck, very hush-hush gave back to him under the carpet, while there was already not enough cash money in the State's coffers to pay 'to the poor farmers' for the Thaksinomics rice scam, family first...)...

This is IMO, not yours I guess, but there are thousands of pictures, lengthy videos, hours of recordings as facts, clear evidence, showing what I based my opinion on, where did you base your opinion on...?

Loud and clear, I would have nothing at all against a, real, true, 'grassroots'' movement, all the opposite actually, and I'm all but a fan of 'the other side', using and abusing the same poor under-educated layers of society South and Central!

When you would mean it good, wouldn't it be time for you, maybe together with the ones wearing the same bright red shades, to take off your glasses, and come up with something creative, positive...? I'd love to exchange with all of you, maybe together we could bring a tiny contribution to the land we live in...

'Terrorism' indeed it was, it checks all the boxes of the definition, look it up, like it or not...

you are being silly, if fits the definition of ARSON, look it up, like it or not. I don't support arson or any other violence by people, even if they are being killed by their own military. I really abhor the government killing their own citizens indiscriminately & that describes exactly the actions of the army in the last 6 days of the 2010 "clean up" action...

BTW, setting up live-fire zones is not part of law enforcement or crowd control tactics in civilized countries where police and military are accountable to the people. That's nothing more than carte blanche to kill ... and that is called murder. look it up like it or not...

The last six days of the 2010 protests was nothing short of a massacre. It was done by the army and done to innocent unarmed Thai citizens. And before you get your panties in a bunch, yes, I know that there were MIB and it was clear that they were army. And it was equally clear that much of 2010 was army-on-army violence. But the last six days was a slaughter, pure and simple with normal Thais being the targets and the army doing the shooting, and yes, there is plenty of evidence to prove that - even the notoriously yellow Thai courts have seen evidence and laid the blame of multiple killings at the feet of unnamed soldiers. ... like it or not...

Man, you army apologists make me sick...

[tbthailand]

I have always spoken out against violence, ... of any kind, in the Thai conflict.

You call it terrorism.

Maybe you forgot that these people set fire to the symbols of the Thai government as it was in reaction to the Thai government, and specifically the army, mowing down dozens of protesters in BKK in cold blood.

So yeah, we can criticise the sentence, the harshness of the penalty, the double standards, and now even the junta's attempt to confuse the sentencing while at the same time not condoning the actions. Even when the reaction of the government of the day was nothing less than an attempt to terrorize its own citizens and then to simply shoot them down.

"in cold blood"

I would agree that most of the people who died were shot by the RTA, only some were shot by the 'Men in Black, mingling unchallenged among the Red-Shirt protesters.

But after months of rioting, building barricades and fighting with the troops (since the RTP were mysteriously absent from the fray), and after warnings to go home because it was now going to get violent, it is IMO untenable to try to claim that any of these deaths were "in cold blood".

The 'government of the day' had bent over backwards to be patient, and had even negotiated with the UDD-leaders on live TV, to try to end the protests peacefully. Then-PM Abhisit was criticised, then and later, for being too soft and accommodating, he deserves to be given credit for that at least.

bent over backwards? after less than 2 months...

compared to say, 2013+2014? Which endured longer than 6 months?

come on, don't make me laugh... Suthep called the protesters 'terrorists' before the first one arrived in BKK...

Get a life. Look at the last 6 days - which began 2 months after the start, did any army soldiers get killed? One, by friendly fire. Well over 50 Thais lost their lives at the hands of the military.

Yeah, cold blooded describes is perfectly

Edited December 20, 2015 by tbthailand

[tbthailand]

Arson - with intent to endanger life in the UK has sentences of around 10 years.

No matter what the yellow cheer leading team say, this will be seen as blatant injustice and strengthen disdain for the junta, & allegiance to PT.

Seeing you guys criticizing the sentence, but not having one word concerning the terrorist acts it is about, is telling a lot...

I have always spoken out against violence, ... of any kind, in the Thai conflict.

You call it terrorism.

Maybe you forgot that these people set fire to the symbols of the Thai government as it was in reaction to the Thai government, and specifically the army, mowing down dozens of protesters in BKK in cold blood.

So yeah, we can criticise the sentence, the harshness of the penalty, the double standards, and now even the junta's attempt to confuse the sentencing while at the same time not condoning the actions. Even when the reaction of the government of the day was nothing less than an attempt to terrorize its own citizens and then to simply shoot them down.

Sorry to burst your disillusion bubble, but shooting at people shooting at you is not cold blood. Are you really so gullible you believe what you write or are you a monstrous hypocrite who is devoid of ethics ?. Surely after all the events we have seen involving red-shirts, firearms and violence, you don't believe they were sat there peacefully ?.

'Cold blood' and 'terrorism' are firing M79 shrapnel grenades into crowds of innocent men, women and children more than 90 times and murdering 30. 'Disgusting primitives' are those who cheer when hearing the news.

burst away, mister uniformed...

[sjaak327]

Shooting down over 90 people in BKK was state sponsored terrorism right ? What still baffles me is some people being shocked at the partial burning of Central World (a tasteless mall) but not about over 90 people being killed. And before the usual suspects start the ridiculous terrorism claim, this happened BEFORE even a single building was put on fire.

I get it, those som tam eating red shirts aren't proper citizens right ?

Reconciliation my ass, when are the people responsible for this state initiated terrorism going to be put on trial, the answer is never.

Now let me see. about 16 military, police and other non-red-shirt supporters killed out of 93.

Now people are more important than buildings for sure. That doesn't make burning down buildings get any better. It was done on purpose, planned before and executed by red-shirts who didn't realise they could possibly be arrested, charged, convicted and jailed.

When the de facto UDD leader said to come back and stand with them if shots were fired and he just went to Paris to go shopping with his daughters, even those red-shirts should have realise their importance in the eyes of those leaders.

So, Pichet Thabuddha, who ordered 'his' red-shirts to set fire to the Ubon Ratchathani city hall, sentence to jail for life.

Nowhere did I claim that burning buildings was 'okay' I did raise a point which you again ignored. It's pretty simple, when are the people responsible for killing over 90 people going to have justice ?

A lot of text, not one sentence on topic. Nice one rubl,