Thai Cabby Hangs Himself In Coup Protest

[lukamar]

There is a lot more going on behind the scenes that the general public is not yet aware of.

I'm in 100% agreement with Colpyat on that.. a lot more going on.

For all who thinks the guy was just a nut, ask yourself this, if you hung yourself would the PM pay off your house loan and give your wife 20,00bt cash as well as more cash assistance from the army and would Gen Sonthi bother to go to "Your" funeral, as reported in the Post?

Edited November 3, 2006 by lukamar

[adjan jb]

So the guy sacrified himself for democracy. He wrote that he couldn't live under martial law anymore. This raises at least two questions :

Why didn't he kill himself before when Thaksin was destroying democracy ?

In what way martial law affected his daily life ?

[lukamar]

Why didn't he kill himself before when Thaksin was destroying democracy ?

Because he always had the option of voting for or against the government thus voicing his democratic right

In what way martial law affected his daily life ?

He no longer has a choice.

[Jai Dee]

PUBLIC WARNING

Please read this pinned topic in the News Forum, and keep speculation to a minimum.

Some posts in this thread have had to be "sanitized" due to the current restrictions.

Thanks for your understanding.

[meemiathai]

There have been many cases around the world of suicide for a cause. Not due to mental illness, but simply because there are people who are passionate about that cause, see what is happening as the not-so-thin edge of the wedge and feel they have to make a statement that will be noticed by others in the hope that the resistance to the events unfolding will grow because of their sacrifice.

Unfortunately, the world is filled with morons who judge events and people on absolutely no evidence or knowledge. They fail to see that their very judgements casts an embarrasing spotlight on their own restricted mental abilities.

well said

[Plus]

On 16th January 1969 Jan Palach died of burns, his suicide being a protest at the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact forces, and the installation of a military puppet government.Although stooges, cronies and the usual foreign lickspittles of the illegal government attributed his action to mental illness, this was clearly not the case and today he is regarded by the Czech people as a national hero.

Soviet tanks crashing Czeckh and Hungarian uprisings and the current coup? Even fifty years from now they'd look completely different.

Generals tried their best to have a bloodless, victimless coup. They are responsible for his death, even if the man was slightly messed up in the head. Taking care of his family is the least they can do now.

[sriracha john]

With all due respect to his chosen, self-destructive death, but he's no martyr.

It's merely a sad, unnecessary burden his family will carry now.

I feel sorry for them and pity for him.

Edited November 3, 2006 by sriracha john

[younghusband]

With all due respect to his chosen, self-destructive death, but he's no martyr.

It's merely a sad, unnecessary burden his family will carry now.

I feel sorry for them and pity for him.

With respect I don't think he would have wanted your pity.In my view, as previously stated, what he did was misguided and I wish he hadn't but all the evidence suggests he was far from being mentally unbalanced.He has achieved what he set out to achieve which was to make a point about democracy.

I have previously made a comparison to the suicide of Jan Palach in 1969.Plus is right to note that the events of 1969 were of a different order of brutality, but he is wrong to dismiss the comparison altogether.I will abide by forum rules in not spelling out what the similarities are but the historically literate will know exactly what I mean.

Incidentally I thought that General Surayud dealt with this sad episode with grace, dignity and humility - an excellent example of Thai sensitivity and good manners.

[Tony Clifton]

With all due respect to his chosen, self-destructive death, but he's no martyr.

It's merely a sad, unnecessary burden his family will carry now.

I feel sorry for them and pity for him.

With respect I don't think he would have wanted your pity.In my view, as previously stated, what he did was misguided and I wish he hadn't but all the evidence suggests he was far from being mentally unbalanced.He has achieved what he set out to achieve which was to make a point about democracy.

I have previously made a comparison to the suicide of Jan Palach in 1969.Plus is right to note that the events of 1969 were of a different order of brutality, but he is wrong to dismiss the comparison altogether.I will abide by forum rules in not spelling out what the similarities are but the historically literate will know exactly what I mean.

Incidentally I thought that General Surayud dealt with this sad episode with grace, dignity and humility - an excellent example of Thai sensitivity and good manners.

Sonthi Limtonkhul, other PAD leaders and protesters following them also made their point over and over and over while all staying alive and living to see the day when Thaksin was ousted.

One only make a point once when taking his own life for a cause and won't be around to see the result

[ColPyat]

Sonthi Limtonkhul, other PAD leaders and protesters following them also made their point over and over and over while all staying alive and living to see the day when Thaksin was ousted.

One only make a point once when taking his own life for a cause and won't be around to see the result

Sondhi Limtongkul of course needed to stay alive to reap the massive material benefits the demonstrations and the shift in power earned him personally.

It does not matter if people here on this internet board believe whatever about the motivations of the taxi driver. What matters is that his death has already led to a serious crises situation on government level, and will keep doing so in the future.

Objectively viewed, the taxi driver has achieved what he set out to do with his suicide.

[Siripon]

Sonthi Limtonkhul, other PAD leaders and protesters following them also made their point over and over and over while all staying alive and living to see the day when Thaksin was ousted.

One only make a point once when taking his own life for a cause and won't be around to see the result

Sondhi Limtongkul of course needed to stay alive to reap the massive material benefits the demonstrations and the shift in power earned him personally.

It does not matter if people here on this internet board believe whatever about the motivations of the taxi driver. What matters is that his death has already led to a serious crises situation on government level, and will keep doing so in the future.

Objectively viewed, the taxi driver has achieved what he set out to do with his suicide.

If Sonti Limtongkul was motivated by money he would never have challenged Thaksin, regardless of losing a TV concession. If he had continued to praise Thaksin as he did in the early days of Thaksin's government he would have continued to reap the benefits of AIS adverts as well as government, state enterprise ads.

What he did was an act of considerable bravery.

The colonel, I remember you bitterly criticising the lack of criticism from the NGOs and the PAD to the drug war killings, do you feel the same about the Tak Bai murders by Thaksin's government?

If so you must be a happy colonel tonight after PM Surayud's apology to the Deep South for the injustices,kidnappings and illegal killings of the Thaksin years.

Something way beyond Thaksin with his emotionally empty and foolish gesture of a million paper birds dropped from aeroplanes.

By the way, what has the suicide taxi driver achieved 'objectively' Please elaborate.

[Plus]

He has achieved what he set out to achieve which was to make a point about democracy.

If the point was that democracy is suddenly under such a threat in Thailand that people must sacrifice their lives to revive it, I doubt anyone got it.

I have previously made a comparison to the suicide of Jan Palach in 1969.Plus is right to note that the events of 1969 were of a different order of brutality, but he is wrong to dismiss the comparison altogether.I will abide by forum rules in not spelling out what the similarities are but the historically literate will know exactly what I mean.

It's the different level of brutality that does not warrant killing yourself. Or maybe he was frustrasted with his fellow countrymen who "don't care" about democracy. Either way I seriously doubt he'll ever achieve Jan Palach's status.

... all the evidence suggests he was far from being mentally unbalanced.

He SAID he wasn't mentally ill. They all do, don't they. People with suicidal tendencies MUST seek psychiatric treatment.

Or maybe he imagined himself to be a Thai version of a suicide bomber.

Edited November 3, 2006 by Plus

[ColPyat]

.

Edited November 3, 2006 by ColPyat

[jdinasia]

Sonthi Limtonkhul, other PAD leaders and protesters following them also made their point over and over and over while all staying alive and living to see the day when Thaksin was ousted.

One only make a point once when taking his own life for a cause and won't be around to see the result

Sondhi Limtongkul of course needed to stay alive to reap the massive material benefits the demonstrations and the shift in power earned him personally.

It does not matter if people here on this internet board believe whatever about the motivations of the taxi driver. What matters is that his death has already led to a serious crises situation on government level, and will keep doing so in the future.Objectively viewed, the taxi driver has achieved what he set out to do with his suicide.

What crisis is that? The Thai people I have talked to just think the guy was unbalanced!

[jdinasia]

Why didn't he kill himself before when Thaksin was destroying democracy ?

Because he always had the option of voting for or against the government thus voicing his democratic right

and ccepting the cash paid by TRT

In what way martial law affected his daily life ?

He no longer has a choice.

like he had any choice before

oh wait ......... this isn't Canada!

[sriracha john]

I feel sorry for them and pity for him.

I thought that General Surayud dealt with this sad episode with grace, dignity and humility - an excellent example of Thai sensitivity and good manners.

I agree. It's likely his motivations were similiar to mine.

[younghusband]

Sonthi Limtonkhul, other PAD leaders and protesters following them also made their point over and over and over while all staying alive and living to see the day when Thaksin was ousted.

One only make a point once when taking his own life for a cause and won't be around to see the result

Sondhi Limtongkul of course needed to stay alive to reap the massive material benefits the demonstrations and the shift in power earned him personally.

It does not matter if people here on this internet board believe whatever about the motivations of the taxi driver. What matters is that his death has already led to a serious crises situation on government level, and will keep doing so in the future.

Objectively viewed, the taxi driver has achieved what he set out to do with his suicide.

If Sonti Limtongkul was motivated by money he would never have challenged Thaksin, regardless of losing a TV concession. If he had continued to praise Thaksin as he did in the early days of Thaksin's government he would have continued to reap the benefits of AIS adverts as well as government, state enterprise ads.

What he did was an act of considerable bravery.

The colonel, I remember you bitterly criticising the lack of criticism from the NGOs and the PAD to the drug war killings, do you feel the same about the Tak Bai murders by Thaksin's government?

If so you must be a happy colonel tonight after PM Surayud's apology to the Deep South for the injustices,kidnappings and illegal killings of the Thaksin years.

Something way beyond Thaksin with his emotionally empty and foolish gesture of a million paper birds dropped from aeroplanes.

By the way, what has the suicide taxi driver achieved 'objectively' Please elaborate.

I agree that General Surayud's apology to the Deep South was a major step forward.Despite my misgivings about the coup I am developing an admiration for the PM's style.

However you are completely mistaken if you think the crimes committed by the Bangkok regime in the South were limited to the Thaksin years, even though Thaksin presided over some particularly apalling atrocities.The neglect, abuse and ignorance suffered by Thai Muslims goes back decades and covers many regimes.What is more the atrocities at Tak Bai under the Thaksin regime were connived at even supported by the very people who went along with, for want of a better phrase, the recent coup.The obvious logic for the Deep South is some form of agreement on the Aceh model but whether the usual "manafactured" Thai nationalism will permit this, I have no idea.

Interesting use of the term "suicide taxi driver", a prescriptive definition depriving him of dignity even in death.Let's just say he tried to make a point.I agree it's debatable how effective.Shouldn't we all just let him rest in peace now?

[Jai Dee]

Shouldn't we all just let him rest in peace now?

I think it's time that we let both Khun Nuamthong and the speculation in this topic rest in peace.

Should there be any further developments or news bulletins, this subject may be re-opened.

/Closed.