Red shirt mass rally on Wednseday ... who cares?

Post by **caller** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:33 pm

Abhisit is just a puppet who now has no credibility in Thailand, Asia and the rest of the world.

The very fact the leader of the red shirts has now been arrested is already being compared to what happened, or didn't happen, to get Abhisit into power in the first place - a peaceful coup. He is now clinging on.

I just wonder if this whole thing goes deeper than paying (some) protesters and if there really is a mood shift among Thais now the world has opened up and the average Thai can see how the other half lives? I keep hearing talk of peasants and the like and sure I have met them in the wifes village, but there are also those that have travelled, not just to Dubai to work, but europe, that can speak English and talk about more than just Thailand.

Or maybe I should just take note of my signature?

Post by **The understudy** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 4:21 pm

Hi there Y'All

It's just shown around on THai PBS how a mass of couple of Red Shirtesrs Attacked a Black Mercedes belonging to the PM Office @ the Defence Ministry. Those Red thugs used where pounding the the vehicle wooksticks nearby throwing out plants that they ripped out of of the vicinty of the Defence Ministry. And the driver of thie PM's Limosine was desperatetle trying

Duirng the last couple hours A state of the Emergency of severe level had been declared in Bangers and five surrounding provinces to quell downthem red uprising.

D STation The reds Voice bearer had been taken off the Air!!!

Your' THe understudy!

Post by **STEVE G** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:05 pm

caller wrote:Abhisit is just a puppet who now has no credibility in Thailand, Asia and the rest of the world.

The very fact the leader of the red shirts has now been arrested is already being compared to what happened, or didn't happen, to get Abhisit into power in the first place - a peaceful coup. He is now clinging on.

I just wonder if this whole thing goes deeper than paying (some) protesters and if there really is a mood shift among Thais now the world has opened up and the average Thai can see how the other half lives? I keep hearing talk of peasants and the like and sure I have met them in the wifes village, but there are also those that have travelled, not just to Dubai to work, but europe, that can speak English and talk about more than just Thailand.

This is also how I’m begining to see things. I visited Issan twice last month and I’ve heard people talking about things now that I’ve never heard openly discussed in thailand before, and that I can’t mention here for obvious reasons.
The idea that the people who support the Red shirts are just a hired mob is a long way short of the truth.

There are many people in Thailand who are still desperately poor and they are now becoming much more aware of the huge amounts of wealth that have been accumulated over the years by the various influential figures behind Thailand.
Many of these people are not pro-Thaksin, but the Red shirt movement has educated them to the inequalities of a system that has been happy to keep the illusion of Thailand as a relatively poor nation whilst amassing immense personal wealth for the elite.
They see the present government as nothing more than puppets of that system.

Many have commented on the damage to Thailands economy, but for many of these people there is no economy.
You can understand why these people get angry when, for instance, recently the government removed subsidies on some crops that left many farmers in dept after a years work and then started giving hand-outs to civil serveants that already had jobs.
That move seemed calculated to cause unrest to a degree where you begin to wonder if some people in the government aren’t trying to undermine it from within.

Post by **taffinexile** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:16 pm

Reports on Uk TV say tanks on streets of Bangkok, but protestors have taken over one of the tanks!

Post by **The understudy** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:38 pm

I can confirm that taffinexile.

Just @ the corner of Sri Ayuttaya and Phaythai Rd. A tank had been poositioned there which has been fast taken over by them Red faction.

Your's The understudy!!'

Post by **Stu-Pot** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:39 pm

Idiots!

The countries tourism sector has all but closed down after the fiasco at the Ariport last year, and now it's about to get worse!

Which color shirt will be protesting when 1000's loose thier jobs as a result of the vanishing tourism trade?
Who will they blame?

Post by **STEVE G** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:49 pm

BANGKOK : Thai protesters seized at least one army tank deployed to enforce a state of emergency in Bangkok, a police spokesman told AFP on Sunday.

"The protest has spread to many parts of Bangkok. Protesters have seized tanks and armoured cars," Major General Suporn Phansua, spokesman for Bangkok Metropolitan Police, told AFP.

He added they were still tallying up how many had been taken by protesters.

Minutes earlier, protest leader Hweng Tojirakarn announced to supporters outside government offices that the group had taken two tanks and one armoured car in the heart of Bangkok's shopping district. - AFP/ms

Post by **caller** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:04 pm

Stu-Pot wrote:Idiots!

The countries tourism sector has all but closed down after the fiasco at the Ariport last year, and now it's about to get worse!

Which color shirt will be protesting when 1000's loose thier jobs as a result of the vanishing tourism trade?
Who will they blame?

But 1000's have already lost their jobs through the recession as factories have closed and they're in the areas where the tourist money counts for nothing. My wifes sister got a one-off payment of 2000 baht after losing her job at the massive seagate factory in Korat. Her husbands job went as well and they have a young baby. They see nothing of the money generated by tourism.

But I think your point is a valid one, but not the driver in this instance, nor seemingly to PAD when they closed the airport?

The next few hours seem critical now as it appears the Police/Army are as fragmented as the rest of society? On a beeb news video where the believed ministers car was attacked, the Police/Army appeared completely disorganised and the plain clothes guy was told to hide the massive gun he could be seen carrying. Media expose' appears another influence at the moment in maybe stopping an escalation of violence from the authorities?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 995606.stm

Post by **PeteC** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:24 pm

Yes, overnight is going to show and tell a lot. I just received an SMS news alert that the red shirts have grabbed two officials, one of them the PM's secretary. They still have them hostage as far as I know. Pete

Post by **hhfarang** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 7:15 pm

How would protesters armed with slingshots, sticks and bottles hijack a tank... I don't think the army is trained very well to let that happen...

Post by **faq2mfh** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 7:22 pm

With exception to high ranking officers police and army probably fit the red shirt better…

sargeant · Post by **sargeant** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:20 pm

steve G
I’ve heard people talking about things now that I’ve never heard openly discussed in thailand before, and that I can’t mention here for obvious reasons.
me too
There are many people in Thailand who are still desperately poor and they are now becoming much more aware of the huge amounts of wealth that have been accumulated over the years by the various influential figures behind Thailand.
sure are
recently the government removed subsidies on some crops that left many farmers in dept after a years work and then started giving hand-outs to civil serveants that already had jobs.
What do the elite expect
caller
But 1000's have already lost their jobs through the recession as factories have closed and they're in the areas where the tourist money counts for nothing.
Brother in law and wife +2 kids so far in my family

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:14 pm

I suppose the problem for the present PM is that it is hard to "crack down" strongly on the protesters as when the yellow shirts were doing the same the previous government did little in this respect aswell. If the present PM gets rough and tough then he becomes exposed to allegations of hypocracy because he came to power as a direct result of the yellow shirted protesters actions and defiance.

Neither the red or the yellow are legitimate in any way but if you have "new" elections then we will end up back at square one again.

The solution is not a clear thing here and as said the next day or two will be most revealing.

Hmmm.

Post by **HansMartin** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 12:07 am

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/wo ... otests.cnn

Pretty well sums it up in 1 minute and 24 seconds. This is what we in the west hear about the mess.

Even the wife is p*ssed and has no kind words for the crook outside the country who is leading this revolt. And just who if anyone will restore any sense of order.

Post by **Vital Spark** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:04 am

I sometimes wonder if the Red shirts really know what they're protesting about. I also wonder if some of the Red shirts were possibly wearing Yellow shirts last year.

Thailand is spiralling into demonstration fever, and it's contagious.

Joining a protest is a way of venting angst - something that the Thais tend to keep under wraps (it's the Thai way, and, I think, unhealthy). When we first arrived in our village they were staunch Taksin supporters. Then, they could have a paid trip to Bangkok - and became anti-Taksin. It was a day out, it was fun, it was an outlet for angst. Most of the villagers don't read newspapers, and they don't have a TV. I don't mean to sound patronising, but they don't understand politics - and I don't think they care. As long as they can pay the HP on their motorbikes and feed the kids they're happy.

If a bus turned up tomorrow with some free red t-shirts, and a trip to Bangkok (food included) they'd be on it like a shot. It's party time, and a heck of a lot more exciting than their normal humdrum lives.

VS