Political un-rest and rally

[caller]

caller, interesting questions - could be worth a thread on their own though.

I'll leave that to someone else, I'm suffering from battle fatigue!

[pharvey]

All reporters were urged to clear the area ... welcome to the media block-out

Yes, on the news here that all Chinese reporters/news agencies have been "asked" to leave..

[Spitfire]

They are not protesters and should be dealt with as such, protesters don't use grenade launchers or M16s. They should have taken the last deal they were offered by the government and got the election plus some sort of symbolic victory. What is/has been happening is just destroying Thailand, nobody wins and it will take many years to recover. I think the 'Reds' might be over-estimating there support now.

[richard]

Blood bath and coup is the way it's going

Trade, tourism and property sales are doomed

The villagers are waiting and geared up to go when the word comes

Why is the Bht still strong????

[Super Joe]

Just watched this over and over to try and make out what was going on, then after ages noticed the date , gives you an idea of what the troops have to face though ...



Not sure I got the youtube inbedding right, here's link here ...

SJ

[BaaBaa.]

Reds Attempt to Blow up Gas Tanker
UPDATE : 17 May 2010
Red-shirt protesters have driven and parked a gas tanker in front of the PTT petrol station in Ngarm Duplee. They've also fired several M79 into the petrol station in an attempt to start a wide-scale explosion.

[cozza]

An interesting question that might be explored is how and why this mess has divided expats/visitors/forum mongers and not just on HHAD? Is it because you feel concern for your present, your future, is it your political views, governed by where the missus comes from, views on what cannot be discussed, the way the situation has been allowed to escalate, the way its being dealt with now and so on?

Caller,

Maybe you yourself are divided on something that as a foreigner should not be doing. I know you said not worth replying to me, but you have an interesting point here. I on the other hand dont think any/many here are PAD supporters, though I can see a few RED supporters, IMO only, prove me wrong if you want to.

I would like to see another thread for this too, if you are going to reply to me and others that see differently to you that is.

[Spitfire]

I'd hardly call my last post a ringing endorsement of the 'Reds' Cozza. The PAD are also flawed massively and just as corrupt/nepotistic/self-serving etc and gain no respect from me. As I mentioned, Thailand is the loser but neither side seems to care. The children are throwing the rattle out of the pram.

[caller]

Caller,

Maybe you yourself are divided on something that as a foreigner should not be doing. I know you said not worth replying to me, but you have an interesting point here. I on the other hand dont think any/many here are PAD supporters, though I can see a few RED supporters, IMO only, prove me wrong if you want to.

I would like to see another thread for this too, if you are going to reply to me and others that see differently to you that is.

I guess, sort of, the issue is why are several of us getting so damn heated about this, that a certain civility goes out of the window? But as I said, this is not unique to here, it can be witnessed everywhere.

Maybe a poll is needed to start the ball rolling, but I don't know how to do that?

[Super Joe]

I've been sitting here 18 hours/day flicking between six Thai TV channels, some clearly pro-government, a couple 'appear' balance, and IMO these short packaged reports on the likes of CNN, BBC, Sky News etc are far from showing both sides of the story violence-wise, they seem biased towards trying to show the army forces in a bad light.

I think there's so much to this it's near on impossible to get the right picture, there seems to be:
- Some OTT army shooting indescriminately.
- Government just announced 'unkowns' are causing as many casualties as possible to make government look bad.
- Looting and mob attacks on shop keepers.
- Red mobs picking off army and beating them 50 onto 1, they shot one army driver on the ground.
- Locals coming out at night for a good old punch-up.
- Locals settling scores, non-election related.
- Unknown snipers with non-official rifles spotted on roof tops picking people off (doesn't mean they're not army in disguise ofcourse)
- Arms caches beng shown including home-made explosives, knives, axes etc

Bit of a mess out there!!

SJ

[Spitfire]

It's got to the point where it's not about politics, it's become an issue of anarchy/chaos/lawlessness in the middle of Bangkok. IMO, the army is within it's remit to restore order to a lawless area. Ironically, asked the Mrs about it and she mentioned that it's because the current army chief is wearing a skirt and calls him 'Mrs', never stopped them before.

[richard]

Sj and the rest

All too true but there is FA we can do except chill and keep watch

Go with my latest post and get re focused

[HHADFan]

Pretty good discussion on Al Jazeera today:

http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes ... 70495.html

[BaaBaa.]

It's got to the point where it's not about politics, it's become an issue of anarchy/chaos/lawlessness in the middle of Bangkok. IMO, the army is within it's remit to restore order to a lawless area.

Agree.

It's affecting peoples business, schooling etc

[STEVE G]

...and IMO these short packaged reports on the likes of CNN, BBC, Sky News etc are far from showing both sides of the story violence-wise, they seem biased towards trying to show the army forces in a bad light.

I don't know if they're actually biased or if it's just a case of the fact that their cameras are wisely positioned behind the shooting troops as opposed to in front of them.
To be honest I don't think the average Westerner cares too much about who is shooting, they just want to know where to plan their holiday in a bullet-free location.