Bangkok Mar 12-14

[beej]

Some Thai should start a Facebook page urging people to boycott taxi drivers flying red flags, red clad motorcycle taxi guys and any red businesses.

flag them down, then look at their red shirt and say, no never mind.

Completely agree and people I know have been doing just that.

Last Fri night after dinner with friends in Lat Phrao I jumped into a taxi to then go out. The driver was listening to a live broadcast of the reds rally. I asked him to turn the radio off (most times I do anyway unless it is some nice music as I can't handle listening to blah, blah and stupid ads). He refused, I told him to pls stop and as I would take another taxi.

I was polite the whole time but I am the customer and I don't want to listen to such sh*t. He lost a 200 baht fare.

I put the same suggestion on Facebook - and Thais said they are already doing it.

But they do it tacitly - they don't have the guts to say, "I'm not giving you my business because I think your politics have damaged my country's reputation."

I do it politely and directly but I don't have the guts to state your quote as I would fear a violent response!

I've been as gobby as ever in telling any village red shirt flag wearing fucks to piss off when they pull over thinking they are Che ******* Guevara.

[English_Bob]

It boils down to different perspectives... you wanted to wait, but you weren't losing hundreds of millions of baht a day.

If you had a business that was closed during this period, you would have a different view. Your family and livelihood would depend on that money coming in and suddenly there's nothing.

Of course no-one wanted to send the troops in when the protestors were limiting their activities to Phan Fa Bridge for the simple reason their presence was simply mildly inconvenient.

The Reds knew this and they upped the ante by taking over the heart of the city.

We don't know what the result would have been had they waited, but I'm sure it would have been another escalation. You don't see a steady increase in pressure? The demonstrations got worse and more violent - don't say they weren't, because they were plainly violent at the TV station, at Parliament, the EC offices and the 1st Army barracks.

The procedure to remove them failed because the army were uncoordinated and unprepared for the situation. We both agree that it was terribly handled... but I maintain the decision was correct.

If (and we'll never know now) the operation had been a success with mass arrests and the leaders out of the picture, the stage at Ratchapasong demolished, the Government would have been lauded for its incredibly patient approach and good result.

As it happens, you are in a position to say, "I told you so." now, but the fact remains, criminals are holding this city to ransom.

Whereas I CAN draw the distinction between the Red footsoldiers and the leaders, they are ALL breaking the law to some extent or another. And it's getting worse. They HAVEN'T dispersed for Songkran - as I saw this afternoon. And they are showing no signs of dispersing. The streets are full of rebels.

They have no interest in negotiations and there is no end in sight.

The operation to remove them was botched.

But they shouldn't be there in the FIRST place! Like I say, I'd be a tyrant, but my city wouldn't be overrun.

[English_Bob]

I've been as gobby as ever in telling any village red shirt flag wearing fucks to piss off when they pull over thinking they are Che f*cking Guevara.

You never go outside!

Stuck in your ivory tower with your gammy leg cursing 'em from 19 stories up isn't the same as saying to a motortaxi guy, "**** off, Somchai - you're wrecking the country."

This is the point I'm making - people are scared - and THAT isn't democracy. Now I want THEM running scared.

[Neo]

If Abhisit wants (wanted?) rule by law then he should have got the PAD leaders into court and behind bars a year ago and he should have put away the red shirt leaders behind last year's songkran terrorism.

Because he didn't do either of those there is no confidence in the law (for other reasons too). And without that the only authority is force.

Until the law is upheld as the ultimate authority anyone with a billion baht and pile of guns can take over the country.

[beej]

I've been as gobby as ever in telling any village red shirt flag wearing fucks to piss off when they pull over thinking they are Che f*cking Guevara.

You never go outside!

Stuck in your ivory tower with your gammy leg cursing 'em from 19 stories up isn't the same as saying to a motortaxi guy, "f*ck off, Somchai - you're wrecking the country."

This is the point I'm making - people are scared - and THAT isn't democracy. Now I want THEM running scared.

I've got a wheel chair now!

[Loburt]

They did come in HUGE numbers. According to PBS on sunday and also reported in the Nation, 50 000 army and police were used in all operations on Sat (Thaicomm, Ratchprasong and Rachsdamnoen Nok/Phan Fa).

I know that the papers said 50,000 troops had been called to the capital, but I can't see how 50K troops were used.

The number of troops at Thaicom were in the hundreds. There was never more than a few hundred troops visible at Rajaprasong on Saturday. That means at least 40K troops would have been on Rajadamnern outnumbering protesters. 40K is a lot of troops. I wasn't there, but from the videos I've seen there is nothing to indicate those kinds of troop numbers actually on the street.

[beej]

To be honest, over the past 2 days around central Bangkok I've seen little to no police, considering the state of things.... its shocking.

[PiAnt]

its shocking.

I agree.

But then again, what has happened which hasn't actually happened, like, a ton of times before?

Exactly.

And what lovely weather for it.

[koolbreez]

There is one individual that knows that violence will win this. The same as how Thaksin was cheering on the violence last year, he organized the violence this year. I'm totally convinved he orchastrated the thefts of the grenades, and instructed those using them. He created chaos, exactly his intentions. Now, finally, he has a very real chance of returning, and he planned it all.

I doubt if he only went to Venezuala to be just a consultant, I'm sure he got instructions himself. It's interesting that there are now multiple reports, and a picture, of those clad in black that were militarily armed, and operated with military precision in their actions, and exit, casting blame on both sides which was their intension.

I'm also convinced the journalist was killed because he was about to film their actions. He was one of the first civilians killed, with no reason for the red shirts, or the military, to kill him. He was murdered because of what he was about to film in my opinion.

[beej]

THE NATION: Urgent: Yellow shirts to hold a caucus on April 18 at Rangsit University to define their directions.

Things will get messy from the 18th onwards.

Hope you all got your lootin bags ready?

[PJack]

To be honest, over the past 2 days around central Bangkok I've seen little to no police, considering the state of things.... its shocking.

its true. they arent even at the intersections to flip traffic switches. seems like they went up country for holidays

[beej]

To be honest, over the past 2 days around central Bangkok I've seen little to no police, considering the state of things.... its shocking.

its true. they arent even at the intersections to flip traffic switches. seems like they went up country for holidays

You could pull off anything in this city now and get away with it!

[Karnie]

I have no position on Red vs Yellow, but I do know that once you start dissolving parliament at the request of one group, then sometime down the road the "other" group will want the same thing. The political stability is a must! Yellow had start it with their final straw by Suvarnnabhumi airport closure in 2008 then followed by Red. I am wondering which color next!

I AM ******* BORED WITH ALL THESE COLORS THINGY, SOAP DRAMA POLITICS THAT FULL OF ****, FAKE & LIE AND GREEDY POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But then again, if we, Thais, really didn't want all these happen over and over, in my own opinion, we HAVE to start from little thing by giving people with good education since from the 1st grade, good school, good teacher all over the country. But then again good education, school & teacher, are mostly locate in BKK. Yet, when will our country give a REAL FREE education from grade 1-10, at least???????

Enough of my political commentary!!

[Loburt]

I thought the current government recently enacted free education for 12 years for everyone, with the poor also receiving free books, uniforms and other materials.

[SweetieBabie]

Taksin promises to give every child a free notebook computer.

[beej]

Taksin promises to give every child a free notebook computer.

Make it a mac book pro and he's got a deal.

[Loburt]

Yeah, well he didn't. And he didn't make education free.

However, when he was a deputy prime minister in the Banharn government, he somehow "convinced" the Education Ministry to buy computers from his company for every school in the country.

Including those schools in rural areas that didn't have electricity.

[PiAnt]

I AM f*cking BORED WITH ALL THESE COLORS THINGY, SOAP DRAMA POLITICS THAT FULL OF sh*t, FAKE & LIE AND GREEDY POLITICIANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This seems to be the opinion of almost all the "floating voters" I've talked to about the current sitch.

[Bruce551]

IMHO, had Thailand's present education policies been in place 30 years ago, the current political crisis might not exist.

[Neo]

IMHO, had Thailand's present education policies been in place 30 years ago, the current political crisis might not exist.

The present policies, good as they are, don't ensure that the huge amounts of money allocated for education get used for education. Education in Thailand for most will remain 3rd world peasant schools until Deans, Teachers, Principals etc stop stealing the money and demanding bribes for enrolment. (note not all the teachers are corrupt).

[beej]

That ''enrolment fee'' is a piss take, and needs to be proper shut down.

[SweetieBabie]

Shopping arcades shut down. NO FEAR LADIES !

Even if the red shirts have shut down your favourite mall, with a few clicks you can still get your hands on expensive branded goods, while also saving money, say two local entrepreneurs.

‘We won’t deal with no-name warehouses or grey markets to get cheap stuff,’’ say Pon Compernolle (right) and Marc Steeb. KOSOL NAKACHOL

Pon Van Compernolle, one of the founders of HiShop Co, the operator of HiSo-online.com, says the company's online shop is unique in Thailand in terms of its approach, although the Kingdom has about 17 rival operations.

HiSo-online was launched, with what its two founders hope will be a memorable name, in February this year. The site now has 10,000 registered members, said Mr Compernolle.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/telecom/36084/hiso-shopping-click-by-click?awesm=fbshare.me_ALD3A

[PeeMarc]

[Loburt]

those were an interesting and sometimes comical set of videos that guy shot.

but it also shows how different people in different locations can see different things and come away with completely different views on what happened.

this guy talks about red shirt guards protecting injured soldiers, and if he says he saw it then i don't doubt it happened.

but i have also seen other videos of red shirts pulling injured soldiers off of trucks bringing them to hospital and then beating those soldiers mercilessly.

[beej]

those were an interesting and sometimes comical set of videos that guy shot.

but it also shows how different people in different locations can see different things and come away with completely different views on what happened.

this guy talks about red shirt guards protecting injured soldiers, and if he says he saw it then i don't doubt it happened.

but i have also seen other videos of red shirts pulling injured soldiers off of trucks bringing them to hospital and then beating those soldiers mercilessly.

Always 3 sides to a story.