Bangkok Mar 12-14

[Chatty]

I think we're all missing the pivotall point here, which is...

There's been a lot less traffic about.

So it's not all bad then.

If you ask Taxi driver, you will hear difference view.

Oh I'm sure if the trip was long enough he'd agree with me.

Though, ok, you may be right; I never actually get much further into town than Rachada.

Actually, from yesterday... I talked to a taxi driver on Ratchada Rd. He said ppl afraid to go out... afraid to take taxi. So he lost his incomes. Not all Taxi drivers are red shirts... I can see from the radio station that they are listening.

If you see FM 97.75 they are yellow shirt 100% if FM 92.25 they don't like red shirt and don't like TS. but not yellow shirt supporters.

I have seen TV. taxi driver said they are losing their incomes now... cuz ppl drive or take MRT or BTS, they don't like to take taxi this time, and foreigners are less and less... they started worry about future if the protest still go on.

[bigKus]

sorry we are not good at mathematics

You don't need to be...

Cut and paste my quote onto Panthip.com... and a few other Thai sites.

They would say...

Cuz PAD closed the Airport!!

That's the excuse and answer in every case they and TS have done.

Seems like Pantip.com was taken over buy red shirts. Cuz they asked the other color shirts to leave them alone.

There are no more colours but only red which is now on the stage causing problem. Yellow/PAD is become NEW POLITICS PARTY leaw !

[Chatty]

sorry we are not good at mathematics

You don't need to be...

Cut and paste my quote onto Panthip.com... and a few other Thai sites.

They would say...

Cuz PAD closed the Airport!!

That's the excuse and answer in every case they and TS have done.

Seems like Pantip.com was taken over buy red shirts. Cuz they asked the other color shirts to leave them alone.

There are no more colours but only red which is now on the stage causing problem. Yellow/PAD is become NEW POLITICS PARTY leaw !

haha ASTV still be yellow monitor... haha

only the New Politics Party is green.

Seriously, if you read www.pantip.com ËéçÃÒª´Óà¹Ô¹

The idea of Red shirt are...

1. "ppl who against their thought are yellow shirts" no matter what ppl said...i'm not yellow shirt, i'm not PAD supporters, if you against UDD. you are yellow/PAD.

2. no matter what you said their behavior and bad or idiot... they will say cuz PAD close the airport...

[bigKus]

sorry we are not good at mathematics

You don't need to be...

Cut and paste my quote onto Panthip.com... and a few other Thai sites.

They would say...

Cuz PAD closed the Airport!!

That's the excuse and answer in every case they and TS have done.

Seems like Pantip.com was taken over buy red shirts. Cuz they asked the other color shirts to leave them alone.

There are no more colours but only red which is now on the stage causing problem. Yellow/PAD is become NEW POLITICS PARTY leaw !

haha ASTV still be yellow monitor... haha

only the New Politics Party is green.

:shock: Then you have to buy new TV..

[PiAnt]

Actually, from yesterday... I talked to a taxi driver on Ratchada Rd. He said ppl afraid to go out... afraid to take taxi. So he lost his incomes. Not all Taxi drivers are red shirts... I can see from the radio station that they are listening.

If you see FM 97.75 they are yellow shirt 100% if FM 92.25 they don't like red shirt and don't like TS. but not yellow shirt supporters.

I have seen TV. taxi driver said they are losing their incomes now... cuz ppl drive or take MRT or BTS, they don't like to take taxi this time, and foreigners are less and less... they started worry about future if the protest still go on.

Well, the TV isn't going to get many viewers telling everyone that nothing is happening ja Neung are they?

I haven't see one red shirted person yet who wasn't working at McDonald's, but have heard lots about how I shouldn't be going out anywhere cos it's all over the news and what have you.

I think (wince quoting myself) you have to keep a sense of perspective.

It's a tiny minority who appear to have been paid to "protest" and who will achieve nothing but a traffic jam in a sea of traffic jams.

Just cos Taksin's stirring it up does not by any means mean he will be able to return here ja. You know it just as I. It's just a game he can play cos he's got the means to do so and, at the moment, it's in his interest to.

Pretty soon it'll all be over; Thaksin will be forgotten and people will be out protesting over something else.

[Admin_2]

Actually, from yesterday... I talked to a taxi driver on Ratchada Rd. He said ppl afraid to go out... afraid to take taxi. So he lost his incomes. Not all Taxi drivers are red shirts... I can see from the radio station that they are listening.

If you see FM 97.75 they are yellow shirt 100% if FM 92.25 they don't like red shirt and don't like TS. but not yellow shirt supporters.

I have seen TV. taxi driver said they are losing their incomes now... cuz ppl drive or take MRT or BTS, they don't like to take taxi this time, and foreigners are less and less... they started worry about future if the protest still go on.

Well, the TV isn't going to get many viewers telling everyone that nothing is happening ja Neung are they?

I haven't see one red shirted person yet who wasn't working at McDonald's, but have heard lots about how I shouldn't be going out anywhere cos it's all over the news and what have you.

I think (wince quoting myself) you have to keep a sense of perspective.

It's a tiny minority who appear to have been paid to "protest" and who will achieve nothing but a traffic jam in a sea of traffic jams.

Just cos Taksin's stirring it up does not by any means mean he will be able to return here ja. You know it just as I. It's just a game he can play cos he's got the means to do so and, at the moment, it's in his interest to.

Pretty soon it'll all be over; Thaksin will be forgotten and people will be out protesting over something else.

What's gotten into you? You sound...normal!

[Teddy]

Actually, from yesterday... I talked to a taxi driver on Ratchada Rd. He said ppl afraid to go out... afraid to take taxi. So he lost his incomes. Not all Taxi drivers are red shirts... I can see from the radio station that they are listening.

If you see FM 97.75 they are yellow shirt 100% if FM 92.25 they don't like red shirt and don't like TS. but not yellow shirt supporters.

I have seen TV. taxi driver said they are losing their incomes now... cuz ppl drive or take MRT or BTS, they don't like to take taxi this time, and foreigners are less and less... they started worry about future if the protest still go on.

Well, the TV isn't going to get many viewers telling everyone that nothing is happening ja Neung are they?

I haven't see one red shirted person yet who wasn't working at McDonald's, but have heard lots about how I shouldn't be going out anywhere cos it's all over the news and what have you.

I think (wince quoting myself) you have to keep a sense of perspective.

It's a tiny minority who appear to have been paid to "protest" and who will achieve nothing but a traffic jam in a sea of traffic jams.

Just cos Taksin's stirring it up does not by any means mean he will be able to return here ja. You know it just as I. It's just a game he can play cos he's got the means to do so and, at the moment, it's in his interest to.

Pretty soon it'll all be over; Thaksin will be forgotten and people will be out protesting over something else.

What's gotten into you? You sound...normal!

Um, Excuse me Japam, this is the PiAnt show. Would you mind skooting over and let this train wreck I mean ride continue please!? :wink:

[PiAnt]

What's gotten into you? You sound...normal!

Sorry.

Wasn't thinking.

[Stramash]

Actually, from yesterday... I talked to a taxi driver on Ratchada Rd. He said ppl afraid to go out... afraid to take taxi. So he lost his incomes. Not all Taxi drivers are red shirts... I can see from the radio station that they are listening.

If you see FM 97.75 they are yellow shirt 100% if FM 92.25 they don't like red shirt and don't like TS. but not yellow shirt supporters.

I have seen TV. taxi driver said they are losing their incomes now... cuz ppl drive or take MRT or BTS, they don't like to take taxi this time, and foreigners are less and less... they started worry about future if the protest still go on.

Well, the TV isn't going to get many viewers telling everyone that nothing is happening ja Neung are they?

I haven't see one red shirted person yet who wasn't working at McDonald's, but have heard lots about how I shouldn't be going out anywhere cos it's all over the news and what have you.

I think (wince quoting myself) you have to keep a sense of perspective.

It's a tiny minority who appear to have been paid to "protest" and who will achieve nothing but a traffic jam in a sea of traffic jams.

Just cos Taksin's stirring it up does not by any means mean he will be able to return here ja. You know it just as I. It's just a game he can play cos he's got the means to do so and, at the moment, it's in his interest to.

Pretty soon it'll all be over; Thaksin will be forgotten and people will be out protesting over something else.

What's gotten into you? You sound...normal!

told you attaching a breathalyser to his pc would work...

[Chatty]

sorry we are not good at mathematics

You don't need to be...

Cut and paste my quote onto Panthip.com... and a few other Thai sites.

They would say...

Cuz PAD closed the Airport!!

That's the excuse and answer in every case they and TS have done.

Seems like Pantip.com was taken over buy red shirts. Cuz they asked the other color shirts to leave them alone.

There are no more colours but only red which is now on the stage causing problem. Yellow/PAD is become NEW POLITICS PARTY leaw !

haha ASTV still be yellow monitor... haha

only the New Politics Party is green.

:shock: Then you have to buy new TV..

Naah, no need to, just change channel...

[Chatty]

Actually, from yesterday... I talked to a taxi driver on Ratchada Rd. He said ppl afraid to go out... afraid to take taxi. So he lost his incomes. Not all Taxi drivers are red shirts... I can see from the radio station that they are listening.

If you see FM 97.75 they are yellow shirt 100% if FM 92.25 they don't like red shirt and don't like TS. but not yellow shirt supporters.

I have seen TV. taxi driver said they are losing their incomes now... cuz ppl drive or take MRT or BTS, they don't like to take taxi this time, and foreigners are less and less... they started worry about future if the protest still go on.

Well, the TV isn't going to get many viewers telling everyone that nothing is happening ja Neung are they?

I haven't see one red shirted person yet who wasn't working at McDonald's, but have heard lots about how I shouldn't be going out anywhere cos it's all over the news and what have you.

I think (wince quoting myself) you have to keep a sense of perspective.

It's a tiny minority who appear to have been paid to "protest" and who will achieve nothing but a traffic jam in a sea of traffic jams.

Just cos Taksin's stirring it up does not by any means mean he will be able to return here ja. You know it just as I. It's just a game he can play cos he's got the means to do so and, at the moment, it's in his interest to.

Pretty soon it'll all be over; Thaksin will be forgotten and people will be out protesting over something else.

Sorry piAnt,

Cuz of my language barrier I'm not really sure that I really got you... if I misunderstood in anypoint pls. let me know.

1. You are right about the TV. mass media got control by the big shot, such as military, business man.. etc. so they just let we see what they want us to see.

so... watching local cable, or check out some websites, and talking around are much better. Actually my neighbors are red shirts. They are so proud of it. seriously.

2. Red shirts at McDonald? you mean p'Ronald? lol, about going out... I go where I wanna go... cuz I think no matter where I am, if **** will happen it will be happen. Last year they put gas trucks not far from my place.... so nothing scared me since that time.

3. Until now I pretty sure TS will not win his games. Sure he can return to Thailand at some point, may be when he goes old, and wanna spend his last breath in Thailand. But it's annoying to see him mess around Thai people head. Some friends, families,, couples fight each others cuz difference point of view.

It's ok to have difference point of view before, but this time seems like we need to take a side.

Everything's born to end I know... but I wanna see the happy ending.

[Bruce551]

http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2009/10/the-disintegration-of-the-thai-establishment-.html

The King and the Thai ruling class

The consensus around the monarchy has been central in forming legitimacy around Thailand’s political structures. This can be seen in the use of lèse-majesté laws. Although ostensibly used to protect the monarch, in reality these laws are used to squash any dissent against the conservative elite and the modern Thai capitalist system. A Telegraph article, published after the arrest of Swiss citizen Oliver Jufer on lèse-majesté charges, put forward the argument that such laws were used by elites for self-protection:

Analysts point out that feuding politicians often level accusations of lèse majesté against each other, and Giles Ungpakorn, a political scientist at the elite Chulalongkorn university in the capital, said: "The lèse majesté laws are not really designed to protect the institution of the monarchy. "In the past the laws have been used to protect governments, to protect military coups. This whole image is created to bolster a conservative elite well beyond the walls of the palace.

It's an issue in Thai society and it's become more of an issue since the coup because the coup claimed legitimacy from the palace."

The 2006 coup and subsequent banning of the Thai Rak Thai party (and reconstituted versions of Thai Rak Thai) can be seen as an assertion of Thai ruling class power.

The royalist ‘yellow shirts’ clearly articulate this elite agenda, demanding that the Thai political system be largely based on appointment rather than representative democracy.

The yellow shirts are officially known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and are made up largely of professional ‘middle-class’ Thais as well as members of Bangkok’s ruling millionaire elite. The aim of the yellow shirts, royalists and Thailand’s elite is to disenfranchise the majority of the population and assure that a populist Thai Rak Thai style party is effectively barred from ascending to power.

Growing numbers of Thais now see the royal house as intervening directly on the side of the elite.

The King’s open support for the coup against Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai government caused a sense of disconnect for a layer of Thai society with the royal house. Red shirt leader Darunee Charnchoensilpakul articulated the growing anger at the royal house when she condemned the 2006 coup and the monarchy at a rally in 2008. Her decrying of ‘the one’s’ support of coups would of resonated with large numbers of Thais. Darunee was sentenced to 18 years in jail on lese majest charges on 28 August 2009.

The authorities in Thailand are not so worried about the odd republican dissident. What deeply concerns the political elite is the growing support coming from Thailand’s disfranchised masses for a republic and even for some form of ‘revolution’. The Economist’s report of a red shirt protest in 2008 highlighted this concern:

At a pro-Thaksin rally in July a young activist ranted against the monarchy, calling the king “a thorn in the side of democracy†for having backed so many coups, and warning the royal family they risked the guillotine. She was quickly arrested. What shocked the royalist establishment was not just the startling criticism of the king—but that the activist was cheered. “It is more and more difficult for them to hold the illusion that the monarchy is universally adored,†says a Thai academic.

And what about the Thai educated middle class, who represents them? IMHO, looks like Khun Abhisit and Khun Korn are trying to reform the "Democratic party to be more concerned with the "people's needs" less influenced by Big Thai corporations and multinational corporations (Japanese).

But, the question in my mind, does the Thai middle class care enough about social justice (getting rid of corruption) to help.

[koolbreez]

When people that make less than bt200 a day are offered bt2000 to wear a red shirt, and demonstrate in BKK for a few days. They do not care the reasons they are being payed so much to do this. They only care that it is an easy way to make extra money, and for them big money.

Thaksin's cheap loans to the local tambons in the NorthEast came due last year, and the current gov't had to forgive these loans given by TS, or most of the land would have been foreclosed on. TS's ultimate plan with these cheap loans, but this was foregiven by the current gov't so it's out of the minds of the majority of those in the NorthEast that were on the verge of losing their farms, and they would have if TS was still in power, but they forget this because of bt2000 to wear a red shirt for a few days.

There is no water in the Mekong for the farmers. This didn't happen overnight. The major negotiations of water use coming from China with their new dams was negotiated during TS's term in office. He simply sold out the country with no desention to the Chinese gov't. He made a trade for electric power in exchange for water. At that point those in the NorthEast that depend on the water made no difference to him , the money was in power, yet for bt2000 to wear a red shirt for a few days, this is forgotten, and most didn't even know it happened. That is the sad part.

The illegal introduction of GMCs, genetically modified crops, were introduced into open field tests in the NorthEast, and came very very close to totally contaminating the mAngo crops, with Thaksin's knowledge, but this is also forgoten for bt2000 to wear a red shirt for a few days.

When you deal with people that have to pay to go to school past the point they learn to read, and write, money becomes the only true reasoning they have. That is Thaksin's supporters, and as long as he pays the most, they will follow him no matter what, because for them, that is reality......money....plain, and simple. nothing more, nothing less.

Thaksin will not quit until he is either broke, or in jail. Thank Buddha for the loss of face principle. He even went as far as trying to start a war with Cambodia. Tensions are still at an all time high. Believe me that he will not give up.

[PeeMarc]

But, the question in my mind, does the Thai middle class care enough about social justice (getting rid of corruption) to help.

******************************

Edited by pandorea : comment on Thai Monarchy is NOT allowed.

********************************

Don't boo me, I didn't make the law!

[PeeMarc]

Suugest avoid anywhere near Sukhumvit 31.... huge crowds and police have blocked 31. Its a mess and chaos from Emporium to about soi 39. BTS is functioning.

[beej]

It stats at Soi 8, they just close the road going up to all traffic.

We just went to look at a place there and go proper stuck.

Muppets.

[kaunitz]

Actually, from yesterday... I talked to a taxi driver on Ratchada Rd. He said ppl afraid to go out... afraid to take taxi. So he lost his incomes. Not all Taxi drivers are red shirts... I can see from the radio station that they are listening.

If you see FM 97.75 they are yellow shirt 100% if FM 92.25 they don't like red shirt and don't like TS. but not yellow shirt supporters.

I have seen TV. taxi driver said they are losing their incomes now... cuz ppl drive or take MRT or BTS, they don't like to take taxi this time, and foreigners are less and less... they started worry about future if the protest still go on.

Well, the TV isn't going to get many viewers telling everyone that nothing is happening ja Neung are they?

I haven't see one red shirted person yet who wasn't working at McDonald's, but have heard lots about how I shouldn't be going out anywhere cos it's all over the news and what have you.

I think (wince quoting myself) you have to keep a sense of perspective.

It's a tiny minority who appear to have been paid to "protest" and who will achieve nothing but a traffic jam in a sea of traffic jams.

Just cos Taksin's stirring it up does not by any means mean he will be able to return here ja. You know it just as I. It's just a game he can play cos he's got the means to do so and, at the moment, it's in his interest to.

Pretty soon it'll all be over; Thaksin will be forgotten and people will be out protesting over something else.

Well, as we say "may your words reach the ears of Buddha"! I also hope that it will be over soon without leaving a bigger split among Thai people.

[Guest Philippakwan]

To think how many people could have been really helped with that wasted blood taken from the protesters, that would have been great PR.

I am still new to learning about Thai politics but my friend's relatives haveen trying to give me the quick version but they are pro Thaksin but drive around with Red, Yellow and Pink shirts in their cars.

[Chatty]

But, the question in my mind, does the Thai middle class care enough about social justice (getting rid of corruption) to help.

*************

Edited by pandore : comment on Thai Monarchy is NOT allowed.

************

Lol couldn't believe wise guy like you (atleast some ppl said that) accuse someone without prove... I think it's quite unfair to say the "person" you refered to was a liar...I don't know how you got that from rumor? data? where is the source that you get it from?

Cuz all my life in Thailand I have seen him do good things from Thai people and I believe you haven't done half of his job.

And sprad rumor like that online here do you think the person that you're talking about has any chance to response you?

If your post here isn't true, the word "Liar" will return to you.

I won't say "please stop talking" I will say "bring it on"

[bigKus]

˹Öè§ÃÂèҵúâµé ´Ö§¿éÒµèÓ

[Bruce551]

Twitter sees red and yellow

* Published: 17/03/2010 at 12:00 AM

* Newspaper section: Database

With political tensions on the rise a new form of malicious act has surfaced on social networking site Facebook targeted specifically at Thais.

This involves the creation of a political group, usually associated with the yellow PAD group, then getting lots of people to join. After a while, the admin lets the group die down and changes the group name to the other affiliation or in a couple of cases, one harbouring extreme republican views. The new group will then seem to have lots of members, many of whom are not aware and have to manually remove themselves from the group.

Meanwhile, the Twittersphere has exploded with many Tweeters, both foreign and local, taking pictures of the protests. A user by the name of @thaicam has set up a war room in a hotel right next to ground zero with volunteers taking pictures from within the crowd which he helps aggregate. @photo - journ joined the Redshirt boat trip from Ayuthaya tweeting pictures and GPS coordinates and pictures along the way.

Others help translate the speeches on stage into English. @yomeaw has kept up a vigil and provides up of the situation in Japanese.

All the major news agencies have taken to Twitter and especially the Nation @suthichai and the yellow ASTV Manager's @tan - network seem to be out there in a race to beat the other with speed, often Tweeting news from the wires within seconds of each other.

The Twittersphere's most famous netizen, @sugree, has created Android apps for everything from RedMob - a mashup with Red gathering locations on a map, a Red foot clapper that uses Android's accelerometer and even an Android GT200 complete with detection cards that works with the same level of certainty as the real GT200 - none at all.

Then there are the real politicians. The red camp still seem to be Tweeting at full steam, probably thanks to a large well-organised team, but the government seems to have been too busy to Tweet at all. Only Finance Minister Korn Chartikavanij seems to have time to update his accounts on Twitter and Facebook.

This is the first political protest that is in a ToT 3G area and some professional journalists have used this to their advantage being able to upload higher resolution pictures and videos from within the field without having to resort to expensive satellite links.

columnist

Writer: Don Sambandaraksa

Position: Database Reporter

[Chatty]

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[bigKus]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/thaksin-judgement-related/photo/171772/The-Blood-Ritual

Blood pouring at Govt House - photos.

:shock:

Who said that Thailand's protests are not bloodshed ??

[Loburt]

http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2009/10/the-disintegration-of-the-thai-establishment-.html

The King and the Thai ruling class

The consensus around the monarchy has been central in forming legitimacy around Thailand’s political structures. This can be seen in the use of lèse-majesté laws. Although ostensibly used to protect the monarch, in reality these laws are used to squash any dissent against the conservative elite and the modern Thai capitalist system. A Telegraph article, published after the arrest of Swiss citizen Oliver Jufer on lèse-majesté charges, put forward the argument that such laws were used by elites for self-protection:

Analysts point out that feuding politicians often level accusations of lèse majesté against each other, and Giles Ungpakorn, a political scientist at the elite Chulalongkorn university in the capital, said: "The lèse majesté laws are not really designed to protect the institution of the monarchy. "In the past the laws have been used to protect governments, to protect military coups. This whole image is created to bolster a conservative elite well beyond the walls of the palace.

It's an issue in Thai society and it's become more of an issue since the coup because the coup claimed legitimacy from the palace."

The 2006 coup and subsequent banning of the Thai Rak Thai party (and reconstituted versions of Thai Rak Thai) can be seen as an assertion of Thai ruling class power.

The royalist ‘yellow shirts’ clearly articulate this elite agenda, demanding that the Thai political system be largely based on appointment rather than representative democracy.

The yellow shirts are officially known as the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and are made up largely of professional ‘middle-class’ Thais as well as members of Bangkok’s ruling millionaire elite. The aim of the yellow shirts, royalists and Thailand’s elite is to disenfranchise the majority of the population and assure that a populist Thai Rak Thai style party is effectively barred from ascending to power.

Growing numbers of Thais now see the royal house as intervening directly on the side of the elite.

The King’s open support for the coup against Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai government caused a sense of disconnect for a layer of Thai society with the royal house. Red shirt leader Darunee Charnchoensilpakul articulated the growing anger at the royal house when she condemned the 2006 coup and the monarchy at a rally in 2008. Her decrying of ‘the one’s’ support of coups would of resonated with large numbers of Thais. Darunee was sentenced to 18 years in jail on lese majest charges on 28 August 2009.

The authorities in Thailand are not so worried about the odd republican dissident. What deeply concerns the political elite is the growing support coming from Thailand’s disfranchised masses for a republic and even for some form of ‘revolution’. The Economist’s report of a red shirt protest in 2008 highlighted this concern:

At a pro-Thaksin rally in July a young activist ranted against the monarchy, calling the king “a thorn in the side of democracy†for having backed so many coups, and warning the royal family they risked the guillotine. She was quickly arrested. What shocked the royalist establishment was not just the startling criticism of the king—but that the activist was cheered. “It is more and more difficult for them to hold the illusion that the monarchy is universally adored,†says a Thai academic.

And what about the Thai educated middle class, who represents them? IMHO, looks like Khun Abhisit and Khun Korn are trying to reform the "Democratic party to be more concerned with the "people's needs" less influenced by Big Thai corporations and multinational corporations (Japanese).

But, the question in my mind, does the Thai middle class care enough about social justice (getting rid of corruption) to help.

I really have to take issue with a few things in this article. For now, I will just limit it to two. First is the statement:

The King’s open support for the coup ...

The evidence does not support this, although this allegation has been fanned by Thaksin, Jakrapob etc and has ended up damaging the monarchy. Others, on both the red and yellow side, have also contributed to damaging the monarchy.

Second, he makes a point of noting that PAD draws support from elite Bangkok millionaires and that they want to disenfranchise the rural masses.

This is the superficial interpretation of the elite vs the rural poor that has been played over and over again and is simply inaccurate. What about the elite Bangkok and provincial millionaires who were TRT members, allies or supporters? There are plenty of them. But he never mentions them, creating the false elite vs the poor portrayal that, unfortunately, many red shirts do buy into, never questioning why the very millionaire red representatives they have been electing to parliament for the past two decades have done squat to change the system they feel is keeping them down. Because they are much a part of it as the "Bangkok elites" they claim are victimizing them.

And not everyone who is roughly on the same side of the political divide as the PAD supports all the PAD's actions, ideology or its proposal to disenfranchise anyone.

But, once again, it's nice and easy to play color by number, reduce everything to the point where it does not represent reality anymore and then pass yourself off as an analyst.

[Loburt]

Having quickly looked over the blog the post was taken from, I notice the only two academics he quotes are both avowed Marxists.

That should give you a clue to the ideological prism through which this blogger views the Thai conflict.