is this really Reds vs Yellows ? Rich vs Poor ? Haves vs Have Nots ? City Rat vs Country Mouse ? are we being manipulated by the In the Know ! Wizards of OZ behind the curtain ? or is this just plain population overexplosion and demand for common resources exploitation ?
Birth ! cycle of life; school, work, play, relations, taxes, mortgage, debt ! then Death ! educated or not the non evitable Wars and Famine are results of overpopulations demands under constraints' stress !
Stay away from Spasso, Fashion Bar and CM2 for now.
From BangkokPost:
CRES: Ratchaprasong area unsafe
Ratchaprasong business district now held by anti-government protesters has been declared unsafe as a group of terrorists has infiltrated the protesters, Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) said.
He said the terrorist group could use heavy weapons against soldiers and police, and protesters could themselves become victims.
“Members of the public and protesters shouldn’t assemble at Ratchaprasong intersection now, and their families should inform them that terrorists are now mingling with the protesters,”according to Col Sansern.
Stressing that legal action will have to be taken against lawbreakers, Col Sansern said CRES is concerned that stolen army weapons, used last Saturday during the bloody April 10 clashes with UDD protesters along Ratchadamnoen Avenue, could be used by terrorists.
He said CRES is determined to adopt stern legal action in order to restore peace in the country.
“Losses may be incurred but armed terrorists cannot be permitted to wander in the heart of the city and mingle with protesters,” said Col Sansern. He said there is sufficient evidence showing that the terrorists in the April 10 incident are the same group which earlier sabotaged several areas in Bangkok.
Col Sansern showed video sequences of the April 10 incident showing suspects carrying M-79 grenade launchers at the rally site.
He said the people who attempted to create unrest may be terrorists mingling among the protesters.
He also showed a video clip, featuring a red shirt leader Arisman Pongruangrong, saying on a temporary stage outside Army headquarters that an unknown force took sides with the protesters and that it was ready to oppose the Army.
Naturally, I would like everyone to use their brains and stay out of harm's way. Things can get crazy quickly. I also advise not having political conversations with Thai people whom you don't know. Just steer it aside. This is not debating class and most Thai have never been in an abstract debate of any kind.
I have lived here a long time and speak the language pretty fluently, so people like to talk with me--I have colleagues on both sides of these color camps, including people (like taxi drivers, almost all Red) that one meets randomly etc, and it is drastic the things they all say, simply drastic... You have to know how to be delicate in a conversation and when to pull back a bit, and how to smile.
Of course the army/gov't would announce that Rajaprasong is dangerous area, hoping to further alienate the opposition from society or to thin out the Red numbers or to lessen reenlistment after the Songkran holiday. But I fear the last efforts are in vain. Many Reds aren't even paying attention to local media anymore. Unless, one presumes, they still love soap operas--but they have to get up to go to the bathroom during the commercials because the gov't runs a lot of special commercials now, eg, "Come home [crying woman], we're all the same people [children singing]", etc, quite sickening.
Or else they've announced it to cover themselves (we warned you) for another crackdown.
Who can believe anybody?
Re the attempted capture this morning... I'm trying to get this straight. Not only was the whole "special team's" plan thwarted and the targets all escaped, but the two police commanders were captured as well? How feeble. It seems incredible.
Quote: from romeland on 3:29 am on April 15, 2010 I don't think I have ever been as scared as this in my life - we can all say one thing or another, but how many of us have actually had a knife pulled on them ?? Reality is a sobering experience.
That will teach you to STFU! Talking shit about Red Shirts in the heart of a Red Shirt Rally. Outstanding situational awareness!
Quote: from Mr Alan on 1:46 am on April 15, 2010 1. If Thaksin did something illegal, one cannot subsequently ban the entire TKT party and overthrow a duly elected PM who takes office after Thaksin, just because the new PM is of the same party as Thaksin.
I know I am wasting my time here Mr.A but... the laws to disband the party and bar the top officials for 5 years, was just that... a law. It was in place before the election of the renamed TRT. The courts, and anyone with half a brain, could see and read the evidence of the illegal activities. This is what toppled the TRT/PPP government.
The parliamentarian manoeuvrings of the Democrats to create a coalition govt was what all governments do. They formed a govt that, in total, represented a majority, albeit slim. The Reds made it clear after the coalition govt was formed they were not going to participate and form a working govt for the people. They had only one goal, and it was not to help the people of Thailand.
As for Romeolands story....scary indeed but not surprising. The reds are crazy. The vast majority of the politically related violence over the past few years has come from the red camp.
I spent several days last year in/out of the yellows when they occupied Govt House and the airport.... never an ounce of trouble. And I was asking some pretty pointed questions and having to re-state and clarify over again to make certain we were on the same page. I pissed some people off but never once felt threatened.
I went to a red rally around that time and before I could raise my camera, I had a pipe raised to my head and ordered not to take any.....Same at last year's Songkran featival with the molotovs, burning buses, etc. Pretty telling in my opinion
Lastly, the majority of Yellows I met at the airport and GH were not from BKK. They were mainly farmers from the Central and Southern Thailand. Sure there were plenty from BKK....just like there are plenty of Reds in these rally from BKK but to stereotype this as a rural vs. BKK elitist is a farce.
In the end, this is about power and control. The reds want it as much as the yellows. Don't think for a minute this is some grass-roots populous groundswell trying to protect the poor. This is funded and run mainly by Thaksin and his business partners to regain their status and wealth.
Quote: from visitingbkk on 8:01 pm on April 17, 2010 In the end, this is about power and control. The reds want it as much as the yellows. Don't think for a minute this is some grass-roots populous groundswell trying to protect the poor. This is funded and run mainly by Thaksin and his business partners to regain their status and wealth.
Visitingbkk:
I can't disagree with your statement about it being all about power.
Playing the devil's advocate here though, are you also saying the yellow shirt movement was not a populous ground swell either?
If not, who paid the farmers to sit in GH and then disrupt airport operations?
Along the Watchtower ! 
Police after Red Terrorist ! 
or is this BKK Hollywoodized ? its a Celebrity Culture ! as the Red Soapie Turns ! Thai news ad spots sale product ! 