Interestingly the “Chalerm is drunk” story was pure rumour without a single shred of evidence except some Dem MPs screaming abuse in parliament.
A Dem MP was caught looking at porn.
A Dem MP is wanted in connection with a murder investigation.
A Dem MP did Sieg Heil the speaker in Parliament.
These are facts, not rumours.
As for background I believe Boonyod was once an actor who appeared in tacky, erotic films and once worked for ASTV. He is also the MP who went rifling through the rubbish looking for evidence of Chalerm’s drinking.
I think you mis-understood (understandably). Please reread Nick Nostitz #116, and johninbkk #121. We are NOT saying people are paid to participate. We are saying some were given financial support to participate because they supported the cause, but their financial situation otherwise prevents actual participation.
ps – If you have photographic/video evidence to counter what I said in #121, please post it. I’m interested. I assume you want us to agree with you, but sarcasm and personal attacks are very poor techniques to achieve that goal.
“Is johninbkk on Flicker, you?”
No, that is not me. I only use johninbkk for posting here, on BangkokPost.com, and on rare occasion Prachathai. Any other online profiles with the same name are unrelated to me. (serious)
“street politics and grassroots developments of political awareness are the main driving force in this conflict”
So you’re saying that the main driving force in this conflict are the masses or even grassroots leaders?
Really? That from a ‘specialist’?
Oh oh, Did anyone else drink from the Koolaid?
Could I request Stephen to expend this precise observation about “Passive Revolution” which is in fact happening in current Burma. It is of utmost importance that people see things as what they truly are.
i asume neptunian is not a malay..how about you too visit the library your self and learn about the real malay history..before giving your twisted version…parameswara was a hindu malay…those days..hindusime is the main religion of the malay..very much like the balinese in this modern times…they definetly not indian..secondly the cultural assimilataion of various ethnicity from other part of the worlds including china that came here to trade mostly and some through political allience/marriage into the local population..is very much a documented historical fact…not a so called umno tailored tales..among all the pre-independent political party, umno is the only one to pick up this so called malay supremacy ideology and found it very appelling to the majority hybrid malay..while the other decide to be lefties socialist & communist and the other islamist oriented middle eastern brand of political agenda..which only manage to get less attention from the malay masses..umno politcal view is inline with the cultural preference of this hybrid malay population..and umno just benefitting from it..which most of the anti umno parties failed to realise..this malay people are not fake people but a result of centuries of cultural interraction..what bind them together to be this strong nowdays is one comman faith..language..and culture..this is not something that umno created.. but it’s very much an act cause by historical nature..umno just luckily notice this and sold it totally for their organizational benefit..as for the orang asli..no doubt they’re the first settler here but they are mostly nomad and live in small tribe, they dont build administration..laws..and conquest like most of civilization story goes..it was the malay that first to do that..that’s why most foreigner refer malaysia in the past with names that assocciated with malay..such as malay peninsula..malaya..and know malaysia. and that’s why they are very much a local compare to the chinese and indian migrate that came during the british colonial era..that still enherit their culture and language from their motherland. and seeing thier self as different ethnic group unlike the assimilated bunch into the malays population..if you want to be apart of a bangsa malaysia which in your mind better then the bangsa melayu..you atleast have to follow the majority interest..that reality check for you neptunian..the truth hurts..majority wins
“Personally, I spent hours secretly watching many of the entrance gaits to the protests. Never once did I see any payment or any list of names checked. I also never once saw a guard check anyone’s belongings, or even give a threatening look. ”
Sorry, I must’ve been in Disneyland. As there’s no way we were at the same place.
“Financial support to attend the rallies was widely (and understandably) confused for payments to attend the rally.”
Where else in the world is it Ok to pay people to attend a political rally? And get a higher ‘salary’ the more you’re active? Get penalized if you miss the daily roll call? Sorry, no confusion here. The reds were just as orchestrated and paid as the yellows, if not more. (I never saw a yellow roll call or money distributed at Suvarnhabumi, but I may have missed it)
P.s- funny that you should mention a ‘list of names’… I certainly didn’t.
Thanks, and yes, i am considerably worried, personally, and on several levels.
For my work, by the way, developments of political consciousness in Thai society as represented in the Red/Yellow conflict are of utmost importance.
Thaksin’s business connections with Cambodia, and Cambodia’s self-interest as regarding to its involvement in this conflict are for me of secondary interest. I have my focus, had it since years, and stick with it. Business and elite machinations are neither my main focus, nor am i particularly good in writing on these subjects, therefore i won’t write about them. I do street politics, and how street politics relate to the conflict as i came to believe over these past years that street politics and grassroots developments of political awareness are the main driving force in this conflict.
If my critics want to research these factors, why don’t they do that then? If their articles are good enough, i will then use their work, properly attributed, as i always do with related subjects in my books in the end notes.
“Dan”:
I would suggest to be very careful with these statements. I have come across many of those as well, but the majority of them turned out to be urban legends when i dug a bit deeper.
While some may be accurate, one has to consider the complex intricacies of Thailand’s patronage networks, which of course the Red Shirts as part of, and reflection of Thai society, are also influenced by.
Nevertheless – the situation is extremely fluid, which is in fact result of the ongoing conflict, and Thai society is in an ongoing process of transformation.
The phrase is over-used on here as it is but Nick seems to be leading a sudden uptick the last couple of weeks. Every rebuttal or contrary view or counter argument or expression of doubt is a ‘personal attack’ … yeah.
Financial support to attend the rallies was widely (and understandably) confused for payments to attend the rally.
Personally, I spent hours secretly watching many of the entrance gaits to the protests. Never once did I see any payment or any list of names checked. I also never once saw a guard check anyone’s belongings, or even give a threatening look. I saw uniformed police casually walk in and out. If anyone doubts the convictions of the UDD guards, I have plenty of video I can forward you – paid or not they believed in the cause.
As for yellows joining the reds, as I understand it, Seh Daeng was once a PAD supporter (mid level leader?).
“I also filmed guys that were guarding the access ramps at the airport in yellow (PAD) that were in red at Rajprasong guarding the barricades.”
I spoke to a couple of shan guys in Mae Hong Son who had taken ‘guard’ work from both groups. I also spoke to villagers from outside of the Red Heartlands who had been approached for the ‘paid holiday’ to Bangkok. They were recruiting as far south as Trang. I am not sure that the fact that money was being passed around in quantity (as it was with the yellows) negates the conviction of the vast majority of the protesters though.
#26
At an intellectual level, I agree almost completely, except you seem to think making such “jokes” is an acceptable means of blowing off steam.
That may be true for you, but do you think the majority of Thai people agree with you? Let’s not forget, it is their country and we are non-participatory, supposedly objective, culturally neutral commentators on it.
Still waiting to see what the content of the LM posts were. I would find it amazing that none of the LM experts here know. Why won’t they say? The silence makes my point.
I also think Nick’s report on the Cambodian rally was very good and have already said so. I also think much of the discussion has wandered off what Nick is really interested in which is the so-called reconciliation, more accurately called full amnesty.
Like, Nick, I think this could be one of the most important issues coming up in the next year or so as the constitution drafting committee goes to work and hopefully a referendum on a new constitution or least amendments happens next year.
This will be a true test of how well the UDD leadership that is part of the PTP can turn off or redirect the hatred they been inciting over the last couple of years. It will be very interesting to see what happens to the red villages and other UDD activities as the provincial godfathers withdraw their overt or tacit support that allowed the UDD to flourish in within their well defined geographical areas of influence and it becomes obvious that Jatuporn and Nattawut have always been hack politicians.
I think Nick sees this upcoming train wreck in the distance and is very worried. He has always been on the side of the underprivileged in Thailand and they could easily be the big losers in this.
Sanoh actually be the big winner in this as he has kept the UDD from gaining any big foothold within his area and he could come out the upcoming upheaval with increased influence as his MP’s candidates will always win. Newin and Banharn will also come out well for the same reasons.
If there is a civil war in the Northeast, it is not going to be between the rural peasants and the Bangkok eleite/amart. It is going to be between the betrayed rural clients their patrons that did it to them.
How ironic that he broke bread with that most German of German military leaders a mere two years after he was overthrown in part by German trained military officers.
I’ve come to respect Prajadhipok after reading Batson’s work on the fall of the absolute monarchy. He is shown to be a real democrat and humble enough to listen to others.
@Asia Journo 111
“Fact: I personally saw lines of people in the Rajprasong camps every day getting paid to be there, depending on “ranking”. Any journalist that was there knows that.
Fact: I also filmed guys that were guarding the access ramps at the airport in yellow (PAD) that were in red at Rajprasong guarding the barricades.”
Forgive me for completely doubting you, but these two claims are too unreal to be believable. You said you filmed them, and saw it every day, right? Can you post your evidence?
Nich, Thanks for bringing your luciferous insight into the matter.
I believe that the agreeable point that my now defunct alter ego tried to make in his/ her analogy to a brothel’s wallpaper, is that to write a whole piece and interview about Thaksin’s event in Cambodia without ever bothering to ask the real questions is not much more than an adoxography.
As I am not an aeolist, I do have insight into the matter at hand, I do believe that this piece doesn’t bring much more to the table than ill disguised autohagiography.
Nick’s cacoethes of standing up for a political ideas, brushing aside any type of criticism is simply a charientism to journalism.
I hope my witzelsucht is received in the manner it was intended.
I will not attack anyone with reasonable criticism, or who has not initiated a personal attack against me. 🙂
Constructive and reasonable criticism makes my work better.
No, we do not disagree on the fact that to some extend protesters received money in the Rajaprasong protests. That still does not mean anything at all, especially not about political convictions of these protesters. How on earth could otherwise these people finance to attend such protests?
Not just Thaksin and other high powered financiers of the Red Shirts provided budgets, but also common protesters in both rural and urban groups have donated funds and food for their fellow protesters. I have numerous images of common Red Shirts making such donations. In this aspect the quantities do not matter much, what matters is that they donated. For a villager, as an example, 100 Baht donated is far more money that 1 million baht donated by a billionaire – if you understand what i am trying to say here.
For example – many of the protesters on motorcycle got about 1000 baht for participating in the convoys around Bangkok. Part of that was for petrol, and for loss of income. What makes this different from “hired” protesters though is that hired protesters leave as soon as their paid for duty is finished, while most of these motorcycle drivers spent hours after these convoys returned to the rally sites listening to the speeches on the stage. The different internal intelligence agencies have researched these issues very well, and i have extensively discussed this subject matter with my sources in those agencies.
Guards received money, of course, depending on duty. And it also is a well known fact that on all levels a certain amount of internal corruption resulted in many guards receiving much less than what was budgeted for them. Again – it says little about political convictions. The vast majority of guards i know (and i know many) are strong believers in their cause. But yes, many are ‘naclaeng’, tough guys, fighters, and dangerous people. That is the nature of where they come from. And exactly the circumstances that made them what they are is a major part of what they protest against. This is a far to complex issue though to talk about in a brief commentary. I have lived most of my 20 years in Thailand in such neighborhoods and areas from which these sectors of society come from. That is one of the reasons why i feel very comfortable with especially the guards – of both sides: Yellow and Red.
And yes, there was a certain shift from Yellow to Red. There were some that went from Yellow to Red for political reasons, especially after the 2009 crackdown, others because their ‘nai’ shifted allegiance. At the end of the 2010 protests, when things began to collapse, many new guards came, which were completely unknown to the old guards who were part of the movement since the beginning. Quite a few of them were not politically motivated. This is well known under Red Shirts, and especially also under the Guards. And additionally – each side has spies in the other’s camps.
Again – people receiving money and hired protesters are different matters. One has to look first into the details (some of which i described here), and secondly in the motivations and convictions of protesters – for this you need to have in depth conversations with these protesters, if possible in their language without being filtered by translators, both during protests and in their home districts (which over the past years i have done excessively). You also have to consider the changing landscape of political awareness under the sectors of society that make up the majority of protesters, and this has advanced tremendously, especially after the key-trauma of the red shirts – the 2010 crackdown.
Relating to the Cambodia event: a very high percentage of the attending Red Shirts came from economically more affluent sectors of society, many went with their own cars, or booked tours for which they had to pay for. Only few came through the old canvasser networks.
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Rama VII and Hitler
TU
I think that if an MP “Sieg Heiled” the UK parliament their political career would be over.
Given that Boonyod works for Abhisit he will probably be promoted.
Rama VII and Hitler
Jon Wright
Interestingly the “Chalerm is drunk” story was pure rumour without a single shred of evidence except some Dem MPs screaming abuse in parliament.
A Dem MP was caught looking at porn.
A Dem MP is wanted in connection with a murder investigation.
A Dem MP did Sieg Heil the speaker in Parliament.
These are facts, not rumours.
As for background I believe Boonyod was once an actor who appeared in tacky, erotic films and once worked for ASTV. He is also the MP who went rifling through the rubbish looking for evidence of Chalerm’s drinking.
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
@Asia Journo 125
I think you mis-understood (understandably). Please reread Nick Nostitz #116, and johninbkk #121. We are NOT saying people are paid to participate. We are saying some were given financial support to participate because they supported the cause, but their financial situation otherwise prevents actual participation.
ps – If you have photographic/video evidence to counter what I said in #121, please post it. I’m interested. I assume you want us to agree with you, but sarcasm and personal attacks are very poor techniques to achieve that goal.
“Is johninbkk on Flicker, you?”
No, that is not me. I only use johninbkk for posting here, on BangkokPost.com, and on rare occasion Prachathai. Any other online profiles with the same name are unrelated to me. (serious)
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
“street politics and grassroots developments of political awareness are the main driving force in this conflict”
So you’re saying that the main driving force in this conflict are the masses or even grassroots leaders?
Really? That from a ‘specialist’?
Oh oh, Did anyone else drink from the Koolaid?
Burma’s changing equations
Could I request Stephen to expend this precise observation about “Passive Revolution” which is in fact happening in current Burma. It is of utmost importance that people see things as what they truly are.
Malaysia after regime change – Kikue Hamayotsu
i asume neptunian is not a malay..how about you too visit the library your self and learn about the real malay history..before giving your twisted version…parameswara was a hindu malay…those days..hindusime is the main religion of the malay..very much like the balinese in this modern times…they definetly not indian..secondly the cultural assimilataion of various ethnicity from other part of the worlds including china that came here to trade mostly and some through political allience/marriage into the local population..is very much a documented historical fact…not a so called umno tailored tales..among all the pre-independent political party, umno is the only one to pick up this so called malay supremacy ideology and found it very appelling to the majority hybrid malay..while the other decide to be lefties socialist & communist and the other islamist oriented middle eastern brand of political agenda..which only manage to get less attention from the malay masses..umno politcal view is inline with the cultural preference of this hybrid malay population..and umno just benefitting from it..which most of the anti umno parties failed to realise..this malay people are not fake people but a result of centuries of cultural interraction..what bind them together to be this strong nowdays is one comman faith..language..and culture..this is not something that umno created.. but it’s very much an act cause by historical nature..umno just luckily notice this and sold it totally for their organizational benefit..as for the orang asli..no doubt they’re the first settler here but they are mostly nomad and live in small tribe, they dont build administration..laws..and conquest like most of civilization story goes..it was the malay that first to do that..that’s why most foreigner refer malaysia in the past with names that assocciated with malay..such as malay peninsula..malaya..and know malaysia. and that’s why they are very much a local compare to the chinese and indian migrate that came during the british colonial era..that still enherit their culture and language from their motherland. and seeing thier self as different ethnic group unlike the assimilated bunch into the malays population..if you want to be apart of a bangsa malaysia which in your mind better then the bangsa melayu..you atleast have to follow the majority interest..that reality check for you neptunian..the truth hurts..majority wins
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
Ralph 😉 Good find!
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
“Personally, I spent hours secretly watching many of the entrance gaits to the protests. Never once did I see any payment or any list of names checked. I also never once saw a guard check anyone’s belongings, or even give a threatening look. ”
Sorry, I must’ve been in Disneyland. As there’s no way we were at the same place.
“Financial support to attend the rallies was widely (and understandably) confused for payments to attend the rally.”
Where else in the world is it Ok to pay people to attend a political rally? And get a higher ‘salary’ the more you’re active? Get penalized if you miss the daily roll call? Sorry, no confusion here. The reds were just as orchestrated and paid as the yellows, if not more. (I never saw a yellow roll call or money distributed at Suvarnhabumi, but I may have missed it)
P.s- funny that you should mention a ‘list of names’… I certainly didn’t.
Is johninbkk on Flicker, you?
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
“John Smith”:
Thanks, and yes, i am considerably worried, personally, and on several levels.
For my work, by the way, developments of political consciousness in Thai society as represented in the Red/Yellow conflict are of utmost importance.
Thaksin’s business connections with Cambodia, and Cambodia’s self-interest as regarding to its involvement in this conflict are for me of secondary interest. I have my focus, had it since years, and stick with it. Business and elite machinations are neither my main focus, nor am i particularly good in writing on these subjects, therefore i won’t write about them. I do street politics, and how street politics relate to the conflict as i came to believe over these past years that street politics and grassroots developments of political awareness are the main driving force in this conflict.
If my critics want to research these factors, why don’t they do that then? If their articles are good enough, i will then use their work, properly attributed, as i always do with related subjects in my books in the end notes.
“Dan”:
I would suggest to be very careful with these statements. I have come across many of those as well, but the majority of them turned out to be urban legends when i dug a bit deeper.
While some may be accurate, one has to consider the complex intricacies of Thailand’s patronage networks, which of course the Red Shirts as part of, and reflection of Thai society, are also influenced by.
Nevertheless – the situation is extremely fluid, which is in fact result of the ongoing conflict, and Thai society is in an ongoing process of transformation.
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
I recommend, for AsianJourno readers, this: Luciferous Logolepsy
Dragging obscure words into the light of day (http://www.kokogiak.com/logolepsy/)
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
“Nick Nostitz” “personal attack”:
http://www.newmandala.org/2010/02/18/what-you-see-on-new-mandala/
http://www.newmandala.org/2010/11/05/nick-nostitz-on-the-pad%E2%80%99s-third-coming/
http://www.newmandala.org/2012/01/16/review-of-a-life%E2%80%99s-work-tlcnmrev-xxxi/
http://www.newmandala.org/2012/04/10/double-double-toil-and-trouble/
http://www.newmandala.org/2012/04/16/when-thaksin-comes-home/
http://www.newmandala.org/2012/04/23/songkran-in-cambodia-red-shirts-meet-thaksin/
The phrase is over-used on here as it is but Nick seems to be leading a sudden uptick the last couple of weeks. Every rebuttal or contrary view or counter argument or expression of doubt is a ‘personal attack’ … yeah.
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
Financial support to attend the rallies was widely (and understandably) confused for payments to attend the rally.
Personally, I spent hours secretly watching many of the entrance gaits to the protests. Never once did I see any payment or any list of names checked. I also never once saw a guard check anyone’s belongings, or even give a threatening look. I saw uniformed police casually walk in and out. If anyone doubts the convictions of the UDD guards, I have plenty of video I can forward you – paid or not they believed in the cause.
As for yellows joining the reds, as I understand it, Seh Daeng was once a PAD supporter (mid level leader?).
Rama VII and Hitler
TU: “another MP … Few months back …”
Why the obsession with the Dems? Two words: Chalerm Yubamrung
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
#111 Asian Journo
“I also filmed guys that were guarding the access ramps at the airport in yellow (PAD) that were in red at Rajprasong guarding the barricades.”
I spoke to a couple of shan guys in Mae Hong Son who had taken ‘guard’ work from both groups. I also spoke to villagers from outside of the Red Heartlands who had been approached for the ‘paid holiday’ to Bangkok. They were recruiting as far south as Trang. I am not sure that the fact that money was being passed around in quantity (as it was with the yellows) negates the conviction of the vast majority of the protesters though.
Chiranuch Premchaiporn verdict (not) today
#26
At an intellectual level, I agree almost completely, except you seem to think making such “jokes” is an acceptable means of blowing off steam.
That may be true for you, but do you think the majority of Thai people agree with you? Let’s not forget, it is their country and we are non-participatory, supposedly objective, culturally neutral commentators on it.
Still waiting to see what the content of the LM posts were. I would find it amazing that none of the LM experts here know. Why won’t they say? The silence makes my point.
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
I also think Nick’s report on the Cambodian rally was very good and have already said so. I also think much of the discussion has wandered off what Nick is really interested in which is the so-called reconciliation, more accurately called full amnesty.
Like, Nick, I think this could be one of the most important issues coming up in the next year or so as the constitution drafting committee goes to work and hopefully a referendum on a new constitution or least amendments happens next year.
This will be a true test of how well the UDD leadership that is part of the PTP can turn off or redirect the hatred they been inciting over the last couple of years. It will be very interesting to see what happens to the red villages and other UDD activities as the provincial godfathers withdraw their overt or tacit support that allowed the UDD to flourish in within their well defined geographical areas of influence and it becomes obvious that Jatuporn and Nattawut have always been hack politicians.
I think Nick sees this upcoming train wreck in the distance and is very worried. He has always been on the side of the underprivileged in Thailand and they could easily be the big losers in this.
Sanoh actually be the big winner in this as he has kept the UDD from gaining any big foothold within his area and he could come out the upcoming upheaval with increased influence as his MP’s candidates will always win. Newin and Banharn will also come out well for the same reasons.
If there is a civil war in the Northeast, it is not going to be between the rural peasants and the Bangkok eleite/amart. It is going to be between the betrayed rural clients their patrons that did it to them.
Rama VII and Hitler
How ironic that he broke bread with that most German of German military leaders a mere two years after he was overthrown in part by German trained military officers.
I’ve come to respect Prajadhipok after reading Batson’s work on the fall of the absolute monarchy. He is shown to be a real democrat and humble enough to listen to others.
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
@Asia Journo 111
“Fact: I personally saw lines of people in the Rajprasong camps every day getting paid to be there, depending on “ranking”. Any journalist that was there knows that.
Fact: I also filmed guys that were guarding the access ramps at the airport in yellow (PAD) that were in red at Rajprasong guarding the barricades.”
Forgive me for completely doubting you, but these two claims are too unreal to be believable. You said you filmed them, and saw it every day, right? Can you post your evidence?
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
Nich, Thanks for bringing your luciferous insight into the matter.
I believe that the agreeable point that my now defunct alter ego tried to make in his/ her analogy to a brothel’s wallpaper, is that to write a whole piece and interview about Thaksin’s event in Cambodia without ever bothering to ask the real questions is not much more than an adoxography.
As I am not an aeolist, I do have insight into the matter at hand, I do believe that this piece doesn’t bring much more to the table than ill disguised autohagiography.
Nick’s cacoethes of standing up for a political ideas, brushing aside any type of criticism is simply a charientism to journalism.
I hope my witzelsucht is received in the manner it was intended.
Songkran in Cambodia: Red Shirts meet Thaksin
To the real “Asia Journo”:
I will not attack anyone with reasonable criticism, or who has not initiated a personal attack against me. 🙂
Constructive and reasonable criticism makes my work better.
No, we do not disagree on the fact that to some extend protesters received money in the Rajaprasong protests. That still does not mean anything at all, especially not about political convictions of these protesters. How on earth could otherwise these people finance to attend such protests?
Not just Thaksin and other high powered financiers of the Red Shirts provided budgets, but also common protesters in both rural and urban groups have donated funds and food for their fellow protesters. I have numerous images of common Red Shirts making such donations. In this aspect the quantities do not matter much, what matters is that they donated. For a villager, as an example, 100 Baht donated is far more money that 1 million baht donated by a billionaire – if you understand what i am trying to say here.
For example – many of the protesters on motorcycle got about 1000 baht for participating in the convoys around Bangkok. Part of that was for petrol, and for loss of income. What makes this different from “hired” protesters though is that hired protesters leave as soon as their paid for duty is finished, while most of these motorcycle drivers spent hours after these convoys returned to the rally sites listening to the speeches on the stage. The different internal intelligence agencies have researched these issues very well, and i have extensively discussed this subject matter with my sources in those agencies.
Guards received money, of course, depending on duty. And it also is a well known fact that on all levels a certain amount of internal corruption resulted in many guards receiving much less than what was budgeted for them. Again – it says little about political convictions. The vast majority of guards i know (and i know many) are strong believers in their cause. But yes, many are ‘naclaeng’, tough guys, fighters, and dangerous people. That is the nature of where they come from. And exactly the circumstances that made them what they are is a major part of what they protest against. This is a far to complex issue though to talk about in a brief commentary. I have lived most of my 20 years in Thailand in such neighborhoods and areas from which these sectors of society come from. That is one of the reasons why i feel very comfortable with especially the guards – of both sides: Yellow and Red.
And yes, there was a certain shift from Yellow to Red. There were some that went from Yellow to Red for political reasons, especially after the 2009 crackdown, others because their ‘nai’ shifted allegiance. At the end of the 2010 protests, when things began to collapse, many new guards came, which were completely unknown to the old guards who were part of the movement since the beginning. Quite a few of them were not politically motivated. This is well known under Red Shirts, and especially also under the Guards. And additionally – each side has spies in the other’s camps.
Again – people receiving money and hired protesters are different matters. One has to look first into the details (some of which i described here), and secondly in the motivations and convictions of protesters – for this you need to have in depth conversations with these protesters, if possible in their language without being filtered by translators, both during protests and in their home districts (which over the past years i have done excessively). You also have to consider the changing landscape of political awareness under the sectors of society that make up the majority of protesters, and this has advanced tremendously, especially after the key-trauma of the red shirts – the 2010 crackdown.
Relating to the Cambodia event: a very high percentage of the attending Red Shirts came from economically more affluent sectors of society, many went with their own cars, or booked tours for which they had to pay for. Only few came through the old canvasser networks.