Marco, the answer is none of us like propaganda on our TV screens. But we prefer it, to paid mobs occupying the CBD, forcing businesses to close and workers out of work (and many of the shop assistants, restaurant and hotel workers who work there, come from outside the city to earn a living), intimidating those who live and work in the areas they controlled, and looting and burning down buildings.
– All TV channels up-linked to special program by CRES
– Fire at Maleenon Building, where Channel 3 locates, fire catches up to 5th floor, helicopter evacuated the news anchors and workers.
– Central World seems to me, severely damaged as the fire still on and fire fighter still can’t get on site despite the nearby building, ZEN department store, is said under control. Siam Paragon is on fire at basement. The springer doesn’t work as the water supply has been shut since the government ordered to siege the protesters. The fire fighters are told it’s dangerous zone. At the temple where elder, women refuge, some said heard gunfire inside.
thailand is burning; the revolution has started: may the Reds be Victorious around the country and may casualties and human suffering be minimised/Seems however that fascists/falangists just invaded Wat Pathum which was declared a sanctionary and shot dead one person (300 are stuck there); 20 Nor Por Chor women and men killed near Henri Dunant Road- Reds they cannot retrieve their bodies/& etc. May the fascists suffer many lifetimes of hell/
Just in passing….. It occurs to me that Abhisit must inevitably feel the need to take foreign opinion into account. OK, his staff can access the foreign media as well as/better than we do – but what about the inside track on foreign governments’ views?
Information on that would have to come via the MFA – and be handled by Kasit. If you’re Abhisit, do you 100% trust what Kasit relays to you?
From the information you linked, I agree to you that LAPD has a better and smarter way to deal with YOUR people than ours with OUR people in Thailand.
What I am against you is that about the intention of our government to kill people. And against you on some of your wrong information which you already judged it true.
Your description of how vote buying has lost its influence sounds convincing, and I certainly hope it’s correct. However, although I’m greatly relieved that the Asavahame family has lost out, I still see other similar families maintaining political influence. I presume, given that vote buying is no longer influential, that these people are genuinely popular. I don’t find this entirely reassuring.
The best way to stop PAD rants about the stupidity of the rural poor is for a high proportion of competent and honest politicians to be returned by rural voters. My suspicion is that this won’t happen any time soon, though I hope I am wrong.
Now the army have taken over TV stations and is broadcasting back-to-back jolly, folksy nationalistic music with archive video or happy flag-waving Thais. What a farce. Will they ever give up on the fairytale?
..the anti-government Redshirts and the pro-government Yellowshirts are best characterised as competing patronage networks, bound together primarily by personal loyalties and emotional attachments. Supporters on both sides have been mobilised by intermediaries playing on local and family ties.
It basically comes down to tradition vs common sense. The prince is somewhat less than loved by the population, but the princess – who is also legally eligible – is the leader people would follow.
In recent years the palace has put a fair bit of effort into cleaning up the Prince’s image, and it would seem they are leaning that way. I don’t think we can rule out a surprise, HM has a pretty good record of putting the people’s interests first.
No one should die. I have never agreed to the sentence to death. Everyone should have chance to resolve their mistake and change their mind no matter how long.
Just if the sudden life-threaten action they might make, and at the time whoever face it cannot solve the problem with any other way, they might need to choose between the death of which one to help the other one’s life.
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Burning, curfew
Thai and English government ‘question time’ style broadcast on all stations hosted by TV bloke
Where’s Aphisit?
Armoured vehicles on the move in Bangkok
@SmithJones
You got any sources besides Twitter? 🙂
Burning, curfew
Anyone considered the idea that Aphisit asks/orders the army to take over (for a while) and imposes marshall law to ‘sort out the lawlessness’?
Burning, curfew
Marco, the answer is none of us like propaganda on our TV screens. But we prefer it, to paid mobs occupying the CBD, forcing businesses to close and workers out of work (and many of the shop assistants, restaurant and hotel workers who work there, come from outside the city to earn a living), intimidating those who live and work in the areas they controlled, and looting and burning down buildings.
Burning, curfew
Mark McKinnon said there are about 1000 people sheltering in the wat
Burning, curfew
Thank you for opening new thread
Update May 19 at 6:46 p.m.
– All TV channels up-linked to special program by CRES
– Fire at Maleenon Building, where Channel 3 locates, fire catches up to 5th floor, helicopter evacuated the news anchors and workers.
– Central World seems to me, severely damaged as the fire still on and fire fighter still can’t get on site despite the nearby building, ZEN department store, is said under control. Siam Paragon is on fire at basement. The springer doesn’t work as the water supply has been shut since the government ordered to siege the protesters. The fire fighters are told it’s dangerous zone. At the temple where elder, women refuge, some said heard gunfire inside.
– AP has these photos (you know my warnings)
http://www.prachataiwebboard.com/board/id/45752
– Report says 43 dead, so far.
– CRES announced emergency at many provinces.
– Chiang Mai, Robinson Dept. closed, people fleeing. At the Governor house near Night Bazaar is covered by Red shirts burning tires.
Burning, curfew
Mark McKinnon on http://twitter.com/markmackinnon
is with the people still in the wat and outside in the rally site at Rajprasong
he says there is heavy fighting just outside the wat and they are hiding from stray bullets
he seems to be active on Twitter and may be able to answer some questions
good luck
Burning, curfew
From Thai Visa – Central World destroyed by fire.
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-Central-World-Shopping-Mal-t366997.html
Burning, curfew
thailand is burning; the revolution has started: may the Reds be Victorious around the country and may casualties and human suffering be minimised/Seems however that fascists/falangists just invaded Wat Pathum which was declared a sanctionary and shot dead one person (300 are stuck there); 20 Nor Por Chor women and men killed near Henri Dunant Road- Reds they cannot retrieve their bodies/& etc. May the fascists suffer many lifetimes of hell/
Armoured vehicles on the move in Bangkok
Just in passing….. It occurs to me that Abhisit must inevitably feel the need to take foreign opinion into account. OK, his staff can access the foreign media as well as/better than we do – but what about the inside track on foreign governments’ views?
Information on that would have to come via the MFA – and be handled by Kasit. If you’re Abhisit, do you 100% trust what Kasit relays to you?
Nick Nostitz in the killing zone
Dear Kevina,
From the information you linked, I agree to you that LAPD has a better and smarter way to deal with YOUR people than ours with OUR people in Thailand.
What I am against you is that about the intention of our government to kill people. And against you on some of your wrong information which you already judged it true.
Have you seen my point yet?
Armoured vehicles on the move in Bangkok
“Thailand under Abhisit is not Spain under Franco” I agree, Abhisit never had real power,he’s just a puppet of Pa.
An election will be held, but it’ll be a sham as always under Pa’s influence.
Nigel, you did read up on Prem’s reign, didn’t you? You’d think the man CARE about democracy?
Too many eggs in the royal basket
Nuomi,
Your description of how vote buying has lost its influence sounds convincing, and I certainly hope it’s correct. However, although I’m greatly relieved that the Asavahame family has lost out, I still see other similar families maintaining political influence. I presume, given that vote buying is no longer influential, that these people are genuinely popular. I don’t find this entirely reassuring.
The best way to stop PAD rants about the stupidity of the rural poor is for a high proportion of competent and honest politicians to be returned by rural voters. My suspicion is that this won’t happen any time soon, though I hope I am wrong.
Burning, curfew
Now the army have taken over TV stations and is broadcasting back-to-back jolly, folksy nationalistic music with archive video or happy flag-waving Thais. What a farce. Will they ever give up on the fairytale?
Armoured vehicles on the move in Bangkok
Duncan McCargo in Telegraph
I think it was less so for PAD as they didn’t have a ready to use network in place.
Assumptions about the next in line
It basically comes down to tradition vs common sense. The prince is somewhat less than loved by the population, but the princess – who is also legally eligible – is the leader people would follow.
In recent years the palace has put a fair bit of effort into cleaning up the Prince’s image, and it would seem they are leaning that way. I don’t think we can rule out a surprise, HM has a pretty good record of putting the people’s interests first.
Armoured vehicles on the move in Bangkok
Army soldiers now shooting into temple area in Bangkok, the temple that is supposed to be the “safe haven” for women and children.
Looks like their bullets are hitting civilians.
Follow here –
http://twitter.com/markmackinnon
=
Nick Nostitz in the killing zone
To thai people #102
No one should die. I have never agreed to the sentence to death. Everyone should have chance to resolve their mistake and change their mind no matter how long.
Just if the sudden life-threaten action they might make, and at the time whoever face it cannot solve the problem with any other way, they might need to choose between the death of which one to help the other one’s life.
Burning, curfew
PS Folk say the house is on fire but another says tyres are being burnt outside – lots of black smoke still rising 6:34 pm
Bangkok: This is a massacre
It’s a massacre no ifs and buts. The Reds leadership (conveniently out of range) would not want it any other way.