I did about the same Les did on Songkran, i.e. on the day the UDD relocated from Panh Fah to Rajaprasong. I crossed over to Robinson to get some dinner. My experience was truly bizarre. I moved out of a serious political protest into thousands of youngsters filling up Silom fighting it out with their water guns. It seemed that two very different Thai worlds existed side by side without taking any notice of each other.
Nation:
“On behalf of all leaders, I apologise to the public and Chulalongkorn Hospital for the incident,” Weng Tojirakarn said. “The situation got out of control. It is not our policy to obstruct hospital operations.”
Reuters:
“We have told them it was an inappropriate move. We truly apologize for any inconvenience caused. Some were very concerned the hospital was harboring troops,” Weng Tojirakarn told Reuters.
AP:
However, Weng Tojirakarn, a Red Shirt leader and medical doctor, issued a “deep apology” for the raid staged by up to 100 protesters. He called it “inappropriate, too much, and unreasonable.”
Question: If the above NM reader’s account is correct, would the red shirt leaders have issued such a sweeping apology? The apology leads me to suspect that some element of the story must be missing from the NM reader’s account.
“In a separate development, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Thai Ambassador Chalermpol Thanchitt to accept a diplomatic protest in response to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya’s remarks on Russia’s role in sheltering Thaksin
During an April 13 speech at John Hopkins University, Kasit lashed out at countries such as Russia and Germany for turning a blind eye to Thaksin’s conviction.
“This is act of interference – how can the Russians allow him to stay for two days and Germans do the same before that?” Kasit asked.”
“Did this account get reported in the media?” Of course not. The government can’t win an election so it must drag out lese majeste and maintain complete control over their propaganda apparatus. The English newspapers offer useless reporting.
Regarding the takeover of Ratchaprasong I just don’t believe the army will ever come in, unless the numbers drop considerably. Anupong doesn’t want to do it and most of these soldiers don’t have their heart in it. To stop this protest a massive amount of soldiers would be needed, along with the paddy wagons to carry these people away. I ride around these protests every day and I can assure you I haven’t seen a force that could stop these Red shirts. Anupong is placating Abhisit and then sending just enough soldiers to fail.
And let’s not forget the X factor: How many Reds are embedded here in Bangkok who are living their normal lives but could be called up in a moment’s notice?
What’s happening now among the military and the police from, what I can gather, is that they are proceeding with a coup d’etat, though less apparent. They are simply not following orders. Or they are following orders in situations on a much smaller scale where they can easily win like on Vipawadi a couple of days ago.
As an eyewitness I can confirm I saw at least a company strength unit of blue scarf military armed with G3 automatic rifles approaching in the direction of the rear of the hospital in single file early in the afternoon of the same day that the “red raid” took place. I guess it was some time around 3pm. I didn’t see the the soldiers escaping from the hospital but I did see a group of soldiers retreat very rapidly from that direction around the same time. I was standing on Surawong road close to the corner of Rama4. The military and the police were crouched down with weapons raised in the direction of Rama 4 and cars that had been going in the Rama 4 direction were doing u turns to get away from something… What that something was I didn’t know at the time but now that I have read this I think I must have arrived shortly after the incident described above happened. The level of background noise in that area is such that a gun battle could take place on the next street and business on your street would obliviously proceed as normal.
I didn’t hang around for obvious reasons so I can’t tell you what happened after that.
When Prem was dressed in military uniform, something big was gonna happen (in the past). Now Big Chiew is also dressed in military uniforms and we can all guess what will happen next.
Btw, Chiew also commented that Prem is doing well inside the 11th Infantry Regiment despite recent rumours of what had happened to Pa.
I’m beginning to think that another coup will be the most likely outcome, and this time it will be here to stay, until the invinsible hands have time to rethink their next steps in stage managing this debacle they call democracy.
I am just as ignorant of economics as Andrew and while I might suggest a professional economist does a paper which addresses all the threads above, that profession has a great knack of ignoring practicalities of people’s lives.
Recently I talked with an agricultural researcher in Chiang Mai who showed figures of the fairly steady growth in rice productivity per hectare, thanks to the patient work of plant breeders. He had figures for Thailand and our neighbors and the growth in Vietnam was handsomely outstripping Thailand.
Here is an example of just one of a number of factors which are needed in a thorough analysis.
Is this a 19th century? This foreign minister thinks Thailand is the world and everybody in this world has to obey to a big guy like him. OMG! He thinks he is god or what, Mr. Kasit? I am so afraid of you. Those ambassadors are so afraid of you. OOh!
[…] Senior figures in the army are angry with the Queen for siding with the People Alliance for Democracy, a right wing group linked ruling Democrats, the post claims. While Army commander Gen Anupong Paojinda was insisting on Sunday that the Royal Thai Army remained solidly united "behind the nation, the people and His Majesty," many senior and junior officers were cynically asking themselves whether their leader was just trying to convince himself of this unity in front of the public. […]
What are we seeing at here? That the boys and girls who go into the factories are more productive than those that stay in the countryside? Well that’s been the story ever since the industrial revolution in the UK when thousands left the land to earn cash in those satanic mills. Maybe it’s that food/farm prices have not gone up that fast? Certainly our cost of living here is fairly low by Western standards. That Thai industry has become more productive? Well that must be true by the modernization of industry I see wherever I visit.
If I were a Thai industrial worker I would look at my pay packet of six to ten thousand Baht a month, $180 to $300 US a month, and say I need a good union and maybe a political party that would represent the factory workers.
what we want it to be changed..??? why we have to change? Change needs to have a solid foundation…not now..not today and not straight away. Why don’t be passion…?? Change our programs of education….Our country will change..with peaceful…Tuksin can not change…He can not even behave himself…How come he leads us..where ever he goes..he would never be enough. He prperly 60 ys old by now..he needs to rest and retry.
I am in the middle of the those 2 groups…consider, Gov started to fund lot of money to support kids to go to school…uni’s from 1995 approx…there s started to be big gap in social between me and my parent(My parent s believed my suggesion by the way)…many of 30 yrs old are educated…i have no debt why my old generation are brand washed. This s the time of young generation but Tuksin is trying to get over power in the other side of population…Most of educated childs are escaped to overseas…that s because we could not find much opportunities. I will be back one day…once there is no more Tuksin…has gone with no power influent my old generations.
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Where are the young reds?
I did about the same Les did on Songkran, i.e. on the day the UDD relocated from Panh Fah to Rajaprasong. I crossed over to Robinson to get some dinner. My experience was truly bizarre. I moved out of a serious political protest into thousands of youngsters filling up Silom fighting it out with their water guns. It seemed that two very different Thai worlds existed side by side without taking any notice of each other.
What Kasit said to the diplomats
[…] […]
Chulalongkorn Hospital – an alternative account
[…] […]
Chulalongkorn Hospital – an alternative account
Nation:
“On behalf of all leaders, I apologise to the public and Chulalongkorn Hospital for the incident,” Weng Tojirakarn said. “The situation got out of control. It is not our policy to obstruct hospital operations.”
Reuters:
“We have told them it was an inappropriate move. We truly apologize for any inconvenience caused. Some were very concerned the hospital was harboring troops,” Weng Tojirakarn told Reuters.
AP:
However, Weng Tojirakarn, a Red Shirt leader and medical doctor, issued a “deep apology” for the raid staged by up to 100 protesters. He called it “inappropriate, too much, and unreasonable.”
Question: If the above NM reader’s account is correct, would the red shirt leaders have issued such a sweeping apology? The apology leads me to suspect that some element of the story must be missing from the NM reader’s account.
What Kasit said to the diplomats
“In a separate development, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Thai Ambassador Chalermpol Thanchitt to accept a diplomatic protest in response to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya’s remarks on Russia’s role in sheltering Thaksin
During an April 13 speech at John Hopkins University, Kasit lashed out at countries such as Russia and Germany for turning a blind eye to Thaksin’s conviction.
“This is act of interference – how can the Russians allow him to stay for two days and Germans do the same before that?” Kasit asked.”
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/05/01/politics/Thaksin-family-dispel-rumours-of-death-coma-30128376.html
Chulalongkorn Hospital – an alternative account
“Did this account get reported in the media?” Of course not. The government can’t win an election so it must drag out lese majeste and maintain complete control over their propaganda apparatus. The English newspapers offer useless reporting.
Regarding the takeover of Ratchaprasong I just don’t believe the army will ever come in, unless the numbers drop considerably. Anupong doesn’t want to do it and most of these soldiers don’t have their heart in it. To stop this protest a massive amount of soldiers would be needed, along with the paddy wagons to carry these people away. I ride around these protests every day and I can assure you I haven’t seen a force that could stop these Red shirts. Anupong is placating Abhisit and then sending just enough soldiers to fail.
And let’s not forget the X factor: How many Reds are embedded here in Bangkok who are living their normal lives but could be called up in a moment’s notice?
What’s happening now among the military and the police from, what I can gather, is that they are proceeding with a coup d’etat, though less apparent. They are simply not following orders. Or they are following orders in situations on a much smaller scale where they can easily win like on Vipawadi a couple of days ago.
Chulalongkorn Hospital – an alternative account
As an eyewitness I can confirm I saw at least a company strength unit of blue scarf military armed with G3 automatic rifles approaching in the direction of the rear of the hospital in single file early in the afternoon of the same day that the “red raid” took place. I guess it was some time around 3pm. I didn’t see the the soldiers escaping from the hospital but I did see a group of soldiers retreat very rapidly from that direction around the same time. I was standing on Surawong road close to the corner of Rama4. The military and the police were crouched down with weapons raised in the direction of Rama 4 and cars that had been going in the Rama 4 direction were doing u turns to get away from something… What that something was I didn’t know at the time but now that I have read this I think I must have arrived shortly after the incident described above happened. The level of background noise in that area is such that a gun battle could take place on the next street and business on your street would obliviously proceed as normal.
I didn’t hang around for obvious reasons so I can’t tell you what happened after that.
What Kasit said to the diplomats
When Prem was dressed in military uniform, something big was gonna happen (in the past). Now Big Chiew is also dressed in military uniforms and we can all guess what will happen next.
Btw, Chiew also commented that Prem is doing well inside the 11th Infantry Regiment despite recent rumours of what had happened to Pa.
What Kasit said to the diplomats
Wheres TimSebastian?
I’m beginning to think that another coup will be the most likely outcome, and this time it will be here to stay, until the invinsible hands have time to rethink their next steps in stage managing this debacle they call democracy.
Sound familiar?
Thailand’s disparity between agriculture and industry
I am just as ignorant of economics as Andrew and while I might suggest a professional economist does a paper which addresses all the threads above, that profession has a great knack of ignoring practicalities of people’s lives.
Recently I talked with an agricultural researcher in Chiang Mai who showed figures of the fairly steady growth in rice productivity per hectare, thanks to the patient work of plant breeders. He had figures for Thailand and our neighbors and the growth in Vietnam was handsomely outstripping Thailand.
Here is an example of just one of a number of factors which are needed in a thorough analysis.
What Kasit said to the diplomats
Is this a 19th century? This foreign minister thinks Thailand is the world and everybody in this world has to obey to a big guy like him. OMG! He thinks he is god or what, Mr. Kasit? I am so afraid of you. Those ambassadors are so afraid of you. OOh!
What Kasit said to the diplomats
John H 9
“Not in a million years.
Not a revolution but another coup, but by which faction?
Doesn’t this depend on:
1.Which group controls internal (military) power
2.Which group receive external financial/military/diplomatic support
If the army is divided (I see Gen Chavalit is back in uniform today) which faction receives support from:
electorate
business
foreign interest
Thailand: “Burma-Lite”
“The deep political crisis within the Royal Thai Army officer corps”
[…] Senior figures in the army are angry with the Queen for siding with the People Alliance for Democracy, a right wing group linked ruling Democrats, the post claims. While Army commander Gen Anupong Paojinda was insisting on Sunday that the Royal Thai Army remained solidly united "behind the nation, the people and His Majesty," many senior and junior officers were cynically asking themselves whether their leader was just trying to convince himself of this unity in front of the public. […]
What Kasit said to the diplomats
Tom #8, “Nothing significant is going to happen.” That must be the most gloomy, doom-laden statement of this year’s protest season.
Thailand’s disparity between agriculture and industry
yes we made rices and bought Tuksin phones…and others computers, internet, cars and new techs.
Thailand’s disparity between agriculture and industry
What are we seeing at here? That the boys and girls who go into the factories are more productive than those that stay in the countryside? Well that’s been the story ever since the industrial revolution in the UK when thousands left the land to earn cash in those satanic mills. Maybe it’s that food/farm prices have not gone up that fast? Certainly our cost of living here is fairly low by Western standards. That Thai industry has become more productive? Well that must be true by the modernization of industry I see wherever I visit.
If I were a Thai industrial worker I would look at my pay packet of six to ten thousand Baht a month, $180 to $300 US a month, and say I need a good union and maybe a political party that would represent the factory workers.
Video of Thailand on the Verge
what we want it to be changed..??? why we have to change? Change needs to have a solid foundation…not now..not today and not straight away. Why don’t be passion…?? Change our programs of education….Our country will change..with peaceful…Tuksin can not change…He can not even behave himself…How come he leads us..where ever he goes..he would never be enough. He prperly 60 ys old by now..he needs to rest and retry.
Suthep threatens arrests
Apparently Suthep and his fellow mind map creators don’t know what “dinosaur wearing a blue diamond” means either!
I can’t believe they included that in their drawing of the anti-monarchy network. It shows how obtuse and ridiculous they are.
Video of Thailand on the Verge
I am in the middle of the those 2 groups…consider, Gov started to fund lot of money to support kids to go to school…uni’s from 1995 approx…there s started to be big gap in social between me and my parent(My parent s believed my suggesion by the way)…many of 30 yrs old are educated…i have no debt why my old generation are brand washed. This s the time of young generation but Tuksin is trying to get over power in the other side of population…Most of educated childs are escaped to overseas…that s because we could not find much opportunities. I will be back one day…once there is no more Tuksin…has gone with no power influent my old generations.
What Kasit said to the diplomats
Maru: – 5 and 6
”2: a full scale revolution.”
”To achieve true democratic goals, a very deep change has to be done in the power structure.”
Not in a million years.
There is simply too much to lose for those who have too much to lose.