Comments

Thanks, Andrew. Good summary!!

The issue now is not Thaksin but justice!! The reds are fighting for democracy and justice. For those thinking this is about Thaksin, I think you are missing the points. Double standards between the “yellows” and the “reds” have been so obvious that many cannot stand seeing and letting things the way it is now.

Thai mass media is also part of this problem too. Independent media are hard to find these days.

We can also hope for genuine reform, which wiser heads within the monarchy are no doubt considering. They probably realise that Thailand’s main problem is a constitutional one: a struggle for power between the Privy Council and the Parliament.
The Privy Council has evolved during the present reign from a group of the King’s trusted cronies at a time when the monarchy was insecure, to a club of whispering courtiers that through favours (notably club membership) dished out to influential generals and judges, has procured the support of the military and the law courts in its struggle with the Parliament. The Privy Council has had such success that the Parliament has acted largely as its cipher, the judges as its agents, the army as its enforcer, and the frail old King its captive. In other words, the Thai polity had reverted to absolutism, and the efforts of Pridi and others to transform the country into a civilised constitutional monarchy ruled by laws have been eclipsed.
Thaksin was the first person from the Parliament to seriously threaten the Privy Council’s power. Thaksin is a typical high-status Thai, and has skeletons in the cupboard which have been trotted out against him. The Privy Council and other beneficiaries of the monarchy organised a campaign of hatred which has probably ended Thaksin’s hopes of a return to power, or at least makes it likely that he would be assassinated if he did come back. In this respect the campaign has probably succeeded, but the great tragedy is that this campaign has bitterly polarised country, and it is not clear who will win the next and perhaps decisive round. The loyalty of army is wavering, and the monarchy is in sufficient danger to persuade its more moderate advisors that constitutional change is necessary to preserve it.
The answer is will be fairly obvious to them. That is, to go the way of those European monarchies that have managed to survive, rather than the way of Louis, Nicholas, Wilhelm, and Franz-Joseph.
Reform the Privy Council and reconstitute it so that it consists only of elected members of parliament, usually the cabinet, whose decisions the monarch invariably endorses. In this way the monarch is kept “in the loop” of the day-to-day running of the country, but the system is truly democratic.

The real power players i this conflict are people who are never named like Roman Polanski’s Noah Cross.

Except this time the Red Shirts are going to rattle the cage of Chinatown until the ugliness is brought into the light of day.

Hla Oo
The man got shot from the Tavor TAR-21
http://www.pantip.com/cafe/rajdumnern/topic/P9110517/P9110517.html
post no 191.

Which use the same bullet caliber as the M16, the 5.56x45mm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.56x45mm

The hydrostatic shock from the round is more than enough to blow a human skull open.
That’s why a journalist who got shot in his left leg had a very small entry wound but very large exit wound.

Anonymous#1 – I don’t think you should bad-mouth Kasit that way.
I’ve always found him an honourable conservative – trying to do his heart-felt best for his country.
I’m not such a conservative – but greatly respect this man.
Approximately a year ago, at the FCCT, I asked him, Chris Baker and Korn Thailand’s Current Finance Minister, about whether some of Thailand’s problems could be solved by a more federal, de-centralised system of government.
It was ONLY Kasit who gave a really clear, honest answer.
Chris Baker simply refused to answer my question, Korn tried to appropriate me to his Democrat Party agenda.
Kasit – to his great credit – said he thought Thailand should go for something like the Belgian model.
Of course since then Mr. Kasit has done some crazy thijngs – eg. seizing airports .
By now Khun Kasit might regret this, and realise that was a mistake. He does seem to me, a reasonable man.

We clearly know now that Thai military is sh*t. So is it a stretch of imagination to think that they’re behind the death of 70+ppl in the Takbai incident as well? Not that Thai police had it any better, the quality in the war on drugs cases is abysmal.

Thaksin’s crime in those, were that he had incompetent underlings.

The Flag Man Nattawut Paentong, 36, from Samut Prakarn, was killed definitely by a Thai-special-forces sniper equipped with .50 cailbre M107 sniper rifle provide by US special forces.

There is only one Thai special forces unit specially equipped with that high power sniper rifle. The unit is Task Force 399 from Third Army in the North. It is based in Mae Rim, just north of Chiang Mai.

It was conceived in late 2000, and its formation began in January 2001 to supposedly fight Wa Narco-traffickers from Burma. It consists of 400 troops – 100 Special Forces personnel, two infantry companies of about 100 men each, and 100 Border Patrol Police (BPP, or dorchordor).

About 20 US soldiers from the 1st Special Forces Group are serving with them as instructors for that Task Force, and their special weapons are M107 high power sniper rifles.

They did border incursions to stage many targeted assassinations.

One shot and it took out top half of his head. Maybe the killer of our flagman Khun Paentong could even be a US special forces instructor?

in continuation of “soldiers’ stories” …

this article has an interesting part which provides yet another aspect of army traditions:

Anti-riot squad cut up by soldiers in black

The death of Colonel Romklao “Pao” Thuwatham of the 2nd Infantry Division, is expected to reverberate through the Army ranks.

It is a century-old tradition that graduates from Chula-chomklao Royal Military Academy come from the same feeding bowl, and hence will not kill their own kind under any circumstances. In the failed coup of 1977, General Chalard Hiransiri broke the sacred code by fatally shooting General Arun Thawathasin. Chalard was subsequently executed by a firing squad.

Chavalit and top generals backing the red shirts should know that Army commanders will not allow Romklao to die in vain. Justice must be served one way or another 😉

notice that there is practically a threat to Chavalit & others! (I wonder who has supplied Avudh with info, and perhaps even with such a strong message itself – I doubt it that some reporter would dare so directly threaten generals, knowing long history of how some reporters were dealt with).

this has been discussed on Thai forums. the main point is : certainly ALL army officers know this rule. Note reference to “feeding bowl“: the tradition is (someone would correct my whatever mistakes), that at graduation each cadet would add a drop of his blood to the bowl with water and then sip from it, all of them – those creating sort of ancient style “band of brothers” sealed by blood. and as I recall they’ll also make some sort of vow that if they raise their weapon on their brother (fellow cadet) – then for that they’ll bear severe punishment of death (by their own weapon?) or something like that.

now, I don’t know the whole story of those ‘ronin’, but apparently they are also well aware of that tradition (or shall we say LAW). which means – either they really gone wild, abandoning their vows, or they are not officers who never even taken such vow, or …. they must have some SERIOUS reason to commit such a “treason” (against their fellow “brother” officer) – like, perhaps particular officer has also done something which enabled them to act so without fear of inevitable consequences ?

ISOC spokesman says military officer identified Romklao for assailants

the other side was angry that Romklao led troops to restore order during riots last year so the other side was angry and would like to take a revenge

here (see Update 2) it is added :

Romklao was one of the officers who gave the “shoot” order during Songkhran Uprising of 2009 and that he has been quite vocal about what he did

that time last year army acted swiftly, before the dawn, there were reports that shot people were swiftly loaded on trucks and taken away, whatever blood washed with ready standby water hydrants – thus leaving no evidences behind. thus UDD’s claims that many were killed never been acknowledged but instead rather blamed for inciting “more unrest”.

but apparently the guy who gave order to “shoot” was not forgotten nor forgiven – especially because he was bragging about it all along ever since, and apparently was leading a new crackdown this time.

so, yes, these are just my speculations – whatever their worth, if any.

however I think that taking into consideration the above “bowl” tradition – he must have been responsible for deaths of some fellow former cadets (brothers in arms, soldiers) or his order “shoot” that time is sort of “raising weapon on brother”. otherwise I doubt it that he would meet such an end, as a second article indicates: “it was planned in advance”.

that also (for me) hints on another thing : that whoever those ‘ronin’ are, they had their own sure intel and knew not only the Col. Romklao would be there to lead a regiment, but also, and especially – his intentions, forces deployed etc. – because they could quickly pinpoint him & terminate, as well as – should not forget this ! – take out those snipers on the roofs (they also KNEW where they are). there are some photo of one such guy being lead by red-guards. it is said that 4 of 5 “hostages” held by red-shirts were those snipers.

and once again, I’d like to remind and emphasize the sentence quoted from Prachathai “soldier’s story” about : “There were other units, some from other services” – that is in plural, means more than 2 I guess. and it also relates to what is discussed on internet about “several different commanders” who brought their guys to the scene and participated in this fire exchange. it is also confirmed by witnesses, that seemingly all of a sudden when army and police saw that shooters from the roofs start killing protesters – they got angry and started to “shoot their own”.

well, alright – sorry for a long comment, but my point is : it is NOT simply some so called “3rd hand”, but more correctly would be to say – several groups (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th – who knows how many?) participating on both sides. and another point is : as I said it previously, it is not simply about red-shirts Vs gov, but also, and especially so – about different factions in army crossing the line into open hostility with one another.

the fact that Nation has started to publish such things (remember! their interview with Gen. Pathompong was on Apr 8 ) – indicates that these things about division in army were already circulating even in Media for a while, well before the Sat Apr 10 “crackdown” – or rather clash of few different army groups in the midst of crackdown. and now, that Nation rights in such a strong words about “Justice must be served one way or another” – this is also significant. (BTW PPT has a review of latest Sopon’s op-ed “Sopon essentially calls for blood“)

and last, but not the least, it is significant that Anupong seemingly woke up from his slumber / silence, and started to talk – (both Bkk Post & Nation have articles with his comments on dissolution, etc). this is rather strange – that somehow before the crackdown he didn’t bother to talk in public (although surely did at 11 army base where Abhisit & Suthep live lately) – but somehow after that day, particularly after “message” (death of Romklao) – he started to express his opinions, although still making it look like he is beyond politics.

so, I think the “terrorists” excuse won’t stick. neither would “3rd hand” – since there were more than 3 🙂 hopefully it will not escalate (“reverberate“) into full scale feud to sere the justice “one way or another“

I could not find it on the link provided
Could someone please upload it to mediafire or something of that sort so those in the Torlae Land at least have a chance to watch this?
Thank you in advance

#12
I actually reckon that most long-term farangs saw this coming years, and even decades ago. Perhaps you are talking about the complacent international business community, who will always find ways to accomodate almost any regime if there are a few lousy nickels involved.

It isn’t an “arrogant dismissal” for most long-term expats, so much as the very practical fact that we are never heeded. Indeed, why should we be heeded? That said, we need to voice our opinions in our own forums to let off steam in a very tense situation. The possibility of a mob smashing up expat apartments and murdering a few farangs (to make an international impression) isn’t really that far down these days. i trust almost no one in this crisis.