Thank Nick, I am glad at lease we have a real trustable reporter that Thai can be happy to turn on.
We have no hope for any media in Thailand, USA, UK, to believe any news anymore. They already take side to protect their benefits that they have in Thailand.
I think it takes two to tango as the old adage goes, however, with respect to the way forward. Certainly Abhisit must reach out, but the Red Shirts have to be willing to compromise as well. That implies both sides are willing to give something up.
Thank you Nick for such a great report that well accounts for any side of the story.
Dear Portman, for pushing and getting into the conference place in Pattaya and injury of 2 men at the Ministry of Interior, both the events could be considered as a conseqence as a result of “How, for example can it happen that PAD guards and Navy personnel can appear disguised as “Blue Shirts”, who have collaborated with the security forces, as is proven beyond doubt, to engage in clashes with Red Shirts? That was not the decision of a local commander – this has been a top level political decision”.
Also the way Thai media demonised the Red-shirt helped persuading that the violent act what provoked by the Red-shirt themselves and almost reported only part of stories on TV and newspaper that favoured the government. This is why ‘some of the protesters got so mad, depressed and angry with Thai media.
May it be better for asking about the results of action by considering what exactly caused it to happen?
GREATEST RESPECT to Nick for a good example of TRUE unbiased journalism !
it is a huge relief that still there are good genuine journalists like this.
TRUTH has no color. however in this situation I tend to think that this time truth is on Reds side. because there is a theory by some other great journalists that the real truth is subversive – which means, it usually comes from the GRASSROTS or from the bottom down to the surface. while “Official truth” which is HANDLED down from the top in most cases is either a blatant PROPAGANDA or it is very biased, censored (as well as SELF-censored) and very limited.
yet somehow truth finds its way to the open sooner or later.
this Nick’s great account is one more confirmation of that for me!
Nick, you said – “it is not a complete account”.
I can understand very well what you mean.
so, I am sure that many of us here will be waiting with great anticipation for your COMPLETE ACCOUNT
Nice job Nick! We all owe you a huge debt of gratitude for putting this up here. Who knows how differently I (or others) would be viewing the events of the past year without the benefit of your on-the-ground reporting.
David Reid – My feeling is that the PM felt personally affronted and retaliated for the loss of face he suffered from the total breakdown of security at Asean.
You can read my ideas on this on my blog, if you wish.
Superb reporting, Nick. I particularly liked your insights on why the Thai and international media report from such different perspectives as well as your behind-the-scenes reporting of the blue-shirts. And isn’t it frustrating that Canon makes great lenses and good value camera bodies, but can’t make their cameras as durable as the pro-quality Nikons?
“Red Shirts ignored them, walked around and entered through a side entrance, searching for Abhisit. In general, the protesters were noisy, but very well behaved.”
I don’t think that searching for the prime minister presumably to abduct, beat or kill him is a sign of particularly good behaviour. Just as well they didn’t get hold of him or any of the foreign dignitaries in Pattaya for the aborted ASEAN conference.
“Not long after, Red Shirt guards managed to get the two injured men out of the car, and sent them off to hospital safely.”
One moment the car containing two uninjured men is surrounded by a mob of angry red shirts and the next moment the kindly red guards are seeing the now injured two men, one being Niphon Prombhand, the PM’s secrerary general, safely off to hospital. There seem to be some missing details here. You can tell your readers what happened in between without fear they will swoon and burst their bodices.
“There was a small crowd of extremely angry Red Shirts. They attacked every vehicle of the Thai media, angry by the not exactly unbiased reporting.”
Unbelievable. Time to go back to the Big Boss’s less confrontational media strategy of filing criminal defamation charges against unfriendly reporters.
Mungo: One answer to your question is: Thailand (depending on whether you consider it democratic). Plenty of examples over a period of years, and not just PAD.
Thanks Nick, you’re a savior of our Country and People reporting the truth of what had happened. The media in this country don’t report new anymore but rather make them and these are the s-called professinal intellectual which I despise…
I agree that the above accusation is valid to some extent. But when you said that Thaksin is democratically elected, how would you respond to the accusation that Thaksin abused his power to rig the process of electing the Election Commission in his favor and that vote buying was rampant among his party members? Isn’t such accusation is equally valid? And please don’t respond by saying that every party does the same thing!
Has any partys ,or may i say ”Democrat party”,been banned or condemned by Corruption it did like Thaksin was?
If you study Thaksin’s case,you could even see or witness some misjudged case by counstitutional court.
So,from the point you’ve mentioned that i quoted,What’s the point of being favored or condemned ? Favored by privy counsil or some privileged-class people?
Political party being hated or favored or not ,In democracy,shouldn’t we play the rule of democracy? Election process has its own way of saying ”we approve of you”
Or else,should american people urged for Millitary Coup while Bush was still in command? That would be hilarious.
Democracy takes it own time to learn,But obviously,some ‘privileged’ or ‘privy-council’ wouldn’t want people to learn or taking steps in democracy
Thank you for such a wonderful report. I am absolutely astonished that the Blue Shirts were not the “neutral” or “pro-peace” people they portray themselves to be. If they are indeed the disguised version of the Yellow Shirts, then I definitely see this saga will continue.
I think a key point here is that in the beginning the red shirts maintained a nonviolent approach. It was only after the storming of the ASEAN Summit that things turned awry. A question that needs to be answered is was the escalation of violence a result of the red shirts upping the ante or were the red shirts just defending themselves against a crackdown by the army. It may well be combination of factors.
Well done and great photographs. Your closing thoughts seem quite on target and balanced. That army and PAD supporters and guards posed as locals, in Pattaya and Bangkok, needs to be more widely reported. I hope journalists, Thai and foreign, will do so.
Simply outstanding. Just reading it is draining. Writing it, photographing it….
Huge admiration for Nick. The photos are superb, but the diary narrative is what makes this outstanding. So much photojournalism focuses our attention on a single image which has a limited range of messages. This essay puts a whole slew of images into the context of a story, allowing the humanity to break through the brittle surface of the drama. The woman massaging the soldier. Dancing under the expressway. The small dramas in the sois. Nick’s own personal dramas. And the humanity is important to the politics. Whatever else happened in this two days (provocation, third hands, who knows), most of those involved invested their frustrations and hopes. The previous episodes in this series have been superb, but this moves to another level.
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The crushing of the Red Shirts
Thank Nick, I am glad at lease we have a real trustable reporter that Thai can be happy to turn on.
We have no hope for any media in Thailand, USA, UK, to believe any news anymore. They already take side to protect their benefits that they have in Thailand.
Thank again.
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Outstanding Nick. Carefully opined you let the events speak.
No doubt, the most outstanding report of your report series so far.
BangkokDan
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Thanks for your work.
I think it takes two to tango as the old adage goes, however, with respect to the way forward. Certainly Abhisit must reach out, but the Red Shirts have to be willing to compromise as well. That implies both sides are willing to give something up.
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Thank you Nick for such a great report that well accounts for any side of the story.
Dear Portman, for pushing and getting into the conference place in Pattaya and injury of 2 men at the Ministry of Interior, both the events could be considered as a conseqence as a result of “How, for example can it happen that PAD guards and Navy personnel can appear disguised as “Blue Shirts”, who have collaborated with the security forces, as is proven beyond doubt, to engage in clashes with Red Shirts? That was not the decision of a local commander – this has been a top level political decision”.
Also the way Thai media demonised the Red-shirt helped persuading that the violent act what provoked by the Red-shirt themselves and almost reported only part of stories on TV and newspaper that favoured the government. This is why ‘some of the protesters got so mad, depressed and angry with Thai media.
May it be better for asking about the results of action by considering what exactly caused it to happen?
The crushing of the Red Shirts
GREATEST RESPECT to Nick for a good example of TRUE unbiased journalism !
it is a huge relief that still there are good genuine journalists like this.
TRUTH has no color. however in this situation I tend to think that this time truth is on Reds side. because there is a theory by some other great journalists that the real truth is subversive – which means, it usually comes from the GRASSROTS or from the bottom down to the surface. while “Official truth” which is HANDLED down from the top in most cases is either a blatant PROPAGANDA or it is very biased, censored (as well as SELF-censored) and very limited.
yet somehow truth finds its way to the open sooner or later.
this Nick’s great account is one more confirmation of that for me!
Nick, you said – “it is not a complete account”.
I can understand very well what you mean.
so, I am sure that many of us here will be waiting with great anticipation for your COMPLETE ACCOUNT
once again: GREATEST RESPECT !
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Brilliant post! Thanks for the hard work, this is the best report I’ve seen to date.
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Nice job Nick! We all owe you a huge debt of gratitude for putting this up here. Who knows how differently I (or others) would be viewing the events of the past year without the benefit of your on-the-ground reporting.
The crushing of the Red Shirts
David Reid – My feeling is that the PM felt personally affronted and retaliated for the loss of face he suffered from the total breakdown of security at Asean.
You can read my ideas on this on my blog, if you wish.
http://ricefieldradio.blogspot.com/
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Superb reporting, Nick. I particularly liked your insights on why the Thai and international media report from such different perspectives as well as your behind-the-scenes reporting of the blue-shirts. And isn’t it frustrating that Canon makes great lenses and good value camera bodies, but can’t make their cameras as durable as the pro-quality Nikons?
Curry ordeal tests personal constitution
How about ordering some matsaman curry and hoping for your 72 virgins after your martyrdom?
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Bravo! Great reporting Nick!
The crushing of the Red Shirts
“Red Shirts ignored them, walked around and entered through a side entrance, searching for Abhisit. In general, the protesters were noisy, but very well behaved.”
I don’t think that searching for the prime minister presumably to abduct, beat or kill him is a sign of particularly good behaviour. Just as well they didn’t get hold of him or any of the foreign dignitaries in Pattaya for the aborted ASEAN conference.
“Not long after, Red Shirt guards managed to get the two injured men out of the car, and sent them off to hospital safely.”
One moment the car containing two uninjured men is surrounded by a mob of angry red shirts and the next moment the kindly red guards are seeing the now injured two men, one being Niphon Prombhand, the PM’s secrerary general, safely off to hospital. There seem to be some missing details here. You can tell your readers what happened in between without fear they will swoon and burst their bodices.
“There was a small crowd of extremely angry Red Shirts. They attacked every vehicle of the Thai media, angry by the not exactly unbiased reporting.”
Unbelievable. Time to go back to the Big Boss’s less confrontational media strategy of filing criminal defamation charges against unfriendly reporters.
How will this messy chapter end?
Mungo: One answer to your question is: Thailand (depending on whether you consider it democratic). Plenty of examples over a period of years, and not just PAD.
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Thanks Nick, you’re a savior of our Country and People reporting the truth of what had happened. The media in this country don’t report new anymore but rather make them and these are the s-called professinal intellectual which I despise…
Thanks again..
Lalida
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Nice job once again. Thanks Nick.
I’ll get in touch with you as I want to float some stuff past you for your views on it, but not here.
Crackdown on the reds?
I agree that the above accusation is valid to some extent. But when you said that Thaksin is democratically elected, how would you respond to the accusation that Thaksin abused his power to rig the process of electing the Election Commission in his favor and that vote buying was rampant among his party members? Isn’t such accusation is equally valid? And please don’t respond by saying that every party does the same thing!
Has any partys ,or may i say ”Democrat party”,been banned or condemned by Corruption it did like Thaksin was?
If you study Thaksin’s case,you could even see or witness some misjudged case by counstitutional court.
So,from the point you’ve mentioned that i quoted,What’s the point of being favored or condemned ? Favored by privy counsil or some privileged-class people?
Political party being hated or favored or not ,In democracy,shouldn’t we play the rule of democracy? Election process has its own way of saying ”we approve of you”
Or else,should american people urged for Millitary Coup while Bush was still in command? That would be hilarious.
Democracy takes it own time to learn,But obviously,some ‘privileged’ or ‘privy-council’ wouldn’t want people to learn or taking steps in democracy
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Thank you for such a wonderful report. I am absolutely astonished that the Blue Shirts were not the “neutral” or “pro-peace” people they portray themselves to be. If they are indeed the disguised version of the Yellow Shirts, then I definitely see this saga will continue.
The crushing of the Red Shirts
I think a key point here is that in the beginning the red shirts maintained a nonviolent approach. It was only after the storming of the ASEAN Summit that things turned awry. A question that needs to be answered is was the escalation of violence a result of the red shirts upping the ante or were the red shirts just defending themselves against a crackdown by the army. It may well be combination of factors.
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Well done and great photographs. Your closing thoughts seem quite on target and balanced. That army and PAD supporters and guards posed as locals, in Pattaya and Bangkok, needs to be more widely reported. I hope journalists, Thai and foreign, will do so.
The crushing of the Red Shirts
Simply outstanding. Just reading it is draining. Writing it, photographing it….
Huge admiration for Nick. The photos are superb, but the diary narrative is what makes this outstanding. So much photojournalism focuses our attention on a single image which has a limited range of messages. This essay puts a whole slew of images into the context of a story, allowing the humanity to break through the brittle surface of the drama. The woman massaging the soldier. Dancing under the expressway. The small dramas in the sois. Nick’s own personal dramas. And the humanity is important to the politics. Whatever else happened in this two days (provocation, third hands, who knows), most of those involved invested their frustrations and hopes. The previous episodes in this series have been superb, but this moves to another level.