Protests over

I see Suthep has conseeded defeat and is closing down the protest sites. Nothing to do I suppose withe the head of the army making it clear earlier in the week that he is there to defend to Constitution not to organise a coupe. Not to mention Red Shirts more actively defending Yingtong in Bangkok. Thats the thing with bullies isnt it - stand up to them and all there bluster goes away.

[Smiles]

For now:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/01/world ... ngkok.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/01/world/asia/protesters-bangkok.html)

I see nothing in any of the few news articles regarding this new development that Suthep is "conceding defeat". That in fact will never happen, if only because it is quite impossible for Suthep to publically acknowledge losing that much face in one 'defeat' announcement. The spin will be somewhat different I'm sure.

[scottish-guy]

...the head of the army (made) it clear earlier in the week that he is there to defend the Constitution not to organise a coupe...

Quite right too - Hertz or Avis would be a far better bet for organising one of those.

[Smiles]

For the last three months at least Hua Hin CableTV has lovingly provided us with 2 channels of Yellow Shirt activity (busy!) and 1 channel of Red Shirt stuff (pretty tame).
These channels delivered the never-ending shreakings and Hollywood hair-pulling of Thailand's top megalomaniacs (i.e. Mr Suthep and Mr Jatupon) 24/7. I must say that Mr Suthep was unbeatable this time around ... Mr Jatuporn being a small shadow of his usual self.
All 3 channels have now disappeared as of this morning. (Not sure if this is throughout Thailand ... all I am aware of is this local cable channel)

This is just my speculation, but I have a feeling that Mr Prayuth, the head of Thailand's Army, had a wee tete-a-tete with Mr Suthep yesterday and made it quite clear to him that enough is enough.
Apparently, Mr Suthep, knowing full well where The Power lies, agreed.

Round 2 coming up, at a theatre near you ...

[christianpfc]

I was with a Thai friend yesterday and she watched these declarations on TV and translated for me: they will clear most protest and focus their forces in Lumpini park (maybe even Silom/Rama4 gets cleared and all traffic back to normal).

[Smiles]

I was with a Thai friend yesterday and she watched these declarations on TV and translated for me: they will clear most protest and focus their forces in Lumpini park (maybe even Silom/Rama4 gets cleared and all traffic back to normal).
Yes, camping out at Lumphini Park gives provides Mr Suthep with the face-saving gesture he so badly needs right now: a 'loss', 'not-a-loss'.
In the other camp, I would not be surprised if Mrs Yingluk resigns as head of the Puea Thai Party (and thus the PM-ship) within a reasonable length of face-saving time as well. It would be in the Party's interest to choose a new leader who is not so fused to the hip of Thaksin. Whether they even have a person like that is not at all clear.

Since there probably isn't going to be a military coup we can now expect a judicial coup as has happened several times recently. If a government institutes a foolhardy spending programme in my country they can get turfed out at the next election. In Thailand apparently the courts deal with them. But then, any pretence that Thailand is a democratic country in any sense other than that it periodically holds elections (as the Soviet Union did) must be well and truly be gone by now.

[Oliver]

I agree with that.
Suthep's failure to instigate an army coup with his rag-bag mob of ultra-royalists and thugs is good news but the secret state that runs Thailand will continue to try to destabilise any popular, democratically- elected government by other means.

What each side conveniently forgets is that the leaders of each side - Thaksin and Suthep - is a convicted criminal up to his armpits in corruption. Unlike Thaksin, Suthep still has outstanding charges so it will be interesting to see how that will play out now.

[Oliver]

Corruption is the least of the charges that Suthep faces; there's also the small matter of the massacre of ninety-four demonstrators. Murder.
It is ironic to say the least that he has inconvenienced Bangkokians and tourists for months with impunity while the far less disruptive Redshirt protests were ended in a hail of bullets and APC attacks. On the orders of Suthep.
Of course, the difference is that the Redshirts were working-class people- peasants?- while Suthep's mob ( or at least their paymasters) swan around in BMWs and shop in expensive malls, before retreating to 5* hotels for a good night's sleep.

[Dodger]

Both sides (yellow & red) have allowed themsleves to be led (and fed) by corrupt leaders and are finally beginning to feel the consequences for their actions. Just watching both sides devour each other...where both sides continually experience massive losses...where nobody could ever win...where everyone is destined to lose...is testiment to this natural phenomenom.

Smiles is absolutely right. When this whole thing ends (ending in this context being nothing more than a new beginning) the leaders on both sides will orchestrate an exit which allows them to save face, because that is the Thai way. The farmers can just drive those old tattered tractors back to Isaan and hope that the newly assigned governement will pay them something for the rice they were swindled out of - and the Thaksin family can regroup and begin the task of developing another strategy for screwing the country and filling their pockets.

Suthep said he didn't want any UN intervention because they (the UN) did not understand Thai people. Well, you certainly can't argue with that.

[Oliver]

The wishes of the Thai people, as expressed democratically (and repeatedly) are paramount.

[bruce_nyc]

As my boyfriend, and other informed friends here, point out...

What is a battle of two puppets? Puppets on a string. Both sides. The poor are the puppets. The two puppeteers are both rich, powerful, greedy, power hungry, and self interested...... organizations. Democracy has nothing to do with it. When the vast majority don't have a clue what's going on.... and among that small minority who do understand what's happening, and care at all.... both "teams" are equally disliked. Thus, the "No Vote" vote checkbox came in very handy and was very popular.

The "protests" bacame 98% an excuse to have a nearly 24 hour open air market on the streets of the most expensive retail district in Thailand..... most selling "souvenirs"...... to wear in selfies.... "Look. I'm in Bangkok! I visited Shutdown Bangkok... Cool!"

Then toward the end, there was a scattering of real bomb explosions and shootings. That's when the fun festivities turned bad. And it wasn't all called off.... Instead it was "moved"..... to basically the Central Park of Bangkok.... so the Shutdown Bangkok wouldn't be shutting down Bangkok traffic at all any more. And let's hope those random bomb explosions and shootings stop now too.

I can tell you this though..... Throughout the entire thing, Paragon and all the other shopping malls in the middle of it were as busy as ever..... crowded all the time. Tourists definitely seemed unphased by any of it. And although Times Square used to be the number one most photographed location on Earth in Instagram.... Now the number one photographed location on Earth for Instagram is Siam Paragon Shopping Center in Bangkok. ( No joke. That's a fact. )

[lego]

I can tell you this though..... Throughout the entire thing, Paragon and all the other shopping malls in the middle of it were as busy as ever..... crowded all the time. Tourists definitely seemed unphased by any of it.
Hotels have reported far lower occupancy rates and Central World has reported a decrease in sales of 40% during the shutdown. I'd imagine that the figures at the other shopping malls are similar. Also, one of the reasons for consolidating the protest sites was increasing pressure by business owners to have their areas 'unblocked' after weeks of losses. While I agree with much of your post, I think the part I've quoted is wishful thinking. The shutdown WAS bad for business.

[bkkguy]

The wishes of the Thai people, as expressed democratically (and repeatedly) are paramount.

given the all too many examples in the recent past of the pointlessness of elections in failed and failing democracies I am at a loss to understand why so many people seem more interested in pandering to the outward appearance of democracy in Thailand's elections, but are perfectly willing to ignore the abuse of and/or the lack of the rights and institutions that are equally important aspects of a functioning democratic system!

a long but interesting read, not just about Thailand but very applicable here:

WhatтАЩs gone wrong with democracy, The Economist, 1 March 2014 (http://www.economist.com/democracy)

bkkguy

[Up2U]

Another good read:


http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/th ... map=%5B%5D (http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/thai-opposition-losing-gamble/?fb_action_ids=10202546271592248&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B609049805842361%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D)

[Up2U]

Has a nice ring to it "The Republic of Lanna" :

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webmobi ... 28489.html (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webmobile/politics/Call-for-partition-adds-fuel-to-fire-30228489.html)

[Oliver]

And who decides which Thai citizens deserve the vote? Suthep? How's it to be done? skin-colour? (those Isaan farmers are a little....you know...) income? education?

Odd isn't it; Egypt, Venezuela,Ukraine, Thailand....democratic governments-admittedly often flawed- under threat or overthrown almost simultaneously.
Still, I look on the bright side by noting that Thailand is the only one in which the US has not encouraged or financed. I hope.

[Up2U]

"US has not encouraged or financed. I hope."..... the bond between Thailand and America is a strong one, especially between the military with joint training exercises and financial aid. The Bush administration gave its implied consent by basically looking the other way when the democratically elected Thaksin was overthrown in 2006. America now has a different President and Obama's State Department I bet, made it clear that a military coup overthrowing a democratically elected (by a huge majority) government would not be well received in Washington(economic, foreign and military aid at risk).

Still, I look on the bright side by noting that Thailand is the only one in which the US has not encouraged or financed. I hope.Surely the Vietnam War era was all about the US encouraging and financing the Thai military, a relationship that continues right up to this day. And let's face it, the only thing these tin-pot armies like Thailand's are capable of is shooting their own unarmed civilians.

[focusedinthai]

And how exactly would you know? Have you trained with them? Obviously not...so what are you talking about? If you're that sure of yourself, why don't you go out to the training range with them and ask them to take their best shot at you...



Still, I look on the bright side by noting that Thailand is the only one in which the US has not encouraged or financed. I hope.Surely the Vietnam War era was all about the US encouraging and financing the Thai military, a relationship that continues right up to this day. And let's face it, the only thing these tin-pot armies like Thailand's are capable of is shooting their own unarmed civilians.

Still, I look on the bright side by noting that Thailand is the only one in which the US has not encouraged or financed. I hope.Surely the Vietnam War era was all about the US encouraging and financing the Thai military, a relationship that continues right up to this day. And let's face it, the only thing these tin-pot armies like Thailand's are capable of is shooting their own unarmed civilians.
If you're that sure of yourself, why don't you go out to the training range with them and ask them to take their best shot at you...That's precisely my point - the only thing they're good for is taking "their best shot" at unarmed civilians. I don't need to go to their training range to know that, let alone invite them to use me as a target.

[Oliver]

In fact, Mad-as-a-Hatter Suthep did contact Obama in the hope of gaining support and was allegedly disappointed with the answer. Of course, we know now that the US had its eyes on a bigger prize at that time; Ukraine! John McCain would have been a hoot in Lumpini Park after his successful demagoguery there.