THAILAND'S POLITICAL MAZE тАУ A BEGINNERS GUIDE

[travelerjim]

THAILAND'S POLITICAL MAZE тАУ A BEGINNERS GUIDE

from MSNBC:

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/ ... 89630.aspx (http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/26/1689630.aspx)

"Bangkok's massive multi-million dollar airport terminal tonight resembles a night market.
It's teaming with yellow-clad protesters and lined with make-shift stalls selling badges,
t-shirts, stickers and jewelry, as well as food and drink.

Outside, the passenger drop-off zone is a sea of yellow protesters rattling their
plastic "clappers" as they listen to fiery speeches from the top of truck.

The approach road to the terminal is lined with cars that reflect the largely middle-class
character of the protesters тАУ the SUV is the vehicle of choice.

There are several security checks along the way, where guards wielding metal rods
and golf clubs stop and search approaching cars.
It feels like the anti-government protesters are settling in for the long-haul.

All flights remain suspended, and the estimated 3,000 passengers тАУ
most of them tourists тАУ stranded last night when the airport closed have
been moved to city-center hotels.

But who exactly are these protesters clad in yellow тАУ the color associated
with ThailandтАЩs ....................... тАУ who risk crippling Thailand's lucrative tourist industry?

And what do they want?"

read more...

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/ ... 89630.aspx (http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/26/1689630.aspx)

and concludes:

"What do they want?

The PAD's leaders want the government replaced by "new politics,"
effectively doing away with the current democratic system and limiting
the electoral power of poorer voters, who they regard as ill-educated.

Instead, they want 70 percent of parliament to be appointed by worthy people тАУ
such as themselves. The government would be headed by........................
whose ............................. is everywhere at PAD rallies."

read more...

"One seasoned journalist summed it up nicely: "Covering this crisis is like
trying to explain the unexplainable, without mentioning the unmentionable."

for unedited copy:

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/ ... 89630.aspx (http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/26/1689630.aspx)

---------------

tj

[bucknaway]

I wonder why they paint it as if it was a calm and harmless event? No mention of gunfire or explosives. MSNBC is a joke as a news agency in my opinion. AND their ratings are the lowest of the cable news outlets here in the usa.

We know your ilk prefers Fox News.

And I thought you were dead, anyway? Isn't that what someone said?

[bucknaway]

So old.... So bitter...

Younger than you.

[bucknaway]

THAILAND'S POLITICAL MAZE тАУ A BEGINNERS GUIDE

from MSNBC:

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/ ... 89630.aspx (http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/26/1689630.aspx)

"Bangkok's massive multi-million dollar airport terminal tonight resembles a night market.
It's teaming with yellow-clad protesters and lined with make-shift stalls selling badges,
t-shirts, stickers and jewelry, as well as food and drink.

Outside, the passenger drop-off zone is a sea of yellow protesters rattling their
plastic "clappers" as they listen to fiery speeches from the top of truck.

The approach road to the terminal is lined with cars that reflect the largely middle-class
character of the protesters тАУ the SUV is the vehicle of choice.

There are several security checks along the way, where guards wielding metal rods
and golf clubs stop and search approaching cars.
It feels like the anti-government protesters are settling in for the long-haul.

All flights remain suspended, and the estimated 3,000 passengers тАУ
most of them tourists тАУ stranded last night when the airport closed have
been moved to city-center hotels.

But who exactly are these protesters clad in yellow тАУ the color associated
with ThailandтАЩs ....................... тАУ who risk crippling Thailand's lucrative tourist industry?

And what do they want?"

read more...

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/ ... 89630.aspx (http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/26/1689630.aspx)

and concludes:

"What do they want?

The PAD's leaders want the government replaced by "new politics,"
effectively doing away with the current democratic system and limiting
the electoral power of poorer voters, who they regard as ill-educated.

Instead, they want 70 percent of parliament to be appointed by worthy people тАУ
such as themselves. The government would be headed by........................
whose ............................. is everywhere at PAD rallies."

read more...

"One seasoned journalist summed it up nicely: "Covering this crisis is like
trying to explain the unexplainable, without mentioning the unmentionable."

for unedited copy:

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/ ... 89630.aspx (http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/26/1689630.aspx)

---------------

tj

The more I see western news omitting the need to know details, the less I trust them.

[Davey612]

The reason why Fox news got a higher rating is because it is the only game in town. In Thailand (at least in Phuket) it is BBC, Fox News, or al-Jazeera. Thankfully, the BBC has extensive U.S. news coverage. Even Al-Jazeera provides unbiased news coverage, compared to the right-slanted coverage of Fox news.

[Ditto: I certainly don't trust Fox news]

And I thought you were dead, anyway? Isn't that what someone said?

Maybe he was that one guy who was miraculously cured recently??

[bucknaway]

The reason why Fox news got a higher rating is because it is the only game in town. In Thailand (at least in Phuket) it is BBC, Fox News, or al-Jazeera. Thankfully, the BBC has extensive U.S. news coverage. Even Al-Jazeera provides unbiased news coverage, compared to the right-slanted coverage of Fox news.

[Ditto: I certainly don't trust Fox news]

I am like you, you should not trust any "one" news source.

here on my cable channels we get CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox news and another CNN outlet as well as BBC (Different than the BBC you get in Thailand) I am sure I am missing a few other national news stations.

I think most people know the the USA can get a little confused with foreign policy. Sometimes they do a lot of good and others times they don't have a clue.

So back to Thailand. I am fairly new to the politics of this fair land BUT what the PAD appear to want is the situation that started most of the problems
in Northern Ireland.

In theory they had a democratic system but if you were in business or owned certain property you got extra votes. As most people with these extra votes
were unionists, they were always going to be in control.

If the PAD want a simular system, they will have to forget about democracy. Do they want the same type of govenment as the country next door.

No tourists go there (maybe the odd few)

Who are these worthy people? If they want to govern, go out to the people and convince them they can do a good job. The PAD seem to be well funded,
go spend money explaining all the good you can do for the whole population.


Hey theUSA got a black man in the White House. I hope they can keep him alive.

David

I wonder why they paint it as if it was a calm and harmless event? No mention of gunfire or explosives.

Totally untrue, bucky.

You are the one who is "omitting the need to know details" given in the article which you have not only omitted but said are not mentioned - or was the part on "guards wielding metal rods and golf clubs stop and search approaching cars тАж. an ugly militia, armed with iron bars, sling shots, even guns. These "security guards" have frequently resorted to violence тАУ yesterday they opened fire on government supporters on a city highway" not in the version you read?

You also failed to note that the article was written on Wednesday 26, when there had been no "gunfire or explosives" at the airport.

One interesting comment was submitted by a reader:

"I like the fact that this blog really got down to what this protest is really all about тАУ the survivorship of Thai monarchy. I wish my Thai friends get to read this but again that just means that this page will probably be blocked in Thailand.

As someone who grew up in the northeastern part of Thailand, my most encounter with the "elite Bangkokian" was probably during my years in college in the US. People like me are known to the Bangkokians as "people from other provinces." I don't think that people in Bangkok realize that there at 76 provinces in Thailand. To me, it doesnтАЩt matter what level of education my neighbor has or how many baht he got, his voice still matters. Our family is a middle class but my mother has worked with the poorest of the poor for most of her lifetime. When I asked her about her opinion of how Tuksin corrupts and buys votes, she replied that all politicians do it but this one happens to give back to the community. She said for the first time in her 25-year career as civil servant, she has now see poor people getting a chance of having their own business. I donтАЩt think he was perfect, but comparing to any other prime ministers, he did a pretty good job. The people in the yellow shirts better watch out, IтАЩve heard from my family back in Thailand that the тАЬpeople from other provincesтАЭ are getting feed up."

[bucknaway]

Pack up your guns Gone Fishing... I have not "Submitted" anything. I have however commented on what I have read on this board and if you want to fight about it... find someone else because I am not interested. It bores me.

I was wondering why The Colonel (homintern) hasn't posted anything recently. I see now he's been updating his Blog with a daily commentary including a recent picture of Lunchtime O'Booze.

Pack up your guns Gone Fishing... I have not "Submitted" anything. I have however commented on what I have read on this board ....

I never said you had - I referred to what you had omitted, not submitted; if your comments on the MSNBC article ("I wonder why they paint it as if it was a calm and harmless event? No mention of gunfire or explosives. MSNBC is a joke as a news agency in my opinion" were based on the excerpt you "read on this board", rather than on your taking the time to actually read full article, then that shows just what your opinion (at least on this subject) is worth.