Red Shirt Demonstrations To Be? Postponed? Cancelled?

Red Shirt Demonstrations To Be? Postponed? Cancelled?

Anyway, I hope you are all safe over there. I'll hopefully be back by New Year's. Happy Holidays (Thanksgiving, King's Birthday/ Xmas).

Thinking of Thailand this morning as always ...

November 25, 2009
This message alerts U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Thailand
that media reports indicate that supporters of the United Front for
Democracy Against Dictatorship (aka UDD or red-shirts) may gather this
weekend in Bangkok. The Royal Thai Government has invoked the Internal
Security Act (ISA) for Bangkok through mid-December; UDD leaders sent
out signals November 25 that the protests previously announced for
November 28 would likely be postponed in recognition of the upcoming
birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol.
Media reports also indicate that the red-shirts may demonstrate this
weekend in Chiang Mai in opposition to a visit by PM Abhisit Vejjajiva.
For more information, please see the warden message issued by the U.S.
Consulate in Chiang Mai (click here for text)
<http://chiangmai.usconsulate.gov/pro.../warden-messag
e-11242009/warden-message-11242009.html> .
We wish to remind American citizens that even demonstrations intended to
be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into
violence. American citizens are urged to avoid the areas of the
demonstrations and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any
demonstrations.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling
abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular
Affairs Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current
Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings, and
health-information resources can be found. Up-to-date information on
security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the
U.S. and Canada or, for callers in other areas by calling a regular toll
line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal
holidays).
American citizens traveling or residing in Thailand are encouraged to
register with the Department of State or the U.S. Embassy. The Embassy
is located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok. The American Citizen
Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy can be reached by calling
66-2-205-4049 and by e-mail at ACSBKK@State.gov. The after hours
emergency telephone number is 66-2-205-4000.

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http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... rally-plan

Focusing everyone's attention on the frailty of HMTK after months in hospital seems a sensible move.

Focusing everyone's attention on the frailty of HMTK after months in hospital seems a sensible move.

Yes ..... usually when there is so much martial music on the Thai TV channels, with pictures of His Majesty, it accompanies a coup; this time I hope it is only genuine wishes for his well being.

Yes ..... usually when there is so much martial music on the Thai TV channels, with pictures of His Majesty, it accompanies a coup; this time I hope it is only genuine wishes for his well being.

How will you be able to tell if the wishes are genuine? No coup? Why mount a coup against a military-installed government?

[fedssocr]

sounds like maybe they realized there was no way they could scrounge up 1 million marchers so they found an excuse the pull the plug.

sounds like maybe they realized there was no way they could scrounge up 1 million marchers so they found an excuse the pull the plug.

So you think there was only one reason then?

Re: Red Shirt Demonstrations To Be? Postponed? Cancelled?
Author: Copper Pheel ┬╗ Sat 28 Nov, 2009 5:52 am

fedssocr wrote:
sounds like maybe they realized there was no way they could scrounge up 1 million marchers so they found an excuse the pull the plug.
So you think there was only one reason then?

I have a story about the strength of the red shirt movement. It's completely anecdotal, but showed me the power of the whole movement.

A month ago I had a 20 year old Thai friend from Issan staying with me for a week and he invited his mother and 15 year old brother into town to visit. The mother and my friend spent their days shopping and going to the beach but that younger kid spent literally the whole week watching the red shirt channel in my condo. That was the ONLY thing on while the family was here. I don't speak Thai and though the kid was smart in that villager way, I couldn't believe that someone that age could be so dedicated to such a political cause vs watching MTV or football.

My takeaway was 'OMG, this ain't gonna be easy!'

I have a story about the strength of the red shirt movement. It's completely anecdotal, but showed me the power of the whole movement. .... My takeaway was 'OMG, this ain't gonna be easy!'

Ditto.

Until a very few years ago Thai politics was just about which of the myriad of parties could buy the most votes to form a coalition which would last long enough so that they could get their money back and turn a profit before their coalition collapsed or there was a coup - Thailand has had 59 governments/prime ministers (military and civilian) in 77 years.

Now, despite there still being a myriad of parties and an apparently unchanged number of self-serving and corrupt politicians, all the parties come under either the red (primarily rural and poor) or yellow (primarily urban and better off) umbrellas, to varying degrees. That doesn't mean that Thais have all become political animals overnight, but that doesn't need to happen: even if only one or two per cent become actively involved on either side that is still over a million people under each umbrella, and all both sides are currently missing are effective leaders.

There is only one thing keeping either side from taking to the streets, and it isn't apathy. When that goes ...'OMG, this ain't gonna be easy!'

Why mount a coup against a military-installed government?

Why not? The military have mounted four successful coups against direct military governments - in 1971 Field Marshal / Admiral of the Fleet / Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force Thanom Kittikachorn (military dictator from 1963 - 1973) even led a coup against his own government!

Politics in any country can be difficult enough to follow but understanding the 'Thai way' is beyound a lot of foreigners no matter how long they have lived here or studied the Thai political system. I think once 'you know who' has passed away there will be a lot of changes and alas I don't think that they will all be for the better. Needless to say it won't, as before really effect tourism or the foreign community living in Thailand. In another light western democrocy didn't happen over night and the Thai's haven't really been at it for that long.

:hello1: