Political un-rest and rally

[JD]

At a complete loss as to what these muppets think they are accomplishing by torching schools in their own back yard.........

It wouldn't surprise me if the attacks are not aimed at the Government but at the local leaders for not paying them the bonus they were promised on their return from Bangkok.

[STEVE G]

I remember many years ago in the UK there was a spate of arson at schools and the culprits were always the pupils!

[MrPlum]

We've been misled. Here's the real culprits...

[BaaBaa.]

The dates wrong.

[Nereus]

I would be interested to know what some of these Red Shirts use for brains:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... omfortably

Red-shirt leaders who have been detained at Naresuan military camp in Phetchaburi province do not live comfortably as reported by some local media, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Amnuay Nimmano said on Friday night.

"I went to inform them of their charges and they looked concerned," he said, adding that some of the charges are terrorism and lese majeste.

He said that the five red-shirt core leaders who surrendered on Wednesday were put in the same room because of the limited space.

The leaders include Natthawut Saikua, Jatuporn Prompan and Kwanchai Praipana.

He spoke after photos of the leaders being visited by their supporters at the military camp were posted on the internet.

Forty protesters who refused to leave the Ratchaprasong rally site as demanded by the authorities were also detained at the camp, he said.

[pharvey]

At a complete loss as to what these muppets think they are accomplishing by torching schools in their own back yard.........

It wouldn't surprise me if the attacks are not aimed at the Government but at the local leaders for not paying them the bonus they were promised on their return from Bangkok.

OK...... but am I missing something here, how does screwing your kids future hit back at the "local leaders"?

[buksida]

It wouldn't surprise me if the attacks are not aimed at the Government but at the local leaders for not paying them the bonus they were promised on their return from Bangkok.

You cynical B'stard

We know the schools were torched in preparation for TTV - learn how the world works from the man that bought Man City ... and made a profit ... all for Thailand ... Thaksin Television! Now that is education!

[OscarMike]

I have watched this from a distance as I do plan to move to LOS soon, it just seems to be a back yard fight for the biggest toys. There are no differing religions or cultures and it is a beautiful country so why the heck are Thais killing Thais. ?

[Bamboo Grove]

I have watched this from a distance as I do plan to move to LOS soon, it just seems to be a back yard fight for the biggest toys. There are no differing religions or cultures and it is a beautiful country so why the heck are Thais killing Thais. ?

It's a good question but the truth is that people from Isan and North don't feel too much related to those in the central plains and particularly those in Bangkok. The Bangkokians tend to look down upon the "country pumpkins" and then you have the deep south, who have always felt that they are different and whom the others call the "jai dum" (black hearted) people. So the divisions have been there for a long time and once there is no-one to unite these different parts, it's going to be trouble. Even the North-East is divided between the "Laos" and the "Khmers" who have totally different way of life. Also the south is divided between the muslims of the four southernmost provinces and the rest of the south, particularly those who originated from China. It goes on and on...

[Big Boy]

It's the haves against the don't haves, or Upper/Middle Class against the poor rural communities. Yes, basically the same culture/religion, but there is a vast divide.

[Edit] BG is correct - I was just referring to the current problems, and was completely ignoring the South.

[OscarMike]

Thanks for the explanation, where I live and work people kill each other over religion on a daily basis. Thailand just seems so serene sometimes that you have to question the necessity of it all.

[STEVE G]

Damaged Thailand considers the future.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_p ... 137804.stm

[caller]

I couldn't get that WSJ link to work from the comments page; was the article in question 'Sacrifices in Bangkok'?

Yes Steve, thats correct, from the authors of 'Thaksin'.

[PeteC]

Many stories starting to come out now about community action during the chaos, and the personal crisis of the suddenly unemployed that is unfolding. Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1 ... red-threat

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/20 ... 29970.html

[PeteC]

UNDER DETENTION?
Uproar as red-shirt leaders have an easy life
By The Nation
Published on May 22, 2010

PHOTOS HERE: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/20 ... 29975.html

The government was forced yesterday to explain widely-circulated photos of some surrendered red leaders apparently enjoying themselves at a holiday retreat inside a border patrol camp in Phetchaburi.

"If the pictures were real, they would be unacceptable to me," a red protester told The Nation.

That was one of the milder comments amid outrage and a storm of sarcasm on the Internet. "So much for leading a campaign against double-standards," one tweetple said.

Added another: "They should start protesting this treatment they are receiving."
(You gotta love that comment! )

Natthawut Saikua, who surrendered along with Jatuporn Promphan on Wednesday, triggering rioting that sent Bangkok up in flames, starred in the photos in a totally relaxed mood inside what was described as a room facing a nice beach at Naresuan border patrol police camp. He was surrounded by friendly camera-holding people and some other red leaders.

The photos first appeared on a Facebook page and the tweeting, sharing and e-mailing spread like wild fire. Although the state of emergency law prescribes better treatment of suspects detained under the act, many people were extremely surprised by what they saw, especially after the government spent the last two weeks accusing the red leaders of being "terrorists".

Pol Maj-General Amnuay Nimmano, deputy Bangkok police chief, said during a press conference of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation yesterday evening that no suspects had received extreme comfort. He said everyone "looked worried" when told of the serious charges they face, including attempts to overthrow the monarchy and terrorism.

Meanwhile, the British Embassy declined comment on reports that Thaksin had left Paris for London after the French government blocked his plan to speak at a media forum.

The embassy does not "comment on individual cases", an embassy source said.

Thaksin was seen shopping at a Louis Vuitton shop in Paris on May 15 and a little-known foreign policy think tank invited journalists to meet him next Monday at a press dinner in Paris.

He is believed to travel under a Montenegro passport with a new name as the Thai government has revoked his diplomatic passport.