Safety in Udon Thani

[rossi46]

So what about the vote buying when Thaksin was elected is that ok Glyn and dont say it never happened i saw it first hand and the money went straight on the lou cow. What would you do Glyn elect a rice farmer or someone with an education get real eh

[panick]

So what about the vote buying when Thaksin was elected is that ok Glyn and dont say it never happened i saw it first hand

Wifey came home with ฿500 then?

[rossi46]

She has a bit more than 500 bt panick and was nothing to do with what i posted but how do you know the amount do you live in a rice farming village and thats what yours got cheap shot eh and you will allways be 7 kms out lol

[panick]

She has a bit more than 500 bt panick and was nothing to do with what i posted but how do you know the amount do you live in a rice farming village and thats what yours got cheap shot eh and you will allways be 7 kms out lol

Never mentioned anything about how much money your wife has, try rereading the previous posts

you will allways be 7 kms out lol

Better than being in a world of my own!

[thai_tan]

Tai_tan, don't worry about the boot camp, they all left today for the town centre, all tooled up.

Now get this, this intake came in late April, they have had 1 session on the firing range and today they are loaded with live ammo, and they're all 21, if you're staying in the Town keep your heads down guys, these soldiers haven't been trained for this kind of pressure.

My Retreat with it's castle wall and draw bridge is making more and more sense by the day.

Sorry I didn't mean I was worried about the conscripts in the boot camp, I meant I was worried about the camp becoming a target for the protesters and us being in that area.

More peace,

thai_tan :-&

[Texpat]

Hit a nerve with my wife today.
Suggested we buy 6 or 7 bottles of fresh drinking water.
What harm is it?
She flipped out. Gone to bed. Called me a reactionary alarmist.
I politely suggested its nothing more than a reasonable typhoon precaution of filling your bathtub and charging up some old battery flashlights, like we did in Japan for so many years.
Never saw this side of her.(10 years) Most likely she's embarrassed at this nonsense. Can you blame her?

[jai yen yen]

I said before that if the government forced the protesters out of bangkok with military force it would create a huge problem, well they did it and now the real trouble starts. The protesters aren't beaten and cannot be, but now we will see assassinations and bombings similar to the south of Thailand. There really is no safe place anymore and even though Farang are not targets we will be hurt simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I hate to say these things and I am not a negative person but I think Thailand is in for a long period of trouble. The only hope is a fair and speedy election and people living with the results, not likely. Everyone be careful.

[Casper]

I don't expect any of us to fight or even get involved, but I read through these forums and the RSs are constantly being moaned about and called thugs and terrorists, and many sing praises for the governments strong arm tactics. I just want to shine some light on their point-of-view. The government label them terrorists in the international media to justify their actions, so a few came with stick and sling shots, water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets would have sufficed, now they have up'd the ante and the red shirts are really arming themselves, and you don't negotiate after your leader has been assassinated.

Lets hope them oil drums are empty (you never know)

Glyn Glyn Glyn

[Khun Paul]

I'm amazed how little support the foreigners give the Red shirts]

from Glyn

Well I am not, although we foreigners may live in Thailand to get involved is a no-no. Red ,Yellow. any hue you can think of, we can moan and groan at the situation but many of us including me have voiced restraint on foreigners expressing their views out loud and in any event in public.

What my personal views are ,by the way ,on the conflict are mine, however having said that, I understand the initial Red Shirt reasons although some were distorted and mis-guided but the latest arson, violence and other acts of damage have put those who acted like this beyond any compassion for their cause. One can try and justify their actions by quoting illegal Govt, by stating 2006 Coup unlawful, but one cannot justify their actions at all in reality and do not forget the so-called leaders surrendered themselves , they were NOT arrested until they enterd the police station, so crowd reaction was and still is just an excuse for destroying buildings,peoples lives and the standing Thailand has not only in Asean but also elsewhere, but then those Thais do not seem to care one way of the other about that in any event, even though they state they are for the people...really!!!

[rufus]

"So what about the vote buying when Thaksin was elected is that ok Glyn and dont say it never happened i saw it first hand and the money went straight on the lou cow. What would you do Glyn elect a rice farmer or someone with an education get real eh"

It is paternalistic attitudes like this that prompted the problem in the first place. In a Democracy EVERY citizne has the right to vote and to have their vote count. With an attitude like yours, I am surprised you don't go and join the Krungthep elite or worse......

[Glyn]

In answer to all your points.

1. Vote buying is the typical cheap shot you can expect from these politicians, every party has been involved for years, it's the only way they know how to get votes (open debates -wots that?)

2. Casper I know my name, say something constructive.

3.This demo has nothing to do with the 2006 coupe, most accepted it and even Taksin's demise, it's the kangaroo courts that followed to persecute every fairly elected party thereafter, Like the elite are all so perfect! As I said we can't go out there and get involved, Thai's see it as their problem, but it is also ours if have land/jobs/family here. And don't we all come from nations of free-speech, so what's the concern with telling each other how we feel on this forum. For something our parents fought so hard for, you don't half wanna give it up easy.

KP, you say these acts cannot be justified, but what was the alternative, go home the minute the guns came out and started firing, the leaders have all surrendered for fear of being assassinated, The reds have a choice be cowards and go home or step it up a gear, the government created this havoc, you can't fire randomly at your citizens and get away with it, this is their punishment.

[rufus]

Sensible posts Glyn, and "yes", it is the fight of everybody who believes in Human Rights. Only the gutless sit back and say, "Its not our fight." Wasn't this said in the late 1930's as well?

[Glyn]

"Elect a rice farmer or someone with a degree"

Sorry Rossi I sailed straight past your comment,

I'd vote for the one that had the best ideas to improve me personally and my country, and wouldn't give a ---- where he came from, esp in a country where degrees' are bought not earned, so you get real mate!

Rufus
Edmund Burke - "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"

[Galee]

For all those people who have given support to the Red shirts during their protests you should hang your heads in shame. This beautiful country is being ruined by a band of thugs. So sad to see Udon going up in flames

lepi, IF and when the Thai people get the chance of another election I think you are going to be one very disappointed man.

[jackspratt]

In answer to all your points.

2. Casper I know my name, say something constructive.

Perhaps I can offer something.

It is very naive to believe the red shirts were armed only with "sticks and slingshots".

If that were the case, this whole fiasco would probably have been over on 10 April, when numerous videos emerged of mysterious black-shirted individuals moving freely amongst the red shirts, and firing weapons at the army.

How do you account for the 5 or 6 army that were killed on April 10 - both by grenade, and bullet?

It was after this, and numerous further M-79 grenade attacks (including on the yellow counter protesters) that the government started using the term "terrorist".

[rufus]

For all those people who have given support to the Red shirts during their protests you should hang your heads in shame. This beautiful country is being ruined by a band of thugs. So sad to see Udon going up in flames

lepi, IF and when the Thai people get the chance of another election I think you are going to be one very disappointed man.

I totally support the philosophy behind the Red Shirt's actions, (though I do not condone the violence), and fare from hanging my head in shame I am proud to lend support to a group that have been disenfranchisedand in previous years denied any say in the government of the country they support.

[rufus]

Furthermore, Jack have you considered that the military weapons used may well have been used by those wanting to discredit the Red Shirts in the first place? Would you seriously put it past any of these "generals" not to resort to methods like this?

[LoveDaBlues]

I'm amazed how little support the foreigners give the Red shirts, this government is no more than military rule (in Thailand military = elite) If your democratic right was taken from you in your own country, would you not go out on the streets and protest, the only difference is our governments wouldn't bring out the live ammo, plus they would step down in a situation that shows they have lost the support of their nation, Abhisit cannot do this, 1. the elite know they will lose the next GE, 2. The elite will sack him from his post. The elite are so desperate to hold on to government/power, and that is why this country is now in ruins. This country has never had a real democracy bar 2001-2006 and we all know how that ended. Yes Taksin was a thieving, corrupt b@stard, but he was a fairly elected theiving, corrupt b@stard. Now and as prior to 2001 thats all this country had/has was a mock of a democracy, and every government has lined their pockets along the way (do you know 10yrs ago Thais had to have a proper job in order to vote - that was one way of writing-off all of Issarn) It's been this way since the end of absolute Monarchy in 1932.

If these red shirts go home now, you can bet their nonsense won't change for another 50yrs. Get real guys and start seeing who the real thugs are in this country
PS - Can you believe this...
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... uncil-seat

Kent State - USA

[Galee]

I totally support the philosophy behind the Red Shirt's actions, (though I do not condone the violence), and fare from hanging my head in shame I am proud to lend support to a group that have been disenfranchised and in previous years denied any say in the government of the country they support.

I second that.

[jackspratt]

Furthermore, Jack have you considered that the military weapons used may well have been used by those wanting to discredit the Red Shirts in the first place? Would you seriously put it past any of these "generals" not to resort to methods like this?

I don't discount anything rufus.

However the ease with which they were moving amongst the red shirts on April 10 (and subsequently), the admissions/boasts of the greatly unmissed Khattiya, and the number of times they were sighted, videoed, shot and arrested in the more recent events suggests to me your proposition doesn't stand up to analysis.