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Thaksin, where are you?


Flashermac

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Bangkok Post

25 Apr 2010

 

 

Opinion by Voranai Vanijaka

 

 

I have visited the red shirts in Ratchaprasong more times than I have seen my mum this past two weeks - and every time I wonder: Where is Thaksin Shinawatra?

 

The most recent time was when I took an Australian TV crew for the Sunday Night show starring Ian "Molly" Meldrum. Walking around Ratchaprasong with a flamboyant Aussie pop icon clad in his trademark black outfit and a Stetson hat was one thing. Seeing a lady red shirt screaming "Molly! Molly! I watched your show!" was something else. But all that is beside the point.

 

On Feb 26, the court decided against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the asset seizure case. From Feb 27 on, there have been 28 deaths and about 1,000 people injured.

 

There have been no less than 45 bombings and a number of shootings. And I wonder: Where is Thaksin Shinawatra?

 

There have been billions of baht in economic damage - though we should be concerned less for the big businesses or fancy hotels, but more for the common everyday people who can't work and can't provide for their families.

 

And I wonder: Where is Thaksin Shinawatra?

 

At the beginning of the week, security forces were able to stop the red shirts from entering Silom Road.

 

Since then the government's plan was to stop food and water supplies from getting to the red shirts, get the women and children out of the rally site, prevent more red shirts from entering Ratchaprasong and identify where war weapons - such as M16s and grenade launchers - are stored (that is if we are to believe military sources that there are war weapons in Ratchaprasong).

 

But none of the above have been successful.

 

Fingers are being pointed at elements within the police and "watermelon" soldiers. For those who are not familiar with the term, watermelon soldiers are those who wear the green camouflage on the outside, but on the inside are red sympathisers.

 

With abundant food and supplies, women and children deeply entrenched and (supposedly) weapons of all kinds, plus red shirt sympathisers from across the battle lines, any attempt to assault the red-occupied territory of Ratchaprasong could result in a lot of blood shed.

 

Do the decision makers have the stomach for it? Even if they do, do the front-line security forces have the stomach for it? This is where we stand: Stalemate, procrastination, paralysis. And I still wonder: Where is Thaksin Shinawatra?

 

[color:red]The question has come to this: In this supposed fight for democracy, are we simply ending up with anarchy?[/color]

 

I have visited the red shirts in Ratchaprasong more times than I have seen my mum in the past two weeks and one thing I can tell you is: We have another state in and of itself right in the middle of Bangkok's city centre.

 

This state has its own government, its own laws and its own police forces - living by a set of rules and conditions different from the rest of the country.

 

We might as well just call this new state "The Red Republic under the Financial Benevolence of Thaksin the Generous".

 

Citizens of Thailand passing through "The Red Republic under the Financial Benevolence of Thaksin the Generous" have to go through border checkpoints, pass through fortified barricades and tremble nervously under the stare of stern-looking dudes clad in black with red scarfs.

 

Not to mention, citizens of "The Red Republic under the Financial Benevolence of Thaksin the Generous" have already clashed with Bangkokians on a few occasions.

 

Grenades have exploded, killing one person on Silom.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I am no fan of Thaksin Shinawatra or Abhisit Vejjajiva, and no matter which side you are on, at least I hope we can agree that the scenario above is unacceptable - the portrait of a nation torn apart, the picture of anarchy.

 

As prime minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, the burden is on the shoulders of Abhisit Vejjajiva to put an end to this.

 

Either take care of the situation (and dear readers, you may interpret "take care" however you like), or give in to the UDD's demands, or step down and let a coalition partner take over, see what it can do.

 

But that's not entirely fair for the prime minister - after all, not only I, but the entire nation still wonders where his opposite number is: Where is Thaksin Shinawatra?

 

The former prime minister needs to return to Thailand and lead "The Red Republic under the Financial Benevolence of Thaksin the Generous" in negotiations with the leader of the Kingdom of Thailand.

 

Somebody has to be accountable and responsible for all this. That somebody is the leaders.

 

That somebody is Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. That somebody is Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

[color:red]For those who still insist that the red movement isn't about Thaksin, please get out of your air-conditioned room and go talk to the red shirts and read their banners.[/color]

 

PM Abhisit and Thaksin are the two who matter - "The Kingdom of the Mai-pen-rai Status Quo" and "The Red Republic Under the Financial Benevolent of Thaksin the Generous" need to work this out.

 

The problem is, I know where Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is, but I am still wondering where Thaksin Shinawatra is.

 

[color:red]Thaksin Shinawatra, the people of Thailand - no matter what colour shirt we wear - need you to help us through this.

 

Please stop hiding. Be a man and step up.[/color]

 

 

 

The invisible man

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All right, pro-reds, your turn to slag him off. After all, Voranai is intelligent, educated, speaks English ... clearly AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! :susel:

 

Have at it. I bet he's never once ridden a buffalo in his entire life, unlike Jatuporn, Weera, Weng, Arseman etc. ;)

 

 

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"Somebody has to be accountable and responsible for all this. That somebody is the leaders.

 

[color:black]That somebody[/color] is Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. [color:red]That somebody[/color] is Thaksin Shinawatra."

 

I can see two eventual outcomes for Abhisit - hero and strong leader for the near future, or scapegoat - but believe he has more integrity

than becoming a pawn for either side (Red or Yellow).

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He's in LOS, undercover, coordinating and creating an investment hub in preparation for his triumphant return. To speak now would betray his presence.

 

Mind you he was quick off the mark when those stickers surfaced.

 

Coss

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My wifes' sister is good friends with the son of the oncologist who travelled to Dubai to treat toxin. Situation is indeed getter worse.....

 

BB

ha!

the bakery i go to buys their flour from a guy whose neighbor's sister is the florist of the hotel where the emirates trolley dollies stay. one of them left a note in ancient sumerian saying that "the man is just fine".

so, no problems...

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