Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy

[Central Scrutinizer]

Julian,

 

'To say the people are poorly informed is ridiculous.'

 

Actually I disagree to a certain extent. Many Thais up here in Isaan can only get the government channels on their TV. They are not getting the demonstration live on TV like the big cities are. We can get it in Surin on Surin Cable Network, but, the surrounding rural villages do not get this at all. All they see is the government propaganda on TV. So they are not well informed, and are being fed a lot of hogwash really. I intend to buy the small sat dish that will get this and put it up in our and Mama's house so people up there start getting to see what is actually happening.

 

The goverment controls most, if not all, of the 'free' airwave/antenna TV programming people here get in the more remote areas. No cable TV in most of the rice-farm villages. Hell, there's no landline phone in many of them still to this day. That is one reason why mobile phones are so damn popular.

 

So, I disagree that the populace is that well informed: in certain areas.

 

Otherwise, yeah, I agree that most are interested in the politics of their country and government. And most here are talking about this political crisis daily with friends and family. Those that can get the TV cable channel that is showing the demonstrations are watching this all day and night. The problem is many are not getting the information they need from both sides so they can make a better informed decision. That's my take anyway.

 

Cent

 

[Julian2]

That's a fair enough assumption if all of the available information came from TV.

 

A huge amount is word of mouth, Thais love discussing politics (as well as food, pussy and sport), and many travel regularly to and from BKK and the provincial capitals.

 

Politics is still very much a grass roots thing and the Phuyai Barn and Kamnan keep their electorates well up to date.

 

I'm no lover of Thaksin and the TRT/PPP but it was voted in and most people are waiting to see if some of their taxes come back to the community.

 

You'll be surprised how quickly a few shonky appointments will be forgotten if local schools are upgraded and new community halls and sporting facilities start appearing... which actually happened up here under Mr T.

 

 

[drogon]

CTO: I am conscious that Thai politicians are not all scumbags,in fact I even believe that there are more politicians caring about their citizens than back here.

 

Was just a way to maybe help both of you cool down.

 

-> failed attempt

[bust]

Dronon - there are in fact some good people in both sides of parliament. Not a lot - but they exist. If you want to make a statement learn about the politics here before making a assumption.

 

Thank god that post wasn't wasted in another thread...

[CTO]

<>

 

2000 baht - you can buy fro me - no idea "who" invented that network but it's the cheapest Sat TV network in the world - must have been a satellite geek. Sadly I heard he doesn't make a lot of $ from it BUT if you do buy he gets 8 cents royalty.

 

You will be able to get every TV channel plus a few extra.

 

OR you could get the NBT/SAMART dish, ironically the same geek designed that network too - poor fucker gets 24 cents but it costs you 7800 baht to buy.

 

I'd go the cheaper route and buy the dumb fucker a Powers!

[Central Scrutinizer]

Well now, that is good and the info I was looking for. Wife says she is going to ask around here to see if she can buy it here (and have it installed because I ain't climbing the friggin' bamboo ladder we have to install the thing, nor walk about on the roof in the hot sun or rain). But, I'll buy it from you if you can tell me how to install it and I'll have one if the younger guys do it with me yelling at him from down below.

 

Wife had said she heard it was around 2,000 baht for the dish.

 

See you at the end of the month. The John Powers will be in my bag. We'll have an Irish Whiskey night with me, you, SD and his roomie. I think four is the limit for one bottle. More and we won't have enough. Less, and well, we'll be hammered.

 

Cent

 

p.s. I have a lot of good books finished to trade. You have anything good in the house to swap?

[Central Scrutinizer]

That's a fair enough assumption if all of the available information came from TV.

 

A huge amount is word of mouth, Thais love discussing politics (as well as food, pussy and sport), and many travel regularly to and from BKK and the provincial capitals.

 

Politics is still very much a grass roots thing and the Phuyai Barn and Kamnan keep their electorates well up to date.

 

I'm no lover of Thaksin and the TRT/PPP but it was voted in and most people are waiting to see if some of their taxes come back to the community.

 

You'll be surprised how quickly a few shonky appointments will be forgotten if local schools are upgraded and new community halls and sporting facilities start appearing... which actually happened up here under Mr T.

 

 

 

 

 

I hear what you are saying, Julian. But word of mouth usually ends up totally different by the time it gets up to the villages many times. And lots of the ones living and working in BKK don't get back more than 3 or 4 times a year, so not an efficient system. Also, many in the village NEVER leave the village much of the time. Some never.

 

And yes, if they get something from the government all will be forgiven. Hell, Surin got lots of stuff done under Taksin, and the villages did well with him in too. That's why they all voted for him and were pissed when the coup tossed him. (So to get even they also voted for PPP.) I don't blame them either. Lots of infrastructure projects, school projects, new water towers, 1 mill baht for each village to use on special projects of their choosing. While he was in the fucking roads up here were getting repaired annually as well. Now you can lose a buffalo in the friggin potholes that are going unfixed! Taksin did get things done for these people up here.

 

Something is being done though. Recently our village and the one down the road from ours joined together and bought a shitload of trees (Dawn Koon-the ones with the long yellow flower fronds when they bloom) and planted them all along both sides of the highway between the two villages. In a few years it should look quite nice, if the saplings live through a few droughts. Plenty of rain around here though the past year or two. No drought in this area this year for sure.

 

Cent

 

p.s. Have some books you might like. Will send a list and you can pick a few and I'll send them to you. Same address right?

[..]

I'm not back in LoS until 2 Aug...

 

Cheers,

SD

[CTO]

<

 

My mum is here visiting - but after what she did to your last John Powers better not include her.

 

Plenty of books - good ones are a bit thin on the ground!

[bust]

 

Announcement Number 11/2008

 

Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy

 

Purge of Thaksin Regime and the Nominee Government

 

 

Since the Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy gathering on Sunday May 25, 2008, the PAD has decided to actively protest according to announcement Number 10/2008, dated May 25, 2008. Due to the Metropolitan Police Bureauâ??s actions in obstructing the PAD from moving to Government House, we have been forced to remain here at the Makawan Bridge and adjust our plans from announcement 10/2008 to move in front of Parliament house.

 

Today, Friday, May 30, 2008, we the PAD handed in 31,881 signatures to the Senate speaker to the begin the process to impeach members of Parliament and senators who have signed the initiation to amend the 2007 Constitutution. Today is also the sixth day that the PAD has gathered in its protest. Throughout the five days and five nights, the peaceful demonstrators have been threatened and assaulted by hired hooligans. However, that has not deterred members of the PAD throughout the country in gathering at the Makawan bridge.

 

Even throughout the evenings of Wednesday the 28th and Thursday the 29th of May, heavy storms and rain in Bangkok, did not deter our participants from gathering. They weathered the storm and refused to give up their determination to fight against the Thaksin regime and his nominee government.

 

The leaders of the PAD would like to make a formal announcement tonight, so we can record this in Thailandâ??s history books to show that hundreds of thousands of Thai citizens are joining us tonight, this Friday, May 30, 2008.

 

The PAD has announced itâ??s acheivements all five days and nights. The PAD would like to thank those who have participated in our movement in creating a new chapter in Thailandâ??s history.

 

The PAD is asking for the approval from the hundreds of thousands of participants tonight to purge the nominee government of Samak Sundaravej.

 

Our reasons for doing so are as follows:

 

1. The Samak administration and the PPP party has continued its action as a nominee of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai party despite a ruling by the Constitution Tribunal, dated May 30, 2007 that the Thai Rak Thai party was a direct threat to Thailandâ??s constitutional monarchy.

 

2. The Samak administration has continued several projects suspected of irregularities and continuing the corruption initiated by the Thaksin regime to further its wealth. It has failed to solve several severe economic problems that have resulted in higher costs of living for consumers nationwide. One such instance is the monoply in the oil and natural gas industries in particular the privatization of PTT PLC and selling its shares at a lower price to its associates. Another example is the increasing price of commodoties such as sugar and rice. The Samak administration has increased the price of sugar without care of the publicâ??s well being to benefit sugar producers and politicians. The recent increase in rice price throughout the country is due to the mismanagement of rice pricing, which benefits rice traders and rice mill owners. The deception, fraud, and corruption that is taking place has led to a heavy burden on laborers, fishermen, public bus concessionaires, small business operators, consumers, and the general public.

 

3. The Samak administration has absolutely failed to solve the problem of the peopleâ??s poverty and let farmers suffer from low produce prices resulting in protests nationwide. Moreover, the minimum wage has been kept low, contrary to the higher costs of living.

 

4. The Samak administration tried to obstruct the compulsory licensing of drugs, interfered in the work of the Pharmaceutical Organization to benefit pharmaceutical firms, thus resulting in putting patients lives in danger.

 

5. The Samak administration tried to interfere and disrupt the judicial process through the transfer of the director-general and officials of the Department of Special Investigations and police officers to prevent cases related to them and their cronies from entering the court process. At the same time, the Samak administration used its resources to threaten and pressure independent monitoring agencies set up by the Constitution.

 

6. The Samak administration has interfered with the work of the media to intimidate, threaten, and bully the media to try to present one-sided news benefiting itself.

 

7. The Samak administration failed in its efforts to solve the problem of unrest in the South. It also engaged in risky behavior that may result in Thailand losing its territories around the Preah Vihear Temple and maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Thailand to benefit politicians in the Thaksin regime.

 

8. The Samak adminstration allowed individuals who have committed legal offence and lack ethics to manage the country both in the administrative and legislative branches, contrary to the oath they gave when they entered office.

 

9. The Samak administration and the police allowed hooligans to threaten and clash with members of the public who are exercising their Constitutional rights to protest peacefully.

 

10. The Thaksin regime backed the campaign to initiate the movement to change the Constitutional Monarchy system and allowed individuals with dangerous viewpoints towards the Monarchy to run the country. The Samak administration cut loose some of its members who have been widely criticized on this issue, simply to save those behind the movement.

 

11. The nominee government joined hands with foreign capitalists to take over the countryâ??s natural resources which may affect the countryâ??s economic system, such as inviting foreign investors to study and monopolize the investment in the land bridge connecting the east and west coasts of Thailand. Also, Thaksin Shinawatra recently invited Middle Eastern investors to study farming and potentially invest in the rice industry in Thailand, which is reserved to Thais.

 

12. The Samak administration used its majority in Parliament to try to amend the Constitution, which has garnered the support of the majority of Thais in a public referendum. It hopes to eliminate charges against it and its cronies and interfere with the judicial system as well as destroy ethics, morality and the countryâ??s legal system.

 

Once the public learnt of its real intention, politicians in the Thaksin regime tried to lower public dissent by withdrawing their names from the motion for the charter amendment, hoping that the move will put an end to the PAD gathering. However, the draft of the constitution amendment reflects their real intent which is a danger to the consitutional monarchy system and paves the way for the revival of the Thaksin regime.

 

The PAD will not fall under that disillusion. We maintain that Thailandâ??s problems lie within the 12 reasons that have been disclosed and directly involve former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his associates.

 

The Thai Rak Thai party and Thaksin Shinawatra have continued to use other political parties as their nominees to gain control of parliament and expand their power base to increase their wealth. This wealth will be used to gain control of all the law enforcement agencies, military, and judiciary system. The PAD, therefore, believes that our move to remove former Prime Minister Thaksin from power has not been finalized. The PAD would like to ask PAD members in Thailand and abroad to unite and stand up against the crony capatalism that has ruined our country, so we can rid ourselves of the parliamentary dictatorship and eradicate the Thaksin regime from Thailand.

 

We asked that Thais nationwide join in our movement to remove this nominee government.

 

 

 

With deepest respect,

 

Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy

May 30, 2008

 

 

Announcement Number 13/2008

Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy

Condemnation of Nominee Prime Minister

 

 

 

The Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy had issued announcement number 12/2008 on May 31, 2008 on the PADâ??s stance towards the governmentâ??s attempt to disperse its gathering.

 

The Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy sees that nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravejâ??s announcement, via television channel 11 of the Public Relations Department or NBT at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2008, that he will be decisive in ordering the military and police force to disperse the PAD rally on the same day reflects a criminal point of view. Furthermore, it is no different from his ruthlessness when he hosted a radio program and twisted the facts and information which led to the massacre of students and members of the public during the October 16, 1976 bloodshed.

 

Following nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravejâ??s ruthless declaration, hundreds of thousands of Thais from all over traveled to join the PAD rally at the Makawan Bridge on Ratchadamnern Nok Avenue to protest against his declaration and purge the nominee government.

 

The power of the overwhelming number of Thais, who showed no fear at the threat issued by the government, as well as the support from domestic and foreign media to present news about the rally to the world, resulted in a failure of the nominee governmentâ??s declaration and evil plan to disperse the gathering.

 

Nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had to appear again on television channel 11 of the Public Relations Department or NBT on Sunday, June 1, 2008, defending himself that he will negotiate with the protestors and if that fails, he will have state authorities move out equipments used in the gathering. In addition, he told reporters that he will order a dispersal of the gathering at a time when not many participants are there.

 

Moreover, nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej falsely alluded to the monarchy, attacking the protestors for being disloyal to the Crown by obstructing the route of royal convoys.

 

Therefore, the PAD would like to announce the following:

 

1. The PAD would like to thank the hundreds and thousands of Thais nationwide who came together to rally with it with determination, a strong heart, and bravery to protect the sacred objective of purging the Thaksin regime and chasing out the nominee government. The PAD would also like to thank both the domestic and foreign media for presenting the facts about the gathering which helped the rally overcome the threat on the use of force by the government to disperse it.

 

2. The PAD would like to condemn the actions of Samak Sundaravej that he has lost the legitimacy in being prime minister as he used words that reflect his desire to use force with the people who have been gathering peacefully and without violence or weapons according to the right granted by article 63 of the Constitution, the right granted by article 69 to protect the Constitution, and the right granted by article 70 to protect the nation, religion, and the monarchy, as well as the Constitutional Monarchy system. The PAD calls on Samak Sundaravej to show responsibility by resigning from the post of prime minister immediately.

 

3. The PAD would like to condemn nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej for falsely alluding to the monarchy to attack the protestors that they are disloyal to the Crown in obstructing the route for royal convoys. This is an evil action that may disturb the Crown and hurt the monarchy.

 

The PAD would like to inform Thais and the domestic and foreign media that the PADâ??s gathering is intended to protect the monarchy from its enemies so it is impossible that rally participants are disloyal to the Crown as the prime minister has falsely accused them of.

 

The gathering at the Makawan Bridge had to occur because the police force under this administration blocked the gatheringâ??s walk to Government House to protest there, as stated in announcement number 11/2008. The PAD, therefore, had to hold its gathering here. This means that the police chose this spot for the gathering to happen.

 

Moreover, if the PAD is informed of a royal convoy passing through the area, it is ready to open the route and have its participants welcome the royal convoy with the utmost loyalty as has happened during the PAD rally at the Misakawan intersection in 2006.

 

4. With the actions and point of view that reflects a criminal attitude of the nominee-prime minister, through falsely alluding to the monarchy to destroy a rally of loyalists to the Crown, the PAD would like to call on political parties in the ruling coalition to show responsibility to the people and the country by cutting support for Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and leaving the ruling coalition immediately.

 

5. Throughout the PAD rallies since the year 2006, it has been shown that the rally upholds peace, non-violence, and absence of weapons. Therefore, if there are any plans by the nominee government to use plainclothes officers or hired hooligans to infiltrate the gathering and create unrest or violence as an excuse to disperse the gathering, the resulting melee will have to be the sole responsibility of the government.

 

6. The determination of the rally participants throughout the eight days and nights in carrying out the sacred mission of the PAD is an action that should be honored throughout the world. Therefore, the PAD asks every Thai national to stay strong and remain determined in upholding the objective of purging the Thaksin regime and chasing out the nominee government.

 

 

 

With deepest respect,

 

Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy

June 1, 2008