army train kidnapped by red shirts in Khon Kaen

[Nervous God]

Cool - a free trip south. Seriously, who'd volunteer among the 10?

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

"Under the deal, the military agreed for 10 red shirts to accompany the train to ensure it reaching the destination in the Deep South."

 

Rather sad that that is requested, and even sadder that it was allowed.

 

Sanuk!

 

[KimDidMeGood]

Hi,

 

"Under the deal, the military agreed for 10 red shirts to accompany the train to ensure it reaching the destination in the Deep South."

 

Rather sad that that is requested, and even sadder that it was allowed.

 

Sanuk!

As ridiculous as the deal can sound, I think ANYTHING is preferable to violent confrontation in times like these.

 

[Flashermac]

When they reach Narathiwat, they plan to turn the reds over to the Islamists and tell them these are Thaksin's people.

 

 

[KimDidMeGood]

 

 

A lesson from the incident in Khon Kaen

Published: 24/04/2010 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

 

The Thai government began to open a new front in its battle against the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in Khon Kaen on April 22.

 

The Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES) announced on Thursday that it was dispatching soldiers and police to retrieve a military train the government had lost to local red shirts in that province. The Second Army Region commander wanted the government to impose the Internal Security Act in Khon Kaen province.

 

Meanwhile, local and regional military and government officials negotiated an end to the 24-hour standoff in a way that satisfied all parties.

 

How events unfolded and ended in Khon Khon provide a stark contrast to the ongoing conflict between the Abhisit Vejjajiva government and the UDD centred at Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok.

 

The episode began when the red station radio alerted its listeners shortly after noon on April 21 that there were military vehicles waiting at Khon Kaen's train station.

 

The commander reportedly said the convoy was on its way to Pattani. But some of the soldiers had voiced concern that they might be going to Bangkok to join in the looming crackdown on the red shirts.

 

Within a half an hour, as many as 500 red shirt supporters converged on the train. A number of soldiers came and talked with the red shirts, many of whom might have been relatives or friends. One red shirt male was, with great animation and making gunshot sounds, describing to two soldiers about the events in Bangkok on April 10.

 

An elderly woman sitting nearby holding a red flag said to them: "You don't need to go [to Bangkok]."

 

The military commander was willing to talk, as were the red shirts and provincial government leaders.

 

The red shirts were concerned that the soldiers and trucks were destined for Bangkok. They did not want the soldiers and trucks to be part of the crackdown.

 

If the train were to leave, the red shirts wanted proof that the soldiers were really on their way to the South.

 

The three or four soldiers I spoke with, including a commander, did not seem too put out by the delay. They strung up their hammocks between the transport trucks, took refuge from the searing heat underneath the cars, or sat with red shirts.

 

The red shirt leadership showed remarkable restraint. When one red shirt suggested searching the train, one leader, who goes by the name Numchaiya, his radio deejay moniker, said emphatically that they had no authority to do so.

 

When some in the crowd noted there were M16s on a table nearby, Numchaiya quickly warned everyone to stay clear of the weapons.

 

It was all very cordial.

 

One military commander who asked not to be identified seemed a bit frustrated that the protesters did not understand that they of the Second Army Region were needed in the South for security purposes.

 

At the same time he said he understood that the red shirts feared a replay of April 10.

 

When asked whether he would join in suppressing the protesters in Bangkok if ordered to, he said flatly: No.

 

He was proud that the Second Army did not get involved with politics. He thought the proper place for soldiers was along borders, not in the capital.

 

Another soldier, a native of Loei province, wondered what he would do if orders suddenly changed in Bangkok and they were diverted to fight the red shirts.

 

He asked: Why would soldiers fight against other Thais? Given the prospect of fighting in the deep South or in Bangkok, he was fine being delayed in Khon Kaen.

 

Some soldiers stayed near their vehicles, others sat and talked with the red shirts here and there.

 

By 10.30pm, there may have been as many as 3,000 red shirts in the area.

 

There was in no sense any impression that the soldiers were being "detained" or "held", as claimed in some stories about the incident.

 

From the army side, there was no calling the red shirts in Khon Kaen "terrorists", no brandishing of weapons and no harsh language. On the side of the red shirts, they were firm and polite, but not confrontational or provocative.

 

If one didn't know better, one might have thought it was a big military-police-red shirt picnic.

 

The outcome of negotiations on Thursday was one that brought smiles to the faces of the military and police commanders, the deputy provincial governor, and the 500 cheering red shirts.

 

The train would be delayed no longer, and the military would allow 10 red shirt leaders to go on the train with them to make sure they got (safely?) down to Pattani.

 

The central government wanted to respond militarily, and expand the war zone beyond Bangkok. Sabre-rattling, over-reaction and hostility were rejected locally and replaced with listening, empathising and negotiation.

 

Parties negotiated and compromised and reached an agreement satisfactory to all. The provincial government showed it could be an honest broker who did not resort to threats. The police kept their distance, so as not to risk creating tensions. The military showed a willingness to understand the concern of the red shirts. The red shirts were able to show themselves as a dependable and disciplined force.

 

Most importantly, the red shirt success in this case was the recognition by the state that citizens should and do have the right to directly monitor the actions of the state.

 

Here were Thai citizens from the grassroots making sure the military kept its word.

 

In the meantime in less civilised parts of the country, Bangkok urbanites supporting the government resort to throwing projectiles and hurling abuse. The Abhisit government relentlessly calls the red shirts terrorists and seems determined to maintain a course of violence that will lead to certain disaster for all.

Link

 

[chuckwoww]

My guess is some soldier on the train twitted his Redshirt uncle.

[LizardKing]

I like the suggestiopn I heard earlier: let them ride the bloody train down to Pattani et al. Then let them spout their pro-Thaksin ideals. And let us see how long they remain alive LOL!

 

Morons. They seem to think the whole bloody country is behind them, when in fact they are a minority.

[waerth]

What is moe worrying is soldiers saying they would flatout refuse orders and can get away with it!

 

W

[chuckwoww]

Precisely. Some of the soldiers might even turn their guns on the officers. And the officers know it.