Anti-Thaksin Campaign Angers Pheu Thai

[limbo]

Or ask the reporter who had the guts to point out cracks at Suvarnabhumi airport runway at the time of opening. Although, that almost sounds trivial compared to the 2000 killed without trial during the war on drugs.

 

Well, maybe you can ask the 85 people that succumbed at Takbai instead.

 

Even if many people are about me, me, me, they usually haven't killed anybody.

[Flashermac]

Thaksin got the Bangkok Post reporter fired for quoting international experts who told of cracks in the runway at Swampypoom. He got the editor of the Post demoted for allowing it to be printed. He also was openly hostile to The Nation, which has never liked him. As to the Thai language papers that wouldn't support him, he tried to scare all away all of their advertisers in an attempt to shut them down. Anyone remember Brit reporters Shawn Crispin and Rodney Tasker, whom Thaksin brought lese majeste charges against for a short item in the Far East Economic Review negative to him? Thaksin's hero is Lee Kwan Yee, who made a country out of Singapore but also tolerated no criticism whatever. The same with Thaksin. He wants to be Than Phu Nam.

[Mekong]

He also used to own Manchester City until he was forced to sell them, you can't get much lower than that.

[Flashermac]

He wanted the players to bow to him whenever he was in the stands.

 

As I recall, he sold because there was some question about whether he had brought the money to buy the club into the UK legally! He sold to get the money out. Made a profit though, he usually does (except for the 2 or 3 times he went bankrupt early in his career).

[Flashermac]

Guy Fawkes and the red Goliath

 

by Voranai Vanijaka

 

It’s rather interesting, this Guy Fawkes phenomenon that has sprung up among the Thai social network populace who oppose Thaksin Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai regime.

 

Thousands of internet users have reportedly adopted the mask as a symbol of defiance. Some 700 people wearing these masks showed up at Ratchaprasong Intersection on Sunday for a mini demonstration.

 

But will it prove to be just another fad that comes and goes, just a tamagotchi, a mere furby?

 

Any civil movement opposing Thaksin and Pheu Thai will have the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to contend with. It would be like David going up against the red Goliath, except that this isn’t biblical times and David would likely get squashed.

 

The legend of Guy Fawkes comes with the tagline "We are Legion". Consider that a typical Roman legion had about 6,000 soldiers. The 700 masked protesters last Sunday didn't make even two cohorts; a cohort was about 480 soldiers.

 

Meanwhile, the UDD can field, and have fielded – at least according to reports – over 10 legions.

 

The UDD has become a new religion with a new god. The movement is strongly entrenched. Red is the holy robe. In homes upcountry, the portrait of the new god hangs on the wall, revered and worshipped. Entire villages and districts construct signs and billboards proclaiming "This is Red Land".

 

They are not just legion. They are a religion. One may applaud them. One may condemn them. But one cannot deny that they are the most powerful and successful civil movement in modern Thai history.

 

Civil movements often are born of famous, charismatic leaders with large bank accounts and deep connections. Sondhi Limtongkul and Chamlong Srimuang led the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), for example.

 

In setting up the UDD, Thaksin roped in famous activists Veera Musikhapong, Weng Tojirakan and Tida Tavornseth to provide symbols of legitimacy, while appointing his personal lieutenants Jatuporn Prompan and Nattawut Saikuar to command operations.

 

Later on we have smaller groups such as Dr Tul Sittisomwong and the multi-colour group and Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit and the Pitak Siam.

 

The other smaller, fringe and hardcore red-shirt groups attach themselves to the big UDD umbrella.

 

What they all have in common is that, ultimately, they revolve around one cult of personality or another. The yellow-shirts, the multi-colour shirts and Pitak Siam rally around "defending the institution", as if anyone was actually plotting against the institution. While the red-shirts collectively champion Thaksin, whose name apparently is synonymous with democracy.

 

All these groups have recognisable, if often contradicting, principles. All claim democracy and justice, all interpret democracy and justice exclusively in their own favour. One side is clearly anti-old establishment. The other is clearly anti-Thaksin and his network of the new elite.

 

The novelty, the likeability, of the Guy Fawkes movement is that – as far as we know – it was born entirely from like-minded citizens getting together in a common cause. No charismatic leader. No big bank account. No dubious connections. No declared allegiance to any cult of personality, as yet.

 

Although some say they are just yellow-shirts trying to find a new gimmick.

 

Regardless, only a couple of weeks after making their first appearance on social networks, there they were on Sunday, some 700 in the streets, in masks and in a show of unity and defiance, all started by a group of kids on Facebook, no less – with a rather cute one in a nurse's uniform.

 

However, the question remains, is this just all a fad? So far, as far as the public knows, the group has no clear principles. Their only slogan is anti-corruption and anti-tyranny, combining both into anti-Thaksin.

 

This in itself is rather dubious; corruption and tyranny existed long before, and will continue to exist long after, the individual named Thaksin.

 

But fine. Now that the public know what they hate, the question is, what do they stand for? Using hate to rally the people is a dangerous thing, as we have all witnessed -- both with the PAD and the UDD. What are their principles? What are the goals, the hopes and dreams – in easy, layman's terms – that the people can rally around?

 

What’s more, a civil movement won’t have longevity without the charismatic leader, the big bank account and the deep connections, whether transparent or dubious. It’s an ugly reality.

 

This isn’t to knock the masked men and women, after all this movement surely is in its early stage. But if they are to ever get past this early stage, they must at least have a clear platform and strong leadership. Or else they may well become just another tamagotchi, another furby.

 

Then there’s the caution: Any anti-Thaksin civil movement will have to contend with the UDD – they are legions upon legions, entrenched in unyielding religious belief, long on bank accounts, deep in political connections, supported by a network of billionaires, and possess the willingness to put lives, limbs and property on the line, whether their own or other people’s.

 

Whether this is just a fad, or a sustainable movement, it is an example of ordinary people getting together for a common cause. One doesn’t have to agree with the anti-Thaksin cry. Take away the colour-coded allegiance, one can appreciate the democratic consciousness that is developing, to recognise and use citizen power, to care enough about this country to make their voices heard.

 

 

http://www.bangkokpo...the-red-goliath