Ratachadamri Road Red Shirt Protest 14th May 2010

Friday 14th May 2010

Following the unlawful attempted assassination of Seu Deang yesterday who was being interviewed at the time by a New York Times journalist, Thomas Fuller and the government's decision to try and "draw a noose" around the Red Shirt encampment, the situation here has taken another downward lurch.

Just when we wanted the ante to go down, it has now been racheted up another notch.

If these events are not the precursor to civil war, I don't know what is. People are completely polarised and hate each other with a venom so strong, it is hard for me to describe.

If you are an Englishman in Bangkok, one has to be careful with one's Thai language expression, as it is easy to be misunderstood. While the Red Shirts are fighting for a "true democracy" and want fresh elections, the ruling party in government in Thailand are the Democrats. So it was, when one guy I was speaking with said he hated "the Democracy" (as I heard it in Thai) when what he meant to say was that he hated the Democratic Party. [ประชาธิปไตย Bra-chaa-tip-pa-taai is the word for democracy]. So you budding language buffs, please be careful :-) !

While I was down near the Praaram /Silom intersection there were explosions and some gunfire but most of what I heard was on the other side of Lumpini Park, or appeared to be coming from that direction with sharp bursts of automatic fire too.

Here, you can see that the protesters protect themselves with basic "David and Goliath" technology, especially with the sling, arrow and staff.

While these basic weapons are no match for a soldier with a gun, the difference is that these people genuinely believe in what they are fighting for, whereas most in the army are just there for their monthly pay cheque. And as for the "watermelon" soldiers, this is clearly not justification enough for what they are being asked to do. It must be a very difficult position for the rank and file.

Writing this note from my room, about 500 yards from the Red Shirt camp, I am hearing more gunfire as I write.

Stay safe!

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• สื้อแดง
• Red
• Shirt
• Protest;
• Ratchaprasong;
• ราชพระสงฆ์
• Democracy;
• ประชาธิปไตย
• Bangkok;
• Thaksin
• Shinawattra

[STSBurbankSide]

@snookedbe IF the redshirt didn't move to Ratchaprasong, would this b happening?? abhisit even ask the UDD to move back but they won't so is the government problem to push them out right???.. one last thing, have the UDD ever except their mistake since ruining the ASIAN SUMMIT in pattaya till BURNING busses in bangkok??? the answer is NEVER>>> soooo THAKSIN and the rest of the UDD is LOSINGGG 4 SURE...

[STSBurbankSide]

@snookedbe n let me tell u this Abhisit proposed an election on 14 November if the protesters were willing to stand down but was the answer The protesters refused to end the rally, and the offer of an election was withdrawn.. n u say that the ""more redshirt abhisit kill??"" who the hell start the killing??? who the hell start shooting and bombing for the past 2 weeks b4 may 13th???

[STSBurbankSide]

@snookedbe yes i know what the hell i'm talking about... i was born in bangkok n now living in pattaya.... n plus i'm thai/american... n i been watching both channel n i know who is lieing.. so what's ur point!!! just let them stay on Ratchaprasong and let them ruin the bussiness and watch our thai ppl lose their jobs??... so just let the MOB take over the country then.. if having the prime minister and can't even do shit... right???

[snookedbe]

@STSBurbankSide the real truth is that ur not saying everything right and you dont really know what the hell you're talking about. most protestors now can careless about thaksin, and thaksin can careless about what is going on. the redshirts are here because are piss and angry. the more redshirts abhisit killds the angryier they get and the less thaksin has to do to keep the protest going. abhisit has lost to thaksin.

[STSBurbankSide]

"""While the Red Shirts are fighting for a "true democracy" and want fresh elections"""... that not true, is just for themself and their lovely p/m thugsin.. let me ask you this.. why does thugsin have to phone in and tell them what to do?? cause that all he want is his money back.. and that is the real TRUTH...

[STSBurbankSide]

so what are you saying??? that thai soldier are bad, killing innocent ppl?? and you try to say that those red shirt "protecting themself"???? wow with m-79, ak, grenade and etc.....