It's Over - Red Shirts end their rally

[Gaybutton]

Today the Red-Shirts ended their protest and are now returning home. Buses have been provided for them and the police have warned them that they ought to change their shirts to a different color so that people who they managed to infuriate won't attack them.

 

The ringleaders have given themselves up to the police.

 

The violence has ended and order has been restored.

 

What nobody knows at this point is just how much damage has been done to the country as a whole, the people, the economy, to property, to Thailand's reputation, to the tourist industry, etc. Nobody knows how long it will take for Thailand to recover from this.

 

And by the way, since the rally ended, nobody seems to have heard from Thaksin.

[Guest shebavon]

So the Primary Color Revolution has failed.

 

Or has it? Only time will tell.

 

Overall, I give Abhisit and the military high marks for restoring order with no deaths attributed (other than by a few reds) to the military.

 

Given that Thailand goes through these things regularly, I don't think the effect on the Thai economy will be too severe.

[Gaybutton]

Or has it? Only time will tell.

I believe it is over for Thaksin. You're right that only time will tell, but this really seems to have backfired on him in the end. I really believe he envisioned the outcome as ending in a triumphant return to Thailand, having his conviction overturned, regaining all his money, being placed back in as Prime Minister, and eventually becoming a dictator. It didn't quite work out that way.

 

According to the latest news reports, apparently Thaksin is in Dubai. The Thai Islamic community is drawing up a petition asking Dubai to refuse him safe haven on the grounds that he instigated everything that has happened and incited the riots, the violence, and tried to overthrow the government. Where I come from, that's called treason and I fully expect that charges of treason will at some point be leveled against him. For all his wealth, I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now.

 

There are still pockets of die-hard protesters, none of whom are wearing red shirts any longer, and the government has vowed to mop it up, but most have gone back home. Arrest warrants have been issued for 13 of the Red Shirt ringleaders.