Gaybutton Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 Looking at this morning's news, indications are that virtually all sides are dissatisfied with Abhisit's peace proposals and the whole thing may already be coming apart at the seams. The PAD dislikes the plan. The Red Shirt demonstrators say their leadership might find the plan acceptable, but they do not. CRES is again threatening to use force to disperse the demonstrators. ____________________ PAD Rejects Road Map Abhisit denies claims of hidden agenda Published: 7/05/2010 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has run into opposition to his reconciliation plan from the People's Alliance for Democracy and multi-coloured protesters. The groups oppose the road map to bring an end to the political crisis by seeking a reconciliation with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship. Mr Abhisit began drumming up support for his plan yesterday by meeting for two hours at parliament with Panthep Puapongpan and Pibhop Dhongchai of the PAD. Today he will talk with representatives of the multi-coloured group. The meeting with the PAD was called after the group came out this week to criticise the prime minister and suggest there was a hidden agenda behind his five-point plan to end the political stand-off. After talks with the PAD, the prime minister dismissed allegations his initiative was aimed at protecting the Democrat Party, reaching a compromise with wrongdoers involved in the red shirt protests, and allowing his party to form a coalition government with the Puea Thai Party. PAD rejects road map ____________________ Protesters Unhappy with PM's Grand Plan Published: 7/05/2010 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's proposed road map might have drawn tentative support from red shirt leaders but it is seen as a failure by many of those scattered around the rally ground. At Ratchaprasong intersection, where anti-government protesters are rallying for an immediate dissolution of the lower house, the five-point proposal is not what they had been bargaining for. Some of the protesters are said to be upset with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship leaders' "unexpected" support for the road map. "We are not achieving much if you take into consideration our losses," said Manit In-amkha, referring to the April 10 clashes between the protesters and government forces. Mr Manit, who travelled from Udon Thani, said some of the "radicals" he had been talking to had rejected the prime minister's road map outright and demanded all-out changes in the government. He said the red shirts' efforts were not in vain as Mr Abhisit had finally softened his stance. He also noted more efforts and pressure might bring about a dissolution earlier than September. Mr Manit said the plight of red shirt demonstrators could be successfully tackled only when there was a change of government. "Northeastern people face a lot of problems: land, injustice, mistreatment and the practice of double standards by authorities," he said. "Changes will come only when there is a change to the government." Protesters unhappy with PM's grand plan Quote
Guest cdnmatt Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 Personally, I think Abhisit should be highly commended for his actions. He took the route that he knew was going to be unpopular with everyone, and is sticking to his guns, because he thinks this is the best way for Thailand to amend its divides. Of course the PAD are angry, because they don't want to see any concessions made to the red shirts. Hopefully in the coming months they'll realize compromise, and taking the middle road route can actually be beneficial. Then the red shirts are just being idiots, and I'll be surprised if they go home without the military making them go home. Besides, this works out good. Now the red shirts can't bitch and moan that Abhisit is a yellow shirt supporter. :-) Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 RED SHIRTS TO DISPERSE MAY 10 The latest report that came from "backstage" at the red shirt rally site, is that they will announce at a press conference at 1800 Thai time tonight (Friday evening) that the red shirts will disperse on May 10. This is really not confirmed, but is being reported at least a couple of places...so we can hope!!! Quote
Gaybutton Posted May 7, 2010 Author Posted May 7, 2010 so we can hope!!! Yes, we can, but my hopes are fading. Abhisit is going to have to be a hell of a good juggler if this is going to work. The PAD is raising hell about the proposals and is also demanding martial law. The PAD is the Yellow-Shirts. Remember them? And the Multicolor-Shirts are raising hell about November elections. Somehow, I'm not ready to say the crisis is over just yet. Maybe I'm wrong, but it looks to me that while the Red-Shirts seem willing to accept the proposals, the other factions are not and a whole new crisis could flare up. So, assuming the Red-Shirts do accept the proposals and start going home by Monday, what happens next? Are the other shirts going to start up new protests? I hope I'm being overly pessimistic about this, but I was completely wrong when I thought the Red-Shirt rallies were going to amount to nothing. I can only hope my pessimism will make me completely wrong again. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 RED SHIRTS DON'T ANNOUNCE PLAN TO DISPERSE...NEW DEMANDS Well, as usual, they changed their minds by the time they had their press conference...wonder if they got a call from some fugitive telling them what to do??? Now they want "all sides in the political conflicts to sign a pact to accept the results of the proposed November 14 election." (From Thaivisa.com) and continue with their other conditions. It is reported that the reds will make an announcement of their own plans tomorrow, Saturday in Thailand. There is a lot of money changing hands in this conflict, and somebody with big chips seems to want to keep it going....only time will really tell. Quote
TMax Posted May 8, 2010 Posted May 8, 2010 Time to finish it and send in the army to disperse them. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted May 8, 2010 Posted May 8, 2010 Someone or some group doesn't want this to end quietly and peacefully! This is from Thaivisa.com Today, 2010-05-08 11:38:21 Two police dead, 13 wounded in grenade, shooting violence on Silom and Rama IV roads BANGKOK (TNA) -- Two police officers were killed and 13 persons wounded, including seven police, three soldiers and three civilians, in two deadly attacks by unknown assailants in Bangkok Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted May 8, 2010 Posted May 8, 2010 Abhisit has been trying not to fall into the game that the former PM is hoping he will. Former PM wants Abhisit to use force so he can be blamed for the ensuing violence and further anger the red shits. Quote
Guest Jason105 Posted May 8, 2010 Posted May 8, 2010 Two police dead, 13 wounded in grenade, shooting violence on Silom and Rama IV roads The BBC has a report on this. BBC News - Thailand policemen targeted in Bangkok attacks all the best Quote
Gaybutton Posted May 9, 2010 Author Posted May 9, 2010 If the latest news is any indication of what is to come, there seems to be little hope now of a peaceful, positive outcome or a quick agreement between all parties and an imminent end to the crisis. People are still being injured and killed. The Red-Shirt leadership is reconsidering acceptance of the peace plan and according to the news they are meeting today to discuss it. The plan for the Red-Shirts to disband and return home on Monday has been put on hold and instead thousands more Red-Shirts are arriving in Bangkok. ____________________ Thousands of Red Shirts Arrive in City CONCERN AT SWELLING PROTEST Published: 9/05/2010 More red shirt members from the north and northeastern provinces arrived in Bangkok yesterday to join their comrades at Ratchaprasong intersection. Around 5,000 red shirt supporters, mainly from Udon Thani and Khon Kaen, started off yesterday morning and reached the capital later in the day. Thousands of red shirts arrive in city I think I ought to point out to those trying to decide whether to come to Thailand or postpone your plans, there are no problems at the airport. In major gay destinations such as Pattaya, Samui, Phuket, etc. there are also no problems. In Pattaya, there is nothing going on at all other than at City Hall, and most holiday makers aren't going to venture anywhere near there in the first place. I really don't know how the protests are affecting the gay areas of Bangkok and I wish someone currently in Bangkok would give us a report, but I can tell you that if your plans are to come to Pattaya or other destinations in Thailand, there is no reason to postpone your plans. I think every farang in Pattaya would agree with me when I say that if it wasn't for the news media, you wouldn't even know anything is happening in Bangkok. Pattaya is perfectly normal (if you can call life here 'normal' in the first place). Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted May 9, 2010 Posted May 9, 2010 I really don't know how the protests are affecting the gay areas of Bangkok and I wish someone currently in Bangkok would give us a report I'm presently in Europe and read in the English papers yesterday that the UK government has partially eased its travel advisory against travel to Bangkok. It is still advocating extreme caution in the central area and in parts of the country which are known to be red-shirt bases. Around 5,000 red shirt supporters, mainly from Udon Thani and Khon Kaen, started off yesterday morning and reached the capital later in the day. I just do not get this! I thought the government had taken some action to prevent red shirts from travelling in to the city. I can perfectly understand why they want to increase their presence as negotiations take place. But this seems another case of the government shooting itself in the foot! Quote
Gaybutton Posted May 10, 2010 Author Posted May 10, 2010 PM Gives Ultimatum to Reds UDD unable to decide on when to end protest Published: 10/05/2010 The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship has left everyone in confusion after being pressed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for the exact date on which it will lift its rally to oust the government. Key red shirt leaders Veera Musikhapong, Natthawut Saikua and Chatuporn Prompan cancelled a press conference and held an urgent meeting yesterday to counter the fresh demand by the prime minister. After three hours of talks, Mr Chatuporn said the UDD could not come up with a common position. More talks were needed before a final decision. Mr Abhisit gave the UDD until today to give an exact timeframe for the end of its rallies which have paralysed parts of the inner city. He also accused former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of standing in the way of efforts to end political rifts. PM gives ultimatum to reds Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted May 10, 2010 Posted May 10, 2010 After three hours of talks, Mr Chatuporn said the UDD could not come up with a common position. More talks were needed before a final decision. Maybe the UDD couldn't contact their "Boss" whatever country he might be in now..or is he dead...I forget???? They have a chance to end this peacefully, but I am not sure that the leaders will allow that! Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted May 10, 2010 Posted May 10, 2010 Well, I am not too good at predicting the future, but it looks like I did with the above post.... From Thaivisa.com ]Seh Daeng: Thaksin Appoints New Red Shirt Leader Dismissed army general General Kattiya Sawasdipol now claims that Thaksin Shinawatra has appointed three new red shirt leaders namely Arisman Pongruengrong, Suporn Attawong or Rambo Esarn, and Udon Thani leader Kwanchai Praipana. He is also claiming that they will not be dispersing anytime soon. So, if this is true, then the peaceful end may not be in sight...or not peaceful at all!! Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted May 10, 2010 Posted May 10, 2010 My bf says that these three guys have been in Thaksin's pocket for a long time and all Thais know them. Nothing new about this! Quote
Guest tdperhs Posted May 12, 2010 Posted May 12, 2010 The conditions expressed by the PM attached to his promise to hold elections on November 14 are so full of of caveats as to almost guarantee that the elections will not happen. If, by the 13th of November, the admin or the PAD or any major political organization or periodical publisher does not feel confident of victory, it could cancel the election using any one of the following scenarios (and many others): 1. It gets rumored about that the UDD is planning to dissolve the monarchy when they get into power. How do they know? Has someone in the UDD campaigned on it? Is there evidence? Who cares? An official accusation is enough to make it so. Violation of the first objection, Quote
