Red Shirts

[Boatman37210]

I'm visiting Bangkok next week and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the red shirt problem like don't come now or don't worry or?

Off topic I did a search on "red shirts" and found a stickman article that talked about the negatives of Thailand. In the process of reading the article looking for references to red shirts, I found a comment that his Thai wife did not have to worry about getting a single freckle in the UK.

I happen to have red hair, fair complexion, and yes lots of freckles. Do Thai's have a problem with those features?

Thanks.

[nkstan]

You might have some problems getting about the city with traffic being restricted around the major shopping areas!

The protests may become more violent as opposing groups clash!

The ''working girls''are limited as many return to their provinces during Songkron!

In fact,I had planned to do Songkron,this year, with my old Bangkok neighborhood,but because of the conflicts and indiscriminate ''bombings'',we won't be going!

If you are coming to Udon,you might consider staying at the airport and catching the flight here!

Whatever you do,if you come here,I would suggest that you not discuss any opinions about the political situation with the locals!

[Stantheman]

.... I happen to have red hair, fair complexion, and yes lots of freckles. Do Thai's have a problem with those features?

You should not have a problem with your hair/complexion features, except possible a few stares and a very few questions

[Tilokarat]

If you come to Udon, be sure to wear a yellow shirt and a big smile on your face! 55555

[polehawk]

If you come to Udon, be sure to wear a yellow shirt and a big smile on your face! 55555

Tilokarat, you will have to learn how to use a smiley for better effect, eh? Not everyone knows that your 55555 = hahahahaha.

I wouldn't walk around Udon wearing a yellow shirt although a redheaded farang with freckles might get away with it. Next week? Wear a red raincoat just to be safe.

[Frankie 1]

The 'yellow shirts' have now changed to pink. Which colour will be next...

[trubrit]

The 'yellow shirts' have now changed to pink. Which colour will be next...

The pink shirt wearers are followers of the Newin factor. which although currently are allied with the yellows were previously backers of Thaksins coalition. So maybe orange would be more appropriate. Now they are talking of leaving Abhisits group and going back to the reds .Maybe a rainbow striped one would be more appropriate for such a turncoat party ?

[jackspratt]

So if Newin's mob jumped back to Thaksin's mob, and they again had the numbers in Parliament, do you think their first action would be to dissolve the parliament, and call an election - to verify their legitimacy?

ps I expect there will be some fun and games in Udon tonight and tomorrow. I read on TV that the reds TV station has been blocked, and within 10 minutes there was a loudspeaker truck driving around my Muu Baan with some guy rabidly screeching into the microphone. I am surprised it didn't seize up with spittle.

Anyway, a number of just returned (from Bangkok) locals jumped into their barely dried red golf shirts, and it was all aboard what I assume was the caravan headed for Udon.

Interesting day tomorrow.

[trubrit]

Just back from Bangkok. No problem getting around the city, just use the sky train .. I left my car in the Emporium car park and hopped on the train outside as the traffic was horrendous.Visited the Brit Embassy and went to video the protesters outside the World Center. Total cost 70bht for train and parking .

[trubrit]

So if Newin's mob jumped back to Thaksin's mob, and they again had the numbers in Parliament, do you think their first action would be to dissolve the parliament, and call an election - to verify their legitimacy?

Not so easy I'm afraid Jack. Newins group controls just 10 seats so if they switched sides it still wouldn't, on its own give the Democrats an overall majority. But it would mean a hung parliament which in turn would force another election .
So in a way the answer to your question is "yes"

[Tilokarat]

I thought Newin's group wore black, and Jintara's group (mop si champoo) wore pink!

[jimboLV]

Interesting little video showing one perspective of the situation on the ground. I thought the clip at 2:45 was particularly interesting.

[jackspratt]

Yes, interesting - if somewhat inaccurate.

Towards the end the "reporter" says no yellow shirts have faced charges of any kind - in fact 8 or 10 of them have (rightly) been charged over the airport fiasco.

He also describes the foreign minister (Kasit) a the "leader" of the yellow shirts - again completely wrong. He was certainly a speaker on the yellow stages, and for that should not be FM, but he is not even in the core leadership of the yellows, let alone leader.

[jimboLV]

Yes, jackspratt I originally hesitated to post that because the commentary seemed to be somewhat amateurish. (I'm not up enough on the details to catch the inaccuracies that you rightly pointed out). And the footage seemed to be slanted to be sympathetic to the Reds' cause. However I checked out some other videos on this bloke's site and they seemed to cover all sides, so I just chalked it up to a guy with a camera taking videos and producing some interesting images.

TAN network did a comparison this morning showing footage from Thailand and comparing it to the mess in Kyrgyzstan. Flying rocks, bullets, tar gas, burning vehicles....hope it doesn't come to that here.

[FrazeeDK]

What wold Puea Thai (and the Reds) say if Newin Chidchb went back to their side?? I imagine they wouldn't want a dissolutin at all. in fact, Newin Chidchob's "phumjai Thai" or Proud Thai Party has more than 10 seats. Proud Thais Party (Phak Bhum Jai Thai; founded in 2008 by former members of the NDP; occupies 32 out of 480 seats in the House of Representatives of Thailand (ca. 7%)). The Democrat coalton has 275 of 480 seat and the PueaThai coaliion has 207 seats.. So even if Chichob jumped back to Puea Thai they'd only have 239 seats vice 243 for the Democrats. It'd be a squeaker and the Demos have several very small parties with 5-32 seats that might bail to Puea Thai. You can bet they'd be some big bucks tossed around to the small party leaders.

see the Wikipedia link for a full breakdown of who and how many are in the coalition and in the opposition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Thailand