The Red Shirts held their fundraising concert at Khao Yai on Saturday, November 15, preparing for their big push to oust the government. In contrast to other news sources, I would put the number of Red Shirts there at about 50,000 to 60,000. The atmosphere was generally very festive, relaxed and happy. There were very few political speeches on the stage, it was mostly Red Shirt leaders singing “plaeng look thung” songs, accompanied by elaborately dressed “hang kueang” (dancing groups). Many young people attended the concert as well. An emotionally very strong moment was when banned TRT executive committee member Adisorn Piangket sang songs about his time in the jungle with the Communist Party of Thailand, and broke into tears on the stage while singing about his younger brother who was killed in those turbulent times. Thaksin sung a song through a video link. Different to usual Red Shirt events, people did not leave after Thaksin’s appearance but stayed on. I left at midnight, to get enough sleep for the following day’s PAD event in Bangkok.
On Sunday, the PAD held a rally on Sanam Luang in Bangkok, showing loyalty to nation and monarchy. This event was attended by about 35,000 people, mostly dressed in colors with royal affiliation. The main tone of the rally was rousing patriotism. National flags dominated the visual scene. Retired General Preecha Iamsuphan gave a fanatical speech calling for a war against Cambodia. Both Thaksin and Hun Sen were attacked on the stage. The crowd was asked, for the foreign media, to recite in English: “We Love The King! We Love Thailand!” Often the foreign media was mentioned on the stage. The event would be seen all over the world.
When Sonthi Limthongkul came on the stage, he talked mostly about protecting the monarchy and how, if the PAD would not have fought for the monarchy last year, nothing might have been left over. In the middle of his speech suddenly a loud blast occurred, maybe 150 meters behind the stage. I saw a small column of smoke rising just opposite from Wat Pra Keow, and rushed to the scene. A few lightly injured people were there, and soon rescue workers arrived. One of the injured was a small boy, about 10 years old, with a puncture wound from shrapnel in his upper leg. Another was a PAD guard. I saw two more injured. Altogether 15 injured were reported. A small melee happened when enraged PAD protesters attacked a young man who was arrested, but was most likely not involved.
The rally closed about 10.30 in the evening, when the Royal anthem was sung while protesters held candles.
[Click on the images for larger versions. Hover on images for captions.]
Saturday Red
Sunday Yellow
23 responses so far ↓
1 David Brown // Nov 16, 2009 at 9:11 pm
thanks Nick, appreciate your efforts in getting to both
great photos, see also redshirt photos at
http://www.pantip.com/cafe/rajdumnern/topic/P8550004/P8550004.html
and also your estimates of numbers, the photos make it obvious the police reported numbers are low, for both (why?)
2 WLH // Nov 16, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Looks like the Yellows need Thaksin more than the Reds do! Not surprising given that he’s acting like an idiot lately.
Or put another way: The Reds are evolving, the Yellows are not. In fact, the Yellows are by nature against evolution.
3 Further updated: PAD rallies « Political Prisoners in Thailand // Nov 17, 2009 at 12:32 am
[...] 2: As usual, New Mandala commentator Nick Nostitz has a perspective and some interesting pictures of this rally and the PAD rally in Bangkok, [...]
4 fall // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:01 am
Picture of King and Queen on a stage for political rally.
Hmm…
5 Jojo // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:13 am
Ha-roi baht, took khon sabai sabai! haha.
6 Tired // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:29 am
I agree with you WLH, I just wish the reds would evolve past the need for Thaksin at all. I think he degrades their message, and slows their progress. It’s time for the reds to cut off the dead wood.
7 Omar Montenegro // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:47 am
Thanks for your great report and amazing photographs!
8 Somsak Jeamteerasakul // Nov 17, 2009 at 9:12 am
I watched the PAD rally most of its nearly 7 hours (from 15.45-22.30) on their ASTV. I got the impression that the atmosphere and the speeches were, perhaps, not as “firely” as one would expect. I mean, compare to last year, when they were trying to oust the government, they looked more ‘real’, more determined then, while this time around it felt somewhat ‘unreal’ to me. While before the rally, the PAD seemed to try to ‘wipe up’ the hatred of Thaksin for what he allegedly said about the monarchy, something along the line of the 6 Tula perhaps, it didn’t seem to me quite working. The atmosphere wasn’t quite full of hatred, tensed ‘loyalty to the King’, that kind of stuff. And the fact that the rally broke up a bit sooner than one would have expected perhaps supports this impression. Finally, the number of PAD ‘celebrities’ (famous people who supported their courses) seemed to show up less than they implied at news conference before the rally?
Did I get the wrong impression here, Khun Nick?
Also, your estimate of the PAD crowd around 35000, isn’t this a little too high? It didn’t seem that many to me.
9 Susie Wong // Nov 17, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Most of local news estimate PAD gathering in the number of thousands less than 10,000. I think PAD is dead, no future, because majority of Thais are against PAD.
According to the ThaiEnews report, all of the powerful Thai political organizations are against PAD. The influential national university political organization, the labor union, civil society, university students and people for democracy, joined hands against PAD rally. They condemned PAD rally as crazy nationalism using nation and monarchy slogan as the instrument to destroy political enemy, create conflicts with neighboring countries. They demand the parliament dissolution, constitutional reform, and building fair and justice in politics, society, economy, and support of welfare state.
Furthermore, the minute Sonthi Limthongkul gave his speech, M79 was fired toward him! This reflects the military also against Sonthi and PAD.
โดย ทีมข่าวไทยอีนิวส์
15 พฤศจิกายน 2552
องค์กรนัก ศึกษาทั่วประเทศ นำโดยสหพันธ์นิสิตนักศึกษาแห่งประเทศไทย องค์กรสหภาพแรงงาน องค์กรภาคประชาชน นิสิตนักศึกษาและประชาชนที่สนับสนุนประชาธิปไตยได้ร่วมกันออกแถลงการณ์ฉบับ หนึ่งคัดค้านการจัดชุมนุมของพันธมิตรฯในวันนี้ โดยชี้ว่าเป็นการชุมนุมของกลุ่มคลั่งชาติ ใช้สถาบันชาติและกษัตริย์เป็นเครื่องมือในการทำลายล้างทางการเมือง และสร้างความแตกแยกกับประเทศเพื่อนบ้าน รวมทั้งเรียกร้องให้ยุบสภา และแก้ไขรัฐธรรมนูญให้เป็นประชาธิปไตย รวมถึงการสร้างการเมือง-สังคม-เศรษฐกิจที่เป็นธรรม สนับสนุนรัฐสวัสดิการ
10 Nick Nostitz // Nov 17, 2009 at 1:35 pm
“Somsak Jeamteerasakul”:
It is always difficult to guess numbers. A lot of people stayed around the cars parked, and also many were mingling with the people in the market surrounding Sanam Luang. I did confirm this number also with knowledgeable people i trust.
), the hatred could have been a lot more. Nevertheless, for me some some of what was said, especially by Gen. Preecha, was very strong.
Of course, when compared to 6 Tula era, which i have only read about, (i was during that time in primary school in Germany
And yes, you are right, there were less prominent supporters than previous, especially when compared to the pre-coup PAD.
An interesting observation i have made, and this has not been the first time, is that while Thaksin still seems to be their main enemy, the Red Shirts though seemed to have found some acceptance under many of the hardcore PAD members. Not that they like the Red Shirts in any way, or would not go to battle with them again, but compared to last year, many have accepted the fact that Red Shirts do have a political ideology, and are not just a rent-a-mob. When talking with some of the Nac Lop Srivichai, i have had some very reasonable discussions about the Red Shirts and the political situation in general.
This somewhat changed attitude makes my life covering these events a lot easier as well. I hate to hide my views when i talk with people, and it was accepted without any animosity when i said that i do like the fact that simple people increasingly care about their country is governed, and that there are logical reasons why they choose to join the Red Shirts. Last year, such comments gave me a lot of grief.
I guess the blast somewhat contributed to the earlier end of the rally. many people have left as soon as the blast occurred. The blast was heard even at the opposite side of Sanam Luang.
11 Anonymous // Nov 17, 2009 at 3:18 pm
[...] yellow: the temperature rises again November 16, 2009 by Nick Nostitz ที่มา – New Mandala แปลและเรียบเรียง – แชพเตอร์ [...]
12 Frank G Anderson // Nov 17, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Did I hear right that the guy who composed that famous candle song for Sondhi is now a Red Shirt? And was it not because of money?
13 What the Red Shirts where doing ............ - Page 2 - TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum // Nov 17, 2009 at 9:07 pm
[...] the blogworld …………… Saturday red, Sunday yellow: the temperature rises again November 16th, 2009 by Nick Nostitz asiapacific.anu.edu.au Nick goes for 50 to 60 thousand Reds [...]
14 StanG // Nov 17, 2009 at 11:51 pm
“I just wish the reds would evolve past the need for Thaksin at all. I think he degrades their message, and slows their progress.”
Or I could say I wish New Mandala folks evolve past the need for red shirts, as red shirts degrade their message, whatever it is.
Calls for decoupling reds and Thaksin have been going for years but the ties are only getting stronger. From Nick’s report I gather they are working on creating emotional attachment to the brand now, apparently their political platform has lost its attraction.
PAD’s resurrection on Cambodian issue isn’t going to last either.
15 michael // Nov 18, 2009 at 1:34 am
Thanks, Nick, for another good article with splendid photos. There’s also a report on the Yellow rally in Prachatai.
“Fierce PAD nationalism on stage” http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/1495
The details in Prachatai’s report indicate that the PAD leadership seem to be advocating violence, as well as a fanatical nationalism, and the demonization of Cambodian people. I hope that the low-key feeling that Ajarn Somsak picked up, & his statement that they broke up early, indicate they are getting tired of the irrational fanaticism of their leaders.
Readers may also be interested in a PAD curiosity, read by Pipop Thongchai, entitled, ” The Thai People’s Declaration to the World ”
http://www.manager.co.th/Politics/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9520000138041 (in English), which could be indicative of paranoid delusions.
16 Nick Nostitz // Nov 18, 2009 at 4:47 am
“michael”:
The Prachathai article is excellent. I saved it already to quote from at a later time.
17 Srithanonchai // Nov 18, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Nick:
Clearly, you were impressed by the “red” girls!
18 Nick Nostitz // Nov 18, 2009 at 7:23 pm
“Srithanonchai”:
Don’t you start as well – the wife gave me enough grief over those photos already!
19 Susie Wong // Nov 19, 2009 at 4:48 am
I think the matter is much more serious than girls.
Bangkok Post:
Published: 18/11/2009 at 05:20 PM
Cambodia has a taped conversation of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya ordering the first secretary of the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh to get former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s flight plan for the Thai government, Puea Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan said on Wednesday.
Mr Jatuporn said Cambodian authorities also had a tape of a conversation about the flight plan between the first secretary, Kamrob Palawatwichai, and Siwarak Chutiphong, the Thai engineer employed by Cambodia Air Traffic Services accused of spying for Thailand.
Mr Siwarak was arrested on Wednesday and accused of stealing Thaksin’s flight plan. Mr Kamrob was expelled the following day.
20 Frank G Anderson // Nov 19, 2009 at 8:06 am
If she is concerned about the photos, better not visit the Mall in Korat where I took some even racier at a car show!
21 Nobody // Nov 19, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Susie. So can we then conclude the Cambodian authorities were spying on the Thai embassy if they seem to have a tape of them chatting. Although I do remember last time Jatuporn claimed to have a tape of something, and he does make that claim reasonably often, there were a few problems when the background noise was examined, and the whole issue seems long forgotten now.
22 Nganadeeleg // Nov 19, 2009 at 5:22 pm
If Jatuporn represents the alternative government, then the situation truly is hopeless !
23 tum|bler // Nov 20, 2009 at 3:31 am
The Thai engineer case will probably end up like the car bomb case. Thaksin supporters will insist it’s real, while detractors will say it’s staged, unless some concrete evidence emerges.
Leave a Comment
Please note: New Mandala encourages vigorous debate. However, for the moment we will only be publishing high-quality comments that make original contributions to discussion. There will, of course, still be space for pithy, humorous, eccentric and cheeky input. Short and sweet will usually trump long and involved. Repetitive ranting, unimaginative point-scoring and idle abuse will not be entertained. Comments which carry a real name are also more likely to be approved. Thank you for your ongoing interest and contributions.