On Sunday, 17 October 2010, the Red Shirts held a gathering in Ayutthaya. Red Shirts came from many provinces; altogether slightly over 10,000 gathered in Ayutthaya’s sports stadium. I drove on my motorcycle from Bangkok and on the way I passed many Red Shirts in cars and pick-up trucks, and on motorcycles.
There were many police security checkpoints along the road, who let most Red Shirts through unhindered. For some Red Shirts the journey was not without problems — a guard from Ang Thong province told me that the caravan from the north met around Chainat province with so called “Lueah Bai” (spikes made from large nails), which disabled several cars.
At the sports stadium there was a massive Red Shirt market, selling OTOP products, amulets, Red Shirt paraphernalia, and food. The entry was under heavy security, protesters had to pass scanners, and members of the bomb squad were there as well. The protester blinded by a bullet on 19 May 2010 in front of the Phuea Thai Headquarters sold lottery tickets, and relatives of protesters killed on 10 April collected donations.
Inside the outdoor stadium the lawn was quite muddy, but it soon filled up with Red Shirts. Speakers I noticed were Sombat Boonngamanong of Red Sunday fame, Somyod Prueksakasemsuk, the leader of the June 24th Group (who acted as official organizers of the rally), Rambo Isaarn’s younger brother, and the local Phuea Thai MP Surachet. Surachai Sae Dan from the radical “Daeng Siam” group was there as well, but did not take the stage. When a helicopter flew over the ground protesters shouted abuse. Two Red Shirts in military uniforms play acted beating up a protester in a prisoner’s uniform wearing a mask of Nattawut Saikua’s face.
I took a break. When I returned to the stage area, Deputy House speaker and Phuea Thai MP Col. Dr. Apiwan Wiriyachai was on the stage. Then it was Jatuporn’s turn. He first sang a few songs. He gave much space during his speech to attack Methi — the former Red Shirt activist and now government witness. Jatuporn attacked the Department for Special Investigation (DSI) over the arrests of the 11 in Chiangmai and the Nonthaburi Bomb, and decried the different standards applied with bail applications for the People’s Alliance for Democracy and the Red Shirts.
After Jatuporn’s speech the event ended with fabulous fireworks, and a concert afterwards.
Keep up the good show, REDS will eventually bridge through between new and old conservative elites and built a new future of Thailand.
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I took the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. The train was quite full, but at first I saw only very few redshirts. From the discussions I picked up that everyone around was a supporter of the redshirts and once they started to sing their songs in the compartment it was all clear.
Once they get off the train they put on their redshirts. I hopped onto one of the pick-up trucks full of redshirts that brought me through the endless traffic jam from the train station to the stadium.
Even though it was wet and muddy the mood was jubilant. Nothing more to add to Nick’s excellent report.
Maybe there were two fireworks. The first firework was Khun Jatuporn’s fiery speech. His rhetoric, his facial expressions and gestures are just a pleasure to study and it’s amazing how he can glue the audience’s ears to his mouth.
I made some photos from the stage and I also prepared a whole series of Khun Jatuporn’s expressions while he was speaking: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ratchaprasong2/
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It would seem that as much as Abbhisit’s military installed regime arrests, intimidates, slanders and shoots dead the red shirts they are not going to go away. Meanwhile tales of unrestrained gross corruption are revealed almost daily as the coalition digs their snouts into the public finance trough as deep as they can stick them.
To quote Talking Heads, same as it ever was…same as it ever was…
On a related note, interesting how the elite and wannabes in too many countries feel it is their birthright to rule, whereas all they ever seem to do is corrupt the political process to suck the public finances dry. The task of running the country well seems to elude them in the stampede to fraud and corruption. But maybe I am just cynical.
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Surachai Sae Dan from the radical “Daeng Siam” group was there as well,
I have to disagree with Nick about saying that Daeng Siam is radicle. I went to the Daeng Siam meeting once and they are one of the most progressive group among the red, far from being radicle. Surachai never demand for any violence or arm struggle but rather a transferring of power in a peaceful way. To call Daeng Siam as radicle is greatly inaccurate.
Furthermore, I want to criticize Jatuporn about his speech. I think he should; stop bashing people, stop the none sense singing, and start educate people more about democracy and what kind of corrupted governing system.
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“Tarrin”:
Radical does not mean violent in this context, but radical in their ideological convictions.
From the: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/radical
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a person who favours extreme or fundamental change in existing institutions or in political, social, or economic conditions
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For those who don’t know yet, there is always a clip by the pretty presenter (?Keepkay) with her charming smile for all Red Sunday activities. Of course that includes the trip to Ayuthaya on the 17th Oct.
Click this link below and do it again with the window on the right.
http://www.cbnpress.net/
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God bless all Red Shirt People and help them bring back Justice and Democracy !
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I agree with Nick on the term ‘radical’… and I use your spelling, ‘radicle’, myself very often to try to emphasize that fact.
For ‘radical’, no matter its denotation, has come to have the ‘bomb-throwing’ connotations of the cartoon anarchist.
While ‘radicle’ has, for me at least, a closer association with roots, as in ‘radish’, or botanical anatomy.
And our problems are sometimes (now!) best solved by going to their roots and… uprooting them.
No more violent than gardening, really, à la Voltaire.
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18 people have been killed in Thailand’s deep South during the last 10 days – yet General Prayuth has mapped out a strategy which he says sees the (largely peaceful) Red Shirts as his main focus ! :
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/18-killed-in-deep-South-during-past-ten-days-30140632.html
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Tarrin & NN
Surachai sae Dan is at home with many comrades of the 60s. Radicals don’t go around advertising their “whatever it takes” ways. Have you seen pictures of the Surachai sae Dan type at Murdaharn enclave? Very much like the Karen private army along the border.
When Jatuporn said that he didn’t know any of those bombers, he was telling the truth. This is how “cell” works. The reason he was attacking Methi was cos’ that’s ‘staple’ of redshirts and Ai Too is second to none in Thailand when it comes to qualification. And, that is a craft he has perfected. After the surrender at Rajprasong stage and we know as an anti-climax of the marathorn protest. For the redshirts in my village it is about the money. So they recruiting members for meeting and hoping their recruits will do their parts. Monetary reward will depend on one’s link recruitment success, levels down as with direct selling marketing. An early bird situation. This would send chill down Abhisit’s spine, as depicted by Chalerm Youbumrung, come this general election.
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Prem Tinsulanonda’s principal instrument is the Democrat party which, exploiting the circumstances of his day and age, he has used to win power over the Thai people and the Thai state. Through the party he practices the violence, verbal and physical, whose effectiveness is becoming increasingly contrasted with the ineffectiveness of the media, the opposition political parties, independent human rights organizations and of the constitution.
The Democrat party is now like the feudal system. Nothing has changed.
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denyzofisarn – 9
Have to ever see Red Siam’s declaration of 5 principles to solve the country’s conflicts?
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Tarrin
No. Modern communist China and Vietnam might have made capitalist in-road but their violent nature will always remain. You will know what I mean if you have been to these two countries.
The entire anti-govt movement can’t be portrayed in a stroke of a brush. I don’t think Abhisit would succumb even if it was 1 mln redshirts this spring protest. Violence is always essential in any revolution. All the ‘ahimsa’ type is a load… You know why the late Seh Daeng had Lumphini Park barricaded? The veil they hide behind! Whatever they say must be taken with a pinch of salt! This is especially true with the commies.
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Thanks for this excellent blog. I follow your blog since a while and it is really helpful in trying to understand the complex situation in Thailand! (especially from abroad)
Best from Saigon!
Chris
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“Chris”:
Thank you very much
“denyzofisarn”:
Regarding violence – all you said is to be applied to the government and the military as well. Denial is not a river in Egypt. There were snipers who have shot, injured and killed unarmed protesters, there were occasions were soldiers have run mad, and have shot not just protesters, but also rescue workers, journalists and completely innocent bystanders.
Instead of taking responsibility over the many blunders and the occasional sheer incompetence displayed in the operations in both planning and operational stages, the involved got promotions. Even though there is more than enough evidence that the security forces have shot the protesters, the government and the military are still lying about it, saying that all the protesters that were killed were killed by the militants in the Red Shirt camp.
Until today the state controlled media have not given any space whatsoever to the injured protesters, and the relatives of the killed protesters.
Under these conditions in do not see any possibility for reconciliation but further escalation. Paying lip service to reconciliation is not enough. If the state, as the overwhelming power, does not make the first step towards reconciliation, and admittance of mistakes, how can anyone expect the Red Shirts to admit in public their own mistakes.
In interviews (for my forthcoming book on the big protests and the dispersal) i have found many Red Shirt leaders far more open and honest over their own mistakes than the government side (who mostly refuse to answer any questions on the record, and only very few people of that side are willing to enter of the record conversations).
I am eagerly awaiting the results of the DSI investigation, especially if the government and the military will allow their findings to be made public, and to be forwarded to the prosecution and in the end to the court.
In a few days there will be a press briefing by the Prime Minister and Ban Ki-moon. Quite disturbing for me, and rather unusual practice – journalists invited to the briefing will have to submit their questions in advance.
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denyzofisarn- 13
Before you pass a judgment on them maybe you want to take a look on what they really have to offer?
http://redsiam.info/board/index.php?topic=71.0
here is the link for Red Siam’s road map
Furthermore, not every revolution needs to be violence one, take Spain after Francisco death for example. See how they manage to transformed from fascist dictatorship to a prosperous democracy. Usually people would op for arm struggled only because they find no other alternative to topple the power holder. Like what JFK famous quote “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
Moreover, being commie and leftist is two totally different thing, yes Surachai might have been with the commie before but that doesn’t mean that he is still believing in the ideology. Don’t forget that many students that survive the 6th Oct massacre didn’t even believe in the communist ideology but they join the movement anyway after they had been brutally massacre. Which bring me the your point about why Sae Daeng might want to set up barricade near Lumpini, my guess is that he might want to prevent the 6th October sort of similar assault but then thats just a guess.
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Tarrin (#16) – Seriously and sincerely, do you see yourself joining and following the likes of Seh Daeng (whose motto definitely must have been ‘change thru increasing violence’), or Nattawut/Jatuporn (the Baht 1o0 million pre-paid Red leaders)?
One other thing Tarrin – if you sincerely aspire to be a Red leader, the one and only caveat is that you must have demonstrated ‘unflinching fealty’ to Thaksin Shinawatra, the one and only de-facto Supreme Red Leader. Unflinching fealty comes much easier, it seems, when there is a huge Thaksin paycheck involved.
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VichaiN -17
Why do you care which side I want to join?
Do you think the red only got the sort like Sae Dang or Nattawut? there are many other red groups like Sombat of Red Sunday or the Red Ant group just to name a fews.
Btw, I never want to be anyone leader or trying to be one. This might be the first time in the history of Thailand that a large part of its population have become political wary. If someone wants to lead this movement then time will be the only factor to select the suitable leader. Thaksin tried to lead the red, he fail, so now we just have to wait for another one. Why do you think the red still able to easily muster 10,000 easily every time there’s a major rally with most of its leaders either fled or in jail?
if you sincerely aspire to be a Red leader, the one and only caveat is that you must have demonstrated ‘unflinching fealty’ to Thaksin Shinawatra, the one and only de-facto Supreme Red Leader.
That’s a pretty cheap assumption don’t you think? first Thaksin is not the only billionaire in the country so there are many other capable individual that are willing to pay more for their political gain. If you really want to talk about selling your “unflinching fealty” then Newin or Suthep is as fealty. How do you think Tarit Piengdit got the position as the chief of DSI if its not because of Suthep?
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Vichai N -17
Sombat has never hidden his disgust at some of Thaksin’s tactics. In fact, many Red shirts leaders are wary of Dr.T himself.
Your political information on Thailand is very much inaccurate.
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‘Why do you care which side I want to join?’- Tarrin (#18)
I already know which side you are with Tarrin. I just wish to know whether or not you’ll ‘flinch’. And you did flinch Tarrin, and that’s encouraging sign.
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Nick – further to your reporting that journalists invited to the briefing with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will have to submit their questions in advance – and that now Thai army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has announced that no political (Red-Shirt) gatherings are allowed in the Thai capital during the visit but representatives can instead present a letter to the UN chief –
I’m sure many will find the General’s remarks extremely unnerving and worrisome. I’m almost inclined myself to put on a red shirt and go out and about just to defy his ‘authority’.
In short – the government will reduce his visit here to one big PR exercise for their benefit – instead of it being an open and free exercise in information gathering through talks with both government officials – Red-Shirt leaders – human rights organisations and interested media.
The fact that reporters will have their questions vetted in advance is obviously an attempt to shield him from any sensitive and embarrassing questions which would no doubt come his way concerning the government’s appalling human rights record and – more specifically – its treatment of Red-Shirt protesters earlier this year.
How dare those “pesky and nasty red-Shirts” stand-up to the sickening inequality – rampant corruption – and political and military oppression that now exists in this country and seek redress and attention from the UN Secretray-General.
The arrogance and contempt the authorities have for ordinary and decent Thai citizens who have very genuine and sincere reasons to protest the governments murderous actions – earlier this year – during Ban Ki-moon’s visit and hopefully attract his attention is ample evidence of the authoritarian tyranny that now exists in Thailand.
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