what a circus, nice report Chi, good job
what a circus, nice report Chi, good job
This older man was not just pushing against the riot shields. He charged them and hit them very hard and then spun into the police almost breaking through.
He hit them like was playing football or rugby.
Great pictorial mate, well done
If 90% hate Samak why did the fuckwits vote him in?Originally Posted by chitown
They don't consider anyone outside of Bangkok as Thai.
They think Isaan residents' votes should each count 0.25 of a Bangkok resident.
They espouse democracy, even call themselves the Democrats, yet protest following a fair and free election because they don't like the result.
Amazing Thailand.
^ It was interesting to see rich Thai Chinese arriving in a Mercedes for the rally. Some showed up in nice vans with drivers. They think they are the only ones that represent the country.
I spoke with several about the democratic election which resulted in Samak being elected and was told that I just did not understand Thai politics. That Samak was a nominee for Taksin and this new government is really just made up of banned members from the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party. It is Taksin and his followers that are running the country and it is unacceptable.
When I persisted with pointing out that the majority of Thais elected this government. They said that voters were uninformed and did not know better. They feel that many voters are easily swayed by promises made by candidates.
I asked about doing it democratically in the next election and they said Thailand could not wait. The country will be ruined by then. Samak has to leave now.
There are people upcountry who support PAD. Most of the people who support PAD have access to ASTV which offers the other side of the Thai story. When Thaksin was in power the mainstream media was unable to express negative opinions against Thaksin. ASTV got the people interested. It has been covering the PAD protests since they started. The Thailand Outlook Channel also part of ASTV but in English also gives coverage on and off throughout the day. Thailand Outlook Channel has been blocked on my server. Through ASTV the protesters are able to raise money from Thais living abroad.
I guess Chalerm has forced upcountry cable operators who offered ASTV to cut it from their programming. Why, if there are so few supporters up there? I think the truth is there is a lot of information going upcountry through ASTV and the government doesn't want people upcountry to get that information because it is damaging to the government. Would the poor farmers upcountry support the PAD if they had access to ASTV? I think a lot of them would. Samak and his cronies are about keeping the farmers upcountry uninformed.
If you haven't seen ASTV I hope that you do because if you if haven't you are only seeing one half of the picture and getting half of the information.
nice work mate
Well done and many thanks. Some excellent reportage photography. And at no small risk to get them.
(Before submitting photos/ videos to tv stations, news agencies etc etc best to read their terms and conditions. Some claim copyright plus the right to worldwide publication with NO fees whatsoever to the author. They must make a fortune selling others' work on the basis that they are giving the author a by-line credit. Ripoffs - before digital photography allowed almost instant downloads, news agencies would give fair remuneration based on local/ national/ international distribution rates. If anyone has anything really news worthy then contact the Picture Desk of the newspaper etc and discuss what they are prepared to pay. If not then don't submit. How much do you think they pay professionals & freelancers for work submitted? If nothing they would soon go elsewhere.)
Let me also add my congratulations and thanks for some outstanding photos during an extremely volatile event.
Extremely Well Done.
It seems the police and army in Thailand are either cowards or these protests are staged. A little pushing and a little shoving and then the step aside and let the protesters walk through their riot lines. I think it is the same with the red shirt demonstrations.
If it was Chicago, the cops would have tap danced on the heads of the protesters . They would have turned loose on them with batons, rubber bullets, dogs, water canons, tear gas and tasers in the 1st 30 seconds.
Oh. But that sort of thing is not allowed in Thailand. If the cops were to get rough they would be charged themselves. At least where the yellows are concerned. And of course with the army ready to step in on the side of the yellows, the cops need to be very cautious. It remains to be seen if the reds will be treated with the same courtesy throughout their protest. So far it seems the police have shown an unbiased disregard for law and order to both the reds and yellows.
I suspect that if some violence isn't forthcoming from the reds it will be manufactured in order to give the army an excuse to intervene with a more heavy hand.
In this situation I do feel some sympathy for the cops as they are being used as pawns in this game. Either being branded as cowards or bullies depending on the state of play, but never being given any real authority to intervene in an appropriate manner.
The cops are the "little brothers" in relation to maintaining the peace in Thailand.
The real power lies in the hands of the military and the cops well know that. And unlike the cops, the military are immune from the law.
Not to bump and old thread, but I have not viewed this thread for a a long, long time. To me this whole thing seemed like an act or a play. The military let the yellows do whatever they wanted after putting up a tad bit of as show - I would hardly call it a fight. Actually I have seen high school plays that looked more real.
I am sure this stuff will seem like a walk in the park with what the Yellow shirts, the military coup addicts and "others" have in mind for the 2012. Quite possibly a civil war if you ask me. Bloodshed and brutal fighting in the streets is the Chi prediction for 2012. I hope I am wrong.
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