O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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Cowshed Cowboy
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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Brilliant photograph, it's just a shame nothing will ever change.
Yes sir, I can boogie, I can boogie, boogie, boogie all night long.
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

Post by phuketrichard »

Cowshed Cowboy wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 4:55 pm Brilliant photograph, it's just a shame nothing will ever change.
Change takes time, wait till the majority of the dinosaurs die off..
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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phuketrichard wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 5:12 pm
Cowshed Cowboy wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 4:55 pm Brilliant photograph, it's just a shame nothing will ever change.
Change takes time, wait till the majority of the dinosaurs die off..
It's hereditary, the composition of the Parliament the current regime brought in through their undemocratic constitutional change is already staffed by the younger siblings of the current dinasaurs. The same family names crop up in uunelected ministerial positions and they are not old people. The blatant nepotism is a big part of what is driving the youth protest movement.
Yes sir, I can boogie, I can boogie, boogie, boogie all night long.
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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Sarawut Silpa-Archa - Minister of Natural Resources and Environment
Saksayam Chidchob - Minister of Transport
Ittipol Khunploem - Minister of Culture
Yes sir, I can boogie, I can boogie, boogie, boogie all night long.
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Turbul ... 6&si=44594

Thailand protesters take 'a break' with key demands unmet
Splits and mixed messages cool demos but leaders vow to return in 2021

Image
From left, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, Patsaravalee "Mind" Tanakitvibulpon, and Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree. (Source photos by Reuters and Lauren Decicca)
APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT and MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writersDecember 23, 2020 15:30 JST

BANGKOK -- After five months of street protests, Thailand is expected to have a relatively quiet New Year period as pro-democracy protests led by the youth go dormant with no progress on three key demands.

So far, protest calls have been ignored by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, and his administration remains intact. The students meanwhile appear to have come up short on new issues to protest over, and there is a growing impression that the youthful reform movement is running out of steam. Rifts have also become apparent in the leadership.

Many Thais are wary of change and the older generation continues to revere the monarchy as an institution. As youthful radicalism collides with the fundamental conservatism of Thai society, student leaders remain defiant.

"We will take a break for now," Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, one of the main protest leaders, told Nikkei Asia. "We will start fighting for democracy again next year."

"We are just taking a break, but we will never stop the fight," said Patsaravalee "Mind" Tanakitvibulpon. "Next year, we will come back with stronger force to make our dream come true."

"Next year we will fight on with a tougher movement," said Parit "Penguin" Chiwarak. "We will rip off the dictator's mask."

The prime minister's determination to stay in power drove protesters to abandon their slim hopes for quick reforms, and to regroup for a grueling campaign. The House and the Senate had started to formally consider the constitutional amendments. The process will take at least a year or two. The next general elections will happen no later than 2023.

The protests started on July 18 when COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed and offline activism became easier. Police and other observers estimated that over 20,000 protesters gathered at Democracy Monument demanding the resignation of Prayuth and his cabinet, constitutional amendments with public consultation, and reform of the monarchy.

The protests gathered momentum after students at Thammasat University read out a 10-point agenda for reform of the monarchy in August.

One of the largest protests was on Oct. 26 when thousands gathered outside the German embassy to demand Berlin investigate whether King Maha Vajiralongkorn has been conducting Thai affairs of state on German soil.

The king has been mostly resident in Bavaria in recent years. He returned to mark the fourth anniversary of his father's death on Oct. 13, and has remained in Thailand for the longest period since his accession in 2016.

With Germany in a COVID-19 lockdown, the king has used his extended time at home to mingle with royalists and members of the conservative establishment, sometimes with unusual public intimacy. Members of the royal family have accompanied him on a public relations campaign not previously seen.

Super Poll contacted 1,200 respondents in the second week of December, and reported that 98.7% wanted constitutional monarchy to remain. Super Poll is run by Assistant Professor Noppadon Kannika who is regarded as conservative despite his claims to being neutral.

There has been no debate in Germany's Bundestag, the federal parliament, in response to the student demands. Parliamentary checks have, however, confirmed that the king has been visiting on a private visa -- which does not diminish his status as a head of state in German eyes. But there has been speculation that Germany might in future require that a regent be appointed in Thailand during the king's absences for future visas to be issued.

The authorities have on occasions taken a firm stance, deploying water cannons to counter the most determined rally outside parliament on Nov. 17 when royalists actually clashed with demonstrators.

Cargo containers, concrete barriers and razor wire have also been used to block off access to sensitive areas, particularly royal properties.

In July, Prayuth announced that the king had made it clear that he did not want the controversial law of lese-majeste used against demonstrators. As the protests continued, however, anti-monarchy sentiment grew stronger, and sites with strong royal connections -- such as the Crown Property Bureau and the headquarters of Siam Commercial Bank -- were targeted as rally venues.

On Nov. 19, Prayuth reversed the official position on lese-majeste, but did not reveal if he was acting on instructions. At least 34 protesters have so far been charged under the law, which is meant to protect senior members of the royal family from hurt and offense. Those facing charges include Panasuya, Penguin and Mind. Unusually, actual arrests have not yet been reported.

Yuthaporn Issarachai, a political scientist at Sukhothai Thammatirat University, notes that many of the student leaders are facing multiple charges that require them to present themselves in different places. "That will prevent them from joining rallies and reduce their force," he said.

On Dec 7, Free Youth, one of main protest groups, launched its Restart Thailand campaign highlighting the importance of laborers and farmers. The adoption of a controversial hammer and sickle banner with obvious communist connotations attracted considerable criticism.

Jaran Ditapichai, 72, a veteran of the Communist Party of Thailand, which was officially wound up in the mid-1980s, posted on Instagram that the Communist Party of France had endorsed the Thai protests in early November. Jaran, a former member of the Human Rights Commission of Thailand, has political asylum in France.

Wherever it drew its inspiration, Restart Thailand apparently caused confusion among protesters who want genuine reform but have no interest in Cold War ideologies. Some key leaders immediately distanced themselves from the move.

"Let me make it clear that I am not a member of Free Youth, and I have nothing to do with the Restart Thailand movement," Penguin told Nikkei. "I still insist on our three key demands."

"Everybody has a right to express their political idea," said Panasuya. "However, I am not a member of Free Youth, and I don't want to create confusion -- I am still fighting for the three key demands."

Mind, the student leader who led more than 10,000 protesters to the German embassy, was also reluctant to discuss Free Youth's leftist branding. "If they want to float communist ideas, I think we should talk and make it clear before raising the issue," she told Nikkei. "I am not clear what Free Youth is trying to say."

Paisal Puechmongkol, a former assistant to Deputy Prime Minister Pravit Wongsuwan, said Free Youth's leftist inclinations were clear, and this would alienate many protesters. "I think parents of young students who don't want communism will discourage their children from joining the protests," Paisal posted on Facebook.

"It is one of several movements that our group want to propose to all protesters as one of a number of strategies to move Thailand forward," Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree, head of Free Youth told Nikkei.

Business leaders have insisted on the need to move on from ideological debates to reviving the economy. "I think the spending mood is getting back to normal, and we are seeing increased business activity that supports the economy," said Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries. "I think the tolerance for political chaos is subsiding as most people see economic issues as the priority."

The mixed-up political agendas and protest goals will make it harder to regenerate momentum when attempts are made to restart rallies next year. Yuthaporn said the recent political fractures are likely to break protesters down into smaller groups and reduce the overall pressure they can exert on the government.

"They have different political ideas and are fighting in different directions," said Yuthaporn. "We may not see any big protests next year."

"They might have to hold back and rethink their strategy as all the protests were unsuccessful, and they still have not got what they demanded," Jade Donavanik, a political scientist with the College of Asian Scholars said.

Thailand is experiencing a resurgence of the COVID-19 outbreak, with the latest flare-up coming from a province next to southwestern Bangkok. The virus could slow protesters' momentum after the year-end break, in the same way the demonstrations against the disbandment of the Future Forward Party in February were interrupted by the first phase of the pandemic.
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Turbul ... 4&si=44594

Germany plans no moves against Thai king, document shows
Berlin gives monarch a pass on conducting Thai state affairs from Germany


Image
King Maha Vajiralongkorn moves among royalists during a candlelit vigil outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok on Dec. 5 to mark the birthday of his late father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. © Reuters
JENS KASTNER, contributing writerJanuary 8, 2021 15:30 JST

HAMBURG, Germany -- The German government has no plans to take action against the Thai king for his preference of spending most of his time in the country's southwest state of Bavaria, a document seen by Nikkei Asia indicates.

The document, from Germany's foreign ministry, was a written response on Tuesday to Wolfgang Schaeuble, president of the Bundestag, the German federal parliament, over questions raised regarding King Maha Vajiralongkorn's long stays in the country, which became a focal point of protests roiling Thailand late last year.

King Vajiralongkorn has been back in Thailand since October, and the palace has made no announcements relating to possible future travel plans. Prior to his return, the king was almost permanently resident in Bavaria.

On Oct. 26, thousands of young protesters descended on the German Embassy in Bangkok, demanding an investigation into the king's activities in Germany, and whether they violated German law. The demonstrators also wanted to know if their monarch is liable for German inheritance tax following the death of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had earlier said authorities will "permanently review the goings-on and act immediately if things are found that we perceive to breach the law."

Sevim Dagdelen, one of King Vajiralongkorn's strongest critics in the Bundestag, and the Left Party's representative on its foreign affairs committee, asked parliamentary researchers to look into the legal implications of an unprecedented situation involving a foreign head of state. That study was published on Nov. 18, but only now has the foreign ministry issued an official response rebutting its finding that the German government could act against the king if it wished.

"The federal government has conveyed its expectations to the Thai side that during these stays there will be no decision-making from German soil that runs counter to German law, international law or internationally-guaranteed human rights," the foreign ministry said. "The federal government does not see any concrete indicators that the Thai king during his stay in Germany has conducted state affairs of this kind."

The ministry said it has no information about the possible conduct of Thai state affairs from Germany, or about the fates of a number of deceased dissidents and confidants. "The federal government does not have any information beyond what has been reported in the media," it said.

A key issue has been the nature of the king's visa, and the conditions under which he was permitted to reside in Germany. The foreign ministry stated that whereas King Vajiralongkorn did need a visa to visit when he was still crown prince, this ceased to be the case when he became head of state. Reports after the Bundestag research study said that as king he was residing in Germany on a private visa.


Image
Bavaria's Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl in Garmisch-Partenkirchen has been home to King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his entourage a number of times. © AP

The foreign ministry's belated clarification refutes earlier reports that Germany could influence the duration of King Vajiralongkorn's stays or pressure him to appoint a regent in Thailand while he was abroad. The speculation about appointing a regent for future visas to be issued now appears to be groundless. In early 2017, before signing the new constitution that had already been approved by national referendum in August 2016, the king had a compliant and unelected national legislative assembly adjust the old requirements for a regent to be appointed when the monarch was abroad or otherwise unavailable.

The foreign ministry declined to respond to a question based on a report in October in a Swiss daily, the Neue Zuericher Zeitung, that the king had taken direct command of two key regiments in Bangkok -- a development widely reported in other media. "Any disclosure of detailed information could be detrimental to bilateral relations and the foreign policy interests of the Federal Republic of Germany," the ministry said.

The ministry finally responded to student protest demands from October for an investigation into the king's tax status, and checks into apparent breaches of COVID-19 regulations while has resided in a Bavarian luxury hotel with an alleged harem during Germany's first lockdown in early 2020. It essentially ducked the questions by pointing out that inheritance and gift taxes, as well as enforcement of COVID-19 regulations, fall under the jurisdiction of Germany's federal states, not the central government in Berlin.

"Foreign minister Heiko Maas must declare the bizarre Thai king persona non grata if he wants to prevent the king carrying on with his reign of terror from German soil, whether as a private man or a diplomat," Dagdelen told Nikkei.

Wolfram Schaffar, an expert on Thailand at the University of Tuebingen, also expressed disappointment with the foreign ministry. He said nobody doubts that Thailand's general election in 2019 was flawed, and that the constitution -- drafted on orders from the military following a coup in 2014 -- is undemocratic.

"Although experts and analysts are united in their opinions, the German government continues to pursue its policy of making Prayuth Chan-ocha, the coup leader turned prime minister, appear a legitimate head of government and international partner," Schaffar said.

Felix Heiduk, a senior associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, views the ministry's letter as a simple reflection of the German government's perspective: As long as there is no proof of wrongdoing, any concrete moves against the king would be very harmful to the German national interest.

"Meanwhile, the worsening COVID-19 situation in Germany has pushed the topic far down the agenda," Heiduk said. "That would only change if the situation in Thailand were to escalate and the king was to play a key role in the escalation."

Government spokespeople in Bangkok had not responded to Nikkei by the time this article was posted.
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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"Bavaria's Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl in Garmisch-Partenkirchen"

I thought it was Grand Hotel Sonofabichl.
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

Post by SternAAlbifrons »

yong wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 6:36 am
On Dec 7, Free Youth, one of main protest groups, launched its Restart Thailand campaign highlighting the importance of laborers and farmers. The adoption of a controversial hammer and sickle banner with obvious communist connotations attracted considerable criticism.

Jaran Ditapichai, 72, a veteran of the Communist Party of Thailand, which was officially wound up in the mid-1980s, posted on Instagram that the Communist Party of France had endorsed the Thai protests in early November. Jaran, a former member of the Human Rights Commission of Thailand, has political asylum in France.

Wherever it drew its inspiration, Restart Thailand apparently caused confusion among protesters who want genuine reform but have no interest in Cold War ideologies. Some key leaders immediately distanced themselves from the move.

"Let me make it clear that I am not a member of Free Youth, and I have nothing to do with the Restart Thailand movement," Penguin told Nikkei. "I still insist on our three key demands."
LOL. Marxists??
Ludicrous people, 'nearly all gone.
It always makes me laugh when they make a appearance at a particular cause, but they can be bloody annoying.
Arrogant, secretive, 'say anything to others to get their trust or adopt their strategy.

At the same time being as totally LaLa Land unrealistic as any fundamentalist "written word of the bible/koran/Q-sheet" fundamentalist deluded fool.
Religous nutters. Thank god they are nearly extinct.
Harmless and totally ineffectual these days - except for causing disruption within the cause.
If you are worried about Marxists, lol sorry, you are decades out of date - except if you want to run a real "revolution".
Ask Penguin. They just get the bloody way.


(NB, taking about real Marxist here, in traditional political terminology.
Not Trumpians speaking about the centre-right Dems)
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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its back on;
Thailand police arresting anti-government protesters at Victory Monument who were trying to erect banners demanding for authorities to repeal article 112 or lesemajeste. Protesters had called on all to gather at iconic Victory Monument site at noon today
BANGKOK — Dozens of police officers descended on a gathering in central Bangkok by pro-democracy activists who were campaigning to abolish the royal defamation law.

Several people were detained in the scuffle close to Victory Monument and banners denouncing the royal insult charge confiscated by the police. It was the latest crackdown on dissent by the authorities, who appear to be taking an increasingly aggressive approach to muzzle the calls to reform the monarchy.

The activists began to assemble close to the monument, which serves as a transportation hub for Bangkok, at about 11.40am and unfolding their banners. Supporters were also encouraged to write political slogans on the banners, mostly criticizing the government and the royal defamation law, also known as lese majeste.
Police arrived at the scene about half an hour later and told the demonstrators to leave the area, citing the Emergency Decree’s ban on gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic. When they refused, police charged at the activists and took away several people, prompting a scuffle with the protesters.

A police officer also instructed the media via a loudspeaker to leave, and condemned the activists for “not considering what’s best for the country.”

The officers secured the area by about 1pm.
seems this time the police were out in force

Image

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics ... e-arrests/



anti-government protesters demanding police release those arrested earlier at Victory Monument for trying to erect banners calling for #lesemajeste/112 be repealed. Otherwise they threaten to retaliate.

watch the BBC's program, just out today, Wanchalearm and Phnom Penh get a mention as what kicked it all off
Thailand Youth Rebellion
For five months, young protesters in Thailand have been challenging a government backed by the formidable power of the armed forces and the monarchy. For the first time a mass movement is openly calling for reform of the monarchy, shattering a taboo surrounding the royal institution's near-sacred status. Influenced by last year's protests in Hong Kong, young Thais have used social media and drawn on popular culture to outwit the efforts of the Thai police to shut their movement down. An unpopular government has so far been reluctant to use harsh measures against them. The monarchy has lost much of the reverence it enjoyed under the long reign of King Bhumibol, who died four years ago. His less popular son, King Vajiralongkorn, has alarmed many Thais by accumulating even more power and living overseas. But he is now back in Thailand, meeting Thai royalists and encouraging them to challenge the student-led protests with demonstrations of loyalty. The stage is set for a dangerous confrontation between these two sides.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rkv9

also here
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: O dear, Protests in Bangkok

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Bomb attack at protest today

UPDATE: Police say 4 people were injured in the bomb attack at the pro-democracy protest earlier today, including 2 policemen, 1 civilian, and 1 reporter from The Standard news agency. A police spokesman pledges to locate and arrest those responsible

Police inspect explosive device which went off on Rama IV Rd in front of Chamchuri Square.

Image
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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