Sondhi urges military to stage a coup
‘Soldiers, don’t sit still. Come out and seize power. PAD supporters across the country will join the soldiers to seize Thailand back from those scoundrels,’ said Sondhi Limthongkul in a broadcast programme on ASTV on 20 Jan.
Sondhi phoned in from China while other PAD co-leaders were present at the TV station at Tha Phra Athit for the show, which was meant to mark Chinese New Year.
He dismissed a rumour that he had received money from Thaksin Shinawatra, saying that his actions and ASTV were a proof [of his innocence].
He said that he had not been sitting idle, but had been prepared every second to come out to fight. ‘The next fight will not be protests on the street. We’ll fight to seize state power, make or break. Because if it’s not make or break, our King will not survive,’ he said.
‘I was the first person to say that only soldiers would be the pillar supporting His Majesty the King. But if the soldiers cannot do so, soon we’ll have to do it ourselves. And this time we have to win a decisive victory. No more hitting the snake for the crows to eat. And we will not let those cockroaches [Democrat Party] snatch the prize,’ he said.
He said that at the end of the day only the force of the PAD would maintain the country, so the military had better hurry out to seize power and the PAD would join them.
Piphob Thongchai said that the PAD had not been weakened, and the Thaksin regime had not been strengthened, with 15 million electoral votes supporting the Yingluck government compared to the 19 million votes supporting the Thai Rak Thai government.
‘Now Thai society has grown up and can see through political games, and that makes Thaksin fumble in his game. Rallying to oust this government is no different from any other government, as the PAD only has to win,’ he said.
Piphob was confident that the PAD would definitely take action this year.
Somkiart Pongpaiboon, former Democrat Party MP, said that the fight of the Thaksin regime this time would be the last one with the aim of overthrowing the monarchy. He heard that 5,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian mercenaries had been hired to usurp the throne and change Thailand from ‘a democracy to a republic with a President as Head of State.’ The PAD must be prepared to come out whenever Article 112 or the Constitution is amended, he said.
Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang said that there had never been a greater force than the PAD, which had rallied for ‘384 days and nights, which is considered the longest in the history of the world.’
He said that the PAD had been asked ‘when the PAD would come down from a mountain to kick dogs.’ This would depend of the strength of the PAD, but ‘we have to let the dogs bite one another to injure themselves first,’ he said.
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Sondhi phoned in from China
Was anyone watching PAD TV? So this is Sondhi and the True-Sino-Thais against everyone else in Thailand? He'd previously said he was broke, hadn't he? He went to the homeland for financial support? Or did he go for psychiatric treatment? I hope he gets some. Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture... anything to quiet The Voices In His Head!
Hmmm. The lunatic fringe
Hmmm. The lunatic fringe resurfaces.
The problem with the PTP government is they really seem to think if they dance the monarchist jig, then people won't notice they wear peasant shoes.
So Chalerm and his coterie of weak-kneed sycophants think if they say they say they love the big guy and ou-monarchist the monarchists, then all will be forgiven and everything will be alright.
But it won't.
The currents of class hatred run too deep in Thailand. I doubt there can be any real reconciliation between 2 opposite poles.
Has Thaksin got the balls to do what is required to neutralise the anti-democratic forces in Thailand? Perhaps we shall see. If so, then methinks this year will be interesting out there.
"5,000 Vietnamese and
"5,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian mercenaries had been hired to usurp the throne and change Thailand from ‘a democracy to a republic with a President as Head of State.’"
Well luckily the flow of information is no longer totally controlled by these idiots and others of their ilk. A couple of decades ago, the military and other ultra-fascist groups would have joined in, dispersed this kind of propaganda and called it news.
Postman I do not have much faith in Thaksin either, nor his PTP cohorts. There is little choice though right now other than supporting them as opposed to any other choice but in the long run, something has to happen. The UDD red shirt grass roots potential needs to extricate itself from the Thaksin/PTP schmeer and develop some political clout soon. It just tread carefully at the same time though so as not to fall into the traps the reactionaries will lay.
The Nititat is going to be
The Nititat is going to be handing out copies of a ‘People’s Manual to Overthrow Coups’ today at the Sriburapha Auditorium at the Tha Prachan campus of Thammasat University this afternoon. They are prepared for whatever the lunatics in power may attempt. I think they are correct. Meeting demands for blackmail only increases the size of the payments. Thaksin might think he can afford to pay, and Chalerm is ready to sell outany and everyone for a place at the trough, but the currency in demand is one the Thai people cannot afford even to contemplate any longer.
Well stated. However i have
Well stated. However i have heard NITITAT has postponed this action. Chalerm seems to be the Trojan Horse within an weak and kowtowing party core apparently already selling out the people via backdoor deals.
IMO also this period is crucial and the people must at all costs not sit back now assuming a small victory at the polls keeping the Democrats out was the final victory. You can bet your last dollar the military and their cohorts are not sitting idle for one minute.
As you say, "...the currency in demand is one the Thai people cannot afford even to contemplate any longer".
On another note, the reference to 5,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian mercenaries was left out of TN's article on the same subject. I suppose their support for the PAD remains intact but they dare not print such lunacy as the risk would be some readers might begin closing the paper and throwing it in the trash.
What's the source of your
What's the source of your information that Khana Niti Raat has canceled, Robald? Can anyone in Bangkok confirm that the Niti Raat's meeting has in fact gone forward?
There are three new (4:00 -
There are three new (4:00 - 5:00 pm) postings on the Thai language side of Prachatai
Please let me know if I've botched the translations, again.
If I've got the gist of it right, though, it looks very heartening indeed. I'll go stare at it for a while and see if I can't make sense of it for myself. If we're lucky someone with real Thai language skills and real English language skills will post the sense of what's been said here... as they do everyday at Prachatai!
Thank you Prachatai! Hey, that's worth a hundred baht a month, isn't it? from those of us who use up so many column inches daily, as well as those of us who consume them, in Thai or in English. If we don't support Prachatai ourselves we're driving them into the entangling arms and potentially deadly embrace of... the dread, neo-con, corporate-fascists of Amerika!
Before Niti Raat (not
Before Niti Raat (not Nititat) distributes its leaflets to foil any coup by Sonthi-sponsored new coup, listeners of community radio stations in the suburbs of Bangkok already know what to do. This is because Ahjan Thida already issued her anti-coup manual long time ago.
Thanks for the correction! I
Thanks for the correction! I usually (try to) type Nitirat... but I fat-fingered it this time. I'll adopt your Niti Raat, assuming you're a Thai and know better than I how to transliterate it's name. So that would be Khana Niti Raat, right?
Is it Ajarn Thida's anti-coup manual they'll be distributing, then? What's it's name? Is it available in digital form over the wire?
I prefer to use double "a" in
I prefer to use double "a" in Khana Niti Raat because it has a long vowel, which is different from another Thai word with a short vowel, which has different meaning. Both words have different spelling, pronunciation and tone. In its booklet distributed on 22 January, Khana Niti Raat describes itself as Niti Saat Pheu Raat-sadorn, meaning Law/Legal Knowledge for the People.
The Thai word "rat" with a short vowel means "state" as you can see from the name of the daily newspaper Thai Rat (sometimes spelled as Thai Rath).
Ahjan Thida hosts a weekly press conference every Wednesday afternoon. Just wait for her comments to Sonthi's recent provocative remarks.
Thanks for the explanation. I
Thanks for the explanation. I wish more people would follow your convention, I need all the help I can get trying to guess which Thai word is referenced by a given latin transliteration.
I'll look for news of Thida's press conference. I'd really like to hear from Yingluk. She's the PM.
DNN report on Ahjan Thida's
DNN report on Ahjan Thida's comments on possible new coup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UYOMBvl2Z88#!
Complete weekly interview on 25 January:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLCD178A378526D1E7&v=wZcC8V7jnVY&feature=player_embedded
Unfortunartely both clips are in Thai only
I'd be really interested to
I'd be really interested to know what she said if you feel able to share. This I have not heard and I would judge it to be important.
PPT links to MCOT which
PPT links to MCOT which quotes ABAC (I can never find the data on their polls directly... can anyone help me?) ...
Twenty per cent out in force to oppose a coup would be devastating to the coupsters. What percentage of the people were out in 2010? Two per cent? Not even.
If the Royal Thai Army began to gun down those demonstrating against its coup, and there isn't much else they could do given their culture, temperament, and inability to think on their feet... wouldn't that enrage the Thai people and ensure that the Royal Thai Army would have to do just what it was trying to avoid doing... apologize and backtrack... in the face of a truly enraged populace?
And what would a restored government do vis-a-vis the manifestly murderous and traitorous Royal Thai Army at that point? Break it into pieces that could never again attempt to oppose the people?
Yeah, that sounds right. In fact, why wait for a coup?
Indeed. If your dog bites you
Indeed. If your dog bites you 18 times do you wait for number 19 or do you have it neutered?
I would love to see a coup attempt being opposed by 20% of Thais. The good generals would be pooping in their self-important green trousers. A sight well worth the wait.
John apologies I was confused
John apologies I was confused and on the road.
I am pretty sure 20% of the people oppose another coup. I am pretty sure 20% opposed most military interventions in Thailand or anywhere else. The question is how many people would actually get out into the streets.
The encouragement needed is building a momentum so let us hope it keeps going. But those guys have the guns and will use them. Look at the PTP tucking its collective tail between its legs now and kowtowing to the boys in uniform.
OK...I will remain optimistic despite my pessimism.
"...21.1 percent said they
"...21.1 percent said they would come out in force to oppose a coup..."
seems stronger to me than just 'oppose another coup'. Might be wishful thinking on my part. Truth to tell I'd rather leave it in the speculative realm rather than find out exactly what it means. It's better not to have a war than to win one, better not to have coup than to defeat one.
ABAC Poll
ABAC Poll info:
http://www.abacpoll.au.edu/ link not working...
http://www.au.edu/ Assumption University, link works
abac Hua Mak Campus
592/3 Ramkhamhaeng 24, Hua Mak, Bangkapi Thailand 10240
Huamak Campus Map
Tel: (662) 300-4553 to 62 , Fax: (662) 300-4563
E-mail : abac@au.edu
Website : http://www.au.edu/
Thanks, Frank, but I've
Thanks, Frank, but I've bounced all over their site and have never, ever been able to find their 'latest poll' when it's been cited. I'd like to read the specifics of the sample surveyed, the questions asked, and the raw data. But I can never find it. My guess is that that information is for sale only, that they 'give away' nothing.
Has the added fringe benefit of allowing their subscribers to selectively present the results they'd like and ignore the rest, with no one 'on the outside' any wiser.