<p>Chulalongkorn Network in Honour of Morality-led Democracy has sent an e-mail urging people to join its rally at Chatuchak Park; any shirt colour will do, except red. A group of NGOs has released a statement to oppose a House dissolution, and urge the government to solve their problems first. Key persons of both groups have been active supporters of the PAD. </p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p>No crackdown plan, says PM; police wanted to warn about Security Act</p>
<p>The deployment of riot police and soldiers to close in on the dwindling red shirts at Rajprasong Intersection yesterday morning led to a rapid and massive reinforcement of crowds.</p>
<p class="rtecenter">
</p>
By Thongchai Winichakul |
<p>The conflict today is partly the result of the atrocious media, esp TV. The government's "interference" is not the only reason to blame. It is bad enough that the government have the full control of one TV channel with outcries only from a fraction of media professionals and none from media professional bodies. But the media professionals at major newspapers and other TV channels including the ThaiPBS do it out of their own biases and horrible lack of professionalism. The government may take some minutes to tell a lie live on air.</p>
<p>New Politics Party Secretary-General and PAD spokesperson Suriyasai Katasila says the red shirts’ protests at Rajprasong cause damage to the economy and society, and cannot be compared with the PAD protests which were justified. Calling on Abhisit to take legal action, he is concerned that Bangkokians will take things into their own hands. </p>
<p>Police have arrested the webmaster of a pro-red shirt website for committing lèse majesté, and will make more arrests.</p>
<p>The Research Centre of Bangkok University has found that 45.6% of Bangkokians have no hope of an improved political situation after the two rounds of talks between the government and the red-shirt leaders. They give Abhisit 6.09 out of 10 points for his performance as Prime Minister in handling the protests.</p>
<p>Bang Khen police arrested a sergeant-major and Bangkok municipal officials for destroying UDD campaign signs.</p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p>With the red-shirt rally into its third week now, a lot of Thai mainstream media outlets had ample opportunity to display their patronising attitude towards the lesser educated and poorer Thais who constitute the majority of the protesters. These media outlets have been sneering at the red shirts for their perceived naivete, political immaturity and violence-prone nature. In fact, the contempt displayed has been so blatant and numerous that a tome could be compiled from it.</p>
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee |
<p>An understanding should have been made among the red shirts beforehand that this is not ‘the last battle’, and the goal should have been to sound out their opponents. The red shirts should be aware of the fact that their force, which has just been rebuilt after the devastating defeat during Songkran last year, is not yet strong enough to finish the war once and for all.</p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p><em>Protesters try to distance lower ranks from commanders</em></p>
<p>Tens of thousands of red-shirt protesters tried to score a symbolic victory yesterday by trying to cajole troops deployed at eight spots around old Bangkok, mostly inside temples, to return to their barracks.</p>
<p>According to an <a href="http://www.manager.co.th/Politics/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9530000042080">ASTV-Manager report</a> on 25 March, Rosana Tositrakul, a Bangkok Senator, said that despite their claims of non-violence, the red shirts’ practices have been threatening. She branded the red shirts’ activities with her own term, ‘uncivil intimidation’ </p>
<p>A group called the Network of Bangkok Community Citizens has come out claiming to speak for 1,800 communities in Bangkok to urge the red shirts not to violate the rights of Bangkokians. Its spokesperson, however, has been exposed as a supporter of the People’s Alliance for Democracy protests in 2008 on behalf of the Isaan people.</p>