The Red Shirts Are Coming, The Red Shirts Are Coming

I recently mentioned that despite reports of huge crowds demonstrating against the Thai government I hadn’t seen much. Well that changed yesterday when I went to my Thai class yesterday. Sukhumvit (probably the busiest street in Bangkok) was crawling with red shirt supporters of fugitive former PM Thaksin.

I stepped off the BTS at the Asok station and all I could hear was loud Thai music blaring. At first I thought some idiot BTS employee was rocking out to some traditional Thai songs and decided to kick it up to 11 but as I got further into the station it became more and more obvious that the sound was coming from down on the street.

I peeked over the rail and – holy crap – red shirts for as far as the eye could see in both directions. My first instinct was to get right back on the BTS and get the hell out of there but then I thought those famous last words, “Hey, what’s the worst that can happen?”

As I walked along the overhead walkway my phone rang. It was my girlfriend. She said “Baby, there’s red shirts all over Rama IV Road. You should be careful. They might be heading up to Sukhumvit.”

Of course, I could only partially hear what she was saying because the red shirts were all over Sukhumvit and blaring music, shouting through megaphones, and honking their horns. I just held the phone out over the street a few seconds and then shouted back “I know! There’re already here. Don’t worry. I’m going inside.”

Of course, I didn’t go inside. I went down the steps onto the sidewalk and watched as they filtered past.

They seemed pretty happy. I would later find out that they had just come from the current PM’s residence on Soi 33 where they splashed blood all over his gate and cast a spell on him (or something like that).

Although I have no fear for my own personal safety it is interesting to watch this whole situation sort of degenerate into near absurdity.

The protest was scheduled to run from March 12 – 14th. On the 15th the red shirts made a demand that the PM dissolve parliament and hold new elections. The PM said “Hahahahahahaha Uh, no.” (I’m paraphrasing). Having had their bluff called the red shirts spent all day Tuesday donating blood which they then threw at various government related buildings on Wed.

But what really shows how desperate Khun Thaksin has become was a statement he made via video conference to his supporters. Here’s the media report on the broadcast.

Thaksin Draws Comparison between Abhisit and Hitler
UPDATE : 17 March 2010
Thaksin said via a video conference call to the Red Shirt protesters that the government has been bribing protesters to leave the rally.

The ousted premier also claimed that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has a mental disorder similar to Adolf Hitler’s.

At the Red Shirt rally at Phanfa Lilat Bridge in Bangkok, fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra made another video conference call to his supporters.

Thaksin has accused the government of trying to bribe some protestors into leaving the rally and said that someone laced the protestors’ water with poison.

However, the ousted premier thanked his supporters and asked them to remain patient, saying that the current government has a hearing problem.

Thaksin also talked about the yesterday’s blood collection. He said that despite the disapproval of many people, the Red Shirt protesters have done the right thing in sacrificing their blood for democracy.

In his speech to the Red Shirt protesters, the fugitive former prime minister claimed that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has some psychological condition similar to Adolf Hitler’s.

Thaksin added that just like the German schizophrenic dictator, Abhisit does not like to talk alone, has problems controlling his ambitions, and violent tendencies.

Thaksin also said that Abhisit is surrounded by homosexuals with emotional problems.

Toward the end of this call, Thaksin thanked his supporters again and urged them to continue their fight against the government for the sake of the younger generations.

However, he warned the protesters that the government might resort to violence since Abhisit has a mental disorder.

From TAN Network

I guess one of the good things you can take away from this is that Godwin’s Law has held up yet again.

The line about being surrounded by homosexuals with emotional problems I think is a reference to a rumor going around the red shirt camp about Abhisit having been caught on film or video (changes depending on who’s telling the story) having sex with a ladyboy and that if exposed Abhisit would have to leave the country due to the embarrassing nature of the images. So, in effect, this ladyboy is in control of the government and is controlling Abhisit like a puppet.

Ahh . . . just another day in Thai politics.