It’s not the rich against the poor

[Samuel]

I’ve just watched the news on a big U.S. news network and like so many times before during the PAD or UDD protests they have reported that the Thai unrest is an uprising of the poor rural folks against the upper class Bangkok elite. Every time I hear this, I’m taking my big Thai pillow, hold it in front of my face and start screaming!
This fight is not a class war of the rich against the poor! It is a class war of the established elite against the new elite and nothing else. The role the poor from the rural areas play in this war is that they are being used as a scapegoat only. The rich have never fought a war, remember? It is always the poor, the working class and then some leaders who will end up with higher positions in a new system. The poor will go back to their farms or factories and continue living like they lived before.
The new elite were Thaksin and his family and friends. They wanted to have their share in the big and never ending market. It’s just like competition in the business world. Some win and some lose. Thaksin lost and he can’t accept it.
He is using this amazing marketing and propaganda machine of video links and his connections to the outside world. Why would the news networks make us believe that it is a class war? Because the western world sees it as a “noble” thing if the poor rise against the rich. That can’t be wrong, can it?
The news I just saw reported of a poor farmer women who participated in the protest in Bangkok and was taking turns with her husband in order to not leave the family alone. Well, I know poor farmers in the North-East. I know many of them. They do not have the funds to decide to go to Bangkok for weeks to participate in a protest. They will get paid for it, or not go at all. How many times did I see family members die and their relatives did not have enough money to go to the funeral? How many times did I see people begging for money to take their children to a doctor in the next big city? Many many times!
The news also reported about Thaksin having handed out loans to the poor farmers but now they can’t pay it back. Sure, that is the old elites fault, right? Just like the economic downturn is the democrats fault, right? How many times did I give money for funerals or medical care to my friends because they used up all their funds for mobile phones, cars, motorcycles, satellite dishes? They even paid people who were poorer to do their rice harvest or heavy machinery because they suddenly had money. But it is easier to blame someone else for one’s financial situation. And then good old Thaksin comes in and uses this new hardship as an argument to support his shameless agenda. Who do you think earned money with your endless conversations on your mobile phone? How do you think Thaksin made all his fortunes? He will even “wai” your dog if you bring it to the protests.
Do you really believe that the poor would come up with this hit and run strategy? Would they ever think of using women and children as a human shield? My poor friends wouldn’t even feel comfortable walking around Siam Paragon Mall. Now the protestors use those fancy toilets. This is all very well planned and thought through. The poor would never come up with this stuff. It’s the ideas, the strategy and the propaganda of the new wanna-be elite, headed by Thaksin and his clan.
So, don’t make us believe that this is a noble thing, an uprising of the poor against the rich. It is the shameful usage of the poor people for your own interests. And if you succeed and topple the current elite, your helpers will go back to being farmers and workers and nothing changes for them.
Oh…I forgot…you have to succeed quickly with your plans, because the rainy season will start soon and the rice needs to be planted.

[cozza]

Samuel,

Reading your post is like a big dread moved away, something I have noticed here in the media here in Australia.

Everyone loves a good poor conquer rich story I guess...

[villager]

Samuel,

Reading your post is like a big dread moved away, something I have noticed here in the media here in Australia.

Everyone loves a good poor conquer rich story I guess...

The simple truth of the matter is only the super rich such as Bill Gates,Richard Branson ETC, and here in Thailand the CP foods group who started off 8 decades ago with virtually nothing are needed to create employment for the poor masses , the big problem being of course is that those on the left regard them as somehow "exploited" rather than employed, all though they cannot recommend a better system than Capitalism and even though it has its flaws, could anyone give me a link were communism has ever been succesful?

[trtrz]

Agreed, this is an Orwellian situation.

it's elites vs elites and if new elites kicked old elites out, it won't really help the grassroots and usually such revolution is detrimental to the economy anyway and people who are mostly affected are ironically grassroots themselves.

In Animal farm, the animals(red shirts) kicked the humans(loyalists, old elites) out with the pigs(red shirt elites/Thaksin) as the brains, and horses as the work force(red shirts commoners), then the pigs became the leaders and effectively the new elites.

I would like to see the foreign media to go more in depth into analysing the situation rather than just following a standard textbook class warfare model.

[cozza]

Villager,

That was not really my point about political spectrum, rather the exploited through giving false hope of achieving the unachievable.

I agree with you 100% that those like Bill Gates create jobs and wealth through employment, I doubt many in government would have the brains or balls to do what they do.

On the other hand, to keep balance in check, there is an article I read about the exploitation of Chinese workers in KYE systems for companies like Microsoft. It is important that employees have rights and are treated like humans, allowing time for living a bit.

[vincent]

Words have been invented to express our thought and our mind,but since our words seem to be controled for one reason or another everywhere, what is the use of spending our time to enriching the media firms by writing none sense.

However, I do agree that it is not a war between the poor and the Rich but between those who are used to destory Thaïland for the own interest of the Happy few and those who think and care for Thailand. It is God to be blamed to send Ravana to creat terror in Thaïland but I'm not worried for Rama, Laksamana will soon appear with Hanuman to instore peace.
It's a war between good and evil. Nothing is permanent. All those evils who think they are heros will sooner or later find out that they are nothing but be punished by supernature and byn then they will not even their fance their own image.

[GenetheMachine]

That is a good post Samuel.

The uneducated are easy to manipulate. I have read some of Taksin's words. Some of what he has said shows me he cares more about getting back in power than he cares about the well being of Thailand.

Can anyone tell me who is paying these poor people to show up? Who is paying for their food and water and transportation? Who is paying for all of those red shirts and red hats? Who pays for the stage, the banners, the microphones and that big dove made from red flowers?

I hope a peaceful solution comes very soon.

[Ponyboy]

If we look at this from the money perspective, I guess times are tough everywhere and the stress and strain are showing in Thailand now. I agree that Taksin represents the new elite or the new way to make money in Thailand, which is through high business like buy & sell companies, shares, stocks, mergers, take overs, etc. These are common in other Western countries.

The old elites in Thailand came up from selling ancestors land to investors and companies, over and over and living off of that. They are not used to new business type. And these people are still comfortable at least for now. They don't want any trouble. They still have face. The grandkids are still ok somewhere in Europe or US. But I don't think this will last for another 20 years though. It's got to end sometime.

[Simon Ong]

I have read a lot of articles writing about the plight condition and innocence of the grassroot red-shirt protesters that at the end, all their effort will only bring good to certain ppl, but surely not themselves, as they will return to live life as before even after what they fight for has declared victory. Thus the query here: is it worth for them to scarifice themselves for somebody who later maybe not recognising their effort?

Instead taking all the things like money, reputation, national security, democracy sake, etc in to weight the agenda they are waging for, lets us narrow down the scale so that we can see it clearly. I would use a football game to describe what most of them stand for actually.

This is the final match of FIFA European Champion Cup, between Tottenhem Hot Spurs (T - Thaksin) and AC Milan (A - Abbhisit). The game finished with Tottenhem claimed victory by narrow 1-0 win over AC Milan. After the match, the AC Milan's verdict that the victory should be cancelled as the player who scored the goal is obviously off-site (the election is manipulated and the vote is bought). Unfortunately due to the bad weather, there is no satellite to broadcast and record that game thus, the claim by AC Milan is true or not still in doubt. Instead asking for re-match, AC Milan has singled out the chance for Tottenhem and monolithically, claim itself a victory. To make the things worse, the president of FIFA, has accepted the result. Ok, being a supporter and fan of Tottenhem FC, how do you feel? You are still cheering with other fans over the victory of your team, then suddenly the other side come in and snatch the victory. And now the Tottenhem is demanding for a re-match, not even asking AC Milan to return them the fame. But AC Milan refuse and in return, dubbed the opposite as "terriorist". And may put them in jail if they further any protest and struggle.

The queries arise here:
1) Is it an act of "terriost" to ask just even for a re-match?
2) Is it the victory claimed is in place though they have never ever really beaten the opposite team?
3) Where is the justice?

The current street protestors in Bangkok is just like a football team fan who is vexed by the outrageous treatment form other parties. Maybe what they support will not grant them any return at last, but this is the sentiment which does matter. A footballer like Messi is earning millions per year, but why u still support him (if u were his fan) since all the money earned by him will not share with you and he even doesnt know who u are. To put it in simple, because we admire his hardwork, contributions and, or may be just merely like him, with no special reason. If you want to understand the thinking of the street protestors, just match their sentiment with the above mentioned case that they are none others than loyal Tottenham FC fans who witness how the team they love and admire had been treated unfairly.

Hereby is the message to all so called "elite", journalist and social thinker: Dun try to complicate the sentiment of the red-shirt protestors with all the things like money, fortune, financial return, reputatation, paid by Mr. Thaksin to carry out the demonstartion, etc. As long as you still keep such thinking in judging protestors ability, prowess, endurance and motive, you will forever stay in ur own world which is dirty and with money and reputation driven mind. Of course, there is no room for any comments and arguments of you which is able to resolve the crisis.However if you were not a football nor any other sport team fans, I forgive you, as you will never truly understand the sentiment of a loyal fan.

(P/s: For any fans of Tottenham FC and AC Milan, the above illutrasted match is just to emblem the current street chaos. No offence, sincerely)

[trtrz]

I have read a lot of articles writing about the plight condition and innocence of the grassroot red-shirt protesters that at the end, all their effort will only bring good to certain ppl, but surely not themselves, as they will return to live life as before even after what they fight for has declared victory. Thus the query here: is it worth for them to scarifice themselves for somebody who later maybe not recognising their effort?

Instead taking all the things like money, reputation, national security, democracy sake, etc in to weight the agenda they are waging for, lets us narrow down the scale so that we can see it clearly. I would use a football game to describe what most of them stand for actually.

This is the final match of FIFA European Champion Cup, between Tottenhem Hot Spurs (T - Thaksin) and AC Milan (A - Abbhisit). The game finished with Tottenhem claimed victory by narrow 1-0 win over AC Milan. After the match, the AC Milan's verdict that the victory should be cancelled as the player who scored the goal is obviously off-site (the election is manipulated and the vote is bought). Unfortunately due to the bad weather, there is no satellite to broadcast and record that game thus, the claim by AC Milan is true or not still in doubt. Instead asking for re-match, AC Milan has singled out the chance for Tottenhem and monolithically, claim itself a victory. To make the things worse, the president of FIFA, has accepted the result. Ok, being a supporter and fan of Tottenhem FC, how do you feel? You are still cheering with other fans over the victory of your team, then suddenly the other side come in and snatch the victory. And now the Tottenhem is demanding for a re-match, not even asking AC Milan to return them the fame. But AC Milan refuse and in return, dubbed the opposite as "terriorist". And may put them in jail if they further any protest and struggle.

The queries arise here:
1) Is it an act of "terriost" to ask just even for a re-match?
2) Is it the victory claimed is in place though they have never ever really beaten the opposite team?
3) Where is the justice?

The current street protestors in Bangkok is just like a football team fan who is vexed by the outrageous treatment form other parties. Maybe what they support will not grant them any return at last, but this is the sentiment which does matter. A footballer like Messi is earning millions per year, but why u still support him (if u were his fan) since all the money earned by him will not share with you and he even doesnt know who u are. To put it in simple, because we admire his hardwork, contributions and, or may be just merely like him, with no special reason. If you want to understand the thinking of the street protestors, just match their sentiment with the above mentioned case that they are none others than loyal Tottenham FC fans who witness how the team they love and admire had been treated unfairly.

Hereby is the message to all so called "elite", journalist and social thinker: Dun try to complicate the sentiment of the red-shirt protestors with all the things like money, fortune, financial return, reputatation, paid by Mr. Thaksin to carry out the demonstartion, etc. As long as you still keep such thinking in judging protestors ability, prowess, endurance and motive, you will forever stay in ur own world which is dirty and with money and reputation driven mind. Of course, there is no room for any comments and arguments of you which is able to resolve the crisis.However if you were not a football nor any other sport team fans, I forgive you, as you will never truly understand the sentiment of a loyal fan.

(P/s: For any fans of Tottenham FC and AC Milan, the above illutrasted match is just to emblem the current street chaos. No offence, sincerely)

What the red shirt is asking is like asking a rematch the next day, when everyone is tired.

Anyway this example is fallacious as a country is much more than a football and there are many factors affecting how the country is run.

If you keep on having too frequent elections the country is going to be unstable as policies cannot be implemented by the govt as effectively as giving the govt time. The election no doubt will happen by 2011 as scheduled, the red shirts just want it earlier for some hidden incentives.