Big rally turn-out surprises govt

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Big rally turn-out surprises govt

Siam Pitak group plans to escalate protest action

Published: 29 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Buoyed by what it calls a big turn-out, the Siam Pitak group is planning to hold its next rally against the Pheu Thai-led government within a month.

Anti-government protest groups turn up in force at the Royal Turf Club in the Nang Loeng area. The Pitak Siam group, the rally’s organiser, claimed the event drew 20,000 people, while police estimates put the number at a more modest 6,000. PATIPAT JANTHONG

Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit, a retired officer and the core organiser, believes the campaign is gathering momentum.

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brilliant
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Discussion 88 : 29 Oct 2012 at 20.4688
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spiceman - "Elections are won with brain"

Although I usually agree with you, I'm certainly not going to agree with that statement. If it were true, how did PTP win?
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domdunnn
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Discussion 87 : 29 Oct 2012 at 20.4087
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joninnak D 86.

I used to go to the PAD rallies in 2005 and I used to see the Dhamma Army arrive, they were bussed in quite literally, bus after bus of them, not to mention truck after truck and pick up truck after pick up truck.

It was a decent turnout I'd guess 10-15,000, more than I expected but to suggest that it was a spontaneous rally by thousands of individuals is far fetched.
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joninnak
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Discussion 86 : 29 Oct 2012 at 19.1786
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Domdunn disc 79. where oh where does it say in the above that the Dharma army was bussed in??? I have always suspected that you read and interpret what you want and the that is gospel. By the way Elvis Presley was there, although it is not mentioned above.
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peterd
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Discussion 85 : 29 Oct 2012 at 18.5085
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#45, "I would love to run the country for one year the way people vote in the Bangkok post forum.I think we would see remarkable changes." Remarkable, maybe... But certainly ugliest for Thailand. The fascism as a dream in the Country of smiles. what an horror. Buddha must cry.
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orange
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Discussion 84 : 29 Oct 2012 at 18.1084
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Keynote speakers were also largely those who joined the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)

The same crowd only not just anti-Thaksin! these days it's anti-Shinawatra family and the same people who spread all the horror stories about Thaksin will now be spreading horror stories about the Shinwatra family.
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soltair
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Discussion 83 : 29 Oct 2012 at 17.4583
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"Chalerm is right without the backing of the army these protests are meaningless.". Not necessarily, if the Army smells an unavoidable change they will change, or they don't follow orders of the government like last time, and the top man may say what he wants, we have witnessed this several times. "No there will be no coup, the Army stays in the barracks" only to see the tanks rolling out the next day. The only safety valve this country has, and if they can do another Anand Panyarachun the earlier the better. What we have now is a disgrace, and don't dare calling it democracy.
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spiceman
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Discussion 82 : 29 Oct 2012 at 17.0282
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Thai people better ask themselves whether they want Democracy or not. If not, what kind of political system do they want to replace it with?
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elvis
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Discussion 81 : 29 Oct 2012 at 17.0181
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What would make me really happy is when Thais would conquer the streets demanding modern education,an end to corruption on every level, justice for all, an end to the crypto democracy where only people with a degree can become politically active, an end to the cronyism, stifling the country's progress and above all, an end to all parties without a platform, an ideology and vision.
Any other gathering of the public is a waste of time, space and incites nothing but a crackling yawn. I'm speaking for myself, of course.
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homosapien
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Discussion 80 : 29 Oct 2012 at 16.4480
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I don't think this rally was legitimate. They called for the coup, don't you see? They're willing to violate our rights and liberty. We must not tolerate that. Never. It's a sedition intended to usurp the democratically-elected government by undemocratic and unconstitutional means. Pure and simple.

Even though I suspect that TS and their acolytes have been up to no good, I insist the political rights of every Thai citizens, the poor or the rich, the fool or genius. If they so choose, I insist their decisions must be mandated. Who am I to coerce them?
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domdunnn
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Discussion 79 : 29 Oct 2012 at 16.2979
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whatajoke D70

Nobody bussed in? Quote from the above story above, "The Dhamma Army.......turned up in force".
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