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The Bangkok Post:
BP: Well, it is good there is a statement that there was no such plan, but talking of killing a Prime Minister is not a matter to joke about. It is beyond the realm of normal discourse and should be rejected. This particular red shirt group in Chiang Mai also have form for being a bunch of thugs. UPDATE: Should note that Abhisit's response on this is reasonable. He simply states that among the red shirt movement are those who are campaigning for democracy and some others who want to cause trouble. There is no labelling all red shirts as violent.
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BP seems to be reading Abhisit as if this is the place to find a clear response. You have to remember that Abhisit is the one that is meant to have the clean image, especially for foreigners. In fact, though, he sends his attack dogs out to say what he apparently thinks - we have to assume this because he NEVER calls them to heel. You have to look at what Party spokesperson Buranaj Smutharaks says and what Sathit Wongnongtoey say. And, then, look at what the backers of the Dems say. Former intelligence chiefs and appointed senators who say violence is inevitable, PAD as they call for red shirt blood, and so on (all of these in the press the past 1-2 days - see Political Prisoners in Thailand). Abhisit always wants to be able to say that he is the good guy, rule of law guy, wearing a white shirt, washing his hands. But he heads a repressive government that has supporters who are making confrontation increasingly likely.
Not to defend the station or the DJ here but has anyone managed to come up with a transcript or recording of the show? Well.... I managed to track down someone who listened to it, and his response was that it wasn't a threat, or at least was not not in his view. A lot can be had from intonation and wording and until we can actually hear a recording of the show we cannot make any kind of rational judgment on the intent of the comment. There is a big difference between the statements "what does this moron want someone to do? Blow him up with a car bomb?" and " We will blow this moron up with a car bomb". Until we know the wording and can hear the intent we cannot be positive what the direction or the intent was. I'd also like to add that this Chiang Mai station must be targeted by the authorities to have has a recording made of the broadcast and such a row be brought forward so quickly. Sometimes broadcasters, especially in a live show, make comments off hand and later wonder why on earth they said it. This could be one of those times but again until we can hear the actual broadcast we do not know what was said. Broadcasters like all media outlets sometimes do not show good taste and do not think out what should and should not be said. IMHO
Reg - A week or so ago criticized Abhisit for statements he made about Thaksin and Cambodia. His response today was perfectly reasonable. If the others make responses which get widespread TV coverage - heard Abhisit on ThaiPBS and his response was the only one from government side then will comment on it.
BP: No point repeating what I wrote above in detail. My point was exactly that others were making the running on this and they were being widely reported and other blogs were reporting them as well.
BP - surprised you are sticking with using a source such as the Bangkok Post. It is now seems to be completely compromised and on this issue appears to be just in the vein of reprinting press releases. Unless the Bangkok Post publish a transcript of this so called threat I am afraid I cannot trust them as an independent source. The clearest example of this was when they called the PAD's recent demo a shining example of how peaceful the PAD's intentions were. Thankfully Prachathai translated the calls to murder that the PAD made that day yet there was not one single word in the Post about this. They, like the government they parrot, are not a trustworthy and reliable source. Now, you can make the comment that if true such a threat is not good but you should also comment about the Post's bias and the lack of any transcript or recording so until that surfaces nothign can be confirmed. Thailand is living in dangerous times.
I wonder if there is any difference between the Chiang Mai red shirts' threat to kill PM and the yellows' threat to behead Thaksin + Hun Sen + Chavalit.
Seems like the courts agreed that the source of these complaints was just not up to it. I'd be a bit more careful about citing these idiots in the future BP. They are clearly compromised.
Dudeist - It's probably also safe to say that The Chiang Mai Provincial Court is probably more sympathetic or more open to arguments by the Reds than would be the case in some other areas of the country. |
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