absolutelyBangkok archive · Politics
Originally published Oct. 8, 2008
Another of the PAD’s many D-Days passed. Two people killed, over 400 injured, some requiring amputations, with the PAD vigilantes retreating to Government House. Getting ready for further chaos, positioning women, housewives and — in some cases — even children at the battle front.
Yesterday’s crime of the government: Trying to open parliament… The PAD have become an end in itself. I’m neither left nor right, just observing. But imagine a PAD succeeding and writing the rules of the game.
So far avoiding the due processes of parliament, you’ll always find a paid PAD mob on the streets should the PAD leadership disagree — yes, of a paid yellow mob, as mighty donors are financing the PAD. Promoting violence as the only language understood.
Call me a paid Thaksin hack. Then you don’t understand proper English. Scroll the archives. Thaksin is gently pulled to pieces. Fact is: Thailand has reached dangerous crossroads as the establishment openly sides with the PAD.
Skeptics are denounced as heretics. A modern-day witch hunt — with the PAD running out of options as the government does what a government has to do: Crowd control measures. The PAD’s remaining options:
Asymmetric warfare.
Peaceful means? You’re joking.
I mentioned it: One’s freedom fighter is another one’s terrorist. A first car bomb in Bangkok? Protesters shooting at police? Wouldn’t any intact government speak of terrorism.
One of the many definitions of terrorism being: “Terrorism is the premeditated, deliberate, systematic murder, mayhem and threatening of the innocent to create fear and intimidation in order to gain a political or tactical advantage, usually to influence an audience.”
PAD, you got the majority’s attention if you participate, if you approach the poor by means of grassroot programs, stop sabotaging honest business and declare war on the elite’s double standards.
Participate.
Don’t hide behind barbed wire, weapons and anger under some moral pretext, constantly waving Thai flags.
Ultranationalist fanaticism bordering on fascism doesn’t feed anyone. Or maybe Asia forgets the lessons of back then too easily.
Participate.
And you’ll be justly judged.
Photo above by David Paul Morris
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