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Thailand moves closer to civil war as Red Shirt General shot by sniper
14 May 2010 8ak: Tensions in Thailand have peaked with the government withdrawing its offer to hold fresh elections. The increased security includes additional snipers, one of whom yesterday may have shot a serving general, nicknamed Seh Daeng, who was backing and leading the protesters. This has led to the 'Red Shirts' strengthening their resolve and staying putt far away from their rural homes. New York Times reports that the general was shot while he was speaking to one of their correspondents.
In essence, the fight seems to be between the elite, mostly city dwellers and the rural poor. A commentator on a Thai forum discussing this issue said in relation to the protesters "their elected PM Taksin was thrown out in an elite backed army coup. After the election, rigged by the army, they still won again and had then their PM thrown out in an elite backed judicial coup, their next nominee was then ejected by elite backed protests and a shady elite-backed army deal with their coalition party." According to the Bangkok Post, "The reds say the government is undemocratic because it came to power in a 2008 parliamentary vote after a court ruling ousted elected allies of their hero, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was unseated in a 2006 coup." Thaksin was known to be corrupt, his $2.2 billion in assets have been seized and he is in exile but was popular for his anti-poverty programs.
While the crisis started in 2006, it only turned violent in March 2010 and has claimed the lives of over 30 people. The National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) who have led the protests against the government so far had called for a re-election. After finally agreeing in the last week, Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva withdrew the offer and instead imposed a military crackdown to disperse the protesters. Only the strongest restrictions on travel, media, special powers and constant crack-downs have managed to keep even more rural poor from joining the protests which are the largest in two decades.
After the shootings, tensions have escalated and US and UK embassies have shut down today. Everyone is on the edge waiting to see what happens next..
8ak - Indian Defence News
14 May 2010 8ak: Tensions in Thailand have peaked with the government withdrawing its offer to hold fresh elections. The increased security includes additional snipers, one of whom yesterday may have shot a serving general, nicknamed Seh Daeng, who was backing and leading the protesters. This has led to the 'Red Shirts' strengthening their resolve and staying putt far away from their rural homes. New York Times reports that the general was shot while he was speaking to one of their correspondents.
In essence, the fight seems to be between the elite, mostly city dwellers and the rural poor. A commentator on a Thai forum discussing this issue said in relation to the protesters "their elected PM Taksin was thrown out in an elite backed army coup. After the election, rigged by the army, they still won again and had then their PM thrown out in an elite backed judicial coup, their next nominee was then ejected by elite backed protests and a shady elite-backed army deal with their coalition party." According to the Bangkok Post, "The reds say the government is undemocratic because it came to power in a 2008 parliamentary vote after a court ruling ousted elected allies of their hero, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was unseated in a 2006 coup." Thaksin was known to be corrupt, his $2.2 billion in assets have been seized and he is in exile but was popular for his anti-poverty programs.
While the crisis started in 2006, it only turned violent in March 2010 and has claimed the lives of over 30 people. The National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) who have led the protests against the government so far had called for a re-election. After finally agreeing in the last week, Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva withdrew the offer and instead imposed a military crackdown to disperse the protesters. Only the strongest restrictions on travel, media, special powers and constant crack-downs have managed to keep even more rural poor from joining the protests which are the largest in two decades.
After the shootings, tensions have escalated and US and UK embassies have shut down today. Everyone is on the edge waiting to see what happens next..
8ak - Indian Defence News
