Boonlert unfit to lead another protest

Published: 30 Nov 2012 at 11.58
Online news: Opinion

Former Pitak Siam group leader Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit not only grossly miscalculated the expected turnout at last Saturday's Pitak Siam rally and shot himself in the foot with his outlandish idea of freezing democracy for five years, he also blundered badly by trying to seek army intervention after police fired tear gas at protesters.

Seh Ai

The retired general, also known as Seh Ai, has made the right decision, to step aside and not to lead any more anti-government rallies in the future.

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apachepat
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Discussion 8 : 01 Dec 2012 at 03.518
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Seh Daeng will be remembered forever, Seh Ai is forgotten already
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ringmaster
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Discussion 7 : 30 Nov 2012 at 23.317
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D2 If I remember my history correctly that particular General you speak of during the 2010 protest received a sniper's bullet for his efforts. Seh Daeng became a martyr and a hero (it was a mistake to assassinate him during an interview with a New York Times reporter). History won't be so kind to Seh Ai. He will continue to be chastised and ridiculed for his efforts.
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drsmith
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Discussion 6 : 30 Nov 2012 at 19.176
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The general is retired and out of the power clique. He probably does not have enough money to buy any influence. While 1997 should be a lesson to all that gross corruption and mismanagement can sink the ship, the only alternative to righting the wrongs is a censure date. In the censure debate, politicians are scared to death to cross the party line and therefore do not. This results in zero corrective action. The general is carrying the right message that the country is being bankrupted by the politicians but his lack of experience and execution doomed the protest.
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bkk1
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Discussion 5 : 30 Nov 2012 at 18.595
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Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit is No worse then any other Red, PTP, Yellow or MP of any party

They all need replacing
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peterd
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Discussion 4 : 30 Nov 2012 at 17.544
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Maybe somebody made him some promises, waiting to see which way the wind was blowing. When he understood that the cavalry would not come, he took the right decision, surely bitter and disappointed. Agree totally with the Writer: "the use of tear gas in crowd control is standard practice by police the world" and this day the police was perfectly professional and acted with self-restraint and moderation, even when the protesters were aggressive.
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dickemery
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Discussion 3 : 30 Nov 2012 at 17.443
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the general certainly shot himself in the foot from day one with his out burst of naivety, being an inexperience campainer,aleast he unlike the turncoats and the amnart, had a voice and if the rally was well organised by the silent majority,it would have been a different ball game,but it appear society accepts graft and bad ethics,the legitamacy to use tear gas at 9am against peoples mums and dad was disgraceful behavior,and yet even in this artilce the jury out? no condemnation ?
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banmebkk
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Discussion 2 : 30 Nov 2012 at 17.002
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Well won't you say the army chief all acted correctly with the police doing their jobs. Unlike the 2010 protest where a Army General gather his own troops and plan to fight against the government, not to mention he police standing there watching protesters do whatever they want.
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domdunnn
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Discussion 1 : 30 Nov 2012 at 16.571
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Well said.

I feel a measure of sympathy for Boonlert it was quite clear from the start that he was just a front man for others, he simply wasn't up to the job and when things went wrong they hung him out to dry.
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Boonlert unfit to lead another protest | Bangkok Post: opinion