Red rifts will grow if amnesty plight ignored

FAIRLY SPEAKING

Red rifts will grow if amnesty plight ignored

Published: 2 Feb 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

At a glance, the Yingluck Shinawatra administration is doing well to restore the country's image after political protests in the capital and the subsequent bloody crackdown in 2010.

The ‘January 29 for the Release of Political Prisoners’ group took to the streets this week to urge the government to consider amnesty for political prisoners. PATTARAPONG CHATPATTARASIL

Yet there are growing signs that it is starting to feel the heat - not from its political opponents, but from its own supporters.

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dao
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Discussion 15 : 02 Feb 2013 at 23.4815
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Well put Diss 6
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ATNN
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Discussion 14 : 02 Feb 2013 at 22.1114
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Who was Somyot fighting for? Thaksin. Every issue of his "voice of taksin" magazine revolved around Thaksin's political agenda, his court dates, his assets being seized. The very serious, criminal threats of violence Somyot leveled against court judges, were in fact part of Thaksin's asset seizure case. He belongs in jail.
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ATNN
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Discussion 13 : 02 Feb 2013 at 22.0613
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Somyot is not a political prisoner. His "Voice of Taksin" magazine made specific and repeated threats against Thailand's institutions and specific officials on behalf of returning Thaksin Shinawatra to power. There is no "rift," that is solely what the UDD was created for - Thaksin.
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SawGeorge
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Discussion 12 : 02 Feb 2013 at 19.2412
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What the ruling government need is to abandon the real culprit from UAE...next PM YS should stop telling lies which the world knows she isn't telling the truth. Next let the families of the reds who are in prison have their promised payouts in millions but not with the tax payers money but from the instigator's bourse in billions. Then only will the reds stop rallying. The reason, it's not the UDD or reds fighting for Democracy but these people are fighting just to get the promised handouts for their votes. They deserved being so ssstttxxxxd.What about all the people in Bkk who suffered huge losses in many aspects???
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jacksprat
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Discussion 11 : 02 Feb 2013 at 18.5211
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What I am actually hearing these days seems to be that many Thaksin fans are happy with Yingluck and are transferring their loyalty to her. From being a "persecuted hero", Thaksin now seems to be viewed as just another politicians. I'll bet that is not what he wanted to happen.
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peterl
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Discussion 10 : 02 Feb 2013 at 18.1410
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I agree with this article. It is time for the PT Government to decouple amnesty for Thaksin issues from amnesty for ordinary red shirt political detainees. They should find a way to do the latter sooner rather than later.
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bkposter
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Discussion 9 : 02 Feb 2013 at 12.079
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"The Democrat Party already learned their lesson from the last election, where they were punished not only at the grassroots, but also from their middle-class support base who were sick of their politicking and below-the-belt tactics." The majority of Thai do not see the DP as any cleaner than the PT and there is a history that they are drawing from. Also the majority of Thai in the poorest class believe that the PT has been more a champion for their causes than the DP and there is a history there too. The cold hard reality is that,If their was an election held today the PT would win by even a wider margin than last time.
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shopwow
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Discussion 8 : 02 Feb 2013 at 11.588
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Many reds honestly believed that they were fighting for TRUE democracy. They were brainwashed into believing that true democracy was possible on with a government controlled by the Thaksin family. Now they see all that in place, they want to shave, shampoo and walk out of prison as innocent victims. That my dear red friends is NOT democracy - in a democracy all are equal under the LAW. The LAW is not Thaksin, the law cannot be written by the PM no matter how pretty she looks. It is time, to get ready to serve your sentences. If Abhisit and Suthep did wrong, they will soon join you too.
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dao
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Discussion 7 : 02 Feb 2013 at 11.347
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Compensating the poor with taxpayer money because they broke the law for PT doesnt really make me feel sorry for them .Why doesnt Thaksin pay them with his own money ? They were fighting for his cash to begin with .
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bangmodken
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Discussion 6 : 02 Feb 2013 at 10.266
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I wouldn't be as optimistic about this tiny rift. First of all,quick hand-outs will easily heal it and the leaders in UDD's indoctrination camps throughout the north and north-east will just turn up the volume of the propaganda and blame it on everyone else.
The red shirts are still just slaves to the master. They're not an independent crass-root movement with clear goals.
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Red rifts will grow if amnesty plight ignored | Bangkok Post: opinion