It would seem that either the pro Thaksin red shirts are running out of valid reasons to rally, or they are just looking to make trouble. Based on their history it is almost a sure bet the rallies are just meant to annoy and make trouble.
Trying not to sound sarcastic or satirical about the red shirts will be a significant challenge when writing this, but some of the reasons they choose to rally about border on absurdity.
Just to warm this up Quoting the Bangkok Post;
The red-shirts will, under the theme “Daeng Tang Duan” (Red All Month), hold three major anti-government demonstrations this month, Natthawut Saikua, a core leader of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said on Thursday afternoon.
“On October 11, the day that the 1997 constitution was officially enforced, the red-shirts will rally at the Victory Monument and call for a return to the 1997 charter,” Mr Natthawut said.
The red-shirt will also hold a mass gathering at Government House again on Oct 17 to demand a progress report on the UDD’s petition seeking a royal pardon for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Natthawut said.
Oct 17 will be the 60th day since the petition was submitted to the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary. The office forwarded the petition to the government and it is now being examined by the Ministry of Justice.
“As it is clear that the government intends to delay the consideration process of the petition, the red-shirts will on that day launch a signature collection campaign seeking the impeachment of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva,” Mr Natthawut said.
He said UDD would also arrange an outside-the-parliament debate on a motion of no confidence in the government on Oct 24.
So going back a few months to when Connecting the Dots said that each pro Thaksin event is part of a bigger choreographed plan that was building up to an October peek, this seems to be part of that plan, but there were no real reasons to rally. So what they have done has simply selected a smokers excuse rally. Meaning smokers will find any excuse to smoke, and the red shirts will find any excuse to rally. So having a rally for inflamed hemorrhoids is certainly a possibility too.
One of the reasons they have chosen to rally is demanding a progress report on the petition for Thaksin’s pardon. This is clearly overstepping the line. This was meant to push the process along. Seeing in that the King is part of that process, they are in fact pushing the King as well. That is certainly something any Thai in their right mind would never do. In fact imposing on any King this way no matter what country is absolutely disrespectful. But then again it does fit Thaksin’s personality to do just that.
With this, it is hard to justify any rally unless it is part of that bigger plan. No doubt the security act will be activated again, and little doubt there will be action away from the rally site. The security act for the most part makes the red shirts impotent, so it is fair to expect that more than one location in Bangkok will have to deal with the red shirts.
