Connecting the Dots

In a search for new fuel, Thaksin’s red shirts are picking assorted spots around Bangkok hunting for a tender topic that may bring in more people to their rally from the other side of the fence. Because of the violent nature of the red shirts, navigating Bangkok has become a bit more like walking around a farm that has animals, you need to look before you step to avoid them.

Perhaps the best way to describe this is red shirt scouting parties. They are out looking for public response to their test topics, as well as expose themselves to potential violence by others to create a flash point. Needless to say this is a dangerous situation for the government if Thaksin can some how marry his crusade to some unfavorable government plan, project or whatever. Up until now it has just been Thaksin bellowing about people who he feels did him wrong.

Although thus far the things they have been selecting to scouting party rally about are trivial in nature, like disagreeing with someone in their personal or business choices, or infringing on the government needed investments to re-fire the economy, those decisions are up to the government. Those scouting parties are more to simply place themselves where they can be more easily attacked causing a flash point.

This is also a campaign tactic and with the touted candidate being Thaksin repeatedly saying he was ready to lead again, that may provide a legal means to stop the red shirts. This however should be decided by the courts if this approach by Thaksin violates his five year ban on politics. After all, all the elements of a campaign are there. Banners behind Thaksin when he appears that very closely mimic the exact same theme as Barack Obama’s campaign for President of the United States. Most all the dots are there but it will be up to someone else to put them together for the Thai court.

There is also the general perceived appearance that Thailand’s forward movement may be slowing. Before the Democrats came to power Thailand was seen by many as moving backwards. Red shirts seemingly fighting to keep corruption in place, while the yellow shirts were seen looking to move Thailand forward. When one hears the red shirts cry that they are seeking democracy, while they are exercising their rights under democracy, one can not help but wonder what there educational attainment is. They seem to be fighting to get what they already have. If they can not understand that then they certainly look like they need more schooling and need to be kept far away from power they do not understand yet. It ranks right up there with children playing with matches.

However internally this is playing to the undereducated Thais that democracy does not yet exist in Thailand. But once you point out that when the People Power Party (PPP) came to power last year, they very quickly started working on winding the clock back to September 18, 2006 being the day before the coup that sent Thaksin packing. This provides a paradox for an answer. The fact that indeed the red shirts and the now defunct PPP are cut from the same cloth, it is obvious they look to take Thailand backwards, while saying they are taking it forward. This is very clearly seen from outside Thailand. So in short, the louder the red shirts speak, the more backwards Thailand looks to others.