10.00-Red Shirt on a roll, by Bally, this blog’s neutral national security analyst
- You got to be there to believe it!
About 3-40,000 Red Shirt showed up even with un-lawful government intimidation’s and actions of all types. But it wasn’t the leaders of the Red Shirt speeches that go the massive gathering roaring like lions looking for a kill, but it was a “poem” that tell of how the lower class Thais will not be put-down and treated like second class citizens anymore.
- Jai Adds Intellectural Fire
Added to what had always been missing from the Red Shirt, which is a sophisticated intellectual theory for their existence other than class struggle, Jai, the son of an icon of Thai liberal thinking Puey Ungpakorn, made a highly important five minutes showing on stage and quickly spelled out the direction Thai society will take-and that is Social-Democrat with a high dose of open-democracy, to which the Red Shirt roared in support.
- Red Shirt Rebound Strongly, Remains Powerfult Political Force
Whether or not the Red Shirt will succeed in their attempt to reach the government house and surround it, one thing is certain, the Red Shirt are back as a very powerful force in Thai politics, with the likes of Jai edging out Thaksin as the driving intellectual power of the movement. Jai is a highly popular socialist and libertarian that has a tight knit of great Thai thinkers working with him. Jai is also highly global and brings with him huge numbers of global intellectual peers.
- Question Raised about Loyalty
Jai is charged with lese majeste for his theory on the last military coup. Today the Red Shirt came out to say that they now support throwing out Thailand’s draconian lese majeste laws. About 1,000 people has signed petitions supporting Jai call for throwing out lese majeste. A drive at Red Shirt to support Jai is expected.
- Better organized gathering
Organization wise, the Red Shirt is also on a roll, with donation money coming from all over the place. There were long lines at places like a booth for people to get SMS from Red Shirt News. Satellite dish for D-TV also sold well, but there were great many demand for lower price. Books and CD on Thaksin was a hot cake, as was on Red Shirt movement and its leaders.
Police carrying guns patrolled the area and mingled with the Red Shirt with no animosity. While Nation reported only that half of Sanam Luage was full, it was because the other half is being worked on relating to the King’s sister funeral and so was off limits. But the crowd spilled out on all side, however many complained that the sound system was so bad those further away can’t understand a word-and many were so pissed off they left cursing the organizers.
Many bought their children along, and there were many many beautiful Red Shirt girls and womens walking in groups all over the place, with Red Shirt guys trying to make contact. There were no liquor drinking, but hawkers tried to sell beers. A great many guys wer really tough bad ass types that likely will even scare the heck even out of Yellow Shirt Guards.
- No TV news vans or Thai reporters were seen.
