Once defiant ‘Red Shirt’ anti-government protesters surrendered after Thai troops crushed a months-long street standoff that had paralyzed central Bangkok. Hundreds are under arrest, a night-time curfew has been declared along with a TV news blackout as the army tries to mop up small pockets of resistance. But will the tough action by the security forces restore a lasting peace to the capital of the so-called ‘Land of Smiles”? Or, is more violence, bloodshed and social unrest likely? Can the kingdom regain a sense of unity? And, who are the main players in this national tragedy? In this audio slideshow, Duncan McCargo, author of Tearing Apart the Land: Islam and Legitimacy in Southern Thailand, winner of Asia Society's Bernard Schwartz Book Award, discusses Thailand's political crisis.
Produced by Stephanie Valera, Asia Society Online
anonymous | 11:21:11 09:10pm
What role is Islam playing in Thailand ? Are they helping or hurting?
- reply
Amber | 09:17:10 01:58pm
I am writting a report on the red shirt because they are very
intressting to me. I live in the US so it is very hard to understand
what is going on in a place i am not and to really understand. Id like
to hear more about the Red Shirts. How did it really effect you and how
do you feel about the group? Please help me out in understanding the
situation and the issue as a whole. Thank you!
Kent Hwang | 06:15:10 03:48pm
What is really behide this demonstration? Former fugitive Taksin
Shinawat is the key person, who should take full responsible, for him
who had bought ( corrupted) all the raminification of all Thai society
from top to bottom with all the money that he had manipulating while in
the office of Thailand Piminister post, with in no more than 4-5 years,
he managed to turn all the Thai national resources into his own private
property, luckily that all the intellectuals in Thailand had stood up
against him, finally he got the sentence from Supreme Court of Thailand
3 years jail time, he fled away ,and phone in ,video link to Thailand
ffrom every corner of the world to order and organised the subotage to
the country without common decency, just for the revenge of his own
interested, he had committed all kind of evil with the assets he had,
hell is going for him soon.!!!!
Apinan S. | 05:23:10 12:19am
Thank god its finally over. I love my country and i feel we all lost in this battle. No one to blame but ourselves.
Gregory Galligan | 05:19:10 10:44am
I've been wanting to see Asia Society open a center in Bangkok for
years now. Your presence could help in mattters of cultural exchange,
education, and other projects and events. It would surely represent a
new expression of hope and encouragement in the region for you to
pioneer this, now, thus setting a sterling example for others.---Gregory
Galligan, PhD, Fulbright Senior Research Fellow to Thailand, 2010
(Bangkok)
Alex Har | 05:18:10 09:30pm
The real fear is that the yellow shirts become impatient and take to the streets. This would create a civil war situation.
Glenn K | 05:15:10 06:51pm
Regardless of which color "shirt" one identifies with or how divided
Thai society is, there will never be a foundation for any successful
govenment in Thailand without adherence to the rule of law.
Unfortunatley, both sides of the current struggle seem to have made
grave mistakes by either ignoring (the "Reds") or failing to
adequately/quickly enforce (the Government) the rule of law as this
crisis began to escalate two months ago. While nobody knows exactly how
far the conflict will go, or how it can possibly end, there is no hope
for any kind of true democracy in Thailand without re-institutionalizing
the rule of law.
Carter | 05:16:10 12:53pm
The "rule of law" was broken when the military overthrew the
rightfully elected prime minister in a coup in 2006. The "law" in
Thailand is the law of what is essentially a corrupt dictatorship
disguised as a constitutional monarchy . . . one that pretends to have
elections but then just throws out whoever they don't like at gunpoint.
The people have god-given right to protest such gross injustice, and
should, and free people of the world should wish them the best in their
efforts to overcome tyranny, human rights abuses, and the gross misuse
of power on the part of Thailand's current government and legal system.
Glenn K | 05:16:10 02:45pm
I agree, for the most part. There is a long history and culture of
power struggles among the elites in Thailand, and the "guise" of a
democratic society to the outside world. Insiders know better. This is
Thailand- nothing is as it seems! While the "Reds" absolutely should
be free to voice their concerns, there is a fine line between doing so
and then holding a city hostage...what about the rights of the people
who live and work in Ratchaprasong? Many of my friends have had their
livelihoods destroyed- possibly for good. I am all for their right to
protest, and to seek change. All voices should be heard. I just do not
agree with their tactics. They are no different than what others, as
you allude to, have done in previous coups or other situations of gross
injustice. Regardless, now what? Even if the government clears
Ratchaprasong of Reds, now there are no elections scheduled, and no
political change. Now what?
