“I got over my hatred of Thaksin a long time ago (when will you?).”

- Hobby

Are we living in the same planet Hobby?

Thaksin means to kill and burn us (Bangkok people) all? I merely distrusted Thaksin before May 2010. Thaksin today is my icon of unadulterated abomination.

FWIW, IMO, for one to get a guide as to where truth might be, the blocked sites need to be unblocked so that Thai people can see all sides of the story, and make up their own minds.

“I think your trumpeting of provocative, hate inspiring red rhetoric should also be condemned.”

– Jaded

I believe this sentence was addressed to me. Explain to me further Jaded why I should be condemned for pointing out to the reds (both peaceful and hateful) that their “ideology of hatred” will get them nowhere but hell.

But I do agree that certain red hardcores (Hobby and Prachatai for instance) do get very agitated when reminded so … but their reaction encourages me that the truth had started to burn them to their bones.

“The PM and the army have done this country some great service and it would be a pity to throw away the advantage gained by deepening the division that has been created.”

What you been smoking Jaded?

Killing to avoid a (legitimizing) election is not what I would call a “great service” (other than to those who knew they would have been on the losing side of that election).

There’s a massive propaganda campaign underway to obfuscate that fact, but I doubt its going to work on those who care about democracy.

I am sorry Vichai N as I didn’t indicate that I was replying directly to your query. I agree with you.

“Allowing for the fact that the lumpen membership of the various coloured shirts movements actually believe the rhetoric -”

- was merely pointing out that the people who actually demonstrate have been manipulated.

In my experience fanning the flames of hatred with incendiary statements and suggestions generally leads to an escalation. That’s why I was so strong in my condemnation of unsubstantiated allegations that appeared on Prachatai. I think your trumpeting of provocative, hate inspiring red rhetoric should also be condemned. If you want to raise emotions further then continue in this vein.

What you call convoluted double speak I call analysis. I won’t be engaging in the blame game because, frankly, I believe that this sort of thinking becomes part of the problem. If you believe that you have right on your side and they believe that they have right on their side then nothing short of the anihilation of one side will resolve the situation. This prolongs the conflict, and while it may lead to victory for one side as it did in say Sri Lanka, the cost of victory is very high.

Many people are very hurt at the moment and feelings are running high. I respecct your frustration but I urge you to reconsider your attitude. It could have been much worse. I think Thailand’s government managed to avoid a much greater disaster than the one that actually occurred. The PM and the army have done this country some great service and it would be a pity to throw away the advantage gained by deepening the division that has been created.

There I go again being convoluted and speaking in double speak, right? My point in a nutshell then can be expressed crudely.

Whose interest do you think is served by stirring this shit further? This talk of “hatred” is just shit stirring.

From the convoluted double-speak response Jaded gave, I’ll take it that his response to my question was a convoluted double-speak resounding YES.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs594.snc3/31311_125407444152712_120544157972374_251977_420031_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs534.ash1/31311_125407440819379_120544157972374_251976_7259406_n.jpg

No pistol grip, eh?

Here is the second that looks like the launcher from the video:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs574.snc3/31311_125407450819378_120544157972374_251978_6620971_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs594.snc3/31311_125407594152697_120544157972374_251987_2312611_n.jpg

Here is the “standard” launcher:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Grenade_launcher_M79_1.jpg

I hope I’m not spreading too much hatred with my absolutely useless, unsubstantiated, false and misleading links to the pictures.

You are a funny guy, Roger, to accuse me of fanning hatred.

(BD: OK we’ll leave it with this last of exchanges guys – BTW, didn’t think those military attachés looked especially bored.)

May I compliment you on a well thought, balance article, without taking sides.

Roger

All I can see are sore losers.

Others demonstrate relief it’s over and disbelieve how people can be manipulated in such a way, making it highly plausible that soon the big old liar is the big old democrat again, as if nothing happened.

Reds turned out to be their own worst enemy, nothing to do with idiotic triumphalism, but the triumph of reason.