- Joined
- Oct 26, 2008
- Messages
- 5,212
- Points
- 63
April 4, 2010
Thaksin Shinawatra is not giving money to the Red Shirts alone. Several big businesses have also jumped in to bankroll the mob. They do not want to miss the boat in case the Red Shirts prevail.
A big food company has given the Red Shirts about Bt175 million, one source told me. Its executives might not have a very good relationship with Thaksin when he was in power. But it is now trying to play it safe. Giving money to the Red Shirts is a way to protect their business operations. It does not believe that the government can provide it with the protection. This big food company is all over the place in both the public sector and private sector.
We are not leaving Rajaprasong until we get what we want.
A banking institution has also agreed to dig into its pocket to pay. It is not sure who were behind the bombings of Bangkok. Some Bt100 million has been paid out so far. A company involved in intoxicated drinks is also making a similar financial contribution.
But the largest financier of the Red mob is a home builder, with contacts from a temple.
"All in all, the reds have no issue with funding. There is no need of funding from Mr T," one source said.
So what's going to happen next?
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is facing a dilemma. If he orders the security forces to move in to disperse the Red Shirts in the Rajaprasong Intersection, he might be blamed for killing people if there were fatal injuries. The Military would also take the blame. But if the government continues to play a soft hand by allowing the Red Shirts to occupy the commercial and business district of Bangkok, it will also be blamed for doing nothing to restore peace to the country. The businessmen and the financiers are complaining that soon everybody would get hurt.
The most Abhisit can do now is to enforce the Internal Security Law without actually enforcing the law. The order for the Red Shirts to move out of the Rajaprasong area also covers other parts of Bangkok. Strangely enough, Abhisit has called upon the Red Shirts to return to Phanfah Leela Bridge where they are allowed to set up the stage to continue the protest. But the Red Shirts have defied the order. And nothing happens.
Over the next few days, there could be some sort of a compromise. The two rounds of negotiations between Abhisit and the Red Shirts have produced no result. The Red Shirts would like Abhisit to dissolve Parliament in 15 days. Abhisit has proposed that he is willing to dissolve Parliament in nine months after rewriting the Constitution, holding a referendum and passing the 2011 budget. The Red Shirt academics have quickly floated a three month deadline for a House dissolution. At the same time, Abhisit hinted that if the constitutional amendment and the budget process can be hastened up, the timing for a House dissolution could be shortened to six months.
At this point, I have overheard that there is a possibility that Abhisit might be willing to reach a compromise for a House dissolution in four or five months.
With the Red Shirts' occupation of the key centres of Bangkok, Abhisit is under going a big test as to whether he can keep the situation under control. The key is who can maintain more endurance. Any rush to quash the Red Shirts from the street demonstrations could run into charges of double standards since the Yellow Shirts have set the precedences by seizing the Government House and blocking the airport. The Military, again, also wants to play it safe.
The Red Shirts have already installed at least 20 cameras and videos, which are ready to shoot and replay the incidents if the government decides to step in to quash them.
The situation is now a stand pat.<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
Thaksin Shinawatra is not giving money to the Red Shirts alone. Several big businesses have also jumped in to bankroll the mob. They do not want to miss the boat in case the Red Shirts prevail.
A big food company has given the Red Shirts about Bt175 million, one source told me. Its executives might not have a very good relationship with Thaksin when he was in power. But it is now trying to play it safe. Giving money to the Red Shirts is a way to protect their business operations. It does not believe that the government can provide it with the protection. This big food company is all over the place in both the public sector and private sector.

We are not leaving Rajaprasong until we get what we want.
A banking institution has also agreed to dig into its pocket to pay. It is not sure who were behind the bombings of Bangkok. Some Bt100 million has been paid out so far. A company involved in intoxicated drinks is also making a similar financial contribution.
But the largest financier of the Red mob is a home builder, with contacts from a temple.
"All in all, the reds have no issue with funding. There is no need of funding from Mr T," one source said.
So what's going to happen next?
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is facing a dilemma. If he orders the security forces to move in to disperse the Red Shirts in the Rajaprasong Intersection, he might be blamed for killing people if there were fatal injuries. The Military would also take the blame. But if the government continues to play a soft hand by allowing the Red Shirts to occupy the commercial and business district of Bangkok, it will also be blamed for doing nothing to restore peace to the country. The businessmen and the financiers are complaining that soon everybody would get hurt.
The most Abhisit can do now is to enforce the Internal Security Law without actually enforcing the law. The order for the Red Shirts to move out of the Rajaprasong area also covers other parts of Bangkok. Strangely enough, Abhisit has called upon the Red Shirts to return to Phanfah Leela Bridge where they are allowed to set up the stage to continue the protest. But the Red Shirts have defied the order. And nothing happens.
Over the next few days, there could be some sort of a compromise. The two rounds of negotiations between Abhisit and the Red Shirts have produced no result. The Red Shirts would like Abhisit to dissolve Parliament in 15 days. Abhisit has proposed that he is willing to dissolve Parliament in nine months after rewriting the Constitution, holding a referendum and passing the 2011 budget. The Red Shirt academics have quickly floated a three month deadline for a House dissolution. At the same time, Abhisit hinted that if the constitutional amendment and the budget process can be hastened up, the timing for a House dissolution could be shortened to six months.
At this point, I have overheard that there is a possibility that Abhisit might be willing to reach a compromise for a House dissolution in four or five months.
With the Red Shirts' occupation of the key centres of Bangkok, Abhisit is under going a big test as to whether he can keep the situation under control. The key is who can maintain more endurance. Any rush to quash the Red Shirts from the street demonstrations could run into charges of double standards since the Yellow Shirts have set the precedences by seizing the Government House and blocking the airport. The Military, again, also wants to play it safe.
The Red Shirts have already installed at least 20 cameras and videos, which are ready to shoot and replay the incidents if the government decides to step in to quash them.
The situation is now a stand pat.<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">