Red Shirts Rally Ubon Ratchathani Thailand.

Last Thursday I was sitting at home and I could hear the droning sound of people speaking on a P.A system. I was heading over to Big C toward where the noise was coming from anyway and would check it out.

What I found was the Red Shirts, the supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra were gathering to hear speeches from leaders of the Red Shirts and Pheu Thai Political Party.

This was early afternoon and asked who was going to be there and if Thaksin was phoning in. Thaksin was not calling in but the heavy weights would be there so I planned on going back that evening.

The stage was lit up and the crowd had shrunk compared to earlier in the day.

There were still probably 400 on hand, this was after 10pm, around 5pm there was well over a 1,000.

They were here listening to Jatuporn Promphan, a Pheu Thai politician and outspoken and proud red shirt leader.


Jatuporn is passionate, he believes in what he is fighting for and best of luck to him. Jatuporn is currently on bail, he was issued temporary release granted because of his parliamentary immunity.

The red shirt supporters are passionate, they love Thaksin and I cannot see the end in sight to political rallies, no matter what happens at the upcoming election sometime this year.

If the red shirts win the election, the yellow shirts will protest. Already the PAD is saying that they will not stand cabdidates at the election, this is a worry as this will mean yellow shirts back in the streets holding all to ransom again.

All I can say was the red shirt supporters here in Ubon Ratchathani were amazingly polite, very friendly and many wanted a chat and also to have their pictures taken.

This guy was selling shirts, he spoke very good English and we had a good 20 odd minute chat. He was from Bangkok and followed the road-show around. After this night’s rally they were off to Kalisin and then Khon Kaen the next few days.

He asked my opinion of the political going ons in Thailand at the moment and I was candidly honest. I told him Thais did not understand a true democracy and how to let the political process run its course.

I told him I didn’t agree with the way the red and yellow shirts were approaching things and I also said I didn’t agree with the way the Democrat Party came to power. They hadn’t won a poll since the early nineties I think and have no hope again in the future.

He was very good and told me some of his ideas and beliefs, but also agreed that political shenanigans will not stop anytime soon, even after the coming election there is bound to be problems.

It is sad as it hurts many everyday Thais, the government caught up in all this instead of doing the best they can for their constituents.

Sadly this isn’t just Thailand but every country across the world when a candidate promises so much and wins election to then just turn their back on their promises, the platform they were elected on.

It is a dirty game politics, more so here in Thailand and I can only hope for a miracle and that somehow after the coming election there is peace on the streets and the parliament can do their job. The rulers can rule and the opposition oppose.

Brunty