Buddhist Celebrities: Additional Colour In Thai Protest

Here it goes again. Protest in Thailand continues. Actually i had wanted to stop posting on the protest after last week's post because it has become like a routine and boring affair for people like us who are not directly affected by the demonstration but it seemed like readers out there like it. This blog registered a significant higher hits on the days i posted on the protest in Thailand. So i guess I'll just continue to do so. For those of you who have got bored with it, just skip this post.

After 2 unsuccessful peace talks with the PM, the Reds will be out again, infact they were out today afternoon. However the highlight would be tomorrow's protest because the leaders of the Reds have boasted that tomorrow's rally would be the largest to date. Earlier this afternoon a relatively small group of Reds gathered at the US Embassy to send a letter. to the US government. Last Tuesday, the US issued a statement saying that it hoped a peaceful resolution would be reached and viewed last week's peace talk as the right approach towards achieving peace. This statement was not being taken well by the Reds. It appears to them the US is supporting Abhisit's government and accused the government of using the US to discredit their leader Thaksin. One of the leaders who participated in last week's peace talk, Weng managed to hand over a letter to officials from the US Embassy. In the letter addressed to US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, they thanked her for her concerns and assured her that the Reds would not resort to violence to achieve their goals. After handing the letter to officals from the embassy, the Reds left the embassy at about 1.50pm

Heavy presence of policemen at the US Embassy

Weng, whom many said had the worst performance among the 3 Reds who took part in peace talks with Abhisit last week, handed over a letter to US Embassy. It was obvious they were not happy with the US but instead of showing their displeasure for the US, they thanked the US Government for its concern

Meanwhile another group of protesters has emerged to add colors to the protest. A group of academicians and business owners in Bangkok have come out to protest against the Reds for affecting their lives and businesses over the past 3 weeks and to oppose the dissolutoin of the House. These group who claim to be apolitical, call themselves Pinks and will wear Pink color shirt in their protest. Their first protest started at around 1pm today by gathering in the hundreds at Lumpini Park. They had earlier planned to hold a rally in the compound of Chulalongkorn University but cancelled the plan after the university was closed for 4 days to avoid any confrontation with the Reds whom had warned that they would march to the university if the rally was allowed to be held there.

When the Reds passed by the park on their way to the US embassy this afternoon, verbal attacks were hurled at each other and had to be stopped by the police who have been anticipating of possible confrontation between the two groups.
Some of the Pinks carried banner " Please stop it, we want our normal life " and some booed at the Reds. The Reds accuse the government of using the Yellows ( supporters of the Democrats ) disguising as Pinks to counter their protest and warn that they cannot rule out any possible confrontation if they were being provoked by the Pinks.

The Pinks in action

Hello Miss, protest for all you want, Thaksin is enjoying his time in Russia now

Looks like the Pinks are running out of patience. Earlier in the evening, a group of Pinks attacked two passerby Red supporters and only with inteference from the police that the situation was brought under control. The Reds should be commended for keeping to their promise of no violent protest so far but the Pinks turn violent on the 1st day of their rally. The police will surely have a tough time maintaining order tomorrow and thereafter with the emergence of a new group of protesters.