Anyone know what was going on at Thuangsri Muang this morning around 11.
Driving by, the place was filled up with people wearing red headbands. Driving home I noticed a few pick ups filled up with "wild boys" all wearing red headbands heading in the direction of Thuangsri Muang?
Anyone know what the red headbands signify?

I saw the same group in the same place around 2pm. They've rallied there before. I didn't think much of it and went about my business.

Her indoors informs me that there was an Anti Thaksin Rally, taking place, with people coming up from BKK, and all over Issan.

The nation has an article saying that it was a PAD ralley. An anti Pad group attacked them ended up with one dead and twenty injuried.

On the Thai TV news tonight

Yeah 1 dead and 25 injured... Red headbands are pro Samak/thaksin and yellow headbands are the "get out" group anti thaksin/samak... apparantly... i go every evening flying my rc plane at that park, couldnt fly tonight because of rain and shed loads of idiots running around...

Does anyone know why is this stuff happening way up here in Udon?

Protests are fine, but now people are getting killed and injured.

Is this a small signal we all don't want to acknowledge?

Guess what I am concerned about is during the coop, all the "action" was centered in BKK.

Now it apparently is heading to the Issan areas????

I think it may be a good time to stay close to home.

Am I just reading to much into the headlines?

my wife called me to watch it on TV but I said no I don't understand thai and I am not interested in thailand politics all I want is to be safe and if it get out of hand Lao here I come then off to Vietnam were they will welcome me

Its happening in Udon to give the impression that there is widespread unrest. It will make any upcoming rapid change in the government easier to justify.

Watched it on home cable. Was really bad but guess why it happened. The police had no control, the people with red headbands all turned up with pieces of wood, none confiscated by the police, not enough police where the thaksin thugs congregated and hey presto, they all got in and caused serious trouble.
So now Thai news will show the tv footage and see that thaksins thugs have brought disgrace to thailand politics.
The police never went in to restore order, no wonder someone died, probably the bloke seen in the hospital with the yellow top but lifeless on a stretcher with blood covering his whole face.
sad,sad day for thailand

Looks like the PAD were in town to promote their own brand of 'democracy'; basically their aim is to relieve the poor of the burden of voting and leave the business of governance to those in Bangkok who will act in the country's 'best interests'. The poor can then get on with living a 'sufficiency' existence. For more on the PAD's proposals, see Michael Kelly Connors' article at:
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?o ... &Itemid=35

As some of you will know from my previous posts on this subject, this is a bit too close to home for my liking,

These PAD boys are on good money, 500bht per day, I fear the death today plays into the hands of the Bangkok bully boy's, they control all the media outlets and will milk this to the utmost, Thaksin's party voted in, but the boy's with the dosh will call the tune. Not long, Military back in Charge.

Arjay, Lao sounds good to me

Of course I meant Aznyron, senile demensia, and only 56, I'll have to get that seen too

As my wife interpreted the news to me: The group at Thuangsri Muang was the anti-PAD group (also known as PPP). PAD was having a rally at Nong Prajak Park. The anti-PAD group went over to the park and attacked them. The police watched.

PAD supporter killed, 20 others in political violence in Udon Thani

Udon Thani - A supporter of the People's Alliance for Democracy was killed and 20 others were injured when PAD-led protesters clashed with their opponents in this northeastern province Thursday afternoon.

Police said about 1,000 anti-PAD people armed with sticks, machetes and iron bars, stormed into try to demolish the stage of the PAD at about 1:30 pm.

PAD guards tried to fight back and the man was killed in the clash.

The injured people were sent to the provincial hospital.

The Nation

It seems to me that the PAD demonstations are about the only way the gov't gets challenged and the only chance that Thaksin will have to face trials,but the negative is that it is not about what's best for Thailand and the people,it is all about a power struggle amongst the elite in a system of patronage!

One could argue that Thaksin supporters are bullys and thugs,but the problem is that if the roles were reversed the PAD supporters would be just as thuggish!

IMO,the pad group has no more concern for Thailand as a whole than Thaksin does! The poorest in Isaan received more services and benefits under Thaksin as he consolidated the majority of Thais to his side through these actions,but the other side of the elite power seekers,The Bangkok bunch,paid the tab as they were slowly being put in a box by Thaksins consolidation of power that had great possibilties of becoming dictatorship strong enough to negate the influence of the ageing King!Therefore a coup was instigated and staged!

Except for the fact that this struggle for power is so intense that widespread violence is a strong possibility,It publicizes the greed and lack of concern by all the power brokers to the people throughout Thailand which is needed for any institutional changes to take place!

But without changes in the education system,the patronage system,I doubt if these power struggles to feed on the publics table will continue for a long long time!

Footage of the red thugs here:

http://www.oknation.net/blog/sophon/2008/07/24/entry-1