Thailand: Regime’s “Red Shirts” Attack Peaceful Protesters

Regime directly controls “red shirt” enforcers, is directing violence and intimidation as it clings to power. 

Tony Cartalucci
Activist Post

Regime “red shirts” attacked peaceful protesters in the northern city of Chiang Mai today, as thousands of fellow protesters marched simultaneously in Bangkok. Thailand’s English paper Bangkok Post would report in their article, “Reds attack Chiang Mai protesters,” that:

Anti-government protesters were intercepted and attacked by red shirt supporters while staging a reform-before-election campaign in Chiang Mai’s Muang district on Sunday.

The report would continue by stating:

…about 100 supporters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship led by Apichart Inson, aka DJ Auan, showed up on the other side of Nawarat Bridge, outside Mr Wichain’s residence to prevent the PDRC protesters from gathering there. 

The protesters cancelled their plan to rally at the governor’s home and opted to use Nakhon Phing Bridge to reach the Three Kings Monument. However, the UDD loyalists rode motorcycles to intercept them at Ratchawong Intersection after they had crossed the bridge. 

Manager Online reported the red shirts hurled water bottles, rocks and flower pots at passing vehicles driven by the protesters. They also kicked motorcyclists and bicyclists and assaulted them after they fell.

Like Adolf Hilter’s “Brownshirts” during the rise of the Nazi Party and shortly after coming to power, Thaksin Shinawatra’s “red shirts” represent a loud, violent minority used to keep the silent majority silent and in perpetual fear. While the regime and its Western backers claim Thailand teeters on “civil war,” the fact that only 100 thugs in a city of a million came out to do the regime’s bidding suggests instead only regime-sanctioned terrorism threatens Thailand’s stability.

Regime’s “Red Shirt” Enforcers Have Long, Disturbing History

This would not be the first time the regime’s “red shirt” enforcers would carry out violence against growing dissent in Chiang Mai, an increasingly tenuous regime “stronghold.” On December 22, 2013, the regime’s notorious “Rak Chiang Mai 51” (RCM51) group would attempt to scale university gates and impale peaceful protesters with flagpoles before police intervened (video here).

And just days before that incident, the regime’s “red shirts” threatened teachers and parents who voiced opposition to the regime. Regime thugs gathered outside Regina Coeli College, Chiang Mai, in a show of political intimidation and intolerance that has been key to the regime’s continued grip on power in the nation’s north and northeast.

Image: Regime thugs from the notorious “Rak Chiang Mai 51” group, threaten Chiang Mai’s Cultural Council president – demanding that she steps down for criticizing the regime, and make way for another of dictator Thaksin Shinawatra’s sisters to take over her post.

Another group of the regime’s “red shirts” gathered outside the home of Chiang Mai Cultural Council president Chao Duangduan for also speaking out against the regime. Bangkok Post‘s article, “Chiang Mai red-shirts threaten PM critic,” stated:

Worawut Roojanapinan, leader of the red-shirt group Rak Chiang Mai 51, led about 50 supporters to rally in front of Chiang Mai provincial hall to vent anger after Chao Duangduan claimed former prime minister Thaksin is the root cause of disorder in the country. 

The Chiang Mai Cultural Council president also demanded that Ms Yingluck resign from her role as a caretaker premier to pave the way for the national reform. 

In a statement read out by Mr Worawut, the group called on Chao Duangduan to step down from her position, citing the fact that her resignation would protect the province’s main cultural organisation from political exploitation. 

The protesters said they wanted Yaowares Shinawatra, the younger sister of Thaksin and elder sister of Ms Yingluck, to replace Chao Duangduan. Mrs Yaowares is former president of the National Council of Women of Thailand. 

Aggressive measures would be launched to pressure Chao Duangduan to leave her post if she ignored their demand, the statement said.

The bizarre, violent, and nepotist demands made by the “Rak Chiang Mai 51″ group have added to a growing climate of fear and intimidation used by the regime while it attempts to cling to power – betraying the legitimacy the Western media continuously tries to grant it in torrents of biased reporting.

Other notorious incidents showcasing the true nature of the current regime’s “red shirts,” in particular RCM51, include:

• In 2008, RCM51 shot/hacked to death by machetes an opposition community radio host’s father, after pro-Thaksin radio hosts mobilized supporters to surround his house and the father attempted to flee. Regime demagogue, Kanyapak Maneejak (DJ Aom), when asked about the incident during a “City Life Chiang Mai” interview, claimed, “the reds there all came following their hearts.”
• In 2009, in addition to large-scale street violence visited upon Bangkok which saw two shop keepers shot while trying to stop red shirts from looting their businesses, RCM51 would violently disrupt an HIV/AIDS awareness march organized by homosexual & public health activists. “Out in Perth” reported in their article, “Chiang Mai Pride Shut Down by Protests as Police Watch On,” that organizers were locked inside a building while red shirts began throwing rocks and yelling abuse through megaphones. Police looked on until organizers decided to call off the event.
• Also in 2009, Bangkok’s English paper, Bangkok Post would publish a report titled, “Rak Chiang Mai 51: A pride or a disgrace for Chiang Mai?” which would describe in detail the group’s methods of violence and intimidation.

Clearly the regime has been employing thuggery for years, and recent violence carried out by their “red shirts” is simply the continuation of a long-established pattern of intimidation used to prop up and move forward their agenda. Just like Adolf Hitler’s “Brownshirts,” Thaksin Shinawatra’s “red shirts” are increasingly taking over the levers of power – several of their leaders are serving as MPs under the current regime.

While the regime and the Western media continuously point to anti-regime protesters as a “threat to democracy” – the history of the “red shirts,” their overtly undemocratic means and methods, and the parallels between their organized, state-sanctioned thuggery and groups like Adolf Hitler’s “Brownshirts” seem only to vindicate the protesters and their cause further.

Tony Cartalucci’s articles have appeared on many alternative media websites, including his own at 
Land Destroyer Report, Alternative Thai News Network and LocalOrg. 

Read other contributed articles by Tony Cartalucci here.