REDS SEE MOST FARANGS AS ANTI-THAKSIN
I was surprised to see an English editorial piece in the relatively new Northern Post/Red Alliance magazine this week. Given this is a Thai language magazine I doubt very many 'farangs' will read it, so with that in mind I am reproducing the entire column below. It's critical of both the Thailand-based English language media, and of "most farangs" for appearing to be PAD (yellow shirt) sympathizers.
-----
Much has been made about the pervasive influence the Thai agenized English language media has on the Farang political perceptions of Thai politics. Farangs will parrot their vitriol sounding exactly the same as what is normally used in the only newspapers they can read.
I liken them to musicians playing in an orchestra. They seem to be using the same music sheets, in other words, the English language media. One gets the sense that because of this media influence, most farangs have bought into the orchestrated Thaksin demonization campaign. They appear to be sympathizers of the PAD, are anti-Thaksin and see the pro-Democracy red Shorts as revolutionary rabble rousers void of legitimacy, instead of the only pro-Democracy force in Thailand.
Typically farangs have not attended political events of either pro-Democracy Red Shirts of the anti-Democracy PAD. So when they are told by the media that both groups are merely different sides of the same coin, they have no information to question that assertion. A key agenda of this media is to avoid the perception that there is a struggle for one-person-one-vote electoral Democracy happening in Thailand.
They need to hide what is happening in order to achieve their anti-electorial objectiveness. It suits there agenda to focus on trivialities about these two groups, as opposed to their substantive differences. Functionally, there is a huge difference. With the PAD protests, one saw military type encampments with professional military type perimeters piled high with tires and other fortification materials. None of that is visible at any Red Shirt events.
This huge observationally verifiable difference speaks volumes. The PAD was a military supported operation, evidenced by the military's inaction at the airport. Another huge difference was the comparative conduct of the two groups when they besieged Government House. Whereas the PAD trashed the place, including extensive thievery, the Red Shirts merely encamped outside the main grounds and never considered going beyond that. These two groups are made up of different type people - one characterized by coercive, authoritarian militia type organizers and operational tendencies, whereas the other can be organizationally described as a citizen's protest with no militia type elements.
That is also why PAD supporters can easily accept the more authoritarian appointive process, as opposed to a more democratic electoral one.
To influence farangs erroneously about the similarities of these groups is easy. In all likelihood farangs never attended anti-Democracy PAD or pro-Democracy Red Shirt events, and therefore have no alternative perspectives.
-----
Obviously this is just one side of the story but the perception being portrayed is an interesting one. I wonder about the reasons for having this article in English when everything else is in Thai? Very few non-Thais (apart from crazy magazine junkies like me) are likely to read it.
For the record this is a weekly magazine that started publishing just two months ago and sells for 30 baht. It's picked up a small number of adverts, and runs to 54 pages.
