[Ann Archy]

I SWEAR I NEVER hear what they are PROTESTING!! What are they protesting??

[GeronL]

Interestingly it looks like the images of the bleeding and wounded soldiers I saw this morning are getting harder and harder to find.

[dfwgator]

I SWEAR I NEVER hear what they are PROTESTING!! What are they protesting??

[colorado tanker]

The protesters are supporters of Thaksin and mainly from rural areas outside Bangkok. They believe the present anti-Thaksin government came to power essentially by a coup. They are demanding immediate elections.

[johniegrad]

I SWEAR I NEVER hear what they are PROTESTING!! What are they protesting??

National nam pla shortage.

[EBH]

US closes embassy in Thailand, ‘very concerned’ about violence
Thursday, May 13, 2010 3:16:08 PM · 12 of 25
EBH to EBH

The Reds say the government is undemocratic because it came to power in a 2008 parliamentary vote after a court ousted elected allies of their hero, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was unseated in a 2006 coup.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2512925/posts

[SF_Redux]

The chaotic end to the Red Shirt campaign is certain to deal a heavy blow to the economy and tourism industry of Thailand, a key U.S. ally and long considered one of the more stable economies of Southeast Asia. The Red Shirts are demanding the ouster of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s government, the dissolution of Parliament and new elections....

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/ap/20100519/tap-as-thailand-politics-6th-ld-writethr-7934085.html

[HereInTheHeartland]

“I SWEAR I NEVER hear what they are PROTESTING!! What are they protesting??”

Usually the root issue involves people upset they are not getting enough of someone else’s money or resources.

[Hank Kerchief]

“I SWEAR I NEVER hear what they are PROTESTING!! What are they protesting??”

I cannot begin to provide a full explanation, so take this is a simple introduction.

There is no doubt there is corruption in Thai government, it has been so since Marshal Sarit Thanarat (whom I’ve met). But, for the most part, the Thai People enjoy a level of freedom American’s can only dream about.

There has always been a leftist (communist) movement in Thailand, which was kept in check by very austere measures. (In the 60’s, communists were shot on sight. I was there. I saw it. Ruthless, but it worked.)

Most of the “Red Shirts” are youths fed up with the corruption of the government, and have personal problems with that government, which have been bilked by the leaders of the movement, which are essentially leftists looking for power. They put the whole movement over in the name of “democracy,” which is how all leftist movements are put over.

I’m sure this movement will be put down (Thailand still simply executes terrorists—which these violent thugs are).

Hope this is at least some answer to the question that, I agree, never seems to get answered.

Hank