In our earlier post regarding the coup anniversary rally by red shirts, we included a video clip of Robert Amsterdam’s speech where he demanded that the Yingluck Shinawatra government not to leave red shirts in jail.
At the Bangkok Post, it is reported that:
on the sidelines of the gathering, several red shirts spoke out against the UDD and the Pheu Thai-led government for failing to help jailed red shirts…. They said too little was being done to help secure the freedom of their “brothers” who remain locked up and have had bail denied them, particularly those on lese majeste charges.
Several mentioned the case of Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, “targeted because the elite wanted to stop his campaign to have lese majeste laws revoked.”
Labor activist Napaporn Atiwanichapong “said the Pheu Thai-led government seemed to be doing little to help secure the release of political prisoners who supported them.”
Writer Watt Wallayangkoon said “lese majeste prisoners were also political prisoners,” adding that “soldiers who took part in the deadly crackdown against red shirts on May 19, 2010, were made to believe that the protesters were on the street to overthrow the monarchy.”
Meanwhile, “Vipar Daomanee, a prominent socialist, said the Yingluck Shinawatra government was disappointing its supporters, particularly those from the grassroots, by ignoring their plight.”
They are all correct, but if the reports of just 3,000-5,000 red shirts rallying are correct, then Yingluck and Thaksin Shinawatra can probably ignore red shirts as they seek longevity in government.
