PHUKET: About 200 demonstrators from the ''We Love Phuket'' movement protested in Phuket City today over rumors of a red-shirt gathering on Phuket later this week.
The leaders of the crowd that turned out today at Provincial Hall to present a petition to Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak said the ''We Love Phuket'' movement was non-political.
The three-word phrase - used down the years for all kinds of commercial promotions - now expresses the desire of most Phuket people to remain above politics, said protest leader Boonsupaa Tanthai.
What brought the crowd to wave flags and banners in Phuket City today were reports that red-shirt political supporters were planning to hold a meeting at Nai Yang, on Phuket's west coast close to Phuket International Airport, on Sunday.
The petition called for Phuket to remain free of political meetings in the best interests of its special place within Thailand as an international tourist destination.
Protesters had heard of villages in Thailand's north being declared ''red villages'', with portraits of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra prominently displayed. This kind of divisiveness was not wanted on Phuket, demonstrators said.
One national English-language newspaper reported today, however, that some northern villages are becoming disgruntled with the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister, because promises made during last year's election had not been delivered.
On the basis of last year's election results, Phuket remains a ''yellow'' opposition Democrat stronghold.
Back in 2008, supporters of the anti-red People's Alliance for Democracy movement briefly occupied Phuket International Airport in what turned out to be a rehearsal for the government-changing occupation of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport later that year.
Few political protests - or protests like today's demonstration against politics of any color - have been seen on Phuket since then.
Hundreds of thousands of people who work in tourism on Phuket probably support parties other than the Democrats in their home provinces but they choose to remain non-commital about politics on Phuket.
The leaders of the crowd that turned out today at Provincial Hall to present a petition to Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak said the ''We Love Phuket'' movement was non-political.
The three-word phrase - used down the years for all kinds of commercial promotions - now expresses the desire of most Phuket people to remain above politics, said protest leader Boonsupaa Tanthai.
What brought the crowd to wave flags and banners in Phuket City today were reports that red-shirt political supporters were planning to hold a meeting at Nai Yang, on Phuket's west coast close to Phuket International Airport, on Sunday.
The petition called for Phuket to remain free of political meetings in the best interests of its special place within Thailand as an international tourist destination.
Protesters had heard of villages in Thailand's north being declared ''red villages'', with portraits of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra prominently displayed. This kind of divisiveness was not wanted on Phuket, demonstrators said.
One national English-language newspaper reported today, however, that some northern villages are becoming disgruntled with the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister, because promises made during last year's election had not been delivered.
On the basis of last year's election results, Phuket remains a ''yellow'' opposition Democrat stronghold.
Back in 2008, supporters of the anti-red People's Alliance for Democracy movement briefly occupied Phuket International Airport in what turned out to be a rehearsal for the government-changing occupation of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport later that year.
Few political protests - or protests like today's demonstration against politics of any color - have been seen on Phuket since then.
Hundreds of thousands of people who work in tourism on Phuket probably support parties other than the Democrats in their home provinces but they choose to remain non-commital about politics on Phuket.
Political protests would bring no benefit for Phuket, but being an internationally recognized holiday destination some protesters may think this fame would help their message to be heard since such a protest on Phuket would likely catch far more headlines than one in, say, Chiang Mai.
I support freedom of speech but many misconstrue it meaning they can say and do whatever they want. Your rights end where they start to infringe on mine.
Posted by Steve C. on May 10, 2012 12:37