Breaking News: Red Shirt Objective Shifts to Long-Term Struggle
OK, long-term it is
- by Stingray, this blog national security journalist
A key commander of the Red Shirt Guard just told this blog that the Red Shirt have shifted their strategy for long-term struggle.
"We were told to prepare for long-term struggle and to forget reaching a climax with the current situation all together. The focus is now to protect the lives and security of protesters against government violence. We are switching from offense to defensive now," said Fat, a key Red Shirt personal guard to Chatuporn, an official Red Shirt leader.
"We were told that if we can knock out the government, in the near future, it would be positive and that still a "go." But they also told us not to risk it all and think long-term," Fat added.
The move follows a severe internal struggle inside the Red Shirt movement, between a short-term strategy to win the battle, or a long-term strategy to win the war. Winning the battle means putting it all on the line and go on the offense. Winning the war means long-term struggle-with an eye on justifications and resources.
- That apparent shift is echoed by another leader of the Red Shirt, Wang, who leads the Bangkok Red Shirt movement.
Wang just said that it is the objective of the Red Shirt now, to amend the constitution according to the fidings of a public body that recommended a broad range of reforms to the current military drawn constitution-to which this move reverse earlier red Shirt move to bring back the older people's constitution.
The very guarded secret of when the Red Shirt will go ahead with a major protest, continues to be un-confirmed thus far and is still up to being decided. However, the protest has now been postponed to after the ruling on Taksin's assets-and this indicates laying down the rationale for long-term struggle.
- The moves comes also amidst re-fresh allegations, made by Red Shirt Hawk, Sae Daeng, the there are those who will get a cut from Tanksin's assets which the regulations actually allowed, and also the threat to expose the back ground of about 10 judges. These again points to long-term strategies.
- The long-term struggle rational had been tabled to the Red Shirt for considered quite a while back by behind the scenes Red Shirt philosophers, like Jai Ungpakorn and others. Only a few days ago, Thai E-News, the official news outlet of the Red Shirt, also pleaded for a long-term struggle.
- However, the strongest indication, are from the sources who told this blog that Taksin now believes that all his assets will be nationalized and has shifted gear to getting them back with a referendum when he gains power again in Thailand-with the open possibility to form a government in exile and take the case to the World Court.
The key question many Red Shirt are asking now, is the viability of such a movement. Fat asked this blog, "The rationale will always be there because the Amart being the Amart, they will always be problems in the Thai society, but my worry is that these long-term campaign, needs a great deal of resources. Where will it come from."
- This blog agrees with Fat, to a certain extent-resources and reserves are critical.
The Red Shirt now is geting close to being entirely internally-funded, having staged many successful fund raising events. Additionally, many of its activities, actually charge the Red Shirt for participating in.
- At the crux of the Red Shirt long-term strategy is the Red Shirt schools-which are in great numbers and having graduated many graduate classes already. These classes are taught mostly by university students who are dedicated towards democracy and social-justice. The classes are hugely popular with the Red Shirt supporters.
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