http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2010/12 ... 43900.html
Wide range of targets in red shirt's debut talk show
By The Nation
Published on December 7, 2010
Red-shirt leader Sombat Boonngarm-anong yesterday lampooned the government, the military, the yellow shirts and others in his first political talk show.
The show, titled "Won Non Kuk" (Asking to Stay in Jail), also criticised the military coup of 2006, the Constitution drafted in 2007, the authorities' crackdown on red-shirt protesters in May, legal action against people suspected of involvement in arson and riots after the protest was dispersed, and inquiries by the Department of Special Investigation.
Sombat also lamented social injustice and the supposed "double standards" endured by the red shirts.
The event at the Imperial shopping mall in Lat Phrao, where the pro-red-shirt satellite-television station is located, was attended by more than 1,500 people, mostly wearing red. There were two rounds of the show in the afternoon and in the evening.
Sombat, also known as "Bor Kor Lai Jud" (Polka Dot Editor), had postponed the talk show from the King's birthday on Sunday, because of pressure from the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES).
During his show, Sombat likened the coup-makers to bandits and the post-coup charter to their faeces. "They robbed our house and they left their excrement in the middle of the house. Then they forced the house owners to take good care of their waste," he said, prompting loud laughter from the audience.
There were also musical performances featuring songs against the coup and in favour of the red shirts, videos of the protest dispersal, and Sombat's reading of a poem allegedly written by red-shirt leader Nattawut Saikua, who is being held in remand along with other leaders in connection with the political unrest.
The poem talked about grass-roots people's call for democracy that was not understood by the elite. It was a sad moment for the audience.
Sombat said the 2006 coup was caused by the elite's dissatisfaction with a government headed by a prime minister who won a majority mandate by election and ran the country in a way that led to "surplus well-being, technological advances, agricultural production, and wealth among the people". He was referring to Thaksin Shinawatra, a major supporter of the red-shirt movement.
Sombat said proceeds from the talk show would fund his group's "democracy school" that would educate red shirts about democracy so that they could explain it to people of other political colours.
