Protests
Protest leader Parit distances himself from Free Youth’s justification of communism

Pro-democracy protest leader Parit Chiwarak, aka “Penguin”, has sought to distance himself from the Free Youth group, following the movement’s defence of republicanism and communism. Thai PBS World reports that Parit’s move comes after a statement by the group, declaring that communism does not mean dictatorship. The statement, which appeared on a banner posted online by Free Youth, came shortly after the group changed its logo to resemble a hammer and sickle.
In its statement, the group goes on to defend communism, accusing “despotic capitalists” of fearing it as an economic model. It adds that the real meaning of communism is not that which is propagated by capitalists.
Parit says this way of thinking does not reflect the political philosophy of the Ratsadon group, of which he is a member. He is also a member of the United Front for Thammasat and Demonstration and says neither group shares Free Youth’s ideas on communism. He says both groups believe in democratic rule, whereby all citizens enjoy equal rights and freedoms.
He adds that while freedom of speech means Free Youth has the right to advocate for communism or republicanism, the group should give careful consideration to whether these ideologies reflect the will of the people.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Politics
Companies pull out from Trump brand after storming of Capitol incident

Corporate America is adding its weight in response to the insurgency at the Capitol building on January 6, and are pulling out from any association with the Trump brand after the storming of the capitol incidentwhich economists say will have a profound medium and long-term effect on his business interests. Recently, Signature Bank closed Trump’s personal accounts and the PGA of America stopped plans to hold its 2022 championship at Mr. Trump’s New Jersey golf course.
Such a parting of ways signals the business community’s weariness in being associated with a political figure that has attracted worldwide attention and is indicative of what may happen to the Trump brand. The president’s role in the incident, confirmed by his impeachment by the House this week, has gained criticism from the Business Roundtable to the AFL-CIO labour federation.
Michael D’Antonio, the author of a Trump biography, says the capitol incident has been a game-changer for the support of extreme politics.
“Trump’s name is really an albatross. He is the most disgraced president in history. This is a person who’s synonymous with a mob attacking the US Capitol. I just think this went a step too far.”
Other experts like Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, say Trump’s brand will inevitably suffer long-term.
“Before his term, Trump stood for wealth, success and over-the-top luxury. Now the brand has associations with anti-government views, racism and extremism. This makes the brand fairly toxic.”
Deutsche Bank, to which Trump reportedly owes around $400 million, is also planning to stop engaging in business with him. But the president dismissed any business challenges in an October 15 televised event by saying that the $400 million he owed was “a tiny percentage of my net worth.”
It appears true that some of Trump’s properties have benefitted from his presidency as taxpayer revenue has continuously flowed into his golf courses and clubs where he stays with his family, the secret service and the White House staff.
In fact, CREW estimates that Trump’s properties took in over $100 million from more than 500 visits by the president, according to a report in September 2020. But even that business transaction has received widespread criticism as many say Trump should not have mixed politics with his personal businesses.
D’Antonio predicts that Trump may sell current assets to pay off his Deutsche Bank debt, which means there could be fewer to none Trump hotels, golf courses or towers in the next 10 years.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Thailand
Thailand’s emergency decree extended again

Thailand’s nationwide Emergency Decree has been extended again, this time until the end of February. The decree gives the Thai government the ability to set policies and procedures to prevent the control the spread of Covid-19… things like restricting travel, setting up road checkpoints and introducing other restrictions without having to consult the parliament.
All the latest articles about Thailand’s Covid-19 situation are on one page HERE.
Government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri says it is just an extension of the decree that is currently in place that was initially set to end on January 15. The extension, adding on another 45 days, was proposed by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration and approved by the Thai Cabinet this week.
The initial emergency decree was enacted in March last year and has been extended ever since.
The number of local Covid-19 infections has spiked since the outbreak at the Samut Sakhon seafood market last month, spreading to 55 of Thailand’s 77 provinces. The ‘second wave’ has stemmed from a cluster of migrant workers in the nation’s seafood industry and markets in the Gulf of Thailand coastal province, as well as cluster of infections focussed on illegal gambling dens, principally in the eastern coastal provinces and Bangkok.
Here’s a video about the new Mor Chana app which you will probably be required to use if you are travelling around Thailand at this time…
SOURCE: Pattaya News
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Politics
YouTube blocks music video with pro-democracy protest footage after legal complaint

A music video by a pro-democracy movement band was blocked on YouTube in Thailand due to a legal complaint from the government, according to the message posted on the video’s page.
The band Rap Against Dictatorship, also known as RAD, made a post on their Facebook fan page saying that the music video for their song “Reform” was blocked on YouTube.
“Happy New Year everyone. Our new music video has been blocked. This is obviously the ‘New Year Gift’ from the government.”
The band members are active in the pro-democracy movement and 2 of them are currently facing criminal charges relating to a protest in July.
The song conveys a definition of the word ‘reform’ in the Thai language and mentions the current problems in Thailand, including politics, social inequality and the right of protesters to seek justice.
The music video had footage from recent protests in Bangkok including clips from rallies in October and November where water cannons were deployed, some spraying tear gas on pro-democracy protesters.
The music video was first released in about mid-November and reached over 300,000 views on YouTube within 9 hours. It now has over 9 million views. The band was told that the music video is against the law without any other explanations from YouTube or government agencies.
RAD made a reputation with its previous work “Prathet Ku Mi” (“Which is My Country”) released last year and it went viral across the country. The group was also recognised one of the three winners of the 2019 Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent that was presented in 2019 at the Oslo Freedom Forum.
SOURCE: Facebook|Prachathai English
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
- Crime2 days ago
Australian man wanted for allegedly sexually abusing children in Thailand
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
Thailand’s PM says he won’t let Thais become vaccine “guinea pigs”
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
Thailand threw a tourism party. No one arrived.
- Bangkok3 days ago
BTS skytrain maximum fare rate increasing to 158 baht despite backlash
- Bangkok2 days ago
Police raid Bangkok restaurant, more than 80 people face charges for violating Emergency Decree
- Air Pollution3 days ago
Thailand on fire – NASA satellite website tracks the country’s farm fires
- Crime3 days ago
Police say at least 2 people to be arrested in Bangkok bomb attack – UPDATE
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)1 day ago
Record number of tourism firms quitting Covid-ravaged sector for good
Jesus Monroe
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 12:34 pm
Splitsville…….never a good place to be when trying to present a united front
Mister Stretch
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 3:39 pm
Glad to see the young man has enough intelligence to distance himself from the FYM, which has been speaking like they learned their political ideas from Karl Marx.
luca
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 4:43 pm
it seems that china is intervening in the thai riots, surely these thai communists are financed by china, thailand is already a dictatorship soon it will also become communist under the chinese direction
Singharacha
Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 1:36 am
@luca
TheThaiger published an article in which the so-called “pro-democray”leaders confessed they are supported by Western bilionnaires
So-called “pro-democray” leaders are supported by Western bilionnaires, who claimed themselves as “philanthropists” but in reality are looking to submit the Thai people to get more power and more money.
The money they give, directly or through their NGOs are not donations or gifts but investments.
Richard
Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 10:32 am
These pro Commie youth haven’t 2 brain cells to rub together
peter pape
Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 7:09 pm
Vietnam is a communist country and thriving (well actually it is now a nouvo capitalism country after it embraced doi moi (the new way) decades ago. It’s industrial output will soon scare Thailand and it’s Democracy. Nobody likes a totalitarian Stalinist Type Communism but why not try a true to Marx and Engels Analysis (read The Capital)type of shared values for all and f..k types like Bezos, Gates etc. for the common good ?
Alan
Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 3:35 am
Justification is one thing, practical application is something else entirely, the communist manifesto as applied in China, Russia, and other places became an opportunity to steal the wealth of others, and take over the country with a form of totalitarian dictatorship. Putting the means of production into the hands of the people, yeah, like 500,000 Uighur slaves in the cotton industry. Makes the USA cotton slaves look like small potatoes.
Dao
Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 12:08 pm
I love how the media groups Communism and Republicanism together, whereas protestors are “pro democracy.” Classic diversion.
Dao
Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 1:09 pm
I love how the media groups Communism and Republicanism together, whereas protestors are “pro democracy.” What happened to objective journalism?