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I am one Thai citizen who has been affected greatly by the protesters in Bangkok. The event has been going on for more than a month, causing a dramatic impact on the nation's economy, security state, and, most importantly, the feelings of its people.

Ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been one of the most popular politicians in the history of Thailand. His active campaigns on helping the Thais in rural areas have played an important role in winning him the love of the people, especially in the North and North-East. However, along the lines of his doings are the actions of corruption, of which only a few cases have been justified.

As more and more Thais began to realize his misdoings, protesting groups started to form and merge together, resulting in the well-known PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy). To cut a long story short, we all know he was ousted and afterwards 2 more Prime Ministers took his place before the seat of Abhisit Vejjajiva.

As some of you may have watched the interviews of the current Thai Prime Minister conducted by ´óÏó´«Ã½ and CNN, PM Abhisit Vejjajiva has stated clearly that his main goal is not to remain in his own chair, but to restore peace and unity for the country. He didn't become Prime Minister illegitimately; in fact, all the procedures he went through in order to be Prime Minister followed the law. Personally, I still cannot understand why the red shirt protesters keep saying the opposite. Even worse than that, I can't, and will never be able to, comprehend how they can say that the ex-Prime Minister did everything for them, while in reality all the things he did was for himself.

Rumour has it that the red shirts are paid to attend the protest. Honestly, I do not know for sure if it's true, but I have talked to several of them, and they said that they receive 500 baht daily, while their leaders get a million monthly. I'll leave that to you to think.

Some of you might feel uncertain why many of us dislike the ex-PM so. I shall give you an example. While the current Prime Minister started campaigns to help the poor, giving out cheques of 2000 baht to everyone to encourage the flow of the economy, Thaksin Shinawatra visited certain rural areas of the country and unofficially hand out bank notes to those who welcome him, and that money, for your information, was only a small proportion of the money he corrupted off the country. And the red shirts say Abhisit Vejjajiva does nothing to help the poor!

One other aspect I would like to mention today is about the King of Thailand. For thousands of years, Thais have cherished and looked up to our kings. For over 60 years, King Bhumiphol Adulyadej has ruled the country and done everything he can to help the people, especially those who are hard to reach for the government. Hundreds of campaigns for the improvement of the rural areas are started by His Majesty and the Royal Family, and we Thai people respect and love him so dearly we have pictures of him hung on the walls of our homes. You might also remember the celebration of the 60th year of His Majesty's reign, where all Thais wore yellow and waved flags to greet him. That event was, just once, one that said in itself that Thais are one.

But now, certain groups of people are beginning to throw accusations upon the King, disrespectfully, blaming on him the inequality of the people. Websites are set up with a determination to say bad things about him, without any thoughts on all the things he did for us Thais. That is also the red shirts' ambition, although I believe many of the protesters still have no clue about what is going on. The leaders know it well, as the idea was originated by the ousted ex-PM, but they need to implant it slowly and carefully in the people's minds, as many of the red shirts still believe that they are there for the King.

Whatever the red shirt or ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra are thinking and aiming to do, there are Thai people who still love and cherish the King of Thailand, and will do anything to protect him. I am one of them. The red shirts, although they say they are the citizen, DO NOT represent the whole nation of Thailand. There are still many (and I believe a majority) of us who dislike and disagree with these protesters, and are more than ready to sacrifice our lives, if that's what it takes, to prevent them from harming our beloved king any further. Long live His Majesty the King of Thailand.

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Before everyone goes overboard about the Reds, can I remind people that it was the Yellows who illegally occupied airports last year and caused untold inconvenience and expense to international travellers..

With no-one from the Yellows having been prosecuted or gaoled for what was tantamount to hijacking or kidnapping, it is hardly surprising that other political groups now believe they can protest in any way they want.

Remembers the Yellows: it was THEY who started this business of causing chaos.

Is division by colour would appear to be the issue here?

Ahem . . sorry my original comment ^ makes no sense

Is colour the major division here?

europeeno, it's not 'colour' that's the great division but what is represented by the colour: a poor, or relatively poor underclass, saw a leader who had not been born into the elite and who (on his way to the top) did not forget the people. Whatever you say about Thaksin, he was very different from the usual run of Thai politicians - and, let's face it, as a breed, they have hardly been above reproach. (There are some notable exceptions to this generalisation, of course.)

Unless the powers that do exist make real steps to accommodate the people, the future for Thailand looks grim indeed. But - to the poor - it's never been otherwise. Ask the Isaan taxi driver in Bangkok why he's there - is it because he's earning a fortune? Hardly. And where is his money going? Once overheads have been covered, he's trying to keep the heads of his family above the waters of poverty..

The rich don't want to know about this - they just want cheap labour and convenience for themselves.

The poor see their people persecuted, their representatives hounded from power, and they react - hitting at the centres of power. It wasn't an airport that the Reds invaded, remember: it was the Parliament building, the Parliament that, in collusion with the judiciary, had tried to destroy the people's voice by destroying and hounding the senior politicians who had been elected to represent that voice.

The Yellows got away with international hijacking and holding hostages in airport buildings. Not a single one was punished for this. So we all know which side the Thai authorities are on, don't we...

Why not have a game of table tennis to sort it all out?

I see the latest news is that armoured vehicles are now being used to disperse crowds in Bangkok. Pity the same force wasn't used on the criminals who wrecked Thailand's reputation by taking over the airports last year.

Cathy:

From what I have seen and heard on ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service and ´óÏó´«Ã½ World...The coverage that the employees have provided has been fair to both sides.....And, also, not taking sides!

(Dennis Junior)

Misperception caused by the disparity coverage in the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s reports has become the major concern among viewers in Thailand. Journalism has proven to be the most powerful tool in the political arena. Not all are equipped with critical eyes therefore, the poor accuracy, bias view, ignorance, silence and sensational implication by the news media have had fatal effect on our national integrity. There can be no darker time because we have no idea what life is left for us if we will ever get through this madness.