Redshirts Offer Traditional Skirt To Abhisit

Protesters wearing 'paa tung'

(12 September)
Angered by the Democrat Party chairman′s remark in which he called Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra a stupid bitch last week, scores of Redshirts today staged a protest against him in
front of the Parliament House.

The Redshirts were led by several Pheu Thai Party women MPs,
such as Ms. Sunee Leungvichit and Ms. Udomrat Arphonrat.

They said they were incensed by Mr.
Abhisit′s remark uttered on a Democrat-organised rally last week. In the incident, Mr. Abhisit
observed that Ms. Yingluck had to preside over the opening of a reality show called Thailand Smart
Lady because if the contest is about finding a stupid bitch, no one would be able to compete with
her.

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Mr. Abhisit has since refused to apologise for the remark which was criticised by many
allies of Ms. Yingluck. He also claimed he did not mean anyone in particular, but he indirectly
confirmed it was Ms. Yingluck he was referring to by saying he merely followed what Google has
suggested.

Today, the protesters gave speeches attacking Mr. Abhisit for the remark. Some
held signs saying Please respect the motherly gender, and Stop insulting women.

The
Redshirts also brought along the Thai variant of sarong (paa tung) to the protest, which they
said Mr. Abhisit should wear. The gesture is supposed to be a sarcastic response to the former
leader, as they accused Mr. Abhisit of lacking the quality of a true man by insulting Ms. Yingluck
in such way, and he should be wearing a skirt instead.

The protesters later submit a letter
to Mr. Visut Chaiyanarun, Deputy House Speaker, demanding that the Parliament′s ethic committee
investigate Mr. Abhisit′s action.

After having submitted the letter, the Redshirts gave Mr.
Visit the traditional skirt, telling him to pass it to Mr. Abhisit.

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It is not the first time
paa tung has been invoked by the Redshirts in the response to Mr. Abhisit′s remark. On 10
September, a number of Pheu Thai MPs, including Ms. Sunee, lifted up the piece of cloth during their
press conference in which they denounced Mr. Abhisit.

In that press conference, Ms. Sunee
suggested Mr. Abhisit should cover his head with the sarong.

However, some feminists were
irked by the invocation of paa tung as a weapon against Mr. Abhisit′s alleged misogynist
remark, because it ends up implying that to wear the skirt or to be called a woman is somehow an
insulting term.