Who will control red-shirt minders?

Apparently proposed as a means of dealing with protests arising from people who feel they have just cause for complaint resulting from perceived past injustices, "The prime minister has instructed for a proactive campaign to address the people's grievances and designated the red shirts to pre-empt the protests from eruption".

Why, may I ask, should protests erupt when the idea seems to be to help the people overcome the dissatisfactions that they consider to have been caused by past injustices? Is there fear that the events of May 2011 in which the so-called "Black Shirts" were highlighted may be one of the sources of unhappiness? Is the burning of Bangkok businesses an item that must not be dissected and discussed? Is the invasion of a hospital discussible? In other words, if a grievance refers to action by the red shirts, will it be considered by the Prasit panel?

One may rightfully ask just what items may be brought to the table in the belief that perceived past injustices would be corrected. Furthermore, who will have the power to decide which grievances will be addressed and which will not?

Is this not a case of "setting the fox to guard the chickens"?

William Reynolds

Chiang Mai