You can be famous and furious at the same time

Thai show business being so reliant on political connections, the stars usually regard it as “inappropriate” to take a political stand, but the current hue and cry has jumbled up shirts of all colours like a washing machine set to “blend”.
Of course these days we have the convenience of the social media, which basically begs people to share their opinions. And it’s trendy. And you sound smart if you have a political opinion. So a lot of celebrities have slipped out of their comfort zones to stand up and be counted.
More often than not, this takes the form of posting the anti-amnesty “Kankan Por Ror Bor Nirathossakam” logo on their Instagram accounts, as actresses Bussakorn “Noi” Wongpuaphan and Pimmada Borriruksupakorn have done. Facebook and Twitter avatars have likewise been replaced.
Makeup artist Apichat “Ped” Norasetthaporn, filmmaker Poj Anon Apiruj and singer-beauty blogger Napassorn “Momay” Buranasiri have also signalled “no blanket for me, thanks”. Noi added a link to a petition at Change.org. Another actress, Sinjai “Nok” Plengpanich, broadcast the message, “Wrong is wrong, corrupt is corrupt, no need to analyse and no need to be neutral. I don’t want amnesty” and earned a quick 15,000 “likes”.
The celebrities attending the rallies have of course been uploading photos like crazy. Singer Natee “Oui Buddha Bless” Akewijit offered a self-portrait among the Silom “whistle mob” yesterday.
Not that you need a social network to record your social conscience: Actors Jarunee “Ple” Desneiges and Kriankrai Unhanan and filmmaker Yuthana Mukdasanit have been regulars at the Samsen railway rally and get shout-outs from the stage. “Khun Ple is here among us and many other stars,” BlueSky TV host Anchalee Paireerak, emceeing the insurrection, informed the crowd. “Are you going to believe they were hired for Bt500 a day to be with us?”
Pro-government voices have said the rallies are padded with protesters-for-rent, but surely Tul “Tul Apartment Khunpa” Waitoonkia is getting paid far more than that to keep revisiting the Urupong intersection rally.

Survey of the stars

And what are the famous saying online?
Composer and record producer Boyd Kosiyabong: “As a Thai citizen who has the right to express my opinion, I’d like to express my stand against the Amnesty Bill.”
Composer and Music Union co-founder Nitipong Hornak: “I’m so confused watching the news because it doesn’t make sense at all. The bill that has just been passed by some 300 people in an unusual manner. Not only it is strongly opposed by Democrats but also red shirts. It looks like they don’t give a damn but to aim at benefit of one person … It’s confirmed that it is not part of reconciliation process but just to bring someone home.”
Yuthana “Pa Ted” Boonorm: “Never stuck to any [political] party, never chose any colour, but today I choose to be on the against-amnesty side.”
Oui Buddha Bless: “If the majority can decide without taking right or wrong into account, I believe the majority of people want to stop paying taxes. If you don’t believe me, do you want to try it?”
Voice TV host ML Nattakorn “Khun Plum"  Devakula: “To sum it up, if the Amnesty Bill doesn’t clear the Constitutional Court, Thaksin will be doomed for a long time, and it will be the end of the Pheu Thai Party. If it does clear  the court thanks to a ‘deal’, it means the justice and other systems crumble.”