Most of the mainstream mass media may be very concerned about possible violence from red-shirt protesters, but those subscribing to red-shirt media were getting starkly different news and analysis as they began their massive rally yesterday.
The latest edition of Thai Red News, which hit news-stands yesterday, called tomorrow "D-Day" on its front page.
Page seven saw red-shirt leader Jaran Dittha-apichai offering advice to the anti-government movement on how to achieve victory.
First, he wrote, red shirts are on the right side of history in trying to overthrow the country's old elite.
He urged red shirts to be brave and to be willing to bear with difficulty the brunt of the "historic" demonstration.
Jaran also urged demonstrators not to fear the threat of suppression and to fight non-violently, as well as to be disciplined in following orders from leaders.
"The duty of democratic struggle this time is right, just and lofty because it's a struggle against the elite who are the root cause of stumbling and failed democratisation," Jaran wrote.
Page 21 of the journal consists of a list of 156 key members of the old elite order, according to "The Red Poll" conducted from March 1 to 6 on an unspecified number of respondents.
The Nation Group's editor-in-chief Suthichai Yoon is on the list, along with former prime minister Anand Panyarachun and peace advocate Gothom Arya, who was a member of the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly.
Another red-shirt publication, Truth Today, addressed the issue of fear of violence, but from a different perspective from the mainstream media.
The front-page headline of the March 12-to-15 issue warns: "Whoever Harms the People are Criminals".
Pages six and seven of the paper contain a lead article alleging that the government is set to stage fake red-shirt violence in order to justify a clampdown, and warns red shirts to strictly adhere to peaceful means.
"Let's not be fazed by the staging of a situation to put the blame [on red shirts] by lackeys of the old elite," the article stated.
Elsewhere, on red-shirt radio such as FM 72.25 broadcast from Samut Prakan, the mood was upbeat. The station kept on running spots urging red shirts to "come out and be part of an important historic moment for Thailand".
It added that this is "a fight for the lower class", while not saying much about their hero, the fugitive former multibillionaire premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
