On Monday evening, this writer ran into a fellow journalist from a major newspaper at the red-shirt rally site and we shared our views about the protest. Here are some excerpts of the conversation:

She: Most protesters are from the provinces and likely paid if not "organised" into coming to Bangkok.

Me: Yes, there are many rural poor people, but there is no proof as to whether they've been paid. They mostly forged an alliance by relying on politicians to advance their political cause. It's not that different from the yellow-shirt middle class, who depended on the discourses of the old elite, the army and royalist ideology to advance their political agenda. Both groups forged alliances, period.

As for allegations that the red shirts are a "hired mob", would you be willing to risk death by clashing with armed soldiers for Bt500 or Bt1,000 a day?

What's more, there are many reds in Bangkok and its vicinity. Observe the hundreds if not thousands of motorcycles parked at the protest site and dozens upon dozens of trucks and cars all with Bangkok licence plates. Notice how many red-shirt Bangkokians are sitting inside the McDonald's at Erawan Building near the Rajprasong intersection munching on Big Macs.

Also note how the red-shirt crowds swell when Bangkokians join the protest after work. Recently, no less than 50 red shirts were seen on a Skytrain leaving the protest site at 11.30pm.

She: The red shirts are "brainwashed" and "victims" of propaganda and so shutting down their media outlets was necessary.

Me: I think people, whether they wear red or any other colour, are mature enough to decide what constitutes propaganda. Look around, isn't Thailand full of propaganda anyway? The only way out is to support greater media literacy and allow people to think beyond the "propaganda" - be it red or yellow.

We cannot keep babysitting the population and keep warning them against watching or reading this or that. Such patronising attitude is making this society less democratic and immature.

Instead of trying to "save" them from "propaganda", these people should protect themselves from patronising attitudes that are detrimental to a free, open and democratic society.

Also, why should Abhisit Vejjajiva, who ordered the shutting down of red media, whine about "widespread rumours" now?

She: The red shirts posted near the Saladaeng intersection next to Silom - who have sharpened bamboo sticks - are better armed than soldiers.

Me: Are you kidding? I walked among both sides on Monday and found the soldiers armed with plenty of semi-automatic rifles with bullets that can reach a distance of 3,000 metres. Five soldiers died during the April 10 clashes, but four times more civilians, 21 of them, were killed. Even as we continue to argue about who was really behind the deaths, the red shirts are preparing to fight soldiers again in the foreseeable future and I consider arming oneself with sharpened bamboo as rather "sane" even if you do not wish to condone it.

On April 10, armoured vehicles were used. Teargas was fired from helicopters, crowd dispersal continued well into the night and although the army earlier claimed no heavy weapons were used, they are now saying that some heavy artillery has gone missing.

She: What the red-shirts are fighting for will not bring about democracy.

Me: Wait and see.

This may be step one, but any move that encourages a huge number of poor people to demand equal political rights is a good beginning, even if they align themselves with Thaksin Shinawatra - a man loathed by many middle-class people and the elite.