Note for Thai Commenters
Sometimes I have referred to the Whistlers as "rebels." For Americans and Canadians (not sure about Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, etc), rebel is not a bad term. It is neutral. Modifiers are needed to determine the intent of the writer. Yingluck calls the Whistlers rebels in a pejorative sense, whereas my reference was for people standing up against an unjust government. For Americans, "rebel" can be a high compliment, or an insult. It's a double edged word.
But I see Thai folks using the word "mob" a great deal to describe the Whistlers. Mob is ALWAYS pejorative for American ears, and I think for British, too. Thai commenters are using the word mob as if it is neutral, but for American ears, mob means uncontrolled people acting like idiots at best, and criminals at worst. A mob set Central World ablaze in 2010. A crowd of peaceful Opposition Whistlers demonstrated and shopped there in December, 2013.
The word mob is not appropriate when describing Whistlers. They can be called a crowd, a group, an uprising, but not a mob.
In fact, even the fighting on the 26th which I saw was not a mob. Mobs are out of control. The protestors on the 26th were angry from what happened that morning (I did not witness that part), but they still were in control of themselves even while attacking the police. Their energy was directed. A mob would have burned down the neighborhood for fun. They did not. Their focus was specific. The protestors on the 26th were like a laser on the police. They did not touch the Army who was right there and not carrying firearms.
Mob = out of control