Deaths in Bangkok

[bumper]

It would appear things are lining up for more of the same if not today soon.

Yes Stan rule by mob activity is not Democracy. That is not to say the people don't have ligitimate complaints. This is just not the way. Elections are in 19 months will they be silly enough to get caught buying votes, they don't need to. The EC finally got around to nailing the Democrats. Granted with op pressure and we will never know if the ruling would have happened in time anyway.

But, they Thailand has to find their on way. There way seems to be violent. That won't work, there will just be more violence later.

If Thaks comes back and is forgiven what does that say about the Judicial System.

Tough time for Thailand.

[Khun Paul]

Democracy is by the people for the people, however in this country no matter which colour you chose, it is for some people for the benefit of some people and everyone else can go hang.

Those that have it, whatever hue they profess to be and be they either military/police/MP or anyone else with enough dosh chooses what happens to everyone else.

The basic problem here is like the schools, so-called intelligent people think ( dangerous Thai concept that ) that the illiterate and ignorant people will believe anything told to them. AND they do. mores the pity, so until Thai thought processes change it ain't going to change much I fear. That's sad.........

[Aardvark]

Aardvark, please if OU have nothing constructive to add to the discussion, DON'T. I gather reading your post that anything intelligent would be a tad difficult. Apart from commenting on one very distant member of a family who is poor shop-keeper, the rest was a generalisation, which you obviously did not understand.

I would like to apologise to KP for my out burst, I had been drinking Wine at the time and over reacted at what I read. I still dont agree with his views and opinions but conceded that I had no right to say what I did. I hope you have the good grace to forgive me and put it down to another life experience , Aardvark.

[jackspratt]

I am sure KP will do that, Aa.

BTW - red or white, a good drop or so-so?

[Khun Paul]

Not problem all is forgiven, it is really so sad that so few are screwing it up for so many . This land of smiles and I have seen many is turning into a Land of Troubles, brought on by what in very general terms appears to be Greed, Envy,coupled with lack of Information and loads of Money.
We all know Thais worship the mighty dollar as it were, but this is blatant, if they didn't get food,sleep, transport and all that for free, they would not turn up at all. NOW WOULD THEY

[Texpat]

Yes, there is a very well-known apparatus in place for keeping people dumb, poor and desperate for many decades now.

Many of them have had enough.

[bumper]

For what it;s worth guys the only place I have been able to find accurate and fair to both sides news those far had been Channel news Asia 44 on my cable. It's not located in Thailand. Really not much on the local channels at all. It also has a website.

[bn]

So you applaud Dero's view that we should keep our opinions to ourselves.

But in the next breath you give us your considered opinion.

Ha ha ha touché.

Though I did say I don't know what really happened and have no solid opinion. Contrast to many on another site who have less knowledge of events then I yet want one side or the other to be hanged, drawn and quartered.

[maaka]

according to the latest world tv news..the thai PM has told the army to go in and clear the BKK streets of red shirts, and restore order..

[FrazeeDK]

PM pulls authority of DPM to run security situation.. DPM Suthep is a hard-liner towards the Reds. PM gives whole program to Gen. Anupong who just a few days ago stated force was not the answer, the answer must be political.. At the same time, he recommended the PM dissolve parliament earlier than planned.. So, now Anupong's in charge of the security situation... After the first go-round, the Army would need to do some serious re-training and planning to conduct any crowd control measures needed to evict the Red Shirts from Rajaprasong. If the military goes in heavy-handed, then you can bet the owners of all those malls and hotels will be screaming for damage payments from the government..

[bumper]

Blocking movement

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... be-blocked

[FrazeeDK]

blocking movement?? I'll do walk-about again today but yesterday saw only about 12 sweaty unarmed cops sitting at the Ploenchit/Wittayu intersection and they were allowing the Red Shirt "Guards" to control traffic flow. I saw one female cop sitting in the Chidlom/Ploenchit traffic booth and one lonely but very large cop at the Red Shirt checkpoint under the Rajadamri BTS station. The Red Shirts had Ploenchit blocked with two large trucks at Wittayu, further heavily blocked with two trucks, fencing and a pedestrian checkpoint at Chidlom/Ploenchit. At the pedestrian checkpoint the "guards" were eyeballling all and checking any hand carried bags. I walked to Rajaprasong Square and it was packed (I won't even try a body count estimate). I then walked down Rajadamri to Sarasin by Lumpini Park (over 1 KM). Rajadamri is "occupied" in total from Rajaprasong Square to Silom intersection with tents, food stalls, watering points, sleeping areas, hundreds of parked cars/trucks, Port-pottie points and many many people. Red shirts from different provinces have marked support areas with tents. In listening to folks chat, it was apparent that there are more Bangkok Thai involved that I've previously observed. Some were obviously rubber-necking like me, but many had all the Red Shirt accoutrements. A number of booths had TV Screens set up and were peddling VCD's showing the riot from last Saturday.. These booths had masses of folks watching the presentation which appeared to be neatly edited with commentary supporting the Red shirt contention that the soliders indiscriminately gunned down protesters. From the BP today, evidently the gov't is spewing out 500,000 VCD's with the Gov't slant. Down near Lumpini Park (West side parking lot) a 40 meter antenna mast has been erected, I assume by the protesters. I have no idea what it is transmitting, it could be a repeater system for Red shirt "guards" handhelds, it has what appears to be multiple UHF dipoles pointed in various directions. Sarasin Road is blocked with two large trucks and a check point at Lang Suan. Lumpini Park is open but at 1830 last night did not have it's normal amount of joggers/walkers (perhaps because the "normal" group there is Sino-Thai and Yellow shirt inclined?) Sunday (today) the Red Shirts have threatened to surge down Silom Road to Bangkok Bank's HQ's.. Since they appear to control Silom/Rama IV/Rajadamri intersection, I don't see how the Gov't could possibly stop them. Despite the blockage of Ploenchit/Rajadamri/Rama I traffic appears to be flowing around the area quite freely. You can drive into the blocked areas as it is layered with traffic allowed into the outer area after a cursory glance by the Red shirt "Guards" but the inner Rajaprasong area only seems to allow in Red shirt logistics trucks (water/food etc.) and the cars of the higher ranking Red shirts...(Puea Thai politicians??)

Contrary to a BP editorial from the other day which indicated the folks in the Rajaprasong area seemed "harder", I went out of my way to nod and smile at folks and got smiles in return. While not the festive atmosphere from the first few days, I didn't see any obvious "tension" in the crowd.

[bumper]

I read today that the tower you saw was for a local red shirt radio station. Be careful down there, good report thanks

[trubrit]

Nice 'on the spot report. Now today's radio news from both sides .
The army are said to be ready to deploy 40 tanks to help disperse the protestors. Shades of Tiananmen square , that one .
As an observer it would appear that Abhisit is digging a deeper and deeper , hole for himself .
From the red side. They announced a convoy of 30 pickups left Sri Sa Skat this morning , while 6 buses were seen leaving Udon. Full of teachers it was said .
A further development. A group, said to number about 50,000, calling themselves the " No Colour" are gathered in another part of Bangkok. Wearing pink actually .Their leaders have said they won't disperse until the Reds have gone home. Now as the Reds have said they are going nowhere until Parliament is dissolved , it would. by logical conclusion. appear there are now two mobs entrenched on the streets, who are going nowhere, until Abhisit , throws in the towel .

[bumper]

Third group in the mix now I was wondering how long this would take:

Asia Pacific News





Rival Thai 'Yellows' discuss moves as 'Reds' rally on
Posted: 18 April 2010 1359 hrs

BANGKOK: Thailand's pro-establishment "Yellow Shirt" movement gathered in their thousands on Sunday to discuss their response to month-long anti-government protests that left 23 dead in clashes last weekend.

The country is split between "Red Shirts", who largely support ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and their yellow-clad rivals who hit the streets ahead of a 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin and again to see off his allies in 2008.

The yellow protest group, backed by the country's elite, has kept a low profile since the Reds' mass rallies began in mid-March but began a meeting early Sunday to discuss the kingdom's troubles.

"We are having a meeting today because we know that now the country is in crisis," said Parnthep Pourpongpan, a spokesman for the group formally known as the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

"We have the PAD representatives from different provinces coming to analyse the situation and lay out the structure for long-term solutions. There are 3,000 to 5,000 people joining the meeting today," he said.

The Yellows' protests in 2008 culminated with a damaging blockade of the capital's main airports that stranded thousands of travellers.

As they met at a Bangkok university on Sunday, the Reds were also meeting to discuss their next move, eights days on from deadly clashes with security forces that left 23 people dead and more than 800 injured.

The Reds, who are demanding snap elections, have since abandoned their rally spot close to where the violence took place to instead reinforce numbers in a Bangkok district which is home to luxury hotels and shopping malls.

Leaders of the Reds have said they would hand themselves in to police next month as they brace themselves for a new army push to disperse them from the key district.

They have so far ignored repeated calls by authorities to disperse from the commercial heartland, despite arrest warrants outstanding against core leaders.

"On May 15, 24 of us will surrender. All of the leaders," said one of the top Reds, Nattawut Saikuar, on Saturday. "For now the 24 of us will keep rallying to show sincerely that we won't run away," he said.

"I'm sure the order to suppress us will come out soon."

He said the plan was designed to avoid another attempt by security forces to forcibly arrest them, but added they would seek bail.

The mostly poor Reds accuse the government of elitism and being illegitimate as it came to power after a parliamentary vote that followed a controversial court verdict ousting Thaksin's allies.

The military has said it will make a renewed attempt to disperse the protesters but has given no further details of its plans.

Late Friday embattled Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva handed broader powers to his army chief Anupong Paojinda, after a bungled operation to arrest some protest leaders at a hotel in Bangkok's northern outskirts.

Earlier Friday commandos stormed a hotel where several Red Shirt leaders were hiding, but the mission ended in dramatic failure after the suspects fled, with one climbing down an electric cable from a third floor balcony.

The setback to the authorities came almost a week after the army tried in vain to clear an area of the capital of anti-government demonstrators, triggering the country's deadliest civil unrest in 18 years.

The government has asked the police's special investigation unit to probe
the bloodshed, blaming "terrorists" for inciting violence and accusing Thaksin, who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for graft, of stoking the unrest.

- AFP/pw

[Zidane]

I'm in Bangkok this weekend staying on Sukhumvit between Nana and Asok.
In this area you wouldnt know that theres any trouble elsewhere.Emporium shopping mall open as usual and full of shoppers enjoying a day out.
Last night the bars and restaurants pretty full and lots of tourists around.
The red shirts are only a couple of miles away but not seen any and no signs of increased security either.

[bumper]

I'm trying to be careful about what I post on this subject But,eeping each other informed is important. I have made a rule for myself because of disinformation If I can't verify it in three places I won't post it. Including outside of Thailand. This has been verified with four different news agencies. I think an accurate assesment. Bangkok is not where I want to be today. Nothing may happen today but all the ingredients are there.

Politicians and Army personnel are a different group, things seem to be being done quietly now instead of speeches. The news cast on Channel News Asia ( not Thai station channel 44 )shows armed troops at the ready.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/20 ... 27388.html

[Texpat]

Until the tanks start rolling up Highway Two past Udon Thani, I don't really care.

If I see any jets or helicopters strafing, I'll go inside.

I'm getting as bored with their protests as I am with the Israeli and Palestinian issue.

Yawn...

[bumper]

Well lets hope it doesn't last that long

I'm amazed at how many e-mails I have gotten form the states in the past few days asking about this.

[bumper]

There you go Tex military going down 2 guess you just needed to ask

POLITICS »
Reds to intensify pressure
By The Nation
Published on April 20, 2010

As the red-shirt protesters promise another day of chaos in the capital to pressure Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva into dissolving Parliament, the security forces are standing guard to protect Silom Road.

The embattled premier, |who refuses to give in to the protesters' demands, said on television yesterday that he was not discouraged and would do his best to solve the crisis, but could not set a deadline.

"I know everyone wants this to end quickly, but those who work have to face many factors," he said. "We have to minimise the damage and do it effectively."

TROOPS, POLICE DEPLOYED

Thousands of troops and police were deployed to secure the business district yesterday as a red-shirt leader announced plans to invade the area. However, the protesters changed their plans when they spotted stern-looking soldiers - some armed with assault rifles, shotguns and pistols - on guard at Silom.

The protesters saw the presence of troops as the government getting ready for a new crackdown, |with red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua saying Silom looked like a war zone.

Another leader, weng Tojirakarn, said the government was treating the red-shirt protesters as if they were national enemies rather than fellow citizens.

"We won't make war, but will struggle peacefully until the end of our lives," he said on the main stage at the Rajprasong. "If the government launched another crackdown, it should prepare for civil war."

The protesters prepared for confrontation by covering the protest site and stage with black plastic webbing, as their guards got |ready a pile of sharpened |bamboo sticks to use as weapons.

Meanwhile, Kwanchai Praipana, a red-shirt leader from Udon Thani, called on supporters across the nation to join the rally by 8am today.

A group of 400 red-shirt protesters in the Northeastern province of Khon Kaen blocked the Friendship Road to stop military officials from travelling to the capital. They also briefly held back some 40 soldiers on their way back to barracks after their Songkran holidays.

Abhisit, meanwhile, said the government needed to remove the red shirts from Rajprasong so life in Bangkok could return to normal. He said the red-shirt leaders were holding two groups of people hostage - the capital's business community and the protesters - for their own political benefit.

The government is planning to compensate those losing financially from the protest, he said, adding that daily-wage earners in the area were the top priority.

The Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situations yesterday mapped out a plan to remove protesters from Rajprasong, said spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

The operation would be conducted on a step-by-step basis, from lenient to harsh, according to international standards, he said, adding that soldiers were allowed to carry arms for self-defence.

"We have made it clear that officers will not take any lives, but they have the right to protect themselves," Sansern said.

It is a shame that the protesters are using elderly people, women and children as human shields, he added.

The authorities are insisting that protesters used weapons of war against troops during the April 10 clash, which claimed 25 lives and

injured more than 800 others.

They said "terrorists" had mixed in with the protesters to hurt the security forces, but so far they have not clarified why the number of civilians killed in the violence was so high.

Abhisit said the troops were strictly abiding by the rules of engagement on April 10, but the government would make sure that justice was served on all sides.