tacosmith

Army will prevent more from joining protests

By The Nation on Sunday

Published on November 30, 2008

The Army will follow orders from the government in dealing with protesters and will also try to avoid the use of force against the protesters, its spokesman said yesterday.

Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd also dismissed a perception that the Army was resisting government authority.

Sansern said the Army would provide three companies of soldiers, as requested by the police, to support their operation at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which was seized along with the Don Mueang Airport by protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy.

He said troops would not be involved in the dispersal of the protesters but would focus on preventing more people from joining the protest.

The spokesman said Army commander-in-chief General Anupong Paochinda had instructed his subordinates, as a mechanism of the state, to follow orders in a way that would cause the least possible damage.

He also pointed out that in the prime minister's order declaring a state of emergency the police were mainly responsible for dealing with the protesters while the Air Force would assist at Don Mueang and the Navy at Suvarnabhumi.

Sansern explained that the arrangement was in line with the allocation of duties among the armed forces, as the Army was responsible for the inner areas of Bangkok.

The Army spokesman said yesterday that 17 companies from the Army would be involved in a city-wide mission to keep law and order, with troops stationed at state agencies and major intersections.

He also said there would be troop movements in a day or two for a rehearsal of the trooping of the colours ahead of His Majesty the King's birthday. He reiterated the Army chief's insistence that there would be no coup.

Bangkok airport to stay shut until Monday

Posted: 29 November 2008 1818 hrs

BANGKOK: Thailand's main international airport will officially remain closed for another two days, airport authorities said Saturday, as protesters continued to occupy the building.

Anti-government demonstrators occupied Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on Tuesday and the domestic Don Muang airport was closed on Thursday, stranding tens of thousands of travellers.

Despite the declaration of a state of emergency at both sites by embattled Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, police have failed to act against the protesters amid fears of violence.

"The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) group is still occupying the area in front of the Suvarnabhumi airport passenger building with no sign of dissolving," airport director Saereerat Prasutanont said in a statement.

"The airport, therefore, has to declare there will be no flights in or out for a further 48 hours until 6.00 pm (1100 GMT) on December 1," he said.

The PAD protesters have vowed not to leave until the resignation of the government that was elected last December.

ASTV still up and running:

Thanks for this link. I can barely get a thing to show up on ThailandOutlook.tv

Friend on Twitter told me that police moved in on ASTV to shut down transmissions (according to ASTV which is still on air now)

The news agency reported that at 9.23 a.m. this morning more than 200 police officers have moved in on the PAD protesters who are gathering at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The police have reportedly fired shots at the protesters near Gate No. 4 of the passenger terminal.

Looks like they're not too far back then.

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/toc/ViewData...?DataID=1010889

Looking at the live feed from within the airport, not much progress is made by the police...

I've only read quotes of there being 100 - 200 riot police at the entrance. Surely that wouldn't be enough to move in.

Does anyone happen to have an educated guess on how far the entrance to the airport is from the actual terminal itself?

Just mentioned on Thai PBS that PAD has seized two more police trucks, causing police to move back.