petedk

Three more Santika bosses come forward

Published: 24/01/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

Another three managers from the Santika pub reported themselves to Thong Lor police yesterday, denying any involvement in the New Year pub fire that killed 66 revellers.

Police on Thursday summoned the pub manager in charge of the location, Thawatchai Srithumma, marketing manager Wutthipong Waialakkree and entertainment manager Pongthep Jinda. They are accused of recklessness leading to death and injury, but deny the charges. They were released without bail.

Chief investigator Pol Col Kachornsak Pansakorn said police were still searching for Suriya Ritrabue, managing director of White & Brothers (2003) Co which operates the pub.

Investigators had concluded findings into the cause of the blaze but could not make it public for fear of the negative impact on the case.

From Bangkok Post today.

"fear of the negative impact" ????

9.30 Now and nothing is being shown on Thai TV.

This is truly a tradegy and my thoughts go out to the victims and relatives.

While this truly is a tragedy I'm not that surprised. Thai people have no idea about safety

May the victims RIP.

Too true.

We live just a few minutes walk from Santika and could easily have been there last night.

Instead we chose to go to Koh Chang.

There was a firework display on the beach and people stood as close as 2 or 3 metres from the actual fireworks. I was telling my friends how dangerous it was when one of the rockets must have fallen over and exploded. A young foreign girl was obviously hit by something but luckily it didn't seem too bad because I saw her dancing again 10 minutes later.

At the same party people were lighting Roman Candles and firing directly into the strong wind. Many of the fireballs were blown straight back into the crowds.

Don't worry.

In 14 days the cameras wil break down and never be repaired.

It's all very well censoring or blocking certain websites but what about all the emails that are circulating. Will they soon filter emails that contain ceratin words?

At the moment I seem to be receiving emails on a daily basis from Thai colleagues with links to taboo subjects. Some from very serious and respected news magasines.

A link please? Nothing on the BBC website right now.

Nothing on BBC news on Tv either.

I forgot to mention. They firmly believe Anupong will be removed from power today. I have no idea where they get their information from or whether it is just personal opinions.

The thread should be renamed:

Thaksin incites bloodshed

OR

Thaksin hopes for bloodshed

Because his fantasy scenario is that the country will be in ruins and he will be called back in as the Messiah. The sick thing to my view is that so many Thais AND farangs are playing right into his hand.

Maybe you are right. My Thai friends are discussing this at the moment. Their theory is that the government are doing nothing to stop the PAD in the hope that the "reds" will attack and cause chaos thus preventing the court ruling on Dec. 2. In the following chaos Thaksin will slip from Cambodia into Chiang Mai and take over from there with the possibility of a divided nation. They discussed this just 15 minutes ago.

Frightening possibility.

Live again on TNN.

Looks like something is about to happen

By the tone of the rhetoric being delivered by the speaker on the live ASTV stream, I'd agree. This is the first time I have seen speakers getting more or less hysterical and whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

From TNN it doesn't look too bad now. The police and protesters have seperated.

No sounds of gunshots as others have reported

can't make out whats happening but protesters sem to be trying to block a police truck. Just a bit of pushing and shoving going on.

Protesters arming themselves with wooden stakes and anything they can find

Live again on TNN.

Looks like something is about to happen

Is TNN available online?

If so what is their website? I can't find it

I don't think so.

Anyway they have stopped showing now.

They showed the PAD arriving in pick ups and being turned away by the police. Apparently they (PAD) are now grouping on the other side of the police.

Thanks P please keep us informed

One of my friends is on the way out there now. Maybe she'll give us an eye report later.

Meanwhile I'm offline for an hour or so.

Is TNN available online?

If so what is their website? I can't find it

I don't think so.

Anyway they have stopped showing now.

They showed the PAD arriving in pick ups and being turned away by the police. Apparently they (PAD) are now grouping on the other side of the police.

TNN is showing live.

The police have a helicopter in the air possibly looking for entrance points.

Chamlong alerts protesters to move from Government House to Bangkok airport

Chamlong Srimuang, a co-leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, woke up protesters inside the government House complex at 6 am Saturday, telling them to get ready to travel to the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

The protesters were told to board buses at the Nang Lerng Racecourse at 7 am.

The were told to bring along foods and drinking water.

The nation

How can they get past the police who have supposedly been 2ks from the airport since last night???

I'm curious about that too. I suppose the police cant surround the whole airport efficiently and they plan to "sneak" in at some point.

They can't get past. It's live on TV now.

Not sure if this is the right place to post but did anyone hear the series of explosions at about 11.30? Probably from Don Muang area

It,s just been announced by The National Army Chief, Gen Anupong Paojinda, has been relieved of his post !!!!

<deleted> is going on, if it is as they say, he has lost his post, and someone else has taken over his position.

I wondered if in fact he had gone to oversee the unfolding scenario, as the PAD have already started to organise the march for this morning

Told otherwise ???

marshbags

Edited to add bold and highlight the role he has / had and the already ongoing march this morning and also add the latest announcement, that he has gone to see Prem ????????

Where did you get this information???

I can't find anywhere on the Internet.

Any definite news yet about closure of restaurants?

Planning a big birthday dinner in Bangkok and hope to have a bottle of wine with the food on the 15th?

Forget about it.

If the restaurant opens, it will be in a very subdued way, i.e. no music etc.

The government has asked to refrain from any festivities at all, to reflect the mourning the country is in.

It would be extremely disrespectful to insist on having a birthday party right now. You'd probably attract the wrath of lots of Thai people!

Thanks for the information. We just called a couple of restaurants (Friday evening) and they don't know.

For your information I am one farang amongst 10 Thais. They all want to have a nice dinner with steak and wine. Ok. We are ending up with me buying and cooking the steaks for them. THEY (Thais) are providing the wine. They are certainly not upset by drinking but they DO respect the situation.

Any definite news yet about closure of restaurants?

Planning a big birthday dinner in Bangkok and hope to have a bottle of wine with the food on the 15th?

And when I tried the Ekkamai branch, they didn't even have towel service there.

They are going to introduce this in all the branches. Exisiting members will still get free towels but new members will have to take their own. That's what I was told by one of the staff.

Well, they banned access to the foreign chat rooms, and the Thai ones are really quick to kick out anyone who is naked. Never heard of anyone getting raped, just a lot of people dancing around in their underwear.

They also tend to kick out foreigners as many rooms are "For Thais only".

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Thailand-Pro...970d82fac79982d

More pictures from Yahoo including one showing the cop throwing the "object". (egg, stone, grenade or whatever)

The BBC reports that troops are now deployed at goverment house.

It sounds a bit exaggerated to me.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7656073.stm