Bangkok on high alert for violence

[Jai Dee]

Public Health personnel are on standby around the clock

The Ministry of Public Health has instructed public health personnel to standby for emergency calls today (May 30), the day the Constitutional Court will rule the political parties' dissolution case.

The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Mongkhol Na Songkhla, says social disorder may occur, and public health personnel have to be prepared for the situation. The Permanent Secretary for Public Health has instructed the state hospitals across Thailand to be prepared for unpleasant events today. Ambulances and emergency teams in Bangkok and other provinces are on standby for emergency.

The Public Health Minister adds he will inspect various places in person. Meanwhile, public health personnel are not allowed to take leave on any occasion during this period.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 May 2007

[sriracha john]

Thai Premier to Impose Emergency Rule If Protests Turn Violent

"I don't expect any gathering will turn violent today,'' Surayud said. "In the worst case, I as prime minister have legal authority to impose an emergency order to maintain the security and stability if there is any violence.''

The headline doesn't match the content of the article...

Unless Bloomberg is deciding for the PM what he will do with his options.

[Jai Dee]

Live broadcast of verdict on party dissolution case

The Government Public Relations Department (PRD) would like to invite public members to watch and listen to the Constitutional Tribunal's verdict on the party dissolution case this afternoon via Radio Thailand, and the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (Channel 11).

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

Supporters of Democrat Party walk inside the party's headquarter on Wednesday.

The Constitutional Tribunal will rule on the party on 2.30pm.

Source: The Nation - 30 May 2007

[mumbu]

Thai Premier to Impose Emergency Rule If Protests Turn Violent

"I don't expect any gathering will turn violent today,'' Surayud said. "In the worst case, I as prime minister have legal authority to impose an emergency order to maintain the security and stability if there is any violence.''

The headline doesn't match the content of the article...

Unless Bloomberg is deciding for the PM what he will do with his options.

Since you are so picky, I need to indicate that you are wrong. The article has authors who are resposible for its content, not Bloomberg.

[sriracha john]

Sorry, Channel 11, but Channel 5 has cuter news presenters...

[george]

What will happen at 1.30pm?

Vote in ThaiVisa mini-poll here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=123094

[Plus]

Would have to have been individuals within TRT who allegedly paid the other parties, so unless there was a documented party executive decision to do it (would they be silly enough to put it on paper?), you'd have to speculate that only individuals could be charged, not the party as an organisation.

They are not simply individuals, they are party executives acting on party's behalf, probably elected by ordinary party members, too.

Should these party members be held accountable for execs actions? It's really for the court to decide in this case.

Take ITV, for example, it was only a few board members who pushed for illegal contract amendments, yet the whole company lost its operating license.

I case of financial fraud, whole company stocks might get suspended and delisted, even if only few execs are actually guilty. The rest of the staff - tough luck with your stock options.

[sriracha john]

Thai Premier to Impose Emergency Rule If Protests Turn Violent

"I don't expect any gathering will turn violent today,'' Surayud said. "In the worst case, I as prime minister have legal authority to impose an emergency order to maintain the security and stability if there is any violence.''

The headline doesn't match the content of the article...

Unless Bloomberg is deciding for the PM what he will do with his options.

Since you are so picky, I need to indicate that you are wrong. The article has authors who are resposible for its content, not Bloomberg.

Fair enough,

I amend my comments above to:

Unless Beth Jinks and Anuchit Nguyen and their employer Bloomberg are deciding for the PM what he will do with his options.

[Jai Dee]

Thai Rak Thai Party

11:10 am: Key TRT members Sutham Saengprathoom and Adisorn Piengket begin the stage proceedings at the party headquarter. They attack the junta for staging the coup of September 19, 2006. They say the cases of party dissolution are illegitimate because they belong to the 1997 Constitution, which was cancelled by the coup. They want the junta to step down and return democracy to the people.

From The Nation.

[Plus]

From Nation's updates:

"11:15 am: A small group of people arrive at the Constitution Court to express their support for Thai Rak Thai.

The group has about seven and eight people.

They say Thai Rak Thai should not be dissolved."

SEVEN or EIGHT people? Doesn't look like bloodshed in the making.

[jdinasia]

Thai Rak Thai Party

11:10 am: Key TRT members Sutham Saengprathoom and Adisorn Piengket begin the stage proceedings at the party headquarter. They attack the junta for staging the coup of September 19, 2006. They say the cases of party dissolution are illegitimate because they belong to the 1997 Constitution, which was cancelled by the coup. They want the junta to step down and return democracy to the people.

From The Nation.

So much for accepting the verdicts

[sriracha john]

Thai Rak Thai Party

11:10 am: Key TRT members Sutham Saengprathoom and Adisorn Piengket begin the stage proceedings at the party headquarter. They attack the junta for staging the coup of September 19, 2006. They say the cases of party dissolution are illegitimate because they belong to the 1997 Constitution, which was cancelled by the coup. They want the junta to step down and return democracy to the people.

From The Nation.

So much for accepting the verdicts

Good grief..... it's already started...

[Jai Dee]

CNS Chairman meets PM at Govt. House to discuss security plans

Chairman of the Council for National Security (CNS), Gen.Sonthi Boonyaratglin, and Minister of Defence, Gen.Boonrawd Somtas, travelled earlier this morning to the Government House to meet Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to monitor the situation and discuss security plans on the party dissolution case.

Apart from CNS Chairman and Minister of Defence, Deputy Army Cammander Anuphong Phaochinda (อนุพงษ์ เผ่าจินดา) and First Army Area Commander Lt.Gen.Prayut Chan-ocha (ประยุทธ์ จันทร์โอชา) have also attended the meeting with the premier. CNS Chairman will explain the use of the Phitak 1 Plan to Gen.Surayud.

The premier and the military executives will keep a close watch on the situation and consider future plans to tackle demonstrations.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 May 2007

[hammered]

Thai Rak Thai Party

11:10 am: Key TRT members Sutham Saengprathoom and Adisorn Piengket begin the stage proceedings at the party headquarter. They attack the junta for staging the coup of September 19, 2006. They say the cases of party dissolution are illegitimate because they belong to the 1997 Constitution, which was cancelled by the coup. They want the junta to step down and return democracy to the people.

From The Nation.

So much for accepting the verdicts

The TRT arguement all along has been they and none of their members did anything wrong. If they are dissolved today or any member is banned there will b cracks in what they argue for the first time. They need a total not guilty.

[Jai Dee]

Sonthi, Boonrawd report situation to PM

Council for National Security chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas and senior military figures meet with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont at the Government House Wednesday morning to discuss political situation ahead of tribunal ruling in the afternoon.

Gen Sonthi and Gen Surayud arrived at the venue shortly before 10 a.m.

Gen Sonthi is expected to report on the soldier's Pitak 1 plan and the police's Korakot 48 and Mokara 50 plans and the preparation to use them in case the court ruling lead to disorder.

More from the Bangkok Post here.

[Jai Dee]

Democrat Party

12.05am : Democrat team led by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and party advisor Chuan Leekpai leave the party headquarter to the Constitutional Tribunal office. Accompanying them are other party executives; Apirak Kosayothin and party secretary general Suthep Thueksubhan.

From The Nation.

[Jai Dee]

Checkpoints lined up throughout Thonburi area

The Royal Thai Navy Commander-in-Chief and Council for National Security (CNS) member Gen.Sathiraphan Keyanond (สถิรพันธ์ เกยานนท์) has announced that checkpoints have been lined up in all significant venues in Thonburi (ธนบุรี).

Gen. Sathiraphan said that the Royal Thai Navy has been assisting the police force in ensuring peace and security in the region by setting up checkpoints. He, however believes that the majority of people understand the situation and will not join in the rallies.

Gen. Sathiraphan highly recommends that groups with intention to hold rallies, should immediately halt their actions as they will not contribute to any good in the society.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

12.25am : Democrat team arrive at the Tribunal office.

From The Nation.

[hammered]

Just like to say thanks to Jai Dee now for the quick updates. Today will be quite a lot of hard work i am sure, but appreciated.

[Jai Dee]

Just like to say thanks to Jai Dee now for the quick updates. Today will be quite a lot of hard work i am sure, but appreciated.

You're welcome.

It is a big day for Thailand historically.

Let's all hope it remains peaceful.

[Jai Dee]

Thai Rak Thai Party

12.20 Thai Rak Thai acting leader Chaturon Chaisang, former executives Pongthep Thepkanchana, Chamlong Krutkhuntod and former MP Wichit Plangsrisakul arrived at the Office of the Constitution Court.

From The Nation.

[thaigene2]

Yes thanks Jai Dee - good to see some straight-up coverage without the crap.

You know the Nation should be ashamed of its coverage on this issue, the Coup, and its pro-PAD-anti-Thaksin rantings and ravings.

I used to think they were a better paper than the Bangkok Post. Now I think they are just a mouthpiece for the wealthy Thai Hi-So and Chinese-Thai Establishments (who's powerful rich families lost their 'influential' priviledges during the Thaksin period).

The Nation should appologize and fire the whole editorial board.

Edited May 30, 2007 by thaigene2

[Jai Dee]

Northern residents glued to TV updates about Tribunal's ruling

Residents in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were glued to TV news updates about the Constitution Tribunal's ruling on Monday.

These two northern provinces are known as the stronghold of Thai Rak Thai, which was founded by ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Chaing Mai coffee shops were crowded since early morning as anxious people gathered and debated about the political situation.

Source: The Nation - 30 May 2007

[Jai Dee]

Democrat Party leader and its executives hears verdicts at the Constitutional Court

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva (อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ) leads the party’s 30 executives to hear the verdicts of party’s dissolution case at the Constitutional Court. The further direction of the party will be announced at 15.00 hours today (May 30th).

Chairman of the Democrat Party Advisory Council Chuan Leekpai (ชวน หลีกภัย), lawyer team, the party’s executives traveled to the Constitutional Court to hear the verdict at 13.30 hours. Meanwhile, some of key members, including Deputy Secretary to the Democrat Party, Mr. Nibhon Bunyamanee (นิพนธ์ บุญญามณี), the treasurer of the party Mr. Kobsak Sapawasi (กอร์ปศักดิ์ สภาวะสุ), will hear the verdicts at the headquarters of the party.

Democrat Spokesperson Ong-art Khlamphaiboon (องอาจ คล้ามไพบูลย์) says the party has yet discussed on appointing new leader if the party is dissolved.

People are gradually traveling to Democrat Party’s headquarters to hear the verdicts amidst tight security.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 May 2007

[johnh101]

Just like to say thanks to Jai Dee now for the quick updates. Today will be quite a lot of hard work i am sure, but appreciated.

Don't worry...................he is getting paid for it !

But seriously, Good Job !

[Tywais]

Just like to say thanks to Jai Dee now for the quick updates. Today will be quite a lot of hard work i am sure, but appreciated.

Don't worry...................he is getting paid for it !

But seriously, Good Job !

He wishes. Channel 5 showing the announcement now.

[quiksilva]

1:30 pm: Constitution Tribunal judge Jaran Hatthakam starts reading the verdict.

1:25 pm: The chair of the Constitution Tribunal pleas for calm before the reading of the verdict against the Democrat.

1:00 pm: The nine judges start presiding over the bench, getting read to read the verdict at 1:30 pm.

12:55 pm: The Saturday People Against Dictatorship Group announces it fails to meet the schedule to hand out Jatukam Ramathep talismans at Sanam Luang at noon. The group claims police have stopped its truck carrying the talismans. About 300 people are waiting at Sanam Luang for the talismans. Police tell the group to cancel the plan to distribute the talismans if they fail to do it by 1 pm. Observers believe the group plan to use talismans to draw people to join its demonstration.

The Nation

[Krungthepian]

Yes thanks Jai Dee - good to see some straight-up coverage without the crap.

You know the Nation should be ashamed of its coverage on this issue, the Coup, and its pro-PAD-anti-Thaksin rantings and ravings.

I used to think they were a better paper than the Bangkok Post. Now I think they are just a mouthpiece for the wealthy Thai Hi-So and Chinese-Thai Establishments (who's powerful rich families lost their 'influential' priviledges during the Thaksin period).

The Nation should appologize and fire the whole editorial board.

In regard to above remark, I think Thaigene needs to look a little deeper. In my view, The Nation has been hit harder by the Thaksin regime, in that it found itself a couple of years ago with a new major shareholder that initially looked "toxic" - 16% of shares owned by the Jungrungreankit family - sister-in-law of the former transport minister and Thai Rak Thai heavyweight Suriya. Rumours at the time were that this shareholding was much higher (30 percent), so I don't know if it was sold down or that info was incorrect. Thing is, bosses of NMG had to prepare for the possible addition of board members who may want to interfere strong in editorial policy.. make their papers less anti-govt. Their response was to set up separate company units for each entity (The Nation, Kom Chad Leuk, Krungthep Turakit, Nation TV, etc). While that may have helped hinder any editorial "interference", it also exposed the divisions of the group that were losing money, ie. Nation TV and the Nation itself. So that latter two divisions have suffered heavy workforce cuts because of demands by this shareholder for an end to operating losses. That decimated the Nation TV workforce and cut deeply into the Nation's foreign editorial staff (who were paid quite well by local standards, although poorly when compared to Western journalists or subeditors anywhere else - except the Post).

So The Nation has had its staff gutted and lost some quality foreign subs; the capacity of the paper to maintain its former standard has been badly eroded. It lost its sports chief Alan Parkhouse, subs chief Chris Burslem, plus a number of others. These two alone were very experienced journos and you cannot lose people of such quality without taking a dip.

However, another factor was cutting back on circulation (and subsequent newspaper returns), which has eroded its advertising, as the Post is obviously printing more. With more ads, it has more pages and more news. Simple as that. It's still a sleepy paper that tends to follow the Nation's lead but you often get more stories, cos it has slightly more pages.

As a fan of The Nation, I'm hoping they'll bounce back; that someone of calibre will buy the Jungungreankit stake (which the family said last Saturday it wants to sell) and can help them run the firm in a more professional way, which will help them pay for more staff and produce a better paper. There are huge areas of potential that are badly neglected - such as news on expats, crime, regional reporting. And surely, someone could do a better job re circulation. The apper has got a mindset that it can partly exist on the Internet, but for me, you still need to have a solid core of sites throughout Bangkok and regional centres, where you can buy the paper. And how many times have we tried to get this paper and have not been able to? I've always found it ludicriously hard to find. So surely the paper's circulation department needs someone to put a cracker under it.

Anyway, that's some of the reasons the paper's quality has dipped in recent times. It probably also needs an editorial who is prepared to cut columns written by people such as Sophon Ongara, which aren't good enough - like a broken record. And to boost it's coverage of news outside Bangkok politics. It currently has a young editor (Tulsathit Taptim), who doesn't have a great deal of interest in crime, expat or regional affairs, and that isn't good for the paper he's overseeing. Nice man, but better as chief reporter. He and his senior colleagues such as Thanong Khantong, and Veena, the features editor, are simply over-worked. It's impossible to maintain standards under those conditions.

[Gonzo the Face]

cancelled by poster

Problem corrected

Edited May 30, 2007 by Gonzo the Face