Thaksin's Live Performance June 15, 2007

[george]

We will cover tonight's event with a web update from The Nation. Please read our forum rules before you post!

LIVE UPDATE

Stay tune with us on Today's Event

8.20pm : News reports from Sanam Luang said the absence of mobile satellite unit to receive the live speech of Thaksin from London had many here believing that a pre-recorded version will be played instead.

7.30pm : Keymen of now-defunct Thai Rak Thai were seen travelling out of the country, immigration source said.

Family of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra; Khunying Pojaman and two of her children; and Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, left for Singapore.

Newin Chidchob and Dr Prommin Lertsuridej left for Hong Kong but by different flights.

7.13pm : Chatuporn Prompan, a keyman of the rally said that Thaksin has responded to some reports that the Thai government may try to block the signals of his speech from London by recording his speech. But the government did not do so, Thaksin will speak live from his exiled residence.

7pm : Staffs at the Manager Media group were told to leave early as a rumor spreading that angry anti-junta protestors gathering at Sanam Luang may move and attack the group's headquarter at Phra-Athit Road which located few kilometers nearby.

The Manager's founder Sondhi Limthongkul led street protest last year to oust Thaksin Shinawatra before the military staged the coup in September.

A high ranking military officer tipped the Manager's executives that the angry mob would storm the office shortly after they listened to televised speech from Thaksin.

The Manager's headquarter was seen in defensive mode as both compound on the Phra-Athit Road and on the Chao Phraya River bank were surrounded by nets to prevent throwing stuff. Security guards at the office have been tightened for days since the protest erupted.

5.30pm : Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin warned he might consider dissolving motorcycle taxi stand whose taxi riders join the anti-coup protest and create violence.

If taxi riders joined the protest and created violence, the BMA - whose authority includes issuing permit for motorcycle taxi stands - might revoke the permit and proceed with legal actions against wrongdoers, he said.

5pm : Apirak said that in preparation for the mass rallies from June 15 to 17, to be held outside the Army headquarters, he urged BMA executives and district directors to work with police in risky areas.

He also asked officials to inform local residents and taxi riders about the situation and suggested residents and riders not to join the protest, as violence might occur.

4.45pm : Bangkok Governor Apirak said his office also set up a centre at the City Hall's fifth floor to monitor the protest situation around the clock, he said. The BMA is also cooperating with city police in dispatching municipality officials, firemen and water trucks, to "accommodate" the protesters.

3pm : Pro-Thaksin demonstrators plan to "stage" a self-immolation in front the headquarters Council for National security or Gen Prem Tinsulanonda, according to informed intelligence sources.

The sources told The Nation that this plan was mapped out to impress the media, both local and abroad, which will cover the demonstration this weekend.

"Whoever wants to burn himself will cover himself with wax to protect his body to escape immediate harms," said an intelligence source who is familiar with the tactics. The tactic was used during the Chatichai government from 1988-1990. For them, it is a show, nobody wants to die," the source said.

2pm : Security has been beefed up at state agencies located near the planned route of a march by anti-junta demonstrators this weekend for fear that a third party could create trouble.

1.30pm : The military has suggested government officials working in public agencies along Rajadamnoen Avenue not to stay on at their offices after work yesterday evening and to avoid working there this weekend.

The government agencies located in the Rajadamnoen vicinity include the ministries of Transport, Agriculture, Education and Tourism and Sports, as well as the Parliament.

11.50am : Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said his government has braced for every contingency, including a state of emergency if deemed necessary, due to concerns over the anti-junta rally that will showcase the appearance of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra via teleconference.

"Authorities will work with utmost effort to ensure peace during protests planned for this weekend," Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said Friday following a high-level security meeting.

Participants of the meeting included junta chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, acting national police chief General Seripisut Temiyavej and National Intelligence Agency directorgeneral Sirachai Chotirat.

Surayud said antiriot forces would not be armed so as to prevent any "accident" that could inflame the situation.

11.30am : Six heavily armed soldiers were sent to guard the Ministry of Interior, which is located near Sanam Luang. The Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, which sympathises with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, plans to hold a protest march from Sanam Luang to the Army headquarters.

10.15am : The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) sent a circular letter to state officials who work in the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) building not to enter the office until Monday to avoid any potential violence.

Even though the DSI building is located on Prachacheun Road - and far from the rally at Sanam Luang, and the NLA are concerned agitators may destroy assets in the building.

9.30am : The Government Lottery Office (GLO) has moved the lottery-drawing machines to the department of Public Relations on Rama VI as a precaution. The GLO was scheduled to draw the lottery on Friday.

The GLO organises the lottery draw on every 1st and 16th day of a month.

--The Nation 2007-06-15

[george]

8. 30pm : Chatuporn Prompan, a keyman of the rally, tells the demonstrators at Sanam Luang that the government has tried to block live speech of Thaksin from London. He claims Information, Communication and Technology Ministry spent all day Friday to find ways to block all channels; cyberspace, satellite and others. He ensured the cheering audience that they will be able to listen to Thaksin's televised speech as his team has prepared backup plans in case the government blocked the signals.

[george]

BMA watch protests on 24-hour basis

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has established an around-the-clock protest-watch centre, its Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said Friday.

Apirak warned that he might consider removing motorcycle-taxi stands of those riders who create violence at the anti-coup protest.

In preparation for the mass rallies to be held outside the Army headquarters yesterday through tomorrow, Apirak urged BMA executives and district directors to work with police in risky areas.

He also asked officials to inform local residents and taxi riders about the situation, suggesting that residents and riders not join the protest as violence might occur.

If taxi riders join the protest and create violence, the BMA - whose authority includes issuing permits for motorcycle-taxi stands - might revoke the permits and proceed with legal action against wrongdoers, he said.

--The Nation 2007-06-15

[pete_r]

Very strong talk going on...

[Mid]

bloody hel_l ,

my stick is bigger than your stick ,

there's no good purpose to be served by inflamatory statements such as the above

[cclub75]

Very strong talk going on...

Give us some bits. Thanks.

[lazeeboy]

BMA watch...

as i said in an earlier post tonight it will be live delayed to edit out anything they dont like ,probably the right decision and maybe stop a riot

Edited June 15, 2007 by Maestro
Unrelated quoted text reduced.

[pete_r]

He says, when he was PM, people complained about his work, but is it better now?

Mentions the worse situation in the South.

Talk about unfair treatment regarding the dissolution of TRT.

[pete_r]

Says he doesn't want to come back to politics [comment: so what is he doing right now?]

...

Shouting against General Sonthi now: You say I did wrong to the country, but have you done better than me?

[george]

9pm: Thaksin begins his speech to about 10,000 supporters at Sanam Luang, telling them that the freezing of his assets was aimed at destroy his power base and to send a message that he no longer has any money. He referred the attempt as a "political bully". Reporters at the scene believed that the statement was pre-recorded as there were no question-answer between Thaksin and his supporters. Thaksin appeared to be in a good spirit, smiling and calm as he deliver his statement.

[pete_r]

He asks for fair justice for him (= right to defend himself) and fair elections, meaning elections where TRT can also participate.

Talk finished already!

// Edit: Spelling

Edited June 15, 2007 by pete_r

[george]

Bangkok Post 21:28:

Thaksin speaks to Bangkok rally

Thaksin Shinawatra, in a pre-recorded message to his supporters at a Bangkok rally, said the military junta was trying to take away both his grassroots base and his money.

--Bangkok Post 2007-06-15

[george]

Bangkok Post:

Thaksin rallies his supporters

Thaksin Shinawatra, in a pre-recorded message to his supporters at a Bangkok rally, said the military junta was trying to take away both his grassroots base and his money.

Thaksin's manner was calm. The crowd of thousands applauded him, but there was no sign of confrontation or violence.

The speech was broadcast on a big screen and on other screens around Sanam Luang Plaza, the centre of Bangkok and of many previous protests against governments and dictatorships.

Billed initially as an appearance by Thaksin via Internet webcam, the widely anticipated speech instead turned out to be a pre-recorded message, and there was no interaction between the former premier and his supporters - and some detractors - at the Sanam Luang rally.

The government and military said they had contingency plans to deal with any violence during an increasingly tense political situation. But the early hours of the Friday night rally were peaceful.

[george]

The Nation:

9:30 pm: Thaksin concluded his speech during which he reiterated his earlier statement that he "didn't receive fair treatment". He said he will return to Thailand to fight the charges, not to reenter politic. He said he will return to "protect my dignity".

He urged all sides to reconcile for the sake of HM the King's 80th birthday but fall short of calling for end to the public demonstration. Thaksin said he would like to see a general election be held as soon as possible.

--The Nation 2007-06-15

[Tony Clifton]

Will he bother to ask his supporters to avoid violence at all cost or will he conveniently circumvent the subject?

[hammered]

Well. 10,000 people, a pre-recorded speech with little new in it. A bit of a non-event so far, lets hope the rest of the weekend stays like this. Hopefully we can move back from the brink now.

Just a thought but it sems from the relative lack of antagonism that T may still be open to a deal - some comment about wanting to protect his dignity.

[george]

Our friends at 2bangkok.com calls it a "Spectacle".

Where's the action?

[ratcatcher]

The Nation:

9:30 pm: Thaksin concluded his speech during which he reiterated his earlier statement that he "didn't receive fair treatment". He said he will return to Thailand to fight the charges, not to reenter politic. He said he will return to "protect my dignity".

He urged all sides to reconcile for the sake of HM the King's 80th birthday but fall short of calling for end to the public demonstration. Thaksin said he would like to see a general election be held as soon as possible.

--The Nation 2007-06-15

It's enough to make a grown man cry! Dignity!!! He lost that a long time ago. He doesn't know the meaning of the word.

dignity

1. the state or quality of being worthy of respect.

2 a composed or serious manner. 3 a sense of pride in oneself.

As for worthy of respect. For what?

[Maestro]

...some comment about wanting to protect his dignity.

I believe he means his money:

Thaksin begins his speech to about 10,000 supporters at Sanam Luang, telling them that the freezing of his assets was aimed at destroy his power base and to send a message that he no longer has any money.

--

Maestro

[lannarebirth]

...some comment about wanting to protect his dignity.

I believe he means his money:

Thaksin begins his speech to about 10,000 supporters at Sanam Luang, telling them that the freezing of his assets was aimed at destroy his power base and to send a message that he no longer has any money.

--

Maestro

As ever. it's all about the money. I hope no poor saps are willing to sacrifice their lives for his money.

[hammered]

...some comment about wanting to protect his dignity.

I believe he means his money:

Thaksin begins his speech to about 10,000 supporters at Sanam Luang, telling them that the freezing of his assets was aimed at destroy his power base and to send a message that he no longer has any money.

--

Maestro

I didnt notice this before but this is an admission that his power base (does he mean so called grasroots people?) is all built on money - freezing assets aimed at destroying power base.

[lannarebirth]

...some comment about wanting to protect his dignity.

I believe he means his money:

Thaksin begins his speech to about 10,000 supporters at Sanam Luang, telling them that the freezing of his assets was aimed at destroy his power base and to send a message that he no longer has any money.

--

Maestro

I didnt notice this before but this is an admission that his power base (does he mean so called grasroots people?) is all built on money - freezing assets aimed at destroying power base.

I think it means that being rich was all anyone ever respected him for. They certainly didn't seem to care how he became rich. If he wasn't rich anymore why should they respect him? I think both he and his followers feel the same way about that.

[Shah Jahan]

Didn't they just ban him from politics?

Isn't a televised address to 10,000 'supporters' considered political?

so Dr Takkin just broke the law?

[jdinasia]

Didn't they just ban him from politics?

Isn't a televised address to 10,000 'supporters' considered political?

so Dr Takkin just broke the law?

he cannot vote or hold office in a political party ... or be an MP or a Senator etc .... he still can speak his mind.

he got a fair cop and is out of politics .... but he COULD still be HUGELY influential in Thailand

[hammered]

Well he showed he can still get everyone's attention in the build up to the non-event of a speech. Maybe that was his intention - to show that he could still cause a problem or two for the gov.

[Mid]

well if nothing else ,

it kept seven soldiers deaths out of the news today .......................................

[Tony Clifton]

No it didn't.

[ovenman]

...some comment about wanting to protect his dignity.

I believe he means his money:

As ever. it's all about the money. I hope no poor saps are willing to sacrifice their lives for his money.

No kidding. Notice how Mr Big wasn't all that interested in defending his good name (i.e. his dignity) after the coup; wasn't stressed out over defending his kids while they were up on tax evasion charges; still can't be bothered to defend the good name of Mrs. Big against all of the ongoing charges against her; didn't seem all that worked up when the courts dismantled his baby (TRT); but as soon as a lock was put on his wallet with the possibility of actually taking money out of his pocket, suddenly Mr Big is making noises about coming back to Thailand and making beamed-in-from-abroad televised speeches in Sanam Luang. Right from day one, it's never been about anything other than the money for him...

Edited June 15, 2007 by ovenman

[SiamSquare123]

thats it?

[retiredusn]

thats it?

"NO MONEY LEFT" Did he not just purchase a home in Hong Kong for 23million?