Some 10,000 Pad-led Protesters Rally In Front Of Ptt Head Office

[george]

Some 10,000 PAD-led protesters rally in front of PTT head office

BANGKOK: -- About 10,000 protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy rally in front of the head office of PTT Plc Friday morning.

The protesters gathered there at about 9 am.

Three PAD co-leaders, Sondhi Limthongkul, Somsak Kosaisuk and Somkiart Pongpaibool, arrived at the rally site at 10:30 am.

The protesters demanded the government to delist PTT and seize its back as a state enterprise.

-- The Nation 2008-07-25

[ashacat]

Where is the PTT Head Office? Is this why Sukhumvit was gridlocked all morning?

[Ned]

Hasn't this mob got enough on its plate already?

Bring on the coup! Bring on the coup!

[Scott]

I saw in the BKK Post this morning where a PAD guard was killed in Udon Thani when 700 opponents stormed a rally.

I have no love for the gov't, but these PAD folks seem a little bit too out there for my liking. Scary bunch.

I think I'll move somewhere near Phra Vihear temple, might be safer!

[george]

PAD blocks entire Rajdamnoen Road

BANGKOK: -- The People's Alliance for Democracy Friday morning blocked all lanes of Rajdamnone Avenue instead of allowing traffic flow on the rightmost lane.

They blocked the entire road with barbed wife and had a dozen of guards block the road.

Usually, the PAD allowed vehicles to use the rightmost lane from 8 am to 5:30 pm before blocking the entire road.

-- The Nation 2008-07-25

[TAWP]

Barbed wire sounds like illegally obstructing the traffic and it should be forcefully removed if needed.

[LeungKen]

According to George, it was somebody's "Barbed Wife"

.....and they can be very dangerous.............

[pgufler]

I am sitting in PTT's headoffice at the moment...a lot of fun here..

Attached some pictures;)

[clausewitz]

I got to work late today, thanks to PAD>

[stumonster]

I am sitting in PTT's headoffice at the moment...a lot of fun here..

Attached some pictures;)

Nice pics - looks more like a party

[Plus]

After pro-government rampage in Udon and killing PAD supporter, today's rally blocking just one road is a rather mild response. It has the potential of gorwing much much bigger and paralysing the country completely.

[Los78]

After pro-government rampage in Udon and killing PAD supporter, today's rally blocking just one road is a rather mild response. It has the potential of gorwing much much bigger and paralysing the country completely.

You should look at the news again.... No one! was killed there just a little roughed up... It was again wrong information that always comes out of the (Not) independent media in Thailand. No wonder the government wants to start a station.

[pgufler]

yes it looked like a big party, but a lot of security here....i hope they open the entrance soon.

[hammered]

After pro-government rampage in Udon and killing PAD supporter, today's rally blocking just one road is a rather mild response. It has the potential of gorwing much much bigger and paralysing the country completely.

You should look at the news again.... No one! was killed there just a little roughed up... It was again wrong information that always comes out of the (Not) independent media in Thailand. No wonder the government wants to start a station.

Yes this seems to be true. However, to paraphrase Meerkat on another thread the intent seems to have been there. The footage is quite explicit. By the way the government already control all of the state run news media including multiple TV channels;)

It also seems even some of those normally quite supportative of the government on the web are actually calling for arrests to be made, which is good.

[Plus]

No one! was killed there just a little roughed up...

I take it you don't feel sorry for the victims anymore.

[^_^]

Or him?

[blaze]

No one! was killed there just a little roughed up...

I take it you don't feel sorry for the victims anymore.

"...the request for military intervention... has always had one prerequisite: there must be bloodshed.

... I remember vividly that when there was [street protest] against Thaksin, I always had people calling me: "Khun Sondhi, could you move things a little bit forward, have a little confrontation, let us see a little blood?"

This, from the interview Sondhi L gave in Asia Times shortly after the most recent coup d'etat... Make of it what you will. I expect that this will by no means be the last time we see blood needlessly flow- a half baked government facing an extragovernmental opposition led by a truly lunatic fringe with an irresponsible press messing up the facts according to its own agendas (political and otherwise) - doesn't inspire hope.

Edited July 25, 2008 by blaze

[pete_r]

Some 10,000 PAD-led protesters rally in front of PTT head office

BANGKOK: -- About 10,000 protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy rally in front of the head office of PTT Plc Friday morning.

The protesters gathered there at about 9 am.

Three PAD co-leaders, Sondhi Limthongkul, Somsak Kosaisuk and Somkiart Pongpaibool, arrived at the rally site at 10:30 am.

The protesters demanded the government to delist PTT and seize its back as a state enterprise.

-- The Nation 2008-07-25

Some numbers about the PAD protests:

300 Bahts per protester per day of protest. Plus free food and free daily transportation from provinces neighboring Bangkok. The mini-bus drivers get 3000 Bahts per load of protesters they bring with them.

Compare that with factory work, 200 Bahts per day for 8 hours on the production line, no free food, no sitting around chatting with your mates.

Protesting for the PAD is a nice job indeed.

Granted some protesters go for free. The words "useful fools" come to mind.

[Plus]

You should look at the news again.... No one! was killed...

I did, Bangkok Post story is still there

"The man who died was a PAD security guard. He had suffered an axe blow to the head, according to Veera Somkwamkid, a PAD ally."

If the government is caught downplaying the murder as if it never happened, I won't be surprised at all. If no one died, I expect PAD, the Nation, Bangkok Post, ASTV, Manager and so on to publish clarifications and correction of their earlier reports.

So far there are none.

[cloudhopper]

Some 10,000 PAD-led protesters rally in front of PTT head office.

The protesters demanded the government to delist PTT and seize its back as a state enterprise.

-- The Nation 2008-07-25

Wow I don't follow Thai politics too closely but this seems like right wing nationalism taken to extremes, reminiscent of late Wiemar era Germany.

[jumnien]

No one! was killed there just a little roughed up...

I take it you don't feel sorry for the victims anymore.

"...the request for military intervention... has always had one prerequisite: there must be bloodshed.

... I remember vividly that when there was [street protest] against Thaksin, I always had people calling me: "Khun Sondhi, could you move things a little bit forward, have a little confrontation, let us see a little blood?"

This, from the interview Sondhi L gave in Asia Times shortly after the most recent coup d'etat... Make of it what you will. I expect that this will by no means be the last time we see blood needlessly flow- a half baked government facing an extragovernmental opposition led by a truly lunatic fringe with an irresponsible press messing up the facts according to its own agendas (political and otherwise) - doesn't inspire hope.

Well, Sondhi got what he cherished! Let's hope this madman and the PAD goon squad gets cornered and removed.

[Plus]

So people were asking Sondhi to provoke some violence so that they army could move in.

Since Sondhi and PAD refrained from it, how can you say that Sondhi "cherished" it?

Or, hold, I know how YOU can say it, sunrise. Moot question.

[seagull]

You should look at the news again.... No one! was killed...

I did, Bangkok Post story is still there

"The man who died was a PAD security guard. He had suffered an axe blow to the head, according to Veera Somkwamkid, a PAD ally."

If the government is caught downplaying the murder as if it never happened, I won't be surprised at all. If no one died, I expect PAD, the Nation, Bangkok Post, ASTV, Manager and so on to publish clarifications and correction of their earlier reports.

So far there are none.

Well, read again. Udon governor Supoj denied that anyone was killed. Who to believe ? We should allow time for the press to get their act together before jumping up and down.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=129066

Edited July 25, 2008 by seagull

[Xangsamhua]

Interesting to hear the baht amounts being quoted for PAD. I've only ever heard them in reference to anti-PAD demos. PAD are certainly active and taking up more causes as they perceive just how inept their opponents are. Provocative actions like Samakh's threat to disperse them a few weeks ago and the arrest of Sondi on the rice-paper thin grounds of lese majeste only add to PAD's growing support. Expect big crowds at anything run by PAD over the weekend. The presence of military support, some in uniform and including one senior general, for Sondhi himself yesterday is interesting and suggestive. It could be a lively weekend.

I'm not enamoured of all that PAD says and does, but they have generally been pretty restrained, they have an ethic of non-violence, and what they've said about corruption and ineptitude has been spot on.

[Plus]

Who to trust - Udon governor or media reports? I'd personally wait for media retraction, though it is quite plausible that the news of the death was premature.

[jumnien]

So people were asking Sondhi to provoke some violence so that they army could move in.

Since Sondhi and PAD refrained from it, how can you say that Sondhi "cherished" it?

Or, hold, I know how YOU can say it, sunrise. Moot question.

It's not hard to see how an ultra-conservative right wing organization like the militarist PAD which uses barbed-wire in their "peaceful street protests" would love a bit of death as an excuse to take over as they did in Sept. 2006.

[jayjayjayjay]

Some 10,000 PAD-led protesters rally in front of PTT head office

BANGKOK: -- About 10,000 protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy rally in front of the head office of PTT Plc Friday morning.

The protesters gathered there at about 9 am.

Three PAD co-leaders, Sondhi Limthongkul, Somsak Kosaisuk and Somkiart Pongpaibool, arrived at the rally site at 10:30 am.

The protesters demanded the government to delist PTT and seize its back as a state enterprise.

-- The Nation 2008-07-25

10,000 PAD, here is where the problems lies, with journalists making a good days work. I figure (from picture viewed above) that there could be close to 10,000 people, but 7500 of them are street vendors..!!! How many real PAD people, about 20 not including Sondhi and Co!!!!!!!!

Plus, what you will find is that real supporters for the last government and this one have remained quiet for a long time. They now getting really upset at the arogance of PAD and the undeniable social unrest they are causing. There is no perfect government on the globe, I am not going to argue as this is covered in 100 "Plus" other threads. What a government does need is time to work without 90% of news space attributed to a minority mob group that use any incident to cry wolf over and over and over and over.... yes it gets boring..... and over again. The silent majority are beginning to realise that they need to take the silencing of this mob into their own hands. The government don't dare move against them due to risk of bias news feedback! Maybe too stronger statement, but news is a business, highlighting the PAD issue is a fun one that brings plenty of front page gossip and a couple of years of circus acts which appears to continue for the unforseeable future(on both sides of the government). Unfortunety, this will likely result in another coup, exactly what the MOB/PAD want, so they may proclaim themselves "heros" again..

And to Plachon, there are equally as many Thai's that would like to line up opposite PAD and see them disappear for the benefit of all Thai people, your arguement is onesided lacking any balance. I have contiued to view argument pro and con for both gov and PAD. PAD are beginning to meet resistence as they are upsetting to many common Thai people.. I attended the PAD rally in Chiangmai last week to listen to their arguement, so I guess I was a PAD person, but believe me, they came across as trouble makers trying to justify their own pay day! Luckily Chiangmai people gave them their time to speak and time to leave, but they were not very popular, all the same, it appears Issan people are a little less forgiving. 1000 plus police were needed!

Edited July 25, 2008 by jayjayjayjay

[plachon]

I would be very suspicious about reports saying that PAD hied people to attend a rally about PTT privatisation. They have not needed to hire people in the past and I see no reason why they should start now. Added to which PTT privatisation was always a sensitive issue that many politically aware Thais, plus the bulk of the unions, were always against and were savvy to the fact that Toxin was trying to push it through under the table so he and his buddies could handsomely profit from a public asset at no cost to themselves i.e. policy corruption of the biggest scale. Now Samak, Toxin's puppet is in, then no doubt it has been pushed some more and PAD are aware of this and want to bring it back to the public's attention how the country is being robbed blind by a few people.

Furthermore, there are many more than 10,000 people who would gladly rally for this issue without being paid, plus there is an active govt misinformation and slander machine at work trying to undermine everything the PAD do, so who to believe. Perhaps Pete R could provide proof of his assertions beyong soi gossip?

[seagull]

Freedom of speech, freedom to demonstrate publicly (relates democracy) versus freedom to use barbed wires in public areas, in my most humble opinion, is not the same. And it should be illlegal.

There should be a line drawn about this. Not with barbed wires.

[baanthale]

I knew it, it would come You people have spoken about vote buying done by PPP and TRT since years here in post after post. When someone asked how you know, answer have been Iv'e heard it or my sisters kusin saw it. Now when someone says that the PAD cronies pays people to join, we hear that it must be wrong, and that someone saw it, it's not good enough No, no, the PAD and the Democrates are all made up of saints It's beyond me how enyone can be so naive