PAD Lay Siege On Government House, NBT TV Station

[moo9]

No TV here in Banglamung Cable TV except for ASTV 1 and 2....whats happening

[sriracha john]

When the People Power movement in the Philippines toppled their government, they had huge domestic and international support, and a very coherent message, and for most people they were OBVIOUSLY and unambiguously the good guys fighting the bad guys.

PAD ain't that.

it's because Thaksin only had 5 years and not the 23 years of tyrannical rule that Marcos had... (during which time more of his atrocities became more widely known)...

[tropo]

This is not a protest, it's a siege. They're refusing to leave until they get exactly what they want.

PAD believe they can get what they want and use the successful 2006 coup as motivation.

Edited August 27, 2008 by tropo

[scyriacus]

Hitler was democratic elected

this is a commonly believed misconception.

... The Nazi party never received more than 30 odd per cent of the vote in any election.

5. March 1933 NSDAP 43,9 %, plus 8 % Deutschnationale which was actually considered a bad result for them back in the days. Dont know what this has to do with the thailand topic, but i dont like wrong facts....

thanks for the correction. 'hitler' was introduced by a tax-sin/samak supporter who compared the pad with nazis. also wrong! hitler was supported by capitalists and elected similar to tax-sin/samak by people, who didn't know his evil intentions and hoped he would change the country and their own fate to the better. hitler turned a dictator, because there was no pad in germany 1933. civil disobedience was ungerman in those days. although not a supporter, i am very glad, that pad does resist against this undemocratic puppet-government of the would-be-dictator tax-sin. and i hope that everyone sees the need to learn from history. even 'gods own country' (usa) was started with a revolt against the then righteous rulers (see boston tea party, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party). some expats seem to suppress or dismiss these facts...............

[Mosha]

Thailand government has provided a very good way for the people to change their society, that is, by election.

Just my opinion, but I think most Thai people will tell you their elections don't change much of anything, except which group of scoundrels is raiding the honey pot. Maybe there will be another coup soon. Sooner or later again, and again, and again, pretty much for certain, yes?

If voting changed anything, it would be illegal to vote. That applies to any country.

[fuzedcon]

Police back off from confrontation with protesters

BANGKOK: -- At 6 am Wednesday, commando police pulled out of the Government House compound, backing off from confrontation with protesters there.

Protesters at the Makkhawan Rangsan bridge started moving to join the protesters inside Government House after the police forces left.

-- The Nation 2008-08-27

What sort of rubbish is the Nation writing? Police is still there, they never even intended any confrontation, just closed exits and stayed put. And also their previous news that protesters were injured during the police getting into government house is absolute rubbish - nobody got injured.

[scyriacus]

No TV here in Banglamung Cable TV except for ASTV 1 and 2....whats happening

hi moo9 and everybody else. there is a live coverage and comments on the net: toc, link is http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/

[tominbkk]

I find that the best way to keep up on news clippings is to just -Google News- things, search for "Thailand Government House" or such. You can also have Google send you news release as they make their way to the internetz. That way you get all domestic and international news as it breaks.

Please, moderators, is it possible for you to set up a news clippings area where only the news reports are posted on breaking news topics?

This thread is a good example of how difficult it is to seperate the news from many pages of political debate...being 29 pages long already.

try this

bangkokpost dot com

jeez

I'm sorry if that suggestion upset you.

jeez

[scyriacus]

When the People Power movement in the Philippines toppled their government, they had huge domestic and international support, and a very coherent message, and for most people they were OBVIOUSLY and unambiguously the good guys fighting the bad guys.

PAD ain't that.

it's because Thaksin only had 5 years and not the 23 years of tyrannical rule that Marcos had... (during which time more of his atrocities became more widely known)...

if pad actions would not have ousted tax-sin he may have treated thailand like marcos did treat the philippines (with strong support by the freedom fighters of the cia). there are still some brainwashed philippinos believing that under marcos there was 'law & order'.

[jfchandler]

This is an interesting item in one of The Nation's articles posted on their web site this morning.... This is the first reference I've seen to this kind of involvement in the situation....

"I was granted an audience with His Majesty the King. His Majesty asked me to enforce the law with extreme caution, to be soft and gentle. I beg all of you to understand and sympathise with me," Samak was quoted by an official source as telling the Cabinet.

"Soft and gentle" were the words Samak used yesterday in his news conference with foreign media... They seemed very uncharacteristic for him to use, given his style and history... Wonder if that direction came from a different source...

[Mosha]

what are they eating

PAD Thai?

[jayjayjayjay]

What a bunch of worthless thugs. God, they remind me of football hooligans.

Yeah, but what is more surprising is H90 would have us read and respect his opinions! What a waste of space reading any of his posts anymore. I'll let my eyes walk over them from now on! 5555555555555 555555555555555

[pete_r]

At this point Samak should resign simply for letting the situation to go this far, doesn't matter if he was right or wrong.

He can't fight a war of attrition with half of Thailand and call it "governing".

For now he can walk away with his head held high, just say sorry for not being able to keep the country at peace and go. No one would blame him.

Samak is showing restraint by not sending the police to arrest the protesters, which would inevitably result in clashes, and you call for his resignation.

I bet if he gave the order to arrest the protesters, you would decry his brutality and call for his resignation as well.

You are playing exactly the PAD's dirty strategy to put him in a no-win situation.

So again the same questions: Do you support the PAD's stance on the Preah Vihar issue (calling for a war with Cambodia), and on their so-called "new politics" (aka end of democracy with a largely nominated parliament and the army playing the role of referee)?

[jayjayjayjay]

On, off, go, don't go

Police back off from confrontation with protesters

At 6 am Wednesday, commando police pulled out of the Government House compound, backing off from confrontation with protesters there.

Protesters at the Makkhawan Rangsan bridge started moving to join the protesters inside Government House after the police forces left.

The Nation

http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/r...newsid=30081634

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At this point Samak should resign simply for letting the situation to go this far, doesn't matter if he was right or wrong.

He can't fight a war of attrition with half of Thailand and call it "governing".

For now he can walk away with his head held high, just say sorry for not being able to keep the country at peace and go. No one would blame him.

Even 35,000 protesteers is not yet 0.05% of Thailand's population! So we should settle for a government of a minority! Yeah, great!

[JoeInSurin]

On, off, go, don't go

Police back off from confrontation with protesters

At 6 am Wednesday, commando police pulled out of the Government House compound, backing off from confrontation with protesters there.

Protesters at the Makkhawan Rangsan bridge started moving to join the protesters inside Government House after the police forces left.

The Nation

http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/r...newsid=30081634

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At this point Samak should resign simply for letting the situation to go this far, doesn't matter if he was right or wrong.

He can't fight a war of attrition with half of Thailand and call it "governing".

For now he can walk away with his head held high, just say sorry for not being able to keep the country at peace and go. No one would blame him.

Samak is the one showing restrain and keeping the country at peace. The PAD masked and armed thugs are the ones breaking the law and peace. Why should Samak walk away when he is in the right? He has shown that he is a good leader in this situation and PAD has come out to show what they are. A bunch of law breaking thugs.

[Old Man River]

On, off, go, don't go

Police back off from confrontation with protesters

At 6 am Wednesday, commando police pulled out of the Government House compound, backing off from confrontation with protesters there.

Protesters at the Makkhawan Rangsan bridge started moving to join the protesters inside Government House after the police forces left.

The Nation

http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/r...newsid=30081634

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At this point Samak should resign simply for letting the situation to go this far, doesn't matter if he was right or wrong.

He can't fight a war of attrition with half of Thailand and call it "governing".

For now he can walk away with his head held high, just say sorry for not being able to keep the country at peace and go. No one would blame him.

It is being reported that yesterday, Samak had an audience with HM the King and was advised to keep it soft and not let a confrontation occur. We can assume that he wanted to break some heads, which is his personality, but instead he followed these wise words and stepped back.

[scyriacus]

"Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, Wednesday demanded officials to open up the buildings inside Government House compound to allow protesters to answer the call of nature."

So, General Chamlong is threatening to have his employees defecate and urinate on the house of democracy in Thailand. The Army generals, at least this one, has really gone too far in insulting the other 63 million Thai people! If Thaksin supporters threatened to empty their bowels at Army Headquarters, you'd bet that heads would roll. Unfortunately, he who has the armed tanks, calls the shots...

i wonder, why you are so full of hatred against pad? everyone can clearly read that a pad leader has asked his supporters (not employees!) not to defacate and urinate on the house but use the toilets inside the house instead! you insult 63 million people by telling your propaganda lies and treating us as stupid. you've totally lost control yourself.

[Plus]

Read my post again - it doesn't matter if he is right or wrong - he failed as a leader because half the country doesn't recognise him.

35,000 laying siege in Bangkok is not ALL Pad support nationwide. Some people haev difficulty comprehending that for every person out in the street there are many more staying home and cheering them.

Yes, it appears that this time PAD's actions are bewildering to many of its own supporters, BUT

Samak has to go simply for not being able to prevent this confrontation.

[jumnien]

Read my post again - it doesn't matter if he is right or wrong - he failed as a leader because half the country doesn't recognise him.

35,000 laying siege in Bangkok is not ALL Pad support nationwide. Some people haev difficulty comprehending that for every person out in the street there are many more staying home and cheering them.

Yes, it appears that this time PAD's actions are bewildering to many of its own supporters, BUT

Samak has to go simply for not being able to prevent this confrontation.

Quite the opposite seems to be true. Many Thais who were sympathetic to some of PAD's leanings are now disgusted with their jackboot tactics. Nevertheless, the scariest scenario for the PAD thugs is an election which they could never, never even come close to finishing 4th or 5th in.

[jayjayjayjay]

Read my post again - it doesn't matter if he is right or wrong - he failed as a leader because half the country doesn't recognise him.

35,000 laying siege in Bangkok is not ALL Pad support nationwide. Some people haev difficulty comprehending that for every person out in the street there are many more staying home and cheering them.

Yes, it appears that this time PAD's actions are bewildering to many of its own supporters, BUT

Samak has to go simply for not being able to prevent this confrontation.

Pure and simple, your a Democrate supporter and would like to see them in power no matter what. PAD support could be 49%/51% for all we know, BUT THEY DID NOT WIN THE RIGHT TO FORM A GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!!!!! Thaksin was deposed undemocratically, and if he was removed by democratic means then it would have been better for all of us. Democracy, and the choice of the majority has a means of working itself out, not always smooth, but better than your support of gun toting jaunta's and stick wielding PAD. They are really proving themselves to be what they are, an ruthless mob of holigans (not so different from the UK football lads of the 80's). No matter how you look at it, the only way out of this situation is operating with a minority government of democrates, as a minority! What would you call thaT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[soundman]

Read my post again - it doesn't matter if he is right or wrong - he failed as a leader because half the country doesn't recognise him.

35,000 laying siege in Bangkok is not ALL Pad support nationwide. Some people haev difficulty comprehending that for every person out in the street there are many more staying home and cheering them.

Yes, it appears that this time PAD's actions are bewildering to many of its own supporters, BUT

Samak has to go simply for not being able to prevent this confrontation.

Yes he does.

He and his government have not addressed any of the issues brought forward by the groups of people who the PAD represent, the current administration has chosen to fight them or ignore them on every issue. Absolutely stupid moronic governance with the expected results playing themselves out now.

When the governments in this country start to realise that "it's our way or the highway" approach doesn't work and that they have to actually get involved with sorting out the legitimate gripes of groups that didn't vote for them, well that might be the first of the hurdles to national stability and harmony.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[philipm]

man, when ever politcal situations happens in thailand, everything just goes down.............

huh...it would be alot easier if they just voted, anyways thats the Thai government and local issues, but nevertheless we are all effected.

anyways can anyone advise which roads to keep off today?????

'many thanks.

[Plus]

We don't know how many people support the latest move.

That doesn't really matter - PAD will not simply disappear and Samak should resign for not being able to bring reconciliation to the country.

He can postpone it for some time, but the country is becoming ungovernable, and there's zero chance of Sondhi and Co telling their supporters to pack up, go home, and never come back again. It's a huge problem that will never go away.

Talks of Parlament dissolution as a possible way out are not that far off.

Realistically, with Thaksin out of the picture, isn't it the time to have another elections where he doesn't run as a puppet master?

[Thai at Heart]

Read my post again - it doesn't matter if he is right or wrong - he failed as a leader because half the country doesn't recognise him.

35,000 laying siege in Bangkok is not ALL Pad support nationwide. Some people haev difficulty comprehending that for every person out in the street there are many more staying home and cheering them.

Yes, it appears that this time PAD's actions are bewildering to many of its own supporters, BUT

Samak has to go simply for not being able to prevent this confrontation.

Quite the opposite seems to be true. Many Thais who were sympathetic to some of PAD's leanings are now disgusted with their jackboot tactics. Nevertheless, the scariest scenario for the PAD thugs is an election which they could never, never even come close to finishing 4th or 5th in.

Absolutely. Spoke to a neighbour who was a staunch anti-Taksinite/pro PAD at the beginning of the PAD protests in the mists of time now. She and her husband don't believe this is going the right way at all. I asked her about Sondhi's idea of appointed govt and she just chuckled and said "That isn't very fair".

[HAL9000]

The Prime Minister has spoken and told all these people who are causing the trouble today, that this is not a fun thing and it becoming very serious. They have overstepped their mark and he has advised them to go home now before any trouble starts. He has instructed the police force to do what they have to do to restore order, although he has not given any deadline when this will come into force.

Now is the time for people to listen, and end this nonesense before someone becomes seriously hurt.

I really don't understand why they allowed things to get this far. Surely the police has the assets and riot control training to have prevented this in the first place. I would think they would have had the water canon, tear gas, and riot shields ready and not allowed anyone to occupy anything.

Maybe they were just trying to play it soft to avoid violence.

[philipm]

man, when ever politcal situations happens in thailand, everything just goes down.............

huh...it would be alot easier if they just voted, anyways thats the Thai government and local issues, but nevertheless we are all effected.

anyways can anyone advise which roads to keep off today?????

'many thanks.

[Plus]

I asked her about Sondhi's idea of appointed govt and she just chuckled and said "That isn't very fair".

Good point - PAD opponents here make this "new politics" as a cornerstone of their argument that PAD is undemocratic, yet there's very little support for it among PAD members.

Consequently, we haven't heard anything about it for a while, except from anti-PAD folks who seems to be obsessed with the issue.

[Thai at Heart]

I asked her about Sondhi's idea of appointed govt and she just chuckled and said "That isn't very fair".

Good point - PAD opponents here make this "new politics" as a cornerstone of their argument that PAD is undemocratic, yet there's very little support for it among PAD members.

Consequently, we haven't heard anything about it for a while, except from anti-PAD folks who seems to be obsessed with the issue.

No one knows if there is any support for it within PAD or not. It came out of Sondhi's mouth, and as the defacto leader is a pretty worrying thing for "the leader" to believe in. What will be will be, and I hope that idea stays just that.

[moo9]

According to my talks with Thai friends I won the impression, that they neither like Samak nor Sondhi, who is now seen as a demagogue and heating up the situation, without having a clear strategy of things after a possible resignation of the Samak government. I share these thoughts. After all, both sides not really care about Thailand and the Thai people but playing a war for power, money, influence...

If there would be new elections this year, what would change? Ok name of PM, name of PPP maybe....but the result would stay the same.

It is frustrating really.

Edited August 27, 2008 by moo9

[younghusband]

I asked her about Sondhi's idea of appointed govt and she just chuckled and said "That isn't very fair".

Good point - PAD opponents here make this "new politics" as a cornerstone of their argument that PAD is undemocratic, yet there's very little support for it among PAD members.

Consequently, we haven't heard anything about it for a while, except from anti-PAD folks who seems to be obsessed with the issue.

As the PAD becomes further discredited both nationally and internationally, expect more distancing efforts.I have likened more than once the PAD rank and file to Lenin's useful fools, many of the decet people sickened by Thaksin's excesses.As if those who direct PAD whether overtly or otherwise (eg General Saprang skulking in the background) give a toss about what PAD members think.Chang Noi said it best,

"The PAD is an ant-democratic movement supported by high investment and shadowy protection, that exploits the fears of the privileged and a deliberately anti-rational nationalism, and flirts with militarism and violence"