State Of Emergency Announced In Bangkok

[WAERTH]

Cent,

Samak said that life should go on as normal for most people. And watching in my little holdout in BKK I can see people going on with their lifes as usual.

Now I wonder .... is a trafficjam a gathering of more than five people? If so they need to disperse a lot of people on Ratchada

Waerth

[german73]

at last let them clash,the sooner the better - this stalemate cannot go on forever....

[marshbags]

The Nation and also on Channel NBt the following good news,

EC resolves to seek PPP's dissolution

The Election Commission Tuesday voted unanimously to seek an order of the Constitution Court to dissolve the People Power Party.

The Election Commission Tuesday voted unanimously to seek an order of the Constitution Court to dissolve the People Power Party in connection of vote buying by its former deputy leader Yongyuth Tiyapairat.

The EC voted that the PPP had to be held responsible for vote buying committed by Yongyuth so the EC would file a suit with the Constitution Court, asking the court to dissolve the party.

Unquote

I was in the toilet and the wife came running through shouting about what had just been in the tele.

Talk about exicited, i wondered what was happening.

Haven,t seen her in this state since i gave her 25 satang extra in her allowances.

Yes i know i,m far to generous, but then again my mortgage is paid for back home and i,m comfortably well off in dear old Thailand as wel as back home, as are a great many other expats out here, contrary to arrogant belief of a certain poster who,s monica escapes me, on another related thread.

ON a serious note, where does the present situation go from here apart from in the negative and more unruly behaviour from the people behind todays scenario. ?

marshbags

Edited September 2, 2008 by marshbags

[Jai Dee]

EGAT assures that power will not be cut off

Governor of the Energy Generation Authority of Thailand (EGAT) Sombat Sarntijaree (สมบัติ ศานติจารี) assured citizens that EGTA will not cut power as employees in the generating section are aware of their duties and responsbilities and have a clear work ethic.

He assured that EGTA would not commit any acts that are detrimental to the nation's citizens and institutions. An internal memo has been issued to update all employees of the situation as well as requesting them to continue their duties responsibly.

Mr. Sombat stated that EGAT has illustrated through the past 40 years that despite any unrest, it is constant in its service to the nation's citizens and will produce energy for them continuously.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 September 2008

[Tony Clifton]

A protestor was so clever and used red medicine (looked like blood) in the body and claimed that police harmed people

You obviously are a troll.

They talked on NBT that it was red medicine and not blood.

A first few tear gas bombs were not done by the police. The police received one when it did not go off so they threw out to the protestor side.

All info I got are from watching NBT. Other stations don't support the government. NBT gives black and white evidence. I trust them.

I would have never believed if this had been your very first post.

Nothing

But

Thaksin

Are you aware the same NBT news anchors recently said and agreed on the 6 o'clock news that Jakaprob, Chalerm, Chaya and others had resigned due to health problems? Same NBT station invaded and submissive to PTV's parasitic zombies when they shut down their own attempt at a pirate station when they ran out of funds.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Tony Clifton

[k1w1]

They can make a curfew but it is fairly pointless if no one adheres to it.

Samak clearly has no control of the people in BKK. If anything there are more people out and about today and going about their normal business.

His time is coming to an end. He might try to make a last stand but he should take a leaf out of Fukoda's book and resign with dignity.

[george]

More people join protest despite ban

BANGKOK: -- At 10:30 am, more people still join the protests at the Government House.

Protesters arrived in groups of three or four people on the sides of Chamai Maruchet Bridge and Nakhon Pathom Road.

They carried foods supplies and water to give to the staff in charge of cooking.

-- The Nation 2008-09-02

[OlRedEyes]

.

Edited September 2, 2008 by OlRedEyes

[p1p]

There is too much heat and lack of comprehension of the true situation here.

Firstly, Thailand is NOT a democracy. The votes have never been free or fair here, if they were there would be no vote buying or heavy "persuasion" to vote for a particular party. As an example, at the last election, my maids and their entire community were told that if they did not vote for PPP, their loans from the 1MBaht village fund would be called in. This is neither free nor fair and does not fulfill the requirements to be a democracy. No government "elected in such circumstances can be regarded as legal or legitimate.

I have several family members deeply involved at all levels in PAD. They are not paid, and those demonstrating have never received more than a bottle of water or a khanom from well-wishers. The PAD have always preached Ghandiism and non violence. Any who arrived at a demonstration with any type of weapon had it removed, or they were turned away. The PAD have legitimate grievances, not least the illegitimate government, and have the absolute right to make them known.

On Saturday/Sunday that just passed, a group of men were touring the villages in the North and, I'm told the North East, offering 500-1,000 Baht per day to men willing to go to Bangkok to form a counter demonstration and attack the PAD demonstrators. All transport etc. was provided. Is it mere coincidence that this happened just when Mr Taxin sold Man' City and became highly solvent again. The rumour is that more than coincidence is involved here.

[WISteve]

Not sure if this has been reported yet. Doesn't look too good.

EXCELLENT MOVE

I suppose one reason I am so passionate about my support to getting rid of the current government, and before that thee government of Thaskin is, I saw 1st hand what his policies did in Issan. You gave a lot of people easy credit, based on how much land they owned. They went out bought new trucks, maybe a Mia Noi, a few invested in equipment to farm, but little thought was given to how to pay the money back.

What happened when they did not pay the money back? They lost their land and the government sold it to its cronies....

We bought some of this land our selves, rather than having it go to the government, and then allowed the families to keep farming it.

While a lot of people praised the government for giving them money, for a lot the full realization has yet to set in on what it truly cost them.

It was almost universal in all the villages outside Si Sa Ket for a payment of 200 to 500 baht per vote....This is not democracy.

And anarchy in the streets is democracy?

Rule of law must prevail.

The military will ultimately do that, it is all a question of how much blood will be shed along the way.

It seems 9 of 10 of the posters on here want nothing less than to see thai citizens die in the streets?

Calling on more people to join in an illegal occupation of government buildings is sedition at the very least.

I fear what will happen to the innocent, naive citizens who will answer this call for more people at the barricades.

~WISteve

[ThNiner]

PAD is a large and powerful group. They should redirect their power and influence at improving the government instead of destroying it. There are many ways to expose and prevent corruption in the voting booths. If PAD could guarantee to people that no one would ever know how they voted, the vote buying would be a moot point. It would be great if PAD volunteered to help insure clean and free elections.

You think the current regime would ever let PAD volunteer in moritoring the elections? This gotta be a freaking joke of a suggestion.

Well, you seem pretty sure of that. Why not have PAD call the media and volunteer that if they can have 100% assurance from the government, the courts and the media that they will be able to monitor the elections, that they will stand down and go home. Nothing to lose, right?

I am just trying to come up with constructive suggestions.

Yeah the same government that has tampered with all major independent investigative organizations in Thailand would let their most vocal opponents watch over their elections. Yeah...I agree you are not out of touch with the reality at all.

Edited September 2, 2008 by ThNiner

[Jai Dee]

Cabinet meeting to be conducted at Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters

Spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office, Police Lieutenant General Wichianchote Sukchotirat (วิเชียรโชติ สุกโชติรัตน์) declared yesterday that today's Cabinet meeting would be conducted as usual but will be moved to the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. The spokesman stated the Prime Minister's Office's main duty at the moment is in the organizing of the Royal Funeral processoin and ceremony for Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana.

Police Lieutenant General Wichianchote said that the People's Alliance for Democracy rally taking place at the government house has made it impossible to proceed with the organizing of the Royal Funeral ceremony as necessary documents and equipment are still at the building. He also mentioned the same situation for the Office of the Consumer Protection Board.

The spokesman asked that the PAD understand the situation and allow authorities to retrivew their needed items. As for govenrment house employees, the spokesman said they have been allotted locations for work and they must inquire about the locations with their superiors.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 September 2008

[AsiaCheese]

Sad times.

Just ask yourself if this were your own country and the goverment which was in power was saturated with corruption and was'nt prepared to bring an ex leader to justice even though he had ripped off millions of tax payers money. Which side of the fence would you be on?

Sad times indeed, but what's happening here is just less veiled (i.e. more/easier visible) than what's happening in any "democratic" Western country one would care to mention. What's lobbying if not nicely packaged corruption? And if countries through their leaders rip off other countries people for the sake of cheap oil and get bashed in return, a) where's the fence for choosing sides and which side makes you more comfortable to sit on?

Democracy is a system with major design flaws, which is one explanation of how a major Western country had its president elected and re-elected (it's not just one presy, the list is endless). Let's face it: at least 80% of any country's people are easily manipulated by well-financed marketing forces (vote buying here is a slightly more medieval extention of that). With all due respect for rice farmers: how can you expect a rice farmer to know what's (and who's) good for his/her country if not the guy with the most honed rhetorics? And there are more rice farmers than others... I don't know about the 70% elected and 30% chosen scheme, but it might just be an interesting idea to make things work better.

[joncl]

PAD needs to stand down.

Agreed

[Koo82]

I still see Khun Samak does nothing to harm the country. No valid reason to force him resign.

If they let these protestors go away with their wrong actions, in the future no one will obey the law. If you don’t agree with something, protest. If you’re speeding and get caught, you’ll shout “You don’t catch protestors causing mess. Why do you catch me?”

[Los78]

A protestor was so clever and used red medicine (looked like blood) in the body and claimed that police harmed people

You obviously are a troll.

They talked on NBT that it was red medicine and not blood.

A first few tear gas bombs were not done by the police. The police received one when it did not go off so they threw out to the protestor side.

All info I got are from watching NBT. Other stations don't support the government. NBT gives black and white evidence. I trust them.

You trust NBT? You must be joking

You trust ASTV? You must be joking

[Cuban]

How long before the tanks are on the streets...........again??????????

But from the comment that was translated to me; the head of the army suggested that the PM should stand down to avoid trouble, I doubt the tanks will be defending the current government.

Does PAD have the support of the army?

[TAWP]

America founded democracy but limited the vote to land owning males...

really?

you really think that?

what about the Greek ? never heard of them ?

Correct, the Greek and many others had democracy far before our modern states. But have you looked into ha the right to vote?

That is right, free men.

And the point of his post, that you ignored, was the democracy has often been limited. Can I vote here in Thailand? No.

Surely in a perfect world everyone could vote in every election directly affecting them?

Surely in a perfect world the voters are educated and would never be influenced by bribes or shallow promises.

But alas, the world isn't perfect...

[h90]

Not sure if this has been reported yet. Doesn't look too good.

EXCELLENT MOVE

I suppose one reason I am so passionate about my support to getting rid of the current government, and before that thee government of Thaskin is, I saw 1st hand what his policies did in Issan. You gave a lot of people easy credit, based on how much land they owned. They went out bought new trucks, maybe a Mia Noi, a few invested in equipment to farm, but little thought was given to how to pay the money back.

What happened when they did not pay the money back? They lost their land and the government sold it to its cronies....

We bought some of this land our selves, rather than having it go to the government, and then allowed the families to keep farming it.

While a lot of people praised the government for giving them money, for a lot the full realization has yet to set in on what it truly cost them.

It was almost universal in all the villages outside Si Sa Ket for a payment of 200 to 500 baht per vote....This is not democracy.

And to recall Thaksin walking arround in Isaan with Arab Investors.

In Austrian Newspapers there were an article about Arab governments buying hugh amounts of land for farming and clearly mentioned Thailand as one target.

[nickh]

The Sydney Morning Herald

Emergency declared in Thai capital after clashe.

September 2, 2008 -

Thailand's embattled prime minister declared a state of emergency in the capital Tuesday after thousands of his opponents and supporters clashed in the worst street violence here in more than a decade.One person was killed and dozens were injured, some of them from gunshot wounds, as a week of mass protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej spilled over into bloodshed overnight.

Samak had previously said he would not use force to push out the thousands of protesters who have occupied the main government complex since last week, but after the violence said it was now time for them to go. They must be moved from the Government House, Samak told a nationally televised news conference. "I had no other choice but to declare a state of emergency in Bangkok in order to solve the problem for once and for all"

Samak gave the army the power to break up any gathering of more than five people and to force people to leave any location, setting the stage for a showdown at Government House, a site that includes Samak's offices.But a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a well-organised movement that has been pushing for the premier to stand down after just seven months in office, urged his supporters to stay put."You don't have to be afraid of the state of emergency," media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul told thousands of people assembled at the protest camp.

Thai police called in army reinforcements early Tuesday to rein in the protests, setting nerves on edge in a country that has seen 18 military coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932.Thai television showed pro- and anti-government protesters wearing helmets and carrying batons running though the streets, fighting with each other and throwing rocks, as people lay bleeding on the street.

One person died and 44 were injured in the clashes, a spokesman for the national emergency centre said.PAD supporters stormed Samak's Government House complex one week ago, and thousands are still squatting on the grounds.The activists accuse Samak of acting on behalf of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who now lives in exile in Britain after the same protest group helped provoked a military coup that toppled his government in 2006.

No one was killed during that coup, making this the deadliest political violence since the Bloody May massacre in 1992 when dozens of pro-democracy activists were killed on the same streets as today's protests.The protests which began a week ago expanded nationwide over the weekend to force the temporary closure of three regional airports and halt railway services.

They further scaled up Monday when Thailand's biggest union called for a strike to add to the pressure on Samak, threatening to disrupt Bangkok's water and power supplies from Wednesday.PAD gathers most of its support from Bangkok's traditional elite and a portion of the middle class. Its leaders openly disparage the merit of votes cast by the nation's rural poor, who have thrown their support behind Thaksin and now Samak.

Thaksin's allies still fill many top seats in government, and Samak won elections in December by campaigning as Thaksin's proxy.In addition to demanding that Samak resign, PAD wants an overhaul of Thailand's system of government, saying only 30 percent of seats in parliament should be elected, with the rest appointed.

[Koo82]

The most scary part is someone has forecasted there must be a civil war. I don’t want this. The government does not want this. Since the beginning, government asked the protestors to go home. They provided free transportation. They did not attack the protestors at first place.

[fxe1200]

That is a good news.

Why do people assume that all gov are bad?

This gov is from the majority votes and the protestors are back supported by the opponants.

Wake up!!!!

You might have forgotten a few things! Please remember!

The PPP party won the election with vote-buying. The evidence was brought to light by the EC - the Election Committee. According to the Thai Constitution, a party convicted of vote-buying has to be dissolved. But this fact was completely negated by the Parliament (The EC itself does not have the power to dissolve the party). The unrest in Thailand was also fired by two attempts of the PPP to amend the constitution: 1. to legalize the ruling of the PPP in the aftermath, and 2. to grant Thaksin amnesty upon his return, who faces 11 lawsuits in Thailand with a damage of more than 30. Mio. Euros to Thailand. Furthermore they let Thaksin and his family leave the country, his wife already sentenced to 3 years in jail.

With d e m o c r a t i c m e a n s it was impossible to chase the illegitimate PPP with the premier Samak, who called himself a "Proxy" of Thaksin, out of the government. The oposition finally had to go out on the streets. I can understand that the protesters do not want another copy of a corrupt government as before, this time with Samak and his cronies with their nose inside the "sugar jar" of the nation.

[citizen33]

Not sure if this has been reported yet. Doesn't look too good.

EXCELLENT MOVE

I suppose one reason I am so passionate about my support to getting rid of the current government, and before that thee government of Thaskin is, I saw 1st hand what his policies did in Issan. You gave a lot of people easy credit, based on how much land they owned. They went out bought new trucks, maybe a Mia Noi, a few invested in equipment to farm, but little thought was given to how to pay the money back.

What happened when they did not pay the money back? They lost their land and the government sold it to its cronies....

We bought some of this land our selves, rather than having it go to the government, and then allowed the families to keep farming it.

While a lot of people praised the government for giving them money, for a lot the full realization has yet to set in on what it truly cost them.

It was almost universal in all the villages outside Si Sa Ket for a payment of 200 to 500 baht per vote....This is not democracy.

I have to say that I find your posts wrongheaded and devoid of any useful conception of what democracy is. I too have just watched the local elections in central Isaan, where PPP won yet again. Yes, there were some stories in my village of vote buying but these applied to only a handful of people. There are plenty of very committed PPP activists, whose resolve was only strengthened by the experience of the military coup. As to the debt problem: yes, it exists, but your account is again much exaggerated. What I wonder is how you perceive the people of Isaan responding if they lose their votes as per the PAD plans for an appointed Parliament. They are not going to sit at home quietly, and with good reason. There is also the issue - underestimated in importance by many on teh forum, of the highly negative international reaction that would follow an ending of one-man-one-vote.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

If PAD could guarantee to people that no one would ever know how they voted, the vote buying would be a moot point. It would be great if PAD volunteered to help insure clean and free elections

You think the current regime would ever let PAD volunteer in moritoring the elections? This gotta be a freaking joke of a suggestion.

Yes, but even more ludicrous is the suggestion that PAD:

1. Is big enough as a group to even be at the thousands of voting booths around the country, and

2. Even WANTS upcountry votes to be heard. That's their whole point, they want the Bangkok elites to rule, and the foolish uneducated peasants to do what they tell them to.

And finally to ThNiner: It's ALREADY the case that nobody can know how any individual voted. The only things they can know is THAT an individual voted at all (though not his choice), and they know how the total of a village/district votes, so by that they can conclude how effective their campaign / handouts were. But it's not the case that elections aren't free and fair in the sense that individual votes aren't anonymous, because they are.

People have to get it through their skulls that people DO vote their minds, never mind what happened during campaigns, parties, hand-outs, etc. The hand-outs only serve to make people feel good about a candidate 'who cares', then they go on and vote for that candidate. They don't have to because nobody will ever find out if they don't, but they DO!

[sylviex]

A question: to what area, exactly, does the state of emergency apply ?

[kurtgruen]

you're confused, the PAD ARE the elite !! they protest against the fact that poor are allowed to vote !! they're not protesting against the elite, their protesting to reinstall the elite as the one and only absolute power !!

Don't tell me that you really believe your own rhetoric? Unions the Elite???

Some here are complaining that PPP has paid their mob, and/or imported it? PAD's mob is equally bought and paid for

I'd like to see you prove that. There is enough proof that DAAD is made up of paid demostrators. I have not met any demostrator getting paid by PAD yet. (Possibly they might have hired security by now, or paid for some of the bands, I wouldn't know about that, but I don't know of any paid PAD demonstrators)

Seems to me, there is a move to discredit PAD with any means possible. Makes me wonder about the motives for such actions???

My own motives, are fairly clear, I think. I support PAD, both as a Union Member (I am a member of Local 31 Teamsters), but mostly, because I see them as a non-violent force, that holds corrupt governments accountable and is not afraid to step up action in order to bring down illegal governments. (Even at the risk to their own lives)

I believe my intentions are honourable (trying to present what I think is really going on) and I post under my real name, like the PAD, being ready to stand tall and live with the consequences of my beliefs and actions.

[ThNiner]

I still see Khun Samak does nothing to harm the country. No valid reason to force him resign.

Yeah, the way he's been persistently trying to amend the constitution to shamelessly help out his big boss and themselves even though he's intially declared when he took charge of the office that he wouldn't do that until the every end of his term really doesn no harm to the country at all. Not to mention how he's devoted his life in helping the country by appointing convicts in his cabinet time and time again....and several other admirable things that I'm too lazy to mention.

[TAWP]

A protestor was so clever and used red medicine (looked like blood) in the body and claimed that police harmed people

You obviously are a troll.

They talked on NBT that it was red medicine and not blood.

A first few tear gas bombs were not done by the police. The police received one when it did not go off so they threw out to the protestor side.

All info I got are from watching NBT. Other stations don't support the government. NBT gives black and white evidence. I trust them.

Surely you are writing in jest?

Edited September 2, 2008 by TAWP

[WAERTH]

A question: to what area, exactly, does the state of emergency apply ?

Krungthep Maha Nakhon it doesn't apply to the provinces ..... yet.

Waerth

[koosdeboer]

I still see Khun Samak does nothing to harm the country. No valid reason to force him resign.

If they let these protestors go away with their wrong actions, in the future no one will obey the law. If you don’t agree with something, protest. If you’re speeding and get caught, you’ll shout “You don’t catch protestors causing mess. Why do you catch me?”

Enjoy NBT and the cooking of Samak