State Of Emergency Announced In Bangkok

[ThNiner]

The EC should have banned or disbanded PPP a long time ago too because it was illegal for anyone or party to be TRT's nominees in the past elections...and Thailand wouldn't have come to this point. But the EC didn't have the guts and claimed that they didn't have clear-cut evidence even when Samak himself declared to people in Isan that he's Taksin's nominee during his campaign.

[animatic]

... that said, the UK has a prime minister who wasn't elected now, so go figure.

Splitting hairs now aren't we? The UK Labour government was a resounding repeat winner of elections. Just because his boss bottled it before the sh!t hit the fan does NOT mean Gordon Brown was unelected. You get what you vote for.

The TRT/PPP government was a resounding repeat winner of elections. Just because his boss bottled it before the sh!i hit the fan does not mean Samak was unelected. Sometimes you DON'T get who you vote for, THAT is democracy.

Go figure.

Pad's one main and ONE consistent platform is for Samak to bottle it, as you say,

and let a new governing group have at it.

Just like Blair changed to Brown, based on the SAME VOTERS VOTES.

This has some similarities to Mrs. Thatcher putting down miners back in the day.

And there were no protests in the streets then?

Edited September 2, 2008 by animatic

[britmaveric]

Perhaps the EC should be disbanded for taking bribes too?

[magisterludi]

i realise that as a farang it's a difficult place to comment from, but it does seem uniquely strange that people will support a proposed regime which advocates taking votes away from poor and lesser educated people while claiming to do it under a banner of pro-democracy.

My thoughts exactly.

Current scenario:

Hey, PPP is buying votes from poor farmers up north! What should we do to stop it? Oh, I know, lets take their voting rights away...that way nobody can buy their votes next time!

Allegory:

Someone stole my car radio and I filed a police report hoping the police would do something about it. What did they do? Well, they're very smart, they confiscated my car and told me now I'm safe, nobody will steal my car parts again!

[Old Man River]

I am told that the rural people who marched on Government House early this morning were first bused into Bangkok on Saturday for the Royal celebration commemorating the King and Queen's birthdays. I did see approx. 50 large buses parked near Hua Mark and wondered what was going on. After that event, I am told the buses took these people to Sanam Luang and they waited there until they received orders (allegedly from an elected official) to march on Government House to rout out the PAD.

I fear that it is going to get worse as today calls are going out all over Bangkok for people to join up with the PAD at Government House.

[Soontorn]

Thailand's New (Old) Politics

(source Wall Street Journal)

"Democracy is the worst form of government," Winston Churchill once remarked, "except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." Thai citizens might want to remember that when they listen to the latest ideologue who promises to fix their country's democracy by -- once again -- breaking it.

For much of the last week, Sondhi Limthongkul and his People's Alliance for Democracy followers have occupied Government House, disrupted flights and briefly taken over a state-run television station. Mr. Sondhi claims that the current government, led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, is a proxy for former leader Thaksin Shinawatra; both of whom, he alleges -- and they deny -- are corrupt. If he succeeds in ousting the government, Mr. Sondhi promises to run "a clean and efficient political system."

He may want to review his history. After leading street protests against Mr. Thaksin in 2006, the same Mr. Sondhi and his followers cleared the way for a military coup. The ensuing junta-led government sent the Thai economy into a tailspin by clamping down on foreign investment, restricting capital flows and seizing intellectual property. The junta then forced through a constitution to entrench the military -- and Bangkok elites -- in power.

Mr. Sondhi isn't much of a democrat himself. Back in July, he outlined his vision for a "new politics," under which only 30% of members of parliament should be elected. The rest, he argued, should be appointed by various professional classes, while the military's role should be expanded. The bulk of Thailand's voters -- rural, and poor -- would be disenfranchised.

The real problem with Thai politics, from Mr. Sondhi's and the PAD's perspective, is the voters' irritating habit of electing Mr. Thaksin and his followers. After a year-and-a-half of military governance, Thai voters overwhelmingly plumped for Mr. Samak's PPP in December, giving them over half the seats in the parliamentary lower house. That's not a bad showing in what was seen to be a largely free and fair election.

Prime Minister Samak has refused to bow to Mr. Sondhi's raucous demand that he step down, and rightly so -- he has an electoral mandate, after all. But he is quickly getting pushed into a political corner. On Friday, when he ordered police to evict protestors from Government House, pursuant to a court order, the protestors fought back. The ensuing melee evoked memories of 1976, when Mr. Samak -- who was deputy interior minister at the time -- talked up anticommunist rhetoric at a time when leftist students were protesting in Bangkok. The military later brutally cracked down on the protestors, killing and wounding hundreds. Mr. Samak denied that he helped spark the riots.

The stalemate has left a big opening for the opposition Democrat Party to exploit. On Sunday, during an emergency session of parliament, opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva asked Mr. Samak to resign and hold elections. If the opposition were serious about protecting democracy, they would get behind the government and call on the protestors to go home. A party spokesman yesterday said that so long as they respect the rule of law, the party supports all Thais' right to free speech and assembly.

By egging on the protestors, however, the Democrats, like the PAD, are playing a dangerous game. If the Samak government is overthrown, there's no telling what might follow it. The best way to "fix" democracy isn't to junk it, but to let it mature through peaceful transfers of power.

[Oliver Reed]

This is Thailand pressing the self destruct button yet again, and the reason why it will never be recognised as a major player...call themselves a democracy?...democratically elected governments should be challenged by a vote of no confidence if there is a call for them to resign....as the election was fairly close, then there should be a pretty clear indication as to its popularity by the showing of the vote...it just seems that if you have enough money in this country, you can destabilise any government, by paying the peasants to revolt, which is what the opposition is doing here...its somewhat reminiscent of Arthur Scargills miners strike in UK back in the 80's...a noble cause it might have been, but the agenda was hidden....what a joke!

[Spee]

If PPP is so popular, why do they need to buy votes? Anyway they'll soon have the opportunity to buy some more now that the EC has recommended PPP be dissolved.

This is scary, scary stuff.

Effectively outlawing political parties is about as undemocratic a move as can be done. I would question whether or not this decision or enforcement thereof is by written law, or simply by edict and political will.

If there are problems with the corruption, vote buying, etc., then those problems should be dealt with. But silencing the right of the people to assemble or to vote is not right and will not move the country forward.

[Splatter]

Thanks animatic.

Those are indeed definitions of democracy.

But I was asking for a decent definition of democracy. Any opinions or thoughts from your cut and paste which one is decent? There seem so many to chose from.

[harrry]

I have lived in the past through a few of Thailands coups and States of Emergency and it seems as if I will be returning to one too. Many claims of corruption are being made and I am sure they are not all on the one side. Previously corruption seemed to be of the kind that took the form of a "commission" on what was achieved. Sometimes this commission became too big and a coup resulted. It seems though that now commission is not all that is being taken. Is that true. When I was there policemen would take an on the spot fine for something that you have done only. Now it seems that they take it whethey you have done something or not. Is this true or is it just a misconception from the people who post on TV.

[ubonjoe]

DAAD disperses

The Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship dispersed its rally at Sanam Luanga at 10:40 am.

Its leaders thanked the demonstrators and announced the cease of demonstration by the group, saying the government was now in control after the state of emergency was announced.

DAAD demonstrators were handed out foods and many left Sanam Luang on buses.

The Nation

They did the job Thaksins side ask them to do, got paid and went home. Now we are left with a State of Emergency, where the Government can attack the PAD at will, shut down TV stations and so on. Wonder what will happen from here on in?

Wrong!

One DAAD zombie ventured too far out and was captured by PAD guards.

He was questioned, searched searched for weapons.

They pulled out his DAAD payslip, 500+700 baht. 1200 baht (all on camera) it costs to hire murderers, how prices have dropped. Policemen and hitmen will be furious at the competition these days!

He admitted he came from Issan, had 60 baht in his pocket and they have not been been paid yet.

Many of them were also told they were brought to the funeral of a famous singer who died recently.

Your source please.

[eastwest]

In my early years in Thailand, I found many situations which were confusing and intriguing. I thought it was the wonder of Asia and it's mystical culture.

One day the penny dropped however, and when all other explanation and reasoning cannot explain the situation, I simply put it down to money and power (face).

Unfortuately, yes, at a very basic level this is correct. For the past two years, PAD's leaders have been wallowing in their orgiastic thirst for power.

[bangkokrick]

As reported on Sky News in the UK : Singapore has advised its citizens not to travel to Thailand.

So has Britain

Well the following link should have some bearing on things going forward. (Brits).

Warning to Brits

Also Prince Andrew has just cancelled his visit to Thailand due to security concerns, but he will visit Singapore and Malaysia?

Cheers, Rick

[chuang]

The PAD have been demonstrating peacefully for weeks and continue to be peaceful.

100% of the trouble is due to Samak & the PPP who organized and deliberately intended their supporters to cause the recent violence that now gives them the excuse to attack the PAD.

Samak Ow Pai!

What a statement...how naive can one be......

[norwayeagle]

Sawadee Kraaap..I would like to say it this way. As long as PM Samak came back from Hua Hin,and hi proclame the goverment still stay.it is, 4 me, obvious what is the rigth thing 2 follow! Do i need to say more! I really hope that " common sence" will stay awake,

[MiG16]

Would someone be kind enough to explain what the restriction on gatherings of 5+ people means in respect to the entertainment zones? Does this mean that venues such as bars or clubs must close? Restaurants? Technically, a birthday celebration would land afoul of the rule.

I think this would mean gathering of 5 or more in public places - for instance streets, parks and such

schools and offices and private properties are not included.

other than that it is mostly business and life as usual

[RadioCityMike]

The EC should have banned or disbanded PPP a long time ago too because it was illegal for anyone or party to be TRT's nominees in the past elections...and Thailand wouldn't have come to this point. But the EC didn't have the guts and claimed that they didn't have clear-cut evidence even when Samak himself declared to people in Isan that he's Taksin's nominee during his campaign.

It looks like it has been established that the EC is completely clean and not suspected of any corruption. They seem to be doing their job effectively and efficiently. No need to throw out democracy now that it is established that Thailand can have fair elections and anyone caught cheating will be prosecuted. PAD can go home now. Yea!

[skiman1]

British Foreign office advice -

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-li...ceania/thailand

[JoeInSurin]

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Is that guy still throwing questions at me?

I apologize. I forgot you chose to ignore legitimate questions that you have no answer for. Good way to get your point across by ignoring people.

[ThNiner]

This is Thailand pressing the self destruct button yet again, and the reason why it will never be recognised as a major player...call themselves a democracy?...democratically elected governments should be challenged by a vote of no confidence if there is a call for them to resign....as the election was fairly close, then there should be a pretty clear indication as to its popularity by the showing of the vote...it just seems that if you have enough money in this country, you can destabilise any government, by paying the peasants to revolt, which is what the opposition is doing here...its somewhat reminiscent of Arthur Scargills miners strike in UK back in the 80's...a noble cause it might have been, but the agenda was hidden....what a joke!

An armchair expert in Thai politics like you should get out more and see from what kind of people PAD is gaining support.

Peasants paid to join PAD rallies? What a freaking quality joke.

[Artisi]

And the EC and judiciary isn't corrupt???

Why would you ask a stupid question.....

Do you have any doubts that PPP bought votes......??? Is it against the law?

When I see a judge give back 2 million baht publicly, put the bearers in jail instantly, and ask for them to be brought back to court in 6 months when the contempt punishment is finished to be tired for corruption and possible 5 years in jail.

When I see a court sentence the puppet master Kunying Puchimon to 3 years in jail for trying to lie to the court, along with her secretary and brother-in-law.

When I see Thaskin forfeit 20 million baht in bail money because he know the game has changed and he will not bribe his way out of this situation...

Why should I think the EC or judiciary are corrupt.

Is there really any need to ask "Why would you ask a stupid question" .....as an OLD wanderer, you must realise by now that some people are only capable of asking stupid questions - they are also the ones that seem to scream out the loudest to make sure they are heard.

[Soontorn]

Asian nations urge citizens against Thailand travel

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Thailand's lucrative tourism industry faced a rash of cancellations after several Asian countries urged their citizens on Tuesday to avoid travelling there during the current political crisis.

South Korea and Singapore issued advisories urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel, while Australia and Taiwan advised nationals to be extra vigilant.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej declared a state of emergency in Bangkok earlier on Tuesday, giving the army control of public order after a man died in overnight clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters.

Under the sweeping emergency powers announced on television and radio, all public gatherings in the capital are banned and restrictions imposed on media reports that "undermined public security".

Although the deployment of troops will come as welcome relief to the overstretched police -- who have been dealing with anti-government protests for over three months -- it raises the spectre of an army seizure of power less than two years after the military kicked out then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Samak later told a news conference the emergency action would not last more than a few days.

[Sao Jiang Mai]

NBT is anything but neutral. If it is, why has there not been ONE interview from a PAD supporter for over 100 days. Not one. NBT is glaringly biased. As is ASTV. ASTV is privately owned and subscription based, which allows it to be whatever it and its fans want it to be. NBT is paid by the people, it has no right to be taking sides. Which it so obviously is. Last night it had government officials being interviewed urging the red lot to come into Bangkok to support the government. Is this in anyway calming the fires? Just look at ThaiVisa, with its polar opposite views from each member. The passion and the conviction is so strong here, think what it must be like for people who are actually born and bred in this country, who are on the streets being roused by rhetoric and acts of aggression. If you lot can't see the woods for the trees, try to understand that it would be even harder for those actually participating. There is so much wrong, and there is too much righteousness. That is why I have said from the start that while I do not support PAD, the government must be the bigger man, must be the sensible party and step down. And we can calm the situation and then start rebuilding. This is not giving up, not giving in, it is simply sensible and necessary to stop further bloodshed. But then I suppose you won't agree with me, so we are all back to our righteous indignation. Sad times.

[Golf]

October 1973?

October 6, 1976?

May, 1992?

What have we learned?

NONE!!!

Edited September 2, 2008 by Golf

[Jai Dee]

Supreme Commander says Emergency Decree can alleviate political tension

Supreme Commander Gen.Boonsrang Niempradit says the enforcement of Emergency Decree will defuse the political tension to a certain degree. He also improve the political turmoil to a certain point and requests all sides to use their conscience to prevent the situation from escalating.

The supreme commander says Emergency Decree cannot completely end the confrontation between the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD). He says the existing laws can effectively control the situation and there is no need to use a more stringent measure. The supreme commander says further that it is not necessary to use force against the protestors and requests those who claim responsibility on the enforcement of Emergency Decree to negotiate with the protestors.

Gen.Boonsrang also says the clash between PAD and DAAD last night resulting in many injuries and one death is not a mock up. In response to a speculation by PAD Leader Chamlong Srimuang that PAD will stop rallying in two days, he says he is unsure how the situation will turn out until the government and PAD negotiate.

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

[larvidchr]

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 initially declared when he took charge of the office that he wouldn't do that until the every end of his term really does 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.

This is all about the PAD desperately trying to hold on to the achievements of the last unrest they staged, with a military takeover of power as a result, an other result is the constitution the military then forced upon the people in a environment of total censorship and threath of imposing an army made constitution if the people did not chose the one that the dictatorship put to the vote. To claim that people had a real choice is ludicrous.

Anything made under a military dictatorship is by nature null and void when democratic powers get the reins again, the present constitution makes it impossible for any party to function safely since the whole party can be made responsible of wrongful doings by only a few members, it is much to easy for opponents to plot the dissolution of a whole party and it is against any sense of juristic legality and reason, you punish the wrongdoer but not the other innocent millions of supporters to a party. And whatever happens to Thaksins millions and to Thaksin himself only has a symbolic meaning now but no economic or real political impact to Thailand as a whole with the present Government being tightly monitored by the opposition and the courts decisions, so to disrupt the whole Country for that reason is also completely insane.

The PAD have within normally democratic means been allowed to preach their views through private television stations 24/7, stage a month long rally and have dismally failed to gain enough public support to reach their goals, now they escalate the situation to civil unrest, disruption of public services and violent takeovers of Government and private facility's, they have again and again been asked to please leave quietly and they blankly refuse to do so.

The 180 degree turning round of the blame for any injuries afflicted by the Police trying to restore law and order is an incredible spin of the actual facts, There is only one culprit here and that is the PAD.

The brainwashing of people through a incredible strong media company with powers far beyond the numerical base they represent, has been a show of how dangerous the media can be when in the hands of totally scruple less people, appealing to the people without really genuine serious concerns but instead using xenophobic ranting mixed with entertainment to achieve other much more sinister goals.

There is really no way out for the present Government but to act tough, the PAD is intentionally forcing the Government into a corner with violent confrontation as their only goal, because only this way they can increase their support with people getting enraged by, the wrongfully perceived, injustice done to a group of grandmothers and old men having a peaceful sing a song on a lawn. The unacceptable alternative of the Government stepping down, leaving Thailand open to anarchy where any relatively small special interest group by braking the law any time can topple a Government is when it comes to it a far worse alternative for the Country than a show of force to end the present unrest, and again there is only one bad guy here and that is the PAD leaders and their secret backers.

I really hope that the PAD leaders will come to whatever sense they have left and by surrendering to Authority's save any more people from injury, they must act like men, they have done the crime and now they must do the time.

[prakhonchai nick]

Both sides (PAD and DAAD) need to stand down NOW, obey the rules of the state of emergency and solve their differences peacefully through the ballot box.

~WISteve

The government do not want another election. They have not yet recouped the hundreds of millions they forked out to Isaan villagers for their votes, and if a fresh election is called, with no money the people might just vote for some decent people for a change.

[ThNiner]

I'll be joining a rally at a university this afternoon.

[RadioCityMike]

Thailand's New (Old) Politics

(source Wall Street Journal)

"Democracy is the worst form of government," Winston Churchill once remarked, "except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." Thai citizens might want to remember that when they listen to the latest ideologue who promises to fix their country's democracy by -- once again -- breaking it.

For much of the last week, Sondhi Limthongkul and his People's Alliance for Democracy followers have occupied Government House, disrupted flights and briefly taken over a state-run television station. Mr. Sondhi claims that the current government, led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, is a proxy for former leader Thaksin Shinawatra; both of whom, he alleges -- and they deny -- are corrupt. If he succeeds in ousting the government, Mr. Sondhi promises to run "a clean and efficient political system."

He may want to review his history. After leading street protests against Mr. Thaksin in 2006, the same Mr. Sondhi and his followers cleared the way for a military coup. The ensuing junta-led government sent the Thai economy into a tailspin by clamping down on foreign investment, restricting capital flows and seizing intellectual property. The junta then forced through a constitution to entrench the military -- and Bangkok elites -- in power.

Mr. Sondhi isn't much of a democrat himself. Back in July, he outlined his vision for a "new politics," under which only 30% of members of parliament should be elected. The rest, he argued, should be appointed by various professional classes, while the military's role should be expanded. The bulk of Thailand's voters -- rural, and poor -- would be disenfranchised.

The real problem with Thai politics, from Mr. Sondhi's and the PAD's perspective, is the voters' irritating habit of electing Mr. Thaksin and his followers. After a year-and-a-half of military governance, Thai voters overwhelmingly plumped for Mr. Samak's PPP in December, giving them over half the seats in the parliamentary lower house. That's not a bad showing in what was seen to be a largely free and fair election.

Prime Minister Samak has refused to bow to Mr. Sondhi's raucous demand that he step down, and rightly so -- he has an electoral mandate, after all. But he is quickly getting pushed into a political corner. On Friday, when he ordered police to evict protestors from Government House, pursuant to a court order, the protestors fought back. The ensuing melee evoked memories of 1976, when Mr. Samak -- who was deputy interior minister at the time -- talked up anticommunist rhetoric at a time when leftist students were protesting in Bangkok. The military later brutally cracked down on the protestors, killing and wounding hundreds. Mr. Samak denied that he helped spark the riots.

The stalemate has left a big opening for the opposition Democrat Party to exploit. On Sunday, during an emergency session of parliament, opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva asked Mr. Samak to resign and hold elections. If the opposition were serious about protecting democracy, they would get behind the government and call on the protestors to go home. A party spokesman yesterday said that so long as they respect the rule of law, the party supports all Thais' right to free speech and assembly.

By egging on the protestors, however, the Democrats, like the PAD, are playing a dangerous game. If the Samak government is overthrown, there's no telling what might follow it. The best way to "fix" democracy isn't to junk it, but to let it mature through peaceful transfers of power.

Nice post. It clearly explains the position of many of us that think PAD is harmful to the country.

[Jai Dee]

Royal Thai Army Commander calls meeting to review emergency decree

Royal Thai Army Commander General Anupong Paojinda (อนุพงษ์ เผ่าจินดา), acting on his responsibility to the emergency decree has called a meeting of the decree's board.

The meeting, which started at 10 AM was organized to review the details of operation under the Prime Minister's declaration which utilizes the Government Operation in Emergency Situations Act.

The decree is in effect throughout Bangkok.

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