Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesters In Front Of Parliament

[Moonrakers]

Have you people not acttually looked at AlKing's posts? they are all rubbish. He needs a breathalyzer attached to his keyboard!

I just did read his other posts and now regret feeding that troll.

Whoops.

[AlKing]

Protesters drive pickup to hit police

BANGKOK: -- Anti-government protesters drive a pickup and ran over dozens of police at U-Thong Nai intersection in Dusit district on Tuesday.

Some 10 police were injured and were rushed to a hospital nearby. Most injured police suffered broken legs.

Pol Sgt Naruepon Kaewkla, who was also injured, said that a group of police were stationing at the intersection when a group of the protesters drove a pick up and ran towards them.

The sergeant said the hit knocked down many police.

-- The Nation 2008-10-07

Sorry, unlike tear gas, pick up truck cannot be classified as a weapon. If it can, million so pick up owners can be arrested for owning a weapon. Also, why are the polices standing in the middle of the road. Roads in Thailand for for pick ups. They are not designed for police to stand in the middle of it. Nice try police. I am afraid you have to try harder if you want to blame innocent PAD.

And if they had stabbed them with childrens pencils would the crime be any less?

What amazingly bizarre logic.

Walking around with a gun is a crime, whether you intend to use it of not. Driving around in a pick up is not. Do you want to arrest my children for carrying multiple sharp crayon to ISB?

[AlKing]

Have you people not acttually looked at AlKing's posts? they are all rubbish. He needs a breathalyzer attached to his keyboard!

No personal attack please. I refuse to post no more today. Good night.

[Moonrakers]

The PAD have pulled back to government house (From what I understand)

Many would see this as a result for the police. But then think about it again.

The PAD have been fighting since the early hours today and so they are without doubt very tired, they are also lead by senior ex military who will know the importance of having their 'troops' well fed and rested.

This is not a withdrawal nor a retreat, rather a re-group.

More of the same tomorrow for sure, only with greater and angrier numbers methinks.

Let's all hope for as few casualties as possible whichever side they may be on.

[jdinasia]

The PAD have pulled back to government house (From what I understand)

Many would see this as a result for the police. But then think about it again.

The PAD have been fighting since the early hours today and so they are without doubt very tired, they are also lead by senior ex military who will know the importance of having their 'troops' well fed and rested.

This is not a withdrawal nor a retreat, rather a re-group.

More of the same tomorrow for sure, only with greater and angrier numbers methinks.

Let's all hope for as few casualties as possible whichever side they may be on.

Am checking the news outlets now .. but perhaps you mean Parliament?

edit --- reread your post ... "pulled back TO Gov't house (from..."

Edited October 7, 2008 by jdinasia

[Moonrakers]

The PAD have pulled back to government house (From what I understand)

Many would see this as a result for the police. But then think about it again.

The PAD have been fighting since the early hours today and so they are without doubt very tired, they are also lead by senior ex military who will know the importance of having their 'troops' well fed and rested.

This is not a withdrawal nor a retreat, rather a re-group.

More of the same tomorrow for sure, only with greater and angrier numbers methinks.

Let's all hope for as few casualties as possible whichever side they may be on.

Am checking the news outlets now .. but perhaps you mean Parliament?

edit --- reread your post ... "pulled back TO Gov't house (from..."

I may have read it wrong but I am sure that I read from this thread that the PAD have pulled back from Parliament house to Government house.

Either way it is past my bedtime.................

[plachon]

Chamlong predicted that this would be PAD's final battle when they first occupied Govt House, but I doubt he realised he would be locked away when the final stanza of this protracted war occurred. The situation will deepen the already deep divisions in Thai society and unless or until the source of the problem - Thaksin Shinawatra - is removed from the equation, Thailand will continue to get mired down in self-destructive politics. He is the worst thing that ever happened to Thailand and even when on the other side of the world continues to leach toxin into the deep wounds he created. Sad to say, but true.

I hope this can be resolved with the minimum of bloodshed on the streets of Bangkok, but this maybe a forlorn hope now. Commiserations to the peaceful demonstrators who have been injured by this disproportionately violent response by police.

PS: I can't believe that 32 pages have been posted on this topic in such a short time - testimony to the interest shown in Thai politics these days from in and outside its shores.

[chalks]

A friend (uni educated) who was at the rally today took home the remnants of a "tear gas" grenade. She says it was modified to contain explosives and glass shards. That would explain the unusual casualties, considering that "tear gas" does not usually maim! As to why the police would do that I have no idea.

I had to fight with my girlfriend (engineering degree, runs her own business) today to not go, but she is set on going tomorrow to join her friend who is a nurse and came here from Chon Buri at her own expense, another who is a uni teacher in BKK, etc... Will continue to fight that battle tomorrow...

Several of my Thai colleagues at work (international corporation, many with overseas degrees and all perfect English) have friends there and are considering going.

Apparently some people are paid to go from the provinces - no doubt this is true. However there are a lot of people who hate the current (and past) government and their corruption who go at their own expense. Sure they may be fighting alongside the lesser of two evils - a non-elected government is "democracy"? i.e. Sondhi and his agenda - but they are certain what they are fighting against which I can only applaud them for.

(Just providing some more perspective... I have opinions I could add but that would be spitting in the fire so I tried to edit them all out)

[mahtin]

I just saw pictures of the victims. I almost vomit. My highest/best regards to these people who know what can happen but continue to fight for their country without being afraid of being beat to a cripple by the corrupt police

Most farangs would not have the balls for that in their home country.

I don't understand how the police can lower themself that way! Killing peaceful people to serve a corrupt illegal premier.

Balls big enough for you?

If that's Tiananmen, I don't think that heroic gentleman is a farang.

[bankha]

Look,

How many of you on this forum have a say on what happens in this country then?

I say about 5% or less.

Alot of the rest is just nonsense.

If you can vote then vote and speak.

If you can't vote then shut up and dont say what you can not do or help.

[dumball]

Look,

How many of you on this forum have a say on what happens in this country then?

I say about 5% or less.

Alot of the rest is just nonsense.

If you can vote then vote and speak.

If you can't vote then shut up and dont say what you can not do or help.

Who are you to decide those that can or cannot pass comment on a reasonably open forum?

There are many foreigners that live in thailand and are very concerned about what happens in the country , none of them can vote , but i am sure many have wives and family that can vote . What happens here has a great deal to do with their lives and future here ,so i feel sure they are as equally concerned as a 'PURE'(?) Thai that can vote , perhaps if you paid attention to some of the comments , you may learn something of value instead of being critical in a place your nose may well be out of place .

[bankha]

Look,

How many of you on this forum have a say on what happens in this country then?

I say about 5% or less.

Alot of the rest is just nonsense.

If you can vote then vote and speak.

If you can't vote then shut up and dont say what you can not do or help.

Who are you to decide those that can or cannot pass comment on a reasonably open forum?

There are many foreigners that live in thailand and are very concerned about what happens in the country , none of them can vote , but i am sure many have wives and family that can vote . What happens here has a great deal to do with their lives and future here ,so i feel sure they are as equally concerned as a 'PURE'(?) Thai that can vote , perhaps if you paid attention to some of the comments , you may learn something of value instead of being critical in a place your nose may well be out of place .

'PURE'

So all the people on here who are foreigners to my country,also WHERE MY WIFE AND CHILD LIVE.

Think they have the right to say this and that about the country. If its so bad why not go back to there own country and look at there own government.

Maybe you should stop sticking your nose into places it should not be.

[bingobongo]

Look,

How many of you on this forum have a say on what happens in this country then?

I say about 5% or less.

Alot of the rest is just nonsense.

If you can vote then vote and speak.

If you can't vote then shut up and dont say what you can not do or help.

Who are you to decide those that can or cannot pass comment on a reasonably open forum?

There are many foreigners that live in thailand and are very concerned about what happens in the country , none of them can vote , but i am sure many have wives and family that can vote . What happens here has a great deal to do with their lives and future here ,so i feel sure they are as equally concerned as a 'PURE'(?) Thai that can vote , perhaps if you paid attention to some of the comments , you may learn something of value instead of being critical in a place your nose may well be out of place .

'PURE'

So all the people on here who are foreigners to my country,also WHERE MY WIFE AND CHILD LIVE.

Think they have the right to say this and that about the country. If its so bad why not go back to there own country and look at there own government.

Maybe you should stop sticking your nose into places it should not be.

then i feel sorry for YOUR WIFE AND CHILD, there are 175+ countries in this world of which there are 100+ better than LOS to raise a family

it is official, LOS has turned into a toilet, last farang out please flush

[WilliamTarmby]

Look,

How many of you on this forum have a say on what happens in this country then?

I say about 5% or less.

Alot of the rest is just nonsense.

If you can vote then vote and speak.

If you can't vote then shut up and dont say what you can not do or help.

Who are you to decide those that can or cannot pass comment on a reasonably open forum?

There are many foreigners that live in thailand and are very concerned about what happens in the country , none of them can vote , but i am sure many have wives and family that can vote . What happens here has a great deal to do with their lives and future here ,so i feel sure they are as equally concerned as a 'PURE'(?) Thai that can vote , perhaps if you paid attention to some of the comments , you may learn something of value instead of being critical in a place your nose may well be out of place .

'PURE'

So all the people on here who are foreigners to my country,also WHERE MY WIFE AND CHILD LIVE.

Think they have the right to say this and that about the country. If its so bad why not go back to there own country and look at there own government.

Maybe you should stop sticking your nose into places it should not be.

That is exactly why the country is in the mess it is, as soon as someone criticizes, comments or disaproves, the Kreng Jai "shame" comes out, and the head gets stuck ever deeper in the sand!

Why are you against free speech?

Why are you against discussion?

Yes, let's all go back home, and forget about "Happiness Paradise Thailand"

No where is perfect, however, some people have decided to make this home, in many countries, this is welcomed and integration takes place, NOT alienation!

Bury your head, complete with the required false smile and pretend that everything is just perfect! I'tll go away if you wait long enough!

[Johpa]

Pinging George

Hey, how about splitting this into two topics, news and comments?

[ClaytonSeymour]

Look,

How many of you on this forum have a say on what happens in this country then?

I say about 5% or less.

Alot of the rest is just nonsense.

If you can vote then vote and speak.

If you can't vote then shut up and dont say what you can not do or help.

Who are you to decide those that can or cannot pass comment on a reasonably open forum?

There are many foreigners that live in thailand and are very concerned about what happens in the country , none of them can vote , but i am sure many have wives and family that can vote . What happens here has a great deal to do with their lives and future here ,so i feel sure they are as equally concerned as a 'PURE'(?) Thai that can vote , perhaps if you paid attention to some of the comments , you may learn something of value instead of being critical in a place your nose may well be out of place .

'PURE'

So all the people on here who are foreigners to my country,also WHERE MY WIFE AND CHILD LIVE.

Think they have the right to say this and that about the country. If its so bad why not go back to there own country and look at there own government.

Maybe you should stop sticking your nose into places it should not be.

Your country? What about these topics of yours then? They would suggest it isn't your country - let's not forget you also previously overstayed for two & half years in your country!

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Qualificatio...ed-t210653.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Live-t214757.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Advice-Pig-F...ng-t216352.html

[glassdude007]

Aren't we getting a bit carried away with the legitamacy of the PADs actions ? Not content with taking over the Parliament buildings they then try to stop the parliament from actually meeting and issuing their policy statement. Look, Thai politics in my opinion stinks. It is an old boys club run by misfits and corrupt people. A case of who you know not what you know. They hoodwink a vast number of people to vote for them by handing out money.

However they are elected by the great unwashed and therefore lay claim to be the legitimate government. If some people are not happy so be it. However taking over buildings and screaming at police will not do it. Thaksin has fled the scene and Samak is gone. Time now for the PAD to push reforms in a legitimate way, through legislation. Convince members to put up the aims of the PAD to a vote, even if it is only in the Senate. Make noise, but do it peacefully and within the law. Not like a rabble.

very good post this one.....

they the PAD.. made there point with the protest...

former PM ousted....OK..When will they be happy???

now they must obey the laws of thier country....

peacefully and not putting women and children in harms way... IMHO

[sriracha john]

I thought Baht & Sold's post was spot on.

It IS about Thaksin.....among other things, but Thakisn's situation was one of the five questions that the PAD wanted answered by Somchai.

ie...what was he gonna do about him.....and as I said in a previous post...ther is NO WAY he is gonna bring his siister back to face prison....its not the Thai way

I agree with your both of your posts, but just wanted to clarify something.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is married to the exquisitely beautiful Yaowapa :

Yaowapa is the younger sister of ex-Prime Minister Thaksin :

The equally seductive temptress Potjaman is the wife of ex-Prime Minister and is a criminal fugitive with 3 outstanding arrest warrants :

Potjaman is the sister-in-law to the PM Somchai... but I agree there is no way that Somchai will actively seek her return either.

Here's a photo of the brood together... with Somchai and his lovely wife on either end and Shinawatras filling the void between them :

I fully acknowledge that following this extensive family tree can often be confusing...

[sriracha john]

A Thai police officer looks at the wreckage of a Jeep after it exploded and burnt not far from an anti-government demonstration site in Bangkok, Thailand Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. One person was killed in the incident.

Associated Press

[MyFriend You]

better not state the obvious I guess, its not polite

A protester lost his leg during the disperse and one reporter was injured

Lost his leg??? was it a wooden leg or was it chopped off...........so much for getting all the facts before print time...........

[sriracha john]

Protesters' injury toll rises to 381

By 9 pm, the number of injured protesters grew to 381, the Erawan Emergency Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced.

It said 48 of them were admitted to hospitals and ten had to undergo operations.

- The Nation / 2008-10-07

===========================================

PAD to hold bathing rite for slain protester at Government House

The People's Alliance for Democracy will Wednesday hold a bathing rite for a victim fatally injured during a clash with police Tuesday.

Suriyasai Katasila said the bathing rite for Angkhana Raduppanyawut would be held inside the Government House's compound in the evening.

- The Nation / 2008-10-08

[sriracha john]

Chaos inside Parliament as Senators jeer, power is cut

Quarrels dominated yesterday's House session as PM Somchai struggled to finish his policy statement in Parliament amid clashes between the PAD and anti-riot police outside. As soon as Parliament convened, Somchai hurriedly started reading the government policy. However, Senator Prasong Nurak immediately objected and strongly advised the PM to postpone the announcement while violence was continuing. Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul then stood up and furiously demanded that Somchai resign. She said the government could not stay in office after turning a blind eye to the clashes which left scores of unarmed protesters injured. She criticised the PM for using Parliament in a "self-serving manner." The government no longer had the legitimacy to govern the country from the moment it ordered police to take such harsh action against the people, she said. Some government MPs then surrounded and scolded Mrs Rosana. Others intervened and broke up the confrontation, while Somchai continued to read the policy statement without interruption until the end. The PM then went behind the podium and sat with his daughter Chinnicha, a Chiang Mai MP. The conclusion of the statement was taken to officially represent the start of the formal functioning of the new government. Parliament President Chai Chidchob ended yesterday's session at about 1pm when parliament was plunged into darkness. PAD supporters had reportedly cut off the power supply. Somchai, his daughter, his secretary Chusak Sirinil and other aides sneaked out of Parliament by using a ladder to cross over the fence into neighbouring Vimanmek Mansion even before Chai could order the session to close. Other House members could not follow the PM as officials of the Bureau of the Royal Household supervising the Mansion did not allow them to do so. They were left stuck inside as

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/081008_News/08Oct2008_news03.php

[old wanderer]

A friend (uni educated) who was at the rally today took home the remnants of a "tear gas" grenade. She says it was modified to contain explosives and glass shards. That would explain the unusual casualties, considering that "tear gas" does not usually maim! As to why the police would do that I have no idea.

I had to fight with my girlfriend (engineering degree, runs her own business) today to not go, but she is set on going tomorrow to join her friend who is a nurse and came here from Chon Buri at her own expense, another who is a uni teacher in BKK, etc... Will continue to fight that battle tomorrow...

Several of my Thai colleagues at work (international corporation, many with overseas degrees and all perfect English) have friends there and are considering going.

Apparently some people are paid to go from the provinces - no doubt this is true. However there are a lot of people who hate the current (and past) government and their corruption who go at their own expense. Sure they may be fighting alongside the lesser of two evils - a non-elected government is "democracy"? i.e. Sondhi and his agenda - but they are certain what they are fighting against which I can only applaud them for.

(Just providing some more perspective... I have opinions I could add but that would be spitting in the fire so I tried to edit them all out)

My wife "Fought" in the 92 demonstrations, I have had a hard time keeping her in the USA when this started. She is extreemly anti Thaskin and his family. We know a group of about 20 successful Thai's in California that traveled together to protest and donate money a month ago. We donated as well.

While many on this board keep complaining about PAD and using the words "legitimate" government. Let me pose a question:

What "legitimate" government would issue diplomatic passports to fugitives from justice, refuse to enforce arrest warrents, and be under judicial review for corruption themselves????

Maybe sombody can explain this imbroglio too a poor simple person like me.

[jumnien]

Compassion is in order for all the injured. It is clearly time for the PAD armed seige to end. There is little support in Thailand for the mayhem they are causing. One pities the naive country folk who are waking up to a blaring Sondhi L. frothing at the mouth, calling for more blood.

From this mornings Bangkok Post,

"...Among the wounded police officers, two were stabbed. One, Pol Snr Sgt-Maj Thaweep Klanniam, was struck with the sharpened end of a flag pole in the torso. The pole severed his lung.

Four other police officers were shot by PAD supporters, deputy Metropolitan Police chief Pol Maj-Gen Amnuay Nimmano said. One was shot in his chest, one in the collarbone, one in the neck and the other in his right hand. They were rushed to Vajira and Chulalongkorn hospitals.

Another policeman suffered broken legs after being hit by a car driven by a PAD supporter.

The sixth clash since yesterday morning erupted last night at the Metropolitan Police headquarters.

The confrontation started at 10.20pm when PAD demonstrators threw bottles into the police compound, prompting the police to retaliate by firing tear gas into the crowd..."

[MrSnrang]

Look,

How many of you on this forum have a say on what happens in this country then?

I say about 5% or less.

Alot of the rest is just nonsense.

If you can vote then vote and speak.

If you can't vote then shut up and dont say what you can not do or help.

Who are you to decide those that can or cannot pass comment on a reasonably open forum?

There are many foreigners that live in thailand and are very concerned about what happens in the country , none of them can vote , but i am sure many have wives and family that can vote . What happens here has a great deal to do with their lives and future here ,so i feel sure they are as equally concerned as a 'PURE'(?) Thai that can vote , perhaps if you paid attention to some of the comments , you may learn something of value instead of being critical in a place your nose may well be out of place .

'PURE'

So all the people on here who are foreigners to my country,also WHERE MY WIFE AND CHILD LIVE.

Think they have the right to say this and that about the country. If its so bad why not go back to there own country and look at there own government.

Maybe you should stop sticking your nose into places it should not be.

This kind of thinking is what has set Thailand into a backwards state.

[jumnien]

Tragic that the PAD has these untrained civilians handling their deadly explosives!

Also from the Bangkok Post this morning,

"...A military forensic source said a man who lost a leg had it blown off by a ping-pong bomb in his pocket.

Deputy Metropolitan Police chief Pol Maj-Gen Jakthip Chaijinda said the loss of limbs was unlikely to have been caused by police tear gas canisters, but rather by explosive devices.

The first death yesterday was a man whose dismembered body was found thrown from a white Jeep Cherokee that had exploded. The jeep had been parked in front of the Chart Thai party headquarters on Sukhothai road, Dusit police said.

[sriracha john]

EDITORIAL

Police worsen a bad situation

It happened before and it has happened again. The dawn crackdown on supporters of the anti-government PAD in front of Parliament by anti-riot police yesterday, was a repeat of the police blunder on Aug 27, when anti-riot police baton-charged through a PAD security cordon to remove barricades and evict the protesters from Makkhawan Rangsan bridge. At that time, 25 protesters and a police officer were injured, none of them seriously. This time was different. Scores of protesters were hurt, mostly from tear gas. A number of them needed surgery at Vachira hospital and one of them lost a leg, which apparently got blown off at the protest site by a tear gas canister believed lobbed by police at very close range. Apart from the barbed wire and other barricades set up to enforce their siege of parliament, the protesters who had gathered in front of parliament since Sunday night to prevent PM Somchai from delivering the government's policy statement, did not directly provoke the police attack. There can be no justification for the authorities to have used such force to disperse the peaceful crowd. According to eyewitnesses, no warning was given by the police prior to the raid. Dozens of tear gas canisters were fired into the unprepared crowd, to the extent that police appeared to have acted with excessive force. The officer in charge claimed the police simply enforced the law to keep access to the parliament building open so that the scheduled session could be held. The officer also claimed the crackdown to disperse protesters was in compliance with international standards and that tear gas was not considered a lethal weapon. Obviously, however, the police used excessive and unnecessary force against the protesters, who were not forewarned; no negotiations were held to persuade them to at least allow access to cabinet members and parliamentarians to enter the building, before the police launched their surprise crackdown. This raises a big question mark about whether the police strictly complied with internationally-accepted standards of crowd control - otherwise one of the protesters would not have lost a leg from a tear gas canister being lobbed. Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who was tasked with negotiating with the PAD leaders, tendered his resignation yesterday to show responsibility for the violent incident. But his abrupt departure leaves a few questions which need answering: What had gone wrong with the negotiations with the PAD? Why was the crackdown on protesters allowed? And who gave the orders? Even more troubling than the violent crackdown yesterday morning was the indifferent attitude shown by the PM over the violence which could have been avoided in the first place. Apparently unperturbed, he simply went ahead and delivered his policy statement.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/081008_News/08Oct2008_news14.php

Edited October 7, 2008 by sriracha john

[moo9]

I think I will stop reading this topic now. Just wondering, what makes many foreigners think, that PAD is the evil? Maybe many mates are married to Girls from the NE, but does this automatically mean to lose one's brain?

Sorry, I cannot understand it.

[jumnien]

I think I will stop reading this topic now. Just wondering, what makes many foreigners think, that PAD is the evil? Maybe many mates are married to Girls from the NE, but does this automatically mean to lose one's brain?

Sorry, I cannot understand it.

Your post exposes one of the most vile aspects of the PAD farce - a deep disrespect for the poor and disenfranchised Thais coupled with an ugly undercurrent of racism driven home by PAD's "Sons of Chinese" drivel.

And no my wife is not from the North East but I many lovely friends who are!

[WAERTH]

So after a relatively calm night will we now see calmer heads prevail at both sides? Or will they continue yesterdays idiocy?

One can only hope a calm night has given people the time to understand that this is not the way forward. I hope both parties will stay put in the coming days and start to talk.

Waerth