Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesters In Front Of Parliament

[sriracha john]

Thai at Heart ... 1) you can't say that as you cannot tell who is firing in most of the vdo 2) the brief segment showing that particular officer is interrupted by his buddy in the gas-mask telling him that he is being filmed

The video does however show, jd, that for 2 minutes on Tuesday he didn't fire his weapon. What he did the remaining during the remaining hours is undocumented.

[Thai at Heart]

Thai at Heart ... 1) you can't say that as you cannot tell who is firing in most of the vdo 2) the brief segment showing that particular officer is interrupted by his buddy in the gas-mask telling him that he is being filmed

There is absolutely no proof from the video that a shot was fired.(agree ---- and no reason at all to say he did NOT fire .. after all what brought the attention of the cameraman to this guy, that the photographer came running AND stayed on the guy after he holstered his weapon and left .. not stopping until waved off by the other policeman) It is a video taken, stills removed, and a circle added. The policeman is already in a crouch with the cameraman 10 ft away. It is worrying, but proves nothing.

Taken as a still it says one thing, in the context of a video it is completely different. We have seen stills taken, people wonder if amputees blew themselves up, stage managed injuries for the cameras benefit (ludicrous but who the hel_l knows). Likewise, in the same collection of photos on Matichon, there is a still of a PAD supporter (You mean there is a picture of someone ... PAD, Police, someone else?) looking over the wall with a gun in hand which has been rubbished as an orangutan holding a banana.

I do believe it is possible that idiot Police fired teargas incorrectly. I do also believe that PAD had homemade devices for defence. (WHy do you believe this? what evidence is there of this?) Bad things happened perpetrated by both sides. There are riot police and a large protesting group in close proximity. The protesting group has had weeks to prepare for this eventuality and people and forces alike do very stupid things

It is also possible that a rogue third party added to the events yesterday as was postulated on the forum.

??????????

What you CAN accurately say is "In this vdo, both of the officer singularly AND of the mass of officers, you cannot identify him as doing anything other than aiming a weapon that the government claims was not present"

TNN late last night (1.00 am) after a shower of bottles and other bits and bobs clearly identified home made devices in bushes along the side of the road about 5ms from the police lines. Take my word for it or not, and no I can't find a video.

Wow .. and not a single report on any news channel or the press saying

"Improvised explosive devices found and we can show they belonged to one particular group!" uh huh!

Not my fault if the media is useless. As I said, take my word for it or not. Neither side is blameless in this ridiculous situation.

[jdinasia]

nah .. they only had him for about 30 seconds

[Thai at Heart]

Thai at Heart ... 1) you can't say that as you cannot tell who is firing in most of the vdo 2) the brief segment showing that particular officer is interrupted by his buddy in the gas-mask telling him that he is being filmed

The video does however show, jd, that for 2 minutes on Tuesday he didn't fire his weapon. What he did the remaining during the remaining hours is undocumented.

Point made and taken. The discussion continues..........

[jdinasia]

Thai at Heart .... trust me the press would have been ALL over improvised explosive devices being found ... you don't even have to trust me! You can just look at history! If they had been found the UDD/ProThaksin ProGovt groups would be SCREAMING ... "see they did it to themselves!" and the PAD would be saying "Look they found a cache of weapons the pro gov't agitators were planning on using on us"

There is just no evidence ....

just like a random photo of a single person does not indicate what group they belong to ... and photos of groups of police aiming guns that the gov't claim were not present is proof. The police operate in cohesive units and you just can't infiltrate them randomly ... while the PAD operate with volunteers.

Be accurate in your phrasing ... you will not be able to argue with what I said in red above because it is all accurate language!

[triplegee]

For the sake of TV's credibility I sincerely hope that this thread gets locked so as not to be read by others in the future.

The amount of emotional commentary that's gone on is to be admired in some respects but laughed at in others. There's too many foreigners on here that for whatever reason have taken a particular side that it's gone beyond a joke.

I won't name names but some posters on this thread should go back and read what you have posted. I have no doubt you will cringe. Save it for reading 2 years from now and I'd like to be there when you read it.

WE (foreigners) can't claim to know what's right and what's wrong - it's a Thai issue with a Thai resolution. Let's just hope that comes before no more blood is spilt.

I am embarrassed to be a long-time member of TV given some of the comments made in this thread.

Good night.

GGG

Edited October 9, 2008 by triplegee

[Thai at Heart]

Thai at Heart .... trust me the press would have been ALL over improvised explosive devices being found ... you don't even have to trust me! You can just look at history! If they had been found the UDD/ProThaksin ProGovt groups would be SCREAMING ... "see they did it to themselves!" and the PAD would be saying "Look they found a cache of weapons the pro gov't agitators were planning on using on us"

There is just no evidence ....

just like a random photo of a single person does not indicate what group they belong to ... and photos of groups of police aiming guns that the gov't claim were not present is proof. The police operate in cohesive units and you just can't infiltrate them randomly ... while the PAD operate with volunteers.

Be accurate in your phrasing ... you will not be able to argue with what I said in red above because it is all accurate language!

Edited October 9, 2008 by Thai at Heart

[h90]

For the sake of TV's credibility I sincerely hope that this thread gets locked so as not to be read by others in the future.

The amount of emotional commentary that's gone on is to be admired in some respects but laughed at in others. There's too many foreigners on here that for whatever reason have taken a particular side that it's gone beyond a joke.

I won't name names but some posters on this thread should go back and read what you have posted. I have no doubt you will cringe. Save it for reading 2 years from now and I'd like to be there when you read it.

WE (foreigners) can't claim to know what's right and what's wrong - it's a Thai issue with a Thai resolution. Let's just hope that comes before no more blood is spilt.

I am embarrassed to be a long-time member of TV given some of the comments made in this thread.

Good night.

GGG

I can claim that it is not OK to kill peaceful demonstrators. If some girls are killed I claim that is wrong no matter if I am Thai or not.

[Thai at Heart]

Thai at Heart ... 1) you can't say that as you cannot tell who is firing in most of the vdo 2) the brief segment showing that particular officer is interrupted by his buddy in the gas-mask telling him that he is being filmed

There is absolutely no proof from the video that a shot was fired.(agree ---- and no reason at all to say he did NOT fire .. after all what brought the attention of the cameraman to this guy, that the photographer came running AND stayed on the guy after he holstered his weapon and left .. not stopping until waved off by the other policeman) It is a video taken, stills removed, and a circle added. The policeman is already in a crouch with the cameraman 10 ft away. It is worrying, but proves nothing.

Taken as a still it says one thing, in the context of a video it is completely different. We have seen stills taken, people wonder if amputees blew themselves up, stage managed injuries for the cameras benefit (ludicrous but who the hel_l knows). Likewise, in the same collection of photos on Matichon, there is a still of a PAD supporter (You mean there is a picture of someone ... PAD, Police, someone else?) looking over the wall with a gun in hand which has been rubbished as an orangutan holding a banana.

I do believe it is possible that idiot Police fired teargas incorrectly. I do also believe that PAD had homemade devices for defence. (WHy do you believe this? what evidence is there of this?) Bad things happened perpetrated by both sides. There are riot police and a large protesting group in close proximity. The protesting group has had weeks to prepare for this eventuality and people and forces alike do very stupid things

It is also possible that a rogue third party added to the events yesterday as was postulated on the forum.

??????????

What you CAN accurately say is "In this vdo, both of the officer singularly AND of the mass of officers, you cannot identify him as doing anything other than aiming a weapon that the government claims was not present"

TNN late last night (1.00 am) after a shower of bottles and other bits and bobs clearly identified home made devices in bushes along the side of the road about 5ms from the police lines. Take my word for it or not, and no I can't find a video.

I believe because people are the way they are.

Having seen the footage yesterday on TNN, I still believe it is likely that people within the PAD may have made homemade devices.

Sorry if I believe that people wont prepare to defend themselves from a coming onslaught with 5 weeks preparation.

I also believe that the police have bad people in their ranks that may have done something very stupid.

[Moonrakers]

Thai at Heart ... 1) you can't say that as you cannot tell who is firing in most of the vdo 2) the brief segment showing that particular officer is interrupted by his buddy in the gas-mask telling him that he is being filmed

There is absolutely no proof from the video that a shot was fired.(agree ---- and no reason at all to say he did NOT fire .. after all what brought the attention of the cameraman to this guy, that the photographer came running AND stayed on the guy after he holstered his weapon and left .. not stopping until waved off by the other policeman) It is a video taken, stills removed, and a circle added. The policeman is already in a crouch with the cameraman 10 ft away. It is worrying, but proves nothing.

Taken as a still it says one thing, in the context of a video it is completely different. We have seen stills taken, people wonder if amputees blew themselves up, stage managed injuries for the cameras benefit (ludicrous but who the hel_l knows). Likewise, in the same collection of photos on Matichon, there is a still of a PAD supporter (You mean there is a picture of someone ... PAD, Police, someone else?) looking over the wall with a gun in hand which has been rubbished as an orangutan holding a banana.

I do believe it is possible that idiot Police fired teargas incorrectly. I do also believe that PAD had homemade devices for defence. (WHy do you believe this? what evidence is there of this?) Bad things happened perpetrated by both sides. There are riot police and a large protesting group in close proximity. The protesting group has had weeks to prepare for this eventuality and people and forces alike do very stupid things

It is also possible that a rogue third party added to the events yesterday as was postulated on the forum.

??????????

What you CAN accurately say is "In this vdo, both of the officer singularly AND of the mass of officers, you cannot identify him as doing anything other than aiming a weapon that the government claims was not present"

TNN late last night (1.00 am) after a shower of bottles and other bits and bobs clearly identified home made devices in bushes along the side of the road about 5ms from the police lines. Take my word for it or not, and no I can't find a video.

I believe because people are the way they are.

Having seen the footage yesterday on TNN, I still believe it is likely that people within the PAD may have made homemade devices.

Sorry if I believe that people wont prepare to defend themselves from a coming onslaught with 5 weeks preparation.

I also believe that the police have bad people in their ranks that may have done something very stupid.

A very balanced view Thai at Heart.

The news clippings section needs more of the same.

[jdinasia]

global ... I assume you mean the parts in RED that I wrote

[coalminer]

For the sake of TV's credibility I sincerely hope that this thread gets locked so as not to be read by others in the future.

The amount of emotional commentary that's gone on is to be admired in some respects but laughed at in others. There's too many foreigners on here that for whatever reason have taken a particular side that it's gone beyond a joke.

I won't name names but some posters on this thread should go back and read what you have posted. I have no doubt you will cringe. Save it for reading 2 years from now and I'd like to be there when you read it.

WE (foreigners) can't claim to know what's right and what's wrong - it's a Thai issue with a Thai resolution. Let's just hope that comes before no more blood is spilt.

I am embarrassed to be a long-time member of TV given some of the comments made in this thread.

Good night.

GGG

I can claim that it is not OK to kill peaceful demonstrators. If some girls are killed I claim that is wrong no matter if I am Thai or not.

H90, re-read what you have been writing full with emotions.

Only 1 woman was killed, not "some girls".

And what if the home made ammunitions which "Thai at Heart" claims to have seen on TV are published tomorrow, releaving the police from the blame that so many posters have made. You will not be able to draw back the accusations that you made wrongly.

Too many high ranked persons have interest in staging the actions which happened yesterday.

I'm still convinced that a third party group staged the whole action, leaving the police to blame

And I am not the only one, despite the remarks of some other posters.

Time will tell.....

[Moonrakers]

global ... I assume you mean the parts in RED that I wrote

I was referring to Thai at Hearts last post, although that is not to say that the same cannot be said about your ammendments in red.

It's good to see some reason on news clippings finally, and dare I say I do not miss that perm_disorder character who has been quiet of late.

[jdinasia]

global ... I assume you mean the parts in RED that I wrote

I was referring to Thai at Hearts last post, although that is not to say that the same cannot be said about your ammendments in red.

It's good to see some reason on news clippings finally, and dare I say I do not miss that perm_disorder character who has been quiet of late.

ya think? I think TaH is overthinking things a bit too much (rare in here as it is!) The assumption that the PAD would build homemade bombs is something I find ludicrous. They have enough backing to get the real stuff if they wanted it! and they lose the sympathetic underdog status if they start using sophisticated weapons other than as a tiny defense for the leadership that is far removed from the front lines. (After all shooting cops that come in guns blazing after the leaders could be described/spun as preventing the assassination of the leadership, while blowing up cops on the street holds only bad portents for them!)

Coalminer --- keep trying ... it is already 22 hours after TaH thinks he saw something on TV that has not been reported even on TNN

Edited October 9, 2008 by jdinasia

[Plus]

I don't think that if some PAD members knew how to assemble home made bombs, or had a gun, they would pass the chance to use them.

[Moonrakers]

global ... I assume you mean the parts in RED that I wrote

I was referring to Thai at Hearts last post, although that is not to say that the same cannot be said about your ammendments in red.

It's good to see some reason on news clippings finally, and dare I say I do not miss that perm_disorder character who has been quiet of late.

ya think? I think TaH is overthinking things a bit too much (rare in here as it is!) The assumption that the PAD would build homemade bombs is something I find ludicrous. They have enough backing to get the real stuff if they wanted it! and they lose the sympathetic underdog status if they start using sophisticated weapons other than as a tiny defense for the leadership that is far removed from the front lines. (After all shooting cops that come in guns blazing after the leaders could be described/spun as preventing the assassination of the leadership, while blowing up cops on the street holds only bad portents for them!)

Coalminer --- keep trying ... it is already 22 hours after TaH thinks he saw something on TV that has not been reported even on TNN

To be honest I have had a beer or two too many and have lost track of the thread.

(Note to self, don't post whilst drunk)

[sriracha john]

To be honest I have had a beer or two too many and have lost track of the thread.

(Note to self, don't post whilst drunk)

borrowing the avatar from member t.s... how many fingers is he holding up?

for answers 1 through 5, have that many number of additional drinks....

Edited October 9, 2008 by sriracha john

[Moonrakers]

To be honest I have had a beer or two too many and have lost track of the thread.

(Note to self, don't post whilst drunk)

borrowing the avatar from member t.s... how many fingers is he holding up?

for answers 1 through 5, have that many number of additional drinks....

free fingers and one fum.

[sriracha john]

To be honest I have had a beer or two too many and have lost track of the thread.

(Note to self, don't post whilst drunk)

borrowing the avatar from member t.s... how many fingers is he holding up?

for answers 1 through 5, have that many number of additional drinks....

free fingers and one fum.

You're fine.

[sjaak327]

There was violence coming from both sides, and I'm sure there were no orders to use handuns or shoot people, but, as usual, there's also little control over what happens on the ground. Now both the police and PAD will stand by their own, no one would give up their comrades who "broke the rules", be it firing into the crowd, throwing ping pong bombs or driving pickup trucks over police bodies.

PAD sincerely believes that their ranks were infiltrated by plainclothes police, while claims that PAD impersonated police officers is plain ridiculous. Ultimately the buck stops with those who started this senseless violence - and that is the police, they didn't give any warnings and they didn't try to negotiate.

Blank denials on the part of police commanders is not credible at all, and neither are their claims that portesters blew off their legs themselves or cut them off on barb wire. The more they try to talk themselves out of it, the less credible they sound.

For once I agree with you. I do believe that the police used excessive violence, but I do support the action to disperse the protestors, even though the way it was accomplished is something that I cannot support.

I do believe that the PAD has crossed a line two days ago, something that simply couldn't be left unanswered, however I condemm the way the police have handled this, was it intentional, I cannot possibly answer that question. I don't believe in home made explosives and other fairy tales. However, I also hold the PAD leadership responsible for this mess, I base myself on photo's that show people that were not unarmed, and that possibly and according to plan, have provoked the police.

There is two sides to this story.

[sriracha john]

Chulalongkorn University's lecturers and students gather to protest a violent dispersal by police of on anti-government protesters.

The Nation

Mourners of Tuesday's victims wear black

More than 1,000 Chulalongkorn University students and teachers dressed in black held a rally at 10am yesterday and then marched to Royal Thai Police headquarters to protest the use of violence against protesters by the "police state."

They also invited officials and members of the public to dress in black for seven days to mourn for those killed in Tuesday's bloodshed. However, the rally stopped near Siam Paragon to avoid a confrontation with National United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) members, whom they feared might attack them.

Some 200 UDD members at that time were at Royal Thai Police headquarters offering flowers in a show of moral support to the police for performing their duty in dispersing Tuesday's protest.

However, black-clad veterinarian Naowarat Suthamnatthapong from Chulalongkorn Animal Hospital bravely continued on to place a black wreath displaying the words "To those who should protect the people, but instead hurt them" in front of the headquarters' sign. She was scolded by some UDD supports wearing red shirts while police watched from a distance.

Naowarat said she came to express her objections to the police's heavy-handed tactics that caused a doctor friend to lose some fingers.

The black-clad rally caused heavy traffic jams on Rama I Road until about noon, when they dispersed peacefully.

The group also issued a statement objecting to police measures that resulted in death and injury among the protesters, saying the actions violated people's constitutional rights and set a standard of violence to be used in solving social conflicts.

Offering condolences to the dead and injured, as well as to police officers, they called for all sides to stop using violence or provoking confrontations and urged the government to take care of those affected fully and equally.

They called for the government and Parliament to take responsibility for what happened and form an independent committee to investigate the incident and root out the masterminds.

They also urged the media to maintain a close watch on the political situation.

Black attire in protest against Tuesday's violence was also seen elsewhere yesterday. In the North, Chiang Mai Cultural Council President Chao Duangduan na Chiang Mai said descendants of Northern Kingdom rulers with the last names of na Chiang Mai, na Lamphun, and na Lampang also dressed in black to mourn the innocent slain and called for police not to use violence.

In the South, students and teachers of Prince of Songkhla University's Hat Yai campus dressed in black and condemned the government's violent crackdown on protesters. Some 100 supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy in Krabi dressed in black and rallied at the city hall and the provincial police office to object to the government's violent actions.

- The Nation / 2008-10-10

[animatic]

Thai at Heart ... 1) you can't say that as you cannot tell who is firing in most of the vdo 2) the brief segment showing that particular officer is interrupted by his buddy in the gas-mask telling him that he is being filmed

There is absolutely no proof from the video that a shot was fired.(agree ---- and no reason at all to say he did NOT fire .. after all what brought the attention of the cameraman to this guy, that the photographer came running AND stayed on the guy after he holstered his weapon and left .. not stopping until waved off by the other policeman) It is a video taken, stills removed, and a circle added. The policeman is already in a crouch with the cameraman 10 ft away. It is worrying, but proves nothing.

Taken as a still it says one thing, in the context of a video it is completely different. We have seen stills taken, people wonder if amputees blew themselves up, stage managed injuries for the cameras benefit (ludicrous but who the hel_l knows). Likewise, in the same collection of photos on Matichon, there is a still of a PAD supporter (You mean there is a picture of someone ... PAD, Police, someone else?) looking over the wall with a gun in hand which has been rubbished as an orangutan holding a banana.

I do believe it is possible that idiot Police fired teargas incorrectly. I do also believe that PAD had homemade devices for defence. (WHy do you believe this? what evidence is there of this?) Bad things happened perpetrated by both sides. There are riot police and a large protesting group in close proximity. The protesting group has had weeks to prepare for this eventuality and people and forces alike do very stupid things

It is also possible that a rogue third party added to the events yesterday as was postulated on the forum.

??????????

What you CAN accurately say is "In this vdo, both of the officer singularly AND of the mass of officers, you cannot identify him as doing anything other than aiming a weapon that the government claims was not present"

TNN late last night (1.00 am) after a shower of bottles and other bits and bobs clearly identified home made devices in bushes along the side of the road about 5ms from the police lines. Take my word for it or not, and no I can't find a video.

I believe because people are the way they are.

Having seen the footage yesterday on TNN, I still believe it is likely that people within the PAD may have made homemade devices.

Sorry if I believe that people wont prepare to defend themselves from a coming onslaught with 5 weeks preparation.

I also believe that the police have bad people in their ranks that may have done something very stupid.

A very balanced view Thai at Heart.

The news clippings section needs more of the same.

If this "balance view" is based solely on TNN shown footage,

there is NO WAY it can be considered to be accurate.

[Scott]

In any society, there has to be rules and laws. In the case of the PAD, they have flaunted these to know end for a long time. Whether they are right or wrong is not the point. They do not have the right to close roads, take over buildings and interfere with the lives of others or of the gov't. The longer they are allowed to do this the braver (or more foolish) they will be. They should have been forced to comply with rules and laws long ago.

The police here, as they are everywhere, sometimes use actions deemed undesirable in enforcing the law. A little more action long ago on the part of the police could prevent things from getting out of hand. Should the police use force? Of course not, but unfortunately, police are trained in such a way that using force comes naturally.

PAD does have the right to protest, peacefully and in a way that doesn't interefere with others (such as blocking traffic and taking over buildings). When they do, the police will do what they have to do and nobody will be happy.

[Thai at Heart]

global ... I assume you mean the parts in RED that I wrote

I was referring to Thai at Hearts last post, although that is not to say that the same cannot be said about your ammendments in red.

It's good to see some reason on news clippings finally, and dare I say I do not miss that perm_disorder character who has been quiet of late.

ya think? I think TaH is overthinking things a bit too much (rare in here as it is!) The assumption that the PAD would build homemade bombs is something I find ludicrous. They have enough backing to get the real stuff if they wanted it! and they lose the sympathetic underdog status if they start using sophisticated weapons other than as a tiny defense for the leadership that is far removed from the front lines. (After all shooting cops that come in guns blazing after the leaders could be described/spun as preventing the assassination of the leadership, while blowing up cops on the street holds only bad portents for them!)

Coalminer --- keep trying ... it is already 22 hours after TaH thinks he saw something on TV that has not been reported even on TNN

If you think that I am thinking too much, good lord, I wish others would think too.

There are cameras absolutely everywhere from the AP, Bangkok Post, Nation, Thai domestic newspapers, Thai TV Channels, Freelancers with immediate connection to Getty , Flickr and any other agency in the world. The Koreans break up protests once a week, with no limbs lost, no fatalities, and also they don't let cameras anywhere near the event.

After all has been told, it would appear that limbs have been lost. Websites are posting pictures of maimed individuals and posters are here debating whether some of the victims were amputees on the basis of evidence that is coming from THAI websites. Some posters have been banned for posting such pictures which is outrageous. The media of both sides is working overtime.

But not one, and I mean not one person even with a camera phone in their hand managed to see a policeman even with shotguns or handguns using the type of ordnance that would cause the injuries we have seen. Matichon stood right there as SJ showed the pictures before, and I noted that none of the video shows a single shot from a gun. TNN last night was in front of the police lines when they started firing tear gas. People have petulantly argued that a pick up truck isn't a weapon.

We live in a world where the media controls the truth and anyone who can bring more evidence to the table, please I implore everyone to do so, and lets digest it and discuss. The poor woman who died, none of us will ever know the truth. The car bomb, none of us will ever know the truth.

I believe that both sides are playing for keeps with paymasters pulling the strings. I believe the police to be corrupt and pretty ineffective, but I do believe they would know the difference between a tear gas round and an anti personnel grenade. Rogues are on both sides.

Some of the people on the blog believe the PAD are harmless. Fine with me. I for one believe differently. When they police went in to break up the demonstrations the first time they found firearms and ammunition. I saw it last night on TV that there were home made devices thrown at the cops. I have no benefit from lying and me typing it here will have absolutely no influence on the country in which we live in 6 months time. Call me a liar if you want, fine with me.

Am I to believe that the PAD is absolutely peace loving and un-willing to defend themselves. I don't believe it is logical to believe so, and I actually don't condemn them if as I believe they have gerrymandered defensive devices together. Let us not forget the history of previous authoratarian crackdowns.

Vis a vis the ridiculous discussions about whether people are paid to be there or not. Does it really matter? The PAD are there, the DAAD may come and that is the reality. 1000 baht per head won't help if the bullets fly. And it is no guarantee that the few with pure hearts will prevail.

But to believe that one side is evil and the other side absolutely angelic is I believe an absolute insult to human nature. This is not Star Wars where it is black versus white, good versus evil no matter what the media says. People are fighting literally to move the political future of the country, some under order, some paid, some with pure hearts and some with very black hearts. We have debated it from all angles. I may not agree with the PAD or PPP, but this is make or break situation and there are people who truly believe on both sides. My voice will change absolutely nothing, as will none of the other contributors here.

There are a myriad of possibilities, and in this chaotic situation to believe that either side is blameless is seems absolutely incredulous to me.

[Scott]

Good post Thaiatheart, it expresses my sentiments completely.

[sylviex]

Good post Thaiatheart, it expresses my sentiments completely.

Ditto ... my thoughts are much the same.

[AlKing]

When one goes to a battle, one have to accept that death is unavoidable. People get kill on both side, not just from the PAD side. No one seems to remember the DAAD guy who died when he confronted the PAD which lead to a SoE.

All the police can say to the poor woman family is sorry, and she should not have been there. Just like PAD did send their condolence to the dead DAAD guy family, and said that he (the dead guy) should not have been there too.

PAD has been warned over and over again for weeks to clear the PM office. When the crack down come (I am sure it will), don't ever cried that no warning has been given.

[sriracha john]

One way out

Former Deputy PM Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who resigned from the Cabinet for ordering police attacks on PAD demonstrations on Tuesday, now says a military-led coup is the only way to resolve the political strife. Chavalit said the answer lies with Army Chief Gen Anupong Paojinda, who has repeatedly ruled out a coup. Chavalit said Anupong should immediately return power after staging a coup to allow an interim government to be installed and tackle the political turmoil. "There is no other way out. A House dissolution cannot solve the problem. The problem can be solved by three institutions - the monarchy, which remains politically neutral, the military, which appears to be not interested in intervening, and the government, which stays above the problem. "So I see [the answer in] a putsch. After the military steps in, power should immediately be returned to the people and an interim government can be formed in which every party takes part. "Tell him [Anupong] not to be afraid. After he does it [stage a coup], he should pull out and let the people take it from there," he said. Chavalit, who resigned from his Cabinet post after Tuesday's clashes, also suggested there was no need to abolish the entire constitution after a coup. Certain articles of the constitution should be suspended to allow for the appointment of a PM and Cabinet members who represent all sectors of society, he said. He said Oct 11 had been planned for a big event he did not elaborate on it. The plan, however, was foiled when he quit the government.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=131297

[sriracha john]

Dad denies police bomb claim

The father of Angkhana Radappanyawut is upset over police claims that she may have died after being blown up by bombs she allegedly carried in her own bag. Angkhana's father, Chinda, said at the funeral ceremony at Sri Prawat temple that his 28-year-old daughter had not carried any bombs in her bag because he had the bag with him now. He added that he would unveil the truth to counter the police account after the ceremony. Angkhana died during the clashes between PAD demonstrators and police on Tuesday. Her Majesty the Queen had her representative send a wreath to the funeral yesterday. Deputy Police Spokesman Police Maj-Gen Surapol Thuanthong has said that Angkhana might have died because she was carrying bombs in her bag. He also denied that a man in a black jacket standing with a pistol in his hand behind the Suan Dusit zoo fence was a plainclothes policeman. His picture was taken by photographers as he was aiming his gun at PAD demonstrators in front of parliament on Tuesday. Angkhana was one of the two people who died during the anti-government rally. Bang Khla Hospital Director Direk Pakagul rushed a man to hospital who police claimed held a ping-pong bomb in his left hand. He said the object was actually a leather ball attached to a key chain. Dr Direk said nurses, an ambulance driver, and doctors at Ramathibodi hospital where the man was admitted could serve as witnesses. He said he found the bleeding man sitting against a wall so he called an ambulance. The man could not speak because he was wounded. His right arm had been severed.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/101008_News/10Oct2008_news11.php

[sriracha john]

And the winner is ... Thaksin

As the tear gas clears from inner Bangkok and an uneasy calm settles over the city, it is becoming apparent two people will benefit most from the violent clashes - ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Potjaman. The British Home Office on Monday confirmed the couple had sought asylum after jumping bail on graft cases and fleeing to Britain. According to the 1951 United Nations Convention on the status of refugees, the UK recognises anyone as an asylum-seeker only when they have left their countries and are unable to return due to well-founded fears of persecution because of their political opinions, race, religion, or nationality. The violent clash on Tuesday could be used by Thaksin and his wife as the perfect excuse to be granted political asylum there. The British authorities are looking into the matter.

No one understands why PM Somchai, a brother-in-law of Thaksin, was so dogmatic about announcing the government's policies in Parliament despite being informed of the throngs of PAD supporters outside. Some ministers suggested he defer the reading or move it to another place. It is difficult to believe Somchai, whose public persona is that of a man prepared to compromise, would take such drastic action. The resignation of Chavalit as the Deputy PM not only showed spirit in taking some responsibility for the violence, but was a telling show of his utmost dissatisfaction with Somchai's action. He was reported to have suggested another venue to the premier, but this advice went unheeded.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/101008_News/10Oct2008_news12.php