Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesters In Front Of Parliament

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QUOTE ( @ 2008-10-14 14:15:07)

After the clash, the Police did a live demonstration on NBT by throwing-detonating some U.S. made Smoke-Grenades which they claimed was the only type of smoke grenades they used to disperse the PAD at the Parliament, to prove that it's harmless and also to counter the claim that the polices' smoke-grenades causes the dead and injured.

If the Police didn't know that China made smoke-grenade could cause serious damage, why didn't they admit that they used China made smoke grenades on the PAD at the Parliament?

Why didn't they use China made smoke grenades during the live demonstration televised on NBT to prove that it's "harmless" as they claimed?

These were not SMOKE grenades, but TEAR GAS grenades.

Smoke can be used to obscure and approaching assault till the last seconds

Tear gas it to TEMPORARILY disable an opponent till they can be physically controled.

It is not to be used to PERMANENTLY injure people. That is not it's design intent or use.

In any case once it was witnessed that the weapon and tactics were causing grevious

nodily harm,

both the weapon and tactic should have been dropped,

UNLESS the INTENT was grevious bodily harm and not control and disorientation.

Sorry...my bad

Correction: The police did a live demonstration using multiple types of U.S. made Tear Gas Grenades...

My mind was wandering back to my early army days throwing some smoke grenades while making this post...and ended up typing about smoke grenades instead

[Samuian]

The actual firing of the weapons directly at persons which should never be done....

Massive breach of code of conduct within the police and highly irresponsible of the people who ever gave the orders!

..., whether the teargas contains RDX or not, is something that needs to be sorted first.

RDX i think is the most powerful explosive in military use!

from the Wikipedia:

"As an explosive it is usually used in mixtures with other explosives and plasticizers, phlegmatizers or desensitizers. It is stable in storage and is considered one of the most powerful and brisant of the military high explosives.[1]

RDX forms the base for a number of common military explosives: Composition A (wax-coated, granular explosive consisting of RDX and plasticizing wax), composition A5 (mixed with 1.5% stearic acid), Composition B (castable mixtures of RDX and TNT), Composition C (a plastic demolition explosive consisting of RDX, other explosives, and plasticizers), Composition D, HBX (castable mixtures of RDX, TNT, powdered aluminium, and D-2 wax with calcium chloride), H-6, and C-4.

The velocity of detonation of RDX at a density of 1.76 g/cm³ is 8,750 meters per second.

RDX is believed to have been used in many bomb plots including terrorist plots. It was said to have been used in the Bombay (Mumbai) serial bomb blasts of 12 March 1993 in which more than 300 people were killed and about 1,500 injured. Again, on 11 July 2006, a series of powerful explosions took place on seven suburban railway trains on Mumbai's Western Railway line killing 209 and injuring over 700."

Source:

...explains the "powerful explosives" mentioned at some stage of the investigation by Ms.Pornthip's team!

In General these, like all other means of Ammo are well tested BEFORE they come on to the market!

And they ALL come with instructions and the impending results of it's use!

Plus does the military, Police do their own testing training to understand the use and results there of, well!

So it's highly destructive nature must have been known!

Edited October 14, 2008 by Samuian

[sriracha john]

So presumably the blame lays with the purchase contract of the tear gas and the fact that it wasn't tested after purchase.

If what I heard was correct, in that the purchase contract was initiated in 2538, then it might take a bit digging to find someone to place the blame on.

The blame can also be placed upon whoever is currently running the weapons division of the police department. All weapons and ammo require routine qualitative inspection. Whoever is currently running the training division of the police department is also at fault as the nature of these explosive devices should have been well known in advance. They've had them for 13 years. They are also at fault for the indiscriminate nature of their usage, eg. firing them so randomly they ended up going into Dusit Zoo, and lots of video coverage of the police firing blindly as they were running in the opposite direction.

The actual firing of the weapons directly at persons, which should never be done, whether the teargas contains RDX or not, is something that needs to be sorted first.

Actually, IMO, the issue of who specifically procured these deadly weapons 13 years ago is a lower priority issue for this incident when compared to the current culpability issues. Nearly the entire present police force shares responsibility with the ultimate responsibility being assumed by the politicians who gave these specific orders to attack.

I think you will find that modern tear gas can and is aimed and fired directly at people without causing explosive damage.

Would you have a reference for that?

The information I seem to find on the issue references firing directly at people as an adverse, incorrect, and criminal manner to use it, such as when it was done so on crowds in Peru, Zimbabwe, and Colombia.

I found a video of crowd control in the US from the Republican convention and posted it into the discussion a couple of days ago. This assumes that the US police force are well drilled in how to use this kind of stuff. No one paid the post much attention because we are all too busy apportioning blame. It is available in youtube somewhere also.

The police are in crouch position and fire a combined flash bang and gas rounds directly at the oncoming protestors. The rounds explodes no more than a few feet away from the protestors. Loud bang and some teargas is expelled.

One round appears to go off between the legs of a protestor/bystander while he is wearing shorts. The explosive force of the bang appears to do him no damage and is enormously smaller than those used last week. Interestingly, it appears on the video that there may be away even to change the distance the round travels before it expels it's gas.

As for Peru or Colombia, I can't say, as for Zim and knowing their political connections with China, they are probably using Chinese munitions too.

I notice that by most of the reports on your link, it seems to imply that this was an inappropriate and incorrect manner to fire tear gas that seemed to invoke quite a bit of an uproar as opposed to some newly acceptable police tactic.

[^_^]

Khunying Pornthip wants answers to the same point....

Central Institute of Forensic Science Director Pornthip Rojanasunan....

She noted that firing only a few tear gas canisters would have been more than enough to disperse the crowds, instead of the hundreds used. She also questioned why police fired new rounds of tear gas in the evening of Oct 7 when it was known injuries and deaths had resulted from such actions in the morning.

I remember seeing a short video footage on TPBS of a reporter interviewing a policeman while he was firing away tear gas grenades during the second attempt of the day to disperse the PAD rally in front of the parliament.

Can't hear what the reporter asked but the policeman answered while smiling & giggling like he was having fun that he alone had fired no less than 50 rounds of tear gas grenades at the PAD

[sylviex]

How did you find it initially before knowing the words to google?

Initially (yesterday) read it on the Nation site.

Today, copied from here and pasted into google.

Result:

"13 Oct 2008 ... Home > Breakingnews > Father does not allow daughter's bathing rite to be held at Government House. Search. keyword section ...

nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30085471 - 31k - "

Not trying to be disputatious; just not clear about how to find the original publication date.

[sriracha john]

isn't the whole teargas launcher thing a moot point?

Can anyone deny that the police fired weapons that KILLED and either were not properly trained for crowd control or had no intent to control the crowd and instead were attempting to punish the crowd?

We should probably create a death toll count on all sides to help folks like TG2 out ....

In addition to the two confirmed deaths, there are two people who remain very seriously injured, one in a vegetative state from brain loss after being struck in the head with a canister, that remain on respirators and are not expected to survive.

[jdinasia]

isn't the whole teargas launcher thing a moot point?

Can anyone deny that the police fired weapons that KILLED and either were not properly trained for crowd control or had no intent to control the crowd and instead were attempting to punish the crowd?

We should probably create a death toll count on all sides to help folks like TG2 out ....

In addition to the two confirmed deaths, there are two people who remain very seriously injured, one in a vegetative state from brain loss after being struck in the head with a canister, that remain on respirators and are not expected to survive.

and losses on the other side(s), excluding the UDD guy that attacked the entrenched PAD?

[sriracha john]

How did you find it initially before knowing the words to google?

Initially (yesterday) read it on the Nation site.

Today, copied from here and pasted into google.

Result:

"13 Oct 2008 ... Home > Breakingnews > Father does not allow daughter's bathing rite to be held at Government House. Search. keyword section ...

nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30085471 - 31k - "

Not trying to be disputatious; just not clear about how to find the original publication date.

If you enter the phrase into the search on The Nation's website itself, it will return the now 6-day old link I posted earlier.

[animatic]

bri·sance

other form brisant

the shattering effect of a high explosive.

i.e. one of the most explosive, and used in most all armed services

explosive munitions. A very commonly known explosive to ANY arms technician,

and SHOULD be known to ANY upper echelon officer also.

How can you command if you don't know what your tools do?

And I believe something looked for by the infamous CTX scanners for the airports too.

This is a well known explosive, anyone in charge of ordinance

should KNOW what he is sending out without question.

There is no question head should roll for this one.

And to all those who screamed here 'smash the muppets'.

Shame on your damned souls for such provocation.

Now you see what that REALLY meant.

It sure wasn't an excercise in democracy.

[sylviex]

How did you find it initially before knowing the words to google?

Initially (yesterday) read it on the Nation site.

Today, copied from here and pasted into google.

Result:

"13 Oct 2008 ... Home > Breakingnews > Father does not allow daughter's bathing rite to be held at Government House. Search. keyword section ...

nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30085471 - 31k - "

Not trying to be disputatious; just not clear about how to find the original publication date.

If you enter the phrase into the search on The Nation's website itself, it will return the now 6-day old link I posted earlier.

I see.

However, can't imagine why they don't put the date of publication on the items.

[Thai at Heart]

So presumably the blame lays with the purchase contract of the tear gas and the fact that it wasn't tested after purchase.

If what I heard was correct, in that the purchase contract was initiated in 2538, then it might take a bit digging to find someone to place the blame on.

The blame can also be placed upon whoever is currently running the weapons division of the police department. All weapons and ammo require routine qualitative inspection. Whoever is currently running the training division of the police department is also at fault as the nature of these explosive devices should have been well known in advance. They've had them for 13 years. They are also at fault for the indiscriminate nature of their usage, eg. firing them so randomly they ended up going into Dusit Zoo, and lots of video coverage of the police firing blindly as they were running in the opposite direction.

The actual firing of the weapons directly at persons, which should never be done, whether the teargas contains RDX or not, is something that needs to be sorted first.

Actually, IMO, the issue of who specifically procured these deadly weapons 13 years ago is a lower priority issue for this incident when compared to the current culpability issues. Nearly the entire present police force shares responsibility with the ultimate responsibility being assumed by the politicians who gave these specific orders to attack.

I think you will find that modern tear gas can and is aimed and fired directly at people without causing explosive damage.

Would you have a reference for that?

The information I seem to find on the issue references firing directly at people as an adverse, incorrect, and criminal manner to use it, such as when it was done so on crowds in Peru, Zimbabwe, and Colombia.

I found a video of crowd control in the US from the Republican convention and posted it into the discussion a couple of days ago. This assumes that the US police force are well drilled in how to use this kind of stuff. No one paid the post much attention because we are all too busy apportioning blame. It is available in youtube somewhere also.

The police are in crouch position and fire a combined flash bang and gas rounds directly at the oncoming protestors. The rounds explodes no more than a few feet away from the protestors. Loud bang and some teargas is expelled.

One round appears to go off between the legs of a protestor/bystander while he is wearing shorts. The explosive force of the bang appears to do him no damage and is enormously smaller than those used last week. Interestingly, it appears on the video that there may be away even to change the distance the round travels before it expels it's gas.

As for Peru or Colombia, I can't say, as for Zim and knowing their political connections with China, they are probably using Chinese munitions too.

I notice that by most of the reports on your link, it seems to imply that this was an inappropriate and incorrect manner to fire tear gas that seemed to invoke quite a bit of an uproar as opposed to some newly acceptable police tactic.

Well acceptable is an entirely debatable issue that in the instance on the link I would imagine was handled by the US system. The brits still use baton cartridges which can knock someone clean off their feet or break a leg. I was surprised to see that riot control devices could be handled in such close proximity without harm to protesters.

The moment I saw the teargas being used last week, it was obvious that it was very large, extremely powerful, and having seen recent events in Korea and how they manage to handle protests weekly without bloodshed from teargas believed exactly as Khunying Porntip has proven that these munitions were extremely dated. It looked more appropriate for storming a hostage situation than crowd control. Then the stories started coming out from the Thai media and we have debated guns, bombs from the other side, deliberately tampered cartridges.

I was accused of being a liar by someone, but there you have it. Emotions ran high

Now we can debate it over and over, and what happened last week is indeed tragic. We can debate whether it was deliberate or not, but as I said in the original post, the BIB are not the best drilled or organised riot police in the world. I think we can all agree on that.

Did someone order the use of this stuff knowing it's effects? I don't know, and the enquiry will find out. There are a million maybes, maybe they were excess military stock? Maybe, they fell off the back of a truck in Yaowarat? Maybe these cartridges are deemed acceptable in China?

Debating it over and over is as one poster mentioned moot. It won't bring back the dead or maimed.

I wish the enquiry all the luck in the world to try to work out how it came to happen, however, I fear they will find out that the given objects were imported 12 odd years by Khun Chai's Firework Ltd, with documents stamped by his 3rd cousin who works in customs, who happens to be the exclusive supplier of munitions to the police and is the 4th cousin twice removed of retired police general somsak, who happens to be distantly related to the long retired president of No. 2 munitions factory in Nanjing.

Edited October 14, 2008 by Thai at Heart

[sylviex]

"... the PAD leader claimed former premier Thaksin Shinawatra gave the Somchai Cabinet the direct order to crackdown on PAD protesters at Parliament."

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/ Oct 14

[sriracha john]

First up to be investigated are:

National Police Chief Police General Phatcharawat Wongsuwan

and

Metropolitan Police Chief Police Lieutenant-General Suchart Muankaew

and

Deputy Metropolitan Police Chief Police Major-General Amnuay Nimmano

NCCC to probe police over crackdown on protesters

The National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) agreed Tuesday to set up a panel to investigate National Police Chief Patcharawat Wongsuwan, Metropolitan Police Chief Suchart Muankaew and his Deputy Amnuay Nimmano over the lethal crackdown on People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrators last Tuesday. The crackdown left two people killed and more than 400 injured. The move came after the Democrat Party handed a letter to the NCCC, accusing PM Somchai Wongsawat, Pol Gen Patcharawat, Pol Maj-Gen Amnuay, Pol Lt-Gen Suchart and Deputy Police Chief Pol Gen Jongrak Juthanont of using lethal weapons to disperse anti-government protesters. Somchai and Jongrak, however, do not face investigation. According to NCCC Spokesman Klanarong Chantik, there is not enough evidence linking the two with the lethal crackdown for now. But if there is more evidence, the two could face investigation as

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=131413

[h90]

PAD Calls Attention to Oct 7th Bloodshed

UPDATE : 14 October 2008

People's Alliance for Democracy coordinator Suriyasai Katasila has revealed that there are around 20 PAD protesters who are missing and remain unaccounted for after the October 7th bloodshed.

He’s also warned that the period leading to the court’s decision on the Ratchadapisek land case is one of the most dangerous times for the PAD rally.

Suriyasai Katasila reiterated the PAD’s appreciation for Her Majesty the Queen’s empathy for PAD supporters who have died or been injured by the government’s teargas attacks. He added that Her Majesty’s kindness has encouraged the PAD to continue to fight to protect the nation and the monarchy.

The PAD coordinator revealed the PAD will suspend all its protest activities until the funerals of both Angkana Radabpanyawut and Police Lieutenant Colonel Methee Chatmontri have concluded.

In addition, Suriyasai informed the PAD protesters that the PAD lawyers are now in the process of compiling evidence of the police’s brutality against the people during the violent teargas attacks. Once all the evidence has been collected, it will be forwarded to the National Counter Corruption Commission and other international organizations.

The PAD coordinator noted that the alliance will notify the U.S. Congress of the atrocious act of the Somchai administration.

He also told the PAD protesters that the U.K. chapter of the PAD has filed a protest against the request for political asylum by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his family. The U.K. PAD claimed Thaksin played a key role in supporting the violence that took place on October 7th. Evidence supporting the claim will be forwarded to the Thai embassy in the U.K.

Charges will be filed against Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, National Police Chief Police General Patcharawat Wongsuwan, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Police Lieutenant General Suchart Muenkaew and other police officers who were involved in the deadly teargas attacks last Tuesday.

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/toc/ViewData...?DataID=1010009

[hammered]

Why doesnt whoever ordered the assualt police and politicians just fess up. After all they are climing they did nothing wrong. Cowards?

[Guest Reimar]

FROM TOC

Secret Recording of PM’s Order to Crackdown on Protesters Unearthed

UPDATE : 14 October 2008

Somkiart Pongpaiboon, one of the five key People's Alliance for Democracy leaders, revealed that there’s a secret recording of the midnight Cabinet meeting on October 6th. He claimed that there are a multitude of deadly assault weapons used against PAD protesters including M26 grenades, SKMP5 automatic rifles, and teargas grenades.

PAD leader Somkiart Pongpaiboon spoke on the PAD stage at Government House last night. He revealed the existence of a secret recording of the emergency Cabinet meeting that took place at midnight on October 6th. Somkiart claimed that the recording showed that PM Somchai Wongsawat had ordered the then Deputy Prime Minister General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to handle the PAD rally.

It was speculated from the beginning of General Chavalit’s appointment that he’ll be the key man to strike up a negotiation with the PAD. General Chavalit resigned shortly after the early morning crackdown on the PAD protesters on October 7th.

The PAD leader claimed that Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung proposed that National Police Chief Police General Patcharawat Wongsuwan be replaced by Deputy National Police Chief Police General Preawpan Damapong. The PM then gave the direct order for the police chief to disperse the protesters to ensure that the government policy statement declaration takes place as scheduled.

Deputy Police Commissioner General Preawpan is former premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s brother-in-law.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Suchart Muenkaew was then brought on board to cooperate with the National Police in handling the PAD crowd. Unable to handle the task alone, Police Lt General Suchart recruited the help of deputy Metropolitan Police commissioner Maj-General Chakthip Chaichinda.

PAD leader Somkiart called both Pol Lt General Suchart and Major General Chakthip traitors of the nation. He also criticized incumbent Interior Minister Police General Kowit Wattana. The Interior minister allegedly promised the premier the backup of the Region 1, 2 and 7 Provincial Police units. Other forces such as the border patrol police and riot police have also been involved in the crackdown of the PAD rally.

Somkiart alleged that deadly assault weapons were used against the public. These include the M26 grenades, rifles and weapon-grade teargas. He added that the National Counter Corruption Commission is having an emergency meeting today to review the government’s actions against the people during the Black Tuesday on October 7th.

[Thai at Heart]

Can't wait for this tape to be played publicly.

[hammered]

Well if this exists no doubt it will be in the public domain soon.

If true, it is worryingly like a family revenge mission using the apparatus of state directed by various family members if the mentioned line of command is correct. That would be sickening and should be the end of the two bro-in-laws if true. Lets wait to see how it develops as just because the PAD say it dont make it so though.

[Samuian]

Why doesnt whoever ordered the assualt police and politicians just fess up. After all they are climing they did nothing wrong. Cowards?

The planet may start turning clockwise till a person in this country especially in high places admits a mistake, if so, it will be an "honest mistake" but only if no other can be found who will admit to have messed up instead!

In 18 years I never have come across someone who had the guts, or enough face to just do so.

Must be an important part of the upbringing, education and/or social fabric!

Extra topping on the pizza:

"

Deputy Police Commissioner General Preawpan is former premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s brother-in-law. "

How can be someone so much sucked up in delusion to go as far as the man in London is going?

The only hope is that the UK government doesn't let him get away wit this in granting him political asylum!

Edited October 14, 2008 by Samuian

[shocker]

Interesting to note that all above wear parachute qualification wings...are we to expect an airborne assualt on protesters?Are the higher echelons of police drawn from elite military units since last coup?Would be nice to see them in the maroon beret tho.

(apologies in advance for my facetious comments on a highly emotive issue)

[shocker]

SOP (standard operating procedure) for tear gas and baton round (anachronism,I know)/plastic bulllet) in UK forces used to be to lob or low angle bounce the projectile into the crowd.Actual usuage was however very different,many personnel choosing to fire directly at heads and torsos,causing serious injuries and not a few deaths.

The plastic bullets issued in Northern Ireland were anything but the the "rubber" implied by the media.The old teak batons were preferred when available from old stocks,failing that the hard ABS nylon steel cored type,also officially old stock,not to be used,superceded etc.Some individuals went as far as supergluing the old,large UK 10pence coin to the business end with the queens head facing out so anti brit protestors would have a nice imprint of the queens head on their face when the munition was fired directly.Read the official history of the plastic bullet on Wikipedia.

From the news photos its hard to tell what weapon the security forces are using,but since several of the available choices are capable of firing a variety of munitions,lethal or non who can say.Someone with more up to date experience than me most like.

However to loosely paraphrase a previous poster a big tin with explosive in it going off next to you is going to do some serious damage.

[h90]

I don't think it would be legal. But maybe it makes its way to the internet.....

[Guest Reimar]

FROM TOC

Pipob: PM Is Murderer, Must Resign Immediately

UPDATE : 14 October 2008

Key People's Alliance for Democracy leader Pipob Thongchai believes PM Somchai Wongsawat has no right to set up committees to investigate the October 7th bloodshed.

Pipob believes the premier is guilty of murder and his only choice is to step down.

As part of his nightly routine, Pipob Thongchai took his turn to address PAD protesters at Government House. He started off his speech by expressing his deepest gratitude for Her Majesty the Queen and her compassion for the PAD protesters.

Pipob reiterated his belief that PM Somchai Wongsawat has lost his legitimacy to rule and his only option is to resign. He’s called PM Somchai a murderer who has no right to set up any committee to investigate what took place on Black Tuesday.

The PAD leader then explained that various legal actions could be filed against those who were involved in executing the crackdown and those who sanctioned the operations. Pipob explained that charges could be filed with the Supreme Court to review the violence that took place last Tuesday.

In addition, petitions could be submitted to the Criminal Court and Civil Court to file for compensation with the individuals responsible for the injuries and deaths of the PAD protesters. Senators and MPs can also launch an investigation to get to the truths of the Black Tuesday incident. A request could also be forwarded to the National Counter Corruption Commission to annul the authority of the government.

Maintaining that the PAD does not want a military coup, Pipob said he’s not surprised the PAD protesters used their clappers to drive out Army Commander-in-Chief General Anupong Paochinda at a cremation ceremony yesterday. He explained that the PAD merely expressed their stance against General Anupong’s failure to ensure the safety of the public.

A group of PAD protesters had used their hand clappers to drive out General Anupong as he was leaving the cremation ceremony of Angkana Radabpanyawut. She died during the October 7th teargas violence.

Pipob said the military could easily identify that the teargas used against the PAD protesters contained explosive and were considered to be deadly. But instead of disclosing the truth, the military chose to stand by the government and keep quiet.

[Sunderland]

Interesting to note that all above wear parachute qualification wings...are we to expect an airborne assualt on protesters?Are the higher echelons of police drawn from elite military units since last coup?Would be nice to see them in the maroon beret tho.

(apologies in advance for my facetious comments on a highly emotive issue)

Kids at our school have got those wings too. You jump off a platform at the air force base and you get a set of wings. Hardly worth their weight in ........ plastic.

[Guest Reimar]

FROM TOC

Formation of Fact-Finding Panel on Oct 7 on Agenda of Cabinet Meeting

UPDATE : 14 October 2008

The formation of a fact-finding panel on the October 7th crackdown and the rehabilitation committee topped the agenda for today's Cabinet meeting.

Prime Minister and Defence Minister Somchai Wongsawat presided over the Cabinet meeting at Don Muang airport today.

Before the meeting, he bought a collection of wrist bands and wrote a mourning postcard for Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana. The revenue from the sale of the wrist bands and the mourning postcards will be donated to the charity under the royal patronage of the late Princess.

Today's Cabinet meeting discussed the formation of a panel to investigate the crackdown on the People's Alliance for Democracy rally on October 7th and a committee for the rehabilitation of the victims.

The two committees will be chaired by former Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court, Preecha Panichwong and the selection of the members will be his decision.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister and Deputy Leader of Chart Thai, Somsak Prissanananthakul said his group needs to study the results from the fact-finding panel before making a decision on whether to defect from the government.

Somsak believes the investigation results will not be distorted as the matter has the attention of the people and the international society.

He insisted the MPs of the main ruling People Power Party are eligible to take part in anti-PAD campaigns as the opposition Democrat Party also allowed its party-list MP, Somkiet Pongpaiboon to join the PAD rally.

Somsak also comment that the participation of well-respected individuals at the royally-sponsored cremation of Angkhana Radabpanyawut, who was killed during the crackdown on October 7th, is not intended to send out any political signal but is rather to show respect for the dead and to give moral support to her family.

Somsak said he disagrees with the Democrat's refusal to attend the House meeting with the ruling coalition, citing that their denial of the Parliament system is inappropriate, while any dissolution of the House is solely the Prime Minister's decision.

However, Somsak believes the amendment of article 291 of the Constitution to pave the way for the formation of a new constitution drafting body should be the best way out for the current political problem.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister, Chalerm Yoobumrung believes the absence of some ruling MPs during the government's policy statement on October 7th will not have a legal effect on the status of Cabinet.

Justice Minister, Somsak Kietsuranont said the decision by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinnwatra to return his diplomatic passport will help relax the current political tension.

Somsak said, however, that he is unsure whether the former prime minister will cite the crackdown on October 7th as his reason for seeking political asylum in England.

[Gravelrash]

Well, I think if I am reading events in today's paper correctly, then certain powers do support PAD, and as such I have now changed my previous position completely; PAD are a great bunch and they should go on and rule the country forever. Down with Taksin and the PPP fascists.

[h90]

Well, I think if I am reading events in today's paper correctly, then certain powers do support PAD, and as such I have now changed my previous position completely; PAD are a great bunch and they should go on and rule the country forever. Down with Taksin and the PPP fascists.

PAD isn't intending to rule the country. They only want to get rid of this illegal corrupt government.

So PAD gets support from basically all educated parts of the society.

[cmsally]

Well, I think if I am reading events in today's paper correctly, then certain powers do support PAD, and as such I have now changed my previous position completely; PAD are a great bunch and they should go on and rule the country forever. Down with Taksin and the PPP fascists.

PAD isn't intending to rule the country. They only want to get rid of this illegal corrupt government.

So PAD gets support from basically all educated parts of the society.

It seems some people still don't get it

[blaze]

Well, I think if I am reading events in today's paper correctly, then certain powers do support PAD, and as such I have now changed my previous position completely; PAD are a great bunch and they should go on and rule the country forever. Down with Taksin and the PPP fascists.

PAD isn't intending to rule the country. They only want to get rid of this illegal corrupt government.

So PAD gets support from basically all educated parts of the society.

I'm not so sure that that's all they want. This may be all you want- and may be all some of the PAD rank and file wants- but go back to thedrafting of the 07 constitution- there was a concerted effort from some of the more conservative in the Sarayuth government to introduce into the constitution elements which would limit the power of ALL elected governments in favor of the judiciary, the senate, the beaurocracy and the military. Ideologically the PAD is simply revisiting this (to some extent, failed) vision.

Edited October 14, 2008 by blaze

[Thai at Heart]

I don't think it would be legal. But maybe it makes its way to the internet.....

It wouldn't be legal?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry couldn't resist.