Pm Somchai Lands At Don Mueang Military Airport, Continues Flight To Chiang Mai

[george]

Somchai lands at Don Mueang military airport, continues flight to Chiang Mai

DON MUANG: -- Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat landed at the Don Mueang Military Airport at 5 pm Wednesday but continued his flight to Chang Mai shortly after, a well-informed source said.

The source said Somchai dropped at the military airport to pick up certain key Cabinet members and continued his flight to Chiang Mai immediately.

It was earlier expected that Somchai would hold an urgent Cabinet meeting at the military airport upon arrival.

-- The Nation 2008-11-26

[JUDAS]

Next few hours should be interesting then....

[george]

PM returns to Thailand as political crisis deepens

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat landed in the northern city of Chiang Mai on Wednesday after Thailand's army chief urged him to end political crisis by calling fresh elections.

Mr. Somchai, who earlier attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Peruvian capital of Lima, refused to comment on the army chief's plea.

After three months of Government House occupation and almost 24-hour Suvarnabhumi Airport seizure by anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters to bar the premier's return, army chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda on Wednesday urged the coalition government to "return power to the people".

Speaking to a press conference after holding a meeting with senior government officials, business leaders and academics at the Army headquarters, Gen. Anupong also urged the protesters to stop their rallies which resumed since early 2008 and to evacuate the key government and public establishments that they are occupying, including Suvarnabhumi Airport.

He said participants attending the urgent meeting agreed that both the coalition government and the PAD shared a prominent role in resolving the current political turbulence.

The only way out to end the crisis is that the government should let the people to decide, said Gen. Anupong, adding that the government still has the power and that the proposal for the prime minister to organise a general election is for him to solve the problem.

Insisting that he is not staging a coup which he believes would not end the political unrest, Gen. Anupong said "violence only aggravates the problem".

"I think the government would consider the proposal seriously for the sake of the country," said Gen. Anupong. "It should be soon."

However, the main leaders of both the pro-government UDD and the anti-government PAD shrugged off the army chief's proposal for the government to call a snap election.

PAD core leader Pipob Thongchai said his group still insisted that the prime minister must resign unconditionally.

-- TNA 2008-11-26

[permanent_disorder]

Somchai lands at Don Mueang military airport, continues flight to Chiang Mai

DON MUANG: -- Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat landed at the Don Mueang Military Airport at 5 pm Wednesday but continued his flight to Chang Mai shortly after, a well-informed source said.

The source said Somchai dropped at the military airport to pick up certain key Cabinet members and continued his flight to Chiang Mai immediately.

It was earlier expected that Somchai would hold an urgent Cabinet meeting at the military airport upon arrival.

-- The Nation 2008-11-26

Somchai lands in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai - Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has landed at the military airport in Chiang Mai Wednesday evening.

He arrived at 6:15 pm. A lot of supporters in red t-shirts welcome them at the airport.

Sources said Somchai flew from Peru to Chiang Mai without stopping at the Don Mueang military airport.

They said Somchai initially planned to land at the Don Mueang military airport but changed his mind in the last minute.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...newsid=30089482

_____________

short comment: har, har The Nations "well-informed source".... keep that in mind for the next time when you read in The Nation "a source said...". that are maybe only events that are highly likely to be happend, but maybe also not.

[MiG16]

PM Somchai addressing the nation live on NBT channel

currently 22:11pm

ADDED: I dont think it will be online just yet...so will attempt to summarise his statement:

- the government comes from a democratically elected process, and will continue to do its duties, and will not resign

- he has been away performing duties at the APEC meeting

- in his absence he had appointed Deputy PM, and Gen Anupong to continue to administer country. They have done a good job

- he has also been made aware of the unrest that took place, including the besieging of government property (govt house), and later the country's international airport

- this is illegal, and detrimental to the country, its economy, foreign tourists and general freedom of people

- he calls on all government officials to do their duties [ from the way it was said I read this to mean the army /police need to do what is their job]

- people can protest and demonstrate, but illegally taking over the airport is not a peaceful demonstration

- he calls on protesters to return order

- he has called cabinet meeting tomorrow for further action

please note that the above was not in chronological order, nor comprehensive, and its just my attempt at translating his live address

the text in green are my own comments

[MKAsok]

He's just droning on about how great the government is and asking the PAD to stop. Certainly doesn't look like he's got any plans to resign or dissolve the House...

Going to 'have a meeting' tomorrow to 'find a solution.'

Edited November 26, 2008 by MKAsok

[sabaijai]

PM Somchai addressing the nation live on NBT channel

currently 22:11pm

ADDED: I dont think it will be online just yet...so will attempt to summarise his statement:

- the government comes from a democratically elected process, and will continue to do its duties, and will not resign

- he has been away performing duties at the APEC meeting

- in his absence he had appointed Deputy PM, and Gen Anupong to continue to administer country. They have done a good job

- he has also been made aware of the unrest that took place, including the besieging of government property (govt house), and later the country's international airport

- this is illegal, and detrimental to the country, its economy, foreign tourists and general freedom of people

- he calls on all government officials to do their duties [ from the way it was said I read this to mean the army /police need to do what is their job]

- people can protest and demonstrate, but illegally taking over the airport is not a peaceful demonstration

- he calls on protesters to return order

- he has called cabinet meeting tomorrow for further action

please note that the above was not in chronological order, nor comprehensive, and its just my attempt at translating his live address

the text in green are my own comments

That's how I heard it as well.

CNN claims it will be reporting on the address momentarily - that was 15 min ago ....

[animatic]

He's just droning on about how great the government is and asking the PAD to stop. Certainly doesn't look like he's got any plans to resign or dissolve the House...

Going to 'have a meeting' tomorrow to 'find a solution.'

Reads as attack the protesters.

Thaksin gets what he wants; chaos.

And during the chaos what bets there

will be a charter re-write under SoE.

[MiG16]

have started a thread on the PM's address here

perhaps proper news coverage once available can then be added there instead of my very amateur attempt

regards

[Moonrakers]

Something to note: The TV is on and they ARE NOT showing soaps', clearly indicating that Thailand is a country in distress at the moment.

My wife sat down to watch little Somchai's address, and within 10 minutes she lost interest and went back to what she was doing before.

Having just lost my translator, I asked why she was not watching. Her reply was: "This it not news, he just say the same same as before"

Did he (Somchai) really say that Anupong had done a good job, despite him suggesting that Somchai and the PPP resign?

I miss Samak, he was much more entertaining (although perhaps an even bigger tw@t)

[Los78]

No reason why Somchai should resign because of a few thousand brainwashed PAD. He just said the obvious. All political parties including Democrates have said PAD should stop the airport protests. So why is nothing done? Seems to me the Army have obvious ambitions and are just waiting to pounce again.

[wayfarer108]

No reason why Somchai should resign because of a few thousand brainwashed PAD. He just said the obvious. All political parties including Democrates have said PAD should stop the airport protests. So why is nothing done? Seems to me the Army have obvious ambitions and are just waiting to pounce again.

It's clear the military supports the PAD-led protest movement, who they view as finishing the task they initiated in Sep 2006.

Meanwhile the police support Pol Col Thaksin and his proxies. In any struggle between the military and the police, whether direct or by proxy, the police lose.

[Ambet]

He's just droning on about how great the government is and asking the PAD to stop. Certainly doesn't look like he's got any plans to resign or dissolve the House...

Going to 'have a meeting' tomorrow to 'find a solution.'

yeah, i don't think that PM will resign or dissolve the House, but its good to look at the result of the meeting...