State Of Emergency Declared

[bubba]

And here is a rather more ominous SMS news alert that I just received:

"Pro-government UDD will hold a major rally at Sanam Luang on Sunday. The group calls on its red-clad supporters to join the rally and discuss [the] political situation."

[BowmoreIslay]

Al Jazeera reporter at the airport reckons PAD numbers have doubled over the last couple of days, the weekend a factor of course. Also, she doesn't think it looks like the police action is imminent.

Hadnt thought about the weekend factor,....zzz... always fun to watch a spectacle!

monday it is then... or not.. now i understand why the Thai neighbours here couldnt give a f*** about the situation! and are almost suprised that i should be slightly concerned... oh well.. zzzz back to sleep.

this coup sucks. very dull. Not even any dancing girls on the PAD stage.

Yes indeed the weekend factor does play a role....Thaskin is spending the weekend in Hong Kong and directly trying to control the situation.

The PM is busy this morning with a stimulating round of golf in Chang Mai.

The Police and military are really assessing the news flash from the court when they moved the date up from Dec 15 to Tuesday Dec 2, saying they had enough evidence of corruption and vote buying against the 3 major parties to render a decision without further testimony. So who wants to get blood on their hands for a group that might no longer be in power?

A classic case of CYA.

This is a very interesting chess game... I had written earlier about the courts playing the decisive role, but I was surprised when they did indeed accelerate things. This solution allows for all to save face, the PM is thrown out of office by what he claims is a biased court, the PAD step down, and the PPP is gone.....But unless some new twist come to be, looks like next Wed. before the airport can open.

If the court is fair, they should not moved the date up from Dec 15 to Tuesday Dec 2. This is a clear indication that court is no longer neutral.

The loosing sides are already preaparing an appreal to have the ruling void due to such changes. The court is take another month to decide if the advancement is legal or not.

[BowmoreIslay]

The ASTV live feed works intermittently (as it has for the past few days) from my Japan hotel room. My internet connection has been off and on, so I don't think it's a censorship issue. Right now there's some guy in a suit talking (in Thai, so I have no idea what he's saying) at the microphone with some yellow-shirted fellow (with a white towel around his neck like a winter scarf) by his side.

The system is just overload.

[ChiangMaiThai]

The ASTV live feed works intermittently (as it has for the past few days) from my Japan hotel room. My internet connection has been off and on, so I don't think it's a censorship issue. Right now there's some guy in a suit talking (in Thai, so I have no idea what he's saying) at the microphone with some yellow-shirted fellow (with a white towel around his neck like a winter scarf) by his side.

No censorship issues. No interruptions watching from Thailand. They were recounting their story to the crowd about their conversations with the police earlier today among other things.

[blaze]

And here is a rather more ominous SMS news alert that I just received:

"Pro-government UDD will hold a major rally at Sanam Luang on Sunday. The group calls on its red-clad supporters to join the rally and discuss [the] political situation."

This could be very frightening- the police don't want to use force on the protesters for a variety of reasons- I expect that one reason is that among the protesters are more than a few wives of highly placed military people. There is also a valid fear that any force at all will be regarded as excessive and the courts have not shown a lot of sympathy to anyone connected to the government- let alone anyone using violence on its behalf.

The red-shirts may not be so circumspect.

Edited November 29, 2008 by blaze

[baht&sold]

Chamlong says crisis will end before Dec 5

The Nation Nov 29 (approx 12 noon)

Chamlong Srimaung, a co-leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, said Saturday that the political crisis would end before Friday.

He said he was willing to hold talk with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat anywhere except Chiang Mai because it is too far away.

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

PAD guards detain policeman

The Nation Nov 29 (approx 12:10 pm)

Guards of the People's Alliance for Democracy detained a police senior sergeant major Saturday morning.

Pol Senior Sgt Maj Sompop Nathee, an officer from the Border Patrol Police Region 1 was arrested when he rode a motorcycle to a scene where police crashed with protesters at a police checkpoint on Kingkaew Road.

Sompop was taken to be questioned by Samran Rodphet, a leader of the PAD.

Samran ordered the guards to continue to detain the police officer after the questioning.

Sompop told Samran tht he happed to drive his car past the Kingkaew checkpoint when the clash occurred and he was forced to retreat along with other policemen.

He later decided to ride a taxi motorcycle to the spot to retrieve his car but found that it had been damaged by the protesters. He was captured by the PAD guards at the spot.

When PAD guards took him to Samran inside the Suvarnabhumi Airport, reporters and photographers tried to follow him to interview and take photos but the guards and other protesters booed at the newsmen and did not allow them to follow the guards.

[baht&sold]

Chamlong says crisis will end before Dec 5

Well THAT much was always certain...

He said he was willing to hold talk with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat .

Bout non-bloody time PAD pow-wows with the Govt, time is running out! Afterall, besides facing 'imminent attack' (for about 3 days now), the Govt may be dissolved for vote-fraud on Dec 2...

...anywhere except Chiang Mai because it is too far away

Now THAT's just taking the pi&%... (considering flying there is not an option thanks to Chamlong & Co - plus, the CM reds would have his head on-a-bloody stick!)

Pol Senior Sgt Maj Sompop Nathee, an officer from the Border Patrol Police Region 1 was arrested when he rode a motorcycle to a scene where police crashed with protesters at a police checkpoint on Kingkaew Road

Uh-oh, a Border Patrol Police Snr Sgt... this would be the same Border Patrol outfit used in the Oct 7 crackdown which killed 2 and maimed hundreds...

He later decided to ride a taxi motorcycle to the spot to retrieve his car but found that it had been damaged by the protesters. He was captured by the PAD guards at the spot.

DddoOohhh! Erm, it's well known the border patrol cops aren't the sharpest tools in the shed (still darned handy for trigger-happy situations tho...) but THIS looks more like the key-stone cops in action...

When PAD guards took him to Samran inside the Suvarnabhumi Airport, reporters and photographers tried to follow him to interview and take photos but the guards and other protesters booed at the newsmen and did not allow them to follow the guards.

One understands they'd likely want to pick the Sgt's brain (or lack thereof) but not permitting reporters to follow and the crowd booing them will just add to the already massive PAD/PR train-wreck...

[permanent_disorder]

Permanently_Disbelieving

tis common knowledge,

I saw it first hand in 2005.

I don't need a link, I saw it.

my question is not rethorical.

yeah, would like to read something about it. thats why i ask. some convincing and impressive chart das shows those election was not democratic. or whatever. thats is not common knowledge.

so many other posters write remarks, "but PPP go elected etc. " and than h90 often jumps on it and says "No, "there was massive vote buying.the election was illegal."

above the even a mod speaks about. i ask for information. links are cool in the internet. if you don't used it this way, you miss a lot. with such links you can send us to an other corner in the internet, more information. i like to read.

your entries i almost never read, no links, no substance behind. and even if something would be interessting, you could me not point into a direction where i got myself more input.

because of your line break i have to scroll more.5555

but okay you have another style and i think thats why we maybe each other not understand or missunderstand.

i think that massive vote buying is a controversial issue. if i claim vote buying, massive. i must prepare to bring a prove. understand?

and because you saw it 2005, it is for sure there was massive vote buying in 2007?. just because it's common knowledge? sounds like sauna gossip, beer bar talk. with unproven information i don't want to waste my time.

i believe that you saw vote buying 2005. a eyewitness report i would like to read, but we both know that this is not the prove for vote buying massive.

i don't know how your PAD guys made your minds up. are that information /sources, that you can quote and link here. do it. i would read it, others would read it. knowledge is shared.

[Kerryd]

I got myself banned a few times already, and would not want to provoke the moderator(s) furthur.

Not exactly the smartest thing to say.

Forum Rules

14) Multiple accounts on the Thaivisa Forum are not permitted. Any member found to have more than one account will be suspended. Suspended or Banned members found creating additional accounts will be banned.

[Guest Reimar]

Permanently_Disbelieving

tis common knowledge,

I saw it first hand in 2005.

I don't need a link, I saw it.

my question is not rethorical.

yeah, would like to read something about it. thats why i ask. some convincing and impressive chart das shows those election was not democratic. or whatever. thats is not common knowledge.

so many other posters write remarks, "but PPP go elected etc. " and than h90 often jumps on it and says "No, "there was massive vote buying.the election was illegal."

above the even a mod speaks about. i ask for information. links are cool in the internet. if you don't used it this way, you miss a lot. with such links you can send us to an other corner in the internet, more information. i like to read.

your entries i almost never read, no links, no substance behind. and even if something would be interessting, you could me not point into a direction where i got myself more input.

because of your line break i have to scroll more.5555

but okay you have another style and i think thats why we maybe each other not understand or missunderstand.

i think that massive vote buying is a controversial issue. if i claim vote buying, massive. i must prepare to bring a prove. understand?

and because you saw it 2005, it is for sure there was massive vote buying in 2007?. just because it's common knowledge? sounds like sauna gossip, beer bar talk. with unproven information i don't want to waste my time.

i believe that you saw vote buying 2005. a eyewitness report i would like to read, but we both know that this is not the prove for vote buying massive.

i don't know how your PAD guys made your minds up. are that information /sources, that you can quote and link here. do it. i would read it, others would read it. knowledge is shared.

If there wasn't massive vote buying, the Election Commission wouldn't have stepped in and the Constitutional Court wouldn't have accepted and start the trial. There is not any court which will just accept any trial without an bunch of evidence for to prove the legality of that trial. Not around the world and even not in Thailand.

If that isn't enough for you a democratic thinking human (are you?) you can get the prove you're looking for, just wait for the Court Verdict.

[Samuian]

INTERVIEW WITH THAKSIN:

http://www.thomascrampton.com/thailand/exc...on-thai-crisis/

Thaksin urged his supporters to “protect democracy”: “If you protect Democracy you may be painful for a while, but if you allow dictatorship to take over Thailand you are going to have a nightmare for your whole life.”

interesting thought me thinks

He also urges Thais to respect the rule of law. What are your thoughts on that?

April Fools day!

Yes, and uncle takky has to keep up the Coup/Dictatorship story and that his luvely PPP has to fight for and protect his democrazy, nearly perfectly corrupt, cronyist empire!

Yep!

His defense, the only one he's got, he's shown the public once and for all that there are "honest mistakes", "white lies" as long as you are the one who makes the rules but doesn't have to follow them because you have made yourself the "invincible emperor"!

Yep, let's go back to democracy and let the people decide!

Agreed!

So PLEASE uncle takky tell your brother in law to step down, dissolve the house, call for new elections and go home and remain there!

If there wasn't massive vote buying, the Election Commission wouldn't have stepped in and the Constitutional Court wouldn't have accepted and start the trial. There is not any court which will just accept any trial without an bunch of evidence for to prove the legality of that trial. Not around the world and even not in Thailand.

If that isn't enough for you a democratic thinking human (are you?) you can get the prove you're looking for, just wait for the Court Verdict.

No, no these independent control bodies are all "illegal" tools of the dictator ship which has Thailand in it's vile claws now!....

and this is why someone smuggled the 2 Million baht in a cookie box into the court, to frame the honest lawyers of an honest man and his honest wife doing honest deals while in office, being the most honest citizen this country has ever seen, with the most honest government doing only honest mistakes, but the Junta want to frame them, they only want to turn Thailand into a paradise for all the poor rural people - the robin hood of these days and his fellowship!

if t wouldn't be so serious it would be really very pfunny!

Edited November 29, 2008 by Samuian

[shunima]

I'm getting sick & tired about people ranting whose side is good and who are the evil ones here.

This situation has to come to an end before people die and I by myself do not find any justified reason why a living being should loose his/her life because some dickheads are too proud,narrowminded, stupid, arrogant or whatever to step back when time is asking for it. I don't give dogs*it about the PAD or PPP. I don't want people somewhere in this country have to grieve because someone they loved had to die.

Edited November 29, 2008 by shunima

[animatic]

Al Jazeera reporter at the airport reckons PAD numbers have doubled over the last couple of days, the weekend a factor of course. Also, she doesn't think it looks like the police action is imminent.

Hadnt thought about the weekend factor,....zzz... always fun to watch a spectacle!

monday it is then... or not.. now i understand why the Thai neighbours here couldnt give a f*** about the situation! and are almost suprised that i should be slightly concerned... oh well.. zzzz back to sleep.

this coup sucks. very dull. Not even any dancing girls on the PAD stage.

Yes indeed the weekend factor does play a role....Thaskin is spending the weekend in Hong Kong and directly trying to control the situation.

The PM is busy this morning with a stimulating round of golf in Chang Mai.

The Police and military are really assessing the news flash from the court when they moved the date up from Dec 15 to Tuesday Dec 2, saying they had enough evidence of corruption and vote buying against the 3 major parties to render a decision without further testimony. So who wants to get blood on their hands for a group that might no longer be in power?

A classic case of CYA.

This is a very interesting chess game... I had written earlier about the courts playing the decisive role, but I was surprised when they did indeed accelerate things. This solution allows for all to save face, the PM is thrown out of office by what he claims is a biased court, the PAD step down, and the PPP is gone.....But unless some new twist come to be, looks like next Wed. before the airport can open.

If the court is fair, they should not moved the date up from Dec 15 to Tuesday Dec 2. This is a clear indication that court is no longer neutral.

The loosing sides are already preparing an appeal to have the ruling void due to such changes. The court is take another month to decide if the advancement is legal or not.

I don't think so necessarily,

the date was arbitrarily stated months ago to make sure all I's are dotted and T's crosses.

If they KNOW what they need to know, they can speed or slow the process.

If they feel speeding up the inevitable 'is best for the country',

then it is a good decision for ALL involved.

PPP is always trying to stall legally, most are baseless and get shot down.

It didn't help TRT, why will it suddenly work now?

The courts set their own dates, not PPP lawyers.

Edited November 29, 2008 by animatic

[regfrancis]

Maybe Thais are the worlds worst spoil spoits...... I have read news stories of Thai guys shooting the winner of a pool game here in my city!!

Just as well casinos are banned here, the place would be in a constant war zone.

Same is the case with losers of the country's national ellections

Edited November 29, 2008 by regfrancis

[siam4ever]

It is well known that the courts are pawns for the Army, other than that you would have had a point.

[jdinasia]

siam4ever --- you say the courts work for the army?

1) disrespecting the courts is illegal here

2) your man Thaksin said he RESPECTED the courts and trusted them ... right until he was convicted.

[sbk]

To posters, if you see a post you find offensive use the report button on the bottom left hand side of the post. It is impossible for moderators to view every single post, especially when there are so many posted so quickly.

And to go back and clean up a post from yesterday on a thread that is now 32 pages long is quite difficult to do if the report button is not used.

Might I also take this time to remind old and new posters of the forum rules , the importance of maintaining a civil discussion and finally, for the sake of everyone trying to read this please do not use the reply function without editing out the endless nested quotes inside the post.

[hammered]

And here is a rather more ominous SMS news alert that I just received:

"Pro-government UDD will hold a major rally at Sanam Luang on Sunday. The group calls on its red-clad supporters to join the rally and discuss [the] political situation."

This could be very frightening- the police don't want to use force on the protesters for a variety of reasons- I expect that one reason is that among the protesters are more than a few wives of highly placed military people. There is also a valid fear that any force at all will be regarded as excessive and the courts have not shown a lot of sympathy to anyone connected to the government- let alone anyone using violence on its behalf.

The red-shirts may not be so circumspect.

With people speculating about an impeding judicial coup there a few things that need to be in place first if this line of thinking is correct which it may not be. Anyway what you need is:

1. chaos (achieved)

2. government weak and totally ineffective (avhieved)

3. people sick of it all and ready and willing to put up with whatever brings stability back (close to achieved or achieved)

4. street demos seen as a reviled tactic that should not be used again (close to being achieved)

Point 4 is critical to this analysis as when you stick in the appointed government the last thing you want is the red shirts pulling a PAD. Right now the PAD are doing a very good job at convincing the public that demonstrations are a thing to utterly despise. The red shirts will be out soon. To be out is really not in the PPP's interest in thsi scenario but they no longer have any choice and fate is closing the deal around them. By the middle of next week people will be utterly sick of street demos and want them all removed from the streets, and probably legally banned. The red side will do their best to argue we are not like them but it just wont fly, and ther is a fair chance their nutters will fly off the handle and do something utterly insane too.

If of course you believe in the judical coup stuff which of course is probably all just an inaccurate rumour;)

[nemo38]

Some posters have advocated violently ejecting protestors from the airport because, they say, PAD protestors are aware of the danger they are facing and are bringing whatever consequences on themselves. I don't think that someone attending the protest for 700 baht a day, or because they have been carried away with the message coming from PAD, can be giving consent to risk their lives.

One of the moderators posted a message saying that discussion of the Royal Family is banned. Does this ban extend to respectfully asking questions?

[regfrancis]

No need for forigners to incite a riot, the natives are doing a pretty good job.

[sbk]

Please read the forum rules closely

No disrespect of the King of Thailand or The Thai Royal Family! Discussion of topics concerning the King or other current or deceased members of the Thai Royal Family is forbidden.

if you ask a question that presumes you expect an answer. No discussion means just that.

[Artisi]

"and everyone should respect the law" Thaksin today on TV - maybe it should start with him - please return home and go directly to gaol, do not pass go and do not collect Bht 200.-

[permanent_disorder]

Chamlong says crisis will end before Dec 5

Well THAT much was always certain...

He said he was willing to hold talk with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat .

Bout non-bloody time PAD pow-wows with the Govt, time is running out! Afterall, besides facing 'imminent attack' (for about 3 days now), the Govt may be dissolved for vote-fraud on Dec 2...

...anywhere except Chiang Mai because it is too far away

Now THAT's just taking the pi&%... (considering flying there is not an option thanks to Chamlong & Co - plus, the CM reds would have his head on-a-bloody stick!)

Pol Senior Sgt Maj Sompop Nathee, an officer from the Border Patrol Police Region 1 was arrested when he rode a motorcycle to a scene where police crashed with protesters at a police checkpoint on Kingkaew Road

Uh-oh, a Border Patrol Police Snr Sgt... this would be the same Border Patrol outfit used in the Oct 7 crackdown which killed 2 and maimed hundreds...

He later decided to ride a taxi motorcycle to the spot to retrieve his car but found that it had been damaged by the protesters. He was captured by the PAD guards at the spot.

DddoOohhh! Erm, it's well known the border patrol cops aren't the sharpest tools in the shed (still darned handy for trigger-happy situations tho...) but THIS looks more like the key-stone cops in action...

When PAD guards took him to Samran inside the Suvarnabhumi Airport, reporters and photographers tried to follow him to interview and take photos but the guards and other protesters booed at the newsmen and did not allow them to follow the guards.

One understands they'd likely want to pick the Sgt's brain (or lack thereof) but not permitting reporters to follow and the crowd booing them will just add to the already massive PAD/PR train-wreck...

so what you recommend now? the PAD take a policeman as hostage. for you obviously a big piece of entertainment., a comedy.

policeman is his job, not an easy one.

that he is from the the border police doesn't mean that they bring some dumb police forces to town from deep in the jungle or behind the mountain or that those units do actually boarder patrol..

under boarder patrol division. are special units for special needs such as riot control, with special training and special gear.

such units maybe in the Metropolitan police doesn't exist, or only a smaller one . (but if the protesters want the metropolitan units, maybe they can face each other after the beach boy mini golfplayer left the town and back to south..

but for sure training isn't perfect and experience low. in the western, more civilised world, those special police units have real life training at the football games every weekend.

in thailand isn't so much real streat and face the mob experience to collect. nobody is perfect at the first time and that learning is a trial and error process. so call it the killer government is a little bit to dramatised.

if PAD send their worriers in waves and play street riots once per week ( at the chatuchack railway area for example), PAD can try it at the parliament again. and this time police will it handle more appropriate. deal?

at the moment, i am afraid are this units only trained to fight to kill and maybe had once launched teargas grenade. future six-monthly SoE with clashes between green shirt thugs, pink shirt mob, blue with yellow dots shirt scum group and blue with white stripes yombies will be turn out "okay". thanks PAD for your pioneering skirmish.

the other news: Chamlong, will met Somchai, that sounds not so good. remember what happend last time chamlong was separated from the Base and away? i turns violent. what happend during Chamlongs absence could be again a BANG! but he will has his alibi and a pure biography in the history book. so it goes.

that day could be also the day of truth for the PAD is a vehicle for a thrid party theory. interesting will be the fate of generation PAD sturm.

[nickh]

Thailand ponders postponing ASEAN summit to March

BANGKOK, Nov 30 (TNA)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=7512

[Guest Reimar]

Thailand ponders postponing ASEAN summit to March

BANGKOK, Nov 30 (TNA)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=7512

Maybe the Gov is counting the time for the new election as well in case this government will be dissolved with a short period?!

[h90]

I'm getting sick & tired about people ranting whose side is good and who are the evil ones here.

This situation has to come to an end before people die and I by myself do not find any justified reason why a living being should loose his/her life because some dickheads are too proud,narrowminded, stupid, arrogant or whatever to step back when time is asking for it. I don't give dogs*it about the PAD or PPP. I don't want people somewhere in this country have to grieve because someone they loved had to die.

there are already a lot dead people for sure 20 or more....

[billfracassa]

Face it, both sides pay for votes and support.

I agree

[jdinasia]

Face it, both sides pay for votes and support.

I agree

hmmmmm seems to be wishful thinking on Rainman's part ....

The Demos have never been caught in any organised vote buying have they? There are some reports of protesters being paid on the PAD side (far from being the same thing as vote buying) but strangely those reports only come from people that are ANTI-PAD. They never appear in the Thai press etc ... why is that?

[tig28]

If there wasn't massive vote buying, the Election Commission wouldn't have stepped in and the Constitutional Court wouldn't have accepted and start the trial. There is not any court which will just accept any trial without an bunch of evidence for to prove the legality of that trial. Not around the world and even not in Thailand.

If that isn't enough for you a democratic thinking human (are you?) you can get the prove you're looking for, just wait for the Court Verdict.

Well obviously Reimar there was vote buying --- (not too happy with "MASSIVE" --- but that's you) the celebrated case of Yongyuth Tiyapairat has received much deserved media attention--- it could, after all, cause the dissolution of the PPP. In the Chiang Rai election of his sister La-ong Tiyapairat--- he was convicted of corrupt practice --- paying 10 officials.

RESULT: Yongyuth Tiyapairat (at various times -- deputy of PPP---house speaker and "assassin of refrigerators")

was"red carded' --- resulting in a 5 year political ban

---- and leading directly to the current threat hanging over the PPP.

His sister La-ong was "yellow carded" --- the election invalidated and a by election was called.

What does not seem to have received much publicity is the result of that by election ---- perhaps important as it was the most closely scrutinized election in Thailand ----- certainly little chance of vote buying here!!

RESULT (97%) of BY ELECTION:

People Power party (PPP) Ms La-ong ----- 69,561 votes

Democrat candidate Kittipong Namwong -- 19,314 votes.

(Ballot boxes from a few polling units located in hilly areas were still on their

way to the tally room, slowed by pounding rains in the evening.)

It seems that in this electorate that the "corruption" (captured on video in a 'sting" operation--- by the way) certainly did not change the outcome much. As you choose to claim MASSIVE vote buying ---- and obviously in these cases you refer to there must have been a by-election--- I would be interested to learn the new outcomes ---- how the overall election was (almost) distorted by the cases you claim. By the way --- how many cases add up to MASSIVE in your mind??

I raise this point as so many ridiculously broad assumptions are being made ---(perhaps without foundation ???) --- it is interesting to actually look at some facts --- not fantasies.

It is pretty obvious that Yongyuth Tiyapairat is guilty as charged.

[tig28]

siam4ever --- you say the courts work for the army?

1) disrespecting the courts is illegal here

2) your man Thaksin said he RESPECTED the courts and trusted them ... right until he was convicted.

Aww.... hek. One other (small) mistake You are not being fair !!!

<has not been a great 10 months for him --- has it?>