Suvarnabhumi PAD Protest Continues

[bangkokrick]

Bomb exploded at PAD's rally site inside the Government House

A bomb exploded inside Thailand's Government House compound at 11.50pm on Saturday, wounding around 10 of anti-government protesters. According to People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), there is no report of death but about 10 people injured from the bomb. No names and exact figure has been reported yet.

From The Nation

This is terrible news and to a certain extend it points the way that this conflict is going. I just hope that they can come up with a peaceful solution before it gets completely out of hand.

Cheers, Rick

[Kerryd]

My bad, sorry

I thought this was a piece about the original occupation of the airport. When I saw the talk about an "assault" I was wondering why would they "assault" something they already had possession of ?

Didn't help that I tried to go back to the post that story was pasted in, to see the whole of it, and got an error message (broken link or deleted message, not sure)

(Argh ! Type one post and then have to catch up on 40 more that were added in the mean time !)

Is it just me, or is it (partly) the fact that this was written 4 days after the event that makes the story a little suspect ?

It must be you because the date on the report is November 29, the same day of that event.

It could be bullshit....and it could be true, like any report, but it does match other reports today which indicated the police fled.

The implication in the piece is clearly that this 'assault' took place some time this evening. It's far more 'feature' in flavour than the original straight-up news piece that appears on the Reuters site.

[xminator]

The main focus of the police and military should be to block the access to the protest sites. Not move into them. Not only to stop the flow of people supplying and reinforcing the protesters, but also to stop anyone from attacking them.

Riot police trying to recapture the airport(s) would be a disaster. Not only because of human casualties, but also because of property damage. Thailands best bet is to get the air traffic flowing trough airports outside Bangkok. As someone else said earlier, opening the Suvarnabhumi is not going to happen over night.

The police roadblock yesterday is nearly too good to be true for PAD. There is something fishy about a blockade of ONE road. There is something even more fishy when PAD actually decide to attack that roadblock - when they have free access to the airport other ways. Sounds like a hollywood setup to me.

[jdinasia]

Bomb exploded at PAD's rally site inside the Government House

A bomb exploded inside Thailand's Government House compound at 11.50pm on Saturday, wounding around 10 of anti-government protesters. According to People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), there is no report of death but about 10 people injured from the bomb. No names and exact figure has been reported yet.

From The Nation

Amazing --- the police really MUST be inept! How can they not manage to stop attacks on people they must be watching VERY closely? ----

Folks .. these BOMB attacks are terrorism ... sitting in at an airport are not! Sitting in at an airport is civil disobedience!

JTS - Khorat --- that report has been pushed ... note the "COULD" in it? Does it include the million jobs that were already predicted WOULD be lost due to the economic crisis?

[KireB]

Unfortunately the PAD aren't exactly peaceful, so Tropo does have a point!!!

Overtaking a corrupt government with mostly women and old people, is relatively seen as peaceful yes.

PAD has been under attack from day 1 by thugs and by genatile showing lowlifes and has had to defend itself on occasion.

You can hardly call this an aggresive movement, unless your biased or ignorant.

I really can't see where you can go with this. Please, don't get me wrong. I'm no fan of the government, but surely you're not saying that kidnapping a police officer is peaceful? I'm baffled by some of what I'm reading here. Where's the common sense? If you're backing someone here, whoever it is, there's no getting past that kind of act. It seems fairly clear to me that it this is not at all a peaceful sit-in. Seriously, where am I going wrong? I thought kidnapping police officers was fairly aggressive and and potentially somewhat illegal.

You mean the police officer that took part in the attack against them, or do you mean the police officer that infiltrated the airport sit-in?

For your info: 20 PAD injured at government house! Again.

[rainman]

Folks .. these BOMB attacks are terrorism ... sitting in at an airport are not! Sitting in at an airport is civil disobedience!

Talk about spitting in someone's face and then crying when he hits back with his fist.

[kjun12]

Those PAD bastards just want to force the army to stage a coup. I have come to dislike them more than the Thaksin group.

[jts-khorat]

What the pad has been doing for over three months is not a mere protest. They have taken it a step further, first by occupying Government house, they have tried to surround parliament, preventing people from entering or leaving the building. Now they have occupied two airports.

Peacefull protestors they are cleary not, not by any stretch of the imagination. Calling them terrorist is IMHO a bridge to far. That doesn't mean that I don't support removal of these people from the airport, and I'm amazed that they have been allowed to stay there for this long already. But I think they will be allowed to stay there for some time more, as it seems the body that is in charge of law and order, doesn't want to interfere or simply is scared to, in regards to the clumsy actions at the parliament begin October.

An organization causing a loss of 140 BILLION Baht* is surely enough to call them terrorists; especially as the airports seem not to be enough, now they want to go after seaports on the Eastern Seaboard; see: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11/30...ss_30089772.php

Tomorrow is a big rally by the red shirts in Sanam Luang, I assume one of the major reasons why the army now sounds as if they would want to be involved somehow. Because the situation is now really very short before escalating to an uncontrollable level.

I guess there will be lots of citizens in red shirts there who have lost their livelihood and will want to add their "peaceful protest" voice to the mix. Expect more pictures of cowards shooting wildly in crowds or throwing grenades as we have seen them from both sides now.

*edit: did the whole Thaksin-issue not explode over him moving "only" 70 Billion Baht out of the country tax-free. In this sense, Sondhi & Co have won by a mile now in the race who can cheat the Thais more out of their hard-earned money.

Edited November 29, 2008 by jts-khorat

[bangkokrick]

We don't know how many police were injured because as far as i am aware it has not been published. The PAD publicly stated that the isaan people hold the majority vote in Thailand and that is where Thaksin gets most of his support. That is also common knowledge and that is what this is really all about isn't it. The PAD don't want Thaksin to return because if he did he would be re elected in a breath. Sad but true.

The other point is that i believe that this is more personal than the goals of the PAD. Sondhi and Thaksin have a past and i am sure that you are aware of that. I think it's more a point of getting even than anything else.

Cheers, Rick

Rick ... again --- look at the last elections and how they worked out. The PPP got fewer votes than the Democrats and were forced to form a coalition government.

This is about FAR more than Thaksin and Sondhi. It is Thaksin though! Thaksin isn't eligible for public office for awhile yet and still has a 2 year sentence to serve.

I am fully aware that this is a coalition government, but it is headed by Thaksins brother in law. Call the parties whatever you want but it will still be the same old same old faces. There will be no decent politics in this country until the old guard have moved on.

By the way i am not a fan of Thaksin and in my opinion he should return to serve the 2 year prison term.

Cheers, Rick

[jdinasia]

According to PAD leaders, they are now threatening to seize seaports next.

Must have learned that from the UK civil disobedience!

I rather doubt it will come to that though. But Laem Chabang and ThaiOil are right there together!

[KireB]

Folks .. these BOMB attacks are terrorism ... sitting in at an airport are not! Sitting in at an airport is civil disobedience!

Talk about spitting in someone's face and then crying when he hits back with his fist.

Here you go, you lost all credibility!

[britmaveric]

Last time I checked the police are upholding the law - the protesters are illegally at the airport. Hmmm hence police are in the right and the protesters are not. Anything less in anarchy.

[KireB]

Those PAD bastards just want to force the army to stage a coup. I have come to dislike them more than the Thaksin group.

Wow, what an interesting point of view. Could you ellaborate a bit on this and explain where your frustation comes form?

[plachon]

Unfortunately the PAD aren't exactly peaceful, so Tropo does have a point!!!

Overtaking a corrupt government with mostly women and old people, is relatively seen as peaceful yes.

PAD has been under attack from day 1 by thugs and by genatile showing lowlifes and has had to defend itself on occasion.

You can hardly call this an aggresive movement, unless your biased or ignorant.

I really can't see where you can go with this. Please, don't get me wrong. I'm no fan of the government, but surely you're not saying that kidnapping a police officer is peaceful? I'm baffled by some of what I'm reading here. Where's the common sense? If you're backing someone here, whoever it is, there's no getting past that kind of act. It seems fairly clear to me that it this is not at all a peaceful sit-in. Seriously, where am I going wrong? I thought kidnapping police officers was fairly aggressive and and potentially somewhat illegal.

What you fail to appreciate is that the police are no longer seen as neutral arbiters or protectors of the peace, by the PAD. They are seen as Thaksin-led stooges and lackeys of an illegitimate govt, in the eyes of the PAD who've been at the receiving end of their violence and impartiality on more than occasion. This has gone beyond the point where the police's authority will be respected, any more than the authority of the Thaksin-appointed PM.

You may not like this, as it may cause you to question many things at a deeper level than hitherto, but you would do well to bear it in mind, if you are to appreciate the struggle that is unfolding.

[jdinasia]

Folks .. these BOMB attacks are terrorism ... sitting in at an airport are not! Sitting in at an airport is civil disobedience!

Talk about spitting in someone's face and then crying when he hits back with his fist.

Yeah ... peacefully (for the VERY most part) standing up to a corrupt puppet government certainly deserves terrorists throwing bombs into groups of people LEGALLY (at this time) occupying Government House.

Don't worry RainMan (10 minutes 'til Wopner) your mail will get in and out of the country soon!

[KireB]

Last time I checked the police are upholding the law - the protesters are illegally at the airport. Hmmm hence police are in the right and the protesters are not. Anything less in anarchy.

Well that's new for me, the police in this country upholding the law!

Lets shoot and kill some old ladies, shall we?

[wedders]

There's been another bomb or grenade attack, this time on PAD at Don Muang, if I understood Thai TV right?

[womble]

Watching Thai tv now, looks like quite a few injured, although none look too serious.

[jdinasia]

Andersonat ---- can you not read the red in the post you quoted?

But he has not left Thailand in many years.

[animatic]

According to PAD leaders, they are now threatening to seize seaports next.

Must have learned that from the UK civil disobedience!

I rather doubt it will come to that though. But Laem Chabang and ThaiOil are right there together!

I hope they didn't get the idea from one of MY posts...

[britmaveric]

Last time I checked the police are upholding the law - the protesters are illegally at the airport. Hmmm hence police are in the right and the protesters are not. Anything less in anarchy.

Well that's new for me, the police in this country upholding the law!

Lets shoot and kill some old ladies, shall we?

No need to shoot old ladies - use rubber bullets, tear gas, and water canons - general crowd disbursement techniques. However police need to do their jobs mind you have little faith in them after yesterdays debacle.

Edited November 29, 2008 by britmaveric

[A_Traveller]

^^ Well if they call it the Le Harve option, guess it's my fault

Regards

Edited November 29, 2008 by A_Traveller

[kaotang]

Rick ... how many police were wounded? We have the reports of the police being armed with m-16's and riot gear, and this report of some guys with some sticks and a slingshot! They forced the police to clear their supply lines without causing (apparently) any injuries. I hate to say it ... but those guys had BIG eggs! Charging an armed police checkpoint to drive them back --- so supplies could get through. (Then again it could have been a set-up!)

"The red are the majority"? They were not in the last elections ... the PPP isn't the majority of Parliament now! They are in a coalition government with parties that promised their constituencies not to join them. Vote for Vote the democrats got the most in the last elections ...

Sticks and slingshot??? Didn't you see their guns and bombs?? (

) The so-called People Alliance for Democracy are calling for anything but democracy and they are absolutely not doing this peacefully. After that incident that you mentioned, they detained one policeman for questioning!! and people still call them peaceful??? what kind of a crazy world is this????

And yes the Red are the majority still .. even in the last elections. PPP is still the largest members of the Parliament, just not enough to rule alone. Vote for vote the Democrats got the most?? I think you must have looked in Wikipedia, where it said that PPP got less votes (39.60% against 39.63% of Democrats) but got more seats (34 VS 33) than the Democrats. I found this impossible, so I checked with some other Thai websites (e.g. http://www.prachatai.com/05web/th/home/pag...ey=HilightNews) and found different results which i find more reasonable (41.08% VS 40.44% with the same seats result). Anyway, for the whole house PPP got more than 100 seats over the Democrats.

Edited November 29, 2008 by kaotang

[Richard W]

You actually think that another fresh election would do any good to get out of the impasse ?? They did have elections allready 2 times since Thaksin was removed and 2 times they won . If they have a new election now , the victory for PPP will be higher then last time . More and more people are turning their back on PAD for what they are doing now . That is what i see up here .

Q.2

After they are disbanded, won't a government with the same ideology be elected again? Some of ThaiVisa seem to believe that without vote buying the PPP wouldn't be in power but they won overwhelmingly, vote buying aside they are the party that the majority of Thai people want in power.

A pro Thaksin government will be elected if the elcetions are called. The red are the majority and will therefore win. This is unless of course the PAD manage to change the rules and impose the majority of the Government on the people.

The votes for parties (the 'proportional' splits) were split 40% PPP, 40% Democrats and 20% anti-Thaksin parties promising not to join PPP. The minor parties (odd to think of Chart Thai as one of them) joined the PPP to form the coalition and will be dissolved along with them for electoral malpractice. I strongly suspect that reincarnations of the minor parties will not do so well in the next election - and I don't recall any of them having reincarnations - and will be more willing to form even a fragile anti-Thaksin coalition - being in the PPP government has so far not helped the minor parties, though it might if it can survive PAD and undo the dissolutions and personal bans the minor parties have incurred. Thus I don't see Puea Thai (TRT 3) (or Puea Thai + Newin faction) dominating the next government, and the Democrats may well be the largest party next time. The constituency seats complicate the arithmetic, and may make an anti-Thaksin coalition fragile.

[MKAsok]

Updated:

Bomb exploded at PAD's rally site inside the Government House and ASTV station

A bomb exploded inside Thailand's Government House compound at 11.50pm on Saturday, wounding more than 20 of anti-government protesters.

People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) reported about 20 people injured, of which three are in serious condition.

The bomb, reportedly M79 type, exploded just 200 metres away from the PAD's main stage inside the Government House.

The injured people are sent to Vajira and Ramathibodi hospitals.

There were another explosion at ASTV station on Phra Arthit Road at 00.15 on Sunday morning, just around 25 minutes away from the attack at Government House.

Two bombs are reportedly exploded at the ASTV office. Witnesses also heard the gunfire lasting about 10 minutes. No injury was reported.

From The Nation

Edited November 29, 2008 by MKAsok

[IMA_FARANG]

There's been another bomb or grenade attack, this time on PAD at Don Muang, if I understood Thai TV right?

The BBC is running a "breaking news" story that says there was a bomb at "the occupied government office" in Bangkok. Not sure if that is what you're watching or not. The BBC has 11 injured, but no deaths announced so far. it is only one paragraph, however, and not many detaisl yet.

Hard to keep track here in Greece with events in BKK.

[cclub75]

I just read a report that 50,000 Thai citizens are outside of Thailand and can't return home because there are no inbound flights. Their visas are expiring and their funds are surely not infinite either. What about them?

I think you have a 0 in excess...

"Tour agencies estimate that at least 3,000 Thais could be stranded in international airports abroad." Nation

http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/11/30/bus...ss_30089771.php

[womble]

BBC world reporting over 30 injuries at government house, no fatalities.

There will be no high season for the tourism industry this year!!!

[citizen33]

BBC world reporting over 30 injuries at government house, no fatalities.

There will be no high season for the tourism industry this year!!!

BBC 24 News just putting a figure of 34 injured on this in last 2 minutes. However no other significant developments reported.

[Tony Clifton]

It appears that the bib are as incompetent as they are corrupt.

To Self-Serve And Collect.