Suvarnabhumi PAD Protest Continues

[hammered]

PM stays away from Bangkok

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat yesterday visited a Buddhist holy site in Nakhon Phanom while red-shirted crowds threatened to form vigilante posses to punish yellow-shirted government opponents.

He would spend the night in Udon Thani where a pro-government rally was held before returning today to his temporary office in Chiang Mai, he said.

A Special Branch Police source said Somchai had departed Chiang Mai after his security team received intelligence reports that some military groups wanted to take him hostage.

A military officer ranked as lieutenant general would lead 12 squads including 72 patrol soldiers to capture Somchai, the source said.

Somchai left his residence for a safe house in Chiang Mai before travelling to the northeastern province.

On Friday night, some red-shirted men forced a noodle soup vendor in Nong Hoy market to close down for watching anti-government programmes aired by the ASTV satellite station.

Interior Minister Kowit Watana, who is in charge of crowd control, should quickly enter into peace talks with the PAD before it was too late, he said.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra should be blamed for resuming his political activities which have in turn inflamed the situation, he said.

The political stand-off might turn into mayhem following yesterday's rally by the red-shirted crowds at Sanam Luang, he said.

In Udon Thani, about 10,000 red-shirted villagers rallied to back the government and safeguard Somchai during his overnight stay, organiser Kwanchai Praipana said.

Each northeastern electorate would send about 20,000 people to rally in Bangkok tomorrow against the expected dissolution of the ruling party, he said.

The government should allow red-shirted crowds to disperse the yellow-shirted protesters if police failed to do their jobs, he said.

Two MPs from Lop Buri, Suchart Lainamngern and Amnuay Klangpha, predicted that more than 100,000 red-shirted people would turn out to rally by tomorrow in order to counter the PAD-led protests.

The PAD has been mobilising protesters from the 14 southern provinces to reinforce the anti-government camps at the three rally sites - Government House, Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

PAD's Nakhon Si Thammarat chapter leader Osoth Suwansawaet said each local chapter was responsible for dispatching 200-300 protesters daily to the three rally sites.

Osoth said PAD-led protesters were fully braced for crowd dispersal measures and would fight if red-shirted mobs descended on them.

He threatened to seize every provincial hall and block inter-provincial roads in the South if police cracked down on protesters at the two airports.

Nakhon Si Thammarat governor Panu Uthairat and his Songkhla counterpart Sonthi Techanan said they had taken precautionary measures to avert any attempts to blockade provincial halls.

Government spokesman Natthawut Saikua said it was evident from news clips that PAD-led protesters had tried to use weapons on vulnerable police.

"Armed protesters should immediately stop violent attacks against the unarmed authorities," he said.

The prime minister and his government have remained fully functioning although the situation has to be reassessed on a daily basis, he said.

Tomorrow's Cabinet meeting is expected to proceed but the venue has yet to be picked, he said.

The government-sponsored merit-making ceremony is on track for tomorrow although it is unclear whether Prime Minister Somchai will leave Chiang Mai to personally preside over the event, he said.

Somchai also remains uncertain whether he can attend ceremonies for His Majesty the King's birthday.

The government refuses to step down either by resigning or dissolving the House because this would amount to handing victory to the PAD, he added.

- The Nation / 2008-12-01

The PM has returned from Udon Thani and is hunkered down at the Chiang Mai Bunker and remains in contact with the War Room in Bangkok. He cancelled his plans to visit the northeastern provinces of Nong Bua Lhampu and Nongkhai.

Negotiations? or plotting what comes next?

[Ulysses G.]

I did it when I was a teacher and didn't have much money. There was no way that I could afford to travel otherwise. It depends on how dseperate you are.

Edited December 1, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[robee]

PM stays away from Bangkok

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat yesterday visited a Buddhist holy site in Nakhon Phanom while red-shirted crowds threatened to form vigilante posses to punish yellow-shirted government opponents.

He would spend the night in Udon Thani where a pro-government rally was held before returning today to his temporary office in Chiang Mai, he said.

A Special Branch Police source said Somchai had departed Chiang Mai after his security team received intelligence reports that some military groups wanted to take him hostage.

A military officer ranked as lieutenant general would lead 12 squads including 72 patrol soldiers to capture Somchai, the source said.

Somchai left his residence for a safe house in Chiang Mai before travelling to the northeastern province.

On Friday night, some red-shirted men forced a noodle soup vendor in Nong Hoy market to close down for watching anti-government programmes aired by the ASTV satellite station.

Interior Minister Kowit Watana, who is in charge of crowd control, should quickly enter into peace talks with the PAD before it was too late, he said.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra should be blamed for resuming his political activities which have in turn inflamed the situation, he said.

The political stand-off might turn into mayhem following yesterday's rally by the red-shirted crowds at Sanam Luang, he said.

In Udon Thani, about 10,000 red-shirted villagers rallied to back the government and safeguard Somchai during his overnight stay, organiser Kwanchai Praipana said.

Each northeastern electorate would send about 20,000 people to rally in Bangkok tomorrow against the expected dissolution of the ruling party, he said.

The government should allow red-shirted crowds to disperse the yellow-shirted protesters if police failed to do their jobs, he said.

Two MPs from Lop Buri, Suchart Lainamngern and Amnuay Klangpha, predicted that more than 100,000 red-shirted people would turn out to rally by tomorrow in order to counter the PAD-led protests.

The PAD has been mobilising protesters from the 14 southern provinces to reinforce the anti-government camps at the three rally sites - Government House, Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

PAD's Nakhon Si Thammarat chapter leader Osoth Suwansawaet said each local chapter was responsible for dispatching 200-300 protesters daily to the three rally sites.

Osoth said PAD-led protesters were fully braced for crowd dispersal measures and would fight if red-shirted mobs descended on them.

He threatened to seize every provincial hall and block inter-provincial roads in the South if police cracked down on protesters at the two airports.

Nakhon Si Thammarat governor Panu Uthairat and his Songkhla counterpart Sonthi Techanan said they had taken precautionary measures to avert any attempts to blockade provincial halls.

Government spokesman Natthawut Saikua said it was evident from news clips that PAD-led protesters had tried to use weapons on vulnerable police.

"Armed protesters should immediately stop violent attacks against the unarmed authorities," he said.

The prime minister and his government have remained fully functioning although the situation has to be reassessed on a daily basis, he said.

Tomorrow's Cabinet meeting is expected to proceed but the venue has yet to be picked, he said.

The government-sponsored merit-making ceremony is on track for tomorrow although it is unclear whether Prime Minister Somchai will leave Chiang Mai to personally preside over the event, he said.

Somchai also remains uncertain whether he can attend ceremonies for His Majesty the King's birthday.

The government refuses to step down either by resigning or dissolving the House because this would amount to handing victory to the PAD, he added.

- The Nation / 2008-12-01

The PM has returned from Udon Thani and is hunkered down at the Chiang Mai Bunker and remains in contact with the War Room in Bangkok. He cancelled his plans to visit the northeastern provinces of Nong Bua Lhampu and Nongkhai.

Negotiations? or plotting what comes next?

I'm going to say plotting.

[toptuan]

Just had a Thai friend return from Udon Thani this morning. He said his relatives there were paid 500 baht a day last week to join the PAD protests at Swampy and Don Muang. They did so, and when they arrived back home, they discovered the money they were paid was all in counterfeit notes. (The Thai expression "som nam naa!" comes to mind.)

They got the police involved and said that now in Bangkok authorities are investigating the sources of "funding" PAD is using for all its activities there.

Edited December 1, 2008 by toptuan

[tigerbeer]

this whole fiasco has got to get into the Guiness World Book of Records as the most dumb fuc_k up in the history of planet earth in 6 billion years.

[dtarasin]

this whole fiasco has got to get into the Guiness World Book of Records as the most dumb fuc_k up in the history of planet earth in 6 billion years.

I thought that title was owned by the Iraq War.

[MyphuketLife]

this whole fiasco has got to get into the Guiness World Book of Records as the most dumb fuc_k up in the history of planet earth in 6 billion years.

While I agree this is a huge fuc_k up, I don't think this is World Record Holding event.

[Doalittle]

At least half the planes stranded at Airport have left 88 total

[Insight]

Just had a Thai friend return from Udon Thani this morning. He said his relatives there were paid 500 baht a day last week to join the PAD protests in BKK. When they arrived back home, they discovered the money they were paid was all in counterfeit notes. They got the police involved and said that now in Bangkok authorities are investigating the sources of "funding" PAD is using for all its activities there.

Good. Investigate it. Can't wait to see the results of this one.

[nopainnobrain]

Guys, what do you think, it will be over tomorrow or not? We've already got so many cancellations... I wish all the best to the Thai people but why to cut the branch they actually sit on?...

I suppose it will (seem to) be over in a few days but there is no guarantee that anything won't hapen in the future, for example around New Year, so I recommend everyone to refrain from travelling to Thailand. I have also changed my plans for winter/spring holiday.

Thailand has just shown how weak it's government, army, police, airport security staff, etc. are. You can't rely on them.

In German we have a proverb saying Wer nicht hören will, muss fühlen (One who doesn't want to listen, must feel).

And now Thailand has to feel what it has lost by allowing the airports to be closed and all the unrest.

If people feel pain, maybe they will start to use their brains.

Edited December 1, 2008 by nopainnobrain

[grantbkk]

What never ceases to amaze me is that somebody would travel to a foreign country with only a fixed amount of cash.. No extra stashed for unexpected emergencies.. Obviously very few have an inexhaustable supply of funds.. But the idea of being thousands of miles from home without access to some emergency cash is to me incomprehensible... Guess these are the same people who borrow money without thinking how they are gonna pay it back. Then plead poverty and hold their hand out for the Govt to help them...

I see men from Europe and American here all the time begging for money on lower Sukhumvit. They come for a 10 day to two week vacation and usually run out of money before the first week is out. Shaved heads and new tattoos with a can of Leo wondering where it all went wrong. Some are victims of crimes others are victims of themselves. This has always been part of the street scene. Now this has spilled over to the regular tourists who do not deserve how they are being inconvenienced. The big loser in all of this will be the Kingdom of Thailand. The after effects of this will go on so long few will remember what the heck happened to cause this downward spiral in the economy.

[neil324]

this whole fiasco has got to get into the Guiness World Book of Records as the most dumb fuc_k up in the history of planet earth in 6 billion years.

PMSL.......

I'm in Dubia airport waiting for my connecting flight. I have had to change to Singapore from Bangkok, stay a night in Singapore, i have a flight booked next day to Phuket, then have 2 choices the bus or the train to Bangkok.

Lots of effort, but worth it in the end. I cant be arsed to read all the replies and things that have happened or not happened since i left england yesterday. But from the reply above i can guess.

How stupid do the Thai's look

[Steve2UK]

If the PAD does get their way, Somchai resigns, and the PAD supporters get the government they want, what's gonna stop the redshirts from closing down airports and taking over government house to bring Somchai and the PPP back?

Hi

Won't happen - because we have already seen that "the reds" can't get 100 people together without paying them, and once their "paymaster" convict and fugitive Mr. T is out of the equation, the "red movement" will die quicker than a candle in a hurricane.

PAD have support from all over the country, people donate to the movement (i think they are the people who can't join the protests themselves, otherwise they would!) so they can pay their guards etc as well, yet the vast majority of the "yellow crowd" are there without being paid, for the better of the country!

Yes, it DOES take drastic action to achieve drastic changes. The German revolution also didn't happen in one day and without fights, yet it brought the re-unification of the two Germany's, the collapse of the Sovjet Union and, ultimately, the end of the cold war. And i know it because i'm from there.

Regards....

Thanh

Thanh - a couple of questions:

1) "we have already seen that "the reds" can't get 100 people together without paying them" - evidence for this? (any more than there is "evidence" for PAD paying their participants?). BTW - it's interesting that you do refer to PAD paying their guards........

2) To which German revolution are you referring? For now I assume you mean the former GDR. Just about every historian and participant in the GDR collapse attributes it to the withdrawal of practical/political support from the Soviet Union (under Gorbachev's policy of glasnost/perestroika etc) and the fact that the Hungarians had opened their borders - leading directly to those dramatic pictures of the Berlin wall coming down etc.

In other words, you have cause and effect reversed - it was a declining Soviet Union which caused the collapse of the GDR........ which (arguably) then in turn accelerated the collapse of the Soviet Union.

This much is Off Topic enough, so I'll close by saying that IMO this kind of comparison with the current feudal v. democratic contest in Thailand is not only spurious but really misleading. You might do better with the storming of the Bastille in 1789 or the Winter Palace in 1917 - except that the Revolutionaries in those examples went on to gain a rather mixed reputation, don't you think?

(Oh - and my family is German, too........ but I maintain an objective view of those events.)

[Plus]

a. Thaksin is being colored the worst criminal in Thailand history and

b. the alternative is a party that will stop at no inconvenience to get in office

a. Considering that the current crisis is caused entirely by Thaksin, it's not too long a stretch to call him the worst criminal in Thai [recent] history

b. I don't know what I you talking about. PAD is not a party and is not aiming for any office. Democrats, the political alternative, are often blamed for not doing anything at all.

[jdinasia]

Just had a Thai friend return from Udon Thani this morning. He said his relatives there were paid 500 baht a day last week to join the PAD protests in BKK. When they arrived back home, they discovered the money they were paid was all in counterfeit notes. They got the police involved and said that now in Bangkok authorities are investigating the sources of "funding" PAD is using for all its activities there.

Good. Investigate it. Can't wait to see the results of this one.

LOL .... I love credible stories .....

[geriatrickid]

Gosh, the People Against Democracy sure are swell!

Yes they are. Let's get the accordion players and sing patriotic songs. With a few yellow flags waved about we can recreate the Great Leap Forward and get to reeducating those silly northerners.

Democracy? Foreign concept and they certainly are too primitive to understand it. They should be happy to work for the benefit of the Bangkok nation.

Ok sorry, I was watching the Last Emperor and seem to have got carried away. .

[anothertorres]

If this thing in Thailand turns violent, hardly any of the fa-rang will still be here after. They can and will run home or to another place. It is the Thais that are stuck in the mess.

i'm not Thai, nor married to a Thai woman. and i don't live here for the tits and ass. i won't "run home" or "to another place". people, we really need to stop talking out of our asses!

Name calling?

Learn to read.

you're smart. question though, i didn't understand what you meant by "name calling". what were you referring to?

[toptuan]

Just had a Thai friend return from Udon Thani this morning. He said his relatives there were paid 500 baht a day last week to join the PAD protests in BKK. When they arrived back home, they discovered the money they were paid was all in counterfeit notes. They got the police involved and said that now in Bangkok authorities are investigating the sources of "funding" PAD is using for all its activities there.

Good. Investigate it. Can't wait to see the results of this one.

LOL .... I love credible stories .....

I'm just the messenger here, JD. Of course, we already know where you're coming from, so your reaction is predictable.

[animatic]

It might be time for the international community to threaten Thailand with a trade embargo.

Not enough they should ask Bush to send the marines in to rescue the oppressed and kidnapped US civilians and protect US businesses.

It will have to effect to PAD.

good point, at this time i see boycott affecting no party, just the masses and countries economy.

Why do you find it needed to keep bringing america into this discussion? What in the hel_l does america have to do with Thailand's red vs yellow internal battle???? If America is such a "bad" country why is it so powerfull on an international stage?

Quit bringing America into this, America has nothing to do with this (all though you are the type that blames america for all evil in the world)

Apropo to Thailand interests.

Yes America supported some Thai military back in the day, but through the government of the day.

And without that support Thailand could quite likely have fallen down the path of Laos and Cambodia.

Not a pretty picture me thinks.

SO yes some entrenched older style policies stayed in effect, but DID eventually fade out bit by bit,

but jaggedly, not some smooth linear transition. We are in yet another jaggy edge,

but still basically on the Thai path.

And it's a bit wild now, but not Laos or Cambodia... for THAT we can be quite grateful.

Oppressed and kidnapped American's HUH??? A change of meds might be called for.

[anothertorres]

When I read the solutions of rednecks Americans I'm not surprised anymore that they like a no brainer Sarah Pallin

i didn't know she won, that's awesome news!

[jdinasia]

TT --- we know where you are coming from too! Which makes this fable predictable ....

Why is it we hear from the virulently anti-PAD about these fictitious payments but never from the Thai media? (not even the gov't controlled media?) Oh yeah .... because it isn't true .....

[MyphuketLife]

a. Thaksin is being colored the worst criminal in Thailand history and

b. the alternative is a party that will stop at no inconvenience to get in office

a. Considering that the current crisis is caused entirely by Thaksin, it's not too long a stretch to call him the worst criminal in Thai [recent] history

b. I don't know what I you talking about. PAD is not a party and is not aiming for any office. Democrats, the political alternative, are often blamed for not doing anything at all.

Please send me the links or video of Thaksin telling the PAD to overtake BKK airports? The root of this is PAD trying to overthrow Thaksin and his 'cronies', maybe not a bad thing..... But the actions and methods the PAD choose to use in an effort to achieve their goal is 100% the PAD doing, so the airport closers are 100% the PAD fault...

[anothertorres]

The court will not trow out the government, they will pas judgement on party members who came to be elected by corruption and vote buying; that the government must step down is only the result of it.

A court must not be elected, they must only guard the laws voted by the parliament. In any democracy the courts are independent.

You should learn a little bit more about democracy.

You are an example of a typical American who have no clue how a non Anglo saxon jurisdictional US system works.

How do you know what is a "typical american" vs a non "typical american viewpoint"???? QUIT bringing America into this, america is not the reason the Yellow's are blocking the airport. This has nothing at all to do with america so leave "typical america" out of it.

Besides you don't even live here yet from 11/25 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Experience-A...39#entry2354139

Not even here and all wet behind the ears are in full support of the Yellow shirts and anti-american..... LOL

haha, burn.

[jdinasia]

Steve2k ---

the personal body guards of the PAD leaders are paid. Keep up

[toptuan]

Not enough they should ask Bush to send the marines in to rescue the oppressed and kidnapped US civilians and protect US businesses.

Wow, I read that and just spat out my Starbucks mocha and Danish roll (here by the pool). I didn't realize I was having it so rough!

I think a ride on a Marine helicopter would really make my day!

[henryalleman]

The court will not trow out the government, they will pas judgement on party members who came to be elected by corruption and vote buying; that the government must step down is only the result of it.

A court must not be elected, they must only guard the laws voted by the parliament. In any democracy the courts are independent.

You should learn a little bit more about democracy.

You are an example of a typical American who have no clue how a non Anglo saxon jurisdictional US system works.

How do you know what is a "typical american" vs a non "typical american viewpoint"???? QUIT bringing America into this, america is not the reason the Yellow's are blocking the airport. This has nothing at all to do with america so leave "typical america" out of it.

Besides you don't even live here yet from 11/25 http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Experience-A...39#entry2354139

Not even here and all wet behind the ears are in full support of the Yellow shirts and anti-american..... LOL

its was only a reply to those who repeatedly wrote how in the US this occupation of an airport was impossible and how the law enforcement troops will act, also its was not I who start to talk about the juridical system. And believe me or not, I don't have the slightest interest in the States. But its seems to me that most of pro violent contributors are of American origin.

And maybe I don't live here all the time but I have close family and other relationships with this country for more than 30 years, and in recent years I spend more than 3 months a year in the country, and traveled all over it. I have friends in Isan and North even most of my Thai family live in Central Thailand and Bangkok. A niece of my wife even got the title of Khun Ying 2 years ago. I have family members who employ more than 1000 people in the seafood industry. Others are high ranked civil servants or have higher managment positions in public companies.( in fact I have the most humble position in my Thai family)

btw my Thai family and friends has Thaksin, PAD supporters and neutral bystanders.

So I Know the pro's and con's.

I'm a senior(+60) citizen and so is my wife(33 years married) and she knows the history and politics very well, even know some of the players family very good on a personal level.

So please don't pass judgement on a person who's background you don't know at all

kind regards

henry

PS, making your apologizes is not needed or neccesary

[younghusband]

a. Thaksin is being colored the worst criminal in Thailand history and

b. the alternative is a party that will stop at no inconvenience to get in office

a. Considering that the current crisis is caused entirely by Thaksin, it's not too long a stretch to call him the worst criminal in Thai [recent] history

The current crisis is caused entirely by Thaksin? The worst criminal in Thai history?

You've really lost it now haven't you? Anyway for the record let's factor in:

1.Monopolists terrified of losing their franchises in a globalised economy

2.Feudal and military elite concerned at ebbing influence

3.A criminal coup and consequent incompetent puppet government

4.Middle class selfishness compounded by ethnic slurs on Thais of Thai ter, Lao and Cambodian origin

5.Quasi fascist terrorism and attempted destruction of economy through airport seizure

6.Politicisation of judicial process to point where widely regarded as a joke.

7.Rigged constitution replacing the excellent 1997 model

Just some factors off the top of my head in no particular order.There are others.

[tropo]

a. Considering that the current crisis is caused entirely by Thaksin, it's not too long a stretch to call him the worst criminal in Thai [recent] history

You have serious anti-Thaksin hatred going on here. I think your statement is nonsense.

[MyphuketLife]

When I read the solutions of rednecks Americans I'm not surprised anymore that they like a no brainer Sarah Pallin

i didn't know she won, that's awesome news!

exactly... henryalleman fails to see his example is poor at best, as the majority of us "redneck americans" voted against pallin....

[jdinasia]

Please send me the links or video of Thaksin telling the PAD to overtake BKK airports? The root of this is PAD trying to overthrow Thaksin and his 'cronies', maybe not a bad thing..... But the actions and methods the PAD choose to use in an effort to achieve their goal is 100% the PAD doing, so the airport closers are 100% the PAD fault...

Do you even read what you have written before pushing the 'add reply' button?