Pro-government Mass Rally To Be Held At Sanam Luang On Sunday

[Jai Dee]

Pro-government mass rally to be held at Sanam Luang Sunday: Veera

Veera Musigapong, a host of Truth Today TV programme, said a mass rally of the "red-shirted people" will be held at Sanam Luang Sunday.

He said the rally in support of the government will begin at 4 pm.

He said former prime minister thaksin Shinawatra will not make a phone call to address the demonstrators and the demonstrators will not move to clash with anti-government protester at the Suvarnabhumi Airport.

He urged the government supporters to wear red shirt to attend the rally.

Source: The Nation - 29 November 2008

[sabaijai]

Pro-government mass rally to be held at Sanam Luang Sunday: Veera

Veera Musigapong, a host of Truth Today TV programme, said a mass rally of the "red-shirted people" will be held at Sanam Luang Sunday.

He said the rally in support of the government will begin at 4 pm.

He said former prime minister thaksin Shinawatra will not make a phone call to address the demonstrators and the demonstrators will not move to clash with anti-government protester at the Suvarnabhumi Airport.

He urged the government supporters to wear red shirt to attend the rally.

The nation

[hammered]

A counter mobilisation has begun. Put that in with what is happening at the airports and with the government in hiding and seemingly with little control over the country and you have a recipe for anarchy right now.

[Jai Dee]

UDD to rally in Sanam Luang on Sunday

United Front for Democracy Against the Dictatorship (UDD) leader and political talk show host Veera Musikhapong called on pro-government supporters to gather in Sanam Luang at 4pm Sunday.

Mr Veera said the Sunday's rally will discuss the court’s urgency to finalise the People Power party (PPP) dissolution case on Tuesday, which discouraged the police to disperse the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrators at Government House, Don Mueang airport and Suvarnabhumi airport.

More from the Bangkok Post here.

[wasabi]

No matter what side you are on I think we can agree things are heating up and becoming very dangerous. The events that have taken place this weak are shocking however it is human nature to become desensitized to shock and I fear as things get progressively worse it will seem like business as usual. I really hope law and order is restored. I don't care who has to do it and who runs the country.

[gmac]

No matter what side you are on I think we can agree things are heating up and becoming very dangerous. The events that have taken place this weak are shocking however it is human nature to become desensitized to shock and I fear as things get progressively worse it will seem like business as usual. I really hope law and order is restored. I don't care who has to do it and who runs the country.

I think that is how a lot of us feel. At the end of the day it's all about power and money and whoever eventually takes over will run it firstly for their own benefit, it's nature of political animals the world over! All the rest of us can hope for is a non-violent resolution and to be allowed to carry on our own lives in peace.

[animatic]

It's been reported along with all the follow on flames too.

[jasreeve17]

Back to the thread topic...

I wonder how ready the army are to act if the reds do something like:-

1) Take over the Southern Bus Terminal (the local airports are taken).

2) Picket government offices.

3) Ignore the law, and cause civil unrest.

4) Kidnap a policeman.

(All these actions in the name of democracy of course)

My guess is that the army would jump straight in to 'save the nation and...'

[Ulysses G.]

I really hope law and order is restored. I don't care who has to do it and who runs the country.

When it comes right down to it, I think most of us foreigners agree with you.

[SpoliaOpima]

Back to the thread topic...

I wonder how ready the army are to act if the reds do something like:-

1) Take over the Southern Bus Terminal (the local airports are taken).

2) Picket government offices.

3) Ignore the law, and cause civil unrest.

4) Kidnap a policeman.

(All these actions in the name of democracy of course)

My guess is that the army would jump straight in to 'save the nation and...'

as would be their moral duty.

but the hypothesis falls down as it isn't necessary to do these things if you support the government. you simply go on doing what you're told.

in fact the reds have show more tendency towards violence than the yellows, thus far.

Edited November 29, 2008 by SpoliaOpima

[jfchandler]

UDD to rally in Sanam Luang on Sunday

Mr Veera said the Sunday's rally will discuss the court’s urgency to finalise the People Power party (PPP) dissolution case on Tuesday, which discouraged the police to disperse the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrators at Government House, Don Mueang airport and Suvarnabhumi airport.

That's a particularly interesting comment. The government already sacked the national police chief and replaced him with a new guy in the past days. I had assumed that would have cleared whatever internal resistance was occurring. Plus, the same pro-government TV host guys earlier had promised only to rally publicly if the police didn't clear the airports this weekend.

So does the above comment not suggest that there's still official resistance to the police moving in based on the likelihood of the PPP dissolution verdict??? And that the red shirts now don't expect police action this weekend, at least. If that's the case, that'd mean the airport standoffs would likely be continuing at least thru Tuesday...

That'd make the ghost PM look even more ridiculous than at present, if that were even possible. It's also bringing the whole spectacle even closer to a certain upcoming birthday.

[G54]

With the Red Shirts at Nakhon Sawan yesterday (Saturday) blocking one of the main roads and the red shirts in Chiang Mai and now this new 'demonstration' yes, it does seem that the pro government supporters are now showing themselves in support.

Problem is, will it do any good or simply make matters worse?

I do not think it will make a lot of difference to Swampy Airport though unless the army and police see enough pro government supporters and decide the pro goverment ones outnumber the PAD in sufficient numbers for them ( the police and army) to realise they maybe do need to act in favour of the government.

[flanker]

Progovt groups can mass 100,000 people and PAD gets maybe 2000 people in 1 spot and get all the media attention and then claim to be a 'popular' movement..

Obviously there are alot more poor people in this country than there are 'bangkok elites' .. by tuesday or wednesday(after this much hyped 'court hearing' either the military should oust the government and throw pad out of all the places they are protesting or the police should disperse them. How long can these few PAD people continue to hold this whole country hostage and make it look weak? I been walking around bangkok past few months and have seen no supporters of PAD on the streets..i saw 1 time a few months ago when the protest was new a truck driving around blaring PAD protest noise with a speaker on it and a few people looked on and that was it..

I think PAD needs to be exposed as the sham that it is.

[frodo]

Pro-govt camp claims conspiracy

By The Nation

Pro-government camp has launched stinging attacks against Constitution Court, saying that the PAD is being asked to end airport closures in a secret deal

Veera Musigapong, a host of the pro-government "Today's Truth" programme, has claimed that The People's Alliance for Democracy was being secretly promised that if the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports can reopen, its enemies will be dealt with another way.

He said the PAD was practically being told that if the movement gets protesters out of the airports, the verdicts could be in its favour.

"I don't have to show any evidence. Just hearing the PAD leaders say that everything will end on December 2 is enough," he said.

source: http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/11/30/hea...es_30089778.php

I don't have evidence, but there is a conspiracy. I suppose this same type of rhetoric will be coming from Veera and pro-government voices today.

[robee]

With the Red Shirts at Nakhon Sawan yesterday (Saturday) blocking one of the main roads and the red shirts in Chiang Mai and now this new 'demonstration' yes, it does seem that the pro government supporters are now showing themselves in support.

Problem is, will it do any good or simply make matters worse?

I do not think it will make a lot of difference to Swampy Airport though unless the army and police see enough pro government supporters and decide the pro goverment ones outnumber the PAD in sufficient numbers for them ( the police and army) to realise they maybe do need to act in favour of the government.

does it appear that police are afraid of PAD, or just my perception?

[Retrospect]

With the Red Shirts at Nakhon Sawan yesterday (Saturday) blocking one of the main roads and the red shirts in Chiang Mai and now this new 'demonstration' yes, it does seem that the pro government supporters are now showing themselves in support.

Problem is, will it do any good or simply make matters worse?

I do not think it will make a lot of difference to Swampy Airport though unless the army and police see enough pro government supporters and decide the pro goverment ones outnumber the PAD in sufficient numbers for them ( the police and army) to realise they maybe do need to act in favour of the government.

does it appear that police are afraid of PAD, or just my perception?

They are not afraid, but it is deeper than that. Just think about it's the stuff you can't post here or even talk about it. Listen to the words on the street and I hope you get it.

[Jai Dee]

Tension may worsen with pro-govt rally

PAD may try to seize seaports if airports takeover fails to force PM out of office

The political situation could become more tense today when government supporters stage a mammoth rally in Bangkok as the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy protesters continue to hold hostage the city's two airports.

The pro-government Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship said yesterday that it would hold a massive rally at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Lan Kon Muang ground this afternoon with as many as 100,000 people expected to take part. The rally venue was scheduled for Sanam Luang but changed later.

Police yesterday increased their presence near Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, which were seized last week by PAD protesters, but made no attempt to disperse them.

Meanwhile the PAD yesterday mobilised more supporters from the provinces to join its rally in Bangkok.

The PAD may also try to seize seaports on the Eastern Seaboard if the takeover of the airports fails to force the premier out of office, Suthi Atchasai, a PAD leader from the East, told protesters at Suvarnabhumi yesterday.

Hundreds of PAD protesters managed to force a group of policemen manning a checkpoint on King Kaew Road, which leads to Suvarnabhumi Airport, to move out of the area. The protesters said the checkpoint was aimed at cutting off their supplies by preventing vehicles with food and drink from entering the protest site.

The pro-government DAAD said yesterday that its planned rally today was necessary as it was highly probable that three coalition parties, including the core People Power Party, would face dissolution when the Constitution Court ruled on the electoral-fraud cases later this week. The DAAD said it would have to deal with the PAD protesters by itself as police appeared to have taken no action against them.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsa-wat yesterday said he was willing to talk with the PAD leaders but would not resign or dissolve the House of Representatives, as demanded by the protesters. "House dissolution and resignation must not be the conditions. This matter is for the political side to implement in accordance with the Constitution," Somchai said.

He also called on the protesters to end their takeover of the city's two airports, for the sake of the country.

"Takeover of an airport is wrong. It is a severe threat to the country's security. The world community's confidence in Thailand is gone. If the takeover continues, Thailand will become isolated. This incident has caused much damage to the country's image as well as its revenue," said the prime minister.

"[The PAD] says the government is causing damage to the country in order to remain in office. My question is: what has the government done to create that damage? And what about the seizure of airports? Is that not damage to the country?" Somchai said.

Somchai said he would remain in Chiang Mai but did not say where the next Cabinet meeting tomorrow would be held.

PAD co-leader Chamlong Sri-muang said early yesterday he was ready to talk with the prime minister but not in Chiang Mai, where Somchai has been staying for fear of a coup. Chamlong said the PAD leaders would talk to Somchai only in person, not on the phone. The PAD co-leader said he expected the ongoing turmoil to end before His Majesty the King's birthday on December 5.

The prime minister gave a national address last night, calling on citizens to do good deeds in honour of His Majesty the King ahead of his birthday.

Source: The Nation - 30 November 2008

[h90]

Progovt groups can mass 100,000 people and PAD gets maybe 2000 people in 1 spot and get all the media attention and then claim to be a 'popular' movement..

Obviously there are alot more poor people in this country than there are 'bangkok elites' .. by tuesday or wednesday(after this much hyped 'court hearing' either the military should oust the government and throw pad out of all the places they are protesting or the police should disperse them. How long can these few PAD people continue to hold this whole country hostage and make it look weak? I been walking around bangkok past few months and have seen no supporters of PAD on the streets..i saw 1 time a few months ago when the protest was new a truck driving around blaring PAD protest noise with a speaker on it and a few people looked on and that was it..

I think PAD needs to be exposed as the sham that it is.

They can't even get 100.000 paid supporter. Recall the last time when the first stood up, gave the red shirt back and went home while Thaksin was speaking because the time was finished or because they were angry because they got promised to see the zoo but had to stay in the boring stadium.....

I doubt they can really mobilize more than 10-20.000.

[HankChinasky]

I think things are really going to start "heating up"more and more.

As the police refuses to do their job, many citizens of this country feel it is their duty to defend the government they elected.

All these attacks on PAD protesters these last few days are a normal reaction of frustration.

The peoples you call "reds" are tired of seeing illegal acts being perpetrated non-stop by the "yellows" in complete impunity.

If the police was doing what they are paid for there wouldn't be a need for the pro-governments to throw grenades.

[jasreeve17]

Back to the thread topic...

I wonder how ready the army are to act if the reds do something like:-

1) Take over the Southern Bus Terminal (the local airports are taken).

2) Picket government offices.

3) Ignore the law, and cause civil unrest.

4) Kidnap a policeman.

(All these actions in the name of democracy of course)

My guess is that the army would jump straight in to 'save the nation and...'

as would be their moral duty.

but the hypothesis falls down as it isn't necessary to do these things if you support the government. you simply go on doing what you're told.

in fact the reds have show more tendency towards violence than the yellows, thus far.

Their 'moral duty', what does that mean? How about their constitutional duty, and their duty to uphold the law?

You seem to be another one of these folk that accepts the PAD breaking laws as they please, whilst complaining at the 'hypothesis' that anyone else behave similarly - typical PAD rhetoric; ok for us, not ok for you. We rich, you poor. We smart, you stupid. We control power, you cannot.

My point was that the army especially, and police maybe (it's hard to tell as they are so incompetant), have sided with the law breaking minority, and would, I suggest, stop similar antics from the mass populous - it's political, and it's why the army should never be supported within Thai politics at a coup or any level.

[flanker]

Well that's still more than the less than 5000 the PAD has come with and the last progovt meeting massed at least 80,000 you could clearly see that the stadium was full in the pictures..i'm looking at a picture of the PAD airport protesters in the Bangkok Post, it's a wide view but you can clearly see the individule people in the picture, it's difficult to find a single young male in the crowd; they seem to be all middle aged women and old men, people who think they are the 'elite' of thai society, they look like the useless sht to me..

Progovt groups can mass 100,000 people and PAD gets maybe 2000 people in 1 spot and get all the media attention and then claim to be a 'popular' movement..

Obviously there are alot more poor people in this country than there are 'bangkok elites' .. by tuesday or wednesday(after this much hyped 'court hearing' either the military should oust the government and throw pad out of all the places they are protesting or the police should disperse them. How long can these few PAD people continue to hold this whole country hostage and make it look weak? I been walking around bangkok past few months and have seen no supporters of PAD on the streets..i saw 1 time a few months ago when the protest was new a truck driving around blaring PAD protest noise with a speaker on it and a few people looked on and that was it..

I think PAD needs to be exposed as the sham that it is.

They can't even get 100.000 paid supporter. Recall the last time when the first stood up, gave the red shirt back and went home while Thaksin was speaking because the time was finished or because they were angry because they got promised to see the zoo but had to stay in the boring stadium.....

I doubt they can really mobilize more than 10-20.000.

[h90]

any news 14.40 if they come with many people there must be a lot buses on the way.

[farangnahrak]

Since the PAD have effectively stopped my business due to the airport closures, I now have nothing better to do than to protest against them. Anyone else up to exporting democracy to a failing nation?

4pm at Sanam Luang, today:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/301108_News/30Nov2008_news03.php

Pro-government supporters led by the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) will stage a rally at Sanam Luang today to give support to the embattled government.

BEST FOOT FORWARD: A United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship supporter holds up a foot clapper at a gathering in Chiang Mai. The group met to express support for the government, which is under pressure to quit.

Veera Musikhapong and Jatuporn Promphan, co-hosts of the political talk show Kwam Jing Wan Nee (Truth Today), yesterday urged supporters to gather at Sanam Luang at 4pm today to give moral support to the government and police.

Mr Veera said the decision to mobilise supporters was made after it became clear that measures to end the occupation of Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) had not produced any results.

A massive gathering of people wearing red would be a gesture of support for the government and police.

He said the rally was also intended to oppose what he called "a coup in disguise". He claimed that efforts had been made to turn the judiciary against the government.

Mr Veera criticised the Constitution Court for rushing to wrap up dissolution trials against three government coalition parties - the People Power (PPP), Matchimathipataya and Chart Thai parties.

Mr Jatuporn said the rush to close the dissolution cases showed the judicial process had been interfered with and he questioned the credibility of the charter court judges hearing the cases.

The court has decided to rule on the charges against the three parties without hearing witnesses and ordered the defendants to deliver their closing statements on Tuesday.

The court did not specify when it will hand down a ruling, but observers believe it will come soon after Tuesday.

Nisit Sinthuprai, a PPP MP for Roi Et, said the UDD's core leaders in the Northeast will meet today in Roi Et to assess the political situation and discuss preparations for pro-government rallies.

He said the rallies will either take place in the Northeast or supporters might travel to join the pro-government rallies in Bangkok.

[farangnahrak]

Update:

According to The Nation, its been moved to "the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Lan Kon Muang ground" wherever the heck that is . . .

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/rea...;keyword=nation

[Plus]

Well that's still more than the less than 5000 the PAD has come with and the last progovt meeting massed at least 80,000..

Well, PAD protests have been going 24/7 for the past seven-eight months, no wonder they don't have that many people EVERY day. They still are able to mobilise crowds for major events, even with all the bad publicity.

80,000 at the red rally was a government sponsored and organised meeting, with every MP charged with producing a certain number of supporters and given a certain number of buses to ship them to Bangkok and a certain number of red shirts and foot clappers and headbands and so on.

You can't really compare organisational and logistic capabilities of the government and PAD.

These days almost anyone can stage a massive demonstration for a photo opportunity if he has access to manpower and resources.

Back in 2006 Thaksin organsised a huge one off rally of 300,000 people at Sanam Luang, it was filled to the brim. Do you sometimes wonder why this time didn't exceed stadium capacity?

[old wanderer]

.i'm looking at a picture of the PAD airport protesters in the Bangkok Post, it's a wide view but you can clearly see the individule people in the picture, it's difficult to find a single young male in the crowd; they seem to be all middle aged women and old men, people who think they are the 'elite' of thai society, they look like the useless sht to me..

Quite interesting, I am sure they consider themselves to be simply Patriots, not the "elite" of Thailand.

The photos from the bombing of the capital building last night, were mainly female casualties.....

Going back to the protest of '92, about equal male/female. In Bangkok, where do the UDD come from...the workers, mostly, taxi drivers....etc especially....primarily male dominated....

Perhaps it is this quality of the PAD that has allowed a peaceful demonstration, rather than the all to common results of a UDD rally...with property destroyed, people beaten, and even killed.

While backers of the PPP are the 1st to bemoan the "new politics" that have been suggested by the PAD, and demanding equality for all.

Your description (highlighted in red) of what you observe when you see the pictures of the PAD rally site, pretty much belies and discredits the position of equality for all.

While the Godfather of the PPP is Thaskin, and to listen to him, he sounds great...(no quite as good a Obama, but close). However like yourself when you look at the true actions, they do no mirror the words.

[oneeyedmunstaruler]

Update:

According to The Nation, its been moved to "the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Lan Kon Muang ground" wherever the heck that is . . .

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/rea...;keyword=nation

A large plaza in front of City Hall

Google Earth:

13°45'11.78"N

100°30'6.76"E

Looks pretty big from the air Just a short walk to Govt. House...

Edited November 30, 2008 by oneeyedmunstaruler

[grandpops]

Suppose its a PAD junta then.

Rural poor not going to protect their right to vote will have to stay on the farm and send the daughters to work in the slave trade.

Surprised at this but its their right not to protest.

[grandpops]

Update:

According to The Nation, its been moved to "the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Lan Kon Muang ground" wherever the heck that is . . .

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/rea...;keyword=nation

A large plaza in front of City Hall

Google Earth:

13°45'11.78"N

100°30'6.76"E

Looks pretty big from the air Just a short walk to Govt. House...

Might just put the Junta Court off convening as well.

[Kerryd]

No !

They wouldn't dare interfere with the Judiciary process would they ?!?!?

Or, heaven forbid, inconvenience anyone with their protest. That would make them as bad as the PAD !

They would have to be labelled "terrorists" just like the PAD !

Well it's after 4 pm now. Did anyone actually show up ?