Red Shirts Threaten To Blockade Government House On Saturday

[george]

Red shirts threaten to blockade Government House on Saturday

BANGKOK: -- The red-shirt crowd on Tuesday filed two demands and threatened to lay seige on Government House by Saturday, coinciding with a mass rally at Sanam Luang.

One of the two demands is that the government takes prompt legal action against leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy responsible for airports closure at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

-- The Nation 2009-01-27

[mc2]

Red shirts threaten to blockade Government House on Saturday

BANGKOK: -- The red-shirt crowd on Tuesday filed two demands and threatened to lay seige on Government House by Saturday, coinciding with a mass rally at Sanam Luang.

One of the two demands is that the government takes prompt legal action against leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy responsible for airports closure at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

-- The Nation 2009-01-27

That is a reasonable demand. If the government is truly committed to the reconciliation process, swift justice against the PAD for their crimes needs to happen. what crimes ? things like this for a start http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbnFPhExOTw keep your eye out for the trigger happy padster in the beginning

Edited January 27, 2009 by mc2

[jbowman1993]

Red shirts threaten to blockade Government House on Saturday

BANGKOK: -- The red-shirt crowd on Tuesday filed two demands and threatened to lay seige on Government House by Saturday, coinciding with a mass rally at Sanam Luang.

One of the two demands is that the government takes prompt legal action against leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy responsible for airports closure at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

-- The Nation 2009-01-27

That is a reasonable demand. If the government is truly committed to the reconciliation process, swift justice against the PAD for their crimes needs to happen. what crimes ? things like this for a start http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbnFPhExOTw keep your eye out for the trigger happy padster in the beginning

Blockading government house was wrong when the yellow idiots did it, and it will be wrong if the red idiots do it. Aren't people tired of all this bullshi%t?

[sbk]

Blockading government house was wrong when the yellow idiots did it, and it will be wrong if the red idiots do it. Aren't people tired of all this bullshi%t?

Apparently not

[hammered]

So far the red shirts have tactically copied everything from the yellow, so when do we get to the airports?

Maybe a technical point but shouldnt they be targetting prosecutors or police etc who actually investigate and bring the charges?

[mc2]

Red shirts threaten to blockade Government House on Saturday

BANGKOK: -- The red-shirt crowd on Tuesday filed two demands and threatened to lay seige on Government House by Saturday, coinciding with a mass rally at Sanam Luang.

One of the two demands is that the government takes prompt legal action against leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy responsible for airports closure at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

-- The Nation 2009-01-27

That is a reasonable demand. If the government is truly committed to the reconciliation process, swift justice against the PAD for their crimes needs to happen. what crimes ? things like this for a start http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbnFPhExOTw keep your eye out for the trigger happy padster in the beginning

Blockading government house was wrong when the yellow idiots did it, and it will be wrong if the red idiots do it. Aren't people tired of all this bullshi%t?

yes I agree, blockading goverment house is wrong but their demand is reasonable. I think everyone will agree that justice is the key to reconciliation. I doubt people will just get tired and go home and live happily ever after.

[Scott]

The precedence that 'anything' goes was set by the PAD. It's very hard at this point to do anything to the Red's without it looking like out-and-out favoritism. It's about time this becomes a country of laws instead of a land of lawlessness.

[dinthailand]

The precedence that 'anything' goes was set by the PAD. It's very hard at this point to do anything to the Red's without it looking like out-and-out favoritism. It's about time this becomes a country of laws instead of a land of lawlessness.

yes, people are tired of this lawlessness; but that is actually a reason for seeking justice and bringing charges against the occupiers of government house and the airports. it is not a reason to turn the other cheek.

and the police and prosecutors, to answer another post, obey orders too!!! ) samak asked for help dispersing protesters at government house but obviously he was not high enough. this is not the west and there is no judicial review in thailand

[Katmanpu]

Wouldn't it be nice if both of the 2 political extremes here (red and yellow) could take the "middle path" and stage a protests instead of blockades.

In my mind it would be a big boost to both "the letter of" and "the spirit of" democracy and dissent if the government would apply the rule of law (in proactive enforcement) by placing enough effective police force out to prevent a blockade before it happens. Then the ensuing action would be merely a civil protest.

It would require the confidence to act properly with sufficient force, but this goverment, or previous governments for that case have lacked such. If the Abhijit government can finesse such confidence through building his coalition including the army and other groups and calm the rural/Isaan-Bangkok clash, then we can hope for something like this.

I choose to hope, but often it is the pessimists who win the opening battle...

แคทแมนผู

[Ga-gai]

Hard to judge on this one. One side that is against corruption. Another side that thinks corruption is okay. Both are doing harm to the country's stability and income. As I'm against corruption myself, I have more sympathies for the cause of the yellow shirts. I find the red shirts are people that just wants to have their share of a corrupt system.

Edited January 27, 2009 by Ga-gai

[wedders]

Hard to judge on this one. One side that is against corruption. Another side that thinks corruption is okay. Both are doing harm to the country's stability and income. As I'm against corruption myself, I have more sympathies for the cause of the yellow shirts. I find the red shirts are people that just wants to have their share of a corrupt system.

You've missed about 99.9% of the subtleties of this conflict with that simplistic and mostly incorrect 'summing-up'. About as ga-ga as it gets, ga-gai.

[samgrowth]

Mark should let the RED close Swampy & DM for 8 days. Then he can say it is even. Stop all nonsense from now on.

[mrtoad]

Mark should let the RED close Swampy & DM for 8 days. Then he can say it is even. Stop all nonsense from now on.

If he closed Nana, how would you feel?

[Plus]

Reds better make up their minds - they go from embassy to embassy and demand PAD being prosecuted and the govt kicked out for exactly the same things they are planning to do now.

If they want to blockade the govt house they should lay off PAD. That, of course, undermine their reason to protest in the first place.

[johnboy72]

About time the reds got their <deleted> into gear and started showing a bit of spirit.

As for the tedium and potentially boringness of the whole situation (ala yellows). A few dancers / strippers of both sexes would provide adequate entertainment I feel. Better then the crap folk singers witnessed at the swamp.

Failing that. Watching last season with Derby County would be good for a laugh.

[sriracha john]

Security Tightened at Government House to Tackle Red-Shirt Group

Security measures have been beefed up to prevent the red-shirts from besieging Government House, while a specially trained unit has been deployed to deal with the protesters.

Chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Lieutenant General Suchart Meunkaew insisted the police will not allow supporters of the red-shirt group to seize Government House during its mass protest on Saturday at Sanam Luang.

He revealed that officers from a special unit who were recently trained in crowd control in Kanchanaburi Province will be deployed to tackle the red-shirt demonstration.

The Metropolitan Police have estimated the number of rally-goers expected, in order to organise forces to control the crowd. They say the gathering is permitted under democratic rights unless weapons are brought to the venue.

- TOC / 2009-01-28

[samgrowth]

Mark should let the RED close Swampy & DM for 8 days. Then he can say it is even. Stop all nonsense from now on.

If he closed Nana, how would you feel?

My backup plan is to go to Soi Cowboy.

[animatic]

Mark should let the RED close Swampy & DM for 8 days. Then he can say it is even. Stop all nonsense from now on.

If he closed Nana, how would you feel?

My backup plan is to go to Soi Cowboy.

Patpong for ping pong,

Pattaya for pattycakes,

Phuket for getting baked,

and Samui for some sex, sloth and sun.

More than enough options if Nana is closed.

[samgrowth]

Mark should let the RED close Swampy & DM for 8 days. Then he can say it is even. Stop all nonsense from now on.

If he closed Nana, how would you feel?

My backup plan is to go to Soi Cowboy.

Patpong for ping pong,

Pattaya for pattycakes,

Phuket for getting baked,

and Samui for some sex, sloth and sun.

More than enough options if Nana is closed.

Does PPP stands for Patpong, Pattaya and Phuket?

[Koo82]

They announced in the Truth Today talk tonight on DStation that after their meeting on 31 Jan at Sanam Luang, the reds will walk to Government House around 11pm and will block 4 entrances but will not go inside like what the yellows did.

They said if Abhisit does not do anything towards the terrorist PAD leaders and to answer some other cases, they may protest around the Government House soon during working hours.

[Siripon]

I see that Khun Kasit is to have 6 special envoys helping him at the Foreign Ministry, there's some prominent names there, including ex-PM Khun Anand. I remember spotting Khun Anand having dinner one night with Suriyasai, one of the leaders of the PAD last year, I don't think Kasit has any plans to resign soon!

[sriracha john]

Red shirts take aim at Government House

Claim they will block all access tomorrow after rally

Red-shirted protesters will stage a mass rally at Sanam Luang tomorrow under the slogan "Red in the Land" before laying siege to Government House, organisers said yesterday.

"We expect up to 40,000 to 50,000 people. We plan to go to Government House at about 9 pm to submit our demands," Nattawut Saikua said.

The rally is intended to force the government to speed up the prosecution of the People's Alliance for Democracy leaders responsible for the airport closures, sack Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, seen as close to the PAD, and dissolve the House of Representatives.

Other key organisers of the rally are Veera Musigapong, Jakrapob Penkair, and Jatuporn Prompan.

Jatuporn said protesters would block every access to the seat of government until the demands were met.

"The rally will be proof of whether support for us red shirts has waned as claimed," Jakrapob said. Some 400 to 500 soldiers from the 11th Infantry Regiment were dispatched to infiltrate the crowd, he said. "Should the red-shirt soldiers try to blend in at Saturday's rally, they will be caught and exposed since it is not difficult to detect impostors," he said.

Nattawut said that during the rally, he would bare the government's attempt to distract attention from the PAD's involvement in the December airports seizure by drafting a law on airport safety.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said his government would never allow Government House to be occupied by demonstrators like the People's Alliance for Democracy did during the past two administrations.

He said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban would be in charge while he was away attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this weekend.

Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart reminded the red shirts that they had to abide by the law. "I think the political situation is becoming normalised and the rally won't have a major impact on stability," he said. Police should remain vigilant so that protesters do not become unruly, he said.

Suthep said he has already instructed police to work with the utmost effort to keep the peace, particularly if protesters decide to march and blockade Government House.

About 500 red-shirt protesters from Chiang Mai plan to join the anti-government gathering at Sanam Luang tomorrow and vow to carry on until victory in bringing the House down, organiser Kanyapak "DJ Orm" Maneechak said.

Kanyapak said the red shirts would hold a rally at their northern hometown against the visit of Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti today before boarding a bus to head to the capital.

She said organisers raised public contributions to finance the protests.

Suwit said he was unsure whether he could preside over the opening of an event to be held by his ministry in Chiang Mai today. "I will have to clear my work to make sure I'm free to go," he said. He denied being afraid of a possible protest by the red shirts.

- The Nation / 2009-01-30

[Plus]

The reds said they won't disrupt normal govt functioning at this stage..

Koo, quick, Jatuporn obviously didn't understand you, please go and tell him what your plans are.

"Jatuporn said protesters would block every access to the seat of government until the demands were met."

[chowder]

bunch of clown, PAD was a serious business, these red shirt are just clown and everybody know it, even their leader get laugh at behind their back, they already knew that but they still have to do their job cause they still in debt with the man in Dubai.

[hammered]

bunch of clown, PAD was a serious business, these red shirt are just clown and everybody know it, even their leader get laugh at behind their back, they already knew that but they still have to do their job cause they still in debt with the man in Dubai.

Their leadership is their weak point. They have the dosh to boost numbers for one off demos and the Chiang Mai boot boys will always have access to funds. No doubt they will get a good turn out on the weekend. However, the three loons: Jatuporn, Nattawut and Veera are as you say laughed at behind their backs but also attacked because of their strategic incompetence. They have basically been outmanouvered and pushed to where their enemies want them at every step. There are old comrades in the movement from the minority of old comrades on the red side who want this comical leadership changed. These dudes though are stuck with Jakrapob who has baggage that wont fly up country. Then you have up country red leaders splitting from the Bangkok based red elite on an almost daily basis. And the loss of the very influential Newin should not be underestimated here.

You probably have it spot on comparing their strategic incompetence to the well planned PAD strategies.

[cmsally]

bunch of clown, PAD was a serious business, these red shirt are just clown and everybody know it, even their leader get laugh at behind their back, they already knew that but they still have to do their job cause they still in debt with the man in Dubai.

Are you implying that the only way to get taken seriously is to bring the country to a standstill?

Occupying govt house for months on end and then the airports is indeed serious business, which is why they should be held responsible for their actions. If the reds do the same it is also inexcusable but at least take both sides to court and prosecute and the crimes should be equal.

(Although as yet the reds have gone no where near as far).

Edited January 30, 2009 by cmsally

[Plus]

Yeah, so far they've only beaten and lynched people they don't like.

While PAD ran a civil disobedience campaign, reds are just street level thugs, not withstading one or two "save Thaksin from poverty" peaceful rallies.

[samgrowth]

The yellow PAD have receive a mandate from the top. Hence they cannot be touch for any wrong doing.

[MyphuketLife]

Yeah, so far they've only beaten and lynched people they don't like.

While PAD ran a civil disobedience campaign, reds are just street level thugs, not withstading one or two "save Thaksin from poverty" peaceful rallies.

You act like the RED only beat and lynched people and the PAD only did peacefull protests....

You forget that the PAD also hurt people, also beat people, also shot at people, also ran over poeple, ohh and stranded thousands of people....

If you can't see that both groups have done wrong, then its time to take the blinders off and take a good look, both sides have acted like tools.

[hammered]

The yellow PAD have receive a mandate from the top. Hence they cannot be touch for any wrong doing.

Well lets give it time. The law moves slowly. Our old mate Yuth "dooyen" still hasnt had his day in court over the little machine gun incident in the drug war and we could hardly say he has any mandate...... And to date Madoff hasnt been strung up by the goolies and Lay never was and ....

Amazing how people always think that prosecuting and jailing someone in a fair way can be done in like 5 days. It takes years unless of course you want to resort to undemocratic means like extra-judicial murder....