PM orders clampdown on gunmen

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today declared war on gunmen up and down the country, pledging that the government would work to crush the ‘virus of evil’.

Speaking in response to the shooting of a district official in Thailand's northern province of Chiang Rai, the prime minister said that he would call on government agencies to take strict action against gunmen, both civilians and those in uniform.

“I have to admit that these people won’t allow themselves to be got rid of. This virus of evil refuses to die”, he said.

“We need to be strict, to launch a massive clampdown. We must take immediate action, rather than being afraid of whose hatred we might be provoking…Thailand is developing, and can no longer be a barbaric and primitive place”, he added.

Acknowledging that in some cases gunmen were being protected by military and police officers, he said that in the future any soldiers or police officers who failed to provide the requisite documents would be struck from government service.

He also admitted that even some politicians in his own Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party were wedded to the old-style politics of influence, and promised that action would be taken.

--TNA 2005-01-19

It'll happen when ###### freezes over

PM orders clampdown on gunmen

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today declared war on gunmen up and down the country, pledging that the government would work to crush the ‘virus of evil’.

Speaking in response to the shooting of a district official in Thailand's northern province of Chiang Rai, the prime minister said that he would call on government agencies to take strict action against gunmen, both civilians and those in uniform.

“I have to admit that these people won’t allow themselves to be got rid of. This virus of evil refuses to die”, he said.

“We need to be strict, to launch a massive clampdown. We must take immediate action, rather than being afraid of whose hatred we might be provoking…Thailand is developing, and can no longer be a barbaric and primitive place”, he added.

Acknowledging that in some cases gunmen were being protected by military and police officers, he said that in the future any soldiers or police officers who failed to provide the requisite documents would be struck from government service.

He also admitted that even some politicians in his own Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party were wedded to the old-style politics of influence, and promised that action would be taken. 

--TNA 2005-01-19

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

are the election already over?

i seem to remember an article (posted by you too) that he will crackdown on "influential people" AFTER WINNING the election! - this announcement too made in connection with the same shooting, if i remember right?

but do hope it really happens! it's already very late for that anyway!

Does anyone remember the 'Crackdown against Politicians having Mia Nois'.....it came very briefly - after the Crackdown on Dark Influences.

As some wag said here once; 'There should be a crackdown on crackdowns'

I hear there is more than the usual number of dodgy looking geezers showing up in areas upcountry now that the election is getting near.

I wonder why they are there. Hmm

I believe that Taksin should perhaps consult with the Sankampeng branch of his family who have had close relationships with the "nak leng baan" in the past.

PM orders clampdown on gunmen

--TNA 2005-01-19

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

are the election already over?

i seem to remember an article (posted by you too) that he will crackdown on "influential people" AFTER WINNING the election! - this announcement too made in connection with the same shooting, if i remember right?

but do hope it really happens! it's already very late for that anyway!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess it finally dawned on Thaksin that all of his gunmen are in the Cabinet, so safe.....

Edited January 20, 200521 yr by Ajarn

"We need to crack down those gunmen, the ones in uniforms or not in uniforms." This is what PM said yesterday. "Ummmm...kill MOST of them, ok, but do not kill MY gunmen. I am dispatching them to elliminate other candidates' gunmen!"

Oh, I am so confused!?!

This is the same old line of "we know who these people are, we won't tolerate any more errant behaviour from them, and we're gonna crackdown on them real soon now". Not any more believable this time than the umpteen times this same thing has been said in the past and nothing happened subsequent to follow up the tough talk.

" I'll get rid of the traffic jams in six months time "