10,000 Police, Soldiers, Security Officials Deployed To Keep Security At Government House

[wasabi]

Why do these people have so much time to protest? Shouldn't they be tilling rice fields or nursing a buffalo back to health?

[Sunderland]

How an estimated 10,000 police and soldiers cannot prevent people from taking control of a crane and dumping large containers in a public canal will be a mystery to anyone from a country where law rules. Comical as ever in the land of smiles and keystone cops.

[Old Man River]

Why do these people have so much time to protest? Shouldn't they be tilling rice fields or nursing a buffalo back to health?

These days there is more money to be made by putting on a red shirt and demonstrating.

[Oberkommando]

So much for the anti-Thaksin mob's predictions that the protests would fizzle out or attract low attendances.

Shows just how out of touch with Thai people and public opinion they are though.

[sriracha john]

Red Shirts vow prolonged anti-government protest

BANGKOK, March 26 (TNA) - Anti-government protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Thursday vowed to continue their protest at Government House for at least one month.

UDD core key leader Jatuporn Prompan, also a member of parliament from the Opposition Puea Thai Party, said that the group’s rally would be prolonged for at least one month, and that the group has sufficient capability and could sustain the protest up to one year if they wish.

The UDD demonstrators, known as ‘Red Shirts’, gathered at Bangkok’s Sanam Luang on Wednesday night before marching to Government House Thursday afternoon, to try to oust the three-month-old government led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The red-shirted protesters arrived at Government House, blocking Rajdamneon Nok Road from Makhawan Bridge to Misakawan intersection, and Phitsanulok Road in front of Government House to Chamai Maruchet Bridge.

The demonstrators have set up a permanent stage at Orathai Bridge after using a crane to lift containers from a police-built barrier in Prem Prachakon canal to open a passage for protesters to surround the premises. The containers were brought by the police to prevent the protesters to enter Government House. Civil servants working at Government House were asked to leave before 2pm.

Jatuporn said that former premier Thaksin Shinawatra might speak to his red-shirted supporters at Government House via video link at 7.30pm Thursday evening.

[TAWP]

So much for the anti-Thaksin mob's predictions that the protests would fizzle out or attract low attendances.

Shows just how out of touch with Thai people and public opinion they are though.

It still IS in low attendance, right?

Especially for an one-off event.

[JacknDanny]

I saw a convoy of about 15-20 of the black police trucks driving towards the airport, at speed, around 90 minutes ago

Probably at this stage a preventative measure, but things are happening

[Sunderland]

So much for the anti-Thaksin mob's predictions that the protests would fizzle out or attract low attendances.

Shows just how out of touch with Thai people and public opinion they are though.

It still IS in low attendance, right?

Especially for an one-off event.

Sunderland Football Club (hahaha) will get 35,000+ just to watch their next home match against Hull City ... anything less than 100,000 protesters is hardly big news on the international front until they decide to take over the airport.

Very unlikely many will be there once Songkran approaches and the dancing, drinking & driving and general mayhem rules over all else for 3-5 days.

[DP25]

How an estimated 10,000 police and soldiers cannot prevent people from taking control of a crane and dumping large containers in a public canal will be a mystery to anyone from a country where law rules. Comical as ever in the land of smiles and keystone cops.

It's possible they will attempt to provoke the police in to a violent response. Best not to give it to them.

[Oberkommando]

So much for the anti-Thaksin mob's predictions that the protests would fizzle out or attract low attendances.

Shows just how out of touch with Thai people and public opinion they are though.

It still IS in low attendance, right?

Especially for an one-off event.

Far more than PAD could muster in the latter part of their campaign.

[sriracha john]

So much for the anti-Thaksin mob's predictions that the protests would...

attract low attendances.

Shows just how out of touch with Thai people and public opinion they are though.

speaking of being in touch... what are they up to now? closing in on 230K? 240K?

Weng Tojirakarn

It is estimated the crowd of 200,000 to 300,000 from over 50 provinces across Thailand will participate in the rally in Bangkok, Weng Tojirakarn, one of the UDD Core Leaders said earlier.

Edited March 26, 2009 by sriracha john

[samgrowth]

Blue-shirts to counter red-shirts at airport

About 300 people clad in blue shirts gathered at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport Thursday afternoon to prevent a possible seizure by the red-shirted protesters.

The group led by Samrern Adisa, president of the club of operators of passenger vans in Bangkok and satellite provinces, gathered at the all-purpose ground of the airport at 3 pm.

Samrern said his group would peacefully rally there to prevent any attempt to seize the airport.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...irts-at-airport

[Sunderland]

Blue-shirts to counter red-shirts at airport

About 300 people clad in blue shirts gathered at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport Thursday afternoon to prevent a possible seizure by the red-shirted protesters.

The group led by Samrern Adisa, president of the club of operators of passenger vans in Bangkok and satellite provinces, gathered at the all-purpose ground of the airport at 3 pm.

Samrern said his group would peacefully rally there to prevent any attempt to seize the airport.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...irts-at-airport

300 van drivers in blue shirts????

What next? 200 florists in purple shirts?

And a partridge in a pear tree ...

So 300 van drivers plan to hold protesters back, after 10,000 police and soldiers fail to do so.

Even J K Rowling couldn't come up with this blend of of fiction and fantasy.

[webfact]

Just found the statement of the year in a todays Bangkok Post article

The protesters left Sanam Luang about 1.30pm, after a brief delay, and began marching to Government House, demanding the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Protest leaders earlier delayed the start, explaining they needed to wait for supporters who went to collect their 2,000-baht gift cheques from the government in the morning.

Bangkok Post 26 March Full Story

[dumball]

Why do these people have so much time to protest? Shouldn't they be tilling rice fields or nursing a buffalo back to health?

Should not show too much concern in that direction , there are a purported 50,000 Brits in the country to take care of that incidental problem , much less labour intensive to protest and w-a-y more sanuk .

[LevelHead]

Just found the statement of the year in a todays Bangkok Post article

The protesters left Sanam Luang about 1.30pm, after a brief delay, and began marching to Government House, demanding the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Protest leaders earlier delayed the start, explaining they needed to wait for supporters who went to collect their 2,000-baht gift cheques from the government in the morning.

Bangkok Post 26 March Full Story

Love it - they got the cheques then donated the money to the UDD.

Ha Ha Ha.

Looks like money cannot buy votes or support - even though they are trying hard to buy it.

[phazey]

I predict the Hawaiian shirt protest is going to be catastrophic.......

[on-on]

This proliferation of color coding shirts has to stop. I'm eventually going to run out of primary colored shirts to wear. Yellow, Red, Blue and of course orange for the monks - eventually we're all going to have to walk around in striped black and white jailbird shirts to remain non-aligned.

[ballpoint]

This proliferation of color coding shirts has to stop. I'm eventually going to run out of primary colored shirts to wear. Yellow, Red, Blue and of course orange for the monks - eventually we're all going to have to walk around in striped black and white jailbird shirts to remain non-aligned.

The striped black and white jailbird shirts will be holding a protest in the TOT phone box outside Robinson Sukhumvit, beginning tomorrow afternoon. Their spokesman said he really didn't know what they protesting about, but felt that it was about time they had a turn. He expected 100,000 people to sit in the phone box, and declared that they were prepared to stay there 100 years until their demands were met. Whatever thay may be. A consignment of black and white breast clappers has been ordered for their supporters to wave about.

[Sunderland]

This proliferation of color coding shirts has to stop. I'm eventually going to run out of primary colored shirts to wear. Yellow, Red, Blue and of course orange for the monks - eventually we're all going to have to walk around in striped black and white jailbird shirts to remain non-aligned.

The striped black and white jailbird shirts will be holding a protest in the TOT phone box outside Robinson Sukhumvit, beginning tomorrow afternoon. Their spokesman said he really didn't know what they protesting about, but felt that it was about time they had a turn. He expected 100,000 people to sit in the phone box, and declared that they were prepared to stay there 100 years until their demands were met. Whatever thay may be. A consignment of black and white breast clappers has been ordered for their supporters to wave about.

In the interests of decency can we please not have a black and white shirt protest, unless it is a protest against those who wear black and white shirts, in which case you may count on my full support.

[G54]

Makes it seem like some tinpot African dictatorship with all those security people, barbed wire, water cannon and the rest!!

[G54]

This proliferation of color coding shirts has to stop. I'm eventually going to run out of primary colored shirts to wear. Yellow, Red, Blue and of course orange for the monks - eventually we're all going to have to walk around in striped black and white jailbird shirts to remain non-aligned.

The striped black and white jailbird shirts will be holding a protest in the TOT phone box outside Robinson Sukhumvit, beginning tomorrow afternoon. Their spokesman said he really didn't know what they protesting about, but felt that it was about time they had a turn. He expected 100,000 people to sit in the phone box, and declared that they were prepared to stay there 100 years until their demands were met. Whatever thay may be. A consignment of black and white breast clappers has been ordered for their supporters to wave about.

In the interests of decency can we please not have a black and white shirt protest, unless it is a protest against those who wear black and white shirts, in which case you may count on my full support.

<--- white and black, soon to be black when relegated

[Insight]

Where's a big Monty-Python foot when you need it?

[ballpoint]

[sriracha john]

Where's a big Monty-Python foot when you need it?

He just nailed a Black Shirt...

[animatic]

Just found the statement of the year in a todays Bangkok Post article

The protesters left Sanam Luang about 1.30pm, after a brief delay, and began marching to Government House, demanding the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Protest leaders earlier delayed the start, explaining they needed to wait for supporters who went to collect their 2,000-baht gift cheques from the government in the morning.

Bangkok Post 26 March Full Story

It doesn't get more ironic than this.

[animatic]

So what extra creme-cheese topping did Dr. Thaksin lard on top of the day.

Not a word?

[kurtgruen]

Why do these people have so much time to protest? Shouldn't they be tilling rice fields or nursing a buffalo back to health?

These days there is more money to be made by putting on a red shirt and demonstrating.

You got that right. They were paying them between 200 - 500 Baht each to attend at 700 year stadium, in Chiang Mai, the other night. I only know people from Chiang Dao and Chiang Mai, who got paid, but I'm pretty sure they were trucking them in like that from everywhere.

I just wonder how much they are paying them to sit in the sweltering heat in Bangkok and to risk their lives? I'm sure there are a few, who really believe in what they are doing, but I bet that most of them are there only for the money.

Sad, when you see people risking their lives and limbs for 500 Baht a day :-(

Most Thai people I know, lost interest in the rallies (both yellow and red). They just want them to stop. I don't think that Thaskin can drum up enough real support to bring down the government.

Anyways, I am not flying out until May 4th and even if they do manage to take over the airports, I'm sure that they will run out of drinking water long before then ;-)

I think that Thaskin is a joke, that most people are tired of by now.

[henryalleman]

Just found the statement of the year in a todays Bangkok Post article

The protesters left Sanam Luang about 1.30pm, after a brief delay, and began marching to Government House, demanding the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Protest leaders earlier delayed the start, explaining they needed to wait for supporters who went to collect their 2,000-baht gift cheques from the government in the morning.

Bangkok Post 26 March Full Story

It doesn't get more ironic than this.

In the old day's they called this, "Comedia del arte"

[animatic]

Henry, this is Comedia del F'ART.

Cause it all just stinks to high heaven.

Thaksin stalls for time again.

Oh yes, that's right, NOW he will TELL ALL on Saturday.

And name names on Friday, or maybe Saturday

or.... well lets keep the rally going folks!!!

All of course with the hopes of dragging this out until he speaks again.

And draggs it on somemore

No one but 'himself' possibly knows how to save the economy of the country

from the economics of the rest of the world...

Since he NOW has made SO MUCH MONEY investing that he has

thanked the coup makers for saving his money safe in Thailand,

so he didn't lose that too. Really a savy world class investor...

And has the moral courage to ask the courts to let him testify in court via video link,

rather than appear in court and thus have to be SUBJECT to another court.

'I will SUBMIT to the court for my benifit, as long as I am not SUBJECT to the court

for any fines and punishments. ' One court it seems will treat him fair, if they play by HIS rules,

but the other he can't get a fair trial from.

Edited March 26, 2009 by animatic