Abhisit's Vehicle Attacked By Red-shirted Protesters In Pattaya

[george]

Abhisit's vehicle attacked by red-shirted protesters in Pattaya

PATTAYA: -- Traffic snarl caused the vehicle of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to be trapped by angry red-shirted protesters who hit the vehicles and pelted them with water bottles Tuesday afternoon.

The attack happened at 1:15 pm when Ahbisit's official car and a Toyota Prado of the security officials were trapped in traffic snarl at intersection heading to South Pattaya Road.

Initially, two red-shirted people on a motorcycle, who dispersed from the rally at the Pattayal Cliff Beach Hotel, recognized Abhisit's car and alerted their red-shirted friends to surround it.

The security officials then had Abhisit moved to the Prado so that they could escape the surround. But the number of protesters quickly grew to about 50 and they surrounded both two vehicles and pelted the vehicles with water bottles apart from hitting the vehicles with feet clappers.

Security officials managed to escort Abhisit to the Prado but a woman waded through police to stick her head inside the vehicle to shout at the prime minister.

A protester used his motorcycle to block the way of the Prado which eventually ran over it.

After thee-minute tussle, the Prado managed to run out of the surround but some protesters ran after it and shook the car and hit it with bottles and a helmet, causing a hole at the back window.

The vehicle managed to escape the protesters eventually.

-- The Nation 2009-04-07

[draggons]

Police really on the ball eh!

Couldn't imagine it happening to Gordon Brown or Obama

[MeetJohnDoe]

Pathetic show by the security forces (police). It's pretty easy to see where their political allegiances lie.

[george]

Suthep instructs police to arrest protesters for attacking PM's vehicle

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban Tuesday instructed police to arrest all protesters who attacked the vehicle of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Suthep said the Provincial Police Bureau 2, which is in charge of Chon Buri, must make sure that all the protesters, who attacked Abhisit's vehicle and a vehicle of security officials of the prime minister, be arrested.

"There are video clips that can be used as evidences against these wrongdoers," Suthep said.

"All who violated the laws must be arrested and taken legal actions against."

-- The Nation 2009-04-07

[Chang_paarp]

The attack happened at 1:15 pm when Ahbisit's official car and a Toyota Prado of the security officials were trapped in traffic snarl at intersection heading to South Pattaya Road.

Initially, two red-shirted people on a motorcycle, who dispersed from the rally at the Pattayal Cliff Beach Hotel, recognized Abhisit's car and alerted their red-shirted friends to surround it.

Now why am I not surprised that the car was caught in a trafic snarl?

Will the traffic be the lasting memory of the delligates to this gabfest?

[timi2546]

Abhisit's vehicle attacked by red-shirted protesters in Pattaya

.....

VERY loud red shirt-demonstration

on the beach road as well, next to policestation..

[sanmiguel]

Police really on the ball eh!

Couldn't imagine it happening to Gordon Brown.

Thats because he has created an Orwellian police state, where the few elite are protected, not too safe walking the streets here in Benwell Newcastle, be nice for him to feel the fear most who walk around here do.

Edited April 7, 2009 by sanmiguel

[davethailand]

They need locking up IMO.

[jeepholt]

I live on the corner of 3rd Rd/S. Pattaya Road. I usually look out to see which member of the Royal Family is coming by when I hear those kinds of loud speakers and sirens from the police cars, so today when I heard the noise, I looked out my window and was about 50-60 meters from the happenings and looking down on it from my top floor. Here is what I saw.

I watched it live from my window upstairs. It was right here on my corner in front of Tony's night market on the corner. Not really a big deal. The first few vehicles of the procession passed through the intersection. Looked like Abhisit's driver wrongfully stopped for the red light and a lot of his motorcade came on through in front of my place without him. Then a red shirt motorcycle rider ran into and under Abhisit's car and he got mad and went after the driver saying it was the drivers fault. He didn't know at first that it was Abhisit in the car I don't think. Abhisit got out to transfer to another car and that's when the red shirts recognized it was him and they were all on their cell phones telling their friends to come help them. That's when it got a little hairy since there were cops and red shirts coming from all directions then. Actually, Abhisit didn't get touched but his car got the window smashed in with a helmet. Whole thing only lasted a couple of minutes. It's a wonder the cops didn't shoot anyone.

[phaethon]

Couldn't imagine it happening to Gordon Brown or Obama

Can you imagine the bloodbath that would have ensued if this happened to the PotUS?

[sharecropper]

Couldn't imagine it happening to Gordon Brown or Obama

Can you imagine the bloodbath that would have ensued if this happened to the PotUS?

Thailand's police are a laughing stock. They can successfully protect their income streams by shaking down clubs and bars in the early hours, but their shameful lack of professionalism shows through in situations like this (and December's fiascos of course). A government that can't govern and a police force that can't police. Pattaya's and Thailand's marketing to the world.

Goodness knows what the ASEAN summit participants will make of all this.

[Tango7]

This is the kind of thing that would make a PM step down.. fear for his life.

If the police etc can't provide protection, or are unwilling to stop people when a situation gets bad, you'd have to wonder whether you're life's in danger and it's just not worth the hassle in Thailand.

PMs here tend to hang onto power just long enough to immensly fatten their wallets and then they're off, leaving the door open for the next person to get rich.

Looks like there might not be enough time to get rich in this case...

[george]

Pattaya police chief transferred after attack on PM's car

PATTAYA: -- A superintendent in charge of Pattaya's central police station was Wednesday transferred to inactive post for 30 days in connection with the attack on the prime minister's car, in which the PM's bodyguards and others were injured.

The order to transfer Pol Col Sarayuth Sanguanpokai came after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's life was put at risk when his car was besieged and blocked by red shirt protesters, who injured his bodyguards and smashed the rear window of the PM's car with a helmet.

Police Region 2 also ordered a disciplinary probe against Sarayuth. Pol Col Theerapol Chindaluang, the deputy police chief for Chon Buri province, was sent to replace Sarayuth.

-- The Nation 2009-04-08

[Asianrider]

Today there's police along every Soi on Second Rd from Tops to Dolphin roundabout. Security guards in Central have long handled mirrors too checking vehicles entering the Mall.

[timekeeper]

Pattaya police chief transferred after attack on PM's car

PATTAYA: -- A superintendent in charge of Pattaya's central police station was Wednesday transferred to inactive post for 30 days in connection with the attack on the prime minister's car, in which the PM's bodyguards and others were injured.

The order to transfer Pol Col Sarayuth Sanguanpokai came after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's life was put at risk when his car was besieged and blocked by red shirt protesters, who injured his bodyguards and smashed the rear window of the PM's car with a helmet.

Police Region 2 also ordered a disciplinary probe against Sarayuth. Pol Col Theerapol Chindaluang, the deputy police chief for Chon Buri province, was sent to replace Sarayuth.

-- The Nation 2009-04-08

call me a conspiracy theorist if you must but why did the driver stop for a red light?

it must be the first time in thai history a motorcade has stopped for anything

more importantly, the car was a Toyota Prado, it has an auto locking system that activates when the car is on the move

the toyota fortuner has the same system, as do many toyota models, its an auto defence against car jackers

so the car doors must have been locked when it came to halt at the red light

so why was the drivers door open for the protesters to get inside the car?

the driver must have opened the door himself, maybe he panicked but surely a driver from the PM's security detail would not do this and know how to deal with the situation.

a few more questions to be asked here methinks

[Penquin]

I live on the corner of 3rd Rd/S. Pattaya Road. I usually look out to see which member of the Royal Family is coming by when I hear those kinds of loud speakers and sirens from the police cars, so today when I heard the noise, I looked out my window and was about 50-60 meters from the happenings and looking down on it from my top floor. Here is what I saw.

I watched it live from my window upstairs. It was right here on my corner in front of Tony's night market on the corner. Not really a big deal. The first few vehicles of the procession passed through the intersection. Looked like Abhisit's driver wrongfully stopped for the red light and a lot of his motorcade came on through in front of my place without him. Then a red shirt motorcycle rider ran into and under Abhisit's car and he got mad and went after the driver saying it was the drivers fault. He didn't know at first that it was Abhisit in the car I don't think. Abhisit got out to transfer to another car and that's when the red shirts recognized it was him and they were all on their cell phones telling their friends to come help them. That's when it got a little hairy since there were cops and red shirts coming from all directions then. Actually, Abhisit didn't get touched but his car got the window smashed in with a helmet. Whole thing only lasted a couple of minutes. It's a wonder the cops didn't shoot anyone.

Cops supported red shirts because yellow supported by this government and military and treated cops unfairly. All medias are not telling the truth because they are controlling by this gorvernment and military, dound like communist ya?

[PhootThaiMaiDai]

Pattaya police chief transferred after attack on PM's car

PATTAYA: -- A superintendent in charge of Pattaya's central police station was Wednesday transferred to inactive post for 30 days in connection with the attack on the prime minister's car, in which the PM's bodyguards and others were injured.

The order to transfer Pol Col Sarayuth Sanguanpokai came after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's life was put at risk when his car was besieged and blocked by red shirt protesters, who injured his bodyguards and smashed the rear window of the PM's car with a helmet.

Police Region 2 also ordered a disciplinary probe against Sarayuth. Pol Col Theerapol Chindaluang, the deputy police chief for Chon Buri province, was sent to replace Sarayuth.

-- The Nation 2009-04-08

call me a conspiracy theorist if you must but why did the driver stop for a red light?

it must be the first time in thai history a motorcade has stopped for anything

more importantly, the car was a Toyota Prado, it has an auto locking system that activates when the car is on the move

the toyota fortuner has the same system, as do many toyota models, its an auto defence against car jackers

so the car doors must have been locked when it came to halt at the red light

so why was the drivers door open for the protesters to get inside the car?

the driver must have opened the door himself, maybe he panicked but surely a driver from the PM's security detail would not do this and know how to deal with the situation.

a few more questions to be asked here methinks

I was amazed in another report, on the same incident that a woman stuck her head, inside Abhists car and screamed at him... It didn't mention that it was the hole they the punched in, that the driver waited for to drive off, but incompetence trumps conspiracy I think, but anythings possible, TIT.

I always find it interesting when an angry mob outside a car, has angry mob intentions to the people inside the car, yet the driver gingerly and careful negotiates the herd instead of driving just fast enough to maintain momentum and riding the horn to pre-clear the crowd. As if he cared. Beyond "self defense," I think "just deserts" should be a legal argument. What was he afraid of a 200 THB ticket?