Red-shirts Battle Blue-shirts In Pattaya

[hammered]

Something on the news about the red shirts storming into the hotel and starting to smash it up with leaders urging them to hunt down the PM.

They are giving Abhisit 2 hours to give himself up, else they cannot guarantee his safety.

That is basically treason. The military will be deployed

[h90]

Fellow ex-pats.

Are you concerned about the current political situation in Thailand?

Than worry no more, why not purchase one of my bullet proof, knife proof cling on fit tee-shirts in stay safe neutral green.

Come in 5 sizes: S, M, L, XL & XXL.

Due to the recent panic, Stocks are running out fast.

Order yours today

2700 baht for Farangs and 67 baht for Thais.

I buy one

[deprogrammed]

AGAIN - WHERE IS THE SECURITY - YOU KNOW POLICE, ARMY, SPECIAL SECURITY????????????????

[Koo82]

You cant have ordinary people terrorised in their own homes by nutters with molotovs. This has gone beyond peaceful protest. It is time for the authorities to take action.

I agree but then again nothing was done when the yellows were touting Guns and being violent in Bangkok when it was there turn

they are all as bad as one another

One yellow is Foreign Minister now. So no worry for the reds.

[henryalleman]

Summit postponed following clash between rival groups

PATTAYA: -- The summit of Asean leaders with dialogue partners has been postponed from 9 am Saturday following a clash of red-shirted and blue-shirted people outside the meeting venue.

The postponement was announced live on TV by the acting government spokesman.

-- The Nation 2009-04-11

Chinese PM, Japanese PM, NZ PM, SK president trapped in hotels

PATTAYA: -- The Chinese prime minister, New Zealand prime minister, Japanese prime minister and South Korean president could not leave their hotels to attend the Asean plus dialogue partners summit.

The hotels were blocked by the red-shirted protesters.

The Chinese prime minister and South Korea president stay at the Dusit Thani Pattaya Hotel, the Japanese prime minister at the Amari Pattaya Hotel and the New Zealand prime minister at the Dusit D2 Pattaya Hotel.

-- The Nation 2009-11-04

It makes me very sad what's going on these days. Paying 500 baht or more that people wear a red shirt? Democracy is what the country needs. The war in Cambodia......the troubles in the South......and the red shirt stuff makes it really difficult for villagers to understand what's really going on. I hope that people will be arrested who are violent. I love this country and made it to my home. Please think about the future. Our kids and happiness. Calm down.

Its not very sensible to publish your name, picture and adress in a public forum

Edited April 11, 2009 by henryalleman

[JacknDanny]

AGAIN - WHERE IS THE SECURITY - YOU KNOW POLICE, ARMY, SPECIAL SECURITY????????????????

Arriving, with more on the way

[johng]

State of emergency announced ??

[JimmyTheMook]

Yep , just another day in paradise for us Farangs

Our home countries really are the pitts , we love Thailand

[jbhh]

UDD red-shirts beaten off at Sathorn Bangkok

[JacknDanny]

You cant have ordinary people terrorised in their own homes by nutters with molotovs. This has gone beyond peaceful protest. It is time for the authorities to take action.

I agree but then again nothing was done when the yellows were touting Guns and being violent in Bangkok when it was there turn

they are all as bad as one another

One yellow is Foreign Minister now. So no worry for the reds.

Where is all this <deleted> about peaceful protest, Koo?

Shame on you and your fellow protesters

[petedk]

Just heard on TV that they are considering a state of emergency

[h90]

AGAIN - WHERE IS THE SECURITY - YOU KNOW POLICE, ARMY, SPECIAL SECURITY????????????????

Eating lunch?

[Thai at Heart]

The much vaunted armed forces of Thailand are absolutely useless. Why is it even possible for protesters to get within such close proximity of the venue and have a pushing match hand to hand with police?

The ends will have proven to justify the means. The seeds for this were sown the day that the Dems didn't come out and condemn the PAD protests 6 months ago. People then said the ends justified the means because the PAD were standing for some perceived moral right. Well today, we have the evidence of what happens when one part of society is perceived the have the grace and favour of the law over another.

I was in Greece a few years ago when there was a G8 conference and was in Seoul last year when the US and Korea were doing trade talks. The level of security was absolutely enormous around the meetings, from helicopter gunships airborne 24 hours a day, to weighted containers positioned alongside every major road to prevent mass movement of people towards the venues. They had troop carriers everywhere, buses blocking roads and protesters knew that if they crossed a line, all hel_l would break loose.

What planning did the police do? I remember being in a hotel a few years ago and Chuan just dropped in with no security whatsoever. Thailand was a different place in those days, but I was astonished at the lack of security around who was the PM of the day. The police knew this was going to happen, but then again, planning for the worst and hoping for the best isn't a particularly strong idea over here.

[JacknDanny]

State of emergency announced ??

Not yet, but reports say it will be announced soon

[ironhut]

Talking about now possibility of airlifting world leaders out...possibly only speculation by commentators on thailandoutlooktv.com.

I've been here for a few years and rarely see a helicopter - and just don't get it.

The cost of one helicopter would off-set the cost of a VIP caravan consisting of countless cars/motorcycles/etc. and further cost/inconvenience of motorists in and around Bangkok on a daily basis. And in this current case, the helicopters would come in handy for our stranded world leaders who have been invited for discussions this weekend.

[mc2]

the goverment has lost all credibility inside and outside the country.

its time for Abhisit to make an announcement to put an end to this.

sheesh what a mess

Edited April 11, 2009 by mc2

[Koo82]

Four governements in the past year has not been enough for these Taksin trouble makers. You better believe that if they were in Alabama the necks of red would take care of them in a hurry. These people have shown that they rather run than fight.

A sound comment of an upstanding citizen from the KKK.

4 PMs last year is the product of Thai ruling class who do not accept people's voice. They knock democratically elected governments for whatever reason they can think of.

When leaders of other countries shake hands with Thai PM, they may think "I don't know if next time this guy is still here".

Let democracy come back to Thailand and see how fast Thailand develops. Those at top now are having old style of working and thinking. They don't know how to work but they want to be in power. They are only good at talking and making faces.

[OJAS]

Absolutely pathetic.

The protesters are inside the Asean Summit hotel in force and doing whatever they want inside. Thailand is a joke. A basic unarmed mob can't be thwarted when the safety of world leaders are at stake. NEVER again should a world leader step foot in this country.

Again, WHERE ARE THE HELICOPTERS, WATER CANNONS, ATTACK DOGS, AND BALLS of the authorities?

Spot on! The words, piss-up, brewery, can't & organise spring to my mind at any rate in describing the gross incompetence of the so-called Thai security forces in their handling of both yellow and red shirt protests these past 6 months. Heaven help us all should Al-Qaeda decide to stage an atrocity in Thailand - & I fear that recent events here may not have gone unnoticed on their part.

In the meantime, soft targets such as overstaying farangs are hounded mercilessly & banged-up in solitary confinement in the Bangkok Hilton if caught, no questions asked. Says it all about the limited capabilities of those responsible for enforcing law & order in Thailand IMHO.

Bit worrying for me that blue seems to be the new colour on the block. Suppose I should now shred all my blue shirts if I am to have any chance of remaining in 1 piece from now on??

[Orac]

Watching the coverage of TPBS now, the storming of the hotel does not appear to have been done violently and neither am I seeing the hotel being 'smashed up' as has been commented. Since this part of the hotel was being used as the media centre I am sure that the same pictures are going out round the world and will make the 'violent thugs' image that some are portraying sound ridiculous. There is no sign of anyone being attacked or even threatened and what appears to be an almost party atmosphere and even some of the protesters shaking hands with some of the soldiers.

I for one will be very interested to see the governments response to this in the full media glare that the redshirts now have - too heavy a handed approach will almost certainly be condemned now by the international media.

[Enigma56]

I think that so many of you are missing the point here. It does not matter what color the shirt, who had want weapons, which colour supports what politician. Its all about the fact that mob rule now appears to hold sway in Thailand. The security forces, one uses the terms cautiously, do nothing presumably because the powers that be in government, the army or the police also support certain factions. And at the day, I am sorry to say it is all about money, that misguided goal that drives virtually all Thai's, the need to get money at any cost.

For my families part, and I mean my Thai wife and son we are looking closely to see if Thailand is a good place to live when I retire. In the current troubled period Thailand is going through I think it is not as there appears to be little in the way of security in this country ..more like "Land of Snarls" than the "Land of Smiles" .

[JacknDanny]

Abhisit just been talking live, saying they are trying to get things back to normal.

[terryp]

State of emergency in Chonburi & Pattaya just anounced by Abasit

[Livinginexile]

Thailand needs to return to democracy, in case some of you guys have forgotten what that means its; Majority rules!

If it takes a revolution to restore democracy then so be it.

"Revolution is born from the barrel of a gun"

It was all's "fair in love and war" when the yellow shirts waged a terrorist campaign.

But now the pro democracy movement is gaining momentum you are all shouting "foul"

Freedom will win in the end.

Long live democracy

[hammered]

State of emergency in Chonburi & Pattaya just anounced by Abasit

He had no choice the red shirts have gone totally beyond any democratic demonstration. Arisman sounds utterly insane right now.

[george]

Helicopter lifts off Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel

Pattaya - A helicopter lifts off a helipad of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel at about 1:30 pm following a storm-in by red-shirted protesters.

TNN News reported live that another helicopter is still waiting at the hotel.

-- The Nation 2009-04-11

[Digitalman]

State of emergency in Chonburi & Pattaya just anounced by Abasit

yep and the Chinese understand fully that the Government really tried to keep them safe...

I think Thailand lost big time at the bargaining table during this summit. Every nation represented there is thinking the same thing.

[Aussietraveller]

Sky news in Australia is reporting that ASEAN Summit has been cancelled due to security at the venue.

[Koo82]

Talking about now possibility of airlifting world leaders out...possibly only speculation by commentators on thailandoutlooktv.com.

I've been here for a few years and rarely see a helicopter - and just don't get it.

The cost of one helicopter would off-set the cost of a VIP caravan consisting of countless cars/motorcycles/etc. and further cost/inconvenience of motorists in and around Bangkok on a daily basis. And in this current case, the helicopters would come in handy for our stranded world leaders who have been invited for discussions this weekend.

I've heard from DStation that Abhisit went to Pattaya by helicopter yesterday and they used (or wanted to use) helicopter to move taxi at Victory Monument blocking traffic. It takes 30 minutes to move 1 taxi so they need 200 years to move all taxi having red drivers. These taxis will block tanks if Army wants to make a coup. Tank idea is outdated. It's not like 30 years ago. We are not afraid of tanks.

[john b good]

Enough is enough!! These people in red make me want to 'puke'. They have IQ's that can be counted on their fingers. When one backs a man who gives them 200 baht and promises them the ability to get government loans, THAT THEY MUST REPAY, you know they qualify for 'DIM-WIT' status. When there was controversy in the USA about the 2000 and 2004 general election, you DID NOT see the people who lost gathering in Washington D.C. and doing what these people in red are doing. Thailand is years off of being a Democratically run country, as greed and power are the only driving factors. Just think how selfish and stupid the previous PM was: 76 billion baht and not one baht DONATED to the good of the country: i.e. donations to schools; hosptials; environment; ad infinitum........if he had done this with no outside urging, he would still be PM. His days are numbered, but he doesn't get it still. Why don't his followers ever question how a policeman can become on of the richest men in the country........it sure wasn't by hard work......other elements were at work...don't kid yourself! I think it is now OK for the police and military to step in with VERY HEAVY HANDS!!!! To the reds: when you play with fire you will get burned....tum dii, die dii, tum chua, dii chua!!!!!

Lets face it, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absoluty,,,

At least Taksin has the majority suppot, his government was voted in by the rural poor,, they are not a bunch of low IQ pesants. The yellow shirts took over govt power, and in doing so ruined Thailands image, and tourist industry, and millions of jobs, creating more rural poor. The only solution is dissolution of parliament and hold free and fair elections, and for all to allow that government to govern for its full term.

Stop insulting the people of this country and inciting more trouble by supporting military intervention using weapons on unarmed, relativly peaceful protesters

Free and fair elections are not gonna happen in Thailand for light years so stop dreaming man.

When people give their vote to the guy that pays the most, elections are purely and simply a joke which is exactly what Thailand is in the eyes of the world.

[photojourn]

Thailand needs to return to democracy, in case some of you guys have forgotten what that means its; Majority rules!

If it takes a revolution to restore democracy then so be it.

"Revolution is born from the barrel of a gun"

It was all's "fair in love and war" when the yellow shirts waged a terrorist campaign.

But now the pro democracy movement is gaining momentum you are all shouting "foul"

Freedom will win in the end.

Long live democracy

Here, here. I'm totally amazed by the number of posts on here from expatriates who seem to have forgotten the definition of the word democracy.

Then again, lets not for a minute suggest that Thaksin Shinawatra was democratic leader who abided by all the principles of an open and fair democracy because that would be stretching the point to far.