Brutal Attack On Female Redshirt

[TEFLMike]

History reports the true story, 'Witting and Unwitting' evidence. Albeit, primary and secondary sources/evidence. However, 'witting 'does not always prove the truth.

Edited April 13, 2009 by TEFLMike

[Bangyai]

Channel 4 News UK shows horrific film of an assault by a Thai photo-journalist on a female Red shirt protester.They also report 2 protesters shot dead with film of Goverment troops firing directly at protestors.I knew the Thai media was biased but this is the limit!

I am currently visiting my family in the U.K.and also saw the footage you mention on the news although it was not made clear what sparked the incident. The news also showed soldiers firing live rounds at highjacked buses that were attempting to baracade a road.

It is certain that there is a lot of censorship going on in the Thai media at present as when I phoned home to my gf in Thailand she said that the newsreal footage was very sparse of the events being written about in the press.

[sanmiguel]

Im staying in Petchburi Road Soi1 and about 5pm when i woke up there were soldiers lying down and taking aim at what i believe were protesters who'd hijacked a bus as minutes later the bus was on fire.

I dont know if they were aiming for the sky or what it was they were firing.

Certainly is one set of rules for the yellow shirts and one for the reds as the yellows never got any of this kind of treatment.

[thaiwanderer]

it was certainly unpleasant viewing but i do not think the attck on the redshirt lady can really be described as 'horrific' or 'vicious'

[RAZZELL]

Some of the violence aired by the BBC, Aljazeera and the TAN network has been sickening.

I too saw the troops on the BBC bulletin firing level at the crowd and not into the air. Though the reports had been the troops were given live ammo you could not tell if they were firing live ammunition or not, but the inference was that the ammo was live.

I would have thought the water cannon would have been sufficient to drive the protesters back, considering how powerful those jets of water are without the need for use of live ammo.

I've seen those same reports and yes it does look like some of the soldiers are firing straight into the crowd, my only point of contention is that if those were live rounds, wouldn't there be huge amounts of casualties ? The soldiers must have fired 5,000 or more rounds, with that amount of fire power, you'd think that at least 1 or 2 people would have been killed if they fired live ammo

Totally agree.

If all of the soldiers were firing live rounds hundreds would have been killed. The way they were firing as shown on the TV I think they'd have to been the worst shots in the world to miss everyone...

Plus, even when you fire in the air...rounds have to come down

And please... no armchair special forces guys start banging on about terminal velocity

RAZZ

Edited April 13, 2009 by RAZZELL

[waza]

That was his missus. lol

[dee123]

it was certainly unpleasant viewing but i do not think the attck on the redshirt lady can really be described as 'horrific' or 'vicious'

I take the point,............unpleasent,unecessary,and cowardly might have been a better description.

[Artisi]

Brutal is certainly over-the-top - uncalled for, stupid would be a better description.

[Richard W]

Aren't protesters civilians?

Rioters are insurrectionists - Thaksin called for revolution, though now he claims he only called for peaceful revolution.

[GuestHouse]

Let's remind ourselves that the army are on the streets because the police (inexplicably) failed to do their duty [who is it in this conflict that has such close ties to the police?].

Let us also keep in mind that, as noted above, two dead protesters is inconsistent with the Army aiming automatic weapons at protesters.

And let us all remember the real risks to everyone if anarchy is allowed to take control of the country.

To (most of) the international audience viewing this debacle, the idea of troops on the streets firing live weapons is at total odds of what they expect in a civil society - but then to (most of) the international audience viewing this debacle, they would expect the police to have done its job and an international arrest warrant to have been issued and acted on against the person sponsoring this violence.

As someone who has noted above, a rented mob, thrown into creating a conflict for a cause they probably know nothing about. Thaksin - Democracy - Don't make laugh.

But I do see fault in the international media, more so in the international community - For too long now abuses of human and civil rights in Thailand have been totally ignored - Extra judicial killings in a 'war on drugs', mass killings in the south, the abuse of refugees - The list goes on. (Think of the outcry had those things happened elsewhere in the world).

Thailand has been allowed to get away with murder - No surprise then that it continues.

[TonySoprano]

Let's remind ourselves that the army are on the streets because the police (inexplicably) failed to do their duty [who is it in this conflict that has such close ties to the police?].

Let us also keep in mind that, as noted above, two dead protesters is inconsistent with the Army aiming automatic weapons at protesters.

And let us all remember the real risks to everyone if anarchy is allowed to take control of the country.

To (most of) the international audience viewing this debacle, the idea of troops on the streets firing live weapons is at total odds of what they expect in a civil society - but then to (most of) the international audience viewing this debacle, they would expect the police to have done its job and an international arrest warrant to have been issued and acted on against the person sponsoring this violence.

As someone who has noted above, a rented mob, thrown into creating a conflict for a cause they probably know nothing about. Thaksin - Democracy - Don't make laugh.

But I do see fault in the international media, more so in the international community - For too long now abuses of human and civil rights in Thailand have been totally ignored - Extra judicial killings in a 'war on drugs', mass killings in the south, the abuse of refugees - The list goes on. (Think of the outcry had those things happened elsewhere in the world).

Thailand has been allowed to get away with murder - No surprise then that it continues.

Yes but what about the PAD rented mob? What about the army who didn't stop them from seizing the airport? That army has close to ties to who again?

You see what happens here? Every single post criticizing the Reds fails as the PAD did the exact same thing. The PAD was rewarded for their actions. Applauded. The Foreign Minister gave speeches and cheered on the PAD. So what have we know? The PAD have proven that this is a legitimate form of expression in Thai Society. You cannot have your cake and eat it to.

Edited April 13, 2009 by TonySoprano

[GuestHouse]

I neither want my cake or want to eat it.. I have not been critical of the reds.

[KhaoNiaw]

It is certain that there is a lot of censorship going on in the Thai media at present as when I phoned home to my gf in Thailand she said that the newsreal footage was very sparse of the events being written about in the press.

The Thai media isn't doing too badly. They are at least reporting what the foreign media is showing and saying. People with cable can see BBC and Al-Jazeera anyway and with the Net etc. I think these days they know there is little point in attempting to impose blanket censorship.

ou see what happens here? Every single post criticizing the Reds fails as the PAD did the exact same thing. The PAD was rewarded for their actions. Applauded. The Foreign Minister gave speeches and cheered on the PAD. So what have we know? The PAD have proven that this is a legitimate form of expression in Thai Society. You cannot have your cake and eat it to.

There will be room for manoeuvre here. Perhaps some kind of amnesty for the PAD and Red leadership (excluding Mr. T. of course). Spirit of reconciliation. Or if there is the will to deal with the Yellows, they can get whatever comes to the Reds. Tough on those who break the law. Of course it possible that the Yellows get away with it and the Reds don't, but that will hardly look promising to the country or a watching world.

Edited April 14, 2009 by KhaoNiaw

[TonySoprano]

I neither want my cake or want to eat it.. I have not been critical of the reds.

"As someone who has noted above, a rented mob, thrown into creating a conflict for a cause they probably know nothing about. Thaksin - Democracy - Don't make laugh."

??

[dee123]

Even more unsavoury news by Yahoo news says "In the evening three women wearing redshirts were beaten up by at least six drunken men",........

[BigSnake]

Channel 4 News UK shows horrific film of an assault by a Thai photo-journalist on a female Red shirt protester.They also report 2 protesters shot dead with film of Goverment troops firing directly at protestors.I knew the Thai media was biased but this is the limit!

Do you or anybodt here have that video link?

[GuestHouse]

I neither want my cake or want to eat it.. I have not been critical of the reds.

"As someone who has noted above, a rented mob, thrown into creating a conflict for a cause they probably know nothing about. Thaksin - Democracy - Don't make laugh."

??

Why's that a criticism?

I'm sure the people running around in Red Shirts believe they are fighting for democracy - They are not, they are fighting to keep a convicted criminal out of prison and to prevent him loosing the rest of the money for which he can't provide a reasonable account for how he came by it.

[Ulysses G.]

"Convicted" by the very people who forced him out of office illegally with a military coup. Cut the B.S.

Edited April 14, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[dee123]

Channel 4 News UK shows horrific film of an assault by a Thai photo-journalist on a female Red shirt protester.They also report 2 protesters shot dead with film of Goverment troops firing directly at protestors.I knew the Thai media was biased but this is the limit!

Do you or anybodt here have that video link?

its above you Bigsnake,......the problem is there maybe many cases of beatings and other offences committed against redshirts,but if the redshirts are to be believed there is no way the Thai media will highlight these sort of actions,only western journalists who are very few in numbers are reporting these kind of incidents,and they cannot be everywhere at the same time therefore they have to rely on Thai media for info.

Edited April 14, 2009 by dee123

[dee123]

I neither want my cake or want to eat it.. I have not been critical of the reds.

"As someone who has noted above, a rented mob, thrown into creating a conflict for a cause they probably know nothing about. Thaksin - Democracy - Don't make laugh."

??

Why's that a criticism?

I'm sure the people running around in Red Shirts believe they are fighting for democracy - They are not, they are fighting to keep a convicted criminal out of prison and to prevent him loosing the rest of the money for which he can't provide a reasonable account for how he came by it.

I'm afraid I'll have to agree with you on this one Bogey!

[sceadugenga]

Convicted by the very people who forced him out of office illegally with a military coup. Cut the B.S.

Agreed General.

I'm not going to get into this, I've better things to do with my day... like walking the dog, but I've never witnessed such a total ignorance of what goes on in Thailand before along with what can only be described as mass forum hysteria.

Those who criticise Thaksin should take a long hard look at the past career of Suthep Thaugsuban, who is almost certainly running the country at the moment.

[shawndoc]

The two shot dead were trying to drive the red shirts out. From the Bangkok Post link earlier in this thread:

Reports said more than 100 locals at Bangkok's Mahanak Market were trying to drive out the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters from the area before the clash erupted.

Gunshots were heard periodically.

The locals asked for assistance from about 30 police and military officers stationed nearby the area, but they did not respond to the request.

The two men, who were allegedly gunned down by the red-shirts, are identified as Pom Polphanbua, aged 54, and Yuthakarn, 19.

One of the wounded were shot in the ankle.

Note the civilians asked for help from the police and military, who refused to help restore order. And now 2 more civilians who have nothing to do with the reds or the yellows lie dead to failure of the police to do their jobs.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Convicted by the very people who forced him out of office illegally with a military coup. Cut the B.S.

Agreed General.

I'm not going to get into this, I've better things to do with my day... like walking the dog, but I've never witnessed such a total ignorance of what goes on in Thailand before along with what can only be described as mass forum hysteria.

Those who criticise Thaksin should take a long hard look at the past career of Suthep Thaugsuban, who is almost certainly running the country at the moment.

Ehm, well, running that part of the country that the powers-that-be allow the government to run under supervision.

But other than that, good point. So many people are really ill informed.. And reading the likes of the Nation won't make that any better in a hurry..

[TonySoprano]

I neither want my cake or want to eat it.. I have not been critical of the reds.

"As someone who has noted above, a rented mob, thrown into creating a conflict for a cause they probably know nothing about. Thaksin - Democracy - Don't make laugh."

??

Why's that a criticism?

I'm sure the people running around in Red Shirts believe they are fighting for democracy - They are not, they are fighting to keep a convicted criminal out of prison and to prevent him loosing the rest of the money for which he can't provide a reasonable account for how he came by it.

I keep forgetting that this entire 3 year struggle is simply about Thaskin's frozen funds and the motive to stamp out corruption in Thai society. No bigger issues beyond Thaskin at play No, its just about him.

Its amazing, this human desire to reduce everything into the simplest terms possible. I guess everything has to fit into the context of a movie for some people. "Wait, whose the bad guy?"...

Edited April 14, 2009 by TonySoprano

[ThaisGood]

As usual, excellent coverage from Al Jazeera. I can not comprehend how Al Jazeera is not allowed in USA, it just proves that American media is totally censored.

I wish the protesters well. Citizens should have a right to protest. I believe Thaksin won popular election many times, and those elections were fair. Not a good idea to kick the guy out. What you get is mass protest.

Edited April 14, 2009 by ThaisGood

[wasabi]

As usual, excellent coverage from Al Jazeera. I can not comprehend how Al Jazeera is not allowed in USA, it just proves that American media is totally censored.

I wish the protesters well. Citizens should have a right to protest. I believe Thaksin won popular election many times, and those elections were fair. Not a good idea to kick the guy out. What you get is mass protest.

I agree people should have a right to protest. But when protesters start shooting innocent civilians things have turned a bit too Animal Farm for my tastes. I don't care who is right at this point. This level of chaos needs to stop and more proper negotiations should take place.

[Trollkiller]

ThaisGood, I wouldn't call this a protest, but a riot. There is a difference you know.

[wefearourdespot]

Aren't protesters civilians?

For butcher Abhisit they are legitimate targets

[mc2]

As usual, excellent coverage from Al Jazeera. I can not comprehend how Al Jazeera is not allowed in USA, it just proves that American media is totally censored.

Al jazeera in arabic was very onesided during the palistinian conflict, but I agree, in Thailands case, more balanced

[G54]

it was certainly unpleasant viewing but i do not think the attck on the redshirt lady can really be described as 'horrific' or 'vicious'

I take the point,............unpleasent,unecessary,and cowardly might have been a better description.

That channel 4 news report did seem a bit more comprehensive than some others.

Yes the lady was assaulted but not as horrific as the first impression was given by the OP.

As for the gunfire, it is not easy - at the time - to know if the ammo was live or not. In hindsight, yes, you would expect more casualties if they rounds had been live ones as they shot at the crowd.

All in all though, still not good for the image of Thailand.