There Will Be No Protest

[sabaijai]

There will be no protest

May 3, 2009

BANGKOK - THAILAND on Saturday sought to reassure Asian leaders that a regional summit to be rescheduled and held on the southern isle of Phuket would not end in chaos as an earlier meeting did in April.

The summit of leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and six dialogue partners was abruptly cancelled last month after anti-government protesters stormed the venue in the coastal city of Pattaya.

But the Thai government has insisted it will reschedule the summit.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Saturday the luxury tourist resort Phuket would be a safe destination for talks as the Democrat-led administration enjoys stronger support in the south.

'I believe there will be no protest as the meeting will be held in Phuket where local people, along with those in other parts of the south... want the meeting to be a success,' PM Suthep told reporters as he toured possible venues.

But he admitted the army would be drafted in to provide security for the summit in a bid to reassure Asian leaders.

The ASEAN summit with key partners China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and India, was due to meet April 11-12 for a series of meetings in Pattaya city.

But before the summit could begin supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, rallied in the seaside city and stormed the meeting venues.

A state of emergency was imposed briefly by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva while foreign leaders were urgently ferried to safety by helicopter, boat and car.

Thailand's national police chief has since transferred two high-ranking officers held responsible for the failed security and begun an investigation into the debacle.

The ASEAN meetings were originally due to be held in Bangkok in December and the Pattaya summit was only scheduled after numerous date and venue changes caused by months of political protests by rival groups in the kingdom. -- AFP

Source

[Thailand]

I would think that any party, faction , colour of shirt that decided to protest such a meeting would be renamed the EDP (Extremely Dumb Party).

This being Thailand there is a chance there may be claimants to such a title.

[basjke]

There will be no protest

May 3, 2009

'I believe there will be no protest as the meeting will be held in Phuket where local people, along with those in other parts of the south... want the meeting to be a success,' PM Suthep told reporters as he toured possible venues.

Does that include those parts in the south where there is a bomb attack every other day.

[DaleBlue]

Protest CANNOT be banned, even if the protest is held at the airports. It is a basic right of the Thai people. Unless they change the law first.

[TPI]

Protest CANNOT be banned, even if the protest is held at the airports. It is a basic right of the Thai people. Unless they change the law first.

Please excuse....what the man actually said:-

"I believe there will be no protest as the meeting will be held in Phuket where local people, along with those in other parts of the south... want the meeting to be a success,' PM Suthep told reporters as he toured possible venues."

[sbk]

There will be no protest

May 3, 2009

'I believe there will be no protest as the meeting will be held in Phuket where local people, along with those in other parts of the south... want the meeting to be a success,' PM Suthep told reporters as he toured possible venues.

Does that include those parts in the south where there is a bomb attack every other day.

No, that probably includes those parts of the South where a small group of redshirt protesters had to get police protection. The UDD will find no sympathy in the upper and middle South and I think you will find that even in the lower South, Thaksin is not a popular man. I would imagine most of the Muslims from the deep South remember Tak Bai quite well.

[animatic]

Protest p[er se can not be banned.

BUT where a protest is held and when CAN be controled by existing laws.

Just because Abhisit was letting the Red Shirts blow of steam before Songkran weekend

doesn't mean they HAVE to let them do it anywhere they choose.

Since Songkran weekend there is more than valid reasoning to strongly control

ANY gathering near an international conferences as a risk to security.

The Reds basically screwed uo their right to protest where and when they wish,

by not remaining orderly.

And this is equally relevant to yellows also coming out. The same logic must apply.

No protests, period, near international conferences, especially vis a vis the health situation.

[Scott]

This morning's paper (BKK Post) says the PAD is ready to protest about proposed changes to the constitution. Maybe Phuket will be safe, maybe not.

Protests, like most everything else, can be covered under a number of laws. There are laws (I assume) which prevent the obstruction of public buildings, traffic etc. I would guess there are a host of other laws, including health and sanitation regulations that could prevent large protests from occurring.

When the gov't didn't stop (or the military didn't listed) the PAD, they essentially let the genie out of the bottle. That was a very big mistake. Had they been stopped, then the Red Shirts would have been stopped in their tracks. Now, it's hard to turn back.

It's a country of many laws, but little enforcement.

[basjke]

There will be no protest

May 3, 2009

'I believe there will be no protest as the meeting will be held in Phuket where local people, along with those in other parts of the south... want the meeting to be a success,' PM Suthep told reporters as he toured possible venues.

Does that include those parts in the south where there is a bomb attack every other day.

No, that probably includes those parts of the South where a small group of redshirt protesters had to get police protection. The UDD will find no sympathy in the upper and middle South and I think you will find that even in the lower South, Thaksin is not a popular man. I would imagine most of the Muslims from the deep South remember Tak Bai quite well.

I understand your point but what I actually had in mind is what you mention in your last sentence.

Such a summit is an ideal opportunity to get the world focused on your demands.

Not so sure if everybody in the south wants this summit to be a success.

[animatic]

Swine flue could kill Moslem's as easily as Budhists and Christians.

Getting ASEAN dialog in general going has to help all parties,

not just one and not another.

[thaiwanderer]

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Saturday the luxury tourist resort Phuket would be a safe destination for talks as the Democrat-led administration enjoys stronger support in the south.

'I believe there will be no protest as the meeting will be held in Phuket where local people, along with those in other parts of the south... want the meeting to be a success,' PM Suthep told reporters as he toured possible venues.

But he admitted the army would be drafted in to provide security for the summit in a bid to reassure Asian leaders.

i.e. we aren't inclined to let it happen again, Phuket very Yellow and mass protesters would have to cross the bridge.

[jayboy]

No, that probably includes those parts of the South where a small group of redshirt protesters had to get police protection. The UDD will find no sympathy in the upper and middle South and I think you will find that even in the lower South, Thaksin is not a popular man. I would imagine most of the Muslims from the deep South remember Tak Bai quite well.

Not just Muslims from the deep South but all concerned people.Still I understand Khun Abhisit is pushing the military high command hard for the officers responsible for the massacre to be brought to book.

Let's hope the wheels of justice move as quickly as when that running dog Samak was brought low for cooking a few recipes on TV.