Water Canon Used Against Chiang Mai Redshirt’s - 14 Police Injured

[george]

Water canon used against Chiang Mai redshirt’s - 14 police injured

By John Le Fevre

CHIANG MAI (thaivisa.com): -- Police in the Northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai have used water canon to disperse red-shirt protesters after two days of violent clashes that saw 14 policemen injured.

The protesters, members of the United Front for Democracy (UDD), had gathered in opposition to Finance Minister Korn Chatikavenij’s attendance at a meeting with banks owned by the Finance Ministry at the Chiang Mai University auditorium.

The clashes began following the arrest on Thursday of a 45-year-old redshirt protester, Niyom Luangcharoen, who was detained by police as he allegedly tried to enter Chiang Mai airport with a gun and ammunition to join other protesters waiting on Korn’s arrival.

Following Niyom’s arrest about 200 protesters besieged the Puping Rachaniwet police station demanding his immediate, unconditional release.

When police refused to conform to their demands, the protesters attacked the police lines with stones, wooden sticks and catapults, damaging a number of police vehicles in the process.

Eight policemen were injured in the melee, with two of them currently receiving treatment in the ICU ward of a local hospital.

Protesters then blocked the main Huay Kaew Road and when ordered to disperse by police, retaliated by throwing firecrackers, injuring one bystander. Shots were also allegedly fired at police, but no injuries were reported.

Somkid Boonthanom, chief of Provincial Police Region 5, said the redshirt protesters had gathered again on Friday to rally against Korn meeting with local business owners and police reinforcements were drafted from neighbouring Lamphun and Lampang provinces to assist.

Following further clashes with police, the protesters withdrew to the Chiang Mai Grand Waroros Palace Hotel, home to the main redshirt community radio station.

Somkid said about 1,000 police had been required to disperse the protesters, with many of them being equipped with protective riot clothing, batons and shields.

The finance minister was in Chiang Mai to follow up on development projects worth Bt18.8 million (about $US546,000), that he said should benefit the majority of the population.

-- thaivisa.com 2009-07-18

[timekeeper]

i think this incident once again serves to show that thickskins followers are little more than a paid for gang of hoodlums

who needs to take a gun and ammunition to an airport in support of a supposedly peaceful rally?

then demanding his unconditional release?

what if a muslim, indian, arab or a farang were caught at an airport with a gun and ammo?

i think we would be discussing his untimely demise not his unconditional release

[Artisi]

Oh where, oh where are the red shirt sympathisers to remind us it's all a PAD plot .

Edited July 18, 2009 by Artisi

[brahmburgers]

Good to hear Chiang Mai police are acting dynamically to try and keep the peace there. It's particularly heartening to see the right action being taken in Thaksin's home city. Sorry to hear some cops were injured, with two in ICU.

Demonstration leaders should be held directly responsible for all expenses incurred. These would include damage to property, hospital bills for anyone injured directly or indirectly from their actions, and any other incidental expenses (reparations for wages lost due to injuries, or wrongful death costs).

Hopefully cops in Pattaya and Bangkok will learn from Chiang Mai's example of what is needed to keep paid thugs from taking over the streets.

[bdenner]

Who cares about the red shirts? All I need to know is why do members like 'Timekeeper' have to QUOTE the OP and use unnecessary bandwidth!

[Valentine]

A sad scenario indeed. If the Chiang Mai red shirts & those in other places allowed unhindered access to anyone, no matter their political sway, then they could truly say they are fighting for democracy but thier current actions totally belie that fact.

[animatic]

They are being true to form,

and not to the legend carefully crafted to mislead the world press.

Timekeeper makes some valid points.

[hammered]

Is there TV coverage of this? On some blogs the reports of reds attacking police have been disputed. Not usually one to say much good about LCM51 who have a history of violence but......

[commons]

Is there TV coverage of this? On some blogs the reports of reds attacking police have been disputed. Not usually one to say much good about LCM51 who have a history of violence but......

i agree... i'd like to hear more voices.

the op tastes like a re-write of bkk-post & nation info. i'm sorry, i just can't trust neither by 100%.

bangkokpundit refers to hobby's blog who posted some pics & an eye-witness-account of day2-incidents. yesterday, friday, 17th. @ cmu art museum / convention hall; suthep road/nimanhemin. he concludes at least _these_ events were peaceful. he claims there wasn't any threat to "storm" the meeting.

i drove by there a couple of times & i was wondering ab the massive police presence. i did not witness neither demonstration nor any police action. but it sure looked like extremely professional riot control setup!

*

as i agree lcm51 has indeed a history of mob-violence... i just wd like to hear more. esp ab the events on thursday night.

anyone knows sth?

thx

[commons]

ok... here's a bit more...

a) the first is bkk post on incidents on thursday night. it's only source i can find that mentions khun niyom is local radio broadcaster.

second one actually includes video-footage

*

Police station under siege as red shirt held

Minister says Thaksin pardon bid is futile

Writer: ]POST REPORTERSPublished: 17/07/2009 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News Chiang Mai - About 200 red shirt protesters surrounded a police station last night demanding the release of a radio broadcaster who is facing a charge of carrying a gun at the airport.

The supporters of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra blocked the Phu Ping police station where Niyom Lueangcharoen of FM 92.5 was being held.

They called on the police to release Mr Niyom without any conditions.

Mr Niyom was arrested after security guards found a gun in his car at Chiang Mai airport and taken to the police station.

He and other red shirt members planned to stage a protest against Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij and Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai who are visiting the northern city.

Pol Maj Gen Pandop Sukhonthaman, deputy chief of Police Region 5, said their visit was kept secret for safety reasons. But once the news of their arrival leaked out, the Thaksin loyalists raced to the airport.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/2...-red-shirt-held

*

Hundreds of protesters surrounded a police station in Chiang Mai on Thursday (July 16) after police arrested a pro-Thaksin community radio disc jockey believed to be one of the leaders of the red-shirt protesters.

The protesters say the police arrested a man by the name of DJ Lae for carrying a weapon through Chiang Mai International Airport late Thursday.

Around midnight angry protesters drove a pick-up truck full of red shirted protesters through a police line outside the police station.

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/...2686280838.html

[hammered]

Thanks for the TV link.

If this dude was carrying a gun at an airport he should be charged

[baht&sold]

Is there TV coverage of this? On some blogs the reports of reds attacking police have been disputed. Not usually one to say much good about LCM51 who have a history of violence but......

Video here: http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/...2686280838.html

[venturalaw]

Is there TV coverage of this? On some blogs the reports of reds attacking police have been disputed. Not usually one to say much good about LCM51 who have a history of violence but......

Video here: http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/...2686280838.html

A second thanks for the link. I was in town on Thursday but fortunately not that part of town. Really a shame this is going on here.

[baht&sold]

PM confirms plan to visit Chiang Mai

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insisted on Saturday afternoon that he will visit the northern province of Chiang Mai to inspect the implementation of the Thai Khem Kaeng (Strong Thailand) scheme even though the red-shirts would rally against him.

(full article link to Bkk Post)

[brahmburgers]

Who cares about the red shirts?

I care. Any group that gets weapons and goes around looking for trouble is a group that I'm concerned about. Kudos to C.Mai police force for standing tall and facing the trouble makers.

I bet even bdenner would care if his brother or father were in ICU due to Red Shirters.

[animatic]

Who cares about the red shirts?

I care. Any group that gets weapons and goes around looking for trouble is a group that I'm concerned about. Kudos to C.Mai police force for standing tall and facing the trouble makers.

I bet even bdenner would care if his brother or father were in ICU due to Red Shirters.

Agreed.

If Thaksin really is the icon of democracy he paints himself as

he would put a stop to the red violence, because it IS undemocratic.

Freedom of assembly, freedom of information, and freedom of differing opinions,

all go hand in hand with Democratic ideals.

And these ideals and rights of the common man,

goes counter to most Chaing Mai Redshirt's actions.

Even serious public health issues take second place to

their demands for ONLY ONE POINT OF VIEW... theirs.

Edited July 18, 2009 by animatic

[moe666]

Lets see the yellow shirts shut down the two most important airports to over throw an elected government and nothing was done to stop them or punish later for starting the downward spiral of Thai tourism.

But a few redshirts get the water canon.

[bayrider1505]

Red Shirt = 150 Baht at local store.

Yellow Shirt = 150 Baht at local store.

Forced Closing of Airport for 2 weeks by the PAD = 2% of GDP of THAILAND. 14 Billion DOLLARS! 476 Billion Baht!

Given that Thailand's GDP is estimated at $648 Billion dollars for 2009.

Projected growth rate of Thai economy is at 1.8 by the Thai government(which means they have replaced a Prime minister that they didn't like with another Prime minister that they hate even more! to push themselves into RECESSION - given that now they have negative growth of -.2% due to the airport closure). I think the PAD should face the consequences of their actions since 476 Billion Baht will buy a lot of rice and it means that THAI children might go hungry because of the callousness of their actions.

Priceless. I cry for Thailand. I LOVE THE THAI PEOPLE and it pains me to see this.

[dbrenn]

Lets see the yellow shirts shut down the two most important airports to over throw an elected government and nothing was done to stop them or punish later for starting the downward spiral of Thai tourism.

But a few redshirts get the water canon.

That's right. So long as there is a double standard, this whole red vs. yellow thing will never end.

Talking of double standards, Thailand now has a Deputy Prime Minister who keeps his job despite having to resign as a MP due to prohibited share holdings.

[Valentine]

Airports were ordered closed by the authorities not the yellow shirts who were protesting outside the airport but were forced to go inside after grenade launchers were used against them. Recession in Thailand may have been hastened by the airport closure & subsequent tourist cancellations but the current recession is truly due to the financial crisis which originated in America & from which most of the world is now suffering.

Red shirt rioting in isolated parts of Bangkok made dramatic headlines while the rest of the city & the country continued to enjoy Songkran. The antics of the red shirts in CM portray them as thugs because everything they do is totally anti democracy. They are responsible for at least one death, closed down the gay parade while the police looked on, prevented the health minister from performing his role in checking on influenza 2009, & tried to stop the finance minister from performing his role.

I think the red shirts have a deliberate campaign to stop the government from performing their governing role in red shirt strangleholds & they refuse to engage in any meaningful dialogue.

As for double standard I read almost everyday about yellow shirts having to surrender to the police to face charges resulting from the airport closure & have yet to see anything about fast tracking prosecutions against red shirts although they too have surrendered to face charges apart from Jakrapob who has fled the scene.

[dbrenn]

Airports were ordered closed by the authorities not the yellow shirts who were protesting outside the airport but were forced to go inside after grenade launchers were used against them. Recession in Thailand may have been hastened by the airport closure & subsequent tourist cancellations but the current recession is truly due to the financial crisis which originated in America & from which most of the world is now suffering.

Red shirt rioting in isolated parts of Bangkok made dramatic headlines while the rest of the city & the country continued to enjoy Songkran. The antics of the red shirts in CM portray them as thugs because everything they do is totally anti democracy. They are responsible for at least one death, closed down the gay parade while the police looked on, prevented the health minister from performing his role in checking on influenza 2009, & tried to stop the finance minister from performing his role.

I think the red shirts have a deliberate campaign to stop the government from performing their governing role in red shirt strangleholds & they refuse to engage in any meaningful dialogue.

As for double standard I read almost everyday about yellow shirts having to surrender to the police to face charges resulting from the airport closure & have yet to see anything about fast tracking prosecutions against red shirts although they too have surrendered to face charges apart from Jakrapob who has fled the scene.

Well you are half right - we hear a lot of talk about yellow shirts having to surrender to the police, etcetera, etcetera, but still no tangible action yet, like perpetrators gettinng thrown in jail. All talk, no action, does nothing to convince people that this whole recconciliation is anything more than a PR stunt. And so the violence continues, to the detriment of all.

Let's not forget that guns were used in the PAD riots too. It was all on the news - plain as day, but it's alright when they do it

It's simply not true to single out the red shirts only as violent thugs. The yellows were using exactly the same tactics, and caused far more damage when they closed down the airports.

This mess will never end while such hypocrisy prevails, more's the pity.

Edited July 19, 2009 by dbrenn

[PeaceBlondie]

Terrorist red shirts, trying to overthrow their own country by violence

[dbrenn]

Terrorist red shirts, trying to overthrow their own country by violence

Not to mention terrorist yellow shirts, closing down the airports and overthrowing an elected civilian government by violence.

Edited July 19, 2009 by dbrenn

[brahmburgers]

Lets see the yellow shirts shut down the two most important airports to over throw an elected government and nothing was done to stop them or punish later for starting the downward spiral of Thai tourism. But a few redshirts get the water canon.

Tourism numbers for Thailand would have gone down regardless of the airports being closed for 2 weeks. As you know, there are several factors intwined in that. BTW, from my observations, there appear to be healthy number of tourists in northernmost Thailand.

Yellows were engaging in non-violent demonstrations - which are allowed. Granted, there were some rowdies, which is to be expected whenever a large crowd gathers. However, when comparing the demonstration operandi of Yellows vs Reds, there is a clear propensity towards violence and weapon wielding by the Reds. Plus, the take-over of Gov't House by Yellows was disrupted by grenade launchings causing at least one fatality - clearly a very serious escalation of violence, which was probably caused by Reds or their sympathizers.

Forced Closing of Airport for 2 weeks by the PAD = 2% of GDP of THAILAND. 14 Billion DOLLARS! 476 Billion Baht!

Ridiculous number. Why not say $140 Billion, if it bolsters your argument further.

Edited July 19, 2009 by brahmburgers

[scotbeve]

Red Shirt = 150 Baht at local store.

Yellow Shirt = 150 Baht at local store.

Forced Closing of Airport for 2 weeks by the PAD = 2% of GDP of THAILAND. 14 Billion DOLLARS! 476 Billion Baht!

Given that Thailand's GDP is estimated at $648 Billion dollars for 2009.

Projected growth rate of Thai economy is at 1.8 by the Thai government(which means they have replaced a Prime minister that they didn't like with another Prime minister that they hate even more! to push themselves into RECESSION - given that now they have negative growth of -.2% due to the airport closure). I think the PAD should face the consequences of their actions since 476 Billion Baht will buy a lot of rice and it means that THAI children might go hungry because of the callousness of their actions.

Priceless. I cry for Thailand. I LOVE THE THAI PEOPLE and it pains me to see this.

Bayrider,

Your post is the most sensible one of the lot on this thread!!! But one could carry on with the barrage of economic complaints such as: who has the jewellery stolen from the Saudi sheik?, why hasn't Saxena (in exile in Canada) been hauled back to Thailand yet and brought before the court?, And what about the idea (which I thoroughly support) of increasing the property tax - this was quelled VERY quickly in Parliament House!!!!?.... Good ideas quelled plus countless other irregularities blatantly and brazenly done daily / weekly / annually by the higher ups from medal bedecked white coats to ....... (almost) at the very top. All the rumours are there, people have been in court and put in jail for speaking their mind and / or reporting facts. A slew of you folks on here that are (unbelievably) supporters of the yellow shirts believe that these small skirmishes are abominable are WAY out of line and hypocritical. Look in the mirror.... take a long, hard look....

[aussimike]

Lets see the yellow shirts shut down the two most important airports to over throw an elected government and nothing was done to stop them or punish later for starting the downward spiral of Thai tourism.

But a few redshirts get the water canon.

always seems to be a large number of PAD yellow shirt supporters in TV = amazes me and just wonder if they all condone the taking over of the airports, govt house etc etc - the total destruction of public and private property, their use of force including weapons - and the leaders total disregard and displays of utter contempt for law and order - the latest being their demands and no acceptance of charges filed agaist them by police -they just laugh at at this -- and the MP who scoffs at the law of the land -ok the red shirt DJ had a weapon in his car which was stupid - but i just wonder if this had been a PAD guy would the reaction here be the same -- perhaps a lot of member would be yelling their support for him as quick as they are to put down the red shirts

[aussimike]

Lets see the yellow shirts shut down the two most important airports to over throw an elected government and nothing was done to stop them or punish later for starting the downward spiral of Thai tourism. But a few redshirts get the water canon.

Tourism numbers for Thailand would have gone down regardless of the airports being closed for 2 weeks. As you know, there are several factors intwined in that. BTW, from my observations, there appear to be healthy number of tourists in northernmost Thailand.

Yellows were engaging in non-violent demonstrations - which are allowed. Granted, there were some rowdies, which is to be expected whenever a large crowd gathers. However, when comparing the demonstration operandi of Yellows vs Reds, there is a clear propensity towards violence and weapon wielding by the Reds. Plus, the take-over of Gov't House by Yellows was disrupted by grenade launchings causing at least one fatality - clearly a very serious escalation of violence, which was probably caused by Reds or their sympathizers.

Forced Closing of Airport for 2 weeks by the PAD = 2% of GDP of THAILAND. 14 Billion DOLLARS! 476 Billion Baht!

Ridiculous number. Why not say $140 Billion, if it bolsters your argument further.

you really have been living in the boondocks for far too long and need to come back to the real world -- yellow shirt non violent - come on - not from what i saw here in bkk-- and allowed really -- some rowdies - you mean PAD thugs dont u or u only use that term when referring to UDD members - Well feel happy in your yellow shirt - sure you sleep in yellow pyjamas also -- but time to get your head out of the mountain clouds and come back to reality and some touch of the real world - healthy tourism really - try telling that the tour operators here and hotels who experienced massive cancellations due to the airport closures and are still feeling it-- come get wth the real world

[brahmburgers]

Lets see the yellow shirts shut down the two most important airports to over throw an elected government and nothing was done to stop them or punish later for starting the downward spiral of Thai tourism. But a few redshirts get the water canon.

Tourism numbers for Thailand would have gone down regardless of the airports being closed for 2 weeks. As you know, there are several factors intwined in that. BTW, from my observations, there appear to be healthy number of tourists in northernmost Thailand.

Yellows were engaging in non-violent demonstrations - which are allowed. Granted, there were some rowdies, which is to be expected whenever a large crowd gathers. However, when comparing the demonstration operandi of Yellows vs Reds, there is a clear propensity towards violence and weapon wielding by the Reds. Plus, the take-over of Gov't House by Yellows was disrupted by grenade launchings causing at least one fatality - clearly a very serious escalation of violence, which was probably caused by Reds or their sympathizers.

Forced Closing of Airport for 2 weeks by the PAD = 2% of GDP of THAILAND. 14 Billion DOLLARS! 476 Billion Baht!

Ridiculous number. Why not say $140 Billion, if it bolsters your argument further.

you really have been living in the boondocks for far too long and need to come back to the real world -- yellow shirt non violent - come on - not from what i saw here in bkk-- and allowed really -- some rowdies - you mean PAD thugs dont u or u only use that term when referring to UDD members - Well feel happy in your yellow shirt - sure you sleep in yellow pyjamas also -- but time to get your head out of the mountain clouds and come back to reality and some touch of the real world - healthy tourism really - try telling that the tour operators here and hotels who experienced massive cancellations due to the airport closures and are still feeling it-- come get wth the real world

How did you know, I do sleep in yellow pyjamas! have you been peeking in my windows at night?

I can't say whether tourism in northernmost Thailand is getting back to health, but one indicator is the relatively large number of farang who go to the modest sized Night Bazaar here in C.Rai. Between 7 and 9 pm, on the road leading to the main entrance, police have to sometimes stop traffic to allow large groups of tourists to cross the street. These are tourists who usually stay at mid-priced hotels and g.h's, rather than over-priced resorts - so perhaps the TAT numbers (which give more weight to resort numbers) are not well enough apprised. Plus, tourists may be fat and poor dressers, but they do have some sense of where the safer areas of Thailand are. When they read newspapers reporting riots in Pattaya and Bangkok, and possible riots for Phuket (upcoming ASEAN meet), then you might expect them to look elsewhere in Thailand - for safer places.

I'd venture that UDD and DAAD and whatever else the Red Shirts call themselves are doing more damage to Thailand's tourism sector than whatever the Yellows did.

Edited July 19, 2009 by brahmburgers

[mc2]

Terrorist red shirts, trying to overthrow their own country by violence

They are not terrorists they are freedom fighters

and although i dont condone violence i think the government must do more to address the root cause of red shirt grievences

[mauGR1]

Terrorist red shirts, trying to overthrow their own country by violence

They are not terrorists they are freedom fighters

and although i dont condone violence i think the government must do more to address the root cause of red shirt grievences

Freedom fighters eh,so let them wander around with guns and terrorize the people who don't think like them.