Suthep Expects Red Shirt Protesters To Use Violence Around Feb 19-26

[webfact]

Suthep expects turbulence by red shirts around 19-26 Feb

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban Saturday told his party meeting that he expected the red shirt protesters to go wild and use violent protests during February 19 to 26.

Suthep said he expected the red-shirt protesters would use all forms of violence to try topple the government and bring back former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

-- The Nation 2010-01-23

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[plachon]

Suthep proving himself to be a dinosaur in making these kind of projections, which are normally the domain of old-style politicians of the Chalerm or Samak-ilk, and do nothing to help Thailand's image as a modernising country. Let's just hope it is not a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[Bagwan]

Does he have any thoughts on what horse will win the Grand National this year? Does he (dread the thought) use the same mystic that Thaksin used?

His pronouncements only serve to prove his mental incapability.

[waza]

Hmm maybe he has some inside information?

[jdinasia]

Do you doubt that he is being fed information from people that would know? The question then becomes is it misinformation or not. If given information that could tell of an impending threat to public safety isn't it the best interest of the country to get that information out to the public?

[arkom]

lets not forget that the source is the nation newspaper.

[Fishbucket]

Surely suthep cannot be allowed to get away with this encitement.

But dont hold your breath, he is most likely to be following orders..

[londonthai]

one and half sentence for a political analisys is a little below the level of a secondary school and not a professional politician, deputy pm for that. George bush anyone?

[bangon04]

Hmm maybe he has some inside information?

Ask him if Iraq had any weapons of mass destruction...

[zzaa09]

Expecting. Almost as if it were planned.

[webfact]

Democrats believe govt will survive red-shirt protests

By Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

Krabi

The Democrats believe the red-shirt movement and Pheu Thai Party would not be able to topple the government, spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks said on Saturday.

Democrat deputy spokesman Warong Dechgitvigrom, Phitsanulok MP, told the party meeting that the red shirts and Pheu Thai Party would collaborate to step pressure for House dissolution as soon as possible so that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra could return to the country.

But the party meeting believed their attempts to bring down the government would fail, Buranaj said.

The party has assessed the situation and expected the red-shirt movement would begin its rallies February 18 or 19 to February 26, the day the court is scheduled to rule on Thaksin's Bt76 billion assets case.

Warong quoted Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban as telling the party meeting that police and soldiers would be allowed to use only clubs and shields when they are deployed to keep law and order.

Bangkok MP Atavit Suwannapakdee said Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwankhiri and PM's secretary-general Korbsak Sabhavasu, former deputy PM in charge of the economy, briefed the meeting of government's policies and works.

The MPs were told that the government has been focusing both on helping the poor make more money and eradicating debts for the poor.

"Under the crop price guarantee scheme, corn, tapioca, rice farmers must not lose profit from selling their crops in this government," Atavit said.

The government would also push for the other schemes including transferring the poor's debts to loan sharks into the banking system. He said over one million people have registered and the government would finish transferring the debts within four months.

The government also extended the period of money return to the Village Funds from 12 to 24 months and increase the funds according to villages' sizes, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-01-23

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[geriatrickid]

Not very responsible if the statement is indeed attributable to him and downright incendiary if distorted and taken out of context by the Nation.

Let's hope there is no violence. Everyone will suffer. Call me naive but the emphasis should be on calming things down not building up expectations for a violent clash. If the authorities believe it will occur, then let them prepare quietly. Seems to me this is laying the foundation for some interference from the military who will send in the boys to protect the "Nation".

[Fishbucket]

I have to agree.

It certainly gives the impression that suthep is putting a bet on this happening.

No doubt a few army fellows are already in place, in their ill fitting, hired, red shirts, with back pockets brimming with half the cash. and awaiting the nod from suthep.

[ray23]

History does tend to repeat itself. Will there be violence I believe so question is how much.

How many Governments in Thailand have been overthrown in it's recent history. Seems to me to be pretty much business as usual around here. Never forget Taks was the only PM to actually finish a term. So what is new?

[animatic]

Suthep saying he is taking this possibility into account is called;

letting people know you are not being lassaise faire with public safety,

not an incitement.

The other side is making regular incitements, and recruiting ex generals as warriors

and Sae Dung is running loose saying that he has declared war on the Army for the Red side.

Suthep said simply he is prepared act if the opposition does make a big move,

in a time frame that is quite logical for them to do so. It is a prudent announcement.

In the past his statements of intent to be prepared have stopped a few rallies from getting out of hand.

Doubt that will hold true this time, but we can hope wiser minds prevail on all sides.

Edited January 24, 2010 by animatic

[Jingthing]

He is stating the obvious. I am not sure why he felt the need to announce it, but Thaksin has made similar threatening comments on numerous occasions and now that we are approaching the money endgame, again, stating the OBVIOUS.

[otherstuff1957]

Perhaps he's thinking about a significant event that is scheduled to happen on the 26th of February?

[scorecard]

Surely suthep cannot be allowed to get away with this encitement.

But dont hold your breath, he is most likely to be following orders..

So fishbucket:

If you believe that suthep should not be allowed to make this type of statement, then what's your thoughts about jatuporn?

[way2muchcoffee]

never mind - what I was going to say could get me banned. lol

Edited January 26, 2010 by way2muchcoffee

[animatic]

Surely suthep cannot be allowed to get away with this encitement.

But dont hold your breath, he is most likely to be following orders..

So fishbucket:

If you believe that suthep should not be allowed to make this type of statement, then what's your thoughts about jatuporn?

Thoughts????

[george]

Update:

Govt expects red-shirt protests to intensify

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet on Tuesday acknowledged a report on internal security assessment predicting an increase of street protests by the red shirts next month.

The mushrooming of protests will coincide with the politicial volatility caused by the anticipated court verdict on the Bt76 billion in impounted assets of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the parliamentary debate on charter changes and the censure debate.

As a precaution, the government agreed to designate soldiers as helpers of police to ensure peace and social order at every street protest.

"The security precaution will be enforced with immediate effect and might be upgraded to the enforcement of the internal security law if deemed necessary," government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.

-- The Nation 2010-01-26

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[Oberkommando]

Got to happen sometime. Might as well get it over with while the buffer is still here to prevent Thailand spinning out of control completely.

[animatic]

Got to happen sometime. Might as well get it over with while the buffer is still here to prevent Thailand spinning out of control completely.

Sadly true I suspect.

More so because we so rarely agree on much.

[Nuchanart]

<br />

Hmm maybe he has some inside information?

<br /><br /><br />Ask him if Iraq had any weapons of mass destruction...<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Don't worry. Suthep has GT-200 which can detect any bomb from 1,000 meters away. And these detectors are from a different brand that BBC was talking about.

[Siripon]

Suthep Expects Red Shirt Protesters To Use Violence Around Feb 19-26

I read in Bangkok Post's breaking news that the Red Shirt Protesters used violence today during clashes with police in Chiang Mai. Was that a warm-up for them?

Yes, the red shirts threw large firecrackers at police in Chiang Mai.

Those lovely boys are just so peace loving!

[animatic]

Firecracks sound a lot like guns, and must have made for some very nervous cops.

And was stupid because one cop panicking and shooting a demonstrator would mean all hel_l breaks loose.

They want this in Bangkok not Chaingmai, so this was plain stupid...

wait was this from CM51? That would explain the stupidity wouldn't it?

[webfact]

Chaos planned to force negotiations

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai Party and the red shirts are spearheading a joint campaign to incite mayhem in order to force the government into negotiations, Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat said on Wednesday.

"Attempts are being made to stir up chaos inside and outside of Parliament," he said.

Boonjong said the opposition movement would try to mobilise the mass via two upcoming events - the censure debate and the judicial decision on the Bt76 billion in impounded assets of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Starting next month, the red shirts are expected to organise a series of street protests almost on a daily basis in the capittal and upcountry, he said.

The opposition activities are designed to force the government to agree to negotiate terms for reconciliation, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-01-27

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[hammered]

The timing is so so noticeable, but to date it has all been a little tame and numbers small. Guess resources are being saved for the main dish. Be interesting if Abhisit calls a snap election announced just before the verdict

[animatic]

Best to announce a snap election AFTER Thaksin loses the dosh,

AND the Reds and PTP cause extreme carnage and damage to the nation a la Songkran last.

This would effectively turn the majority of Thais off to most PTP candidates and Red land in general.And if Hun Sen weighs in as expected with his bla bla bla that is another notch. If thaksin DOES try a coup,

and DOES try and create a faux government and DOESN'T succesfully take power,

but does screw the pooch and the country while trying, then he and his party will have

a tough time hiding that mess from the average somchai...

So it is Do or Die for Thaksin.

[Publicus]

Chaos planned to force negotiations

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai Party and the red shirts are spearheading a joint campaign to incite mayhem in order to force the government into negotiations, Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat said on Wednesday.

"Attempts are being made to stir up chaos inside and outside of Parliament," he said.

Boonjong said the opposition movement would try to mobilise the mass via two upcoming events - the censure debate and the judicial decision on the Bt76 billion in impounded assets of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Starting next month, the red shirts are expected to organise a series of street protests almost on a daily basis in the capittal and upcountry, he said.

The opposition activities are designed to force the government to agree to negotiate terms for reconciliation, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-01-27

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

The Nation all along, throughout, has been accurate, on the mark/spot and in the lead concerning the developments and conflicts in Thailand since and before the Thaksin mob/gang emerged in their purchasing of he election of 2001, There was  suing of mass media to, not only chill freedom of speech, but to send freedom of speech to the gas chambers.  

The Nation knows Thaksin and his gang and their self aggrandizement.  The Nation always has known the purposes of TRT from their initial discussions of a qrand aggrandizement and not the pursuit of power and self aggrandizement. More power to the Nation...keep pouring it on this guy Thaksin as he harbors pouring his selfish and authoritarian designs on the country.   

Edited January 28, 2010 by Publicus