Thai Army On Stand-by For Bangkok To Prevent Further Bombings In The Capital

[ableguy]

How would you propose to "prevent" further attacks?

This is a matter for good police work interviewing the people at the scene, not a job for the army.

If the government truly wishes to catch the guys throwing the grenades it would be better to utilize your best, competent police investigators rather than grand-standing to public sentiment with the threat of the army IMO.

Am not aware that there are any competent police investigators I thought all police were there simply to enrich themselves. I recently had an explosive device thrown at my apartment bedroom balcony which blew out the sliding glass door and metal frame causing considerable damage to the bedroom, lucky for me I was out of town that night. I am 99% sure I know who did this and no am not involved in anything unlawful, the police did not even interview the suspect but had money changed hands I am sure they could have charged the person.

[Jonathanpattaya]

It's a very nervous Government trying to make everyone else nervous.

[ianh68]

The whole "this present government is illegitimate" has been the war cry of the red shirts since day one and sorry to say but the rest of the world's government recognize this government as quite legit, the only exception being Cambodia but we all know why.

For people who can't be bothered to use search engines, here's a recap: after the coup a government was set up and then a year later elections were held which the PPP party had a sizable number of seats to form a government with it coalition partners. However, they breached a law under the rules of constitution and had to be disbanded and their MPs had to form another party the Pheu Thai Party.

And here is the important key point which you people calling this government illegitimate always conveniently forget to mention: those remaining coalition partners then chose to form a government with the party with the second highest seats, the Democrat party.

I wonder that if the Pheu Thai Party had managed to convince those coalition partners to form a new government, would we still see the Red Shirts in the street, or people calling that government "illegitimate"?

Disbanding the whole party instead of bringing individual perpetrators to justice is a ploy by the elite to prevent the formation of mature political parties capable of expressing effective opposition to them.

MPs from the remaining coalition parties had their arms twisted to such an extent they were physically surrounded (intimidated) when it came to vote for the coalition. You cannot use western style criteria to evaluate Thai parliamentary procedure. It was not a free choice.

[Rainmon]

They had a coup...then an election...the election voted back in the people the coup removed...so they had another lesser coup...then another election...which didn't work out so they appointed the guy they wanted to win...How do you see that as a legitimate government?

Golden Rule, those with the gold rule... Politics is not about being legit, anywhere.

[asiawatcher]

Perhaps letting the Govt run its term may work. Then with new elections we can go back to where we were in 2000 and start again! Or if left to run the Commission on corruption may actually be able to put a broom thru a few of the scummies who are trying to run it all.

The 40+BN judgement against Takky is only the thin edge of the wedge. And they have not released the remainder and will not until they have it all. It is the same as allowing Takky to come home and do 2 years - once here they will nail him on all the rest of the charges and keep him under lock and key for good but having him here would cause riots. Cambo is welcome to him as is Dubai - both countries full of crooks. He is in his element.

I can't believe the number of readers in this forum who think Takky is cool! Do some DD and have a look at how he was a bagman and got to where he was before greed became his sole source of motivation.

[blakegeee]

These ignorant "arguments" (sorry thats a stretch) about this "illegitimate" government are getting so boring. At least look up the situation a little before posting this nonsense. You clearly didn't even follow the situation. Most of these posts are imposing that Abhisit was put in directly after Thaksin was thrown out. Couldn't be any further from the truth. Just to fill these people in since they clearly aren't looking in to it in any way before posting such nonsense, Abhisit took power several years after Thaksin, after the Army controlled Thailand for about a year, and after several of Thaksins friends and family were thrown out of the PM position by a legal court of law for various crimes. The way that Abhisit was instated would be the same method as just about any other Constitutional Monarchy such as the UK, Australia, Canada, etc. I am no expert in the way of politics but I will at least follow what has happened, who was in power and at what point, before posting such ignorant remarks. At least get some of the basic story down before you try to make new facts.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

These ignorant "arguments" (sorry thats a stretch) about this "illegitimate" government are getting so boring. At least look up the situation a little before posting this nonsense. You clearly didn't even follow the situation. Most of these posts are imposing that Abhisit was put in directly after Thaksin was thrown out. Couldn't be any further from the truth. Just to fill these people in since they clearly aren't looking in to it in any way before posting such nonsense, Abhisit took power several years after Thaksin, after the Army controlled Thailand for about a year, and after several of Thaksins friends and family were thrown out of the PM position by a legal court of law for various crimes.

"Crimes"? Such as... being on a cooking show. . And under "Laws" as laid down by the generals after a coup, which the courts actually called 'equivalent to having been established by parliament."

Please, not everyone is capable of buying into that level of naivety. Don't go calling people names and telling them they're posting nonsense when what you actually have is a difference of opinion on the power structures in Thailand and how those affect democratic process.

Edited March 2, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai

[blakegeee]

These ignorant "arguments" (sorry thats a stretch) about this "illegitimate" government are getting so boring. At least look up the situation a little before posting this nonsense. You clearly didn't even follow the situation. Most of these posts are imposing that Abhisit was put in directly after Thaksin was thrown out. Couldn't be any further from the truth. Just to fill these people in since they clearly aren't looking in to it in any way before posting such nonsense, Abhisit took power several years after Thaksin, after the Army controlled Thailand for about a year, and after several of Thaksins friends and family were thrown out of the PM position by a legal court of law for various crimes.

"Crimes"? Such as... being on a cooking show. . And under "Laws" as laid down by the generals after a coup, which the courts actually called 'equivalent to having been established by parliament."

Please, not everyone is capable of buying into that level of naivety. Don't go calling people names and telling them they're posting nonsense when what you actually have is a difference of opinion on the power structures in Thailand and how those affect democratic process.

As my post already stated, it is nonsense to post about Abhisit taking power directly after Thaksin. This is not opinion-based, it is factually untrue. Would you care to look it up? If someone doesn't have these basic facts down, than they have no business posting "nonsense" about this topic that they clearly know next to nothing about.

Do you actually believe that "being on a cooking show" was the crime? No of course you don't, you are now talking nonsense. A "crime" refers to breaking a law. It is not illegal to be on cooking shows in Thailand. You must have sourced some incorrect information if you thought that. The crime was obviously taking money from a private company for work outside of his Prime Minister position. A Prime Minister is not allowed to work other paid positions when he is supposed to be the Prime Minister. They do not make exceptions in these laws for jobs that sound funny in ThaiVisa posts. Yes its obviously an odd thing to lose the PM position over but I guess he should have been a little more careful being in such a high-profile and controversial position. If Abhisit does something stupid that he is not allowed to do as PM, he will of course also be called out on it as well.

So how do you know that this law was created by the generals after the coup? I am not arguing that they didn't create it but what are you basing this on? How do you know that this law was not in place during or before Thaksin?

I am not even taking any sides. I just get tired of reading rubbish from people that don't even know the basics of what happened. It really makes so many of these topics such a total waste of time trying to filter through so much totally misinformed, incorrect, non-factual posts. You may notice, I am not complaining about anybody else's "opinions" and I have not called anybody names?!?

Edited March 2, 2010 by blakegeee

[WinnieTheKhwai]

These ignorant "arguments" (sorry thats a stretch) about this "illegitimate" government are getting so boring. At least look up the situation a little before posting this nonsense. You clearly didn't even follow the situation. Most of these posts are imposing that Abhisit was put in directly after Thaksin was thrown out. Couldn't be any further from the truth. Just to fill these people in since they clearly aren't looking in to it in any way before posting such nonsense, Abhisit took power several years after Thaksin, after the Army controlled Thailand for about a year, and after several of Thaksins friends and family were thrown out of the PM position by a legal court of law for various crimes.

"Crimes"? Such as... being on a cooking show. . And under "Laws" as laid down by the generals after a coup, which the courts actually called 'equivalent to having been established by parliament."

Please, not everyone is capable of buying into that level of naivety. Don't go calling people names and telling them they're posting nonsense when what you actually have is a difference of opinion on the power structures in Thailand and how those affect democratic process.

As my post already stated, it is nonsense to post about Abhisit taking power directly after Thaksin. This is not opinion-based, it is factually untrue. Would you care to look it up?

Quite obviously I was not and am not disputing that. And I never made that statement either, someone else doesn't quite have a clear perspective of recent history.

Do you actually believe that "being on a cooking show" was the crime? No of course you don't, you are now talking nonsense. A "crime" refers to breaking a law. It is not illegal to be on cooking shows in Thailand. You must have sourced some incorrect information if you thought that. The crime was obviously taking money from a private company for work outside of his Prime Minister position.

.. The man got an allowance, a negligible amount to cover expenses! And then, the punishment: a whole government, formed by a coalition who won recent elections was removed!! I'm not further debating this point, this is ludicrous. I mean in all honesty.

Edited March 2, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Cayenne]

Disbanding the whole party instead of bringing individual perpetrators to justice is a ploy by the elite to prevent the formation of mature political parties capable of expressing effective opposition to them.

MPs from the remaining coalition parties had their arms twisted to such an extent they were physically surrounded (intimidated) when it came to vote for the coalition. You cannot use western style criteria to evaluate Thai parliamentary procedure. It was not a free choice.

The disbanding of the whole party was in fact in the Thai constitution. I noticed the PPP never bothered trying to challenge this rule while they were in power and only whined about after they were caught.

Anyway, if you claim that the remaining coalition parties had their arms twisted to be forced to vote you're gonna have to show some evidence of that. And please don't say it was because of the elites- that statement is just as valid as me blaming Thaksin for everything wrong with this country.

[otherstuff1957]

Samak's conviction was highly questionable. While he as technically guilty, it was a very minor infraction & should have been dismissed. However, the investigation into the Fire Engine scandal (the requisition that he signed on his last day in office as BKK's Governor) was proceeding and that conviction would have put him out of office within a few months anyway.

[elcent]

-- The Nation March 2, 2010

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

Police yesterday obtained an arrest warrant for a lone suspect involved in one of the four grenade attacks on Bangkok Bank branches in Bangkok on Saturday night. A sketch released on Sunday shows a man in his 30s who is about 170cm tall with high cheekbones and a big nose. The sketch was based on eyewitness accounts by people who saw him throw a grenade at the BBL branch off Soi Silom 19 while riding pillion on a motorcycle.

Yannawa police chief Colonel Sathien Tanthakool said the motorcycle used in the attack was not a Honda Click model as stated in news reports, but the licence plate number was seen "blurrily at a distance carrying numbers that are being randomised and verified".

He said it was now too early to say who was behind the attacks, but he was "very certain" that the attacker would be the first to be identified, as police now had "certain details leading to a group of people".

Three police stations in Bangkok have been instructed to investigate the three other attacks on BBL branches, while checkpoints and outposts will be maintained for security. Two more cameras |are being installed at the Si Sao |Thewes residence of Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda.

Security has also been maintained at key government offices and institutions, all BBL branches in Bangkok, as well as at the homes of key officials and other important people, Bangkok police chief Santhan Chayanont said.

Citing an intelligence report, he said "more attacks were likely in the coming days". All 88 Bangkok police stations had been instructed to put in daily security plans and reports to the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

A BBL chief said yesterday the bank was not involved in domestic politics and would open for business as usual today. BBL chairman Staporn Kavitanon said they would discuss if further security measures should be adopted at its branches following the attacks.

Meanwhile, a Youtube has a video with a Thai man claiming he assembled the grenade and was helped plan bomb attacks. The 2.54-minute video showed the man, who appeared middle-aged and spoke fluent Thai, in a black shirt in front of a solid blue background.

The man, who identified himself as K Thong, also announced a civil war, which he said would occur "starting tomorrow". The video was dated Friday (Feb 26, BE2553).

He said the Thai public could be sure of almost daily attacks, "with the loud bangs coming right through your doors and your windows". He said he was not going to reveal who was behind the attacks, as the public didn't need to know the details.

The audio does not steadily synch with his lips and most postings say the video has been 'doctored' for some reason.

Edited March 2, 2010 by elcent

[Capability]

"Crimes"? Such as... being on a cooking show.

Falsehood #1. He was guilty of the crime of falsifying documents and perjury, not for cooking on a TV show.

And under "Laws" as laid down by the generals after a coup

Falsehood #2. The laws concerning his crimes were established long before the coup.

And then, the punishment: a whole government, formed by a coalition who won recent elections was removed!!

Falsehood #3. Only Samak was punished for his crimes. The same party governing at that time was not removed. That party selected Somchai instead of Samak to become PM.

I'm not further debating this point, this is ludicrous. I mean in all honesty.

It is good of you to stop debating these points, especially for the sake of honesty.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

"Crimes"? Such as... being on a cooking show.

Falsehood #1. He was guilty of the crime of falsifying documents and perjury, not for cooking on a TV show.

Sigh.. why why why am I doing this.. have it your way, here:

On 9 September 2008, 15.30 hours, the ConCourt with Justice Chat Chonlaworn sitting as the President rendered its decision as follows:^[39]

1. The essence of the first complaint (Senators' Complaint) could be summarised as follows: as Sundaravej was a holder of the political position as a Prime Minister, he was under the subject of Section 267 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (2007) prohibiting the Prime Minister and Ministers from having any position in a partnership, a company or an organisation carrying out business with a view to sharing profits or incomes or being an employee of any person. However, Sundaravej, who acknowledged the purpose of such Section so well, still worked for the Face Media Co., Ltd. as emcee of two cookery shows, Chim Pai Bon Pai (Tasting and Grumbling) and Yok Khayong Hok Mong Chao (All Set at 6am), and ceased from such works just when the ECT received a complaint concerning the case.

(But.. welcome to the forum! )

[elcent]

[elcent]

he's got a nice plastic nose. Hence, when there should be a shadow, the nose still lightens up, reflecting the light. also the eyes are distorted.

Lip reading and sound seem to fit together with the content.

[elcent]

the mouth seems to manipulated too. Not sure, but I guess both, with a kind of make up and digital manipulation.

[elcent]

Areesmatic? What mosque does he go to? Very Southern is my impression.

[elcent]

according to http://www.thaisewana.org/news

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Scary guy, whoever he is.

[Jingthing]

Scary guy, whoever he is.

Apparently a friend of Thaksin?

[elcent]

can someone confirm the voice with this guy in the picture?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Scary guy, whoever he is. bah.gif

Apparently a friend of Thaksin?

I don't think anything is apparent, especially not that it's even him in the picture, let alone what his relation is to anyone else. You're running off like a headless chicken, again, without ANY information whatsoever. Do you even realize that you're doing this, or does it come so natural that you don't even notice? I'm beginning to get genuinely intrigued.

Edited March 2, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Jingthing]

I don't think anything is apparent, especially not that it's even him in the picture. You're running off like a headless chicken, again.

You are very quick to defend anything and everything red. How surprising ...

[WinnieTheKhwai]

JT, my response was "Scary Guy" (see above). You're the one reverting to the usual broken-record tune. I feel no need to defend anyone, especially not the scary guy, or anyone involved in violence, terrorism, etc. That should be obvious and I'm sad to read that apparently this isn't obvious to everyone.

Furthermore, I don't appreciate the personal jibe. Periodically I try to explain where the Red side of the country is coming from, but I try to do so without ad-hominem attacks and not just because it's against forum rules, but because it really doesn't help a discussion forward.

Edited March 2, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai

[elcent]

I just see one thing I am almost certain and that is that the vid pictures are manipulated, starting with the nose.

[monkfish]

He looks drunk very drunk

[elcent]

He looks drunk very drunk

more like drugged than drunk

[Jingthing]

JT, my response was "Scary Guy" (see above). You're the one reverting to the usual broken-record tune. I feel no need to defend anyone, especially not the scary guy, or anyone involved in violence, terrorism, etc. That should be obvious and I'm sad to read that apparently this isn't obvious to everyone.

Furthermore, I don't appreciate the personal jibe. Periodically I try to explain where the Red side of the country is coming from, but I try to do so without ad-hominem attacks and not just because it's against forum rules, but because it really doesn't help a discussion forward.

Excuse me, but you fib. YOU are the one who accused me of comparing reds to Nazis when I never said such a thing. The trouble is that the side you are so sympathetic with is riddled with violent people led by a leader with a record of thousands of extra judicial murders. So when you just parrot the speech of your red amigos who clearly read one too many copies of Truth Today, do NOT expect people to accept your agenda without significant skepticism.

Edited March 2, 2010 by Jingthing

[britmaveric]

^Jing - well what you may say might be true, but the exact same thing can be said about the other side including the present government.