Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Briefed Diplomats On Weekend Disturbances

[webfact]

PRO-THAKSIN MASS RALLIES

Kasit reassures diplomats on weekend disturbances

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- British Ambassador Quinton Quayle yesterday expressed his concern over the red-shirt demonstration urging all parties to exercise utmost restraint, not using violence against each other since it would damage Thailand as a whole.

"As a Briton who has learned the Thai language and loves Thailand, I am very worried about the situation and would like to see a demonstration that is peaceful as well as a compromise to end the conflict," Quayle told reporters as he met Pheu Thai Party leader Yongyuth Wichaidit.

The British diplomat said his government maintained a neutral position towards political conflict in Thailand.

Neither the airport closure (by the yellow group) nor riots in Pattaya and Bangkok (by the red group) were good for the country as the incidents destroyed tourists and investors' confidence, he said.

Quayle met Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva after the meeting with the Pheu Thai leader to discuss the political situation.

The red shirts under the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) have called a mass rally in the capital this weekend to pressure Abhisit's government to step down.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya yesterday briefed some 100 Bangkok-based diplomats and representatives of foreign chambers of commerce on the government's measures to handle the situation.

Kasit told reporters he said in the 45 minute-briefing there would be some 100,000 protesters with 10,000 vehicles from provinces in the demonstration which would last between 3-7 days in the capital.

There would be multi-spot protesting in several places, notably offices of government agencies throughout Bangkok, to force the government to dissolve Parliament or step down, he said.

The government would provide sufficient security to protect foreign diplomatic missions and foreigners in Bangkok, Kasit said, noting that the Foreign Ministry would be taken care of by the military during the demonstration.

Asked if any diplomats raised the question of an attempted coup, Kasit said they did not.

"Thai people have freedom of expression - but toppling the government in an undemocratic way is against the law and hurts Thai society," he said.

A diplomat from a European country asked whether there would be an airport seizure as Kasit's yellow group did against Somchai Wongsawat's government in 2008. The minister was quoted as saying by an official who was in the meeting that "the airport is secured and I won't be there."

-- The Nation 2010-03-10

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[tonywebster]

Why does Quayle have to get in the fact that je speaks Thai in every interview, does this somehow make him more attune to Thailand than other foreigners that have lived here for years.

On another note I hope they all treated kasit like the charlatan that he truly is.

[Cnxforever]

"Thai people have freedom of expression - but toppling the government in an undemocratic way is against the law and hurts Thai society," he said.

hahahahahahaha….This is hilarious……..Thailand and freedom of expression…….

But the next sentence from a man who was standing on stage with the airport hostage takers and who came to power because of a coup to say

“ but toppling the government in an undemocratic way is against the law and hurts Thai society” –

is pretty outrageous!!

Does this man have any brain at all?? PM Abhisit I feel sorry for you - with friends like him you need no enemies at all !

[anotherpeter]

Is that a typo ... I thought they were planning a million protesters. This only says 100,000.

[rreddin]

"Thai people have freedom of expression - but toppling the government in an undemocratic way is against the law and hurts Thai society," he said.

He and the newspaper reporting this comment have conveniently forgotten that this is exactly what happend in the coup. Then again, The Nation is promoting a political angle thinly disguised as news and the politoco is in power because of the coup.

So, it is a case of its OK if we did it, but heaven help you if you try.

It really would be nice to see some balanced reporting on TV news clippings. With out it, the reputation of this part of the excellent TV site will suffer as members turn to other sources for their news.

[anotherpeter]

"Thai people have freedom of expression - but toppling the government in an undemocratic way is against the law and hurts Thai society," he said.

hahahahahahaha….This is hilarious……..Thailand and freedom of expression…….

But the next sentence from a man who was standing on stage with the airport hostage takers and who came to power because of a coup to say

" but toppling the government in an undemocratic way is against the law and hurts Thai society" –

is pretty outrageous!!

Does this man have any brain at all?? PM Abhisit I feel sorry for you - with friends like him you need no enemies at all !

When did the democrats "come to power because of a coup"?

There was a court case. The yellow shirts were protesting at the slow progress of the court case.

The court case found that the executives of the PPP had committed electoral fraud (vote buying - the executive, not just the local politicians).

Because of that the party was disbanded. Most of the MPs joined other smaller parties.

As the party with the next highest number of elected MPs, the Democrats formed a coalition with the smaller parties.

Edited March 10, 2010 by anotherpeter

[elcent]

PAD pledges no action, but here it is, ever day ...

KASIT - LOL

[mazeltov]

PAD pledges no action, but here it is, ever day ...

KASIT - LOL

Suthep promised big LULZ too:

"Suthep warned the red shirts that the authorities would not tolerate the disruption of traffic, the blockade of government installations and the seizure of airports." click

not to tolerate seizure of airports and blockade of government installations that can mean nothing else than a rethink of policies and a major cabinet reshuffle and the kick out some key members.

[johncitizen]

The hypocrisy of Kasit, a keynote speaker at the PAD Airport hijacking, is simply astounding.

[chantorn]

The hypocrisy of Kasit, a keynote speaker at the PAD Airport hijacking, is simply astounding.

He only hijack the airport because the food & music was good. No ill intention.