Petrol Sales And Deliveries In Bangkok Suspended

[webfact]

Petrol sales and deliveries in Bangkok suspended

Fuel stopped; Broadcasters closed as government increases pressure on red shirts

BANGKOK: -- Fuel deliveries and community television and radio stations are the latest target of the Thai government in the lead-up to the mass rally by red-shirt protesters this weekend.

Early this morning government lawyers applied to the Thailand Supreme Court for an order closing all radio and television stations affiliated with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

At the same time the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) announced on Thai Business Channel that it was suspending all fuel sales and deliveries to Bangkok and surrounding provinces commencing tomorrow.

A spokesman for the Peoples Television Channel said equipment was already being removed from the stations studio at Lardprao to an off-site location in preparation for this weekends rally and it was expected government officials and police will arrive at the studio with an order to cease broadcasting at around 1pm.

“We’ve informed red-shirt supporters of the plans of the government and they will be gathering here prior to 1pm in an attempt to stop the order being served and the removal of equipment”, he said.

Sean Boonpracong, international media spokesman for the UDD, said if the government attempted to close-down the community broadcasters the UDD had other plans in place that would allow its coverage of the rally to continue.

Meanwhile red-shirt supporters in provinces neighboring Bangkok have confirmed that fuel deliveries will be suspended as of this afternoon.

A red-shirt organizer in Ayutthaya confirmed by telephone that they have been advised there will be no fuel available for purchase starting tomorrow and people planning to attend the rally in Bangkok were now stockpiling fuel.

Earlier today an emergency meeting of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) decided against shutting down all community radio and television stations and instead delegated the job of monitoring and closing the country-wide network of stations to the police.

However, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office, Sathit Wongnongtheoy, said rumors that the government is about to close down the red shirt affiliated PTV network are false and just a tactic aimed at inciting more people to join the weekend rally.

-- thaivisa.com 2010-03-11

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[londonthai]

it's really overreracting - the capital city of the not the smallest and poorest country paralised, bacause the government doesn't want to give a pinch of democracy to it's people.

somehow sounds false "Meanwhile red-shirt supporters in provinces neighboring Bangkok have confirmed that fuel deliveries will be suspended as of this afternoon.

A red-shirt organizer in Ayutthaya confirmed by telephone that they have been advised there will be no fuel available for purchase starting tomorrow and people planning to attend the rally in Bangkok were now stockpiling fuel"

what a journalist will ask potential protesters about the plans of the PTT and what protest organiser would admit, that people are stockpiling fuel, which can have the other uses on top of running an engine?

after rationing sugar (the last week), the government is putting another nail in it's coffin - not only northerners now have the reason to be upset about how the country is run.

about gagging all independent from the government media it's not worth to mention, because there was always control and censorship of media in thailand. All tv stations (bar one) are controlled by the army - a huge propaganda tool and a big source of revenue. Now police, without the court order, can walk in and close down anybody thinking differently, than the government line.

the next step, one can suspect, is cutting off international internet connections, so the news will be only from the government side

Edited March 11, 2010 by londonthai

[frodo]

Guess we'll see a lot of Arisiman's red shirts with empty bottles in their hands once in Bangkok. I certainly hope so.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

Can i still get gas (95 petrol) in the evening today, around 9 pm? I can't get out of the office earlier and i'm half empty (my bike, that is).

Best regards.....

Thanh

[Moonrakers]

it's really overreracting - the capital city of the not the smallest and poorest country paralised, bacause the government doesn't want to give a pinch of democracy to it's people.

after rationing sugar (the last week), the government is putting another nail in it's coffin.

about gagging all independent from the government media not worth to mention, because there was always control and censorship of media in thailand. All tv stations (bar one) are controlled by the army - a huge propaganda tool and a big source of revenue

not only that but the latest so called "Million man marches" or "final showdowns" have had relative attendances of just a handful of people.

What makes this one different?

[whatawonderfulday]

Hi.

Can i still get gas (95 petrol) in the evening today, around 9 pm? I can't get out of the office earlier and i'm half empty (my bike, that is).

Best regards.....

Thanh

Read the report again. It say a "red shirt organiser" made this statement. do I need to say more !!!

[basjke]

A red-shirt organizer in Ayutthaya confirmed by telephone that they have been advised there will be no fuel available for purchase starting tomorrow and people planning to attend the rally in Bangkok were now stockpiling fuel.

I sincerely hope they are not stocking them in glass bootles with a piece of cloth hanging out of the top.

[MyphuketLife]

wow "Early this morning government lawyers applied to the Thailand Supreme Court for an order closing all radio and television stations affiliated with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). "

Supressing their voice?

[ukrules]

If fuel sales are restricted how do they expect the demonstrators to leave for the long drive home once they have finished their demonstration ?

[ChangMaiSausage]

My mate's wife's just flew into Bangkok this morning (girls long weekend) originally they had booked to stay in Bangkok but changed their minds on arrival at the airport they just confirmed they are now in Chiang Mai and have taken over the presidential suite a one of the better hotels in CM. Fathers all at home taking care of the children.

[prakhonchai nick]

If fuel sales are restricted how do they expect the demonstrators to leave for the long drive home once they have finished their demonstration ?

They can walk!

[quiksilva]

A red-shirt organizer in Ayutthaya confirmed by telephone that they have been advised there will be no fuel available for purchase starting tomorrow and people planning to attend the rally in Bangkok were now stockpiling fuel.

I sincerely hope they are not stocking them in glass bootles with a piece of cloth hanging out of the top.

which is probably why PTT are suspending sales, removing the temptation seems like quite a sensible move.

[enuff said]

.

Great idea. Now there will be ten guys in the back of a pickup with a 50 litre drum of petrol.

What could go wrong?

'nuff said

~

[Losangels]

Yes the government is over reacting, very likely make the situation from bad to worse.

What's next, closing down banks?

[ballpoint]

.

Great idea. Now there will be ten guys in the back of a pickup with a 50 litre drum of petrol.

What could go wrong?

'nuff said

~

Quite a bit when you consider that the vast majority of pickups take diesel.

[CNF55]

A few British newspapers report the 'possibility' of a hung parliament at the countrys next election, and the pound goes in to freefall....Thailand edges day by day closer to civil war, political uncertainty, million man protests and anarchy and the baht stays strong.....<deleted>....where are the currency speculators when you need them

Thailand has the second biggest Auto Industry in the World, after the US. There are thousands of factories producing export products and even so tourism may be down a bit, I bet it is still higher than in England :-)

I believe the Baht is strong, because the Thai economy is fairly strong. It has weathered this so called "Global Economic Crisis" well.

To me, both the Thai Baht and also the Canadian Dollar are really undervalued. The US dollar, on the other hand is barely worth the paper it's printed on ;-)

Really? Wonder what the Japanese, Germans and Koreans have to say about that....

[anotherpeter]

Hi.

Can i still get gas (95 petrol) in the evening today, around 9 pm? I can't get out of the office earlier and i'm half empty (my bike, that is).

Best regards.....

Thanh

Read the report again. It say a "red shirt organiser" made this statement. do I need to say more !!!

Actually, read the report closer ... It says "At the same time the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) announced on Thai Business Channel that it was suspending all fuel sales and deliveries to Bangkok and surrounding provinces commencing tomorrow."

So Thanh, tonight you should be ok.

Is the PTT the government, or a company?

Bad news if the radio/tv stations are being shut down. (The report says they are, but the government denies it) I suppose the government expect that they will be used to direct the operations of the protestors.

[peterdes]

hello

I have to go back to work outside Thailand on 22 .3 , what do you think , the airport is safe ?????

[anotherpeter]

hello

I have to go back to work outside Thailand on 22 .3 , what do you think , the airport is safe ?????

Who knows ... ask again on Monday.

[pault17]

I don't understand this government. They say they want to prevent violence, but seem to mainly do things that incite anger (and thus violence).

And I start to wonder if that's not what they are really after, so they have an excuse to crush it (violently).

[thaibear1]

If it would be happen "Petrol sales and deliveries in Bangkok suspended" it would be interesting the radius of, what include surrounding provinces!!! I shall reach the airpirt on 17th and back, and like plan where I should fill up latest. More details if known, thank you. I need Diesel .... not used for molotow cocktails !!!

Edited March 11, 2010 by thaibear1

[londonthai]

I wouldn't hope to get petrol anywhere, but on the black market, anytime from now on. All the businesssess will pay any money to run their cars and lorries for the next week or two.

now think about half of the cars immobilised (some run on lpg, some diesel, a very few electric ones) and no motorbikes - streets and motorways will be almost empty.

public transport might be paralised as a consequence, so people not turning at their workplace, businesses temporarily closing down, airports having opeationa problems etc.

it's a domino effect, affecting the whole life in bangkok and in the whole country, as bangkok is truly the center of thailand's commerce

Edited March 11, 2010 by londonthai

[vahack]

A few British newspapers report the 'possibility' of a hung parliament at the countrys next election, and the pound goes in to freefall....Thailand edges day by day closer to civil war, political uncertainty, million man protests and anarchy and the baht stays strong.....<deleted>....where are the currency speculators when you need them

Thailand has the second biggest Auto Industry in the World, after the US. There are thousands of factories producing export products and even so tourism may be down a bit, I bet it is still higher than in England :-)

I believe the Baht is strong, because the Thai economy is fairly strong. It has weathered this so called "Global Economic Crisis" well.

To me, both the Thai Baht and also the Canadian Dollar are really undervalued. The US dollar, on the other hand is barely worth the paper it's printed on ;-)

ya farangs overestimate the value and impact of tourist dollars. Thailand is a very economically strong country and has a high degree of independence (and just got a 50 billion baht stimulus package from ousted fool).

the US & UK are incredibly weak right now and probably will be for years. its not just the parliament. its everything.

but yea i better go fill up my car tonite lol

[kurtgruen]

Yes the government is over reacting, very likely make the situation from bad to worse.

What's next, closing down banks?

I don't think they are overreacting. I think they just don't want to be caught with their pants down, like the previous Somchai government.

I think, they should come down hard on these clowns, who want to bring down the government...then deal with the international "outrage" for a week. After, everyone in the rest of the World will forget it happened, (except for a few Granolas) and life will go on normal, without a bunch of agitators around.

There are times, when democracy is truly overrated ;-)

[frodo]

I don't understand this government. They say they want to prevent violence, but seem to mainly do things that incite anger (and thus violence).

And I start to wonder if that's not what they are really after, so they have an excuse to crush it (violently).

Maybe they're trying to prevent extreme violence. After all UDD leader Arisiman did tell protesters to fill up containers with petrol once they arrived in Bangkok. Really, who wants thousands of hot heads carrying containers full of petrol which can be used for nefarious ways. Preventive medicine perhaps?

[kurtgruen]

I don't understand this government. They say they want to prevent violence, but seem to mainly do things that incite anger (and thus violence).

And I start to wonder if that's not what they are really after, so they have an excuse to crush it (violently).

Maybe they're trying to prevent extreme violence. After all UDD leader Arisiman did tell protesters to fill up containers with petrol once they arrived in Bangkok. Really, who wants thousands of hot heads carrying containers full of petrol which can be used for nefarious ways. Preventive medicine perhaps?

They'll probably get them mixed up with their Lao Khao

[wolf5370]

Why announce you are closing the petrol stations so far in advance? Surely this just p!sses of the locals, the protectors will (as they said they have) stockpile ready. Where's the benefit?

I wonder if there are any laws about transporting fuel here that could cause pick-ups carrying barrels to have their 'cargo' confiscated on the way down?

[frodo]

I don't understand this government. They say they want to prevent violence, but seem to mainly do things that incite anger (and thus violence).

And I start to wonder if that's not what they are really after, so they have an excuse to crush it (violently).

Maybe they're trying to prevent extreme violence. After all UDD leader Arisiman did tell protesters to fill up containers with petrol once they arrived in Bangkok. Really, who wants thousands of hot heads carrying containers full of petrol which can be used for nefarious ways. Preventive medicine perhaps?

They'll probably get them mixed up with their Lao Khao

Again, preventive medicine. The last thing the hospitals need is a million petrol poisonings.

[SantiSuk]

Jeez - this shows what a third world country Thailand really is.

Nothing about this on the international news broadcasters that I had switched on this morning (BBC World, CNN, Bloomberg) - surprising.

[asiawatcher]

wow "Early this morning government lawyers applied to the Thailand Supreme Court for an order closing all radio and television stations affiliated with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). "

Supressing their voice?

Good move if 'inciting to riot'... that is a criminal conviction so hard to put a 'radio station' in the can!

Edited March 11, 2010 by asiawatcher