Bangkok Red-shirt Rally - Live Updates - Monday

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TAN Network: DAAD Leader Jaturporn Prompan denies any red shirt involvement in the M79 grenade; accuses gov't of creating reason for emergency decree

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Phuket red shirts determined to succeed

PHUKET: -- Phuket’s red shirts are determined to stay in Bangkok until the movement succeeds in bringing down the government, according to one of their leaders.

Soonthorn Tohmharn, a local leader of the red-shirted United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), said more than 10,000 southern red shirts had joined the demonstration since Friday, with more arriving today.

“I told people in my group, ‘if anyone wants to go home, let me know so I can buy you a ticket back,’” he said.

None of the group accepted the offer, Mr Soonthorn said.

The Phuket UDD members have a tent at Khok Wua Intersection, near Sanam Luang in Bangkok.

Mr Soonthorn said there was no violence in their area. “We’ve gathered peacefully,” he said. “I don’t think any yellow shirts will dare to go against us. Otherwise they will die because there are a lot of us now.”

Mr Soonthorn said he was confident of victory. “What I heard from my friend, a source in the Democrat Party, makes me believe we are going to win. He said the PM has to resign; otherwise this will not end positively.”

Although the media were reporting around 100,000 people had joined the demonstration, he thought the protesters could number one million, he said.

“We are all fired up. We can melt iron. I can’t tell what the result is going to be but I’m not afraid of what could happen to me and my life,” he said.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-03-15

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THE NATION: News meeting over. Consensus is the blood plan is red shirts' "exit strategy".

THE NATION: Details also emerged on how "calm and cool" Army speakers outwitted and charmed protest leaders to defuse tension at 11 regiment HQ.

THE NATION: We've also learned that an unknown number of protesters headed for 11 regiment HQ and never came back. They simply went home.

THE NATION: Today will see the number of protesters drop to the lowest since the rally began.

THE NATION: B4 protesters moved to 11 Regiment HQ, leaders at Rajadamnoen pleaded with them not to pack. "We still have to come back", they said.

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TAN Network: Thai Red Cross won't help red-shirt protesters in blood donation procedures,warns improper practice can cause paralysis/infection

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Related topic:

Deposed Thai premier spotted in Montenegro

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Deposed-Thai...te-t347740.html

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MCOT: PM Abhisit not seen at 11th Infantry Regiment; officials say he's now in a safer place

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MCOT: Red Shirt leader Jatuporn denies UDD involvement in M79 attack, citing state officials create situation leading to Emergency Decree use

THE NATION: Abhisit, who is always supposed to be at 11 Regiment HQ war room, didnt return to there after lifting off in a helicopter to inspect traffic

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TAN Network: Police release suspected M79 grenade attacker; forensic experts don't find explosive power residue in vehicle

TAN Network: DAAD Leader Nattawut Saikua deems rally at 11th Infantry a success; will decide tomorrow whether to surround Parliament

[george]

NATION:

"We will continue fighting peacefully".

"Your patience and unity are keys to success"

"Please don't give up. Stay just a bit longer. Together we live, seperate we die".

"Take turn to leave the rally and get some shower and come back."

NATION:

Fire burn at Red shirts base of protest in Bangkok

[george]

NATION: "Abhisit should take a break, like I did. " "My crime in the eyes of ammat is my success in tackling poverty".

"Those are my real problems, coz it affected income stream to the ammat."

Thaksin's now quoting Albert Einstein on how bad things happen because good people choose not to act.

[george]

NATION:

Thaksin's now quoting Albert Einstein on how bad things happen because good people choose not to act.

"Banharn, why do you keep serving as Abhisit's pillar? Please get out of there".

"Khun Chai Chidchob, too, please back off."

"Those are my real problems, coz it affected income stream to the ammat."

[george]

Thaksin:

"Take turn to leave the rally and get some shower and come back."

"My military brothers, did you hear Abhisit's audio clip, which he claimed was fake?"

"Please choose wisely which side you want to be on".

[george]

This is what the world saw on television, on the CNN news channel:

[george]

Neither heat nor hardship dim fervour

By Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

With temperatures soaring to 36 degrees Celsius yesterday, plus dining and toilet facilities leaving much to be desired, some red-shirted protesters hit their limit, leaving fewer people and freer flowing traffic along Rajdamnoen Avenue.

But many others held firmly onto their goal of forcing a House dissolution. At 1pm, hundreds of them stood in front of the stage under the blazing sun to cheer the speakers up, while others took a rest in their tents and under trees, with all ears tuned to the speeches, songs and updates on their leaders and red-shirted friends. Boxed meals and sticky rice were handed out for lunch by other protesters on motorcycles.

Five protesters unloaded their grievances on The Nation, saying the heat would not drive them away. They were ready to torture themselves until the reds won the battle, or when Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva disbands the House.

Abhisit showed he couldn't manage the country, as farmers' income had fallen while the cost of living kept rising, they said. They are yearning for the golden era under former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Boonchoo and Phongphet Sriphoothorn, an elderly couple from the northeastern province of Nong Bua Lamphu, have joined every mass rally in Bangkok, Khao Yai Tiang National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima and Chanthaburi.

"My family doesn't like this government. It's not democratic. I decided to be a local red-shirt leader in Nonsang district to protest against them," Boonchoo, 73, said. "Though tired, I'm not discouraged. Growing rice is much more exhausting than protesting here."

Boonma Phermphuak, 58, a shop owner from Chanthaburi in the East, who's joined almost every mass rally in Bangkok, said she wants Abhisit to dissolve the House and let Thais cast their votes for a party they preferred.

"After the new election result is announced, the red shirts will stop, no matter if the new PM is from the Democrat Party or Pheu Thai Party, because it's the Thai people's decision," she said.

Boonchoo and Phongphet, 76, insisted they did not get paid to protest.

"In contrast, we've made and sought donations for this rally. Only each pickup truck owner got Bt4,000 to cover the cost of fuel," he said.

Boonma said she even paid over Bt200 for her own bus fare to come to Bangkok and bought necessities and food for poor protesters.

"Selling goods at home, I earn more than Bt500 a day. I would not trade that for the payments that many people accuse us of receiving," she said.

Jandee, a 56-year-old company employee from Lampang, was another person insisting that she was not hired to demonstrate.

A Bangkok protester calling himself Eed, 67, said he left his daily income of Bt1,000 from selling coffee to participate in this protest.

"My five children were at this protest site with me last night (Sunday night). They'll join the protest again when they're free from work," he said.

Eed and the others are determined to prolong their camp-out, in full confidence that nobody, particularly the government, would dare attack them.

And the battle will continue with blood donations today. Some elderly protesters as well as those who came without friends reportedly hesitated to give blood, out of hygiene concerns.

Others, though, see the donation as a small token to achieve success.

"The donation is symbolic as they're asking for a tiny quantity of blood," they said.

-- The Nation 2010-03-16

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Live updates continues here:

Updates March 16

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-Red-...da-t347906.html