Police Keeping Order!

[whistleblower]

Assistant Police Commissioner-General Pol Gen Phanupong Singhara failed to convince the red-shirt leaders to leave the Rajprasong Intersection.

Phanupong negotiated with the trio red-shirt leaders on the stage for about 15 minutes and left.

Phanupong said the leaders refused to leave the area.

He said there were too many protesters so police could not take any action and would have to wait to renew the negotiation again Sunday morning.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Polic...a-30126315.html

[whistleblower]

So as long as you break the law in large numbers, the police wont act.

[Moonrakers]

Not wanting to defend the BIB, but asides from bringing out the water cannons and tear gas there is not a lot that they can do.

[whistleblower]

So bring out the water cannons and tear gas

[smokie36]

So bring out the water cannons and tear gas

And just 5 mins ago you were worried about a drought!

[whistleblower]

So bring out the water cannons and tear gas

And just 5 mins ago you were worried about a drought!

I wasnt worried about the drought!

[needforspeed]

Wise desision from Commissioner General pol Gen Phanupong Singhara, use of water cannons and tear gas wouldt just escalate into violence.

[7by7]

Indeed.

In another thread some people have wondered about how the rest of the world views these protests. Well, here in the UK they have received very little coverage, but in that which there has been the reds are portrayed as peaceful and pro democracy, although anti the current government.

Imagine how the rest of the world would view water cannons and tear gas being turned on 'peaceful pro democracy' demonstrators!

BTW, what law are the demonstrators (as a whole, not some individuals) breaking? Are political demonstrations illegal in Thailand?

[givenall]

Indeed.

In another thread some people have wondered about how the rest of the world views these protests. Well, here in the UK they have received very little coverage, but in that which there has been the reds are portrayed as peaceful and pro democracy, although anti the current government.

Imagine how the rest of the world would view water cannons and tear gas being turned on 'peaceful pro democracy' demonstrators!

BTW, what law are the demonstrators (as a whole, not some individuals) breaking? Are political demonstrations illegal in Thailand?

Demonstrations are not illegal but infringing to other people right is. They are creating havoc for rest of us so therefore they are breaking the LAW

[needforspeed]

Indeed.

In another thread some people have wondered about how the rest of the world views these protests. Well, here in the UK they have received very little coverage, but in that which there has been the reds are portrayed as peaceful and pro democracy, although anti the current government.

Imagine how the rest of the world would view water cannons and tear gas being turned on 'peaceful pro democracy' demonstrators!

BTW, what law are the demonstrators (as a whole, not some individuals) breaking? Are political demonstrations illegal in Thailand?

Demonstrations are not illegal but infringing to other people right is. They are creating havoc for rest of us so therefore they are breaking the LAW

Yes demonstrations creating some inconveniences that is a better word at this time than Havoc, and that is within the law.

[dominique355]

BTW, what law are the demonstrators (as a whole, not some individuals) breaking? Are political demonstrations illegal in Thailand?

How about traffic laws for a start? Refusing to obey orders of the Police, Inciting violence, (see the Youtube clip)

Every right has an equal and opposite duty and in case of the right to a political demonstration, the right finds its limits in the duty to respect the right of others to freely move and go about their business. Fundamental but obviously not so well known here.

In civilised countries with a democratic tradition, such large gatherings of the crowds would need prior consent of the police to put in place measures to control traffic etc. and time limits would be imposed and nobody would question such obligations. Why do the Red Shirts believe they are above the law? Is this the democracy and rule of law he have to expect if they come to power?

[mmushr00m]

If you want to see useless cops go to Ngan ka chart. The policing/security work is done by BOYS SCOUTS!!!

Yes Boy scouts and the ones in blue as well. I was there lastnight and it was these kids manning the entrance, these very same kids directing traffic.What were the BiB doing? standing around chatting, not even helping the kid trying to direct mad traffic at the T junction.

[7by7]

In civilised countries with a democratic tradition, such large gatherings of the crowds would need prior consent of the police

Well, I guess that means the UK does not fit your definition of a civilised country.

If you want to gather together and demonstrate about an issue, you do not need permission from police, from the council or anyone else.....The police cannot prohibit an assembly, and you do not need to give notice (except to assembly around Parliament)....

(Source)

Of course the police do, and should, have the power to impose reasonable conditions for the safety and convenience of both the protesters and others. But in a democracy the main purpose of the police in such situations is to keep the peace, not to break up the demonstration by the violent means suggested by some in this thread! Doing that is not democracy, it's totalitarian dictatorship.

So, it appears that apart from maybe some traffic violations the protest is not breaking any law. (Remember, I'm talking about the protest as a whole and the majority of protesters, not some individuals.)

[misterjag]

BTW, what law are the demonstrators (as a whole, not some individuals) breaking? Are political demonstrations illegal in Thailand?

How about traffic laws for a start? Refusing to obey orders of the Police, Inciting violence, (see the Youtube clip)

Every right has an equal and opposite duty and in case of the right to a political demonstration, the right finds its limits in the duty to respect the right of others to freely move and go about their business. Fundamental but obviously not so well known here.

In civilised countries with a democratic tradition, such large gatherings of the crowds would need prior consent of the police to put in place measures to control traffic etc. and time limits would be imposed and nobody would question such obligations. Why do the Red Shirts believe they are above the law? Is this the democracy and rule of law he have to expect if they come to power?

A large segment of Thailand's citizenry believes that the nation's democratic institutions have been subverted so they're responding (so far) with non-violent resistance or civil disobedience. (There is the question of who's responsible for the grenade incidents, but since the army would have easiest access to late model grenades and an incentive to discredit the red shirts, ...it's still an open question.) Edited April 4, 2010 by misterjag

[dominique355]

In civilised countries with a democratic tradition, such large gatherings of the crowds would need prior consent of the police

Well, I guess that means the UK does not fit your definition of a civilised country.

If you want to gather together and demonstrate about an issue, you do not need permission from police, from the council or anyone else.....The police cannot prohibit an assembly, and you do not need to give notice (except to assembly around Parliament)....

(Source)

Of course the police do, and should, have the power to impose reasonable conditions for the safety and convenience of both the protesters and others. But in a democracy the main purpose of the police in such situations is to keep the peace, not to break up the demonstration by the violent means suggested by some in this thread! Doing that is not democracy, it's totalitarian dictatorship.

So, it appears that apart from maybe some traffic violations the protest is not breaking any law. (Remember, I'm talking about the protest as a whole and the majority of protesters, not some individuals.)

Well I am not British and I don't know if in London you could go one for weeks and severely disrupt traffic without the police intervening, I am from continental Europe and there, as far as I remember, gatherings, such as those happening now here in Bangkok, definitely would need prior consent from the police and - surprise - that's what people do there when they exercise their democratic rights.

This does not mean that if such gatherings happen without consent, the police would arrest them all. But I guess it all comes down how well "used" people are in exercising their political rights and if they understand that their right to protest does in fact have limits and should respect the rights of others. Clearly something we don't see here and now in Bangkok. And it goes on and on ...

[7by7]

Couldn't happen in Europe?

Purple protests on streets of Rome

Up to 3,000 families stranded as fishermen blockade Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk over fishing quotas