Thai Army Opens Fire On Red Protesters

[motoyen]

The red shirt protests that have been plaguing the city of Bangkok turned deadly tonight as over a dozen people were killed in clashes between the red shirt protesters and the Thai army.

The stand off took place at Phan Fa bridge and was the deadliest clash between the protesters and the army in the month long protest. Earlier in the day the army had pushed their way into Phan Fa bridge and had forced the protesters back, well this evening the protesters decided to mount a comeback.

At first the situation was relatively calm with the army playing soft soothing music to try and keep the situation peaceful. However that all changed in a split second as gunfire erupted and the crowd attacked with plastic water bottles and bamboo sticks.

The army, outnumbered and perhaps sensing that they were losing control opened fire on the crowd. People ran and ducked for cover as the sound of automatic gunfire range out over the protest site. Soon the protesters were picking up even deadlier weapons and suddenly the army was hit by a barrage of rocks and Molotov cocktails.

The army at this point decided to retreat and surrendered their thanks and armour personnel carriers to the red shirts, who attacked them with sticks and shields.

This confrontation at Phan Fa proves to me that a military option to end the siege at Rajaprasong would result in hundreds of deaths. The crowd at Rajaprasong is heavily entrenched and in an enclosed area with limited escape routes. If the army uses tear gas to clear the crowd at Rajaprasong I think the resulting stampede would cause many deaths and injuries.

The Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva certainly is in a difficult position as he is facing pressure from all sides to end this protest as quickly and peacefully as he can. However with the red shirts unwilling to compromise at all on their quest to bring down the government I fear that the sound of gunfire will be heard again on the streets of Bangkok.

[newtronbom]

Nice video. Good shots with a bit of humor mixed in.Looking forward to part 2!!

[Donnyboy]

didnt think political videos were allowed

[bkk4life88]

Your raw footage is great and you seem unbiased during shooting, but after editing your video and making your commentary it seems you added info that was fed to you by some source which I could only assume was from a red friend or spouse.

On a side note why can a farang get such footage yet the thai news just shows brief clips in between korean soap operas. Why is the media so non-caring about this even the bangkok post doesnt have as many live updates as the nation (yes yellow shirt nation), is it Thai people dont care, Thai people dont want to be sad, the news stations dont want to seem biased. or does the govt tell the news stations what to do?

[londonthai]

great pics and commentary.

I know you are semi-professional journalist, but when you speak try try to keep the end of the sentences down, don't rise the tone.

send this material to the bbc - all night they were playing again and again this same material. Their journalists might be too scared to go to the protest sites.

keep safe

[motoyen]

Thanks londonthai. I'm actually not a journalist at all and only started making these videos back in December but I do appreciate the tip on speaking as I know that is something I have to work on.

[neverdie]

What I find interesting is the OP in his video (if it is his video) stated that he didnt know who fired the first shots but then he titles this thread, 'Thai Army opens fire on red protesters'.

Indeed great footage and reporting done in the video, if the OP is indeed the owner of this footage, is he somehow now changing his position, after the inital reporting, if so, why?

[davelec]

This can all be stopped with the reds going home. Is risking your life really worth 500 Baht a day from Thaksin?

It can all be stopped with elections now

[Insight]

Who are these guys?

Look well trained to me...

[cyberia]

Great video footage, man

stay safe.

Regards

Edited April 11, 2010 by cyberia

[cyberia]

Great job, Motoeyn.

I have been to the Red's site a few weeks ago, while accompaning a Vietnamese tourist friend of mine and his wife to wat Saket.

I had not known the Reds were camping there until we walked right into the crowd on the bridge.

We actually made it thru their compound and had a chance to watch what was going on;

the Vietnamese guys made a few pictures and bought souvenirs, it was all good,

nice and quiet and sorta party like atmosphere.

As you reported I was amazed how well this "mob" was orginized.

Showers, toilets, (all clean), I have checked myself , food kitchens, souvenir stalls, you name it.

Have not seen any trash, empty booze bottles ( the usual mob attributes) , drunks ( more of those are of farang nature in places like Pattaya), and such.

There was a stage set up right on the bridge where some kind of a talk show was in progress, many were watching and cheering while other were going about their dayly stuff, whatever that was.

I would not say that they were eager to shake my hand and share som tam with me, but at no time I felt even slightly uncomfortable among the crowd let alone "experiencing the rule of mob". ( just citing a piece of that ridiculous Nation post a few days ago, a real "gem")

Thank you, Motoeyn.

Looking forward for more info from you.

Edited April 11, 2010 by cyberia

[Insight]

Looks like they've got an force of armed guys looking out for them as well, cyberia. That's what I call preparation!

[cyberia]

Looks like they've got an force of armed guys looking out for them as well, cyberia. That's what I call preparation!

Well, that could be true as well.

I'm not voicing my support here, this is not my fight.

Same applies to all guest farangs living in Thailand.

As far as the Reds camp is concerned, I would not venture there now, no one knows at this point if the latest events have triggered some kind of

hostility towards the others who are non-Reds, be it thais or farangs, time will tell.

One thing I forgot to mention earlier is that I have seen a great number of older Isaan folks down there. 

Both men and women. 

Edited April 11, 2010 by cyberia

[bkk4life88]

Who are these guys?

Look well trained to me...

In most countries wouldnt those guys be committing treason punishable by death or at least life in prison. Where are the arrest start arresting people and once they realize they dont have the money for bail people will go home, (or maybe the reds will break into the prison hahaha).

[londonthai]

T, you just were for the whole 3 minutes talking on the bbc news - some 10 minutes ago they just show a 15 second part of your video (with burning molotovs).

well done.

try the other agencies - after yestarday killing of their reporter, reuters are too scared to go out and might pull out from thailand all together, probably they are desperate for the life pics

Edited April 11, 2010 by londonthai

[motoyen]

Part 2.

[londonthai]

you have first to become an international journalist, to bo priced as well by the local media http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/n...9&cateid=13

great sucsess.

invest all the royalties into elocution lessons

[Rinrada]

Good one Motoeyn...stay safe ....

[blackman]

and to be balanced, Red shirts fire upon Thai soldiers with live ammo

[londonthai]

I see talking heads in the studio and than some shouting wounded civilians laying on the streets, some of them sitting on a pick up and some wounded sholdiers being pulled - I don't see red shirts shooting.

would you point me in what time it's happening?

the great majority of dead are civilinas (15 out of 20) and wounded some 850

[Muaythaidan]

awesome vids man.

[selenachua01]

Well, I don’t like to disappoint the admin because they have lifted the ban on my account (and thank you so much for that really!) so I will just give my final comment about the videos posted in this thread. This is more like a closure (Hi, admin!).

Farangs getting involved with anything red pricks me to the bone. And, an unbiased reporting…the hel_l more! Motoyen’s video is so edited to favor the reds (this is an opinion, please). The wordings and the presumptions contained are so obvious - no matter how he sugarcoats them! Should we be like this? What’s with it? I can only think of some cheesy motives (again, just an opinion, please admin).

I am back because I like to say hello to “insight”…You’ve got the best video ever, mate! No, leading comments and as pure as crystal water. Your video says it all. Congrats for landing on BBC! And, yeah, shouldn’t those “obviously red” gunmen be charged at once? I appreciate if motoyen will come up with the same awesome, pure and untarnished video like insight’s – one that will picture the other side of the reds. Mingle, sing and march with them. I won’t care; but, when you capture images, look and talk about at all the angles. Poster Insight was with the reds when he (or she) took the video of goons firing at the soldiers.

Just worth noting though: the reds have already shooed all the reporters away. So, if you happen to see another video in the like of motoyen’s (coz there has been a wild buzz about an upcoming repeat of the 04/10 incident), it means only one thing: it is coming from a reporter (and wannabes alike) whom the reds have never shooed away because he/she is reporting for them (or a particular red).

Thanks again, admin. I hope I am keeping my commitment coz I don’t like to be banned again…ever!

Peace everyone!

[londonthai]

it's not inside's video and it wasn't shown on the bbc.

it's was motoyen's video on the bbc.

it's good, that instead of threatening motoyen with a death warrant, this time you are more peaceful

[selenachua01]

it's not inside's video and it wasn't shown on the bbc.

it's was motoyen's video on the bbc.

I thought all along it was insight's coz your comment came almost right after insight's video.

So, it was my bad and my sad! Grrrr.....

it's good, that instead of threatening motoyen with a death warrant, this time you are more peaceful

Threatening is not my cup of tea anymore, londonthai...I am a changed being now (Hi, admin again!) But, my POV on motoyen's video will never change, promise!

Edited April 20, 2010 by selenachua01

[bangkokmaid]

Nice video

Edited April 22, 2010 by bangkokmaid

[motoyen]

it's not inside's video and it wasn't shown on the bbc.

it's was motoyen's video on the bbc.

I thought all along it was insight's coz your comment came almost right after insight's video.

So, it was my bad and my sad! Grrrr.....

it's good, that instead of threatening motoyen with a death warrant, this time you are more peaceful

Threatening is not my cup of tea anymore, londonthai...I am a changed being now (Hi, admin again!) But, my POV on motoyen's video will never change, promise!

Thanks for watching. Always nice to meet a fan.

[londonthai]

Threatening is not my cup of tea anymore, londonthai...I am a changed being now (Hi, admin again!) But, my POV on motoyen's video will never change, promise!

you can disagree, but you should keep it civil.

second ban on this boards probably is a record. I don't know anybody, who was reinstated and than yet again offended fellows

Edited April 22, 2010 by londonthai