Bangkok Red-Shirt Rally - Live Monday

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Monday April 12 Red-shirt rally live updates

Here you can follow the live updates from the media, hour by hour.

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Thai protesters remain defiant in bloodstained Bangkok

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Tensions remained high on the bloodstained streets of Bangkok on Monday after the country's worst political violence in almost two decades left 21 dead and over 800 injured.

Protest leaders have promised to maintain their campaign until the government dissolves parliament and calls fresh elections despite the deaths of seventeen civilians and four soldiers in Saturday's clashes.

The Red Shirt protesters, supporters of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, maintain they want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down and leave the country.

"Abhisit must leave Thailand," Reds leader Veera Musikapong told supporters on Sunday. "We ask all government officials to stop serving this government."

Thousands of protesters remained on the streets at the two main protest sites on Sunday.

On Sunday evening Reds gathered to mourn the loss of their comrades at the city's Democracy Monument -- the scene of a fierce battle on Saturday -- where grieving relatives led a procession holding gold-framed pictures of the dead.

They were followed by weeping men carrying caskets, a couple containing bodies draped with Thai flags and flowers.

It is the latest chapter in years of turmoil pitting the ruling elite against the mainly poor and rural Reds, who say the government is illegitimate as it came to power in 2008 after a court ousted Thaksin's allies from power.

Saturday's violence erupted when troops tried to clear one of two sites in the centre of the capital occupied by the protesters for the past month.

Soldiers fired in the air and used tear gas while the Reds responded by hurling rocks.

As the clashes intensified gunshots echoed around the city and both sides accused the other of using live ammunition. Emergency services said two protesters were killed by gunshot wounds to the head.

The army later retreated, calling for a truce with the demonstrators, who were holding five soldiers hostage.

The government said an investigation had been launched into the violence and that negotiations were under way to bring about a resolution to the stand-off without further unrest.

The protesters called on the country's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej to intervene to prevent further bloodshed.

Tensions briefly escalated again late Sunday as around 200 Reds drove motorcycles to a nearby bridge, on apparently unfounded rumours that the army was approaching.

Thai flags, red roses and incense sticks were placed on pools of blood where protesters were killed or wounded in the Khaosan Road backpacker district, a few yards from a number of ruined cars with their windows smashed in.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-04-12

Published with written approval from AFP.

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NATION COMMENT

Democracy can't die

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- There is anger on both sides of the conflict that is already threatening to twist the knife in the aftermath of the clashes; the two sides have no choice now but try to find a formula to coexist

Democracy can't fail. For all its flaws, the self-destruct naivety, the exploitation and the prevailing hopelessness, we need to resuscitate our sys-tem. That's everyone's emer-gency task. How we manage to go forward can be discussed later.

Anti-democratic elements are lurking. Whether or not they played some part in Saturday's national tragedy remained to be investigated, but rumours about a coup were anything but groundless. There is a real belief among people out there that, after the "failure" of the September 2006 coup, the sus-picious handling of political protests over the past three years, and the fact Saturday's bloodbath had one root cause in anti-coup sentiment, another military intervention can put an end to Thailand's crisis.

Much can be blamed on poli-tics. The red shirts, either claim-ing "constitutional rights" or try-ing to present their case about "double standards" in a suicidal way, crossed the line and pushed the limits.

The Democrats, on the other hand, refused to listen to what they should have and when they should have. The controver-sially "democratic" government fumbled the situation, choosing to be soft when it needed to be tough and vice versa.

Parliament was almost use-less, while grassroots democratic mechanisms were given a poor choice of rallying point in Thaksin Shinawatra, not to men-tion allegations that he funded the red shirts' campaign. Then we had freedom of expression defying all ethics and indulging in absolute hypocrisy. Checks and balances have been sup-pressed by cut-throat political rivalry.

And there is the partisan anger on both sides of the con-flict that, although yet to peak, is already threatening to twist the knife in Saturday's aftermath. Last but not least, the antago-nists - the Democrats and red shirts - call themselves democ-racy's representatives and accuse each other of being democracy's destroyers. The two main camps that garnered a combined massive majority in recent elections don't talk to each other- and neither consid-ers the other a democratic part-ner.

It's too late to blame anyone as to why we have come to this. But it's not too late to protect what we still have. No matter how hard it is, all parties that constitute Thailand's comatose democratic system must think about the Kingdom first and themselves later. They must realise that no matter how weak democracy appears to be, it's entirely up to them whether it will die or not. Whatever it takes - the prime minister's resigna-tion, or House dissolution, or national government, or red shirts' suspension of their cam-paign - democracy must be kept alive.

A "tale of two cities" ended trag-ically on Saturday. But the two groups have no choice now but try to find a formula to co-exist. That's what democracy is all about.

And they can't fail, because at stake is the very thing both sides claim to care so much about.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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Gunman fires at Cyber World Building in Huay Kwang

BANGKOK: -- A gunman fired at the Cyber World Building in Bangkok's Huay Kwang district at 2:30 am Monday.

Police said the gunman, who arrived on a black van, used a 9mm pistol. A window on the ground floor was hit by one bullet. Several other bullets hit the wall on the second floor.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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Minor parties want charter changes and poll held sooner

By Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Junior coalition parties have told Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to amend the charter and dissolve the House much sooner than nine months - or they would pull out of the government, sources from the parties said yesterday.

Coalition party leaders felt uneasy over the heavy casualties from 'Black Saturday' with both troops and red-shirt protesters suffering hundreds of injured after moves to disperse a red mob at Khok Wua intersection near Democracy monument, the sources said.

After talks on the phone they decided Abhisit must hurriedly make a decision because it had become difficult for him to run the country. If he let the situation spiral out of control, the military could stage a coup, which would exacerbate the crisis.

"We initially agree that the government must take responsibility for what happened. The PM's resignation may not be the right solution now. There is another alternative, which is to make a commitment that the government will amend the charter and dissolve the House well before nine months from now," a coalition leader said.

However the coalition parties would unofficially discuss a way out and reach a decision before proposing their idea to the PM or Democrat Party leaders.

"If they do not accept our proposal, we will review our stance in supporting the government,'' the source said.

The parties expect to meet the PM and Democrat leaders within two days.

The junior coalition parties had earlier agreed to meet at Chart Thai Pattana Party chief adviser Banharn Silapa-archa's residence yesterday morning, but Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban talked them into meeting the PM at the 11th Infantry Regiment after learning about the appointment.

Some minor parties refused to go to the meeting, saying they were still in the provinces or abroad. They then opted to talk over the phone and did not meet at Banharn's home.

Ruam Chart Pattana Party leader Wannarat Chanukul admitted he was contacted by Suthep to meet at the 11th Infantry base but he told him he was not ready to attend as he needed more time to carefully make a decision.

Somsak Prissanananthakul, an adviser for the Chat Thai Pattana Party, said he did not meet with Abhisit to discuss solutions to the crisis because some leaders were overseas and some were in the provinces. He said if the Democrats wanted to call a meeting of coalition parties, they must show more sincerity than previously.

"The best way out of the problem is to amend the charter and dissolve the House sooner than the nine-month road map,'' he said.

The Bhum Jai Thai, Puea Pandin and the Social Action parties have agreed to the proposal. But the Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana Party has yet to be approached to discuss the solution.

Somsak said he would talk with Suwat Liptapanlop soon and once they had an agreement, they would meet the PM over Songkran.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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EDITORIAL

Hardcore reds took out troops' commanders

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Army tactics, intelligence questioned after failure to clear Phan Fa Bridge

Let us first pause for a moment to pay tribute to those who gave their lives during the skirmishes between government soldiers and the red shirts on Black Saturday. It is bad enough when families have to lose their loved ones. But it is even worse when Thais have to kill Thais. At the latest count, 21 people had died, five of whom were soldiers and 14 ordinary folks, including a Japanese photographer working for Thompson Reuters. Some 16 hospitals in Bangkok were full of people suffering from injuries. They are now in need of fresh blood to help the patients.

Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdiphol, alias Seh Daeng and one of the hardcore members of the red shirts, emerged to brag about the government soldiers losing the battle on Rajdamnoen Avenue. He said many of their commanders had been nullified. Without the commanders, the government troops fell into disarray in the face of a relentless onslaught by the red shirts. Khattiya admitted that an unnamed group of fighters came over to assist the red shirts' "people's army".

He was right. Obviously, the red shirts fought against the government soldiers in a tit-for-tat way as they successfully fended off the government's attempt to disperse them from Phan Fa Bridge.

The government soldiers suffered heavy casualties. Col Romkhlao Thuvakam, deputy Army chief-of-staff from the Second Infantry Regiment in Prachin Buri, was killed by a gunshot to the head. Maj General Valit Rajanaphakdi, the chief of the Second Infantry Regiment, was seriously wounded. His legs were hit by an M79 grenade. Other key commanders also sustained wounds.

The question is: How did the red shirts know about the formation of the government troops and their commanders?

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva finally decided to act against the escalating violence by the red shirts by trying to enforce the emergency decree. But he lacked experience and tactical support from those responsible for implementing the Emergency Command Centre at the 11th Infantry Regiment. They all underestimated the resilience of the red shirts, fully armed and capable of a fierce fight.

The soldiers dispatched to quash the red shirts at Phan Fa Bridge in the afternoon of Saturday were not only outnumbered by the red shirts, they had to operate under the strict rules of the emergency decree. They could only use teargas, water cannons, batons, shields and plastic bullets against the protesters. Abhisit had insisted that the soldiers could use real bullets only at critical moments when they had to protect their own lives. But the key fighters of the red shirts were armed with M16 rifles, M79 grenade launchers and other military weapons. Rajdamnoen Avenue turned into a war zone. The less equipped government soldiers on Rajdamnoen were destined for a rout.

The government decided to call off the military operation. The soldiers were fighting a losing battle. Abhisit wanted to give both sides a cooling-off break and have them lay down their weapons and examine the loss of lives and injuries.

Further negotiations look difficult because the red shirts have resorted to armed struggle and resistance on a mass scale. Pressure is building on Abhisit for having miscalculated the red shirts' counterattack capability. The emergency operation to reclaim Phan Fa Bridge turned into a total defeat. The red shirts clearly held the upper hand.

Abhisit has expressed his regret at the human toll and the huge number of injuries. But the premier intends to restore law and order to the capital. Now we are wondering how this crisis will end.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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Toll rises to 21 dead, 858 injured

By Manassa Manorat, Thanawat Jintasukhon

The Nation

BANKOK: -- Some 21 people were killed and 858 others injured in violent clashes between soldiers and redshirt demonstrators on Saturday night, a government medical service centre said yesterday.

Bangkok's Erawan Centre announced a further death yesterday evening after an earlier Public Health Ministry announcement which reported 20 deaths, five of whom were soldiers.

At Armyrun Phra Mongkul Hospital, 30 soldiers were being treated for critical wounds. They included four in a "worrying condition", senior officer Col Pheeraphol Pokpong said.

A total of 216 soldiers sustained injuries in clashes with red shirts at various locations in Bangkok. Around 100 of them were discharged after receiving treatment.

The bodies of 10 of the dead were at Central Hospital, including that of a Japanese photographer shot in the abdomen. The police forensic service is due to do autopsies on these.

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit dismissed claims that slow reporting of casualties by hospitals treating wounded people was an attempt to cover up information. He said delays stemmed from the scale of the emergency.

Redshirt demonstrators said both rubber and real bullets were fired at them during clashes. Jamroon Pakhamin, 40, said he found and collected real bullets at the scene after he was shot by rubber bullets.

Central Hospital director Phitchaya Narkwatchara said a 54yearold man was the latest casualty. Monchai saeJong succumbed to lung failure after inhaling tear gas. He was the eighth death at that hospital.

At Phra Mongkut Hospital, Lieutenant Aniwan Phimthong said he was wounded by objects thrown at him while on duty guarding a road near the UN building in Bangkok. His cheek was cut by glass from after a bottle hit his helmet.

Sgt Major Suksawas Sawasdee, assigned to guard the Thaicom ground control station in Pathum Thani, said he suffered an injured left knee after being run over by a group of protestors who brought into the site. He is currently unable to walk.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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Govt seeks to prove red shirts used weapons against troops

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- 'Firearms only used in self-defence' spokesman tells media; top brass claims it got no order for crackdown

With 21 people dead and more than 850 injured, the government is seeking to prove that red-shirt protesters used weapons against security forces in brutal clashes on Saturday night - as the reds are due to parade bodies of the victims through the capital today.

"There were no live bullets fired at the protesters," government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told a press conference.

"Weapons were used only in self-defence and to fire into the air. We have found no evidence that soldiers used weapons against the people," he said.

The government would set up a committee to collect evidence from the media, plus eyewitnesses and officials to prove the truth, he said.

"We found that even the type of teargas used during the clash was different from what officials used," he said, adding that M79 and M67 grenade cartridges, plus home-made weapons had been found at Khok Wua intersection.

The military top brass regarded the clash on Saturday as a government failure to order a crackdown on the protest, a source said. The military called back troops from protest sites shortly after the clash and the government was now relying on police, he said.

The protesters would also collect evidence, images and video clips to counter the government and prove that troops fired weapons at unarmed protesters.

Protesters yesterday showed off a pile of weapon they confiscated from security forces, including rifles and heavy calibre machine-gun rounds.

Four soldiers held since Saturday night were released yesterday afternoon after talks with Metropolitan police commander Wichai Sangprapai.

Red shirt protesters have been protesting in the city since March 12, calling for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve Parliament and call a fresh election.

Two rounds of talks failed to end the conflict peacefully.

Red shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan said the room for negotiation had been completely shut because they would not talk with Abhisit, who they labelled a "murderer with blood on his hands".

"The Prime Minister should return power to the people, rather than sitting on the corpses and blood of the people," another leader Nattawut Saikua said.

Red shirts yesterday surrounded former PM Banharn Silapa-Archa's home in Charan Sanitwong Rd and demanded that his Chart Thai Pattana Party withdraw from the coalition government within three days.

Another group took over the Thaicom satellite's earth station in Pathum Thani then demanded the company put their mouthpiece People's TV channel on air again. The company later agreed to broadcast the station via satellite again.

The protesters mourned their dead colleagues and conduct Buddhism religious ceremony for them at Democracy Monument yesterday. Former PM Somchai Wongsawat presided over the ceremony.

Fugitive former MP Thaksin Shinawatra issued a statement later expressing condolences for the bloodshed but blamed Prime Minister Abhisit for causing the loss of lives.

Former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh also expressed his condolences and urged Abhsit to take responsibility for "mishandling" the protest.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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M-Society to aid the injured and families of the dead from clashes

BANGKOK (NNT) –- A center to aid injured people and relatives of those killed in clashes between state officers and supporters of the aniti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) has been launched by the Ministry of Social Development & Human Security (M-Society).

According to the Minister of M-Society Mr Issara Somchai, the center will pay 20,000 THB for anybody injured and not requiring overnight hospital admission. Those who are being hospitalized less than 20 days will recieve 60,000 THB per person, while those who stay more than 20 days will recieve 100,000 THB per person.

Families of disabled victims will recieve 200,000 THB while 400,000 THB will be paid per death. Moreover, the government will be responsible for the cost of undergraduate studies for children of disabled parents. M-Society affirmed equal support for civilians and military officers.

The center is located at the Rajvithi Home for Girls. Those who wish to claim for the financial support need to show medical evidence as from 11 April 2010 onward.

-- NNT 2010-04-12

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THE NATION

Thai Army Opens Fire On Protesters, Protesters Hurl Grenades, Caught On Video

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/n...9&cateid=13

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THE NATION: Open today: Central Chidlom (10-7pm). Siam Paragon, Siam Center and Siam Discovery (from 10am - closing time to be announced).

THE NATION: Again, BTS opens to day until midnight as confirmed by its executive last night.

THE NATION: Closed today - CentralWorld shopping mall & Zen.

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THE NATION: reds still firm on body parade plan, to start at 10 am.

THE NATION: It's going to b very tense day. High uncertainties remain.

THE NATION: All autopsy work will be finished soon, for all relatives to have the bodies by afternoon.

THE NATION: RED shirts body parade plan is still confirmed for the time being. At9.25 they have formed the line at Phan Fa.

The Nation: Foreign Tourists May File Insurance Claims: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Foreign-Tour...Cl-t355528.html

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THE NATION: Natthawut is heading to Phan Fa to lead body parade: Nation News Agency (NNA).

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Red shirds prepared to parade bodies

BANGKOK: -- Protesters at the Phan Fa Bridge were forming a procession Monday morning to parade the bodies of their peers killed during the clashes on Saturday.

They formed the procession at 9:30 am. The coffins were wrapped in national flags and loaded onto pick-up trucks.

The protesters were waiting for Natthawut Saikua, who was travelling from Rajprasong Intersection.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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MCOT: MRTsubway fully in operation, all stations; exit to Lumpini Park at Silom Station closed

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THE NATION: Govt trying to renegotiate, probably through Banharn.

THE NATION: Govt stand, unofficial, is amend the charter fast then House dissolution.

THE NATION: The old nine-month timeframe Govt favours is now off, apparently. Will b shorter than that. How much we'll see.

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THE NATION: Red leaders promised a peaeful, solemn procession.

THE NATION: Post Today: Body procession from Phan Fa began. Two bodies and several other empty coffins were paraded.

THE NATION: One BMA event is on: BMA invites the public to pay respect to Phra Buddha Sihing at Larn Khon Muang fr Apr12-15 (8-3pm)

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Somsak says coalition parnters want House dissolution sooner than 9 months

BANGKOK: -- Somsak Prissananthakul, a Chart Thai Pattana Party leading member, said Monday that representatives of coalition partners told the government manager, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, that the House should be dissolved sooner than nine months.

Somsak said the coalition partners' leaders met Suthep Sunday night to discuss the situation following fatal clashes between troops and protesters.

Somsak said the timeframe of House dissolution would depend on how soon how amendments of the Constitution and related organic laws could be done.

He said the coalition partners did not demand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign because doing so would lead to political vacuum during time of crisis.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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MCOT: Joint committee witness autopsies on 11 bodies, including Japanese cameraman, killed during Saturday's bloody clashes

MCOT: Red Shirt coffin procession to begin from Democracy Monument, expected to pass Lanluang, Bantadthong, Rama IV, Phetchaburi Rd, Nanglerng

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Coalition parties press Democrat Party for charter amendment

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The leaders of the government coalition parties has given the Democrat Party a time frame of one to two months for charter referendum.

Reports say that if the Democrat Party fails to motion within the time frame, the coalition parties will resign from the government.

Presently, Thailand is ruled under the 2007 Constitution which was rewritten by the Constitution Drafting Assembly, established by the military junta. Since then many sides have supported the revival of the 1997 version, which was revoked in 2006 by the coup d'état.

Meanwhile, representatives last week collectively confirmed their stance for house dissolution at the end of the year during the second meeting of the Parliament last Wednesday. Representatives agreed that charter amendments should be completed prior to house dissolution.

-- NNT 2010-04-12

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US sends hope to Thais during Songkran

BANGKOK (NNT) -- US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sends hope to the Thai Kingdom, stating that Songkran would provide an opportunity of reconciliation during Thailand’s challenging time of political turmoil.

According AFP, Ms Hillary said that the US is hopeful that the Thai new year would be a time of renewal and reconciliation and that the festival of Songkran will be an opportunity for Thais to gather with family, friends, and neighbors to honor their rich traditions and culture.

The US will remain confident in the strong, enduring bonds during the time where Thailand continues to resolve its political differences, as Thailand is the United States' oldest ally in Asia, the US State Secretary said in a new year message before wishing Thailand and Thais around the world a peaceful New Year.

Last Saturday the government crackdown on ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra supporters left 20 soldiers and civilians dead, with 834 people injured.

-- NNT 2010-04-12

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Letter from the clash site

By Don Pathan

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- This is like a Children's Day activity rather than a war zone, a red-shirt protester said jokingly as she strolled through a column of armoured personnel carriers and other military vehicles abandoned by soldiers the night before.

But instead of polished military hardware the armed forces often display on a typical Children's Day, the entrance to this soi leading up to the Rajdamnoen Avenue was littered with broken and gutted Humvee and tracked vehicles.

More than 800 red shirts were admitted to hospital after the bloody clashes that, according to the government, were provoked by the demonstrators.

Nevertheless, even for a brief moment, there was a sense of victory yesterday afternoon as red shirts jumped on top of the tracked vehicles, waving Thai flags and saying out loud to their fellow reds how easily they could have beaten back the soldiers if they had had the courage to go man-to-man and toe-to-toe.

One can say these vehicles are the reds' war booty that cannot be of any real value other than being scrap metal. Just about everything inside these vehicles that could be ripped out was ripped out. One Humvee was turned on its side and the armoured personnel carrier that had been in the front line had lost a portion of its track. Apparently it was hit by some sort of explosive, lending support to reports that heavy fire power was being used and exchanged along with the gunfire.

Local residents shut their doors and windows. And in spite of the high number of people walking around, local businesses - except the khao san Road cafe and eateries -decided to shut down for the day, probably fearing more clashes.

A few metres down Rajdamnoen in a soi leading to khao san Road, tears were pouring down a lady's face as she placed a flower next to the photograph of a male victim. A portion of his head was missing. There were bullet holes in the shophouses and buildings, possibly after nervous soldiers fired in the air. Apparently that didn't work, thus the wounds in chests and other body areas.

Red-shirt leaders who reclaimed the area from the military gave onlookers and passersby a small tour, pointing to broken windows and bullet holes, although reporters at the scene said the damage could have come from either side.

"Please, please, whoever can speak English, please tell the foreign reporters that it was the soldiers who killed the Japanese photographer. It wasn't the red shirts," said a man with a loud speaker to onlookers.

A five-minute walk from there is the Phan Fa stage, the main rallying point for the reds. Here emotion was running high and anger was vented at local media by a man who said the reporting was biased because no TV station would show the gruesome pictures of his fallen comrades. Crowds joined in and booed local reporters, scolding and forcing them to pack up and leave the area.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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BLACK SATURDAY

Autopsies on victims start and to be released 2pm

BANGKOK: -- Autopsies on those killed during the battle between red shirts protesters and soldiers on the weekend start at the Forensic Institute, Police Hospital on Monday.

The result will be concluded and released for public at about 2pm.

The government has ordered the autopsy on the bodies to find the cause of the deaths.

The autopsy was conducted by an independent panel comprising doctors from many hospitals and representatives from the red shirts side.

Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Pongsathat Pongcharoen told reporters that as the bodies of those killed in the clash are still in the hospital, it is likely that the red shirts would parade empty coffins around the capital on Monday.

Some 21 people were killed and 858 others injured in violent clashes between soldiers and redshirt demonstrators on Saturday night, a government medical service centre said.

Bangkok's Erawan Centre announced a further death yesterday evening after an earlier Public Health Ministry announcement which reported 20 deaths, five of whom were soldiers.

At Armyrun Phra Mongkul Hospital, 30 soldiers were being treated for critical wounds. They included four in a "worrying condition", senior officer Col Pheeraphol Pokpong said.

A total of 216 soldiers sustained injuries in clashes with red shirts at various locations in Bangkok. Around 100 of them were discharged after receiving treatment.

The bodies of 10 of the dead were at Central Hospital, including that of a Japanese photographer shot in the abdomen. The police forensic service is due to do autopsies on these.

-- The Nation 2010-04-12

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MACOT: Red Shirts procession of coffins en route from Larn Luang via Rama 4, Ekamai, Pratunam, to Government House

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MCOT: DPM Suthep: CRES crisis centre unprepared for unidentified group mingling with protesters and soldiers to attack both sides

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TAN Network: Deputy PM Suthep, Defence Minister Prawit, Army Chief Gen Anupong said in press conference terrorists fired at red-shirt protesters on Sat

THAN Network: Army Chief Gen Anupong calls on PM to lay framework for House dissolution, saying political problem must be solved by politics

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Army Chief Calls on PM to Dissolve House

In a press conference with Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, Army Chief General Anupong Paochinda called on PM Abhisit Vejjajiva to set a timeline for House dissolution. He added political problems must be solved by politics.

The press conference also revealed that terrorists took advantage of the situation on Saturday night to shoot at the red-shirt protesters, causing deaths and injuries.

Deputy PM Suthep also said the coalition alliance is still strong and they have not discussed dissolving the House in 2 months as rumored.

-- Tan Network 2010-04-12

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MCOT: Prawit vows to tough response to unidentified 'outlaw' group; Army Chief Anupong recommends political system to resolve crisis

THE NATION: too early to suggest anyth but ltalking to military expert here, I have no hope for situation to return to normalcy soon.

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THE NATION: it appears what we saw on TV is not "what we saw on TV". It is not Reds against military or mob disperse.

THE NATION: I'll follow it up and provide more info when the autopsy results arrive. Of course, via the military and political experts.Not my own words.

THE NATION: Anupong: "Politics must solve its own problem."//same to military!!!

THE NATION: Reports say Anupong favours House dissolution, sooner the better.

Bangkokpundit: Abhisit got into power by sword (mil involved in forming coalition) and now appears to be dying by the sword (Anupong calls for dissolution)

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comment on Thaivisa facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ThaiVisaNews : Wow! Big News....no other choice now, next step is coup

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MCOT: Social Development and Human Security to ask Cabinet for Bt25 mln added budget to respond to weekend protest

THE NATION: any press member looking for facilities. DC Consultant's press centre on AmarinPlaza 22Fl welcomes everyone.

THE NATION: Thai Red Cross is short of blood supply - donation can be made everyday during Sonkran. Call 02 2564300