Red Shirt Leaders Flee As Thai Forces Surround Hotel

[jackspratt]

So how long before Abhisit resigns?

I (and maybe others) would welcome your rationale for why Abhisit should resign.

From my perspective, the main reason would be that he does not seem to have control of the royalist army, and the clearly useless police.

But using those criteria, Thailand would not have had a civilian government any time since 1932.

I am just trying to think what is the common factor in the problems Thailand has suffered since 1932, and more particularly since 1946.

[buckeye]

Anupong replaces Suthep. What does it mean?

Good question, and here's a guess:

Suthep was perceived as not doing his job well, if at all.

Anupong, now seated at Abhisit's side (metaphorically) will not attempt a coup.

Instead, he will now agree that the Red Shirts should be dispersed, and quickly, for the good of the country.

Suthep's efforts at dispersion were not successful, to say the least. Now the General will be able to get the Army cracking.

It's possible that the meeting Anupong called for Monday was the catalyst for the PM to change the leadership roles. It can be thought that the meeting would be to plan for/declare a coup. Now, if held on Monday (though I think it will be moved up to tomorrow), it will be to make a decisive plan to disperse the Red Shirts and arrest the leaders.

I think the PM has spent the past few days analyzing the entire situation, and has come up with a solution that will work.

And now I'll put my flame suit on.....

No flame but I agree, except I think it was Anupong testing the water re a coup that he was not going to be a part of, some Generals would not like to attend a meeting if they were about to flip the boss.

[RandyWhite]

Cretins.

The Government has managed to find a few top cops that will obey its rules.

The rank and file however are having second thoughts.

Like the Italians in the last war, they are capable of more fight than this. Trouble is, the rank and file are mostly red, their families are mostly red.

So much for the offer of talks. No more talks I say, starve the business community out now. All the yellow supporters backers are now loosing big money.

Obama was so concerned yesterday with the Thais running round screaming "Terrorist" that he held a press conference.... and announce a mission to Mars!

Yeah - the dereliction of duty shown by senior Thai Police reminds me of that famous definition of American Senators:

"A good Senator is one that STAYS bought."

Add to this the army leaking intelligence information like a sieve and it's not hard to see why the government risks looking like 'The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight' whenever it tries to reassert it's authority. Unfortunately, the alternative seems to give in to the RED mob that is, in a sense, holding the Bangkok middle class to ransom - no thanks to Bangkok's finest you-know-what.

[bubba]

Interesting that RedPhanFa2Day posted this earlier, then retracted it, and now they have posted it again:

We have received the following credible information indicating the Thai government will attempt to clear red-shirt protesters from Ratchaprasong tonight and continue with their failed attempt of this morning to assassinate UDD leaders.

The information supplied late this afternoon from various reliable sources states:

1. Many ambulances around Rajaprasong this evening even though there are many hospitals in the area.

2. Intelligence report says that weapons are being transported via Sansaeb Canal.

3. Extra war weapons are being brought in from Prachinburi ETA 10 pm at Bangsue.

4. Police Sources report that snipers are being placed on roof tops at Rajaprasong.

5. Soldiers are instructed to wear combat uniforms this evening.

6. Trucks with Amplifiers are being prepared.

7. Chinook Helicopters are being prepared, possibly to transport captured people.

8. Military Barrack at Hat Yai is being prepared for a prison camp.

http://redphanfa2day.wordpress.com/2010/04...phan-fa-bridge/

Perhaps typical of the organised and coordinated nature of the red shirt leadership.

look at the date is says 14th

I saw that, but they just tweeted it.

http://twitter.com/RedPhanFa2Day

[noahvail]

So how long before Abhisit resigns?

With the current shake-up, he no longer has to resign. Having the Army close to him, making decisions with him, and with Mr Abhisit sitting in on the Army meetings, a coup will not happen.

All of Mr Abhisit's upbringing, schooling, and political career has brought him to this moment. I rather doubt that he would throw all of that away by resigning prematurely.

[britmaveric]

So how long before Abhisit resigns?

You mean "told" to resign.....by Anupong ?

LaoPo

Anupong becomes PM? Christmas comes early to the red friendly general.

[LaoPo]

So how long before Abhisit resigns?

You mean "told" to resign.....by Anupong ?

LaoPo

Anupong becomes PM? Christmas comes early to the red friendly general.

Anupong is too smart wanting to become a PM. No way.

But I suspect he will tell Abhisit in a friendly manner to stop now....

Anupong is a very tough cookie and he's fed up the way this circus is proceeding now for 5 weeks. He wants peace and finally........... elections.

LaoPo

[Tod Daniels]

Strange that Veera Musikapong and the infamous rambler of nonsense Dr. Weng Tojirakarn have been noticeably absent in the media lately.

Have they been "shuffled off to Buffalo" (no buffalo pun intended ) or simply sidelined by the more radically minded "red-rabble-rousers" like; Jatuporn, Sunporn and Arisman?

A sad day 4 the frickin' Redz (yes, that was purposely mis-spelled)

[khaosarnbuddy]

PM didn't look too well tonight.

May be stomach bug?

The announcement of head -money must have been bad for his digestion i guess!

Today again they said they gonna "hunt him down"...

Long time in the Army camp, family in a save house, everyone scared to get killed by the mob...

taking its toll

When Arisman went to the stage to announce "songkaam dem luuk peb" (or like hitler said "der totale krieg") it was clear people will die, it took not eaven one hour till the first death from kok hua was announced...

How does it matter that Suthep is out? Anupong Paochinda is the head of the thai armed forces, while Suthep is the deputy prime minister of a coalition government... make a picture by yourself..e

[jackspratt]

So how long before Abhisit resigns?

You mean "told" to resign.....by Anupong ?

LaoPo

Anupong becomes PM? Christmas comes early to the red friendly general.

Anupong is too smart wanting to become a PM. No way.

But I suspect he will tell Abhisit in a friendly manner to stop now....

Anupong is a very tough cookie and he's fed up the way this circus is proceeding now for 5 weeks. He wants peace and finally........... elections.

LaoPo

.......and we can assume, a continuation of the palace/army veto of what happens in Thai politics.

[FreedomDude]

I would just like to mention that not a single English international news source has adopted the word "terrorist" to refer to the redshirts. Many have mentioned that Abhisit referred to them thusly but none has adopted the word to refer to the reds outside of the references in Abhisit's speeches.

3 examples (now that I know we CAN actually link to other sources besides the Nation, Yay!)

Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63F0CX20100416

"The government has promised to crack down on what it terms "terrorists" whom it blames for Saturday's killings"

New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/world/asia/17thai.html

"Mr. Abhisit said the move was necessary because the protesters had been infiltrated by what he called terrorists who were threatening national security. "

BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8625847.stm

"He had announced that the police were there to take "decisive measures against terrorists" - the government's word for an alleged protest hard core."

[pompoiman]

Arisman flees arrest

red shirts with yellow bellies, cant face upto their responsibilities shame on them, when the going gets tough do a runner, just like your leader aka thaksin.

this is from a farang living in thailand watching this world class comedy of errors in real time,

get real, stop cripling your own economy,

the only way out is real elections, call in the UN (capitals used in un as a SHOUT)

your to ficking simple to solve these problems without international intervention, give up and ask for help before its to late?????

I do not work for the un or any other ngo, i just want to see thailand back to normal,

or has it gone on so long now that this is normal, that peace is beyond intervention???????

[seri thai]

PM didn't look too well tonight.

May be stomach bug?

Didn't see it myself, but people saying his body language was off. Power play behind the scenes (mini-coup) and he's not terribly happy about it?

I call silent coup:

Last 3 breaking news headlines from the Nation in sequence today:

Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai went up on the mobile sound truck of the red-shirt protesters in front of Parliament and told them the military was about to withdraw support for the government.

He said he received the phone call from the secretary of the defence minister that the military had stopped supporting the government.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced on TV Friday night that Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda has been appointed the new commander of the Emergency Operations Command. Abhisit said Anupong has replaced Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban for the job.

Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda called a meeting of Army commanders at the Army headquarters on Monday.

Deputy Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, Assistant Army chief Gen Thirawat Boonyapradab, Assistant Army chief Gen Wit Thephassadin, Army Chief-of-Staff Gen Phirun Phaewpolsong, and the commanders of the four Army regions as well as the commander of the Special Warfare Command will also attend the meeting.

I think this weekend will be as pivotal as the 1933 coup. I also see plenty of potential Pibulsongkrams but no Pridi. I also believe it is doomed to hubris, venality and corruption and a return to the norms that wrack this poor blighted nation. If the reds as a popular peoples movement can grasp the the opportunity to sideline Thaksin, Newin and all the other cynical Viktor Komarovskys eager to get their snouts in the trough...

No the history of the world says it won't happen.

The Nation

[khaosarnbuddy]

Strange that Veera Musikapong and the infamous rambler of nonsense Dr. Weng Tojirakarn have been noticeably absent in the media lately.

Have they been "shuffled off to Buffalo" (no buffalo pun intended ) or simply sidelined by the more radically minded "red-rabble-rousers" like; Jatuporn, Sunporn and Arisman?

A sad day 4 the frickin' Redz (yes, that was purposely mis-spelled)

On the way to Dubai?

Let's hope they didn't reach Cambodia yet...

[anotherpeter]

PM didn't look too well tonight.

May be stomach bug?

No. A sore throat.

The reason he's been so quiet is that he's been out of the country having a chat with Thaksin.

[draggons]

600 and odd posts on a fleeing (terrorist?) Rope should have been round his neck.

[retarius]

good on them

shame on you

another red shirted bleeding heart who thinks lawlessness, murder and bully boy intimidation is acceptable

Shame on YOU for keeping your eyes CLOSED to what is happening, but then the news is censored by the Government!

Please read this article by a Thai in exile: Trust it does not breach Thai Visa rules if so my apologies to Admin. ( I have deleted and edited some words that I thought may breach your rules.)

Thailand: Seeing through the Mist of Tear Gas by Giles Ji Ungpakorn

After the recent bloodshed on the streets of Bangkok, the army, the government, and the media, academics, and NGOs who have sided with the elites, especially those who deceitfully call themselves "neutral," are all trying to distort the major facts about what is happening in Thailand.

Together with the blanket censorship ordered by the government, this distortion is like firing a second round of tear gas at the population in order to cause confusion. So let us just remind ourselves of the basics. The first basic point is that any government that sends soldiers armed with M16 automatic weapons, live ammunition, and tanks, in order to disperse a peaceful and disciplined demonstration, has already decided on the option of using lethal force against the demonstrators. This is an undeniable fact whether or not the soldiers also carry shields and rubber bullets and whether or not the soldiers initially fire live rounds into the air. In the inevitable situation of stress and tension, the soldiers will start firing live ammunition against civilians and they have indeed done this. It is also true that this will occur whether or not there are some mysterious black-clad figures running around. These could be special military forces, people hoping to stimulate a bloody crackdown, or some other group.

Whatever the case, these people had no connection with the UDD who have repeatedly restrained their supporters. The UDD stored captured weapons so that they would not be used, and, in contrast to the behavior of the army, any captured soldiers were well treated. Let us be clear. When the army bring lethal weapons of war and station snipers on high buildings, they are already intent on the option of killing civilians. Machine guns and tanks are not brought on to the streets to cook noodles, show off to tourists, or repair the roads. In most civilized democracies, the streets are cleared of demonstrators, whether legitimately or not, by the use of riot police and mass arrests, not by systematic use of weapons of war.

The Abhisit Government and its military backers were therefore intent on killing civilians. This is, of course, nothing new in Thailand. In the last 40 years military have gunned down and murdered unarmed civilian demonstrations six times. Five of these bloodbaths occurred in Bangkok in 1973, 1976, 1992, 2009, and now in 2010. The sixth occasion was in the South at Takbai in 2004. It is a matter of great urgency that democratic and human rights standards are established in Thailand to deal with this. Certain figures, politicians, and generals have to be publically punished if found guilty. The entire military command needs to be retired and the army has to be drastically reduced in terms of budgets, numbers, and influence.

The deceitful so-called "neutral" academics and NGOs, who claim that "both sides should take responsibility for the bloodshed," are merely reducing the responsibility of the government, the oppressor. It is like saying that both the elephant and the ant are "responsible" for the ant being crushed to death under the elephant's giant foot, just because the ant was in the wrong place. On the one hand we have the military-backed government and its armed forces trying to crush a democratic protest with lethal weapons. On the other hand we have thousands of unarmed and disciplined protesters. It should not be hard to see the difference, unless of course you backed the 2006 coup (however reluctantly) and you backed the semi-fascist PAD Yellow Shirts. This is what nearly all these so-called neutrals did.

The semi-fascist PAD Yellow Shirts used weapons and violent tactics to wreck Government House, to prevent the opening of an elected parliament, and to make the extremely damaging seizure and closure of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in 2008.

They have not been punished because the military and Abhisit's Democrat Party support them. In contrast, the Red Shirts have occupied some roads in Bangkok. They have not shot anyone or destroyed buildings. Yet the government is manufacturing lies about "Red Shirt Terrorists." Previously they lied about troops "not using lethal weapons on civilians."

The second basic point is that the Abhisit Goverment was never democratically elected. It is in power because of a military coup in 2006, two judiciary coups, the PAD violence, and the maneuverings of the military. Abhisit's Democrat Party can never hope to win an overall majority in any future election and in the past it has never won such an election. It can only cling to power by the use of the military and blanket censorship which is turning Thailand into a Police State. So the Red Shirt demand for the government to resign and for immediate democratic elections is totally legitimate. Their long drawn-out protest in the streets is totally legitimate. The use of a state of emergency and the military by the government to shut the mouths of the Red Shirt protesters, and to arrest their leaders, is totally illegitimate. The military Constitution and the "law" that Abhisit keeps talking about are totally illegitimate.

There are many people who say that democratic elections will not solve the crisis. They are probably right. But this is only because the military, the middle classes, the PAD, the academics, the NGOs, and the Democrat Party are not committed to respecting the majority vote and democracy. They firmly believe, like all supporters of dictatorships, that the Thai electorate is "unqualified to be given a free vote."

The third basic point is about the accusation that the Red Shirts are "committing treason," revolting against the nation. Let us just remind ourselves who should hold absolute power in a democracy. It is the people. The Red Shirts are defending that power. The government, the military, and its supporters are committing treason against the people. It is as simple as that.

The Abhisit government must resign now. The military must return to barracks and the people should decide the future of Thai society.

Absolutely spot on...an excellent, convincing and fair analysis...I must admit to being tricked by all the government talk of terrorists....but of course the red-shirts demonstrated peacefully for a month...when the troops rolled in the trouble started...thank you for opening my eyes

[animatic]

So how long before Abhisit resigns?

You mean "told" to resign.....by Anupong ?

LaoPo

Anupong becomes PM? Christmas comes early to the red friendly general.

Anupong is too smart wanting to become a PM. No way.

But I suspect he will tell Abhisit in a friendly manner to stop now....

Anupong is a very tough cookie and he's fed up the way this circus is proceeding now for 5 weeks. He wants peace and finally........... elections.

LaoPo

How ironic you are saying it's now the general who wants peace.

I don't think he was threatening to get into the control situation.

I think he wanted his last 6 months to quietly expire.

But the threat to his army home from Thaksin is too great to let go to chance.

Suthep just doesn't command enough respect in security circles

even after siding with the police generals and their hatred of Abhisit

over rides any good graces Suthep won. The police will not like Anupong,

but won't dare mess with him.

So, I suspect reluctantly, Anupong takes up the controls for one last round,

and will deal with it like a soldier and not a politician, and let the chips fall where they may.

At this point his only constituency will be his self-respect and how he is viewed in history.

How other soldiers, and MOST civilians see him in the future.

It is quite ironic.

[monkfish]

What ever happens he can't live in 11th regiment all his life.

Unless he signs up!!

[Neurath]

I would just like to mention that not a single English international news source has adopted the word "terrorist" to refer to the redshirts. Many have mentioned that Abhisit referred to them thusly but none has adopted the word to refer to the reds outside of the references in Abhisit's speeches.

3 examples (now that I know we CAN actually link to other sources besides the Nation, Yay!)

Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63F0CX20100416

"The government has promised to crack down on what it terms "terrorists" whom it blames for Saturday's killings"

New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/world/asia/17thai.html

"Mr. Abhisit said the move was necessary because the protesters had been infiltrated by what he called terrorists who were threatening national security. "

BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8625847.stm

"He had announced that the police were there to take "decisive measures against terrorists" - the government's word for an alleged protest hard core."

Can argue about what color the terrorists are wearing, but it's certainly clear that there are terrorists shooting and throwing grenades and, well, terrorizing. Unless of course, there is an armed insurrection.

[Old Man River]

How ironic you are saying it's now the general who wants peace.

I don't think he was threatening to get into the control situation.

I think he wanted his last 6 months to quietly expire.

But the threat to his army home from Thaksin is too great to let go to chance.

Suthep just doesn't command enough respect in security circles

even after siding with the police generals and their hatred of Abhisit

over rides any good graces Suthep won. The police will not like Anupong,

but won't dare mess with him.

So, I suspect reluctantly, Anupong takes up the controls for one last round,

and will deal with it like a soldier and not a politician, and let the chips fall where they may.

At this point his only constituency will be his self-respect and how he is viewed in history.

How other soldiers, and MOST civilians see him in the future.

It is quite ironic.

Shawn Crispin has just published a very interesting take on what is going on in the military. Read it and then filter in Abhisit's move this evening. Then watch things unfold.

[jackspratt]

Absolutely spot on...an excellent, convincing and fair analysis...I must admit to being tricked by all the government talk of terrorists....but of course the red-shirts demonstrated peacefully for a month...when the troops rolled in the trouble started...thank you for opening my eyes

Congratulations - you may be the first person who has ever agreed with Comrade Ungpakorn's musings.

Even the Red Shirts wrote him off some time ago.

[ThailandLovr]

How ironic you are saying it's now the general who wants peace.

I don't think he was threatening to get into the control situation.

I think he wanted his last 6 months to quietly expire.

But the threat to his army home from Thaksin is too great to let go to chance.

Suthep just doesn't command enough respect in security circles

even after siding with the police generals and their hatred of Abhisit

over rides any good graces Suthep won. The police will not like Anupong,

but won't dare mess with him.

So, I suspect reluctantly, Anupong takes up the controls for one last round,

and will deal with it like a soldier and not a politician, and let the chips fall where they may.

At this point his only constituency will be his self-respect and how he is viewed in history.

How other soldiers, and MOST civilians see him in the future.

It is quite ironic.

Shawn Crispin has just published a very interesting take on what is going on in the military. Read it and then filter in Abhisit's move this evening. Then watch things unfold.

Where do we find Crispin's piece?

[Neurath]

"How ironic you are saying it's now the general who wants peace.

I don't think he was threatening to get into the control situation.

I think he wanted his last 6 months to quietly expire.

But the threat to his army home from Thaksin is too great to let go to chance.

Suthep just doesn't command enough respect in security circles

even after siding with the police generals and their hatred of Abhisit

over rides any good graces Suthep won. The police will not like Anupong,

but won't dare mess with him.

So, I suspect reluctantly, Anupong takes up the controls for one last round,

and will deal with it like a soldier and not a politician, and let the chips fall where they may.

At this point his only constituency will be his self-respect and how he is viewed in history.

How other soldiers, and MOST civilians see him in the future.

It is quite ironic"

------------------------------------

Perhaps a big gamble by Abhisit. Telling Anupong, you will now take orders directly from me. Perhaps an expression of incipient civilian control of the army. Big responsibility, since what happens now is entirely on Abhisit's plate and there aren't any excuses for either him or Anupong. Let chips fall indeed.

[LuckyLew]

good on them

shame on you

another red shirted bleeding heart who thinks lawlessness, murder and bully boy intimidation is acceptable

Shame on YOU for keeping your eyes CLOSED to what is happening, but then the news is censored by the Government!

Please read this article by a Thai in exile: Trust it does not breach Thai Visa rules if so my apologies to Admin. ( I have deleted and edited some words that I thought may breach your rules.)

Thailand: Seeing through the Mist of Tear Gas by Giles Ji Ungpakorn

After the recent bloodshed on the streets of Bangkok, the army, the government, and the media, academics, and NGOs who have sided with the elites, especially those who deceitfully call themselves "neutral," are all trying to distort the major facts about what is happening in Thailand.

Together with the blanket censorship ordered by the government, this distortion is like firing a second round of tear gas at the population in order to cause confusion. So let us just remind ourselves of the basics. The first basic point is that any government that sends soldiers armed with M16 automatic weapons, live ammunition, and tanks, in order to disperse a peaceful and disciplined demonstration, has already decided on the option of using lethal force against the demonstrators. This is an undeniable fact whether or not the soldiers also carry shields and rubber bullets and whether or not the soldiers initially fire live rounds into the air. In the inevitable situation of stress and tension, the soldiers will start firing live ammunition against civilians and they have indeed done this. It is also true that this will occur whether or not there are some mysterious black-clad figures running around. These could be special military forces, people hoping to stimulate a bloody crackdown, or some other group.

Whatever the case, these people had no connection with the UDD who have repeatedly restrained their supporters. The UDD stored captured weapons so that they would not be used, and, in contrast to the behavior of the army, any captured soldiers were well treated. Let us be clear. When the army bring lethal weapons of war and station snipers on high buildings, they are already intent on the option of killing civilians. Machine guns and tanks are not brought on to the streets to cook noodles, show off to tourists, or repair the roads. In most civilized democracies, the streets are cleared of demonstrators, whether legitimately or not, by the use of riot police and mass arrests, not by systematic use of weapons of war.

The Abhisit Government and its military backers were therefore intent on killing civilians. This is, of course, nothing new in Thailand. In the last 40 years military have gunned down and murdered unarmed civilian demonstrations six times. Five of these bloodbaths occurred in Bangkok in 1973, 1976, 1992, 2009, and now in 2010. The sixth occasion was in the South at Takbai in 2004. It is a matter of great urgency that democratic and human rights standards are established in Thailand to deal with this. Certain figures, politicians, and generals have to be publically punished if found guilty. The entire military command needs to be retired and the army has to be drastically reduced in terms of budgets, numbers, and influence.

The deceitful so-called "neutral" academics and NGOs, who claim that "both sides should take responsibility for the bloodshed," are merely reducing the responsibility of the government, the oppressor. It is like saying that both the elephant and the ant are "responsible" for the ant being crushed to death under the elephant's giant foot, just because the ant was in the wrong place. On the one hand we have the military-backed government and its armed forces trying to crush a democratic protest with lethal weapons. On the other hand we have thousands of unarmed and disciplined protesters. It should not be hard to see the difference, unless of course you backed the 2006 coup (however reluctantly) and you backed the semi-fascist PAD Yellow Shirts. This is what nearly all these so-called neutrals did.

The semi-fascist PAD Yellow Shirts used weapons and violent tactics to wreck Government House, to prevent the opening of an elected parliament, and to make the extremely damaging seizure and closure of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in 2008.

They have not been punished because the military and Abhisit's Democrat Party support them. In contrast, the Red Shirts have occupied some roads in Bangkok. They have not shot anyone or destroyed buildings. Yet the government is manufacturing lies about "Red Shirt Terrorists." Previously they lied about troops "not using lethal weapons on civilians."

The second basic point is that the Abhisit Goverment was never democratically elected. It is in power because of a military coup in 2006, two judiciary coups, the PAD violence, and the maneuverings of the military. Abhisit's Democrat Party can never hope to win an overall majority in any future election and in the past it has never won such an election. It can only cling to power by the use of the military and blanket censorship which is turning Thailand into a Police State. So the Red Shirt demand for the government to resign and for immediate democratic elections is totally legitimate. Their long drawn-out protest in the streets is totally legitimate. The use of a state of emergency and the military by the government to shut the mouths of the Red Shirt protesters, and to arrest their leaders, is totally illegitimate. The military Constitution and the "law" that Abhisit keeps talking about are totally illegitimate.

There are many people who say that democratic elections will not solve the crisis. They are probably right. But this is only because the military, the middle classes, the PAD, the academics, the NGOs, and the Democrat Party are not committed to respecting the majority vote and democracy. They firmly believe, like all supporters of dictatorships, that the Thai electorate is "unqualified to be given a free vote."

The third basic point is about the accusation that the Red Shirts are "committing treason," revolting against the nation. Let us just remind ourselves who should hold absolute power in a democracy. It is the people. The Red Shirts are defending that power. The government, the military, and its supporters are committing treason against the people. It is as simple as that.

The Abhisit government must resign now. The military must return to barracks and the people should decide the future of Thai society.

Absolutely spot on...an excellent, convincing and fair analysis...I must admit to being tricked by all the government talk of terrorists....but of course the red-shirts demonstrated peacefully for a month...when the troops rolled in the trouble started...thank you for opening my eyes

What a load of crap

One mans opinion ...

opinions are like backsides ... everyone's got one

If your leaders where not inciting violence thru their media outlets

perhaps there would be no need to "blackouts"

If you leaders where not paid by a fugitive thee would be no protest

If there were no protest .. there would not have been bloodshed

If there was no bloodshed there would have been no deaths

That means whoever is paying red shirts tab is responsible for

last weekends deaths

no surprise ... more deaths due to "him"

[metisdead]

How ironic you are saying it's now the general who wants peace.

I don't think he was threatening to get into the control situation.

I think he wanted his last 6 months to quietly expire.

But the threat to his army home from Thaksin is too great to let go to chance.

Suthep just doesn't command enough respect in security circles

even after siding with the police generals and their hatred of Abhisit

over rides any good graces Suthep won. The police will not like Anupong,

but won't dare mess with him.

So, I suspect reluctantly, Anupong takes up the controls for one last round,

and will deal with it like a soldier and not a politician, and let the chips fall where they may.

At this point his only constituency will be his self-respect and how he is viewed in history.

How other soldiers, and MOST civilians see him in the future.

It is quite ironic.

Shawn Crispin has just published a very interesting take on what is going on in the military. Read it and then filter in Abhisit's move this evening. Then watch things unfold.

Where do we find Crispin's piece?

Google?

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LD17Ae01.html

[Chaimai]

"How ironic you are saying it's now the general who wants peace.

I don't think he was threatening to get into the control situation.

I think he wanted his last 6 months to quietly expire.

But the threat to his army home from Thaksin is too great to let go to chance.

Suthep just doesn't command enough respect in security circles

even after siding with the police generals and their hatred of Abhisit

over rides any good graces Suthep won. The police will not like Anupong,

but won't dare mess with him.

So, I suspect reluctantly, Anupong takes up the controls for one last round,

and will deal with it like a soldier and not a politician, and let the chips fall where they may.

At this point his only constituency will be his self-respect and how he is viewed in history.

How other soldiers, and MOST civilians see him in the future.

It is quite ironic"

------------------------------------

Perhaps a big gamble by Abhisit. Telling Anupong, you will now take orders directly from me. Perhaps an expression of incipient civilian control of the army. Big responsibility, since what happens now is entirely on Abhisit's plate and there aren't any excuses for either him or Anupong. Let chips fall indeed.

So, where does this position Abhisit - because from where I see it the ball has been firmly passed to Anupong ? Suthep falls by the wayside.

[Neurath]

How ironic you are saying it's now the general who wants peace.

I don't think he was threatening to get into the control situation.

I think he wanted his last 6 months to quietly expire.

But the threat to his army home from Thaksin is too great to let go to chance.

Suthep just doesn't command enough respect in security circles

even after siding with the police generals and their hatred of Abhisit

over rides any good graces Suthep won. The police will not like Anupong,

but won't dare mess with him.

So, I suspect reluctantly, Anupong takes up the controls for one last round,

and will deal with it like a soldier and not a politician, and let the chips fall where they may.

At this point his only constituency will be his self-respect and how he is viewed in history.

How other soldiers, and MOST civilians see him in the future.

It is quite ironic.

Shawn Crispin has just published a very interesting take on what is going on in the military. Read it and then filter in Abhisit's move this evening. Then watch things unfold.

Where do we find Crispin's piece?

Asia Times

[whiterussian]

Shawn Crispin

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LD17Ae01.html

Thailand mulls a 'half coup'

[hpl]

From AFP:

An explosive device is seen inside the "Red Shirt" anti-government leader Arisman Pongruanrong's hotel room after he fled arrest, at a downtown hotel in Bangkok.

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/ph...910afd9060ac70/