Bangkok Red-Shirt Rally - Live Saturday

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Saturday April 17 Red-shirt rally live updates

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

To make it easy to follow, this thread is read-only.

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STATE OF EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

Army chief put in charge

BANGKOK: -- Army chief Anupong Paochinda will replace Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban as head of the state-of-emergency operations, in what seems to be a major gamble by besieged Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The abrupt change followed an embarrassing incident yesterday morning when police commandos allowed red-shirt leaders staying at the SC Park Hotel to slip through their fingers. However, in a national address in the evening, Abhisit insisted that the change in the line of command had to do with what has become a new priority - terrorist threats.

Anupong apparently had been aware of the restructuring of the state-of-emergency command structure, as in the afternoon he called a meeting of top military officials - from the ranks of major-general and up - on Monday.

Government sources last night tried to play down Suthep's decreased role. It was agreed that the state-of-emergency operations should be carried out through a more concise chain of command, the sources said.

"Deputy Prime Minister Suthep is a civilian, and the situation has changed," said one source. "He will still play an important role, as key decisions must still come from the government. But to keep things moving fast and effectively, the line of command must be concise."

The government has been sticking with its "terrorism" claims since the bloodbath a week ago, which saw unprecedented Army casualties in a political crackdown. In his 12-minute national address last night to make the crucial announcement, Abhisit used the word "terrorist" or "terrorism" five times.

Anupong's appointment serves to reinforce the much-scrutinised claims and increased speculation about a "hunt" for those responsible for the death and injury toll of the Army.

His appointment, however, may also have a lot to do with his efforts to distance himself from the political turmoil as well as with Suthep's failure to get his commands through to the operating levels.

Abhisit yesterday was boosted by a public show of support. Thousands of pro-government demonstrators rallied outside the 11th Infantry Regiment in the morning to give him and the Army their backing.

-- The Nation 2010-04-17

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Thai army says planning operation to clear protesters

by Thanaporn Promyamyai

BANGKOK (AFP): -- Thailand's embattled prime minister put his army chief in charge of security in the capital Friday after a bungled raid on a hotel where leaders of the Red Shirt protest movement were holed up.

Authorities are turning up the heat again on anti-government demonstrators after a lull in tensions between the two sides, whose standoff descended into the country's deadliest civil unrest in two decades last weekend.

The military said it was planning another operation to disperse the thousands of protesters from Bangkok's commercial district but the timing had not yet been decided.

"There will be an effort to retake the area. We can't allow protests there because it damages the country," army spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd told reporters.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said that he was replacing his deputy as head of security operations in the capital, giving army chief Anupong Paojinda broader powers to tackle "terrorism".

"The government reassures you that we will restore normalcy," he said in a nationally televised address.

Experts said the move suggested the authorities might be preparing another crackdown, following last Saturday's bloody clashes that left 23 people dead.

It also came after commandos earlier Friday stormed a Bangkok hotel where leaders of the Red Shirt protest movement were hiding, but the mission ended in dramatic failure after the suspects managed to flee.

"They tried to arrest the co-leaders of the Red Shirts and they were unable to do so. I think that was another humiliation," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a fellow at the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

"When you let the military control a situation it hardly ever ends nice and peacefully. There's a possibility it might turn nasty."

One leading Red Shirt climbed down an electric cable from the third floor of the hotel in Bangkok's northern outskirts before being rushed away by jubilant supporters, despite the presence of dozens of riot police nearby.

The operation "was not a success but the government will carry on", Abhisit said.

The setback to the authorities came almost a week after the army tried in vain to clear an area of the capital of anti-government demonstrators, triggering the country's deadliest civil unrest in 18 years.

"Police kicked the door open and threw smoke and stun grenades into the room, but luckily I ran to the window and used an electric cord to climb down," said one of the Red Shirt leaders who fled the hotel, Arisman Pongruangrong.

"Now our mission is to hunt down Abhisit and (deputy PM) Suthep. Our patience is at its limit," he said at the main rally stage in the commercial district in the heart of the Thai capital.

The Reds, who began their mass rallies on March 12, say the area will be the scene of the "final round" in their fight to overthrow the government.

The turmoil has spooked investors, with Thai stocks plunging 3.25 percent on Friday as trading resumed after a three-day break for the Thai New Year. The market has tumbled almost seven percent over the past two trading days.

Arrest warrants have been issued for many of the Red Shirt leaders, including Arisman, who is accused of involvement in the storming of parliament earlier this month as well as an Asian summit in Pattaya last year.

The mostly poor and rural red-clad supporters of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra say the government is illegitimate because it came to power in 2008 after a court ousted Thaksin's allies from power.

Two police officers were taken by the protesters from the hotel to the rally site and briefly interrogated by Red Shirts, but they later told reporters that they had not been taken hostage but wanted to ensure Arisman's safety.

Abhisit has blamed "terrorists" for inciting last weekend's violent street clashes, which sparked bloody gun battles in the heart of the capital.

The government, which imposed a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas a week ago, has accused Thaksin of stoking the unrest.

A legal aide announced Thaksin is to sue Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya after the politician called him a "bloody terrorist".

"Dr Thaksin has assigned a team of lawyers to bring a libel case, both civil and criminal, against Mr. Kasit," Noppadon Pattama told AFP.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-07-17

Published with written approval from AFP.

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ANALYSIS

An embarrassing fiasco for govt

Arisaman

BANGKOK: -- What went wrong? Probably, nothing was right from the very beginning.

Arisman Pongruangrong and other red-shirt leaders on a wanted list could not be apprehended when they were in full public view in the middle of the city, so what convinced Thai police that they could catch them by storming a hotel that once belonged to Thaksin Shinawatra?

From the embarrassing shambles left in their wake, not only did the police think they could do so - they must have presumed they could do it with one eye closed. When overweight Arisman, who must also be afraid of heights, staged a clumsy cable-descending stunt in front of local and international media from the SC Park Hotel's third-floor balcony to safety, the humiliation of Thailand's highly questionable police force was complete.

Not to mention that two senior officers were taken by the red mob from the hotel to the Rajprasong rally site to "guarantee" the escapees' safe return. How come what was supposed to be a pre-dawn sting operation ended with Arisman staging the escape just before 10am and mobs accompanying all the police targets back to Rajprasong at noon?

Everything was so fishy that Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who around 9am had proudly announced that Arisman and at least a couple of others were now in police custody, lost his cool and virtually everyone on the government side lost patience with his excuses. A probe into what went wrong was pledged, but the damage had been done and half the world was already laughing.

The operation reportedly started at 3am, with stake-out forces stationing themselves near the hotel's entrances and exits, with a few disguising themselves as guests. Problem was, nobody knew for sure which rooms the targets - Arisman, Suporn Attawong, Payap Panket and Jeng Dokjik - were staying in. The four reportedly arrived at the hotel at around 4am.

Then around 6am another group of officers, purportedly working for an assistant police chief, arrived. One of them then committed a grave blunder by asking the hotel reception for house keys that could open all suspicious rooms.

That apparently did it. Phone calls must have been made by certain staff members and within minutes red shirts living nearby were gathering at the hotel. By the time the two groups of officers became aware of each other's presence, the hotel was crawling with red shirts. Two pickups mounted with loudspeakers were used to block the road in front of the hotel, situated in the sprawling Town in Town estate off the Pradit Manutham (Ekkamai-Ram-Indra) Road.

The police called their superiors and requested commando reinforcements. Through all these hectic developments, the hotel staff managed to buy time and kept the house keys away from the now restless, and pretty much clueless, officers.

When the policemen finally got hold of the keys, Arisman was already playing a Mission Impossible hero, albeit with some difficulty due to his weight. His face was white and he appeared disoriented once he dropped himself to safety, into numerous red hands waiting to grab him on the ground.

"The police wanted to kill me," he told reporters. "They wanted to kill me. There were bombs in the room." Press photos of the room later showed what looked like grenades, which police said needed to be examined before they could ascertain the types.

According to Arisman, he did not escape from his own room, but from a "red guards" room where he had hidden after being alerted that the police were coming.

Details were sketchier as to how the other three red leaders escaped from the hotel. Reports said they were helped by red-shirt members, who easily outnumbered police officers and led the leaders out of their rooms without police resistance.

The SC Park Hotel incident has inflamed gossip about "tomato" police, the term for pro-red police who allegedly might have dragged their feet when it comes to legal action or operations against the protesters. Whether yesterday's operations were simply lousy and ill conceived, or whether there had been moles within the force, reporters were able to locate one immigration officer, who described himself as a "brother" of Arisman.

The officer said he went to the hotel after hearing a distress call from Arisman's mother and sister. The policeman said he was there only to make sure Arisman was not harmed after escaping from the hotel balcony.

-- The Nation 2010-04-17

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SC Park Hotel back in the headlines

By THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The SC Park Hotel on Praditmanutham Road became a scene of high drama yesterday morning.

Hundreds of policemen entered the hotel to arrest six red-shirt leaders - Arisman Pongruangrong, Suporn Atthawong, Payap Panket, Sangiem Samranlak, Wanchana Kerddee and Yoswarit Chuklom, aka Jeng Dokchik.

However, two of the six escaped by lowering themselves from the third floor via electrical cabling. The other four were apprehended, but were almost immediately released when red-shirt demonstrators descended on the area.

The six senior red shirts were staying at the hotel, which belongs to the Shinawatra family's SC Asset Corp.

SC Asset took over the De Ville Palace Hotel in 1994 and renamed it the SC Park. Many political activities have taken place at the hotel over the years.

The most notorious was when Yongyut Tiyapairat, ex-Speaker of the House from the now-defunct People Power Party, met with 10 local chiefs from Chiang Rai's Mae Jan district.

Yongyut asked them to support him, his sister and a close aide in the 2007 general election. He gave each of them Bt20,000.

The Election Commission found Yongyut guilty of electoral fraud and the Constitution Court subsequently ruled to dissolve the party.

Pheu Thai Party MPs and ex-Thai Rak Thai MPs are regular guests at the hotel, where they have organised many seminars.

-- The Nation 2010-04-17

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Escape from SC Park Hotel

Published on April 17, 2010

7am - Hundreds of policemen, led by Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Maj-General Sumeth Ruangsawat, begin to stake out at SC Park Hotel, where six red-shirt leaders had been staying.

The six, facing arrest warrants in connection with the red-shirt protests, are Arisman Pongruangrong, Suporn Atthawong, Payap Panket, Sangiem Samranlak, Wanchana Kerddee and Yoswarit Chuklom, aka Jeng Dokchik.

10am - Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban announces the police plan to round up "terrorists" at SC Park Hotel.

10.30am - Police start to charge into the hotel. At around the same time, red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan makes an urgent announcement from the Rajprasong rally stage calling on the red shirts in Bang Kapi and Lat Phrao to rush to rescue the six at the hotel. About 500 red shirts besiege the hotel, trapping police inside.

News clips show Arisman and Jeng escaping arrest by using a cable to abseil from their rooms on the third floor.

In a separate rescue mission, a large number of red shirts successfully snatch their four other leaders from the police custody.

10.45am - The red shirts reveal they have detained two arresting officers as hostages. The two are Colonel Patchara Boonyathip of Metropolitan Police Region 4 and Lt-Colonel Prapot Anusiri of Crime Suppression Division. An undercover officer might also have been detained but this has yet to be verified.

The red shirts take the two officers to their rally site at Rajprasong.

11am - The red-shirt leaders escaping arrest show up at Rajprasong.

11.30am - Suthep refuses to answer questions related to the failed arrest of the six, saying he has yet to review the report from the arresting team.

Noon - The red shirts declare victory for thwarting government attempts to arrest their leaders.

Metropolitan Police Region 1 commander Maj-General Wichai Sangprapai seeks and secures the release of the two officers held as hostages.

12.30pm - The red shirts cancel a plan to march to various television stations to demand equal time. Jatuporn vows to overcome any attempts at breaking up the red-shirt leaders. "We shall never part from one another," he says.

Arisman recounts his dramatic escape. He claims to have hidden himself in room No 377 after seeing via security cameras that about 200 policemen were raiding the hotel.

Police threw a smoke bomb into his room but he rushed to shut the door. Police lobbed a stun noise grenade prompting him to use an electric cable to climb out of the window.

The cable was a spare one from the lighting system for the rally.

-- The Nation 2010-04-17

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PINK SHIRTS

Thousands pledge support to PM

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thousands of pro-government demonstrators rallied outside the 11th Infantry Regiment yesterday morning to show their support for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, his government and Thai soldiers even as a group of 40 senators called for action against red-shirt leaders.

The group, which calls itself the "Civilians Protecting the Country" network, also included fans of the anti-House dissolution page on Facebook. They called on the authorities to act against the red-shirt protesters, who are currently rallying at Rajprasong intersection.

Waving the national flag and carrying signs such as "We love the King. Thai people don't have colour", they handed out roses, snacks and energy drinks to the soldiers there. The pro-government demonstrators occupied the inbound land in front of the army camp from Bang Khen intersection to Bang Bua Bridge.

Tul Sittisomvong, a leader of the group, said from a mobile stage that the group did not want PM Abhisit to dissolve the House and also did not want him to resign. They claimed that the "silent powers" - people who did not have any movement - continued to back the premier and believe in him. Among the speakers were General Pathompong Kesornsuk and lawyer Nithithorn Lamlua, both members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

The Civilians Protecting the Country group also handed out copies of a statement saying the red-shirt rally in Bangkok instigated social division, amounted to lese majeste, and created violence. They alleged the red-shirt gathering violated the Constitution and had the intention of overthrowing the democratic form of government with the King as head of state. The group hence would exercise its right to protect lives, property and communities, as per Articles 70 and 71 of the 2007 Constitution. They also urged other members of the public to express their intention to protect their lives, property and the country's peace.

Besides submitting a letter to the government asking for "action against terrorists and protesters who are not protesting peacefully", Tul said they had also submitted an open letter calling for the restoration of the good conscience and dignity of Thai Army chief General Anupong Paochinda.

Tul told demonstrators that PM Abhisit had replied through acting Government Spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn. The PM thanked the people for their support and vowed to continue working and restoring the peace. The group then appointed members to gather again at 4pm today. They also asked all leading PAD members from all provinces to gather at Rangsit University tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a group of 40 senators yesterday called on the public to show their power, as national security and the high institution were facing a threat.

Speaking at a press conference at Suan Dusit Hotel, they also opposed dissolution of the House or resignation of the government.

Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul said the government must deal with the red-shirt leaders but be careful not to harm "the demonstrators who were general public". They also called for a fact-finding committee to probe the April 10 clashes.

-- The Nation 2010-04-17

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Royal assistance for families of bereaved, injured

By Suparat Iamtan

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Their Majesties the King and Queen will graciously grant Bt50,000 to the relatives of each of those who have died as a result the April 10 clashes between anti-government protesters and soldiers.

They will also pay for the medical treatment of those injured, Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 1 commander Pol Maj-General Wichai Sangpraphai said yesterday.

Some 162 injured people are still being treated in 15 Bangkok hospitals, with eight of them in intensive care, the website of the Bangkok Emergency Medical Service and the Erawan Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reported yesterday.

Wichai said Pol Lt-General Trairat Amatayakul, commissioner-general of the Office of Royal Court Security Police, had informed him that relatives of the dead could lodge evidence to request royal assistance with the Finance Division of the Bureau of the Royal Household from Monday, during official hours.

Meanwhile, the bureau will contact the hospitals directly in order to make payments for medical expenses.

Reports said Wichai had called Jatuporn Promphan, a red-shirt leader, and asked him to inform the protesters at the Rajprasong protest site about the royal assistance.

More information can be obtained by calling (02) 224 3260 or (02) 687 3718-9.

-- The Nation 2010-04-17

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Multi-color group requested the government and army do more to prevent chaos

BANGKOK: -- Multi-color group gathered in front of 11th Infantry yesterday (April 16th), in support of the government and the army, while also requesting that the government do something to prevent violence instigated by the red shirts from happening again in the near future.

The group was led by Dr Tul Sitthisomwong, of Chulalongkorn University's faculty of medicine and the coordinator of the Nation Protection group, and Mr. Nititorn Lumleau, the lawyer representing PAD, presenting an open-letter to the Army Chief, General Aupong Paojinda, saying that the Army Chief speech regarding the dissolve of Parliament is hurtful especially to the soldiers who lost their lives during the violence on April 10th. They requested that the Army Chief takes the responsibility and do something to prevent the red shirts from creating more chaos in the country, and hoping that the citizens would not have to do it themselves using only their bare hands without any weapons.

-- Tan Network 2010-04-17

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Thai Ambassador in Manila claims Red shirts want the country to become the Republic

MANILA: -- Thai Ambassador in Manila, Philippines talked to the local media during Songkran celebration with Thais who live in the country and assured that Philippinos who live in Thailand should not worry too much as the situation is not severe and they can carry out their daily lives as usual.

He claims that red shirt protestors are not asking for democracy, but rather to change the country into the republic and eliminate monarchy altogether.

-- Tan Network 2010-04-17

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TAN Network: Red shirts are having the 7th day religious ceremony for those who died on April 10, with 20 monks at Ratchaprasong intersection.

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TAN Network: 24 red shirt core leaders will surrender on May 15 claiming to follow what the PAD leaders did when they were under arrest warrants in 2008.

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TAN Network: Nuttawut will send in lawyers to coordinate with police on the May 15 surrender. Also, there may not be movements by the red shirts today.

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THE NATION: It's raining at Rajprasong. But some protesters r defying rain by using umbrellas and listen to red leaders speak on the stage.(via lerla)

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TAN Network: US Department of State warned its citizens to aviod traveling to Thailand or to register with the embassy and stay away from protest sites.

THE NATION: Nuthhawut said on the stage Abishit assigned Anupong to be the head of peacekeeping operations actions to force him to take actions

THE NATION: But Anupong insisted he had no desire to use violence so it could be Abhisit's plot to strip him off the Army Chief post, Natthawut said

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BPost: Ex-army chief Chaisit Shinawatra offers to take army chief Anupong Paojinda to visit red-shirts at Ratchaprasong Intersection rally site to see real situation.

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TAN Network. Nuttawut requested govt arrests the pink shirt protestors who also gathered despite Emergency Decree, otherwise it may mean double standard.

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TAN Network: Nuttawut also called the attempt to arrest core leaders at SC Park hotel yesterday illegal, due to lack of search warrants.

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Thai protest leaders will surrender to police May 15: leader

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Leaders of Thailand's anti-government "Red Shirt" protesters who have been rallying in Bangkok for more than a month will turn themselves over to police on May 15, one of them said Saturday.

"On May 15, 24 of us will surrender. All of the leaders," protest leader Nattawut Saikuar told AFP. "We'll surrender and ask for bail," he added.

The Red Shirts have so far ignored repeated calls by authorities to disperse from the capital's commercial heartland, despite arrest warrants outstanding against the core leaders.

"For now the 24 of us will keep rallying to show sincerely that we won't run away," Nattawut said, without explaining the reason for the planned timing of the leaders' surrender.

A week ago demonstrators at another Bangkok rally point in Bangkok's historic quarter clashed with security forces in the country's worst civil unrest in 18 years, leaving 23 people dead and more than 800 injured.

Late Friday embattled Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva put his army chief, Anupong Paojinda, in charge of security, after a bungled operation to arrest some protest leaders at a Bangkok hotel.

The military has said it will make a renewed attempt to disperse the protesters, who have crippled the capital's shopping and luxury hotel district, but has given no further details of its plans.

"I'm sure the order to suppress us will come out soon," Nattawut later told reporters.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-04-17

Published with written approval from AFP.

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TAN Network: Suthep remains the head of CRES, while Gen.Anupong is responsible for troop command.

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Thaivisa member:

I think the TAN news alert is slightly inaccurate regarding the American travel advisory in Thailand, where it states:

TAN Network: US Department of State warned its citizens to aviod traveling to Thailand or to register with the embassy and stay away from protest sites.

The US State Department has not raised the Thailand travel advisory to warn against travel to Thailand. The most recent update is on 13 April and it only warns Americans about the potential for demonstrations to become violent, and to avoid areas where demonstrations are going on. A travel advisory recommending against travel to Thailand or advising only essential travel has not been issued.

Link

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UPDATE

Thai protest leaders to surrender, but the rally goes on

by Apilaporn Vechakij

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Leaders of Thailand's anti-government "Red Shirt" protesters said Saturday they would surrender to police next month, but refused to end their rally in the capital's commercial heartland.

One week on from deadly clashes between the Red Shirts and security forces, the protesters said they expected a new push by the army to disperse them after its chief was put in charge of security in the strife-torn capital.

"On May 15, 24 of us will surrender. All of the leaders," said one of the top Red Shirts, Nattawut Saikuar. "For now the 24 of us will keep rallying to show sincerely that we won't run away," he said.

"I'm sure the order to suppress us will come out soon."

The Red Shirts, who are seeking immediate elections, have so far ignored repeated calls by authorities to disperse from the capital's commercial heartland, despite arrest warrants outstanding against core leaders.

They support fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and accuse the government of elitism and being undemocratic as it came to power after a parliamentary vote that followed a court verdict ousting Thaksin's allies.

Late Friday embattled Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva put his army chief Anupong Paojinda in charge of security, after a bungled operation to arrest some protest leaders at a hotel in Bangkok's northern outskirts.

Key Red Shirts gave alms to monks on their rally stage Saturday, in memory of last weekend's violence that left 23 people dead and more than 800 injured.

The mostly poor and rural-based red-clad movement has since abandoned its rally spot close to where the violence took place to instead reinforce numbers in a Bangkok district home to luxury hotels and shopping malls.

The military has said it will make a renewed attempt to disperse the protesters but has given no further details of its plans.

"There will be an effort to retake the area. We can't allow protests there because it damages the country," army spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd told reporters late Friday.

Abhisit said that he was replacing his deputy as head of security operations in the capital, giving Anupong broader powers to tackle "terrorism".

"The government reassures you that we will restore normalcy," he said in a nationally televised address.

The decision came after commandos earlier Friday stormed a hotel where leaders of the Red Shirt protest movement were hiding, but the mission ended in dramatic failure after the suspects managed to flee.

One Red Shirt leader climbed down an electric cable from the third floor of the hotel in Bangkok's northern outskirts before being rushed away by jubilant supporters, despite the presence of dozens of riot police nearby.

The operation "was not a success but the government will carry on", Abhisit said.

The setback to the authorities came almost a week after the army tried in vain to clear an area of the capital of anti-government demonstrators, triggering the country's deadliest civil unrest in 18 years.

The Reds, who began their mass rallies on March 12, say their Siam Square rally spot will be the scene of the "final round" in their fight to overthrow the government.

Abhisit has blamed "terrorists" for inciting last weekend's violent street clashes, which sparked bloody gun battles in the heart of the capital.

The government, which imposed a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas more than a week ago, has accused Thaksin of stoking the unrest.

A legal aide announced Thaksin is to sue Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya after the politician called him a "bloody terrorist".

"Dr Thaksin has assigned a team of lawyers to bring a libel case, both civil and criminal, against Mr. Kasit," Noppadon Pattama told AFP.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-04-17

Published with written approval from AFP.

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THE NATION: mall update. Central Chidlom opens today but will close its doors early at 7pm.

TAN Network: Former Advisor to Defense Ministry Gen.Somjet called for the Army Chief to do more to prevent further violence or resign if cannot do so.

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TAN Network: Army Spokesperson requested red shirts return soldiers' weapons, concerning that 3rd party would use it to frame red and/or soldiers.

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TAN Network: Red shirts promise to move into business hubs in the city again on Monday with backups from the provinces coming into Bangkok.

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Anupong convenes meeting of Army commanders

BANGKOK: -- Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda Saturday convened a meeting of commanders up from regiment chiefs.

The meeting was held after Prime Minister held a meeting of the Emergency Operations Command, which was attended by Anupong, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and other senior officers.

EOC spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Anupong held the meeting after he was appointed the chief of emergency operations to maker preparations for the operations.

-- The Nation 2010-04-17

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TAN Network: Pol.Maj.Gen.Ta-ngai said police r standing by at Pattumwan, Saladang, Chidlom, Pratunam areas, n order the capture of red shirt leaders.

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TAN Network: Nuttawut’s mother came to Bangkok to meet her son at red shirt rally due to fear after the roof of her house was stoned last night.

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CRES: Progress seen in arrest of UDD members

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The arrest of those linked with anti-government demonstrations in Bangkok has progressed, according to the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) Spokesperson Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

Colonel Sansern stated that 12 of the 51 suspects involved in the anti-government protests, consisting of heads of motorbike taxis, chiefs of community radio stations and local community leaders, had reported themselves to the authorities on Friday.

Colonel Sansern added that the remaining suspects would be given two more days; otherwise, they would face a two-year jail term and a fine of 40,000 THB as a violation of the Emergency Decree.

Meanwhile, United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) core leader Jatuporn Prompan said an attorney would be sent to inform the authorities that a total of 24 UDD core leaders would turn themselves in on 15 May 2010.

Following last night’s appointment of Army Commander-in-Chief General Anupong Paochinda as the Director of the CRES in place of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, Mr Jatuporn agreed with the reshuffle, saying that tensions could be eased as the new CRES Director was a person of rationality and non-violent means.

-- NNT 2010-04-17

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THE NATION: Newspaper at rally site today clearly features hatred content

THE NATION: Adisorn asked reds to boycott comedian Thep Phongarm's work after he joined yesterday's multi-coloured rally. Translating @Naew NBC.

THE NATION: The boycott (on Thep's work) gives you an idea: now u know why majority of artists choose to be silent & show no political stance.

TAN Network: Posttoday sms: Red Shirt Leaders aims to shutdown Bangkok Bank on Silom Rd. tomorrow to pressure the 'Elites' to dissolve Parliament.

TAN Network: Puea Thai Party MPs submitted a letter to CRES to reconsider turning over the April 10th clash case to the DSI, citing conspiracy potential.