Bangkok Red-Shirt Rally - Live Sunday

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Sunday April 18 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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Rajprasong a home from home to many protesters

By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Rajprasong intersection, the country's premier business hub, surrounded by posh shopping malls and five-star hotels, feels like a second home to the red-shirted protesters since they moved here from Phan Fa Bridge on April 14 after an attempted sweep by security forces four days earlier.

"I feel like I'm staying at my home," Prayong Klaewkla, a 48-year-old Udon Thani native, said yesterday.

"It's not so hard living in this area," she said.

She had joined the rally on March 12 when it was still located at Phan Fa Bridge.

"Don't worry about the toilet. You can also take a bath here," she said.

Prayong is a cook for the red shirts from Udon Thani. The food - like sticky rice, papaya salad with fermented fish and fried meat - is also available for red-shirted protesters from other provinces. Servings are at 9am, noon and 3pm.

She said she could sleep at the shelters stretching from Rajprasong intersection to the Skytrain's Ratchadamri station.

Some of them stay on the plaza in front of the CentralWorld shopping mall. Some of them bring their own chairs to sit on while listening to the leaders speaking on the stage set up between Gaysorn and CentralWorld.

Bathrooms and portable toilets are provided in separate areas including in front of Police General Hospital, the Four Seasons Hotel and the Offices at CentralWorld tower.

If she gets sick she can ask for medicine and treatment at the medical tent. A medic who requested anonymity said about 100 protesters had fallen ill.

Most of them suffered from headaches, fever, diarrhoea, insomnia and aches and pains. Some of them have congenital diseases such as heart conditions.

"We will provide first aid for those who fall ill. For those with serious illnesses, we will send them to Police General Hospital, Klang and Vachira hospitals immediately," a medical worker said.

If Prayong wants something to drink to rejuvenate her, cups of coffee and other refreshments are also available here. Pornnapha Boonlanavej, a 44-year-old vendor, said she could earn Bt600 a day selling instant coffee mixes.

Other necessities for living at the demonstration site such as clothes, mobile-phone battery rechargers, sunglasses and face masks to protect against tear gas in case of crowd-dispersal drives are in plentiful supply.

Body massages are also on offer. Ladda Saephu, a 50-year-old woman who owns a massage shop in front of the Offices at CentralWorld, said about 100 people come by per day for a rubdown. She could make Bt15,000 per day.

Saithong Ketnok, a 57-year-old woman from Nakhon Ratchasima, said she had been coming to Rajprasong every day since the demonstrators had moved from Phan Fa Bridge.

Some days, she stays overnight and sleeps with other protesters at the rally site and goes back home the next day.

"I can sleep on the sidewalk," she said.

She is very comfortable staying at the demonstration site. But just in case she has to flee in a hurry, she has already packed her bags and left everything at the protest site.

"We have to keep our lives," she said.

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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Defiant red shirts put new radio station on air

By PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

BANGKOK: -- A new red-shirt radio station went on air yesterday in the Rajprasong intersection protest-site area, in a move to counter the continued shutting down of red-shirt media by the government under emergency rule.

"They should allow us to criticise [the government], but instead they shut our ears and eyes," Chinawat Haboonpak, a red-shirt leader told the crowd at the intersection yesterday morning.

"We ask for just one television channel, but they have taken it away from us and shut our ears and eyes again."

The new station - on FM 106.80 - broadcasts from a new tower installed near Lumpini Park and calls itself Rajprasong Community Radio. Its reception can be received all the way to Bang Na area, in eastern Bangkok.

Chinawat admitted he decided to shut down Taxi Radio on Friday after the government had succeeded in jamming it to the point where its reception was so limited as to be inconsequential.

Chinawat, who was behind Taxi Radio, said it was not worth the Bt30,000 cost of electricity per month. "There are 5,000 to 6,000 stations, but they won't allow one [red-shirt] radio station to exist," he complained.

Two directors of red-shirt community radio stations were summoned by the government's state of emergency operations centre on Friday. On the Internet, 190 websites are now blocked or shut down by the government.

One of the few remaining red-shirt radio stations, broadcasting from a suburban area of Bangkok, heavily denounced the government yesterday for shutting down PTV, community radio stations and websites.

The continued censorship of red-shirt media has turned the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva into a "tyrannical regime", it said, while denouncing the censorship as "illegal".

"He's a liar," said Wood Model, a red-shirt radio host yesterday, in reference to Abhisit. "Thailand has become a country of lies.

This government can order the media around and shut down media and infringe on people's rights and liberty - truly a dictatorship. He's shameless."

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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Silom 'out of bounds'

By THE NATION ON SUNDAY

BANGKOK: -- Anupong meets military chiefs as govt vows not to allow new red-shirt protest site

The government will take drastic legal and other measures to prevent red-shirt demonstrators from setting up a new protest site on Silom Road, another major Bangkok business district.

Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation, said no protesters would be allowed to move from their current site at the Rajprasong intersection to Silom Road.

"If they moved, they would run into checkpoints and road blockades manned by security forces," he said.

He added that the current illegal occupation of the Rajprasong intersection - Bangkok's major shopping and tourist district - had already caused severe damage to businesses and the general public, hence authorities would not tolerate more trouble-making.

A protest leader said yesterday that a new protest site would be in front of Bangkok Bank's Silom branch.

At a meeting of Army, Navy and Air Force commanders-in-chief yesterday evening, chaired by Army chief General Anupong Paochinda, it was agreed that emergency laws would be enforced strictly through security checkpoints in Bangkok and the provinces to deal with the protesters' offensive.

Besides Anupong, supreme commander General Songkitti Chakkabat, Navy chief Admiral Kamthorn Pumhiran and Air Force chief ACM Itthiporn Suppawong were also present.

Anupong now appears to be in the hot seat, as he is the chief of operations in charge of executing the government's order to capture red-shirt leaders and men-in-black "terrorists" as well as launching a possible crackdown on red shirts.

However, the government said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban remained the head of the emergency situation centre and hence there was no rift between the government and armed forces as speculated.

TOUGH TEST

Anupong will have to prove that he can execute the order for the arrest of 24 red-shirt leaders or even crack down on the red-shirt protesters if needed.

Sources said a crackdown would prove formidable for Anupong, who had said earlier that dispersing the tens of thousands of red shirts at the Rajprasong intersection was not an option because of the inevitable risk of large-scale loss of life and property damage in the commercial area.

Anupong had also suggested that dissolving the House of Representatives should be the solution for the current political conflict.

In the event of a crackdown, there is also a risk of igniting a full-scale civil war with pockets of resistance throughout the country.

Sources said that if the Army chief failed to execute the order, he could be replaced by his deputy, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, a more hawkish general who is believed to be have been behind the operation on April 10 which lead to 24 deaths and more than 850 injured.

At this stage, the red shirts are trying their best to appeal to Anupong to think twice and not shed blood. The coming days will be the ultimate test of his character. It is unclear whether he would choose to execute the command of dispersing the crowd if ordered to do so.

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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Photo clarification

The above picture is genuine.

BANGKOK: -- Despite claims to the contrary in CNN's Ireport section, we would like to reaffirm to all our readers and interested parties that all photos published in The Nation newspaper and The Nation's website - www.nationmultimedia.com www.nationmultimedia.com - as well as all other media outlets of Nation Multimedia Group, are genuine.

[Click here to view the photo in large version]

And when it comes to Thailand's political crisis, we have made extra efforts to ensure there is no distortion or misinformation about the fragile situation.

All photos of rallies by the pink shirts, or multicoloured shirts, at the 11th Infantry Regiment base on Friday were taken by photographers dedicated to their work, who were at the rally site from start to finish. Naturally, the photos selected for publication were ones featuring the number of protesters at their peak. It has been the same for all rallies, whether it is the red shirts or others. All we did was adjust the brightness of the photo to make it printable.

Nothing was doctored. There was no alteration whatsoever. We showed the photos as they had been taken.

Similar photos were published yesterday by other newspapers, showing crowds of the same size from similar angles. One can also check with wire-service agencies like Associated Press, Agence France-Presse or Reuters, which had their photographers at the 11th Infantry Regiment rally from beginning to end.

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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OPINION

LETTERS TO EDITOR

Thugs masquerading as democracy lovers

Refusing to negotiate despite the bloodshed they have caused, the red shirts' thug-leaders continue to attempt to claim the moral high ground.

They ordered their followers to destroy the Skytrain so all stations had to close. If tomorrow these same leaders decide that because most foreigners dislike Thaksin therefore they should be beaten up, no doubt their myrmidons will carry out their orders. Thaksin reminds me very much of Hitler at the end of WWII when he demanded to know "Is Paris burning?" No doubt there he is in Dubai or wherever getting a big chuckle out of the damage he can do to Bangkok.

May I suggest that anyone dumb enough to believe the red-shirted thugs really would like to bring democracy and justice to Thailand might wish to reread George Orwell's "Animal Farm'.

Dean Barrett

Bangkok

Reach out - an open letter to Thaksin

Dear Thaksin Shinawatra,

I am sure that you are shocked and dismayed to see the deaths and injuries that have occurred in Bangkok.

Some will say this is the fault of Abhisit and his government, some will say it is the fault of the DAAD, and some will say you should share the blame.

But whatever anyone says, this will not bring the dead people back to life.

There is only one thing that we can hope for now - that no more deaths will follow.

Songkran is a time when people should be with their families, they should be enjoying the festivities. Soldiers and red-shirt campaigners should not have to spend this holiday fighting each other.

Maybe you have it in your power to end this.

Ask Abhisit to set a date for the next election. In any case this must be within the next nine months. So it cannot be too long to wait.

I think he will agree.

Ask the Army, the police, and the civil service to accept the result of the next election, and allow the winning party a chance to lead.

I think they will agree.

Talk to your supporters.

Tell them to take the time before the elections to organise themselves, either within the existing political parties or to form new ones.

Tell them to take the time to find new, dynamic representatives who will take Thai politics into a new era.

Tell them to find ways to combat vote-buying and corruption, and tell them to vote on their principles not for a pay-out.

Tell them to work with industry leaders and economists to find ways to raise the economy not just for the poor, but for the whole of Thailand.

Tell them to teach their children about the value of freedom, democracy and unity.

Tell them to support their King, their country, and their government to make Thailand a great country.

If you do this, it will gain you the respect of and gratitude of your country and the international community.

It could be the greatest act of your political career.

Think about it.

Paul Spurrier

Bangkok

It's nothing but Thaksin's revenge

I blame a vengeful and self-serving Thaksin for the terrible trouble in Thailand. This is what he has wanted - confrontation - as a means to sweep him back into power. Shame on him and those in his employ. It's all about greed, not democracy.

Tim Devlin,

Toronto, Ontario

Army should use noise to drown noise

The reality behind the rally at the Rajprasong intersection is that throughout the years that they served their master, Thaksin's three stooges have amassed a lot of money, and unlike him, don't want to end up in jail or in exile, or even shot dead by a sniper from one of the tall buildings surrounding the stage. Behind the bravado is fear, because they are liars and cowards, two traits that go hand in hand.

It is certain that what happens now is the result of years of neglect of the poor people, and that some of the demonstrators are there to hope for an improvement of their lives, but to me, the majority of them are people who want Thaksin back because they benefited from his policies during his tenure and others who are there just because they earn more than their regular salaries.

To get rid of the demonstrators at Rajprasong, there is a simple, non-lethal solution: let the Army install huge loudspeakers nearby and broadcast unbearable noise.

I have the utmost admiration for Khun Abhisit's patience in face of this gross and undeserved abuse.

Clara Holzer

Bangkok

All Thais must take collective action

When they didn't like the government, the yellows shut Suvarnabhumi and brought it down; likewise, the reds have closed Rajprasong to bring down a government they dislike. This is not democracy, it is anarchy.

Yet, "the only things which are wrong about our government are the things which are wrong with you and me. Democracy means action, not passive acquiescence with things as they are; it requires alertness to duty, a dynamic faith, a willingness to give for the good of all. It can live only as a result of loyalty and devotion to its principles expressed by daily deeds" (Douglas Edmonds).

What, dear reader, is wrong with you and me? We don't listen to all sides before deciding on the issues of the day, neither are we willing to stand and be counted. We let mobs rule, while we wring our hands. Thus, we have governments which - like us - let mobs shut our airports and cities, while they, like us, wring their collective hands and take ineffective action.

What's to be done? Both sides promise that if we follow them, above all, they'll give us democracy. But "democracy" is a vague ideal, and now the actors are like the blind men and the elephant in the parable, each emphasising only one aspect of democracy, eg elections (emphasised by the reds) or rule of law (focused on by the government).

For example, members of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Council of Thailand, and the merchants and residents of Rajprasong surely have vested interests in promoting a dialogue that will encourage the reds/yellows to spell out exactly what they want, including separating proposals benefiting most Thais from those benefiting only a small minority. As any changes will have to be through a political system, the reds/yellows should form a political party or join one in these dialogues.

For example, the reds are vehemently against double standards. So, the government, reds/Pheu Thai, etc should each have equal opportunity to put forth their platforms on how, specifically, they would prevent double standards, including an enforcement mechanism at local levels. Such debates would be face to face and be broadcast, to educate voters most effectively - much as the Hilary Clinton-Obama debates did in the US.

NGOs/associations, including legal and human-rights groups, should offer insightful comments and pose questions to the debaters. The enforcement platforms proposed should use a single standard in holding all parties accountable for their acts, whether it be the yellows for siege of Government House/Suvarnbhumi or the reds over Pattaya/Rajprasong, or whether the persons involved were in uniform or not.

Such participation by you and me, and the discussions, should help meet the legitimate needs of the grass roots, while protecting the rights of the minority.

Dear reader, our house is burning. Why are you like Nero, fiddling while Rome burned? Get moving!

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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Demonstrators are asked to turn their loudspeakers away from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital

BANGKOK (NNT) -- A secretary to His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch, Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, pleaded demonstrators at Ratchaprasong Junction to turn their loudspeakers away from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, as certain loudspeakers aimed directly at Vajirayan Building where the Supreme Patriarch was staying for treatment.

Phra Khru Sanghasitthikorn, Chief of the Religious Information Section of the Secretariat to the Supreme Patriarch said that loud noises from the protest troubled the Supreme Patriarch and monks who attended him, especially at night, preventing them from having good rest and sleep.

The Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES), meanwhile, urged demonstrators to withdraw from Ratchaprasong area, as the rally was deemed illegal. CRES Spokesperson, Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd, said that the area must be reclaimed for public use. He denied the rumor that the forces were seeking revenge on demonstrators for the death and injuries among their kind. He said military and police forces were all human beings. They get hurt with the losses suffered, but are never vengeful against the people.

Colonel Sansern confirmed that the Ratchaprasong area must be reclaimed for public use. CRES is preparing for the operation while trying to reach understandings with the demonstrators.

CRES is making efforts to separate demonstrators from terrorists, so as not to create a melee yet again. Colonel Sansern said that the best way to end the troubles would be for UDD supporters to withdraw from the rally as soon as possible.

-- NNT 2010-04-18

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CRES gets prepared to deal strictly with UDD’s new moves

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES) at its evening meeting chaired by General Anupong Paochinda, the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, as Assistant Director of CRES, decided to prepare harsh measures to deal with UDD’s next moves.

CRES Spokesperson, Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd, reported that the meeting was attended by all heads of the armed forces, including General Apichart Penkitti, Permanent Secretary for Defence, General Songkitti Chakkabat, Supreme Commander, Admiral Kamthorn Phumhiran, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, and Air Chief Marshal Itthiporn Supphawong, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force.

The meeting agreed that stringent measures would be used to prevent traffic chaos created by the demonstrators, with check points set up and reinforced. Motorcycles and pick-ups will not be let through to join the illegal rally.

As to the plan by the rally organizers to set up a stage in front of the Bangkok Bank Head Office on Silom Road, the meeting decided to deploy full forces to prevent that as it would further aggravate the situation.

-- NNT 2010-04-18

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Thailand's Red Shirts fighting the government - Profile

by Thanaporn Promyamyai

BANGKOK (AFP) -- A group of 24 "Red Shirt" protest leaders said Saturday they would surrender to police next month after leading the street movement that is demanding immediate elections.

The red-clad group first formed in opposition to a coup in September 2006 that ousted their political icon Thaksin Shinawatra from power.

They are now rallying against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government, which they accuse of being elitist and undemocratic as it did not win power through a popular vote.

Here are profiles of the six main Red Shirt leaders:

Veera Musikapong, 61, is a veteran politician who has never shied from controversy, even if that meant twice serving time in prison. The law graduate was once part of the Democrat Party he now protests against.

Veera served as government spokesman and later held three deputy minister positions for the Democrats during the 1970s, during which time he was also jailed for nearly two years in 1977 for backing a failed military coup.

He was imprisoned again for a month in 1988 for insulting the country's monarchy during an electoral campaign and then left the Democrat Party after arguing about their next choice of party leader.

After briefly setting up his own political party, Veera joined another small party which later merged with Thai Rak Thai (Thais love Thais), the party of the Red Shirts' political hero, fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Veera was one of the founding members of the Red Shirts in 2007, following the coup that ousted Thaksin. He went on to host a pro-Thaksin television talk show with fellow leaders Jatuporn Prompan and Nattawut Saikuar.

Veera was banned from politics for five years for electoral fraud in 2007 along with several other pro-Thaksin MPs.

Jatuporn Prompan, 44, an MP from Thailand's south, is a political science graduate with a straight-talking style, who has always stayed close to the twice-elected former leader Thaksin.

He began his career with the then-popular Palang Dharma Party, of which Thaksin was also a member. He later joined Thaksin's populist Thai Rak Thai party and was appointed its spokesman.

Jatuporn first became an MP in 2007 for the People Power Party that absorbed most of the pro-Thaksin MPs when Thai Rak Thai was forcibly disbanded for electoral fraud.

When that party was also banned in late 2008, again on fraud charges, Jatuporn joined the new pro-Thaksin Puea Thai party and he remains an MP, which means he has parliamentary immunity from arrest.

Nattawut Saikuar, 34, is the more humorous voice of the Red Shirt movement, known as much for his jokes as his sharp tongue that has made him a seasoned political debater.

The masters graduate is also from Thailand's south and has been on debating teams ever since his school days, becoming well-known for his time on a television political debate show.

Nattawut served as deputy government spokesman during the administration of late prime minister Samak Sundaravej that followed a year of military rule after Thaksin was deposed in the 2006 coup.

He was promoted to be top spokesman during the following administration led by Thaksin's then-brother-in-law, Somchai Wongsawat.

Nattawut won a parliamentary seat in 2006, but failed to win election again during the 2007 post-coup poll.

Doctor Weng Tojirakarn, 59, has become known for his tendency to talk in terms of old Maoist guerrilla tactics that often confuse his audience.

The doctor fled into the jungle after a student-led communist uprising in 1976 where he lived for at least four years.

Weng played a key role in a campaign opposing the junta government that took power in a coup in April 1992 and led to violent street clashes a month later that became known as "Bloody May".

Weng joined the anti-Reds "People's Alliance for Democracy" in 2006 to oppose Thaksin's privatisation plans, but he quickly became a vocal opponent to the coup that deposed Thaksin in September that year.

Arisman Pongruangrong, 46, from Thailand's western Ratchaburi province, was a pop singer before entering the world of politics.

He led the Red Shirts to storm a regional summit in April 2009, forcing its closure as leaders escaped by helicopter and boat from coastal Pattaya city. A state of emergency was called there before riots took place in the capital.

Arisman took centre stage during the latest protests when he dramatically escaped a Bangkok hotel being surrounded by security forces by climbing down an electricity cable, claiming he had survived an assassination attempt.

Suporn Attawong, 46, is nicknamed "Rambo of Isaan" for his hard-core activist stance and because he comes from the northeast rural Isaan area, spiritual home to the Red Shirts.

He used to be an MP for northeast Nakhon Ratchasima province.

Suporn led a group of Reds to the interior ministry last April as Abhisit was about to declare a state of emergency and later attacked the prime minister's car as he left.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-04-18

Published with written approval from AFP.

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Government vows it won't allow new red shirt rally site

BANGKOK: -- The government plans to take drastic legal action to prevent red-shirt protestors from setting up a new protest site on Silom Road. Red shirt protest leaders have said they'll set up another site at Bangkok Bank's silom branch.

Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation won't allow protestors to move from their present site at Ratchaprasong to another business district, Silom. Sansern added that check-points and road-blocks would be set up to ensure this.

The Colonel stressed that, already, the current protest at Ratchaprasong has already cost extensive damage to business and the government wants to prevent further economic loss from another protest.

-- Tan Network 2010-04-18

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Ratchaprasong's Photostream

© 2010 - courtesy of member TallForeigner

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ratchaprasong/page1/

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MCOT: Red Shirt to hold another mass rally on Tuesday; PAD holds gathering to discuss ways out of political crisis

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Poll: Songkran festivities marred by mass protest

BANGKOK (NNT) -- This year's Songkran festivities in Bangkok were deemed less vibrant due to the ongoing mass rallies of the anti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), according to a recent Suan Dusit Poll.

According to Suan Dusit Poll, 36.43% of the respondents said the Songkran Festival was not as enjoyable in the capital due to chaos and violence amid the ongoing anti-government protest in the capital. 23.76% said that, the families had good opportunities to get together during the long holiday while 15.82% viewed that drunk-driving still remained the major cause of deaths.

Asked about the similarities of the past and present Songkran celebrations, 40.21% said that in their opinion, the two periods were quite the same as the people generally did several activities and traveled to up-country provinces during the festival. The respondents said the Songkran travels could help them freshen their mentality and free them from stress caused by political affairs.

The poll also indicated that 31.75% of the respondents said they wished to see peace and national unity in the country, while another 30.34% believed that the political tension would be prolonged further after Songkran, and the same respondents urged Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to speedily resolve the ongoing political deadlock.

-- NNT 2010-04-18

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THE NATION: SOE centre says more checkpoints and highrise stake-outs will be set up around Rajprasong.

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THE NATION: SOE centre also says red protesters could also be targetted in nxt terrorist strikes to cause misunderstanding and turmoil.

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THE NATION: By highrise stakeouts I mean surveillance troops will be stationed secretly on highrise buildings to watch the rally.

THE NATION: Pheu Thai's wondering why govt officials, soldiers r receiving flowers from multi-coloured mobs breaching SOE rules on public gathering.

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THE NATION: Red leaders calling for a red-shirted "bank run" on Bangkok Bank 2mrrw. (asking all reds to withdraw all savings from the bank)

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Thai security forces split by protests: analysts - Analysis

by Patrick Falby

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Two bungled operations against "Red Shirt" protesters in less than a week may point to a split in Thailand's military that has stymied Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government, analysts say.

The failed actions -- an attempted crackdown last weekend, which killed at least 18 civilians and five soldiers, and a botched arrest of Red leaders Friday -- came after the administration vowed to instill order in the capital.

"This puts the government in a very difficult position. They can never really be sure that their orders will truly be implemented," said Michael Nelson, of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

The Reds took to the streets over a month ago and currently occupy Bangkok's main commercial district, vowing to continue their campaign until they oust Abhisit, accusing his government of being illegitimate and elitist.

But when security forces attempted to sweep Reds out of Bangkok's historic district last weekend, it suffered a humiliating retreat in the face of Thailand's worst political violence in nearly two decades.

Both sides accused the other of using assault rifles in the clash, and media images also emerged of mysterious black-clad gunmen in the thick of the mayhem.

Abhisit promised a full investigation, blaming "terrorists", while some spoke of a "third hand" who targeted commanding army officers, including a Thai colonel who oversaw the dispersal of Red protests last year.

However Pavin Chachavalpongpun, research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, said it was likely that some disgruntled commanders had begun to back Red Shirt protests.

"I have heard from my inner sources that there's a split in the military, that some of the military men have defected to the Red camp," he said.

The army draws most of its lower ranks from poor areas sympathetic to protesters, he added, and police are known to be fans of Thaksin Shinawatra, a former policeman, whose ousting as premier triggered the first Red demonstrations years ago.

The military constantly looms in the background of Thailand, which has seen 18 coups and coup attempts since 1932. The army also remained in charge for a year after the 2006 coup toppled Thaksin, until polls in December 2007.

But while the military appeared to fully turn against Thaksin several years ago, there is now talk of "watermelon" soldiers -- green outside, red inside -- who have come to support the movement backed by the fugitive leader.

Anthony Davis, analyst for Jane's Defence Weekly, said he believed some Reds had organised a "military wing" after their similar demonstrations last year failed to unseat Abhisit's government and were swept from the streets.

"You've got a very worrying convergence of elements of Red Shirts who have military training, some of them doubtless former Rangers (border guards)," Davis said.

"Then there's current military, the so-called watermelons, willing to feed intelligence and very probably munitions," he added.

The second dramatic failure occurred Friday when commandos stormed a Bangkok hotel where leaders of the Red Shirt protest movement were hiding and the suspects managed to escape.

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.

"It's a very difficult position for the government and of course it puts the Red Shirts in a good position because they obviously have informants," Nelson said.

In response to the bungling, Abhisit made army chief Anupong Paojinda head of security operations in the capital. The military also announced it was planning to disperse the thousands of Reds, but had not decided the timing.

Analysts said the move was one of Abhisit's few remaining options as he attempts to cling to power. But it could bring more violence to Bangkok.

"In a way, it allows Abhisit to test the military," Pavin said from Singapore. "(But) when you a let military control a situation it hardly ever ends nicely and peacefully. There's a possibility it might turn nasty."

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-04-18

Published with written approval from AFP.

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Natthawut calls on red-shirts to join another massive rally Tuesday

BANGKOK: -- Natthawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader, Sunday issued a call for all red-shirt people nationwide to join a massive demonstration at the Rajprasong Intersection on Tuesday.

Natthawut said he wants all red-shirt people to come to Rajprasong to step up an attempt the Abhisit government.

The red-shirt leaders will announce on Tuesday where the protesters would march to.

He said the protesters would not make any march Sunday.

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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CRES warns anti-government protesters not to rally on Silom Road

BANGKOK (TNA) -- The government's Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) has warned anti-government protesters not to rally on Silom Road, known as Thailand’s Wall Street, threatening that stern legal action would be taken against them if they violate the order, a CRES spokesman said.

Spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd told a press conference late Saturday that the order for protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to stay out of Silom Road, a key business and financial district in the capital, is necessary because a protester occupation there would cause hardships to the general public.

Making his remarks after a CRES meeting chaired by army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda, now responsible for decisions deploying military force in dealing with the UDD protest, and after UDD leader Suporn Atthawong announced that the Red Shirts will rally at the Bangkok Bank headquarters on Silom Road.

Mr Suporn, known by the nickname 'Isan Rambo,' said Saturday that the UDD leaders agreed with his idea to rally at Bangkok Bank headquarters, but the protesters are seeking more activists at Ratchaprasong on Monday and Tuesday to keep the strenth of their demonstration there and detach a smaller group to the bank.

Saturday’s CRES meeting, attended by commanders of all three armed forces, agreed that police and army at checkpoints nationwide would try to prevent UDD supporters from travelling to Bangkok to join the rally at Ratchaprasong.

More UDD supporters from the provinces are expected to join the demonstration after they had returned home earlier to celebrate Songkran festival, Thailand’s traditional New Year, which ended last Thursday.

Col Sansern said five community radio chiefs and motorcycle taxi drivers reported to CRES on Saturday.

The five are among some 60 persons that CRES had earlier ordered to report to the agency for questioning regarding their alleged involvement with UDD protest.

Regarding the 24 UDD leaders for whom arrest warrants have been issued and who said they will surrender on May 15, Col Sansern said it did not mean that the authorities will wait until they turned report to the police on that date, but they will be apprehended immediately because they had violated the State of Emergency order.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, also director of CRES, commented that security officials would try to arrest all the 24 UDD leaders as soon as possible in order to restore law and order in the country.

Mr Suthep also denied reports about rifts between the government and the military, saying that empowering force to Gen Anupong to handle the protesters is necessary in order to restore national peace. (TNA)

-- TNA 2010-04-18

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Troops to be deployed on highrise buildings around Rajprasong

BANGKOK: -- Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the spokesman of the Emergency Operations Command, announced Sunday that troops will be secretly stationed on highrise buildings around the Rajprasong Intersection.

He said the secret surveillance will be carried out for the sake of the protesters' safety as intelligence agencies had learnt that protesters could also be targetted in next terrorist strikes to cause misunderstanding and turmoil.

He said the EOC would also deploy troops to set up checkpoints around Rajprasong to discourage people from joining the rally for their own safety.

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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Rival Thai 'Yellows' discuss moves as 'Reds' rally on

by Apilaporn Vechakij

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's pro-establishment "Yellow Shirt" movement gathered in their thousands on Sunday to discuss their response to month-long anti-government protests that left 23 dead in clashes last weekend.

The country is split between "Red Shirts", who largely support ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and their yellow-clad rivals who hit the streets ahead of a 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin and again to see off his allies in 2008.

The yellow protest group, backed by the country's elite, has kept a low profile since the Reds' mass rallies began in mid-March but began a meeting early Sunday to discuss the kingdom's troubles.

"We are having a meeting today because we know that now the country is in crisis," said Parnthep Pourpongpan, a spokesman for the group formally known as the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

"We have the PAD representatives from different provinces coming to analyse the situation and lay out the structure for long-term solutions. There are 3,000 to 5,000 people joining the meeting today," he said.

The Yellows' protests in 2008 culminated with a damaging blockade of the capital's main airports that stranded thousands of travellers.

As they met at a Bangkok university Sunday, the Reds were also meeting to discuss their next move, eights days on from deadly clashes with security forces that left 23 people dead and more than 800 injured.

The Reds, who are demanding snap elections, have since abandoned their rally spot close to where the violence took place to instead reinforce numbers in a Bangkok district which is home to luxury hotels and shopping malls.

Leaders of the Reds have said they would hand themselves in to police next month as they brace themselves for a new army push to disperse them from the key district.

They have so far ignored repeated calls by authorities to disperse from the commercial heartland, despite arrest warrants outstanding against core leaders.

"On May 15, 24 of us will surrender. All of the leaders," said one of the top Reds, Nattawut Saikuar, on Saturday. "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."

He said the plan was designed to avoid another attempt by security forces to forcibly arrest them, but added they would seek bail.

The mostly poor Reds accuse the government of elitism and being illegitimate as it came to power after a parliamentary vote that followed a controversial court verdict ousting Thaksin's allies.

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

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

Earlier Friday commandos stormed a hotel where several Red Shirt leaders were hiding, but the mission ended in dramatic failure after the suspects fled, with one climbing down an electric cable from a third floor balcony.

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 government has asked the police's special investigation unit to probe the bloodshed, blaming "terrorists" for inciting violence and accusing Thaksin, who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for graft, of stoking the unrest.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-04-18

Published with written approval from AFP.

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Police step up security at Bangkok Bank head office, CP Tower

BANGKOK: -- Police and security officers put up metal barricades around the Bangkok Bank head office and the CP Tower building Sunday.

The security was beefed up after a red-shirt leader said he would proposed the demonstrators expand their rally to Silom Road.

The Emergency Operations Command responded to the proposal by saying it would not allow the protesters to set up a rally site on the business road.

Natthawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader, said the protesters will not march to Silom Sunday but the red-shirt leaders have yet to consider whether to set up another rally site on Silom Road or not.

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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thai_news: UDD rally could cost B70bn

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MCOT: Ex-Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal reports to CRES, denies helping fund UDD anti-government protesters

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THE NATION: Mall update: Central Chidlom opens today till 7pm. Zen, Big C Rajdamri, CentralWorld, Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery & Siam Center are closed.

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THE NATION: Red leader Jatuporn said that they will send an "equal" number red guards to match with govt's on the high rises for their own safety. #NBT

THE NATION: govt to have surveillance troops will be stationed on highrise buildings to watch the rally for safety of all parties.

THE NATION: Good news is that Reds take govt announcement seriously this time but bad news is that they'll try their best not to make things happen.

TAN Network: Reds agree to give up Pathumwan intersection; lessen noise pollution around Chula hospital

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APRIL 10 CLASHES

Relatives of slain protester files complaint against PM and Deputy PM

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Relatives of a red shirt protester killed during the April 10 clash filed complaint with police against PM Abhisit Vejjajiva and chief of Emergency Operations Command for allegedly ordering dispersal of red shirts protesters.

The dispersal last weekend resulted in deaths and injuries.

Chanasongkram district police received the complaint filed by Picha Wijitsilp, lawyer representing relatives of Thossachai Mekngamfa who was shot at Phan Fah Bridge and died on the way to a hospital.

Pheu Thai Party's spokesman Prompong Nopparit accompanied the lawyer.

Prompong told reporters that the premier and Deputy PM Suthep Thuagsuban, chief of EOC, had to take responsibility for the deaths of the protesters as they ordered the dispersing.

-- The Nation 2010-04-18

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THE NATION: PAD distributes a document accusing Thaksin and UDD of treason (3.52pm) via NNA news.

TAN Network; Business groups oppose Red Shirt Rally around Silom area

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THE NATION: PAD leader Pipob Thongchai blames Thaksin. "He's surely behind the red rallies and the turmoil on Apr10."

THE NATION: PAD held its first meeting at Rangsit universities since red shirted rally started on March12 to find direction for future movement.

THE NATION: PAD's Pipob accused Gen Chalavit as a man who helped Thaksin create violence on Apr10. "I'd like Gen Chalavit to come out and deny it."

THE NATION: PAD suggests govt to solve the problems without using force. Chamlong said that govt failed to enforce the law and caused the losses.