Bangkok: Another Crackdown, More Bloodshed Expected

[webfact]

SIDELINES

Another crackdown, more bloodshed expected

By Sopon Onkgara

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- All was set as of yesterday afternoon for "operation payback" by teams of troops to disperse the red shirts who are still occupying Rajprasong intersection. But there had been no action as of press time. The forces were still awaiting the final green light from Army chief General Anupong Paochinda.

Maybe the plan has to be fine-tuned to ensure minimal loss of life. Casualties must be avoided on both sides. If there is to be some collateral damage, the level must be contained to avoid a backlash.

But the military obviously does not want the bitter events of April 10 to recur. The heavy losses suffered during the security operation in the Rajdamnoen area were a disaster, as well as a tactical blunder, from the military point of view.

The upcoming mission is inevitable now that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has given the go-ahead order by appointing the Army chief to handle the task - despite the PM's extreme reluctance to command a military crackdown on the red shirts.

The general, due to retire at the end of September, has to choose between national survival, together with that of the monarchy, or a regime that sees Thaksin Shinawatra's triumphant return via the help of the red shirts.

The red shirts are no longer regarded as genuine campaigners for democracy as they have claimed. In the eyes of fair-minded observers, the ringleaders have committed high treason. Armed terrorists are their fearsome supporters, who carried out indiscriminate shootings at soldiers and civilians on April 10.

The red shirts know that their days are numbered. They can never walk around like free men again. But surely they want to live to spend the fortune they have extracted from Thaksin through his campaign funding. But the circumstances and the severity of their crimes simply forbid such an opportunity. The red shirts must fight to win so that they can get amnesty later.

Opinion continues: The Nation

-- The Nation 2010-04-20

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[cavelight]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

[offissa]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

Quite right.

[jonnyscot]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

why don't the reds just go home and wait for the 9 months,,,, there would have been no bloodshed by either side if they had returned to the negotiating table, there were still options offered to return to the negotiating table,,, and still the red leaders are not interested,,,,, I think it would be insane for anyone to think that it would be for the good of the country if the PM stepped down within 15 days as the red leaders are asking, especially now,,,,, who is trying to make peace and who is trying to break it here,.....

[noel2499rk]

Another crackdown, more bloodshed hopes Sopon Onkgara

Who is this bloodthirsty journalist

[Thai at Heart]

The general, due to retire at the end of September, has to choose between national survival, together with that of the monarchy, or a regime that sees Thaksin Shinawatra's triumphant return via the help of the red shirts.

Note the "M" word.

Obviously it is "All about Thaksin". NOT

[ChiangMaiFun]

What a disgraceful article - what are they thinking???

[Thai at Heart]

What a disgraceful article - what are they thinking???

I have to agree.

[hagler]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

yep. agree.

[AGareth2]

If there is no news create it?

[passon]

This is why I never read The Nation. It becomes part of the news story instead of remaining impartial, although its extensive use of adjectives are quite impressive, its stories are still driven in by a garbage truck!

[jackr]

What a disgraceful article - what are they thinking???

I have to agree.

I don't.

[JacknDanny]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

I guess the truth hurts!!!

Good for the journo!!

Only saying what most people think and know!!

He is spot on!!

[LuckyLew]

If it is his opinion, I guess he is allowed to it

If he is paid to write his opinion ... there you go

Just a person doing what he is paid to do

Much like the reds ... they are paid to protest

so they protest.

[Miiyai46]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

Agree with you. "The Yellow Nation" is rubbish and hope

that all things mentioned in the article won't happen.

[Thai at Heart]

I don't.

If I had read and article like this it in the China Daily or the New Light of Myanmar justifying a crack down in Tibet or Rangoon, I wouldn't have been surprised.

"Operation Payback"

: What kind of rhetoric is that. I presume self titled. I am sure it has no factual evidence to back it up, and I would hope that Anupong gets on the phone to get them to retract it.

Having a supposedly "respected" newspaper regurgitating nonsense like this is idiotic.

"Maybe the plan has to be refined to reduce loss of life"

: Ditto

The upcoming mission is inevitable now that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has given the go-ahead order by appointing the Army chief to handle the task - despite the PM's extreme reluctance to command a military crackdown on the red shirts.

: A little bit of factual evidence would be nice. Maybe they are all sitting around a table somewhere and the reds pack up and go home tonight. Since when has the army not reserved the right to carry out the government's orders?

In fact is there a single proveable substantiated fact in the entire piece? In fact, it reads like an entry on Thai Visa by some of the more vitriolic contributors.

[grandpops]

I think this is just part of an increasingly hysterical and desperate attempt by the Elite to force the Army to Kill its opponants.

The Army are still reluctant and possibly could be the peace makers here. They are not doing their masters bidding by killing this week as they realise that the masters could be in for a change!

The Yellow protesters are looking more and more like the flat earth society, pinning their hopes on some trumped up LM charges to give them something to rally around.

They seem to think that if the Army just kill a few thousand people, their regime can survive. It can't and more and more of their backers are beginning to realise it. Hence the Nation sending in the shock troops with this drivel.

Most of this is devisive propaganda and would be banned if it were as biased towards the Anti-Government side. Can't we raise the bar on this site and have less of it?

[Thai at Heart]

If it is his opinion, I guess he is allowed to it

If he is paid to write his opinion ... there you go

Just a person doing what he is paid to do

Much like the reds ... they are paid to protest

so they protest.

Doesn't mean that the editor has to print it though.

[anotherpeter]

The Reds are set in their protest area in Ratchaprasong. There is plenty of room for them there. They are causing enough damage to the economy and to peoples lives by setting up there.

Why do they need to move into Silom?

The ONLY reason to do that is to cause confrontation.

They preach violence from their stage. They will get violence if they try and move into Silom.

They know that. That's why they are doing it.

Any deaths or injuries that result from a push into Silom should be on the heads of the red leaders.

[ChiangMaiFun]

I think this is just part of an increasingly hysterical and desperate attempt by the Elite to force the Army to Kill its opponants.

The Army are still reluctant and possibly could be the peace makers here. They are not doing their masters bidding by killing this week as they realise that the masters could be in for a change!

The Yellow protesters are looking more and more like the flat earth society, pinning their hopes on some trumped up LM charges to give them something to rally around.

They seem to think that if the Army just kill a few thousand people, their regime can survive. It can't and more and more of their backers are beginning to realise it. Hence the Nation sending in the shock troops with this drivel.

Most of this is devisive propaganda and would be banned if it were as biased towards the Anti-Government side. Can't we raise the bar on this site and have less of it?

exactly - it's the last ditch attempt by the desperate Elite to retain power - it's over - they are doomed

[JacknDanny]

I think this is just part of an increasingly hysterical and desperate attempt by the Elite to force the Army to Kill its opponants.

The Army are still reluctant and possibly could be the peace makers here. They are not doing their masters bidding by killing this week as they realise that the masters could be in for a change!

The Yellow protesters are looking more and more like the flat earth society, pinning their hopes on some trumped up LM charges to give them something to rally around.

They seem to think that if the Army just kill a few thousand people, their regime can survive. It can't and more and more of their backers are beginning to realise it. Hence the Nation sending in the shock troops with this drivel.

Most of this is devisive propaganda and would be banned if it were as biased towards the Anti-Government side. Can't we raise the bar on this site and have less of it?

exactly - it's the last ditch attempt by the desperate Elite to retain power - it's over - they are doomed

Looks to me as the only desperate people on show are the reds!! More specifically their leader Thaksin.

Time is running out for the red clowns. I hope that violence is minimal, however with the way the reds are being stoked up by the red leaders vitriol and nonsensical blubberings, I fear for the worst.

[rreddin]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

No it is not journalism. It is speculation at best. Being quoted by overseas news agencies must have gone to their head. However, quality journalists will soon see through them, if hey have not already done so.

[Thai at Heart]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

No it is not journalism. It is speculation at best. Being quoted by overseas news agencies must have gone to their head. However, quality journalists will soon see through them, if hey have not already done so.

I think that happened long ago.

This piece seems more a wish list put together after a few beers.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Yet another sad piece of garbage.

Thanks for posting it though, it's good to see the depths this 'newspaper' has fallen to.

Edited April 20, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai

[david96]

Thailand needs national unity

From: The Australian

April 20, 2010 12:00AM

The alternative is street fighting among political proxies

THE army was back on the streets of Bangkok yesterday, sending a signal to the Red Shirt protest movement that they should lift their siege of the city and a message to the world that everything was under control. Neither is believable, Thailand's problems run much deeper than the damage done by a large and very well organised protest movement. The Red Shirts support former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, deposed in a military coup in 2006. They want an election, which the exiled Thaksin's side would be likely to win. Despite widespread claims of corruption against him, his policies, including free healthcare for all, make him the darling of the rural poor. But no matter how decisive an election outcome, a vote would solve nothing unless it was accepted by Thaksin's opponents, who despise his populism, sneer at his supporters and can put their own private army on Bangkok's streets. These Yellow Shirts occupied the airport for two months at the end of 2008, and there is talk of their taking on Thaksin's supporter.

The stand-off in the streets places Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in an impossible position. He was appointed, rather than elected, and has no credibility with Thaksin's camp. And the stand-off in the streets is a problem for the army, the usual arbiter of who governs. It seems the generals are loath to either shore up Mr Abhisit or, as they have often done before, take control themselves. The Red Shirts have too much popular support to be easily suppressed and there are suggestions there is sympathy for Thaksin's cause among rank and file soldiers. This was once the sort of situation solved by advice from King Bhumibol Adulyadej. But he is old and ill and shows no sign of intending to intervene.

And so it is up to the politicians. Mr Abhisit wants elections at the end of the year but last week army chief Anupong Paojinda called for an early poll. Given his tenuous position, the Prime Minister has little choice but to agree. Yet unless the political warlords agree to respect the popular vote and unless the winning side undertakes not to wreak revenge on the loser, the results will not matter much.

Without a government committed to national unity and an end to the existing entrenched animosities, Thailand faces the prospect of power going to the side with the toughest colour gang.

[IMA_FARANG]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

Oh really. Every day the standoff drags on the greater the chance of someone on either side misinterpreting a move by the other side, and reacting violently to what he/she percieves as a threat. That's just human nature. Once it starts, it will be hard to stop.

In the cold war era the U.S. and the Soviet Union were depicted in a famous cartoon as two men holding lit matches both sitting on a stack of gunpowder kegs. The caption was,"If you do, I'll retaliate". The point was that if either one dropped the match, it didn't matter who, all of the gunpowder would go up. It's a similiar situation in Bangkok now. Nobody really wants it, but every day makes the chance of an accident greater.

General Chavilit (sp?) had the answer, but I'm prohibited from saying that on this forum. Just read his comments in the news. I can't mention it here.

Really, this is a dangerous situation. It could explode any day. Niether side wants to compromise first. Somebody had better compromise first...or things could get really ugly.

I don't think either side really wants that. I hope not, anyhow.

Edited April 20, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[jonnyscot]

The Reds are set in their protest area in Ratchaprasong. There is plenty of room for them there. They are causing enough damage to the economy and to peoples lives by setting up there.

Why do they need to move into Silom?

The ONLY reason to do that is to cause confrontation.

They preach violence from their stage. They will get violence if they try and move into Silom.

They know that. That's why they are doing it.

Any deaths or injuries that result from a push into Silom should be on the heads of the red leaders.

Yes, I Agree with that, but there are many, many good and friendly people within the red demonstrators that have been driven by the exceptionally strong worded tactics from red leaders, leaders who are blinded by ambition, I hope the good people of the reds can look at the bigger picture and see what this is doing to this country and its people and go on home, and allow the local people in the affected areas to happily get on with their lives, regarding the red leaders, well there are courts to decide that.

[davelec]

"operation payback"

Implies murder in revenge for the armies own incompetence and bad organization, shocking that the nation should publish this jingoistic tripe.

[Redsunset]

Hysterical, heavily biased nonsense - just another day at the office for the Nation writers. This is not journalism.

yep. agree.

If all the news that the NATION writes is garbage, WHY ARE YOU HERE? Why don't you start your own on-line website blog and do your own reporting so that we can see how clever you are.

[Insight]

Article aside, has anybody else noticed a significant drop in red shirt presence on the streets?

The motorbike taxis are (mostly) back to wearing regular clothes and seem to have removed the red flags from their stations. Spotted one pick up on the way to work with two people on the back dressed in red. The truck had the two staple red flags but they had been tied up for some reason...?

Certainly not counting chickens here - the actions of the reds today will be the real indicator.