Bangkok: Assailants Fired M-79 Grenades At Sala Daeng Skytrain Station

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Latest news seems to be that some suspects were arrested. That'd be good news, assuming it was based on some evidence. Of course under martial law they can arrest pretty much anyone so it'll seem like something is being done.

Not that it isn't needed, but when was martial law declared?

April 7.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-0...parliament.html

[Motoon]

Yes, one of his own tagged him and held a laser on him by accident and then a sharp shooter also made the mistake of not knowing he was in uniform ... would be funny if not so tragic and idiotic. Some of us do have the ability to know what is being said on Thai News and you appear to be just making things up.

Sadly you're the one making things up. There's no shame in not understanding Thai, so don't struggle..

Bragging with your Thai as if you're the only one on this forum, dismissing other members as ignorant and clueless while happily manipulating and distorting. The laser tagging is fact, proven by a video clip. If random shot by a panicking soldier then the soldier must have stepped in front of the vehicle, floated to a slightly higher position and carefully placed a precise shot to the head - but I'm sure you'll call that pro-government propaganda as well. You sir, are the one constantly mixing facts with your own assumptions and wishes. You quote Thai news but in fact refering to the "Red shirt news channel", which is no better than quoting NBT only, so go back reading your motorcycle diaries.

As for the bombing, yes, we do not know what party is to blame. So far there is no solid proof and there never will be. Reason is that any explanation of the Authorities, such as for example the suspected position of firing is immediately dismissed by the Red shirts as lies and so far the explanation by the Red shirts, well actually, they sound pretty much as what your writing in every post here.

Pictures yesterday of Red shirts celebrating the bombing and trying to stop rescue vehicles is still lingering disturbingly in my mind (clip shown on channel 3 last night).

[smoky]

The only time people have died is when the PM has used force. So maybe that's why?

The PM has used force this evening with one dead from the Sala Daeng blasts?

Naturally, the perfect angelic reds have claimed again none of their people were responsible for this as they shoot at helicopters.

Before today, my friend. Nobody died before Abhisit launched his crackdown on April 10th. And nobody knows who launched the attacks tonight, so let's keep it peaceful, shall we.

Your Avitar represents Violence. He was a Murdering Thug.

[kissdani]

Of course it was the reds. They have threatened this. Red shirt apologists, you should be ashamed.

Where is your proof that the red shirts are responsible? You're ASSUMING. Don't confuse people with lies before you have facts, please. Nobody knows who attacked who tonight. Nobody knows who launched the bombs.

if the bombs had gone off at the Red's rally site and killed many Red protesters, would you be holding your view that it might not be the multi-color shirt? Or are you going to drum up the conspiracy theory that the Reds did this to themselves in order to blame the multicolor shirt?

It was stated that the multi-color shirt was protesting against the Reds, then the bombs went off. you then get Reds lighting up firecrackers to celebrate this. These are facts stated. Draw your own conclusion......

If the bombs/grenades were fired at the red shirt i would still say that i have no clue who is responsible for it.

I am sure that those who immediately blamed the reds as the culprits for the bombs would also declare that the reds just bombed themselves, because 'they need victims'. I read such comments about the 10.04.

I don't know what happend on the red shirt stage after the bombs. I don't think that they were celebrating the bombings. It is understandable that there was a delay before the bomb attacks where announced at the red stage and that it took some time. It must be verified through other channels than at the twitter network. And there at twitter i read some complains that the reds not immediately interrupt the show for breaking news but played music and the the reds were kept uninformed. That could have been done to avoid a mass panic. Maybe we have some experts at this board who organise events that attrack large crowds, i am sure there are some guidelines how to handle similar situations.

Additional they have been on high alert too, they were attacked at the barricades by some hooligans, the so called 'residents'. (This street figther have not much in common with the so called multi colors, who are in the main genuine protesters who not looking for a clash and battle.) Furthermore the reds are uncertain when the big army crackdown starts. The red camp is under high tension.

You say it are stated facts that the reds were celebrating the bombs at the multishirts. Where did you get these facts from?

[clockworkorange]

I feel sorry for the Thais that have suffered because of a few who want to change what the majority is ok with. To spill blood is not the answer. If you don't like the present government, vote it out when election come up. I don't see how anythngs is going to change by getting innocent people killed.

an election would give a majority to the Redshirts and their supporters.

That's right. The Democrats can't win elections these days, which is why they are afraid of holding one. The root of this problem is that the Democrats blew the various chances that they had over the years to impress the general public, and people are now sick and tired of them. The majority of Thais (not just Bangkok) think that Abhisit is a smug and patronising puppet, who has no interest in helping them to progress. Conversely, Thaksin was seen as a man of the people who got things done, and under his rule poverty was halved.

The majority (not just Bangkok) of Thais think that Abhisit sucks. Even if he kills more people to cling to power, they will hate him all the more for it.

[asiascharlie]

If anyone cant figure out that all the grenades stolen from army bases before this protest and Seh Daengs predictions of violence arent connected to all the random bombings of fuel depots power lines and banks as well as innocent people then maybe a crayon and some paper could help connect the dots.

[somo]

good article here..........Japanese Times

Excellent article.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

You are a hardcore defender of red violence.

Show me where I've defended violence. I haven't. But you and yours continue spreading lies.

You have joined Thai Visa on April 18th this year - just five days ago - and already written 118 posts.

Yeah, only 16,512 to go and he'll catch Jingthing. Read what he actually says instead of focusing on side issues like his name or rate of posting. It's a poor debating tactic to attack him personally when you just have a different point of view. Issues please, instead of personal flames!

Edited April 23, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai

[grantbkk]

This thread like so many others on TV relating to political upheaval and civil war contain thoughts ranging from well thought out opinions to people obviously from outer space who have Wi-Fi. Most of the unconsidered, uniformed, racist, crazy and troll comments are very hard to read. Right now there are 6,000 computers signed on with TV, most wanting news, eyewitness accounts and other useful information.

I want to commend the TV operators for having the closed news of the day thread for those who just want to know what the heck is going on here.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Motoon]

Everyone is at fault

Thanks. This clip will be BANNED from public TV especially NBT. I can bet on it.

That's the one sentence is can support. By the way, Miss Chanthorn, your so called eye witness report yesterday of the clash between the two groups had one decisive point missing. Evening news yesterday of the incident the night before clearly showed that both sides were using slingshots, so again, there no innocent parties in this whole mess...

[Grey11]

Let's please remember that we don't know who launched these bomb attacks. According to Channel 7, one pink shirt was seen beating up a red shirt at the SkyTrain station, who he thought was responsible for the attacks. The man is now in the hospital in serious condition.

We all know whoever launched these bombs were Red Shirt and/or their sympathisers. There was no violence in Bangkok until the Red Shirts came and have been inciting to riot for 5 weeks. When the residents of Bkk finally rose up - enough is enough and want their city back - and protested the Red Shirt terrorists launched bombs into them. The Reds can deny it all they want but they are grasping for straws as they have not been able to overthrow the government. Those like you who are Thaksin & Red Shirt supporters are simply spewing the vile of the Red Shirt leaders who are paid well by Thaksin who is ready to come marching back into Thailand triumphantly. Until the Army gets some balls and drives these terrorists from Bkk they will continue to do violence against those who oppose them and continue to hold the city hostage. There are thousands of poor in Bkk who have not been paid in weeks that work in the hotels, shopping centers, etc. all because of one man - Thaksin! Period!

[Meridian007]

Of course it was the reds. They have threatened this. Red shirt apologists, you should be ashamed.

Where is your proof that the red shirts are responsible? You're ASSUMING. Don't confuse people with lies before you have facts, please. Nobody knows who attacked who tonight. Nobody knows who launched the bombs.

the logic of people saying that the REDS did this is just the sort of response that is to be expected and wanted by those opposed the them - just another reason to send in the army with all its might and remove them -- there are so many good stories coming from the govt side - like no live bulllets used on saturday and then 24 hours later a senior ARMY doctor stated that those killed where hit by live rounds --- just who is going to keep believing all this missinformation -

for all we know it could be a faction of the yellows just trying to accelarate the situation or even the so called peace loving pinks -- what next - maybe the rainbow warriors --- but to have everyone jumping on the anti red band wagon and point the fingerr - come on -- believe 20% of what u read -- and then divide by 2 --

the fact is that the whole truth will never come out and what ever sided did it - shame on them - but lets hold off to judge - i still for one dont thnk the reds had anything to gain apart from turning more people against them and what they really want is more support - so why the hel_l would they do this - ???? these sort of actions will turn everyone against them --

How about western eyewitness accounts? I was watching the twitter accounts of many journalists who were there on the front lines last night, here is one shortly after the first attacks at 8pm from Mark MacKinnon (East Asia correspondent for Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail.):

What I saw/heard were fireworks fired from Red side over police barricade. Not M79s, as some reporting.

Evidently there was some confusion as to whether it was m79s being fired or rockets, (I think the subsequent damage proves it was M79s), but the key part for me is "What I saw/heard were fireworks fired from Red side over police barricade." This is just one of many eyewitness accounts, (the rest are in Thai), and this one is from a foreign journalist. There are also reports of the reds cheering while firing these off. Lastly, one of the second round of attacks was at Bangkok Bank, (who else would bomb that Bank?).

To me it is pretty clear who did what. I know that the aplolgists will sing the old "It was fake reds! They didn't have authorization!", but that song is getting old and see-through.

[rabo]

Sadly the TV forum is filled with too many people who have no idea about things "Thai" and who sit in Ivory Towers dictating they know everything and the Army will do this and the police that.

If you watch the link below you can see :

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd1loe_us...top-201004_news

Multicolor shirts have come looking for a fight, they are throwing bottles and objects at Reds.

Police move in to move them back.

Mutlicolors attack police.

Police push them back while under attack from them.

Then you see the Mullticolors are in front of "Army" lines.

The multicolors retreat and finally run behind the army lines while chased by the police.

Army did nothing to stop them or apprehend them.

With regards to the attacks by grenades, all violence is wrong. People getting killed is sad and not right. However, if the leaders of the PAD/Yellow had not invoked the "Multicolor" protests again these deaths would have been avoided. That does not take anything away from whoever fired the grenades (very likely a third hand), but as ever, it takes two to tango.

So at blame here are :

1/ Army for letting them incite the reds.

2/ Police for letting them incite the reds.

3/ Leaders of Yellow who incited the multicolor groups.

4/ Whoever shot the grenades.

5/ Reds for being there.

6/ Elite/Democrats for all the ills they have done from the coup in 2006 culminating into where we are today.

Everyone is at fault

It is curious that in apportioning the blame, you include everyone except the entire red leadership and organization. Without talking about who pulled the triggers on the grenade launchers, let me suggest you read the following. Today's CNN "explainer". CNN often uses these simple explainers presumably to help their less informed readers. Here's the Headline, the one image, and the link.

Explainer: What are the protests in Thailand about?

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/...dex.html?hpt=T1

My only point being, if you want to begin to consider blame, you need to understand the storyline, otherwise it will always be tit-for-tat

Edited April 23, 2010 by rabo

[Grey11]

In reply to Che

Maybe he/she should consider what is the role of government

I thought one of its roles was to maintain law and order

Surely marching on the military and the police - refusing to disperse and occupying an area in a city thus preventing normal business to continue constitiutes a breakdown of law and order. Therefore the reaction by the military is predictable at the very least

Che Guevera was a Communist revolutionary who fought with Fidel Castro. What would anyone expect from a person who not only puts the photo of Che up but goes by his name. I see pictures of Che all over Thailand but the Thais don't know who he was - even those who are opposed to Communism and violent revolution. A Communist is always a Communist and will not change their spots. The only way Communists have ever come into power was by using force to overthrow the present government. Communists like Mao & Stalin, Kim in North Korea, etc. killed tens of millions of their own people. Castro has killed tens of thousands who voiced freedom of speech. Tens of thousands are in Cuban prisons, as they are many in Chinese prisons,, North Korean prisons, all for expressing their opinions which ran counter to the government dictates - political prisoners. Che, here on TV, glorifies violent revolution. Naturally he glorifies the Red Shirts whose goal is to overthrow the present government by any means necessary - but Communists always prefer the violent overthrow of a government.

[fxe1200]

You are a hardcore defender of red violence.

Show me where I've defended violence. I haven't. But you and yours continue spreading lies.

You have joined Thai Visa on April 18th this year - just five days ago - and already written 118 posts.

Yeah, only 16,512 to go and he'll catch Jingthing. Read what he actually says instead of focusing on side issues like his name or rate of posting. It's a poor debating tactic to attack him personally when you just have a different point of view. Issues please, instead of personal flames!

Where is the flame? I did not call him "Goebbels" or anything bad. And that he joined five days ago is an unalterable fact.

[Grey11]

In reply to Che

Maybe he/she should consider what is the role of government

I thought one of its roles was to maintain law and order

Surely marching on the military and the police - refusing to disperse and occupying an area in a city thus preventing normal business to continue constitiutes a breakdown of law and order. Therefore the reaction by the military is predictable at the very least

Che Guevera was a Communist revolutionary who fought with Fidel Castro. What would anyone expect from a person who not only puts the photo of Che up but goes by his name. I see pictures of Che all over Thailand but the Thais don't know who he was - even those who are opposed to Communism and violent revolution. A Communist is always a Communist and will not change their spots. The only way Communists have ever come into power was by using force to overthrow the present government. Communists like Mao & Stalin, Kim in North Korea, etc. killed tens of millions of their own people. Castro has killed tens of thousands who voiced freedom of speech. Tens of thousands are in Cuban prisons, as they are many in Chinese prisons,, North Korean prisons, all for expressing their opinions which ran counter to the government dictates - political prisoners. Che, here on TV, glorifies violent revolution. Naturally he glorifies the Red Shirts whose goal is to overthrow the present government by any means necessary - but Communists always prefer the violent overthrow of a government.

Seems I forgot the likes of violent Communists such as Lenin & Trotsky and many more put into power by Russia after it acquired all of Eastern Europe from the Allies - Britain, France & the U.S.

[Asa]

Civil Court grants injunction which prevents PM from using force to disperse red shirt rally

If Martial Law needs to be declared to circumvent this insane court order then let it happen and let it happen now.

No need to declare martial law just to go around it, the court does allow international accepted mean to control crowd when necessary.

Sadly the TV forum is filled with too many people who have no idea about things "Thai" and who sit in Ivory Towers dictating they know everything and the Army will do this and the police that.

If you watch the link below you can see :

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd1loe_us...top-201004_news

Multicolor shirts have come looking for a fight, they are throwing bottles and objects at Reds.

Police move in to move them back.

Mutlicolors attack police.

Police push them back while under attack from them.

Then you see the Mullticolors are in front of "Army" lines.

The multicolors retreat and finally run behind the army lines while chased by the police.

Army did nothing to stop them or apprehend them.

With regards to the attacks by grenades, all violence is wrong. People getting killed is sad and not right. However, if the leaders of the PAD/Yellow had not invoked the "Multicolor" protests again these deaths would have been avoided. That does not take anything away from whoever fired the grenades (very likely a third hand), but as ever, it takes two to tango.

So at blame here are :

1/ Army for letting them incite the reds.

2/ Police for letting them incite the reds.

3/ Leaders of Yellow who incited the multicolor groups.

4/ Whoever shot the grenades.

5/ Reds for being there.

6/ Elite/Democrats for all the ills they have done from the coup in 2006 culminating into where we are today.

Everyone is at fault

Very much agree with the above. Plus that the Army also have intelligent confirmation on what going to happen in advance. But they have done less, and keep losing rifles thereafter.

[Meridian007]

It is curious that in apportioning the blame, you include everyone except the entire red leadership and organization. Without talking about who pulled the triggers on the grenade launchers, let me suggest you read the following. Today's CNN "explainer". CNN often uses these simple explainers presumably to help their less informed readers. Here's the Headline, the one image, and the link.

Explainer: What are the protests in Thailand about?

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/...dex.html?hpt=T1

My only point being, if you want to begin to consider blame, you need to understand the storyline, otherwise it will always be tit-for-tat

It is a good overview, but I fear that their comments section has been infected with the same misguided souls who believe that this is about freedom and equality. It sadly is not, and I think the article highlights well the true reason for this violence. One old man's stolen money. Sad.

[Grey11]

...one pink shirt was seen beating up a red shirt at the SkyTrain station...

That's a good start.

Excellent post. Like my wife said: "It is a good thing you weren't there are you might do something - throw something - at a Red Shirt and get deported. Luckily I am here in Phuket because I am so sick of seeing those neanderthals that I could spit. Even the Army is afraid of them so regular real residents of Bangkok finally had to turn out to try to take their city back. One thing for sure, after seeing these people, I don't think anybody with any sense wants to visit Isaan.

[KhaoNiaw]

an election would give a majority to the Redshirts and their supporters.

Probably it wouldn't. PT would most likely need to form a coalition government.

[sheasie]

I don´t understand why the "farangs" don´t stay out of the area.

Maybe because they live there ? Sala Daeng a nice area...

[BlackJack]

The only time people have died is when the PM has used force. So maybe that's why?

well this is not correct

also check your avatar as the pic is of a murdering B that killed 1000's

Che is someone not to be admired

[Grey11]

...one pink shirt was seen beating up a red shirt at the SkyTrain station...

That's a good start.

Why are you pro-violence?

You (Che) have taken the name of a Communist who was definitely pro-violence. So how can you accuse someone else? You are a supporter of the Reds who are engaged in violent revolution just like your heroes, Castro, Che, Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot, Lenin, Trotsky, Kim (North Korea) and others in Eastern Europe under Soviet occupation

[BlackJack]

Civil Court grants injunction which prevents PM from using force to disperse red shirt rally

Perfect timing! As soon as grenades start flying, the PM is told that he cannot use force.

Amazing Thailand.

so use the gas

knock them out

put them on trucks

free ride home

[humfurry]

I don´t understand why the "farangs" don´t stay out of the area.

Maybe because they live there ? Sala Daeng a nice area...

Or work there or have to travel through there. I get on and off at that station daily.

[UnEnlightened]

So who thinks it would be a good idea to change your baht savings into your home currency at this point?

[Robbie Dye]

The only time people have died is when the PM has used force. So maybe that's why?

Joking?? This daft order just clears the way for the Reds to create mayhem.

[LindsayBKK]

1 Dead just announced by Channel News Asia

CS

Morning News reports 5 dead, can anyone confirm numbers?

[kenallday]

Given the highly inflammatory nature of some posts and posters in the News forum, we are instituting a zero tolerance policy with regards to posting inflammatory comments, comments advocating violence, trollish comments, and flames. You will receive an automatic posting rights suspension for this behavior in the News forum. Bear that in mind when posting

Quite right - what does zero tolerance mean exactly?

[Thai at Heart]

Very much agree with the above. Plus that the Army also have intelligent confirmation on what going to happen in advance. But they have done less, and keep losing rifles thereafter.

On the basis that the army didn't know about the potential for their being snipers on the red side shooting at them during the previous encounters, plus the apparent leaks in the military for information, one can only conclude is that the Thai Army is fulfilling the oxymoron of "Military Intelligence".

That and the supposedly unexposed group that has been going around Bangkok dropping grenades here and there, and as yet no progress on identifying or catching them would suggest that if there is a 3rd party, the army or the police do not have that much knowledge about what is happening "in advance". If they knew what was going to happen, why was the BTS still open?