Thai hospital evacuated after stormed by protesters

BANGKOK (AFP) -- A major hospital in the Thai capital evacuated most of its patients Friday after anti-government "Red Shirt" protesters stormed inside in the mistaken belief that troops were hiding there.

Chulalongkorn Hospital also stopped receiving outpatients following the Thursday night incident, in which some 100 Red Shirt guards searched its buildings for troops they feared were readying a crackdown.

Tensions are high in Bangkok following the worst political violence in almost two decades which has left 27 people dead and almost 1,000 injured this month in a series of bloody confrontations.

The 1,400-bed hospital sent most of its patients to 10 other facilities in Bangkok and was considering how to cope with the protesters occupying a large part of the city's nearby commercial district, a spokeswoman said.

"For outpatients, if their symptoms are not serious we asked them to postpone treatment," the spokeswoman said.

A Red Shirt leader publicly apologised Friday, saying guards told demonstration leaders that they saw soldiers inside the hospital located near one of their main barricades.

"On behalf of all leaders, I apologise to the public and Chulalongkorn Hospital for the incident," Weng Tojirakarn said. "The situation got out of control.

"It is not our policy to obstruct hospital operations."

Thailand's Medical Council slammed the Reds' action and asked protesters to respect medical personnel.

"All parties must refrain from exploiting hospital grounds for political gain," the council said in a statement.

The Reds -- who want immediate elections to replace Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government -- have periodically clashed with security forces during their occupation of sections of the Thai capital for the past month.

Many of the Reds come from Thailand's rural poor and urban working classes and seek the return of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and now lives overseas to avoid a jail term for corruption.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-04-30

Published with written approval from AFP.

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"For outpatients, if their symptoms are not serious we asked them to postpone treatment," the spokeswoman said.

A Red Shirt leader publicly apologised Friday, saying guards told demonstration leaders that they saw soldiers inside the hospital located near one of their main barricades.

"On behalf of all leaders, I apologise to the public and Chulalongkorn Hospital for the incident," Weng Tojirakarn said. "The situation got out of control.

That's insane and has nothing to do with political views. Whoever the leader of this country is. All people involved should be in prison now.

Many of the Reds come from Thailand's rural poor and urban working classes and seek the return of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and now lives overseas to avoid a jail term for corruption.

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I think you are forgetting the large proportion of violent criminals -

What an achievement. Closing down a public hospital used mainly by poor people anbd forcing other hospitals to become over worked and overcrowded. Even if they cant hand the lunatics over you would hope today they would consdier going home or even cancelling the vile hate filled rhetoric and then party music

Wengs apology is ridiculous without action. Go home or hand the paerpetrators over without condition. Sick people and medical workers should be free of interference by gangs known for their violence

Many of the Reds come from Thailand's rural poor and urban working classes and seek the return of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and now lives overseas to avoid a jail term for corruption.

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I think you are forgetting the large proportion of violent criminals -

I think they also miss that a large amount of people using that hospital come form the poor urban working class

So what were the red shirts planning to do to the troops had they have been there?!

This is just going to far! Something needs to be done, and SOON

Let's keep things in perspective pls. Why is any of this worse than what we've seen very recently, with people getting shot and grenades going off and people dying? I sense a lot of fabricated indignation; the Reds are jittery, they KNOW they can get their faces blown off at any time by government (or rogue army) snipers.. It's chaotic, someone thinks they see military in the building directly overlooking their site.. It happens to be a hospital, but better safe than sorry.

Good of Dr. Weng to apologize though, respect.

I hope the reds are very proud of what they have achieved.

My late father in law spent time in that hospital for cancer treatment. Knowing how ill he was, my thoughts go out to all the patients who now have to be moved because of this reckless act of terrorism.

Reds will go home soon. The only thing still keeping them here is their leaders who have arrest warrants and want to use them as human shields.

And didn't the red leaders give a date, that is approaching, that they will turn themselves in to police?

still there's a deafening silence from the gov,even the whole world is outraged about this. Same tactic as the reds, wait and see of how it works out before any statement is made. What a shame government this is too.

I always thought governments are in place to govern and not to watch like bystanders.

2 Days in a row? They are claiming they saw people there as an excuse, but announced yesterday that they would be searching Chula again today at 10?

Time to clear them from Lumpini park area. Now!

I hope the reds are very proud of what they have achieved.

My late father in law spent time in that hospital for cancer treatment. Knowing how ill he was, my thoughts go out to all the patients who now have to be moved because of this reckless act of terrorism.

Coming close to where all embassies will be telling their citizens to return home since it is clear NOBODY is safe in Thailand anymore due to the red mob.

Apology ? thats not an apology . now on top of all that chaos the hospital is moving 250 ill Thai's.

This action by the protesters is a step too far. However it is indicative of the state of mind of some of the red shirts.

Not sure why anybody is still calling this red mob a protest. Seems to me when people act as terrorists and go to this extent in infringing on people's safety and a countries economy they are no longer protesters.

Let's keep things in perspective pls. Why is any of this worse than what we've seen very recently, with people getting shot and grenades going off and people dying? I sense a lot of fabricated indignation; the Reds are jittery, they KNOW they can get their faces blown off at any time by government (or rogue army) snipers.. It's chaotic, someone thinks they see military in the building directly overlooking their site.. It happens to be a hospital, but better safe than sorry.

Good of Dr. Weng to apologize though, respect.

They announced IN ADAVANCE that they would be re-raiding Chula today. You have always shown pretty pronounced Red leanings Winnie but I am ashamed for you that you are defending this behaviour!

where were the police, just being spectators as usual? What a bunch of useless idiots. Why don't the PM just declare martial law and be done with it. If the forces commander won't comply, find one that will. Get rid of these waste of space and get someone who would actually do something about it, and I am also including PM in this.

Raiding a hospital, what a low blow.

Get the UN involve, as this is definitaly not something that the forces can handle, due to a high percentage of rotten watermelons and incompetent idiots. While we're at it, might as well revert to absolute monarchy, or even a dictatorship, that way at least there's only one target/group. And not be in this mess.

Let's keep things in perspective pls. Why is any of this worse than what we've seen very recently, with people getting shot and grenades going off and people dying? I sense a lot of fabricated indignation; the Reds are jittery, they KNOW they can get their faces blown off at any time by government (or rogue army) snipers.. It's chaotic, someone thinks they see military in the building directly overlooking their site.. It happens to be a hospital, but better safe than sorry.

Good of Dr. Weng to apologize though, respect.

... after waiting so long to see of how it works out, that's the perspective of a terrorist supporter like Weng and the likes.

The face of terrorism:

Former Thai Rak Thai Party MP and current Red Shirt Leader Payap Panket

International media has caught up with the story

Thai hospital near protest evacuates patients

BANGKOK (Reuters / 53 minutes ago) – A hospital in Bangkok evacuated some of its patients on Friday after protesters forced their way into the grounds to look for soldiers they thought were there preparing an attack.

More than 200 "red shirt" protesters had burst into the grounds of Chulalongkorn University Hospital, located next to the encampment of anti-government protesters, late on Thursday.

They found no soldiers and left after roaming for an hour through the grounds, the lobby and car parks, some carrying wooden staves.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100430/wl_nm/us_thailand_190

Let's keep things in perspective pls. Why is any of this worse than what we've seen very recently, with people getting shot and grenades going off and people dying? I sense a lot of fabricated indignation; the Reds are jittery, they KNOW they can get their faces blown off at any time by government (or rogue army) snipers.. It's chaotic, someone thinks they see military in the building directly overlooking their site.. It happens to be a hospital, but better safe than sorry.

Good of Dr. Weng to apologize though, respect.

Better safe than sorry? Are you for real? The reds are jittery because they know what they are doing is WRONG. Wake up and smell the roses sunshine and stop making excuses for their illegal actions. Unbelievable.

A few days ago NuttyWot said that if the PM does not attack us, he must resign. IMO this is a further provocation to have the govt forces attack and initiate a bloodbath, purely to obtain a PR victory. What's a few dead rice farmers; plenty more where they come from.

A red apologist descibed non-lethal crowd dispersal tools using sound and light as "evil". I wonder why? I wonder why they are not being used. I doubt that the people living in the neighbourhood would complain too much, the Tall guy would think it was part of the fun!

Let's keep things in perspective pls. Why is any of this worse than what we've seen very recently, with people getting shot and grenades going off and people dying? I sense a lot of fabricated indignation; the Reds are jittery, they KNOW they can get their faces blown off at any time by government (or rogue army) snipers.. It's chaotic, someone thinks they see military in the building directly overlooking their site.. It happens to be a hospital, but better safe than sorry.

Good of Dr. Weng to apologize though, respect.

This apology is consistent with their policy of denial and nothing else - their actions have been consistent with those of a large mob of criminals and the government has to take action NOW to stop the anarchy. If the reds should win, Thaksin will return and the country will face total anarchy.

For what it's worth, I believe the Director (or the person who authorised) of Chulla Hospital should do the honourable thing and resign for bringing so much shame upon himself by putting all his patients and staff in mortal danger when he openned his doors to a known terrorist group. Disgusting, reprehensible lack of responsibility.

It's all part of their stated aims of "democracy".

"We have no rights to search you, search your car, or search a hospital, but we are going to do it anyway."

Red Democracy at work.

well, this is completely OUT OF CONTROL !! the red leaders denied any responsibility, denied any association with anyone with re-shirts ! what it is now is exactly someone just said - they are bunch of CRIMINALS on the street, they are not terrorists, they are certainly not the protesters for democracy !

indirectly they are threatening innocents, they are threatening the economy, they are threatening the nation !

what are we waiting for ?

What an achievement. Closing down a public hospital used mainly by poor people anbd forcing other hospitals to become over worked and overcrowded. Even if they cant hand the lunatics over you would hope today they would consdier going home or even cancelling the vile hate filled rhetoric and then party music

Wengs apology is ridiculous without action. Go home or hand the paerpetrators over without condition. Sick people and medical workers should be free of interference by gangs known for their violence

I agree 100% ... he fact that this was planned yesterday and announced makes Weng out to just be a liar. Not for the first time.

the are acts of terrorism in any other country, but here, the government and soldiers or police do nothing ?????

The OP from AFP:

Chulalongkorn Hospital also stopped receiving outpatients following the Thursday night incident, in which some 100 Red Shirt guards searched its buildings for troops they feared were readying a crackdown

That "100" figure was reported as "more than 200" by Reuters and other on-the-scene media sources

Let's keep things in perspective pls. Why is any of this worse than what we've seen very recently, with people getting shot and grenades going off and people dying? I sense a lot of fabricated indignation; the Reds are jittery, they KNOW they can get their faces blown off at any time by government (or rogue army) snipers.. It's chaotic, someone thinks they see military in the building directly overlooking their site.. It happens to be a hospital, but better safe than sorry.

Good of Dr. Weng to apologize though, respect.

Are you still defending this act??

What does it take for you to condemn these oafs?

How does the ignore feature work?

International media has caught up with the story

Thai hospital near protest evacuates patients

BANGKOK (Reuters / 53 minutes ago) – A hospital in Bangkok evacuated some of its patients on Friday after protesters forced their way into the grounds to look for soldiers they thought were there preparing an attack.

More than 200 "red shirt" protesters had burst into the grounds of Chulalongkorn University Hospital, located next to the encampment of anti-government protesters, late on Thursday.

They found no soldiers and left after roaming for an hour through the grounds, the lobby and car parks, some carrying wooden staves.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100430/wl_nm/us_thailand_190

No mention of them roaming through the building .....