Bangkok: Policeman Killed, 7 Policemen, 2 Civilians Injured In Double Attacks

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Policeman killed, 7 policemen, 2 civilians injured in double attacks

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A policeman was killed while seven policemen and two civilians were injured in a shooting and bomb attack on Silom Road and in front of Lumpini Park Friday night.

The two attacks were less than three hours apart.

The first attack occurred at 10.45pm just in front of Krung Thai Bank near Soi Saladaeng.

An assailant on a motorcycle opened fire and hit 3 policemen and 2 passerbys.

Pol Cpl Kannupan Lertchanpen was killed in the gun wound on his stomach.

The attack was on a small group of people protesting against red shirts at Saladaeng intersection. Police were keeping security there to prevent clashes between the two groups of protesters.

Firecracker explosions had been heard from Lumpini before the shooting.

Less than 3 hours later at 1.30am Saturday morning, at least three M79 grenades were fired at a police/soldier checkpoint near Lumpini gate 4, injuring 5 cops, 1 seriously.

The injured policemen were deployed from from Hangnam Sakorn, Chainat province. They were rushed to Rama and Chulalongkorn hospitals.

Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Pongsatat Pongcharoen said police believed the grenades were M79.

He said the two attacks must be done by te same group of people who want to destabilise the situation.

-- The Nation 2010-05-08

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[webfact]

Four injured in Bangkok shooting: medic

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Four people, including two policemen, were injured by gunshots Friday in a central Bangkok area occupied by Thailand's anti-government protesters, an emergency medical worker said.

"There were several gunshots and four people were injured -- two police and two civilians," said the member of Bangkok emergency medical services.

One of the injured policeman was undergoing an operation after being shot in the stomach, the medical worker said, adding that injuries to the other three wounded were not serious.

The shots were fired in the financial district, near the site of a grenade attack on April 23 that killed a 26-year-old Thai woman and injured scores of other people, including foreigners.

The windows of a bank were shattered in the shooting.

There is still a heavy police presence in the area, on the edge of the rally base set up by the anti-government Red Shirt protesters.

The area has been cordoned off with rolls of razor wire and has been guarded by riot police since the Red Shirts occupied the area eight weeks ago, demanding the dissolution of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government.

The Red Shirts, who are loyal to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have paralysed parts of Bangkok and their protest has erupted into bouts of violence that have left 27 people dead and injured almost 1,000.

Abhisit was fighting Friday to keep his peace process alive in the face of opposition among rival protest movements to his "roadmap" for early elections.

The process appears to have stalled as the parties struggle to bridge their differences over a date for the dissolution of the Thai parliament.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-05-08

Published with written approval from AFP.

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[Robby nz]

Looks like the reds have started to 'negotiate' again or is this the answer to whether they accept the road map? if it is it looks like a no.

[angiud]

Her we go again.

Condolence for the victim.

[Thailand]

Sadly looks like one faction or another does not want the current stand off to end and is looking for more blood.

Come on Thailand, get it together. The ordinary people, I'm sure, have had e skinful.

Condolences to the families- yet more grief.

[Scott]

My condolences to the deceased and my hope for a full and speedy recovery to those injured.

[Xonax]

It´s about time now to arrest these criminals!

[Valentine]

How sad when a peaceful solution is in sight that psychotic, murderous thugs are still plying their wares. There must be a faction that wants continued chaos & anarchy

Edited May 8, 2010 by Valentine

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Second Thai policeman killed near Bangkok protests

BANGKOK (AFP) -- A second Thai policeman has been killed in attacks near anti-government protests in Bangkok,

in a grenade blast and a drive-by shooting that also left 12 wounded, authorities said Saturday.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-05-08

Published with written approval from AFP.

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Police on Silom Rd Attacked Leaving 2 Dead

An M79 grenade was fired at a police tent next to Lumpinee Park early this morning, killing 1 police officer and injuring 7.

Unidentified gunmen also opened fire at the Krung Thai Bank branch on Silom Road, killing another police officer.

-- Tan Network 2010-05-08

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[geovalin]

Thais hate Thais but they need to live on the same land. There are no good Thais or bad Thais, there are only Thais who need A NEW POLITICAL system to live together peacefully.

[webfact]

Two Thai policeman killed in attacks near Bangkok protests

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Two Thai policemen have been killed in attacks near anti-government protests in Bangkok, in a grenade blast and a drive-by shooting that also left 12 wounded, authorities said Saturday.

Police said in the early hours of the morning a grenade attack hit a security checkpoint in front of a city park that forms the edge of the protest encampment.

"Eight people including five police and three soldiers were wounded," the Bangkok Emergency Medical Service said. A hospital official said that one 35-year-old policeman died during surgery.

Earlier, one policeman was killed and four others -- two police and two civilians -- were wounded when a man on a motorbike opened fire on a patrol in the nearby Silom financial district, which is under heavy guard.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-05-08

Published with written approval from AFP.

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[SICA]

Surely now enough is enough. So much for the end to violence, the red leaders obvioulsy do not have control of a small section of the thug army they have indirectly created.

For me, two hopes come from this. Firstly the authorities must catch this scum and make an example of them as a deterent to any other idiots with ideas of violence and cold blooded murder. Secondly i hope it speeds up the reconciliation process so the protestors and the Police can go back to their normal lives and families, unharmed.

This unfortunate incident MUST be used to bring Thailand together. It was begining to look as though were getting on the right track. Lets hope nothing destabilises it and the Red Leaders show some humanity, ask the protestors to leave for their own safety and sit down with the government for talks, like real men!

In addition i would like to send my condolences to the families of the murdered and the injured. Thai rak Thai? Hmmm....

[mavup]

The attack occurred in the Silom financial district, close to the area where red-shirt opposition protesters have been barricaded.

A number of blasts in the same area later wounded another four policemen.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban called on people to "avoid violence and help solve the problem".

"We have to seek co-operation from everybody to return Thailand to peace," he said.

But the red-shirts insisted they would not end the protest

- from BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8669394.stm

Edited May 8, 2010 by mavup

[brahmburgers]

Sad indeed. Will Red leaders do their standard response(?); no condolences for victims, and blanket denial that anyone attached to the Reds could have done it. Or will the Reds take it a step further and say it's Yellows dressed as Reds or some other hogwash excuse?

Hate to say it, but it could be a prequel to the sordid underbelly of what to expect with elections coming up. Already, Reds have shown their willingness to harass and injure campaigners in their home regions who don't spout Red rhetoric.

[webfact]

Two policemen killed and many others injured in double attacks

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- At least two policemen were killed while seven others policemen and two civilians were wounded in the double shooting and bomb attack on Silom Road and at a police checkpoint at Lumpini Park on Friday night.

The first attack occurred at 10.45pm just in front of Krung Thai Bank near Soi Saladaeng. Assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at a group of policemen who were guarding in front of the bank.

The attack hit three policemen and two passer-bys. One of the policeman, Pol Cpl Kannupan Lertchanpen, suffered a serious wound on his stomach, died later at a hospital.

Police believed that the assailants on a motorcycle riding from Silom Road opened fire from a MC Donald shop opposite the bank before escaping to Rama IV Road.

The attack was on a small group of people protesting against red shirts at Saladaeng intersection. Police were keeping security there to prevent clashes between the two groups of protesters.

Firecracker explosions had been heard from Lumpini before the shooting.

Later at 1.30am Saturday morning, at least three M79 grenades were fired at a police and soldier checkpoint near Lumpini gate 4, injuring five police, one seriously.

The policeman whose name is not yet known was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The injured policemen were deployed from from Hangnam Sakorn, Chainat province. They were rushed to Rama and Chulalongkorn hospitals.

Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Pongsatat Pongcharoen said police believed the grenades were M79.

He said the two attacks must be done by te same group of people who want to destabilise the situation

-- The Nation 2010-05-08

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[Ulysses G.]

The redshirts are on the verge of getting what they want. It is more much likely that it is someone else who wants to disrupt the peacetrain.

[pedro01]

The redshirts are on the verge of getting what they want. It is more much likely that it is someone else who wants to disrupt the peacetrain.

This is a possibility.

Another is that the peace plan is something the reds dont want but they know they cant reject it outright. Perhaps they still want Abhisit out and house dissolution ASAP to create a power vacuum.

[triplegee]

The redshirts are on the verge of getting what they want. It is more much likely that it is someone else who wants to disrupt the peacetrain.

Agreed.

[whybother]

How many police and army are stationed around Silom? These people got away on motorbikes.

[lazurus]

The redshirts are on the verge of getting what they want. It is more much likely that it is someone else who wants to disrupt the peacetrain.

Hard to say who is responsible, could be reds who don't want peace, could be others who don't want elections in November. If the reds had gone home on Friday they couldn't be blamed but they choose to stay longer. Time to end the protest this is not acceptable. If the reds are really not the ones to do it I suggest they get out of Bangkok by noon. In the end the PM hasn't made either side happy.

[OzMick]

Thais hate Thais but they need to live on the same land. There are no good Thais or bad Thais, there are only Thais who need A NEW POLITICAL system to live together peacefully.

"There are no good Thais or bad Thais........"

Are you suggesting that this was the work of foreign mercenaries, or condoning the murder and maiming of innocents in the name of a NEW POLITICAL SYSTEM? Under which political system is murder not a "bad" thing?

I'll give you a quote from the anti-war film "Full Metal Jacket"; "The stupid b@st@rds would rather be alive than free!"

[tigerbalm]

UG is probabaly not far of with his reply makes sense to me.

Condolences to the victims.

I suspect the Investagative teams will be on the scene as usual taking pictures putting numbers all around the spent cartridge cases.while they wait for that lady with the spiky multi coloured hair to turn up from forensics with her rubber gloves and tweezers putting little bits of evidece in plastic bags,

then i would presume with in a week they will have a culprit or two, or i this hoping for to much.

Come on you guys please solve some thing

[mavup]

The redshirts are on the verge of getting what they want.

or not

But the red-shirts insisted they would not end the protest

- from BBC

[Robby nz]

I hear a lady this morning saying she is angry with the PM for not stopping these people, she has in the past been strongly anti red and supportive of the PM.

I have believed the PM is doing the right thing but acts like this against the much maligned police who were in this instance "just doing their job" brings on a element of get in there and clean the B......s out.

However I think that wont fix the problem only shift it to another place and time as the actions of the red leaders has stirred up an element that now thinks they can do as they like and get away with it.

What the answer is I dont know although I do think the PM's approach has and is working and he can not be blamed for the actions of these murderers.

Whether these acts were ordered or only inspired by the red leaders dosnt really make a difference those leaders must be responsable for what they have created

It is very sad these deaths and injuries have happened and I hope the attacks directly against the police gives them the resolve to really go after those who would attack their ranks.

RIP for those killed and a quick recovery for the injured.

[laurentbkk]

I thought the "yellow shirts" were pro government ? If so ,why they dont accept the proposal of Mr Abbisit ? If there are clashes it will be because the "yellow shirts" have to worry about the result of the next election and they probably do their best to avoid such result . In the mean time who is suffering ? the majority of the people who only look for peace. That is a good image to give to the world, bombs there , grenades ,policeman killed etc .. That is so sad . Yellow against Red ,what next ?

[Crushdepth]

There won't be any peace unless Thaksin thinks he is getting what he wants.

[orang37]

The redshirts are on the verge of getting what they want. It is more much likely that it is someone else who wants to disrupt the peacetrain.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun UG,

Agree with you: it could have been some other group, but prudence suggests it would be wise, here, not to speculate on all the possible "third-hands" in the frame, behind the scenes, under the rug, in the attic, in the basement, in the closet, etc.

If this is the "peacetrain," we fear its engine runs on human blood, its destination is chaos, and the schedule does not exist because we never know when it either stops or starts. All we can know is that we are riding in the "caboose," and the train is so long, and going around such a long curve, that we can never even see the loco-motive.

sadly, ~o:37;

[Samuian]

The redshirts are on the verge of getting what they want. It is more much likely that it is someone else who wants to disrupt the peacetrain.

This is a possibility.

Another is that the peace plan is something the reds dont want but they know they cant reject it outright. Perhaps they still want Abhisit out and house dissolution ASAP to create a power vacuum.

It's all about creating Havoc, to point at a government which is "unable" to govern and hold up the rule of law and to overthrow it, reverse everything since Sept.2006!

None else!

There is a strongman behind this all - with ONE objective, with an even bigger ego, which is very sore since his outing, , remember?!

IF the red movement ever had a genuine political agenda, they have been infiltrated by some very nasty subjects... if... but I have my doubts the base ever had a genuine political agenda!

Thailand beware!

Shame, shame, shame on them, spilling more blood after they have wrestled concessions out of the government!

[Bottlerocket]

Definitely time for the redshirts to pack their bedrolls and head home to allow the government to make good on their agreement of a roadmap. If they stay, I'm afraid there will be more of this type of activity that is too easily placed on them. They need to retreat in good faith now. If the government doesn't meet their end of the bargain they can always come back for more punishment.