Thai Authorities To Sever Red-Shirts Supply Lines

[webfact]

Thai authorities to sever protesters' supply lines

by Anusak Konglang

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's authorities vowed Wednesday to sever food and water supplies to opposition protesters camped in the heart of the capital as hopes faded for a resolution to the crippling standoff.

The government also urged local residents to leave the area, saying they would restrict access as part of tough new measures against the thousands of "Red Shirt" demonstrators who have paralysed parts of Bangkok.

Embattled Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has demanded the protests end on Wednesday, but the mainly poor and working class movement appeared in no mood to pack up and go home.

Their leaders have vowed to continue their rally until deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban is charged for his role overseeing a deadly April 10 crackdown, when armed troops attempted to clear part of the capital.

The authorities announced new measures to take effect from midnight Wednesday to make life tougher in the sprawling encampment, cutting off electricity and water supplies as well as telephone and transportation links.

"This is the beginning of measures to fully impose the law," said Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, a spokesman for the government unit set up to deal with the crisis, warning the authorities were ready to disperse protesters if necessary.

"The army is ready, but at this moment I don't want to talk about a crackdown as we want to use measures to put pressure on them."

"To the residents in the area: please leave. After midnight, authorities will not allow anyone to come in," Sunsern said.

The movement has said it agrees to Abhisit's reconciliation roadmap to elections on November 14, but wants to see the government take responsibility for the April 10 incident, in which 25 people lost their lives.

"None of the Red Shirts are afraid of your threats to cut water and power. We will run at soldiers with our two bare hands even if they fire at us with assault rifles," said one protest leader, Weng Tojirakarn.

"We just want Suthep Thaugsuban to publicly surrender himself to police," he said from a stage in the sprawling rally site in the capital where several shopping centres and upscale hotels have been forced to close temporarily.

Abhisit has warned he may scrap the plan for early elections if the protesters do not leave their vast base, which has been fortified with barricades made from piles of fuel-soaked tyres, bamboo poles and razor wire.

"If the situation does not return to normal it will delay the election day, so protesters should go home on the 12th (of May)," he said Tuesday.

The Reds say the government is undemocratic because it came to power in a 2008 parliamentary vote after a court ruling ousted elected allies of their hero, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was unseated in a 2006 coup.

Their spirits appeared to be flagging last week as their numbers dwindled and the start of the rainy season made conditions worse in the garbage-strewn protest site.

But their ranks were boosted over the weekend by 5,000 more supporters who arrived from the movement's heartland in the impoverished rural northeast, defying a ban on rallies in the capital, which is under a state of emergency.

"The authorities must implement steps to make protesters suffer and leave the protest site," a ruling party lawmaker, Sirichoke Sopa, told AFP.

"The roadmap still exists, but their demand for Suthep to turn himself in to police is not possible and not practical because he's a political appointee," said Sirichoke, who is close to Abhisit.

Suthep went to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Tuesday to hear a complaint against him after the Reds demanded he turn himself in to police, but Red leaders refused to disband until a formal case was opened against him.

Twenty nine people have been killed and almost 1,000 injured in Bangkok in a series of confrontations and attacks, in Thailand's worst political violence in almost two decades.

Protest leaders asked a Bangkok court Tuesday for arrest warrants against them to be dropped, but their petition was rejected.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-05-12

Published with written approval from AFP.

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[SomTumTiger]

Good. They have infringed on the rights of others for far to long.

[Who, me ?]

As I said in another thread

What a joke....Not only they advertise 12 hours what they gonna do, just to make sure that reds can prepare themselves in case they forgot such a major detail....

But, anyway, reds have shown already that they planned almost everything, and I am pretty sure that they have loads of generators and fuel to run them, as well as water tanks. They surely thought that this situation might happen, and have already made necessary arrangements. The ones who are going to suffer are AGAIN the people living in the area, the same that have already seen their life disrupted by these terrorists....

So, what next ???

[rheinwiese]

Finally.

Could have been done weeks ago.

[alex_aka_P]

Jesus Christ, WILL THIS EVER ENDDDDDDDDDDD.............??????? :D

[daboyz1]

Finally.

Could have been done weeks ago.

Agreed! It's about time.

[mmushr00m]

I am sure that if given their "get out of jail free" card. The Red leaders will happily say mission accomplished and send everyone home.

[pornsasi]

Finally a positive non violent move by the PM to end the protest . Why they announce it in advance ? Probably to allow the residents in the area

to prepare themselves .

As for Suthep , i think , that once the protest is over , he should leave the governement , to pave the way for national reconciliation .

Edited May 12, 2010 by pornsasi

[givenall]

Good. They have infringed on the rights of others for far to long.

I won’t hold my breath. I only believe it when I see it.

Heard many of these threats and the Red Just get bolder in their action. As far as I am concern these Red are just after their own skin, no more job and no more pay if protest finishes so they will hang on as long as they can since they get paid.

If government is serious will find where the funds are coming from and seize the fund so no more money id disbursed.

[sstuff3]

Better late than never I guess. The should have happened at the beginning. Really sad to see the country in this condition. Hope things can calm down and Thailand can recover it's lost face.

[alex_aka_P]

Finally.

Could have been done weeks ago.

Do you really think that this will be finally done at THIS time?

Be realistic (but not so optimistic) and enjoy the free show. We all have free tickets to.

I am really doubt that this will be finally done at this time. Me myself preparing for a much longer show, as it was several times week ago.

[JusMe]

"This is the beginning of measures to fully impose the law," said Sunsern Kaewkumnerd,

Wow! And only two months late!

[dominique355]

Why wait until midnight to cut supplies? Do it now! Don't give them a chance to fill up supplies before.

I heard from several sources that in the parking basement of Central World are large gasoline tanks. For generators or for something else?

[shawndoc]

What a joke....Not only they advertise 12 hours what they gonna do, just to make sure that reds can prepare themselves in case they forgot such a major detail....

In this case, it does make sense. This area has a number of businesses and residents who will be affected by the power outage and increased government blockade (if they actually implement it). The announcement wasn't for the reds, but for the locals so they have time to move out of the area, and was part of the announcement that anyone living in the area should plan on leaving for several days.

I think there's also an element here to pressure moderate reds to get out now before the trouble starts. They wants as few "innocents" as possible there when the operation begins. Supposedly Veera is ready to turn himself in.

A more interesting aspect is that the lawyers for the reds say 37 reds will turn themselves in if the SOE is lifted. What's the game there? What does lifting the SOE allow the reds to do, that they can't otherwise?

[alex_aka_P]

As for Suthep , i think , that once the protest is over , he should leave the governement

And for which reason, may I ask? For well-doing his job while the capital is on emergency?

[kerm99]

They also said that all transportation system would be stopped, this include the BTS.

Any thoughts on what it means exactly? Personally, i see two options: 1 - Can't get off at station Chit Lom and/or Siam 2 - Entire line is stopped

What do you all think?

Kerm

[whitik]

How far does this extend? I live on the edge of the protest in a condo on Petchaburi rd. Am I going to lose my power and water?

[tb86]

[rogerdoger10]

We want Suthep arrested! We want charges against us to be dropped!!! Are these guys freakin serious???? How the hel_l can ANY Govt with straight spine put up with this????

[Tokay]

Hmmmmm, this could backfire.

If they try to stop the flow of reds coming into the camp, all hel_l could break lose. From a tacticle standpoint, they would then have reds to the front AND to the back of them. Army and police stuck in the middle.

This will either work or fail miserably. If the reds had any planning ability at all, they could surround the police and army from all sides and cripple them.

[alex_aka_P]

Am I going to lose my power and water?

If so, just dont be surprised.

[alex_aka_P]

We want Suthep arrested! We want charges against us to be dropped!!! Are these guys freakin serious???? How the hel_l can ANY Govt with straight spine put up with this????

Don't take it seriously. Enjoy the show.

[what ELSE can we do...?]

[pornsasi]

As for Suthep , i think , that once the protest is over , he should leave the governement

And for which reason, may I ask? For well-doing his job while the capital is on emergency?

No , he is not a general who obeys orders , he is a politician who gives them

Because thats what politicians usually do in his position . 25 deaths could have been avoided .

During next election campain that will be used

So because he is damaging the dems as well as the road to reconciliation .

[pornsasi]

We want Suthep arrested! We want charges against us to be dropped!!! Are these guys freakin serious???? How the hel_l can ANY Govt with straight spine put up with this????

Those reds leaders that called for violence should face charges

[jcbangkok]

Cut Water ... not to hard to know the next move by reds ... BURN IT ALL DOWN! Then of course blame the government.

Edited May 12, 2010 by jcbangkok

[alex_aka_P]

they would then have reds to the front AND to the back of them. Army and police stuck in the middle.

Dont outnumber the reds. There just a couple of thousands of them, frankly speaking (and the rest will be fled by themselves once the SERIOUS crackdown is started).

Piece of cake for the army&police, IF THEY REALLY GONNA DO THIS.

[rabo]

Finally a positive non violent move by the PM to end the protest . Why they announce it in advance ? Probably to allow the residents in the area

to prepare themselves .

As for Suthep , i think , that once the protest is over , he should leave the governement , to pave the way for national reconciliation .

Don't know. Both he, Abhisit, and the rest of the government are doing wonders at unraveling an impossible knot, maybe they should stay around for a while for the good of the country. Their going to have a lot of respect when its all over.

[rogerdoger10]

We want Suthep arrested! We want charges against us to be dropped!!! Are these guys freakin serious???? How the hel_l can ANY Govt with straight spine put up with this????

Those reds leaders that called for violence should face charges

I wont be surprised at all if Suthep plays along gets arrested, faces formal charges in a court of law and then the reds go...Drop charges against us...or we wont leave

cheers!

[Tod Daniels]

FWIW: all the soldiers who are normally stationed in my neighborhood (Sukhumvit/Asok) on the crossover, the sky bridge between Robinsons & Times Square, at my 7/11 and at the BTS/MRT stations have been no where to be seen since Monday.

Even though they are still billeted in the Times Square parking garage, they get up every morning and tromp down to where the red-rabble-tree fort begins which is about Sukhumvit/Wireless Road.

A person could only hope this last ultimatum by the government is truly the beginning of the end game.

Even taking into account the April 10 fiasco (where I doubt the truth of who fired first will ever come out) P/M Abhisit has exhibited remarkable restraint in countering the red 'demands', and pre-conditions to them even coming to the negotiating table. Funny how each time the reds raise the bar, demanding this/that and everything else under the sun to stall an ending of this mess.

It is true; some people say Abhisit has played this with such soft kid gloves that he comes across as a weak leader. (However; ANYONE who tries thru any means to avoid casualties cannot be perceived as weak, only as trying EVERY other option before resorting to violence which should indeed be the very last card you play). While I am sympathetic to the thais that are impacted by the two red-rabble tree forts, I don't give two shites about the foreign tourists who can't shop; a person hasta realize in the grand scheme of thailand, these are VERY small very isolated although very vocal protests which seem to now be ever more contained by the soldiers.

I think the government telegraphed to the reds that they have until midnite to get out, so the people who've sat there in the scorching sun day in - day out, can take time to do a reality check and see if their value systems are in line with the red leaders who want violence even though ALL their initial demands have been met by the current government.

Give every protestor time to really think about their actions and let them get out before you storm the compound. For every protestor which leaves it’s one LESS possible casualty in the ensuing mayhem which is sure to erupt in trying to pry the protestors from their stronghold(s).

[shawndoc]

I'd keep well clear of red camp, and if you live in the area it might be worth moving to a hotel on the other side of town for a while. This has the potential to get quite nasty. If the militant side of the reds is going to start something, it will be in the next 48 hours. Also if any "third party" is going to do something, it will be soon.

Even if neither of those happens, there's a good chance for the government to be lobbing tear gas, and for a riot break out.