Clashes Continue, Turning Central Bangkok In Virtual Warzone

[jcbangkok]

Let's just have a little respect for the people who risk their lives just so we know what's going on in Bangkok, alright guys? Here's hoping no more innocents get caught in the crossfire.

Why should they deserve more respect than anybody else who gets paid to do a chosen job? You act as though reporters are there because they feel they have a duty to us when in fact it is what they choose to do and get paid to do. We should have respect for all people.

But bottom line is this guy was an idiot for not wearing anything to identify himself as a journalist, clearly being in a restricted area, failing to listen to authorities and not wearing any protection in such a violent area ... If he cared about bringing us the news he would not have not been so foolish in his duties to us instead of becoming news himself.

I understand where you are coming from but get real ... all people deserve respect but when people are public figures or make the news, we have the right to comment on them.

I am not saying don't have ANY sympathy (as most reporters covering stories) but there are too many people who are hurt in this world by others where they have not willingly or stupidly put themselves in such a position knowingly.

[bendejo]

Shooting of Sondhi Limthongkul

Days after the Bangkok unrest was quelled by military forces, gunmen ambushed Sondhi's car at a petrol station, shot out the tires, and fired over 100 M-16 and AK-47 assault rifle rounds at the car. Sondhi suffered one wound to the head and was conscious, standing, and lucid before being sent to the hospital for surgery.^[147] Sondhi survived the surgery and was visited by relatives afterwards. It was not clear who ordered the shooting, although the PAD's spokesman speculated that a faction of the military or police could have been behind it.^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Al...y#cite_note-147}

I've been amazed at that one since! What amulets was he wearing?

Compared to TS with his platoon of fortune tellers, who's life hasn't been all that jolly in recent years.

[seahorse]

Stop posting lies please and STICK WITH THE FACTS.

That is rich coming from you.

[JetsetBkk]

Perhaps you can explain why the last 4 elections have been red majorities then ??

It took a disbanding of the TRT, banning of its representatives, and a lot of backroom dealing and turn coats to make the coalition..

Wonder if the Democrats will be barred from the next election because of their illegal contributions ???

VOTE BUYING ! duh!

Seriously? 20 million votes bought? You don't think Thais take money from both sides and then vote for whoever they want?

That's what my g/f's family did - get paid 2 or 3 times, vote for who you want.

[jdinasia]

Back to square one. Puppet master Thaksin is calling the shots now. Openly and clearly. Cat is out of the bag, reds. This is ALL about Thaksin.

Strangely enough, Thaksin seems to be the sole voice of common sense !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He is the only one saying that the fighting should stop and lets get back to the negotiation table.

Abhisit is just as bad as the bloodthirsty westerners on this forum who are openly supporting and salivating over a violent crackdown.

I once thought Abhisit was a decent human being but I cant believe he has made such stupid decisions, this guy will go down in history

as one of the most idiodic thai PMs ever.

I very much disagree. Abhisit has been negotiating in good faith when any other politician would have tried to crush the reds long ago. He really has no choice about getting rid of them anymore as it has become obvious that they have no intention of leaving. He has to think about the country.

The whole situation is sad, but the reds have blown their chance for real political power by alienating everyone including many of their supporters. They should have taken the PM's deal when they had the chance.

Ulysses, just occasionally you post real nuggets of wisdom

credit where its due.......

Great post UG .... i am proud of you!

[dttk0009]

Let's just have a little respect for the people who risk their lives just so we know what's going on in Bangkok, alright guys? Here's hoping no more innocents get caught in the crossfire.

Why should they deserve more respect than anybody else who gets paid to do a chosen job? You act as though reporters are there because they feel they have a duty to us when in fact it is what they choose to do and get paid to do. We should have respect for all people.

But bottom line is this guy was an idiot for not wearing anything to identify himself as a journalist, clearly being in a restricted area, failing to listen to authorities and not wearing any protection in such a violent area ... If he cared about bringing us the news he would not have not been so foolish in his duties to us instead of becoming news himself.

I understand where you are coming from but get real ... all people deserve respect but when people are public figures or make the news, we have the right to comment on them.

I am not saying don't have ANY sympathy (as most reporters covering stories) but there are too many people who are hurt in this world by others where they have not willingly or stupidly put themselves in such a position knowingly.

Well quite frankly, without reporters and independent journalists, we would never know the truth about what's going on and just sit in the dark. We wouldn't know where clashes were taking place and what areas to avoid, who shot who and so forth. Sure it's a dangerous job and there's potential to get hurt or even die, but I feel that journalism deserves a good amount of respect. Without them we'd be depending on 'official government reports' or 'red shirt news' and lord knows what they'd throw at us if they knew no other source was there to show their own footage and present their own interviews.

[hammered]

Wonder how Sondhi's resignation as NPP leader comes into all this? He doesnt do anything without a reason.

like when he bank rolled his 'crony' buddy Thaksin into power so he could his puppet PM to forgive his millions, or was it billions in debt?

like when he threw T under the bus when Viraj was sacked and finances were being investigated?

Historians will call the last 10 to 15 years 'The Sondhi Era'

To answer your question, the 'theory' is, he knows what is going to happen in the autumn military shuffles. He has noticed he is on the wrong side of the fence and will now attempt to climb, crawl or tunnel over.

Don't be surprised to see him donning a red shirt when the military promotions come out, even.

{Would it surprise you?}

What if the same TEAM was behind the Sondhi assasination attempt, the drive by shooting of multicolored a few days ago, where police were killed, and the recent shootings? [check the bullets]

Oh I think there are far too many players involved for it just to come down to one team.

Look at the unit widely named as being involved in April 10 by foreign military analysts and who that unit is linked to

Look at the 4 generals, 1 policeman and a poltician living outside Thailand that were linked to the Sondhi thing

Take your pick of anyone on his side or against him with Sae Daeng

Look at who Giles named as being behind the last greande attack on the PAD

Already we see different players in a large cast

[whybother]

That's what my g/f's family did - get paid 2 or 3 times, vote for who you want.

Except, part of the reason the 2006 election was invalidated was because the EC had set up polling booths so that "minders" could see how people voted.

[madi]

Let's just have a little respect for the people who risk their lives just so we know what's going on in Bangkok, alright guys? Here's hoping no more innocents get caught in the crossfire.

Why should they deserve more respect than anybody else who gets paid to do a chosen job? You act as though reporters are there because they feel they have a duty to us when in fact it is what they choose to do and get paid to do. We should have respect for all people.

But bottom line is this guy was an idiot for not wearing anything to identify himself as a journalist, clearly being in a restricted area, failing to listen to authorities and not wearing any protection in such a violent area ... If he cared about bringing us the news he would not have not been so foolish in his duties to us instead of becoming news himself.

I understand where you are coming from but get real ... all people deserve respect but when people are public figures or make the news, we have the right to comment on them.

I am not saying don't have ANY sympathy (as most reporters covering stories) but there are too many people who are hurt in this world by others where they have not willingly or stupidly put themselves in such a position knowingly.

Fact

If the regime had the power to order the Thai military to charge the group speaking at the old World Trade Center shopping area, they would do so.

So why is it not happening?

Because there are Thai military, perhaps a thousand or more, that are in the area with automatic weapons, grenades, and more. To charge the area would be an instand death for the Thai army members who would be shot from all sides.

This is the end

The end my friend

THE END

The breakdown of society is well under way.

And all because a group of fat old rich Thai people want slaves.

idiots

[asiantraze]

Let's just have a little respect for the people who risk their lives just so we know what's going on in Bangkok, alright guys? Here's hoping no more innocents get caught in the crossfire.

Those are nice words...

But, I just have a little problem getting into terms with risking lives in this "red" brouhaha. There is nothing heroic, nothing worth exemplifying for except their nasty stand which is meant for the fools. Life is precious. I cannot see anything precious associated with what the reds believe in. So, yes, can everyone just stay away where the "reds" are...

People in great majority don't like lives being risked - not just in this "red" time yet.

[humfurry]

Let's just have a little respect for the people who risk their lives just so we know what's going on in Bangkok, alright guys? Here's hoping no more innocents get caught in the crossfire.

Why should they deserve more respect than anybody else who gets paid to do a chosen job? You act as though reporters are there because they feel they have a duty to us when in fact it is what they choose to do and get paid to do. We should have respect for all people.

But bottom line is this guy was an idiot for not wearing anything to identify himself as a journalist, clearly being in a restricted area, failing to listen to authorities and not wearing any protection in such a violent area ... If he cared about bringing us the news he would not have not been so foolish in his duties to us instead of becoming news himself.

I understand where you are coming from but get real ... all people deserve respect but when people are public figures or make the news, we have the right to comment on them.

I am not saying don't have ANY sympathy (as most reporters covering stories) but there are too many people who are hurt in this world by others where they have not willingly or stupidly put themselves in such a position knowingly.

Duh... he was wearing a black t-shirt and sunglasses... I don't know any ex pats here that walk around in dark glasses. It's more of a tourist... I'm cool thingy.

[seahorse]

Another journo shot. A Canadian Nelson Rand

http://www.france24.com/en/20100514-france...hes-nelson-rand

Is this the same Nelson Rand who wrote the book Conflict: Journeys through war and terror in Southeast Asia

From that article:

'On Wednesday, a military spokesman warned that “snipers would be deployed” around the barricaded camp'

Hadn't seen that anywhere else.

[Sunderland]

Funny how people will blame a journalist for wearing a black T-shirt as a reason to be shot. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but changes nothing that has happened.

And where would we be without news brought to us by those journalists who put their lives on the line by going into dangerous areas? We would have to be content with the propaganda pumped out by both sides. At least foreign journalists can bring some alternative sources of information to our attention and let us form our own conclusions from what we see and hear while most people sit securely at home picking their nose or scratching the deep depths of their anal cavity.

[jcbangkok]

Let's just have a little respect for the people who risk their lives just so we know what's going on in Bangkok, alright guys? Here's hoping no more innocents get caught in the crossfire.

Why should they deserve more respect than anybody else who gets paid to do a chosen job? You act as though reporters are there because they feel they have a duty to us when in fact it is what they choose to do and get paid to do. We should have respect for all people.

But bottom line is this guy was an idiot for not wearing anything to identify himself as a journalist, clearly being in a restricted area, failing to listen to authorities and not wearing any protection in such a violent area ... If he cared about bringing us the news he would not have not been so foolish in his duties to us instead of becoming news himself.

I understand where you are coming from but get real ... all people deserve respect but when people are public figures or make the news, we have the right to comment on them.

I am not saying don't have ANY sympathy (as most reporters covering stories) but there are too many people who are hurt in this world by others where they have not willingly or stupidly put themselves in such a position knowingly.

Well quite frankly, without reporters and independent journalists, we would never know the truth about what's going on and just sit in the dark. We wouldn't know where clashes were taking place and what areas to avoid, who shot who and so forth. Sure it's a dangerous job and there's potential to get hurt or even die, but I feel that journalism deserves a good amount of respect. Without them we'd be depending on 'official government reports' or 'red shirt news' and lord knows what they'd throw at us if they knew no other source was there to show their own footage and present their own interviews.

First of all ... without plumbers we would all be forced to shat on the street.

Second of all ... with all these reporters out there we still have no clue what is going on.

Third of all ... please provide me a link to any news outlet that gets it right AND doesn't show bias

[Sunderland]

Let's just have a little respect for the people who risk their lives just so we know what's going on in Bangkok, alright guys? Here's hoping no more innocents get caught in the crossfire.

Why should they deserve more respect than anybody else who gets paid to do a chosen job? You act as though reporters are there because they feel they have a duty to us when in fact it is what they choose to do and get paid to do. We should have respect for all people.

But bottom line is this guy was an idiot for not wearing anything to identify himself as a journalist, clearly being in a restricted area, failing to listen to authorities and not wearing any protection in such a violent area ... If he cared about bringing us the news he would not have not been so foolish in his duties to us instead of becoming news himself.

I understand where you are coming from but get real ... all people deserve respect but when people are public figures or make the news, we have the right to comment on them.

I am not saying don't have ANY sympathy (as most reporters covering stories) but there are too many people who are hurt in this world by others where they have not willingly or stupidly put themselves in such a position knowingly.

Duh... he was wearing a black t-shirt and sunglasses... I don't know any ex pats here that walk around in dark glasses. It's more of a tourist... I'm cool thingy.

What a stupid comment. You obviously live a sheltered life in a corner of Thailand where there is a constant cover of cloud.

[ajarnmark]

Soon we will have UDD protesters in every part of Thailand, not only Ratchaprasong and Silom.

By protesters do you mean armed insurgents?

Much better than yellow terrorists who captured Thailand two years ago against the wishes of majority of Thai people.

This government is not democratically elected, accept it or not, this is reality and fact.

[JetsetBkk]

[quoting name=JetsetBkk' post='3598239' date='2010-05-14 20:14:46]So let's have an election then. OK?[/quoting]

I vote for an election. What are we electing? Suppose we vote on how many believe the transient farangs here are a bunch of Wackos spouting off about things they have absolutely no knowledge in an effort to cause trouble.

How dull. One more for the ignore list. This guy hasn't said a word of sense all day.

All day? try ever!

You can say that again.

Try ever.

[clausewitz]

Another journo shot. A Canadian Nelson Rand

http://www.france24.com/en/20100514-france...hes-nelson-rand

Is this the same Nelson Rand who wrote the book Conflict: Journeys through war and terror in Southeast Asia

From that article:

'On Wednesday, a military spokesman warned that "snipers would be deployed" around the barricaded camp'

Hadn't seen that anywhere else.

I am sure the red haters here will say that proves that Thaksin was behind the killing.

[taurus8]

Thai troops open fire in standoff with protesters

by Patrick Falby

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thai troops opened fire on the streets of Bangkok on Friday as they ramped up pressure on "Red Shirt" protesters to give up their campaign to topple the government after a two month standoff.

Volleys of gunfire sent residents fleeing in panic near the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, popular with tourists, while protesters set fire to an empty police bus and vandalised army vehicles and water cannon.

Two journalists, one of them a Canadian with the France 24 television channel and the other a Thai photographer, were shot and wounded. Their conditions were not known.

Troops were seen repeatedly firing into Lumpini Park, close to the Red Shirts' sprawling encampment, which has been fortified with razor wire, truck tyres doused with kerosene and sharpened bamboo poles.

It was not clear if the troops were firing live ammunition, but the army has warned in the past it would use lethal force against "terrorist" elements.

A line of about 100 soldiers carrying assault rifles was seen near the park, according to an AFP reporter. Three Red Shirts were seen being detained by the security forces.

Army spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd said there were about 2,000 Red Shirt protesters in the area and that the order was given Friday morning to disperse them after they had "intimidated authorities with weapons".

Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon said the operation was meant to force the movement's leaders back to talks with the government.

"The military operation aims to put pressure on the Red Shirts to come back to the negotiating table," Prawit told AFP.

An army spokesman, however, said the military had no plan to force protesters out of their main fortified rally site on Friday.

Around the wider protest area, which extends for several square kilometres (miles), soldiers blocked roads and set up checkpoints to seal off the area.

"The total seal-off measure took place since yesterday evening," said Sunsern, adding that the electricity company had cut off the power to part of the capital.

As part of the operation, some of Bangkok's commuter rail system was shut, including a section through the key tourist area of Sukhumvit Road.

The army had warned Thursday it would deploy snipers around the Reds' protest site and use armoured vehicles to prevent more demonstrators joining thousands who have occupied a large area of central Bangkok for two months.

The army's decision followed the shooting late Thursday of renegade Major-General Khattiya Sawasdipol, a high-profile Reds supporter, who had been accused of trying to stymie government moves to reconcile with the protesters.

He was unconscious in the intensive care unit of Vahira hospital with a "low" chance of survival from a head wound, said Chaiwan Charoenchokethavee, the hospital director.

Another demonstrator died after being shot in the head in clashes with security forces Thursday night. Eleven others were wounded.

Core Red leaders had publicly distanced themselves from Khattiya, known by his followers as Seh Daeng, but after his shooting one top protester vowed there would be no surrender.

"If you think the shooting of Seh Daeng will scare leaders and make them not dare to take the stage, you are wrong," one of the protest leaders, Jatuporn Prompan, said at the rally site. "We will not leave here as losers."

The army denied involvement in the shooting as protesters dug in.

The fresh violence came after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva shelved a plan to hold early elections in November and hopes faded for a resolution to the crippling political crisis.

The mostly poor and working class Reds, who launched their campaign in mid-March for immediate elections, initially agreed to enter the peace process but efforts to reach a deal that would see them go home eventually broke down.

The Reds consider the government illegitimate 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.

Bracing for further possible unrest, the government on Thursday extended a state of emergency to 15 more provinces. Almost one-third of the country including Bangkok is now under emergency rule.

At least 30 people have been killed and about 1,000 injured in Bangkok in a series of confrontations and attacks since the protests began -- Thailand's worst political violence in almost two decades.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-05-14

Published with written approval from AFP.

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

An army spokesman, however, said the military had no plan to force protesters out of their main fortified rally site on Friday.

where the hel_l did this guy come from ?saying things like that???? but then ...of coz the military never had a plan...

[draftvader]

Could swear I just saw Kate Adie!!

[frodo]

The man who is not afraid to die, Jatuporn, surrounded by some thuggish looking mafia guys.

After hearing some explosions, he and his ilk fled the scene, leaving their sheeples behind. A real man that Jatuporn.

[dttk0009]

Let's just have a little respect for the people who risk their lives just so we know what's going on in Bangkok, alright guys? Here's hoping no more innocents get caught in the crossfire.

Why should they deserve more respect than anybody else who gets paid to do a chosen job? You act as though reporters are there because they feel they have a duty to us when in fact it is what they choose to do and get paid to do. We should have respect for all people.

But bottom line is this guy was an idiot for not wearing anything to identify himself as a journalist, clearly being in a restricted area, failing to listen to authorities and not wearing any protection in such a violent area ... If he cared about bringing us the news he would not have not been so foolish in his duties to us instead of becoming news himself.

I understand where you are coming from but get real ... all people deserve respect but when people are public figures or make the news, we have the right to comment on them.

I am not saying don't have ANY sympathy (as most reporters covering stories) but there are too many people who are hurt in this world by others where they have not willingly or stupidly put themselves in such a position knowingly.

Well quite frankly, without reporters and independent journalists, we would never know the truth about what's going on and just sit in the dark. We wouldn't know where clashes were taking place and what areas to avoid, who shot who and so forth. Sure it's a dangerous job and there's potential to get hurt or even die, but I feel that journalism deserves a good amount of respect. Without them we'd be depending on 'official government reports' or 'red shirt news' and lord knows what they'd throw at us if they knew no other source was there to show their own footage and present their own interviews.

First of all ... without plumbers we would all be forced to shat on the street.

Second of all ... with all these reporters out there we still have no clue what is going on.

Third of all ... please provide me a link to any news outlet that gets it right AND doesn't show bias

I don't quite follow, you don't trust any news at all? I don't understand how plumbers fall into this. We have a very good idea of what's going on, especially last night, thanks to the men and women who are out there recording, interviewing and following the action. It's why you're in this thread in the first place.

[Old Man River]

Burn baby burn

If I were so inclined, I think I would bet on a real fight breaking out.

I am watching the reds and they still hold the Sukhumvit World area.

Their men in Black, if given the orders, will shoot down army by the hundreds or thousands.

That will be the start of either a war or Chaos or complete and utter collapse of the current system.

They are angry.

They know who Generals are and where they live.

The Current regime has chosen to assassinate a Red while he was giving an interview for the Wall Street Journal.

Do they think they are bullet proof?

The men in black might take revenge.

Or, maybe, the men in black shot the Red giving the interview (IHT). Seh Daeng had made so many enemies it is impossible to say which one finally went after him.

So you don't stay awake all night, the Army are not out to take Rachaprasong this evening, or Sukhumvit world area as you refer to it. They are attempting to surround the Reds by barricading major roads leading into Rachaprasong. They are having some problems in the Rajpradob area as the Red snipe at them with M79 grenades, molotov cocktails, ping pong bombs and anything explosive they can get their hands on (and then cry when the Army shoots back).

By the way, you might not have recognized Rambo behind the stage. He was wearing a wig.

[JetsetBkk]

Another journo shot. A Canadian Nelson Rand

http://www.france24.com/en/20100514-france...hes-nelson-rand

Is this the same Nelson Rand who wrote the book Conflict: Journeys through war and terror in Southeast Asia

From that article:

'On Wednesday, a military spokesman warned that "snipers would be deployed" around the barricaded camp'

Hadn't seen that anywhere else.

I am sure the red haters here will say that proves that Thaksin was behind the killing.

I think you should delete the "wit" from your nick.

[Chunky1]

Funny how people will blame a journalist for wearing a black T-shirt as a reason to be shot. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but changes nothing that has happened.

A green armed band might have also helped... Or was he an "independent" journalist.

I applaud him for going out there either way... but one should not forget common sense if they want to do such a dangerous job.

[bkkjames]

Not one to get all sentimental but in two hours it's my birthday and at my age its not something to celebrate, believe me. However I do have a birthday wish and it is that as soon as possible the elderly, women and children get the hel_l out of Rajaprasong.

I am not so worried about the Military going in there guns blazing, what worries me more is some lunatic who decides to take things into his own hands and crash a private plane smack in the middle of that stage.

Needforspeed (see the topic in farangpub) says for the past month or so he has been having the same dream night after night about Thai people crying aloud and a set of numbers is part of this dream 150520101354 and a few others i cant remember right now.

You dont have to be a math expert to figure those numbers out and it aint the lottery.

I hope he is wrong and his dream doesnt come true tomorrow but suffice to say, with or without this in play, those innocent people need to be allowed or convinced or even dragged by their families out of that disaster waiting to happen, which is Rajaprasong.

[humfurry]

Funny how people will blame a journalist for wearing a black T-shirt as a reason to be shot. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but changes nothing that has happened.

And where would we be without news brought to us by those journalists who put their lives on the line by going into dangerous areas? We would have to be content with the propaganda pumped out by both sides. At least foreign journalists can bring some alternative sources of information to our attention and let us form our own conclusions from what we see and hear while most people sit securely at home picking their nose or scratching the deep depths of their anal cavity.

Someone with his so called experience in SE Asia he should have been a bit smarter. If it was a Thai soldier that shot him... that soldier saw black, read as Seh Daeng security. It's open season on them.

[LevelHead]

Another journo shot. A Canadian Nelson Rand

http://www.france24.com/en/20100514-france...hes-nelson-rand

Is this the same Nelson Rand who wrote the book Conflict: Journeys through war and terror in Southeast Asia

From that article:

'On Wednesday, a military spokesman warned that “snipers would be deployed” around the barricaded camp'

Hadn't seen that anywhere else.

I know, real news tends to get buried by the mass of pro-Yellow/PAD type posters.

They said snipers would be deployed, next day - well, you know what happened next.

[blaze]

Soon we will have UDD protesters in every part of Thailand, not only Ratchaprasong and Silom.

By protesters do you mean armed insurgents?

You are not a very respectful guest here. You obviously would like to tell the Thais how to run their country. That's pretty arrogant of you. Why not go home? Maybe no one their respects you?

If you Thais (as a country) EVER listen to farang's (as a country) opinions, or even READ THROUGH the world's history - all of this just won't happen.

But now it is a time to gather some stones. Count them well. VERY well.

WE live in a country where 'think too much' is a bad thing- where 'serious' means clinically depressed (him seriout too much- go hospital). Where children are taught to whom and how to kiss ass before they are taught to speak- where critical analysis of Thai culture ultimately leads to prison- where kriang jai and conflict avoidance are regarded as noble traits rather than the institutionalization of meekness and obsequiesness... where everyone is reminded daily that they are children of a loving father- where initiative is regarded as dangerous- how else could this have played out?

[whybother]

Soon we will have UDD protesters in every part of Thailand, not only Ratchaprasong and Silom.

By protesters do you mean armed insurgents?

Much better than yellow terrorists who captured Thailand two years ago against the wishes of majority of Thai people.

This government is not democratically elected, accept it or not, this is reality and fact.

Wow ... a "the yellows did it first" argument. That's original.

Can you explain to me how Thaksin, Samak and Somchai were elected, and then explain how Abhisit was different?

It's a bit hard to get these facts from a red supporter.