Thousands Of Thai Protesters Defy Deadline To Leave

[jonclark]

It is sad to see this country in such a mess. I have to say I think the Thai Army has done a very good job of containment, which is what they set out to do. The mobs that have sprung up have tried to get the army to react, but they have stayed put and slowly they are squeezing the life out of the rally site. Once the rally site is gone, the police and army will move to clear out the remaining areas.

The mobs are just that - mobs, very little to do with the protest, just young men looking for a ruck

Tyre burning whilst it looks good and makes the protesters feel powerful (Think Tom Hanks - Castaway) is not really effective against an army or Saddam would have given it a go.

[naughtybadfurrimunki]

Reds gathering on Lad Prao Rd nr. Big C

Edited May 17, 2010 by naughtybadfurrimunki

[KMUTT]

Watching channel 3 now. It seems a petrol tanker has been hijacked at Bon kai.

Could get nasty.

Black Songkran 2009 re-visited

Reds Attempt to Blow up Gas Tanker

UPDATE : 17 May 2010

Red-shirt protesters have driven and parked a gas tanker in front of the PTT petrol station in Ngarm Duplee.

They've also fired several M79 into the petrol station in an attempt to start a wide-scale explosion.

ww.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1029358

[ETatBKK]

Korbsak Reveals Nuthawut Asking for Ceasefire

PM Secretary General Korbsak Sapavasu reveals that he has recieved a telephone call from red shirt leader Nuthawut Saikua, requesting a ceasefire. Korbsak claims that Nuthawut offered to call back all smaller groups of protesters creating disturbances around the city back to the Ratchprasong stage.

TAN 2010-05-17, 20.55

any more details ?

The army will cease fire, the terrorists will regroup, take new orders from the leaders, and will apply a new strategy to attack the soldiers....

Or something similar

I am afraid that time for negotiation is up......

a decision between a short sharp pain, or a long dull pain :-(

yet, reds are talking about 'control the rioting' but not ending the protest. it is still a gap in between !

[xenomorph]

Regarding the red-shirts...

Is it really these kind of people anyone would like to see ruling this country? Just look at their behavior. Keeps my wonder if they would've shown the same calm, patience and dignity as Abhesit done so far. Would they really hold back the military if the table was turned and the reds were governing this country?

I personally don't think so.

Edited May 17, 2010 by xenomorph

[RKASA]

How about for a change, have a look what facts CNN presents on this document. The Red Shirt leaders always say: how can the Thai Army shoot at people who are unarmed? This will once and for all open your eyes about the Red Shirts.

An ireport is far from a CNN presents. Its the same as youtube. Just thought you should know the differance.

[gemini81]

Reds gathering on Lad Prao Rd nr. Big C

they're trying to make it harder to disperse them. thaksin recommended this on twitter and in some phone calls a while back if you recall, back when he did videos.

[larrylujak]

The Buddhist association that invited the monks to Bangkok's Victory Monument had a message for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva -- stop the army killing "innocent people."

[A_Traveller]

@Pornsasi, since I'm busy dealing with the reality that this situation is causing I don't have time to respond ad infinitum, however, might I take this opportunity to remind you that Lumpini Police station barracks [the living accommodation for families] was specifically targeted with M79 grenades at least twice on Saturday [iIRC the day not the event] causing injuries to civilians including children.

Regards

Edit to add M79 grenades for clarity//

By the reds ?

I thought police on the red side .

Well here's a reply which manages to conjure up the image of a deer caught in the headlights, to the sound of crashing assumptions.

Maybe time to review some of those?

Regards

PS To be clear civilians were injured in these attacks, including children.

[whybother]

I forgot ---can any one remember??? ....Did the army or police disperse the protesters that shut down the airport, or the government offices (two years ago) Or was that settled by a change in government?

Just in case your question isn't rhetorical (and in case some reader shouldn't know) despite being ordered by the PM of those days (Taxins brother-in-law, Somchai) several times to clean out the protesters, the responsible leaders of the forces that in democratic countries just would have done their duty, didn't do anything with any effect except for a tiny, but heavily armed, police task-force that handed over all their weapon to the yellow guards the moment the latter asked for them, just to be sure the Police chiefs now had an excuse for not entering the airport area any more.

The court case disbanding the PPP was decided on December 2. The yellows went home on December 3. The airport opened on December 4 (or 5). The PTP (ex-PPP) were in government with a care-taker PM. The PTP decided to elect a new PM (same as they did for Somchai - they could have called an election at this point I believe), but a number of MPs and smaller parties jumped ship. Abhisit was elected PM on about December 18.

[hextac]

I forgot ---can any one remember??? ....Did the army or police disperse the protesters that shut down the airport, or the government offices (two years ago) Or was that settled by a change in government?

Just in case your question isn't rhetorical (and in case some reader shouldn't know) despite being ordered by the PM of those days (Taxins brother-in-law, Somchai) several times to clean out the protesters, the responsible leaders of the forces that in democratic countries just would have done their duty, didn't do anything with any effect except for a tiny, but heavily armed, police task-force that handed over all their weapon to the yellow guards the moment the latter asked for them, just to be sure the Police chiefs now had an excuse for not entering the airport area any more. 

Hush your mouth! Don't mention the airport "takeovers", that had nothing to do with the PAD! It was an insidious conspiracy between Thaksin's brother in law and the AOT purely to make the PAD grannies look bad. Plus it was over 2 years ago so doesn't count anyway ha-ha.

[KMUTT]

CRES Shows Video Clips of Violence and Looting

UPDATE : 17 May 2010

The Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situations addressed the nation' showing video clips of various incidents such as a child being used as a human shield.

Another clip showed a hooded man carrying an M16 rifle.

Yet another showed protesters punching a couple of soldiers who they had intercepted.

Another clip showed the looting of convenient stores and ATM's.

This is the latest attempt by officials to try and create an understanding with the public.

ww.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1029371

[Old Man River]

Double post

Edited May 17, 2010 by Old Man River

[Dario]

How about for a change, have a look what facts CNN presents on this document. The Red Shirt leaders always say: how can the Thai Army shoot at people who are unarmed? This will once and for all open your eyes about the Red Shirts.

An ireport is far from a CNN presents. Its the same as youtube. Just thought you should know the differance.

Sorry, I didn't know, but the page shows on top the CNN logo. Whatever, have a look at the pictures. They can't be fake. Have you seen the size of the machete? And the number of rifles and guns and pistols they have? Just amazing!

[Old Man River]

I am afraid that time for negotiation is up......

Says who? Obviously, not the military. They said they can't clear this up due to "ordinary" citizens mixing with the terrorists. In other words, the rule of law will not be enforced until those that don't obey the law start to obey the law.

[larrylujak]

I forgot ---can any one remember??? ....Did the army or police disperse the protesters that shut down the airport, or the government offices (two years ago) Or was that settled by a change in government?

Just in case your question isn't rhetorical (and in case some reader shouldn't know) despite being ordered by the PM of those days (Taxins brother-in-law, Somchai) several times to clean out the protesters, the responsible leaders of the forces that in democratic countries just would have done their duty, didn't do anything with any effect except for a tiny, but heavily armed, police task-force that handed over all their weapon to the yellow guards the moment the latter asked for them, just to be sure the Police chiefs now had an excuse for not entering the airport area any more.

The court case disbanding the PPP was decided on December 2. The yellows went home on December 3. The airport opened on December 4 (or 5). The PTP (ex-PPP) were in government with a care-taker PM. The PTP decided to elect a new PM (same as they did for Somchai - they could have called an election at this point I believe), but a number of MPs and smaller parties jumped ship. Abhisit was elected PM on about December 18.

No one, including all your allies, believes that the ruling government wants real elections.

You say it but you do not believe it.

It makes and real talk impossible.

If you do not want real elections, and you do not, please be honest and tell us why.

[gemini81]

The Buddhist association that invited the monks to Bangkok's Victory Monument had a message for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva -- stop the army killing "innocent people."

about as innocent as those links on ireport above. the gas tanker is really peaceful too. only people who put themselves in precarious situations've been taken out.

[Jockey]

Normally, an army is supposed to be used to defend the civilians from other hostile countries. You know a country is in a bad way when the ruling government uses its army to shoot and kill its own civilians. Currently there is a massacre going on in the streets of Bangkok and the situation is worsening by the hour. I fear Thailand may never recover from this for many years to come. If the army go in to the protesters camp site and start slaughtering the people in there, then there is a strong possibility of a full blown civil war spreading throughout the country. No matter how you look at it, a government using its army to gun down its civilians in the streets is the act of an oppressive government which has lost all moral code of conduct.

The situation has gone beyond any arguments of who is right and who is wrong. The violence must stop now. The army needs to stop killing its civilians. Something like a one-month long conference is needed where all the power factors of the country could get together and work out how Thailand can be governed fairly for the long term future. A new constitution needs to be created that will foster a new spirit of fairness and a genuine will to remove the corruption that pervades Thai society.

The Red leaders say they want to talk. For the sake of avoiding more lives lost the army should withdraw to allow talks to start immediately. Amnesty for both sides is necessary. These are dark times and further killing of civilians is not the answer.

[Tanaka]

Would you call that boy looking over the tyres a human shield.I suggest you print something factual.My thioughts would have been,he is showing the boy to the soldiers to show that he is there.

NOW

If someone had said the boy should not be there i would have agreed but dont spout crap on here

You took the words right out of my mouth.

It would have been far better if they had remained there!

[ChiangMaiThai]

Ratchaprasong might not of been taken, the protests might of spread and BKK is getting shut down, but one thing is for certain:

Thaksin's lot is getting thoroughly annihilated in the ongoing PR war. Might sound a tad melodramatic, but I'll never look at a Thaksin supporter, a Thai copper or a monk in the same way again.

And they aren't going to miss your support. Meanwhile, among the people who can actually vote here, a huge number are rallying behind this idea that the elite government is killing the poor peasants.

[kopite]

It is sad to see this country in such a mess. I have to say I think the Thai Army has done a very good job of containment, which is what they set out to do. The mobs that have sprung up have tried to get the army to react, but they have stayed put and slowly they are squeezing the life out of the rally site. Once the rally site is gone, the police and army will move to clear out the remaining areas.

The mobs are just that - mobs, very little to do with the protest, just young men looking for a ruck

Tyre burning whilst it looks good and makes the protesters feel powerful (Think Tom Hanks - Castaway) is not really effective against an army or Saddam would have given it a go.

sorry, but i really cant see what the film castaway has to do with the situation in bangkok and how you have compared the two.

put the bottle down soft lad

[whybother]

I forgot ---can any one remember??? ....Did the army or police disperse the protesters that shut down the airport, or the government offices (two years ago) Or was that settled by a change in government?

Just in case your question isn't rhetorical (and in case some reader shouldn't know) despite being ordered by the PM of those days (Taxins brother-in-law, Somchai) several times to clean out the protesters, the responsible leaders of the forces that in democratic countries just would have done their duty, didn't do anything with any effect except for a tiny, but heavily armed, police task-force that handed over all their weapon to the yellow guards the moment the latter asked for them, just to be sure the Police chiefs now had an excuse for not entering the airport area any more.

The court case disbanding the PPP was decided on December 2. The yellows went home on December 3. The airport opened on December 4 (or 5). The PTP (ex-PPP) were in government with a care-taker PM. The PTP decided to elect a new PM (same as they did for Somchai - they could have called an election at this point I believe), but a number of MPs and smaller parties jumped ship. Abhisit was elected PM on about December 18.

No one, including all your allies, believes that the ruling government wants real elections.

You say it but you do not believe it.

It makes and real talk impossible.

If you do not want real elections, and you do not, please be honest and tell us why.

Your mind reading isn't working too well.

Obviously, you don't believe the ruling government wants real elections. I don't know why you believe that.

I believe they will have elections in December 2011 when they are scheduled.

[proto]

Reds gathering on Lad Prao Rd nr. Big C

Ups, ... spreading even further out it seems. Government on the loosing streak, then 

[KMUTT]

Thank Goodness at least the Reds don't have a 6,000 Liter Fire Ball at their disposal

Seized oil truck at Bon Kai area is confirmed an empty one

BANGKOK, 17 May 2010 (NNT) – The Ministry of Energy confirms that the gas truck which has been seized by the UDD supporters at Bon Kai area, is an empty one.

The Ministry has prepared officials and waiting for the instruction from the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situaion (CRES) to enter the site to retrieve the truck.

Deputy Director-General of the Department of Energy Business (DOEB) Ong-art Promjanyakul cited that the gas truck had been seized since 17.30 hrs today by the UDD supporters to be used as their bunker against the clash with the armed force at Bon Kai venue.

After the probe, this truck has no more oil inside and it belongs to Thanit Petroleum Co. Ltd that has distributed the 6,000-liters of benzene oil for the gas station around there since 14 May 2010, and could not get out of the area.

The DOEB has meanwhile cooperated with related agencies to solve the situation for safety, while security measures for oil/gas trucks have been raised to top level, prohibiting the trucks to pass 13 districts at risk in Bangkok.

The seizure of gas truck by the UDD may cause violence if they burn the truck even with no oil inside.

The Ministry has instructed 70 officials to be available for possible emergencies after getting permission from the CRES.

These officials are experts in resolving gas leakage and burnt oil truck.

-- NNT 2010-05-17

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[canadarider]

Ok, you know I never reply to these things because I feel there are far too many pompas asses who can hide in a computer and try to sound like they are intelligent and bicker at each other. Would you all think!! People are killing each other, red, yellow who cares. A child in a camp like that weather it is waving at the nice solders or taking a crap in the street, it is a human shield, period. I live in Isaan and I teach these people and I do it for free, because I care about them.

There is a man hiding in Dubai or wherever playing a giant game with peoples lives, paying and playing them like pawns, and another man in BKK who has been sucked into the game too. Now they are safe and all the brothers and sisters and cousins are going to kill each other. Pick a side but you know what, it don't matter because they all loose. The only winner is the person with the giant ego, one in BKK and one hiding somewhere else. EVERY ONE ELSE LOOSES PERIOD. Stop your petty bullcrap and pray to something that you can believe in, even if it is your beer, that this can end in some miracle.

[larrylujak]

Ok, you know I never reply to these things because I feel there are far too many pompas asses who can hide in a computer and try to sound like they are intelligent and bicker at each other. Would you all think!! People are killing each other, red, yellow who cares. A child in a camp like that weather it is waving at the nice solders or taking a crap in the street, it is a human shield, period. I live in Isaan and I teach these people and I do it for free, because I care about them.

There is a man hiding in Dubai or wherever playing a giant game with peoples lives, paying and playing them like pawns, and another man in BKK who has been sucked into the game too. Now they are safe and all the brothers and sisters and cousins are going to kill each other. Pick a side but you know what, it don't matter because they all loose. The only winner is the person with the giant ego, one in BKK and one hiding somewhere else. EVERY ONE ELSE LOOSES PERIOD. Stop your petty bullcrap and pray to something that you can believe in, even if it is your beer, that this can end in some miracle.

I kind of agree with you post.

It is frustrating.

However, God will not stop this fight anymore than he stopped all previous wars in the world.

War is man made and must be ended by man.

But a prayer sure is in order and cannot hurt.

[whybother]

Normally, an army is supposed to be used to defend the civilians from other hostile countries. You know a country is in a bad way when the ruling government uses its army to shoot and kill its own civilians. Currently there is a massacre going on in the streets of Bangkok and the situation is worsening by the hour. I fear Thailand may never recover from this for many years to come. If the army go in to the protesters camp site and start slaughtering the people in there, then there is a strong possibility of a full blown civil war spreading throughout the country. No matter how you look at it, a government using its army to gun down its civilians in the streets is the act of an oppressive government which has lost all moral code of conduct.

The situation has gone beyond any arguments of who is right and who is wrong. The violence must stop now. The army needs to stop killing its civilians. Something like a one-month long conference is needed where all the power factors of the country could get together and work out how Thailand can be governed fairly for the long term future. A new constitution needs to be created that will foster a new spirit of fairness and a genuine will to remove the corruption that pervades Thai society.

The Red leaders say they want to talk. For the sake of avoiding more lives lost the army should withdraw to allow talks to start immediately. Amnesty for both sides is necessary. These are dark times and further killing of civilians is not the answer.

There have been plenty of instances in the west where the government has called the army in to protect it's citizens from rampaging mobs. Hurricane Katrina comes to mind.

The reds have been expanding there protest zone. Should the army withdraw so the reds can expand some more?

If the red leaders want to talk and the protestors don't want to get killed, then they should stop attacking the army. How much more simple does it get?

[whybother]

Ratchaprasong might not of been taken, the protests might of spread and BKK is getting shut down, but one thing is for certain:

Thaksin's lot is getting thoroughly annihilated in the ongoing PR war. Might sound a tad melodramatic, but I'll never look at a Thaksin supporter, a Thai copper or a monk in the same way again.

And they aren't going to miss your support. Meanwhile, among the people who can actually vote here, a huge number are rallying behind this idea that the elite government is killing the poor peasants.

Yep. Huge. Numbers must be up to 10,000 now. That's including the red srtong hold of Khon Kaen.

[Slip]

There is nothing else the government can do at this time. The reds have painted the government into a corner.

Look at the last 4 days. The government moves to contain the Rachprasong rally. Contain ---- not crackdown! The troops move in to the areas around the reds and the reds attack. They continue to come OUT of Rachprasong and attack. The troops have not moved into the rachprasong area. The troops are working on containing them and that is all.

Personally, I assume that the government thought that this would happen. The roudier, violent, and less well trained reds are coming out and attacking and this so far has kept the 'relatively' innocent grannies, women, and totally innocent children safer inside the main rally encampment while the troops deal with the more violent reds.

I am stymied at how they plan to really proceed though. I don't see how they can move in from here. I also think that Sae Daeng's ronin will open fire on the hostages inside the red compound if the government moves in, in a bid to discredit the government.

I hope they have a plan that can give some safety to the grannies and children.

Has it occured to anyone in TV that the good General Seh Dang has trained well, the RD leaders, who have spread the training down the ranks. Look at the big picture people. They seem insane to us on the internet, but they have been very organized, very tactical, very self controlled, and the women, elderly, children have been kept in the center, or close to pathways to get to center of the compound when needed. Very strategic on their part, and very systematic in their activity day by day. Its the govt and military that are fully aware that the Reds have been trained by the best, and its the govt and military that acts more like the amateurs. Thats why he was taken out of the equation by a sniper. The probable thought being, if the general is dead, panic will sweep thru the RD camp and they will either scatter, or be confused and easily swayed or conquered. It appears that the general has instilled not only tactical training, but also fed their intestinal fortitude as well. Oh, and for the love of God, drop the infamy building of Tacksin. This grew far beyond one man oh so long ago. Live or dead, Tacksin is not the center of the Red universe. Democracy is. Some of you are right, Thai don't know what Democracy really is, but they have learned enough from the outside to know they want it, and when it comes to learning what all is involved with Democracy, the Reds and students are learning at an exponential rate. For you average iq and education farang, that means Thai are like dry squeezed sponges released in water. They are absorbing their fill, and Thailand will never be the same after this is finally settled.

Dude! Nice mixed metaphor. Apart from that- sorry, I don't quite get your quasi-military analysis. Possibly I'm not a farang of average iq/ education. What's that particular measurement again? Your IEQ?

As soon as the reds drop their military wing and Thaksin they will find a much more favourable reception awaiting from the rest of the country. It doesn't seem that hard to me.

Edited May 17, 2010 by Slip

[samjaidee]

as Thai mother I am shocked and angry that a Thai mother (or father) could even think of doing that, one reason I would apply death penalty to the parents. Children MUST NOT be there and that's it! Whoever even discuss it is a criminal.

About the futile effort to disperse the reds; welcome to the result of a "mai pen rai" society: complete failure in whatever we do.

I hear you.

These so called parents should be shot dead so that they don't have a chance to raise these poor kids and repeat history.

Are you really serious.

You want execution by firing squad for being bad parents? What sentence would you get for smacking your child in this land of yours? 5-10 years.

Who looks after these orphan children? Have you ever seen Thais queueing to adopt children? Been to any orphanages in Thailand?

Finally, what exactly does "repeat history" refer to?Does that mean they can't take their children to a protest again or raise them again?

That's a lot of questions in reply to one sentence. Hope you're not too busy!