Troops, Armoured Vehicles Converge On Bangkok Protest Site

[siampolee]

Dindaeng red-shirt protesters announce independence from main gathering and said it will hunt down members of the press

How nice to see the peaceful Red Shirts take on press freedom Thaksins tactics 100%

[elcent]

Urgent: White smoke seen on top floors of Central World.

less than a minute ago via TweetDeck

[rametindallas]

Much of this could have been avoided if there had been a designated protest site - a large field with basic facilities outside downtown Bangkok. That's what the Cambodians just arranged - for future protests in their country. Granted, it's easier said than done, but if the initial protesters had been funneled to a large field somewhere, then things would not have gotten so far out of hand.

Plus, recent reports of freezing accounts of many big businesses and big shot Thais associated with Thaksin and the Reds is BIG NEWS. You can bet there are a lot of big shots close to the Shinawats, who are cussing and shouting and banging furniture against walls.

Actually the accounts were blocked to check the ongoing transfers.

Where is the money coming from, how much is taken out in cash.

Guess why?

Taksins wife took out 600 and 800 Million baht then she left thailand. Legally ur only allowed to take 50,00 baht out of the country.

Wonder what she did with the rest? I don't know any money changers that could change that amount of baht into any currency>>>

Not true. It was Potjamarn's aids and Potjamarn's aids took money from Potjamarn's aid's accounts in cash ostensibly to buy amulets and lottery tickets. It was so much cash they needed a van. Potjamarn is famous for having extremely wealthy servants and aids in her employ. potjamarn doesn't need money to take overseas, she has big money in offshore accounts e.g. Ample Rich etc. This money is needed in country to fund the coup they are attempting

[Jingthing]

Looks like this is very very far from over.

Central world, Paragon, MRT, other important buildings are on fire.

Tire fires. They are acting out like spoiled babies. In Bangkok, the main event IS over.

[yoshiwara]

Looks like this is very very far from over.

Central world, Paragon, MRT, other important buildings are on fire.

Just a revenge job.

Probably the reds idea of canvassing for votes in the forthcoming election.

[bangkokjohn]

Great stuff from Korn on CNN!

He really explained to the fools that this not a simplistic poor v rich fight.

Mentioned free eduction and income gurantees for farmers.

Impact on GDP from all this is about 0.5% largely due to impact on tourism.

Sadly, he used the "word" NORMALCY. I guess it must correct then.............

Hum, Korn worth 10s of millions(US)and Ahbisits right-hand man, after crushing the reds, says it's not about rich vs poor. OK must be true.

[KMUTT]

The IT Seer mall in Rangsit has been set on fire.

[senti]

Heh. Peaceful protest.

[jcbangkok]

RT @RichardBarrow: Thai military to impose curfew on Bangkok tonight. /via @markmackinnon

2 minutes ago via web

absolute necessary. should have happened earlier though.

IMO, Abhisit has played this almost perfectly given who he has had to fight internally and externally. But in reference to this one comment ... he has not imposed or done much until close to the last possible minute for many reasons. Although sad, he just couldn't have done more sooner without having the gov't collapse because of the Thaksin paid PR machine which has done a great job of making this violent illegal red mob look peaceful to some regardless of every thing that have done and the fact they hold hostage billions of dollars in both private and public property.

Even with Abhisit's ability to get many to leave the fortress and have red leaders themselves turn themselves in and call for an end to the mob ... we are still going to face the likely hood of much of that part of they city being reduced to ashes.

Had he had troops move in earlier the same thing would have resulted but many many more dead and his gov't being accused of genocide. Sadly it has taken until now to allow the reds shirts to show their true colors in terms of being a violent lawless terrorist bunch whose only goal was to bring down the government and then fill the void with their own people.

[Herm]

Much of this could have been avoided if there had been a designated protest site - a large field with basic facilities outside downtown Bangkok. That's what the Cambodians just arranged - for future protests in their country. Granted, it's easier said than done, but if the initial protesters had been funneled to a large field somewhere, then things would not have gotten so far out of hand.

Plus, recent reports of freezing accounts of many big businesses and big shot Thais associated with Thaksin and the Reds is BIG NEWS. You can bet there are a lot of big shots close to the Shinawats, who are cussing and shouting and banging furniture against walls.

Actually the accounts were blocked to check the ongoing transfers.

Where is the money coming from, how much is taken out in cash.

Guess why?

Taksins wife took out 600 and 800 Million baht then she left thailand. Legally ur only allowed to take 50,00 baht out of the country.

Wonder what she did with the rest? I don't know any money changers that could change that amount of baht into any currency>>>

Not true. It was Potjamarn's aids and Potjamarn's aids took money from Potjamarn's aid's accounts in cash ostensibly to buy amulets and lottery tickets. It was so much cash they needed a van. Potjamarn is famous for having extremely wealthy servants and aids in her employ. potjamarn doesn't need money to take overseas, she has big money in offshore accounts e.g. Ample Rich etc. This money is needed in country to fund the coup they are attempting

correction "were attempting"

[Jingthing]

Great stuff from Korn on CNN!

He really explained to the fools that this not a simplistic poor v rich fight.

Mentioned free eduction and income gurantees for farmers.

Impact on GDP from all this is about 0.5% largely due to impact on tourism.

Sadly, he used the "word" NORMALCY. I guess it must correct then.............

Hum, Korn worth 10s of millions(US)and Ahbisits right-hand man, after crushing the reds, says it's not about rich vs poor. OK must be true.

Korn clearly has a brighter future than Abhisit. Too bad about that, but both appear to be very good leaders at least by Thai standards.

[elcent]

Government Saving Bank (ธนาคารออมสิน) on Mitr-maitree Road is on fire.

3 minutes ago via TweetDeck

[toptuan]

HOT: Red-shirt Leaders to Stop Deaths/Injuries to Regroup in Future

The key red-shirt leaders have taken the red-shirt stage and called for an end to the red-shirt rally to put an end to the deaths and injuries.

But reiterated that the 'fight' of the red-shirt movement will not stop, adding that the 'fight' will be carried on via democratic means.

Thank you PM Abhisit for LIBERATING Bangkok. Back to normalcy, PLEASE.

at last it is over

Not quite, the battle has just moved---to the provinces.

[rametindallas]

don't forget ( and don't forgive ) these names ?

Jatuporn Prompan

Nutthawut Saikua

Weng Tojirakarn

Jeng Dokjik

Korkeaw Pikuntong

Wiputalang

Nisit Sinthuprai

Plus one:_

Thaksin S.

and the guy who led the raid on Chulalongkorn Hospital

[animatic]

Great stuff from Korn on CNN!

He really explained to the fools that this not a simplistic poor v rich fight.

Mentioned free eduction and income gurantees for farmers.

Impact on GDP from all this is about 0.5% largely due to impact on tourism.

Sadly, he used the "word" NORMALCY. I guess it must correct then.............

nor·mal·cy –noun the quality or condition of being normal,

as the general economic, political, and social conditions of a nation;

normality: After months of living in a state of tension, all yearned for a return to normalcy.

Origin: 1855–60; normal + -cy Random House Dictionary

---------------------

nor·mal·cy

Function: n

Inflected Form: pl -cies

: the state or fact of being normal

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary

----------------------------------------

nor·mal·cy

n. Normality.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language

----------------------------

normalcy

A word used by President Warren Harding to describe the calm political and social order

to which he wished to return the United States after the idealism and commotion of

the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.

Note: Normalcy has been used as a general term for the political climate in the United States in the early 1920s.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy,

--------------------------------

Can we put this semantic debate to bed for good now?

[welovesundaysatspace]

Some pictures taken on top of my appartment building which is behind MBK. Showing smoke from Ratchaprasong (Central World?) and Klong Toey. Far left must be Din Daeng. My neighbor who is working at Central World said they obviously are burning Gaysorn Plaza.

http://yfrog.com/5dimg1825rmjx

[whybother]

Central World is on fire.

Protesters smashed glass panes around the department stores while others threw fire bombs into the first floor of the building.

At Sala Daeng, the protesters destroyed telephone booths, advertisement signs, traffic signs, and others.

They are showing how the yellows should have acted when they stopped protesting at the airport. Instead of leaving it undamaged so it could open within 2 days, the reds believe they should have burnt it to the ground.

[Jingthing]

The IT Seer mall in Rangsit has been set on fire.

These thugs don't like air conditioning?

[KMUTT]

BMTA Suspends All Bus Services

UPDATE : 19 May 2010

As pockets of violence continue to erupt in Bangkok even after the core red-shirt leaders have turned themselves in.

Reports have come in that the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), operator of public buses in Bangkok, has suspended all bus services in the city.

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData...?DataID=1029523

[meom]

TAN: INN: Dindaeng red-shirt protesters announce independence from main gathering and said it will hunt down members of the press

BBC & CNN are you getting this? Amnesty International, what have you got to say now?

Exactly

Any speculation as to why they want to hunt down members of the press?

[KhunVee]

Din Daeng Red-shirts to Act on Their Own

UPDATE : 19 May 2010

Red-shirt protesters in Din Daeng area, who were not happy with the key leaders' decision to call off the red-shirt rally, have declared themselves independent from the main red-shirt movement.

They say they'll now act on their own and have threatened to hunt down members of the press.

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData...?DataID=1029522

Of course, that's the first thing Democrats do huh?

(Sarcasm)

[jcbangkok]

Urgent: White smoke seen on top floors of Central World.

less than a minute ago via TweetDeck

Wonder what can be burning. White smoke is usually indicative of a fire being put out. Dark smoke is usually seen at the start and before attempts are made to put out the fire.

[elcent]

Looks like this is very very far from over.

Central world, Paragon, MRT, other important buildings are on fire.

Tire fires. They are acting out like spoiled babies. In Bangkok, the main event IS over.

unfortunately real fires and grenades are thrown into these venues.

[Steely Dan]

The remaining mob of terrorists need to be dealt with swiftly and decisively. Death toll will rise, but these are not the "peaceful protestors". These are the hard core "kill em all, let God sort em out" crazies. Force is necessary.

Shoot them, shoot to kill, this will save lives rather than have a bunch of deranged meth heads running around like a chicken with it's head cut off lashing out at everything and everyone at random.

[KhunVee]

Din Daeng Red-shirts to Act on Their Own

UPDATE : 19 May 2010

Red-shirt protesters in Din Daeng area, who were not happy with the key leaders' decision to call off the red-shirt rally, have declared themselves independent from the main red-shirt movement.

They say they'll now act on their own and have threatened to hunt down members of the press.

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData...?DataID=1029522

Of course, that's the first thing to do in a truly Democracy huh?

(Sarcasm)

[rogerdee123]

TAN: INN: Dindaeng red-shirt protesters announce independence from main gathering and said it will hunt down members of the press

BBC & CNN are you getting this? Amnesty International, what have you got to say now?

Exactly

yes indeed .... the protest is over .... will BBC still continue to call these thugs "protesters" ?

[senti]

Is Amnesty International going to issue any more press releases, when police/army execute these thugs now?

I wonder...

[whybother]

Showing injured soldiers on TV now. Red shirt thugs are showing their true colours.

edit: around Rajadamri area I think. There were things left behind in the red camp.

[elcent]

in Ubon

[Jingthing]

Looks like this is very very far from over.

Central world, Paragon, MRT, other important buildings are on fire.

Tire fires. They are acting out like spoiled babies. In Bangkok, the main event IS over.

unfortunately real fires and grenades are thrown into these venues.

That's very bad if they destroy property but at least the casualties have been kept much lower than anyone expected. If they do burn the malls, it will be even harder to restore tourism. Yes, tourists love those mall areas in Bangkok.