Troops, Armoured Vehicles Converge On Bangkok Protest Site

[deepskyfreak]

Families are crying over the loss...

Children are crying because of the noise...

Shop owners are crying over the destruction...

People are crying because of lost jobs and ruined futures...

Tourists are crying out of fear...

A whole nation is crying...

People who have come to their senses are shaking heads...

Questions remain unanswered, will never be answered, never, not in a hundred years. But the pictures will remain, forever in our minds.

To all those who have not yet come to their senses: Was that worth it?

[asiancup2007]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is that before the crackdown there were predictions of a bloodbath in Rachaprasong, there were 3 or 4 deaths of red shirts guards, a journalist and injured soldiers. I'm not sure of the total tally from the crackdown, but no bloodbath thank goodness.

@markmackinnon

Medics around me say 7 dead 10 injured inside Wat Patum temple, which was supposed to be sanctuary. I'd guess 1500 to 2000 terrified ppl

[SomTumTiger]

No, once the red terrorists are rounded up (hopefully in the next few day), the bloodshed will be at an end. LLTK

[asiancup2007]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is that before the crackdown there were predictions of a bloodbath in Rachaprasong, there were 3 or 4 deaths of red shirts guards, a journalist and injured soldiers. I'm not sure of the total tally from the crackdown, but no bloodbath thank goodness.

@markmackinnon

Medics around me say 7 dead 10 injured inside Wat Patum temple, which was supposed to be sanctuary. I'd guess 1500 to 2000 terrified ppl

[deepskyfreak]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is that before the crackdown there were predictions of a bloodbath in Rachaprasong, there were 3 or 4 deaths of red shirts guards, a journalist and injured soldiers. I'm not sure of the total tally from the crackdown, but no bloodbath thank goodness.

@markmackinnon

Medics around me say 7 dead 10 injured inside Wat Patum temple, which was supposed to be sanctuary. I'd guess 1500 to 2000 terrified ppl

There might still be quite a few people unaccounted for. Looters trapped in burning "treasure troves", armed thugs shot but not yet removed, accidents during turmoils, probably even heart attacks of elderly people scared for their lives.

[senti]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is that before the crackdown there were predictions of a bloodbath in Rachaprasong, there were 3 or 4 deaths of red shirts guards, a journalist and injured soldiers. I'm not sure of the total tally from the crackdown, but no bloodbath thank goodness.

@markmackinnon

Medics around me say 7 dead 10 injured inside Wat Patum temple, which was supposed to be sanctuary. I'd guess 1500 to 2000 terrified ppl

This was supposed to be a peaceful protest too, if I remember correctly.

[robert1001]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is that before the crackdown there were predictions of a bloodbath in Rachaprasong, there were 3 or 4 deaths of red shirts guards, a journalist and injured soldiers. I'm not sure of the total tally from the crackdown, but no bloodbath thank goodness.

@markmackinnon

Medics around me say 7 dead 10 injured inside Wat Patum temple, which was supposed to be sanctuary. I'd guess 1500 to 2000 terrified ppl

This was supposed to be a peaceful protest too, if I remember correctly.

Endless crying will not stop this fight now will it.

So some of you, most here on this site, hate the reds. others, most on sites outside Thailand, have Thais posting their hate toward the Thai government.

If no middle ground can be reached, all that you love in Bangkok will sooner or later be gone. Media will be destroyed. Banks wrecked. Unemployment will be at 50% or more.

Even the INTERNET could be completely turned off sooner or later.

Sooner is very possible.

Want to make some money?

Short the baht and or Thai stocks off shore.

This wreck is now unstoppable.

[surangw]

could be the red shirts will finally figure out their protest en-masse does not work, and will resort to Guerrilla warfare and start pulling sneak attacks like the scum bags in the south

[Democrat]

The redshirts have conclusively proved one thing, they never wanted democracy and don't even understand what it is. All they do understand is the hate propaganda spewed from their leaders for months on end. They feel a deep sense of injustice as their paternal despot was removed. To some degree this is understandable with all the goings on since 2006, however this does not excuse anarchy.

These are the human dregs, the scum of the earth who usually get locked up, however sadly Thailand has no system of governance and has always had the potential for anarchy just below the surface. The authorities need to get hold of this very quickly and if it means shooting to kill then that has to be done, otherwise Thailand is going down the same path as either Cambodia or Somalia.

Very Sad indeed.

Very Sad indeed. the pot is calling the kettle black. I need to say they are not all locked up, as you are proving unless you are posting from a prison. Only scumbags kill one another and only scumbags incite other people to kill one another. It is very sad indeed that so many posts encourage this type of behaviour. Maybe you should look at both sides your comment 'the red shirts spewed propaganda' I am sure they did. But what do you call continual broadcasts on all channels at the same time by the govt and cres explaining what they did not do and what the reds did (they even mistakenly showed a shot of a soldier shooting a red and are still trying to blame it on the reds) and then will not answer any questions from the media. spewed out propaganda would be the correct term. I am just a bystander and at the start thought if the reds blocked the roads or govt house or the airports for a period of time the police would don their riot gear and batons, water cannons and disperse them. But no they send the army in. What the F%#@*? And the start of this bloody mess a red gets shot by a soldier not 5 feet from a farang. Up until then I didnt really care much. I had heard that Mr T, P, and the other Mr T and a few others were ripping the people off. But when you start killing people that is scumbag sort of stuff and I don't agree with it. And you can blame Mr T all you want he didn't fire the first shot, nor did his supporters. Steely dan was it your request for the anti-aircraft guns so you could see a lot of bloodshed.

[whitfield]

Arisman under arrest

BANGKOK, 19 May 2010 (NNT) — United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) core figure, Arisman Pongruangrong was arrested by authorities at 17.00 hrs at Pleon Chit BTS skytrain station.

Arisman is now being taken to the Naresuan military camp in Phetchaburi province for detention after his failed attempt to escape from the main rally stage on Ratchaprasong Intersection this morning.

The five core leaders of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), who surrendered themselves to police today included Puea Thai Party MP Jatuporn Prompan, Yosawarit Chuklom, Wiphuthalaeng Phatthanaphumthai, Nattawut Saikua and Korkaew Pikulthong.

They are all detained at the Naresuan military camp as well.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255305190055

Waiting for a train? Maybe he didn't know that BTS is close today.

Why do they have to bring them here to Cha Am? We like peace and quiet down here!

[LuckyLew]

Arisman under arrest

BANGKOK, 19 May 2010 (NNT) — United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) core figure, Arisman Pongruangrong was arrested by authorities at 17.00 hrs at Pleon Chit BTS skytrain station.

Arisman is now being taken to the Naresuan military camp in Phetchaburi province for detention after his failed attempt to escape from the main rally stage on Ratchaprasong Intersection this morning.

The five core leaders of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), who surrendered themselves to police today included Puea Thai Party MP Jatuporn Prompan, Yosawarit Chuklom, Wiphuthalaeng Phatthanaphumthai, Nattawut Saikua and Korkaew Pikulthong.

They are all detained at the Naresuan military camp as well.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255305190055

Apparently Arisman was arrested on the BTS platform

waiting for the next train to come by

[LuckyLew]

The redshirts have conclusively proved one thing, they never wanted democracy and don't even understand what it is. All they do understand is the hate propaganda spewed from their leaders for months on end. They feel a deep sense of injustice as their paternal despot was removed. To some degree this is understandable with all the goings on since 2006, however this does not excuse anarchy.

These are the human dregs, the scum of the earth who usually get locked up, however sadly Thailand has no system of governance and has always had the potential for anarchy just below the surface. The authorities need to get hold of this very quickly and if it means shooting to kill then that has to be done, otherwise Thailand is going down the same path as either Cambodia or Somalia.

Very Sad indeed.

Very Sad indeed. the pot is calling the kettle black. I need to say they are not all locked up, as you are proving unless you are posting from a prison. Only scumbags kill one another and only scumbags incite other people to kill one another. It is very sad indeed that so many posts encourage this type of behaviour. Maybe you should look at both sides your comment 'the red shirts spewed propaganda' I am sure they did. But what do you call continual broadcasts on all channels at the same time by the govt and cres explaining what they did not do and what the reds did (they even mistakenly showed a shot of a soldier shooting a red and are still trying to blame it on the reds) and then will not answer any questions from the media. spewed out propaganda would be the correct term. I am just a bystander and at the start thought if the reds blocked the roads or govt house or the airports for a period of time the police would don their riot gear and batons, water cannons and disperse them. But no they send the army in. What the F%#@*? And the start of this bloody mess a red gets shot by a soldier not 5 feet from a farang. Up until then I didnt really care much. I had heard that Mr T, P, and the other Mr T and a few others were ripping the people off. But when you start killing people that is scumbag sort of stuff and I don't agree with it. And you can blame Mr T all you want he didn't fire the first shot, nor did his supporters. Steely dan was it your request for the anti-aircraft guns so you could see a lot of bloodshed.

Backing out of the road map at the last minute after

they had essentially agreed to it, was the same thing

as firing the first bullet

That was the point of no return and solidified the Governments

opinion that this was never about peaceful demonstrations and

democracy.

The red who aborted on the deal has bloodshed dripping all over his head

[Rucharee]

could be the red shirts will finally figure out their protest en-masse does not work, and will resort to Guerrilla warfare and start pulling sneak attacks like the scum bags in the south

That's what I fear will happen in Bangkok too. This might just be the end of the beginning.

[robert1001]

When will this site be crashed?

Electricity, water, and even food supplies in Bangkok could be wrecked if this goes on much longer.

Home sweet Home might be the best option for most foreigners.

[robert1001]

When will this site be crashed?

Electricity, water, and even food supplies in Bangkok could be wrecked if this goes on much longer.

Home sweet Home might be the best option for most foreigners.

Boys in the Nana area

Look at that place.

One main way out. It is a multi floor firetrap disaster waiting to happen and the boys on both sides might want to use a few hundred or even a thousand dead farangs for propaganda.

Drink at home.

[whybother]

When will this site be crashed?

Electricity, water, and even food supplies in Bangkok could be wrecked if this goes on much longer.

Home sweet Home might be the best option for most foreigners.

Probably a good idea ... given that there's a CURFEW!

[dhrobertson]

Horrified at BBC piss poor reporting

They say T won the hearts and minds of the poor by providing free eduction and free health care!

Somebody should be fired over this.

Later, they say that Thai democracy is questionable.....

I am so embarassed.....

[welovesundaysatspace]

Sad, but strong pictures from today (same source like yesterday): http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/05/c...in_bangkok.html

[rametindallas]

Immigration Bureau tasked to prevent fugitive UDD figures from leaving the country

BANGKOK, 19 May 2010 (NNT) — The Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES) has collaborated with the Immigration Bureau to prevent core figures of the anti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) from leaving the country.

Thani Thongphakdi, Deputy Director-General of Information and Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed the cooperation between the CRES and the Immigration Bureau to prevent the fugitives flee the country that the operation was being conducted based on the Criminal Code, which defined the core figures' past movements as internal terrorism.

Mr Thani added those with court summons have no right to travel out of the country.

Meanwhile, a name list was passed to the immigration offices on Thailand-Malaysia border both at Sadao District of the southern Songkhla province and at Sungai-Kolok district of the southernmost Narathiwat province.

Both offices are tasked to keep a close watch on UDD fugitives' confidential movements outside the Kingdom, especially Veera Musikpong, Weng Tojirakarn, Arisman Pongruengrong, as well as another 143 UDD comrades.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255305190046

They should add Robert Amsterdam's name to the list. He was, and still may be, in Thailand.

I would to see Al Jazira interview Mr. Amsterdam now.

[lannarebirth]

Sad, but strong pictures from today (same source like yesterday): http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/05/c...in_bangkok.html

Wow! Incredible photos, thanks.

[saintofsilence]

A good pic of the stock exchange arsonists i hope he has passed this on to the authorities.

http://www.globalpost.com/bio/patrick-winn

[swissmariner]

The redshirts have conclusively proved one thing, they never wanted democracy and don't even understand what it is. All they do understand is the hate propaganda spewed from their leaders for months on end. They feel a deep sense of injustice as their paternal despot was removed. To some degree this is understandable with all the goings on since 2006, however this does not excuse anarchy.

These are the human dregs, the scum of the earth who usually get locked up, however sadly Thailand has no system of governance and has always had the potential for anarchy just below the surface. The authorities need to get hold of this very quickly and if it means shooting to kill then that has to be done, otherwise Thailand is going down the same path as either Cambodia or Somalia.

Very Sad indeed.

Very Sad indeed. the pot is calling the kettle black. I need to say they are not all locked up, as you are proving unless you are posting from a prison. Only scumbags kill one another and only scumbags incite other people to kill one another. It is very sad indeed that so many posts encourage this type of behaviour. Maybe you should look at both sides your comment 'the red shirts spewed propaganda' I am sure they did. But what do you call continual broadcasts on all channels at the same time by the govt and cres explaining what they did not do and what the reds did (they even mistakenly showed a shot of a soldier shooting a red and are still trying to blame it on the reds) and then will not answer any questions from the media. spewed out propaganda would be the correct term. I am just a bystander and at the start thought if the reds blocked the roads or govt house or the airports for a period of time the police would don their riot gear and batons, water cannons and disperse them. But no they send the army in. What the F%#@*? And the start of this bloody mess a red gets shot by a soldier not 5 feet from a farang. Up until then I didnt really care much. I had heard that Mr T, P, and the other Mr T and a few others were ripping the people off. But when you start killing people that is scumbag sort of stuff and I don't agree with it. And you can blame Mr T all you want he didn't fire the first shot, nor did his supporters. Steely dan was it your request for the anti-aircraft guns so you could see a lot of bloodshed.

Hitler did not shoot too, does that make him a not-mass-murderer??

[datum]

Interesting article:

Thai soldiers shoot unarmed man outside gates of temple refuge, then shoot monk trying to retrieve the body

explaining more or less the Nations post:

Nine bodies found in Pathumwanaram

[losworld]

Horrified at BBC piss poor reporting

They say T won the hearts and minds of the poor by providing free eduction and free health care!

Somebody should be fired over this.

Later, they say that Thai democracy is questionable.....

I am so embarassed.....

The BBC is a joke and a shadow of its once former self. It is controlled by outside interests and has been for some time. Amsterdam and company are basically a firm hired to persuade and dissuade media outlets. Perhaps they have made headway with some of their friends at the BBC?

[Vulcan]

For those of you who still say that Red Shirt protestors did not use grenades here is a story from my home newspaper regarding an injured Canadian Photojournalist.

A Canadian filmmaker is badly wounded after grenades exploded close to the main protest camp in Thailand's capital of Bangkok Wednesday, as rioting and fires continued throughout the city.

Chandler Vandergrift, a Calgary documentary-maker in his 20s working in Bangkok, suffered injuries to his brain, legs and arms after a M79 grenade exploded less than 70 metres from him, said freelance photographer Nick Nostitz.

"He needed brain surgery. Doctors don't really know yet, but they believe he might be handicapped," he said in an interview with Canwest News Service.

Doctors operated on Vandergrift's brain Wednesday. He's in the Bangkok Christian Hospital. A hospital supervisor told Canwest News Service he is in serious but stable condition and remained in its intensive care unit as of Thursday morning local time.

He is the second Canadian injured in the city in the last week, where demonstrators have turned central Bangkok into a war zone.

Calgary photojournalist Nelson Rand was also seriously wounded Friday after he was struck by three bullets in his leg, abdomen and wrist while reporting on the protests. Vandergrift was good friends with the 34-year-old Rand.

Nostitz, a German photographer who has lived and worked in Bangkok since 1993, said the grenade was thrown by a radical faction of the antigovernment "red shirt" protesters. The grenade was not aimed at the journalists but rather at army officers standing nearby, he said.

"We (the journalists) were there with the army . . . there were also three soldiers badly injured as well," Nostitz said.

The aftermath of the military assault on the "red shirt" camp Wednesday left at least six people dead, including an Italian journalist, Agence France-Presse reported.

Vandergrift has been working on a documentary titled A Land Apart, reporting from Thailand's Red Zone, to "tell the story of oppression and military-invoked violence that has lead to a separatist movement," according to the documentary's synopsis.

"It is a civil war by any standard. In the Muslim-dominated southern region of Thailand, it has killed over 4,000 people since 2004."

Vandergrift graduated in 2006 from the department of Pacific and Asian studies at the University of Victoria and then undertook graduate studies in conflict analysis and management at Royal Roads University, also in Victoria.

Helen Lansdowne, associate director of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives at UVic, said Vandergrift was "completely aware" of the risks of working in Thailand.

"He wasn't just after some sort of excitement. He would've been there because he understood the issues and he would've understood the complexities of them," said Lansdowne, who taught Vandergrift a number of courses.

He was "really passionate and very committed" to human rights, she said.

"It saddens me so much that he's been hurt, because he is a great guy and really bright. On the other hand, it doesn't surprise me that he would've been there right in the thick of it," said Lansdowne.

"He would've been out there wanting to take photographs, wanting to capture it on cameras so there would be some sort of historical record of it.

A post on Vandergrift's blog a day before the attack described the scene from the front lines of escalating clashes between military snipers and protesters.

"Sharpened sticks, erratic fireworks, noisy but useless large bamboo-made canons (sic), sling shots, and rocks are trying to fight against snipers hiding behind sandbags and perched on rooftops," he wrote on Tuesday.

"I watched while taking cover from an intense firefight, a black-clad guard assemble an M-16 assault rifle and return fire towards the hi-rise buildings surrounding the red camp.

On Sunday, he wrote on Facebook to his friends and family: "Still safe, thanks for everyone's concern!"

Nostitz, who met Vandergrift in 2006, said he "made the effort" to visit local villages and countryside to understand the political unrest, "unlike most journalist and photographers."

"He was always very interested in Thailand, in the political situation of Thailand," Nostitz said of Vandergrift. "He cared about the situation, about the country and about the problems."

Nostitz, author of the book Red vs. Yellow: Thailand's Crisis of Identity, said he nearly got killed in Thailand last week.

"The experience was a blessing in disguise. It was the most horrible experience I've had in my life, and it made me very, very, very scared," he said. "It's an apocalyptic situation right now in Thailand."

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa "is aware that a Canadian citizen was wounded in Bangkok, Thailand," it said. "Consular assistance is being provided to the subject."

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs updated its travel warning to Bangkok Wednesday and is now advising Canadians against all travel to and within the capital city because of the political demonstrations. The department's website calls the situation in the capital city "very volatile with extreme risk for further civil unrest, violent clashes, and attacks."

"Canada urges calm at this time, and calls on all sides to refrain from engaging in violence and destruction," Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon said in a statement Wednesday. "Canada also calls on the Thai government and protest groups to work together constructively to bring about peace and stability and reinvest in Thailand's democratic institutions and processes."

The Canadian embassy in Bangkok remains closed to the public.

Check the Calgary Herald website for the story.

Also for those red shirt supporters here on the Forum - the reason why fewer Thai soldiers were killed this time was because they were wearing their flak jackets. On April 10, they were not expecting black shirts with grenades, AK47s and sniper rifles, so did not have them on. You should also note that many photos show Thai soldiers carrying shot guns - which is not a standard Thai army weapon. In earlier posts this is the "rubber coated bullets" (well more like rubber coated pellets) weapon bought recently for riot control.

In fire fights - there will be civilian casualties and I am 100% sure that both sides were the cause of many of the deaths. So presuming that the army "massacred" all the innocent civilians is making a false conclusion. I would also say that it is also premature to blame the army on the temple deaths.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Vulcan

[thepodest]

Interesting article:

Thai soldiers shoot unarmed man outside gates of temple refuge, then shoot monk trying to retrieve the body

Funnily, you quickly concluded that Thai soldiers shot them. Don't forget that army is not the only guy with the guns.

[dttk0009]

Interesting article:

Thai soldiers shoot unarmed man outside gates of temple refuge, then shoot monk trying to retrieve the body

Funnily, you quickly concluded that Thai soldiers shot them. Don't forget that army is not the only guy with the guns.

But don't you remember? The red shirts only have handmade guns. The damage on those is so limited! They would have to have been within 10 meters. Clearly the terrorists here are the soldiers who have vowed to protect the innocent civilians, who are under constant watch from both local and international media.

There is so much proof that the red shirts are nothing but an extremist political faction with an armed terrorist wing I'm surprised that anyone here can still even stand on their side, no matter what ideology they previously had.

[jdinasia]

Interesting article:

Thai soldiers shoot unarmed man outside gates of temple refuge, then shoot monk trying to retrieve the body

Funnily, you quickly concluded that Thai soldiers shot them. Don't forget that army is not the only guy with the guns.

Actually the story says the shooters were military BUT did not tell the reader anything more than that. (The black shirts were dressed as military too.)

Other than that Datum lied. They did NOT shoot the monk. The reporter stated they shot AT them. Those pesky little prepositions get in the way so often don't they!

[datum]

Interesting article:

Thai soldiers shoot unarmed man outside gates of temple refuge, then shoot monk trying to retrieve the body

Funnily, you quickly concluded that Thai soldiers shot them. Don't forget that army is not the only guy with the guns.

1st: I just used the title of the article as appeared in the first source (Reuters). this is not my conclusion it is the "Reuter's" title

2nd: Read the article, you will see that it says it was the military that shoot. For the media (and for un-biased thinking people) military is the army

Edited May 20, 2010 by datum

[KMUTT]

*post moved to other thread

Edited May 20, 2010 by KMUTT