Thai Government Accuses Reds Over Huge Weapons Cache

[Thai at Heart]

Yes. But did it come from the person who wrote the article (or the editor), or did the government say it?

How would anyone know here? Unless they have a transcript of the conference.

If you type the relevant headline into google, it is being carried as exactly that by just about everyone. However, hiding in the paper we should not mention I find this little caveat

we found a lot of lethal weapons,"

So it may be that the "media" that has been so reviled by everyone around here, has done their own inflation of the amount.

And irony of ironies, on the front page of the Nation right now, the headline is precisely this as opposed to a "huge" amount, whenever the original headline was posted, it now reads.

Seized weapons put on display

A large amount of weapons found after the Army dispersed red-shirt protesters from their protest in central Bangkok were shown at a press conference by the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) yesterday that was also attended by diplomats and military attach�s from 51 countries.

So sorry to be a pedant, but a "huge" arms cache to me would suggest that the Red's were planning a significant offensive against the army. Which is something we have never seen in Thailand and would have had even more serious consequences than there already have been.

Of course, we will forgive the possible intention by the Nation to sensationalize the headline.

As for:

However, the truth was revealed when police and military officials inspected the site after the rally ended and found many weapons, as witnessed by members of the media, said Suthep, the CRES director. He said the government would continue to hunt culprits who had fled, who still had heavy weapons to cause more violence.

Anyone got a report?

[lannarebirth]

Very few soldiers were shot!

There is no official record detailing the cause of soldiers injuries.

Why? because the report would clearly show all injuries were caused either by "friendly fire" or the result of normal crowd control.

The Thai army murdered over 100 of their own people.

Thats a fact!

My empathetic side is embarassed for you. My reasoning side suggests you look up the definition of what a "fact" is.

[Rucharee]

What the Red Leaders said:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBDm-jA3N80

What a Frang said:

[Thai at Heart]

I just realised, that the initial authors of this report were AFP.

So as we all know, instead of putting out their own story and language, both the Nation and the Post (who presumably would have had their own reporters there) simply put it in the newspaper.

Why are these newspapers using AFP stories for press conferences that go on in Bangkok? Can't they write English.

AFP journalists reporting at the protest zone for the past two months have seen only a handful of firearms in the hands of protesters, who were mostly armed only with crude weapons like rockets and Molotov cocktails.

So the AFP is either semi-apologizing for repeatedly reporting that the red's were unarmed, or they are surreptitiously implying that they don't believe the story.

Isn't the media a wonderful thing.

http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/thanong/2010/05/22/entry-3

In fact the most detailed account of the press conference I have seen so far, is contained in here. Good, at least someone else other than the AFP bureau in Bangkok appears to have been present.

The Reds had placed four car bombs at different locations around Rajaprasong before the government troops moved in to quash them on May 19, 2010. Fortunately, the soldiers intervened in time before the car bombs could explode. This critical information, revealed by Dr Pornthip Rojanasunant, director of the Forensic Department, showed that the Reds adopted a terrorist tactic similar to that of the southern insurgents.

Dr Pornthip said today that the first car bomb was placed at the Ploenchit intersection. The container truck was equipped with a bomb disguised as a fire extinguisher. A red attempted to explode the car bomb, but he was overwhelmed by the military. There were six buckets containing a white chemical near the container truck. Once the chemical was mixed with oil and phosphorus, it would set explosions.

The Red protesters left behind their ID cards and also UDD cards during a hectic retreat. It is believed that the UDD guards seized the ID cards of the protesters as a measure to deter them from leaving the rally site for their homes in the upcountry.

Suthep Thuagsuban, the deputy prime minister, briefs the ambassadord and military attache from 51 countries at the 11th Infantry Regiment. On display are weapons, explosives and other ammunitions sezied from the Red Shirts by the government soldiers.

Soldiers probe a railway track at Makkasan.

The second car bomb, Dr Pornthip said, was parked in front of Mater Dei School. A six-wheeled truck was loaded with gas tanks. The Reds did not have time to explode it.

The third case was a genuine car bomb, according to Dr Pornthip. The Reds parked the container to block the bridge over Khlong Saen Sab at Chidlom. On the day of the military crackdown, the Reds attempted to set fire at vehicle wheels to explode the container and also attempted to spark a wire, but explosion did not happen. After the crackdown, the soldiers examined the container truck and found out that it was equipped with sophisticated bomb devices. Once the vehicle was lifted, the explosion would occur.

The fourth case of car bomb took place at Chalerm Loke Bridge at Central World. A pick-up truck was parked there. Inside, there was a C-4 bomb with a trigger. Dr Pornthip said the pick-up truck was ready to transform itself into a car bomb.

Suthep Thuagsuban, the deputy prime minister, invited ambassadors and military attache from 51 countries to the 11th Infantry Regiment to get a briefing on the government's crackdown on the Red Shirts. He said the Reds left over many war weapons and ammunition such as M-79, M16, guns, grenades and other kinds of explosives at Rajaprasong during their retreat. "I would like to affirm that the terrorists still have escaped with many weapons with them. We are trying to go after them now," said Suthep.

Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the army's spokesman, also said the burning of Bangkok following the Red leaders' announcement of an end of the rally took place with a pre-meditated plan, with orders coming from the masterminds outside and inside the country. He showed video clips of the Red leaders issuing orders to burn Bangkok and pictures of the Reds dressed in military uniform to create a deception. Weapons and ammunitions of the Reds seized by the government soldiers were also put on display for the diplomats to see

Quite why it is hiding on the blogs, I don't know. There are a lot of good details in the report.

[whitfield]

What it really comes down to is this: If they weren't there it wouldn't have happened.

Good night.

[OzMick]

Think you should accept the reality, as have most Thai people I know , that the Thai military targeted, shot and killed Thai people.

In cold blood.

It's pretty clear, I think.

We will all pay the consequences later because this problem is not going away.

I wish it was, but I don't think it will.

ph

Think you should accept the reality, as have most Thai people I know , that the red shirts targeted, shot and killed Thai people.

In cold blood.

It's pretty clear, I think.

But the military were doing there job as ordered by a legal govt trying to maintain law and order - the red shirts were causing a rebellion on orders and payment of Thaksin.

It's pretty clear, I think.

But all red apologists can do is deny deny deny and hopefully obfuscate.

[SomTumTiger]

Since the Reds used or lost most of their weapons, I guess this guy will have to go back to wielding his great big bloody knife.

[hyperdimension]

Here's something about an M79 grenade launcher factory near Lumpini police station, from the article Sifting through Thailand's ashes by William Barnes:

The Thai police, many of whom had seemed uninterested in interfering in the UDD's operations (one backdoor into the red citadel ran around or possibly through the Lumpini police station), did uncover several shops manufacturing launchers for the Vietnam-era weapon. (See this footage, for example, from Thai television.)

[JetsetBkk]

Since the Reds used or lost most of their weapons, I guess this guy will have to go back to wielding his great big bloody knife.

I remember that picture. It was from several months ago, wasn't it?

Worth digging it out again, though.

Edited May 23, 2010 by JetsetBkk

[Skywalker69]

Maybe. Maybe not, but there are plenty of videos of the blackshirts with automatic assault rifles and grenade launchers, so it does not really matter all that much.

Ulysses, could you please give us a link to these "plenty of videos of the blackshirts with automatic assault rifles and grenade launchers"?

I just havn't seen any! only a couple of grainy videos of protesters with one or two hand guns.

Proof please

Google "Ronin warriors" and you will find them.

[wayfarer108]

What the Red Leaders said:

For these exhortations from Thaksin and his stage puppers alone, the UDD should be declared an illegal terrorist organisation, immediately.

[SPQR]

Deny, deny, deny. This is all the redshirt supporters can do now. They are confronted with the following facts:

1) They held the central part of the city hostage for weeks

2) They attacked and killed several soldiers, police, and reporters while injuring hundreds of others

3) They burned down 38 buildings in Bangkok, plus various government buildings and schools upcountry

4) Their leaders called for these actions on stage and discussed them in interviews

And despite the clear case against them they have the temerity to deny, deny, deny. All evidence must have been planted they say. It wasn't us that burned, it was the government. Our leaders didn't really mean those things they said in full view of the public. Our protests were peaceful they say. I call BS. This is the most ridiculous case of doublespeak and denial of facts I have ever witnessed.

Following the communist doctrine for revolution like a checklist.

We would all do well to remain aware of who is doing the denying. The former communists making valuable contributions to both sides are vulnerable to being lumped in with the bad element trying for communism in the here and now.

I suppose it is possible that Maoist tactics are merely useful strategy for an underdog movement, where the real political outcome being sought is democracy, but the tactics empower party leadership to go farther in consolidating power once an aim of gaining primacy is achieved. If the reds come to powe by a majority vote in a timely election or in a premature election, what they brought with them can poison their party machinery and they have missed the mark - not a representative government after all - a socialist government that radically undervalues individual freedom, which undermines individual success for the low income majority even less than the small truth that seeds the propaganda slogans touting economic slavery perpetrated by aristocracy.

That small truth is at the tip of a large income inequality. At the tip of the larger issues of land title and public education. The PAD has programs to support to respond constructively to these problems, and join a public debate on how to fund these measures. But no budget.

No budget yet.

Giving the reds the only visible public advocacy to deal the low-income majority's major problems is, imho, an uncomfortable silence right now. (Appreciated, there is more exciting stuff to talk about right now)

And this is out of place for a thread about weapons. I guess...

[Skywalker69]

What the Red Leaders said:

For these exhortations from Thaksin and his stage puppers alone, the UDD should be declared an illegal terrorist organisation, immediately.

Comment of the day!!!!

[SiangDeeMahk]

You naive idiot! I assure you kevlar will not protect you from an M-79 or amor piercing round! You obviously have never served in the military!

Apparently, neither have you. And that's some un-needed name calling there, Bud. (especially since you're wrong)

Kevlar vests, and CERTAINLY Kevlar helmets DO stop shrapnel, which is exactly what's created when an M79 detonates.

Shrapnel in a Kevlar vest

In fact, stopping shrapnel is really all that a Kevlar helmet is actually spec'd to do (flak jackets do the same thing). Shrapnel is NOT the same as an "armor piercing round", although Kevlar armor stops pistol rounds, even from fairly close, and if outfitted with the latest ceramic plate inserts (effective, but dam_n heavy), they actually can stop some rifle rounds at certain distances (in a way that Kevlar alone can't possibly). Kevlar helmets have even been known to oddly deflect (ricochet) or unpredictably alter a rifle round's path (so that it actually circled the wearer's head inside the helmet leaving a slight nick, instead of driving straight through it, but that's not typical of it's design characteristics.

And no, I'm not in, nor have ever been in any military.. I just know how to do research. Perhaps you should try that route too, since either you haven't been in the military, or you were such a bad soldier that you didn't learn anything in your training.

So what does this mean? It means there's many clear reasons why there were less fatalities on the armored army trooper's side, than the knee-length shorts, tank-top and flipflop wearing Baan Nawk-er's side, and Kevlar is definitely one of those reasons.

And, to everyone else who believes this is all just some vast wag-the-dog show by the Oxford educated PM:

I can't fathom how there can still be some kind of argument suggesting the reason the army didn't have as many fatalities is because the Reds weren't really bearing and using (albeit poorly), lethal weapons. Cause that's just a bunch of "horsehockey". - General Sherman T. Potter M*A*S*H 4077

And do you really think the army (with the world watching) would be blasting off grenades at flipflop-wearing Thais right in the streets? And isn't it STRANGE that there hasn't been a SINGLE video, or media report, or tweet showing the army was actually using grenades, only a simple demonstration LIVE ON CRES TV that the M79 shell cant even be fired from the army's teargas canister launcher, (but plenty showing the Reds could and were firing them).... and isn't it strange that the group that seemed to be showing almost any injuries inline with grenade explosions was THE ARMY, not the Reds? Do you believe the army were launching grenades on themselves? Of course, they weren't. Doesn't that have to mean the grenades were fired by the Reds? DOESN'T THAT MEAN THE "PEACEFUL" REDS WERE IN FACT USING LETHAL FORCE??

And is it so hard to comprehend that their "military Seh Daeng leader" was removed from the situation prematurely, and therefore wasn't able to "command" all the stockpiled weapons into the battlefield (as originally planned, and even BOASTED of), before the army reached the Reds weapons depot?

Enough already. The Reds never came in Peace. Being armed, and being pre-set to light the fuses and burn everything was in their master plan..the whole time. LOOOOOK!!!! They even SAY SO, themselves, in several key video clips now widely available on the Internet. I mean, how they gonna put up big RED banners that say "peaceful", then right under those banners, spend 2 months indoctrinating the group assembled there to go out and kill and burn everything down? Democracy, my ass!

The sooner you Red armchair apologists can accept that, the sooner you'll be able to stop wasting so much time dreaming up outlandish conspiracy theorys.

They did it. We know they did it. They MEANT to do it.

The questions now should be:

Who made them (paid them) to do it? (and prove that)

How can that person be stopped from paying them to do it again?

::::yawn:::: ok.. sleeptime.

<edit for typos>

Edited May 23, 2010 by SiangDeeMahk

[iasian]

Not exactly a lot of dead soldiers are there ??

Either the reds were lousy marksmen or most of them were not using firearms.

Just so you know, during the Vietnam war the ratio of bullets fired to enemy soldiers killed was around 65000:1 for the american troops.

That is 65 000 rounds of ammo fired for every confirmed kill.

The reasons are several, but to claim that untrained individual would be able to kill many soldiers over long distances is action-movie thinking.

Well there is that Essan Rambo on the red side.

[iasian]

The massive weapons cache's suddenly being found by government sources defies belief. I followed the SWAT team through the temple with two dogs. There was a third dog working in a separate part of the temple. I watched the SWAT team check every monks quarters and clear them. I watched them clear each part of the temple. By the time the temple had been declared "cleared" they had found a bucket of slingshots, and a handful of ping-pong "bombs" and fire crackers.

By the time I left the temple they had had not searched the well though and it is claimed some munitions were found there. As to that point I cannot comment as I did not look in the well.

It's a shame you didn't stick around, because the Thai TV news broadcasted the retrieval of war materials from the temple pond.

Personally I saw handguns on two occasions - once at San Liame Din Daeng in the hands of local hoons and once at Lumphini Park in the hands of a black suited red-shirts guard.

The vast majority of the "arts and crafts" munitions displayed by CRES is designed for machine guns. The red-shirts had no machine guns. It should noted that the ammunition displayed shows every fifth round as being a tracer round.

I also very thoroughly searched the backstage area on Wednesday night prior to the army arriving (did not arrive until Thursday afternoon) and found no weapons or munitions of any kind. My search included the leaders rest room, the VIP area and under the stage.

During the army advance into the red-shirt protest area I spent considerable time at Sarasin Rd. There were no sounds of machine gun fire or M79 or M67 grenades exploding. During the military advance I only once saw a person with a handgun (as noted above). I also walked through and inspected many of the tents along Rajadmiri Road leading back to the stage and found only a few shell casings in the medical tent at Sarasin Rd. The casing indicated they were from the Thai Army comprising 5.56mm rounds and the distinctive opaque 00-buckshot cartridges being used.

While I won't say the red-shirts did not have any weapons, the great lie being told by the Thai government now should be recognized for what it is.

Aren't you the same "journalist" who also described the Reds as having 400,000 at their rally in your blog, when every other respected media outlet with actual news outlets were reporting only a quarter of that number?

[iasian]

Credibility is the issue and at this point ... the gov has it and many "journalists" don't.

As per above example, we are in agreement.

It also explains why the "journalist" no longer writes for the forum news service after a very brief trial run. I looked back at those threads and it was apparent credibility was the crucial factor missing.

[Ulysses G.]

This is NOT a HUGE arms cache. A huge arms cache can arm, huge amounts of people.

Last night Al Jazeera showed a HUGE number of assault rifles, grenade launchers and grenades that were

found - on film. Apparently the cache was too HUGE to put in one photo.

[KireB]

The number of weapons found is not important. The main question is who instignated the violence. The army, the reds or third parties related to whatever party.

[brahmburgers]

I find it convenient that all these weapons of mass destruction were found.

Has anyone wondered why they were not used? Smells a bit fishy.

When an armed force has weapons and ammo, whether it be a legit armed force or insurgents, they don't necessarily use all their ammo up by the time the battle is over.

There had been a lot of empty threats by gov't (to disperse the protesters) prior to the actual action - so Red combatants didn't know when the clean-up assault would actually be, or if it would be final. Are you asserting that because insurgents didn't use all their ammo, the whole thing 'smells a bit fishy'?

There are a few ways for a losing side to dispose of weapons. They can toss them, they can give them away, they can hide them, they can try to destroy them, or they can try to sneak them out. They were spooked about sneaking weapons out because security forces, by the time of the final push, would have likely caught them with weapons, and put them in the clinker for a long time (unless the culprits were fellow army/police officers, then they'd let them out the back door when no one was looking).

[AleG]

I think this one is better at showing the red shirts "only having fire crackers". Watch at about 30 seconds.

In fact that guy doing shooting motions doesn't have anything more than a red scoop with a long wooden handle, I've seen a fuller video of that and it's clear it's not a weapon.

There are several videos of armed protesters but this one is not one of them.

On the other hand put yourself on the other side of the barricade, you see and hear detonations from the tire wall, and someone pops up pretending (unknown to you) to fire a weapon in your direction. With all the smoke around it would be hard to see clearly, how can the soldiers be blamed if they shoot back with actual weapons?

The guy with the metal tube shooting large fireworks, see it from the other side, you see a metal tube poking out and then something is fired from it making a big explosion, firework or M79, how can you tell for sure? would you take the risk of not trying to shoot the attacker until you do?

This idiots in the barricades were taking it as play, see how the laugh and cheer when they lobe molotov cocktails and fireworks towards the soldiers, isn't the concept of "if you play with fire you will end up burnt" known in Thailand?

[spectrumisgreen]

There's some complete b's on here from sympathisers/ apologists!!... who says non of these weapons found were used? Lots were from ongoing reports!! And no, most of the Reds were not using firearms, but that's hardly the point is it? How many people in a crowd do you need to aim and shoot a gun/grenades/home made bombs at you before you 'click-on' that this isn't a peaceful rally?? The Red leaders have never denounced those who WERE using weapons from behind their own ranks, only stuck with the line that those nasty soldiers are shooting (back!) at us 'peaceful' people!! Some of these people were threatening to rape nurses, after storming their hospital, for God's sake!! As for those on here (strangely) trying to point out that the army had/used more guns - doh! - isn't that what army's do?!! If I try to shoot a soldier, can I then demand only one can fire back at me?? Good thinking guys!! Wake up and smell the thorns, you crusaders!!!

[pedro01]

I think this one is better at showing the red shirts "only having fire crackers". Watch at about 30 seconds.

In fact that guy doing shooting motions doesn't have anything more than a red scoop with a long wooden handle, I've seen a fuller video of that and it's clear it's not a weapon.

There are several videos of armed protesters but this one is not one of them.

On the other hand put yourself on the other side of the barricade, you see and hear detonations from the tire wall, and someone pops up pretending (unknown to you) to fire a weapon in your direction. With all the smoke around it would be hard to see clearly, how can the soldiers be blamed if they shoot back with actual weapons?

The guy with the metal tube shooting large fireworks, see it from the other side, you see a metal tube poking out and then something is fired from it making a big explosion, firework or M79, how can you tell for sure? would you take the risk of not trying to shoot the attacker until you do?

This idiots in the barricades were taking it as play, see how the laugh and cheer when they lobe molotov cocktails and fireworks towards the soldiers, isn't the concept of "if you play with fire you will end up burnt" known in Thailand?

Well - I do wonder about this. You have guys on the 'front line' on the reds side shooting fireworks at armed soldiers. Was this their idea or was someone instructing them to do that ?

If it was someone instructing them and giving them the fireworks to shoot, you have to wonder about their motives. It seems to me that this is 'suicide by army' - putting people in the firing line with a lot of non-lethal weapons that appear lethal from the other side. It's either madness or a great plan to show 'innocent' protesters getting shot.

[Insight]

^ The age of the kid lighting the fuse won't be lost on many people either...

Interestingly Al-Jazeera used these clips when interviewing the "Human Rights lawyer" Amsterdam:

[Mario2008]

1 post containing reference to the monarchy deleted.

[whybother]

6 undetonated carbombs found at Rajprasong, meant to completely blow up the area

Head Forensic Department Dr Pornthip Rojanasunan disclosed that car bombs were found by security task force in 4 Rajprasong areas. The bombs were put together in a manner almost ready to detonate, she said. Government Spokesperson Dr Panithan Watanayakorn pointed out that they were meant to blow up Rajprasong area.

Earlier today, Dr Pornthip had found almost 1,000 suspected explosive materials scattered around Rajprasong. DNA cross matching is currently in progress.

-- Tan Network 2010-05-22

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

For the gov to blame a drunken and loud mouth Brit for torching central world is ludicrous....<snip> ...it was well known by the underground "reds" that central was the target...it makes me angry that the thai gov tries to shift blame for what happened to a stupid Brit who had no right even being there...he was just mouthing off what the "reds" on the scene had told him...the weapons cache is further evidence that their intent was to raise mayhem in this great city and country...thats my opinion

The government aren't BLAMING the Brit for "torching" central world. He may have been involved, and he has admitted to being at the Channel 3 torching (although he said he didn't do it).

But his little rant did indicate that the torching was pre-planned, and it was clearly done by red shirt protestors.

Edited May 24, 2010 by whybother

[inquisitive]

^ The age of the kid lighting the fuse won't be lost on many people either...

Interestingly Al-Jazeera used these clips when interviewing the "Human Rights lawyer" Amsterdam:

So much to comment about that it is not even reasonable to attempt such a thing. But I think I can add to the truth we are all seeking by stating that my family was involved in the demonstrations. I am only reporting here what I have heard from their own mouths. I believe them because I do not know of any reason why they might not tell me the truth at the time I learned these things.

One aunt and uncle called from the rally simply because they were scared. They had travelled down from Buriram with the red shirts because it was between seasons on their farm and they were promised money for what was to be a one week jaunt to the big city with their friends. They are not red shirts at heart, but the package was just too attractive to pass up. When they called me, however, they had been there for over a month and were getting frightened. The leaders had confiscated their identity cards and they were told that they had to show up at 6PM each evening or not get paid. They beleved that they might actually never receive all they were promised because the payments were already late, so they would have left way back then except for one other detail. It seems they were also told that if they did not show up they would be considered deserters, and would be found and murdered. They believed what they were told, and so far as I know they stuck it out to the end.

Another from the village was a 90+ year old woman. She also came for the money and also had her id card taken. She does not speak Thai, cannot read, had no money, and had no idea how to get home. In her case, however, the story is happier since she managed to get a call out to her son who drove down from Buriram and took her back. At the moent I do not know what happened to her id card as she did not say and I did not think of it when I had the chance to ask.

The point of the stories of these three people is that they were seen as disenfranchised, poor rural folk who came to Bangkok to risk their lives to bring democracy to Thailand. In truth they were uneducated and bored farmers duped by the Red leaders to become slave connon-fodder for the Reds' hidden agenda. How representative they are of the group as a whole I do not know, but from their stories I can state with total conviction that somebody's money played a huge part in the demonstrations, and that the Red Shirts did not really give a Fark about the welfare of their "followers."

[Arkady]

Unarmed Reds, Amnesty International decrying the treatment of the poor innocents - BS, pure BS. Armed militants who should be treated as enemy combatants, if shown to have participated in a violent way.

They should not be treated as enemy combatants because that would require that they be held in POW camps until hostilities are over and then returned to the enemy power. They should be treated as common criminals and charged with violation of the emergency decree, kidnatpping, assault, theft, possession of war weapons, murder, attempted murder, arson, treason & etc.

[Arkady]

There's some complete b's on here from sympathisers/ apologists!!... who says non of these weapons found were used? Lots were from ongoing reports!! And no, most of the Reds were not using firearms, but that's hardly the point is it? How many people in a crowd do you need to aim and shoot a gun/grenades/home made bombs at you before you 'click-on' that this isn't a peaceful rally?? The Red leaders have never denounced those who WERE using weapons from behind their own ranks, only stuck with the line that those nasty soldiers are shooting (back!) at us 'peaceful' people!! Some of these people were threatening to rape nurses, after storming their hospital, for God's sake!! As for those on here (strangely) trying to point out that the army had/used more guns - doh! - isn't that what army's do?!! If I try to shoot a soldier, can I then demand only one can fire back at me?? Good thinking guys!! Wake up and smell the thorns, you crusaders!!!

Violence is clearly a key part of the strategy of the red shirt movement, even though all the leaders and followers may not agree or even be aware of it. The leaders who are controlling it, whose names and mug shots may not be known to the public, have planned to use violence to spearhead the movement from the beginning. This is very evident from their performance in Pattaya and Bangkok in April 2009 and from the clever strategy of provoking the troops to come out near Phan Fa on April 10th where they had a nasty surprise waiting for them. Without armed men in their ranks their rallies this year would have been broken up soon after April 10th. It is not surprising that some of the non-hard core red shirts at Rajprasong feared being murdered, as well as losing their arrears of pay, if they deserted the rallies.

The main financial sponsor of the riots also has a clear disposition towards using violence as a tool to show his power and get what he wants. Look at his actions when he became PM. An early piece of black TV drama he set up was to parade in front of the bright lights and TV cameras several men who had just been informed a few minutes earlier they were about to be executed, pitifully dragging their chains and saying their last prayers on their way to the execution shed. The TV crews could even hear the shots ring out from the topping shed. Most were executed for crimes that, while evil and anti-social, would only have netted 5-6 years in prison in Western democracies. Then came his "war on drugs" where the police drew up black lists of people targetted for death and provincial governors were ordered to compete with other to achieve the highest body counts. Many of those murdered had nothing to do with drugs and the drug trade continued unabated with police connivance. Thaksin also embarked on a policy of violence in the South, ordering police to get quick results by whatever methods they chose. He unleashed a stream of obscene atrocities in the South, including the Tak Bai and Krue Ser massacres, that have set the South ablaze with unquenchable flames. Now he has succeeded in igniting Bangkok and the rest of the country.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Arkady

[jdinasia]

6 undetonated carbombs found at Rajprasong, meant to completely blow up the area

Head Forensic Department Dr Pornthip Rojanasunan disclosed that car bombs were found by security task force in 4 Rajprasong areas. The bombs were put together in a manner almost ready to detonate, she said. Government Spokesperson Dr Panithan Watanayakorn pointed out that they were meant to blow up Rajprasong area.

Earlier today, Dr Pornthip had found almost 1,000 suspected explosive materials scattered around Rajprasong. DNA cross matching is currently in progress.

-- Tan Network 2010-05-22

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

For the gov to blame a drunken and loud mouth Brit for torching central world is ludicrous....<snip> ...it was well known by the underground "reds" that central was the target...it makes me angry that the thai gov tries to shift blame for what happened to a stupid Brit who had no right even being there...he was just mouthing off what the "reds" on the scene had told him...the weapons cache is further evidence that their intent was to raise mayhem in this great city and country...thats my opinion

The government aren't BLAMING the Brit for "torching" central world. He may have been involved, and he has admitted to being at the Channel 3 torching (although he said he didn't do it).

But his little rant did indicate that the torching was pre-planned, and it was clearly done by red shirt protestors.

His rant did more than that .... it indicated that this was "common knowledge" inside the Red camp. It would indicate that he heard it discussed openly (unless you think he was the instigator) and means that the mob itself is actually culpable in all that happened.