Briton Arrested In Thailand Over Red Shirts Mass Protests

[webfact]

Briton arrested in Thailand over mass protests

BANGKOK (AFP) -- A second British man has been arrested in Thailand for alleged involvement in violent anti-government "Red Shirt" protests earlier this year, police said Thursday.

Keith Wayne Bush, 49, from Manchester was arrested on arson charges at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday after arriving on a flight from the United Arab Emirates, according to immigration police.

His Thai wife, Alisa Bush, 33, was also arrested after she went to the airport to meet him.

A court in northern Chiang Mai province approved arrest warrants for the pair on May 28 for allegedly trying to burn down a town hall, participating in an illegal rally and inciting unrest," said Police Colonel Pakpong Sai-ubon.

"Both denied all the charges," he said.

Pakpong said the Briton fled Thailand shortly before the arrest warrant was approved.

He is the third Westerner to be arrested in connection with the protests, which sparked a series of clashes between demonstrators and armed troops in April and May, leaving 91 people dead and almost 1,900 wounded.

Another Briton and an Australian served six weeks in prison and were released after pleading guilty to violating a state of emergency through their participation in the mass rally, which was seeking immediate elections.

Unrest paralysed much of the capital in April and May, while militant demonstrators set dozens of buildings ablaze including the stock exchange and Central World department store after an army crackdown.

Thai authorities have used their emergency powers to arrest hundreds of suspects, including many top Red Shirts.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-08-26

[Buchholz]

The Chiang Mai Red Shirt Couple:

Khao Sod Newspaper - August 26, 2010

(Article in Thai)

http://www.khaosod.co.th/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRJNE1qZ3dNRGd4TWc9PQ==&catid=0101

[Buchholz]

A court in northern Chiang Mai province approved arrest warrants for the pair on May 28 for allegedly trying to burn down a town hall, participating in an illegal rally and inciting unrest,"

Other Red Shirt activity in Chiang Mai on the day in question, May 19, included burning fire trucks and destruction of municipal CCTV cameras.

A Caucasian man, not altogether dissimilar to the defendant in appearance, is shown at 00:05 of the video adding a tire to fuel an already existing fire on the streets of Chiang Mai:

Edited August 26, 2010 by Buchholz

[TAWP]

Why does most of the ones involved in this tend to look like the same guys you meet outside a football-match, screaming and fighting with fans from the other team?

These are NOT people with an ideological goal, they just like to be a part of something.

[Insight]

I bet at least one of the active Chiang Mai-based TV posters will be able to identify him.

Honestly, how silly does he look.

[theoldgit]

Not the trip back he expected.

[basjke]

Soon there gonna be more foreigners then Thais arrested for those red shirt protest.I knew those protest were farang initiated.

[dumball]

'Insight' timestamp='1282814821' post='3840682']

I bet at least one of the active Chiang Mai-based TV posters will be able to identify him.

Honestly, how silly does he look.

Honestly , I would not say he looks silly , somewhat crestfallen perhaps , but silly , no .

Please keep in mind , this couple has only had charges lain at this time , perhaps you can 'Hang-em-high' at a later date .

[Insight]

I bet at least one of the active Chiang Mai-based TV posters will be able to identify him.

Honestly, how silly does he look.

Honestly , I would not say he looks silly , somewhat crestfallen perhaps , but silly , no .

Please keep in mind , this couple has only had charges lain at this time , perhaps you can 'Hang-em-high' at a later date .

He looks silly.

[SomTumTiger]

Another farang "best and brightest".

[Lumumba]

Why are they sitting so far apart from each other?

Is that how Brits in dress? They dont seem too happy having to pose for the press either.

[Englander]

They dont seem too happy having to pose for the press either.

I know most decent foreigners arrested in a country for acts of terrorism aimed at the current govt. should at least have the decency to smile for the press, it gives us all a bad reputation.

And that shirt well need i say more!

[gpdjohn]

He looks more like 60, not 49.

[BusyBee123]

Must have had a hard paper round

[asiawatcher]

If he was not guilty and had nothing to fear why did he do a runner? Oh yeah, probably had business in UAE - most probably met with Thakky for his payment! LOL.

[Hawk]

He is the third Westerner to be arrested in connection with the protests' date='[/quote']

No the 4th, there was another one arrested in Chiangmai, a teacher, for breaking a sign near the bridge where the others were burning tires.

[gotlost]

He is the third Westerner to be arrested in connection with the protests' date='[/quote']

No the 4th, there was another one arrested in Chiangmai, a teacher, for breaking a sign near the bridge where the others were burning tires.

Na that wasn't a teacher but probably should of been. That was a druggie at a half way house that got busted then off because his halfway house connection.

[TheBarbarian]

let's hope that they have real evidence. Thailand knows by now more political prisoners than Burma. Over 300 are in Thai jails. The only terrorists that walk the streets of Thailand can be found in the South. As they make up the voter base of the Democrat party they are called "insurgents".

[Goshawk]

If he was not guilty and had nothing to fear why did he do a runner? Oh yeah, probably had business in UAE

what amazes me is that the dozy fool thought he could simply just re enter the kingdom again.. did he not realise that as soon he attempted to go through immigration his passport would automatically flag red ? idiot... deserves all thats coming to him (probably a black listing after the hearing too)

as for UAE, this is a common stopover/changing planes country for UK travellers to Thailand.. i seriously doubt that he has the intelligence to be involved in any business there..

[Beetlejuice]

If found guilty, why not just impose the death penalty on this dozy looking tronk?

Why should the tax payers be lumbered with paying for feeding, medical and housing these people in prison their natural enviroment?

[msg362]

If found guilty, why not just impose the death penalty on this dozy looking tronk?

Why should the tax payers be lumbered with paying for feeding, medical and housing these people in prison their natural enviroment?

Goodness, take it easy, if all he did was to throw a tyre ( yes I'm a Brit!!) on an already burning heap in the middle of the road. community service would be good, moving all the motorbikes that clog the pavements ( Brit again!) in Chiang Mai , then sent back to Manchester where there's lots he can do

[Motoon]

Just send him back, he looks daft enough...

[Buchholz]

If found guilty, why not just impose the death penalty on this dozy looking tronk?

Why should the tax payers be lumbered with paying for feeding, medical and housing these people in prison their natural enviroment?

Goodness, take it easy, if all he did was to throw a tyre ( yes I'm a Brit!!) on an already burning heap in the middle of the road.

In the video I posted yesterday on the tire burning, I'm not sure that's even him, but more importantly, even if it was him, that's not all he did. The BP article yesterday cited CCTV footage of him AND his wife involved in attempts to commit arson in Chiang Mai. It does not mention the youtube video I posted, which again, may or may not be him, as the evidence against him. Additionally, the youtube video does not show the arson attempt at city hall, which is the location they are being charged with.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Buchholz

[msg362]

If found guilty, why not just impose the death penalty on this dozy looking tronk?

Why should the tax payers be lumbered with paying for feeding, medical and housing these people in prison their natural enviroment?

Goodness, take it easy, if all he did was to throw a tyre ( yes I'm a Brit!!) on an already burning heap in the middle of the road.

In the video I posted yesterday on the tire burning, I'm not sure that's even him, but more importantly, even if it was him, that's not all he did. The BP article yesterday cited CCTV footage of him AND his wife involved in attempts to commit arson in Chiang Mai. It does not mention the youtube video I posted, which again, may or may not be him, as the evidence against him. Additionally, the youtube video does not show the arson attempt at city hall, which is the location they are being charged with.

point taken, but hanging seems a little extreme!

Just send him back to the UK, what happens to his wife? will she be allowed back to the UK when this is all over or will it mean they have to split up? seems punishment to me, husband in UK can't come to Thailand, wife in Thailand maybe can't come to UK. ?? what about going to the Sudan?, lots going on there.

[animatic]

What is it with this approximate age group?

Seems it is some sort of mid age crisis need to be

a youthful protester like they never were 20 years back.

Certainly the I get to be in a 'group' thing seems in play too.

Seems just another bloke listening to his girlfriend's post brainwashing

rants against Abhisit et al and acting on it as if it were a rational impulse.

That's the problem with absolute imposing information control over a wide area,

it affects not just your target demographic, but also the spill over into

those around them, and that can bring your lies into stark relief outside

the targeted area.This would seem a case in point.

There is little logical reason a Brit of his age should be doing any of this.

So what IS the reason behind his illogical appearing actions?

Edited August 27, 2010 by animatic

[Buchholz]

If found guilty, why not just impose the death penalty on this dozy looking tronk?

Why should the tax payers be lumbered with paying for feeding, medical and housing these people in prison their natural enviroment?

Goodness, take it easy, if all he did was to throw a tyre ( yes I'm a Brit!!) on an already burning heap in the middle of the road.

In the video I posted yesterday on the tire burning, I'm not sure that's even him, but more importantly, even if it was him, that's not all he did. The BP article yesterday cited CCTV footage of him AND his wife involved in attempts to commit arson in Chiang Mai. It does not mention the youtube video I posted, which again, may or may not be him, as the evidence against him. Additionally, the youtube video does not show the arson attempt at city hall, which is the location they are being charged with.

point taken, but hanging seems a little extreme!

Just send him back to the UK, what happens to his wife? will she be allowed back to the UK when this is all over or will it mean they have to split up? seems punishment to me, husband in UK can't come to Thailand, wife in Thailand maybe can't come to UK. ?? what about going to the Sudan?, lots going on there.

I agree in that I don't think it's a death penalty case (now done by lethal injection and not hanging, btw).

Depending on the level of arson and the couple's involvement with it, I wouldn't agree to simply deport him, either. Arson is a serious offense and justifiably has harsh penalties associated with it. If they are convicted of such, I wouldn't be surprised at all if his wife is barred from entering the UK, presuming she's not a UK citizen, upon release from prison. Criminal actions have repercussions as I think these two are going to find out.

In a way, it's too bad they are going to Chiang Mai for processing. Otherwise, Bush might have been able to go the jail where the Australian Purcell is being held prior to his departure from Thailand (there's an update on him in that other thread, btw). Then they could have sit and discussed all things Red in their cell together.

[Mario2008]

1 post deleted and a reply to it. I'm getting irritated with posters considering every Thai woman a bar girl .

[easybullet3]

what I don't understand is how westerners can be arrested for taking part in the rallies,,, but the thai people were just sent home on a bus. what about all the other people burning truck wheels and buildings and causing disruption? they were all given a free ride home after ruining bangkok for 2 months.

[w11guy]

Why does most of the ones involved in this tend to look like the same guys you meet outside a football-match, screaming and fighting with fans from the other team?

These are NOT people with an ideological goal, they just like to be a part of something.

I agree with you. This is just a typical British chav who loves nothing more than a good bit of violence. There are too many of them in Thailand.

[stander]

1 post deleted and a reply to it. I'm getting irritated with posters considering every Thai woman a bar girl .

An irritated moderator, well we can’t have that.