Govt Boosts Security Following Bomb Attacks In Bangkok, Major Provinces

[webfact]

Govt boosts security following bomb attacks in Bangkok, major provinces

By The Nation

The government tightened secu¬rity following a series of bomb attacks in the capital and major provinces, while redshirt groups have begun activities to commemorate the 2006 coup's fourth anniversary and the fourth month since the Rajprasong crackdown.

A bomb went off in front of Chiang Mai Construction in the early hours of yesterday and observers said the explosion might have been motivated by politics. The company belongs to influential politician Newin Chidchob's fatherinlaw, Kanan Supa. There were no reports of casualties.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he had received a report from Chiang Mai on the explosion, but had come to no conclusion about the motivation or a mastermind.

The explosion, however, would add pressure to a tense political situation, he said.

"As I said earlier, there would be some difficulties within a week or two so that the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES) must tighten security controls," Abhisit told reporters.

Asked if the government was confident about its measures to control the situation, the Prime Minister said: "There is no other way. The CRES and other con¬cerned agencies have security plans."

The Chiang Mai explosion took place after a number of bombs were discovered in sev¬eral places, including a shop¬ping mall in the capital last week.

Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, leader of the June 24 group and editor of Red Power magazine, said his followers would organ¬ise an event to commemorate the September 19 coup this week at Rajprasong Intersection and in Chiang Mai province.

"Don't worry, it will not be a redshirt demonstration but a commemoration of an undemoc¬ratic incident," he said. "It is an open activity in a civil society."

Somyot's Red Power maga¬zine was shut down by the CRES as the centre alleged it provoked antigovernment sen¬timent.

Abhisit said the government would not block the redshirt rally as long as it did not block roads or entrances, obstruct officials from doing their duty or violate other laws.

Abhisit linked the redshirt groups' movement to the oppo¬sition Pheu Thai Party, saying some members of the party such as Jatuporn Promphan are key leaders of the red shirts.

But the party offered no good signs for reconciliation as it changed its structure and intro¬duced a new set of leaders. The party would make a decision tomorrow whether former police chief Kowit Wattana would replace Yongyuth Wichaidit.

"The change in the [Pheu Thai] party is a good sign and we should be able to work together more easily, but while some members of the party retain their aggressive manner, we cannot change them," Abhisit said.

Red activities marking 4th anniversary of coup

Sept 17: Jatuporn Promphan will lead red shirts in laying roses in front of the Bangkok Remand Prison. Other reds can gather and lay roses in front of other prisons where their peers are being detained.

Sept 18: The reds, led by Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, will gather in front of Imperial World Lat Phrao to begin a vehicle procession from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Fifty vehicles will take part.

Sept 19: Sombat Boon-ngarm-anong will lead red shirts in

making merit at the Hua Lampong Temple in the morning. Sombat and the reds will then gather at 1 pm at the Democracy Monument from where they will ride bicycles to Rajprasong Intersection. They will light candles, place flowers and release balloons at the intersection. Other reds will gather at the intersection at 5pm.

Former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat will hold a parallel demonstration of

red shirts in Chiang Mai.

-- The Nation 2010-09-13

[sirchai]

"Don't worry, it will not be a redshirt demonstration but a commemoration of an undemoc¬ratic incident," he said. "It is an open activity in a civil society."

Don't worry, be happy would make the same sense.

[asiawatcher]

After many bomb free years in Bangkok we now see many bombs and only since the red shirt movement and Thaksin was deposed. And in perfect timing for another spat of bombs found, now the red shirt demonstrations are due. Blind Freddy could add 2 + 2 and get an answer on this and yet the so called leaders like Somyot Pruksakasemsuk try to allay fears by saying they are civilised and try to distance themselves from the radical side of their movement. Kinda reminds me of the peaceful claims by Islam. Maybe they should join forces.

[petedk]

"Don't worry, it will not be a redshirt demonstration but a commemoration of an undemoc¬ratic incident," he said. "It is an open activity in a civil society."

Does anyone believe that?

I would be very surprised if there wasn't any political activity during these meetings and then what? Would the state of emergency be enforced?

Maybe I'm being too pessimistic already.

[hyperdimension]

Could they be charged or fined for littering on a big scale? Ribbons, flowers and balloons are still litter, unless they collect them when they are finished. If they don't collect them afterward then they should be responsible enough to pay for people to clean up what they left behind.

Individual people have been fined in the past for simply throwing cigarette butts onto the ground.

[whybother]

"Don't worry, it will not be a redshirt demonstration but a commemoration of an undemoc¬ratic incident," he said. "It is an open activity in a civil society."

Don't worry, be happy would make the same sense.

Does he mean the protests that tried to undemocratically oust a government?

[Buchholz]

Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, leader of the June 24 group and editor of Red Power magazine

"It is an open activity in a civil society."

"And we will pay homage to the Super Soldier of Democracy !!

From Somyot Pruksakasemsuk's other magazine, Thai Red News

From Thai Red News, February 5-11, 2010

The headline reads: Sae Daeng - Super soldier of Democracy!

From the excellent series, Red Publications, at 2Bangkok.com:

http://2bangkok.com/10/RedPublications1002.shtml