400 Police To Keep Security At Rajprasong Red Shirt Rally On Sunday

[asiawatcher]

The law is very clear now and any more than 5 gathering can activate arrests as long as they start the political crap again. So if the 400 BiB observers get tested what say we all just go out with big sticks and take matters into our own hands. I'm all for vigilante systems and then a few beers after!

[Xonax]

So the Government are sending 400 police to watch the protesters? There will be more police than Red shirts ratio (maybe 10:1).

Why not send 40 boyscouts instead of the 400 police to protect the citizens of Bangkok??

Anyway I guess that the police are being sent there to protect the red shirts, as they will definitely not be welcomed there! I hope that the protesters will take a good look at the ruins of Central World and feel just a little bit guilty!

[Buchholz]

So the Government are sending 400 police to watch the protesters? There will be more police than Red shirts ratio (maybe 10:1).

Why not send 40 boyscouts instead of the 400 police to protect the citizens of Bangkok??

Anyway I guess that the police are being sent there to protect the red shirts, as they will definitely not be welcomed there! I hope that the protesters will take a good look at the ruins of Central World and feel just a little bit guilty!

It'd be good if they even just stopped clapping while Central World burned to the ground.

[MrJohnson]

If this is indeed a few hour event so let them. Route known, police adjusting traffic, etc.

Now if they would try to stay they would breach the arrangement made with the police. Police would be justified to crackdown on them. Make sure there are enough CCTV's working, invite some foreign journalists and give them police as protection. the organizers are responsible and cannot hide behind arguments like 'our supporters didn't want to go'.

May be the government should prepare a press package detailing what it is about, what arrangements have been made, and how organizers plan to disperse with their protesters after the happening (i.e. later that day).

I wonder if Dan Rivers will be covering the event?

[bdenner]

Quite amusing how some self stylized "experts" want to give advice about something they have got no clue about. Before you contribute something meaningful you should know better what's going on.

So by your analysis they all did a great job. What planet were you on during the seige.

[otherstuff1957]

Quite amusing how some self stylized "experts" want to give advice about something they have got no clue about. Before you contribute something meaningful you should know better what's going on.

So by your analysis they all did a great job. What planet were you on during the seige.

What planet? Why our friend was right there at Ratchaprasong --- probably up on the Redshirt stage.

[LindsayBKK]

If this is indeed a few hour event so let them. Route known, police adjusting traffic, etc.

Now if they would try to stay they would breach the arrangement made with the police. Police would be justified to crackdown on them. Make sure there are enough CCTV's working, invite some foreign journalists and give them police as protection. the organizers are responsible and cannot hide behind arguments like 'our supporters didn't want to go'.

May be the government should prepare a press package detailing what it is about, what arrangements have been made, and how organizers plan to disperse with their protesters after the happening (i.e. later that day).

Foreign journalists cause more problems in giving the Red Shirt the media spotlight. No journalists should be allowed in the area. Especially if you are from BBC or CNN, Mr. Dan Rivers! Because they are lobbied by Thaksin!

[selftaopath]

400 or 4,000,000 multiplied by 0 equals ZERO.

[Oberkommando]

If the Emergency Decree is not enforced, why not just lift it!

And again at Rajprasong, I feel for the shopowners who lost a fortune just a few months ago..

All the small business traders in that area were doing a roaring trade during the protests.

Foreign journalists cause more problems in giving the Red Shirt the media spotlight. No journalists should be allowed in the area. Especially if you are from BBC or CNN, Mr. Dan Rivers! Because they are lobbied by Thaksin!

What a lot of utter nonsense.

[Oberkommando]

If this is indeed a few hour event so let them. Route known, police adjusting traffic, etc.

Now if they would try to stay they would breach the arrangement made with the police. Police would be justified to crackdown on them. Make sure there are enough CCTV's working, invite some foreign journalists and give them police as protection. the organizers are responsible and cannot hide behind arguments like 'our supporters didn't want to go'.

May be the government should prepare a press package detailing what it is about, what arrangements have been made, and how organizers plan to disperse with their protesters after the happening (i.e. later that day).

I wonder if Dan Rivers will be covering the event?

Unfortunately Mr. Rivers had to be reassigned because of intimidation and death threats he was getting.

[whybother]

All the small business traders in that area were doing a roaring trade during the protests.

<snip>

Most of the traders that were doing a roaring trade came in from elsewhere.

The traders that normally line the streets around there, and the ones with shops in the area, were getting nearly ZERO trade, since most of their normal customers couldn't or wouldn't go there, and the people that were there weren't really interested in spending money - particularly in the Siam Square area.

[Jimi007]

Unfortunately Mr. Rivers had to be reassigned because of intimidation and death threats he was getting.

Unfortunate for whom? I certainly won't miss his reporting...

[rubl]

If this is indeed a few hour event so let them. Route known, police adjusting traffic, etc.

Now if they would try to stay they would breach the arrangement made with the police. Police would be justified to crackdown on them. Make sure there are enough CCTV's working, invite some foreign journalists and give them police as protection. the organizers are responsible and cannot hide behind arguments like 'our supporters didn't want to go'.

May be the government should prepare a press package detailing what it is about, what arrangements have been made, and how organizers plan to disperse with their protesters after the happening (i.e. later that day).

I wonder if Dan Rivers will be covering the event?

Unfortunately Mr. Rivers had to be reassigned because of intimidation and death threats he was getting.

I guess you mean neither side was really impressed

[rubl]

All the small business traders in that area were doing a roaring trade during the protests.

<snip>

Most of the traders that were doing a roaring trade came in from elsewhere.

The traders that normally line the streets around there, and the ones with shops in the area, were getting nearly ZERO trade, since most of their normal customers couldn't or wouldn't go there, and the people that were there weren't really interested in spending money - particularly in the Siam Square area.

Plus lots of traders who rented shops in Siam Square had those looted and/or burned when the last red-shirts showed their anger at having been betrayed by their UDD leaders, who suddenly were less willing to 'fight till their last drop of blood' and they started on K. Arisman's backup plan "burn it".

[Oberkommando]

Interesting that some posters feel that foreign reporters brave enough to report on Thai news and not tow the Government line of spin and propaganda who have received death threats as a result is worthy of mockery.

It is also telling that people seem to castigate CNN and BBC while relying on The Nation, a media outlet that frequently prints total gibberish, and apparently does not have a competent English proof-reader on staff, even though their periodical is in the English language.

I have several friends who own small businesses in the Rajaprasong area and their trade was lively. Certainly there was no shortage of shoppers, in particular students around the Siam Square area when I visited during the peak of the protests.

The local vendors were doing a roaring trade.

Of course, if you weren't there at all during the protests and don't have any first hand experience of the situation on the ground at the time, and don't converse with or know any Thais that own businesses in that area, it would be easy to get completely the wrong impression.

[rubl]

Interesting that some posters feel that foreign reporters brave enough to report on Thai news and not tow the Government line of spin and propaganda who have received death threats as a result is worthy of mockery.

Well may be it's a matter of being a bit blase about death threats. Government officials, BJP members, 'elite' from the wrong site; all have received death threats, some got manure thrown in their garden, some grenades. So what about one foreigner more or less, especially a controversial one to put himself in harm's way for money?

Let's see this peaceful protest on the 19th happen and we can talk after

(edit: typo)

Edited September 15, 2010 by rubl

[ozzieman05]

As stated elsewhere on Thai Visa, I have worked in the Film Industry for over the last 10 years

When we want to film in any area in Thailand or any where else in the world we have to put up a Bond, for any damage we cause

we also have to pay for any police we need to secure our area

So then why not make the Red shirts put up a few million Baht Bond to be returned if all is okay

As Red shirt protests are all about money, why does the Governement not take out a safety bond, before the rally

[whybother]

Interesting that some posters feel that foreign reporters brave enough to report on Thai news and not tow the Government line of spin and propaganda who have received death threats as a result is worthy of mockery.

It is also telling that people seem to castigate CNN and BBC while relying on The Nation, a media outlet that frequently prints total gibberish, and apparently does not have a competent English proof-reader on staff, even though their periodical is in the English language.

<snip>

It's not what they reported that is the problem. It's what they failed to report.

For 99% of the time, they forgot to mention that there were armed red shirts.

Red shirt supporters forget to mention it 100% of the time.

[MikeyIdea]

Interesting that some posters feel that foreign reporters brave enough to report on Thai news and not tow the Government line of spin and propaganda who have received death threats as a result is worthy of mockery.

It is also telling that people seem to castigate CNN and BBC while relying on The Nation, a media outlet that frequently prints total gibberish, and apparently does not have a competent English proof-reader on staff, even though their periodical is in the English language.

I have several friends who own small businesses in the Rajaprasong area and their trade was lively. Certainly there was no shortage of shoppers, in particular students around the Siam Square area when I visited during the peak of the protests.

The local vendors were doing a roaring trade.

Of course, if you weren't there at all during the protests and don't have any first hand experience of the situation on the ground at the time, and don't converse with or know any Thais that own businesses in that area, it would be easy to get completely the wrong impression.

Funny comments

Yes, there were several local reporters / journalists, both Thai and western who received death threats from the red skirts, that was what you meant, right?

CNN / BBC - You totally fail to understand it it is what was NOT reported that e.g. makes BBCs slogan "Putting News Last" so valid

Funny that you can report that shop owners around Siam Square reported booming business during the occupation, I was also there almost every day until I due to intimidation - not physical intimidation though - didn't dare to go there any longer - end April, early May - and I saw the opposite. Do you think that most loving parents encouraged their teenagers to go to Siam Square during the occupation perhaps?

I wasn't only there during the protests, with this you must mean March, right?, I was there during the occupation too, with that I mean April and early May