PAD Oppose Summonses Over Charges Relating To Airports Seizure In 2008

[webfact]

PAD Oppose Summonses over Charges Relating to Airports Seizure in 2008

The People's Alliance for Democracy is seeking justice from the national police chief over the summonses issued for more than a hundred of its members on terrorism and conspiracy charges, in relation to the siege of Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2008.

Major General Chamlong Srimuang, a core leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD, filed a complaint seeking justice from National Police Chief, Police General Wichien Pojphosri over the summonses issued for more than a hundred of the group's members on charges of terrorism and conspiracy.

The complaint was received by Royal Thai Police Spokesman, Police Major General Prawut Thawornsiri.

Summonses were issued for 36 yellow-shirt protesters initially, while another 114 were issued later on.

Chamlong said the accusations were groundless, and he called on the police to clarify whether the summoned PAD members were speakers, artists, or supporters.

He also asked the authorities to reconsider whether his group is actually a threat to the nation.

Along with the complaint, Chamlong submitted 22 sets of documents detailing reasons the summonses should not have been issued, which included pictures, the order issued by the director of the Suvarnabhumi Airport for the closure of the airport, and a letter from the PAD asking the Airport of Thailand to facilitate travel for Thai Muslims on their annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

The yellow-shirt leader said he decided to lodge the complaint upon learning that investigators have finished their inquiry, before the case is forwarded to the court.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-25

[jonclark]

Is it not the job of the court to provide 'justice' not the police. The police are merely tools (no pun intended) of the judicial system and unless a confession is forthcoming, it is up to the court to decided, guilt or innocence and hence justice.

" The yellow-shirt leader said he decided to lodge the complaint upon learning that investigators have finished their inquiry, before the case is forwarded to the court."

And you can be your bottom dollar if ; he had learned that the investigators haven't finsihed their inquiry, before that case is forwarded to the court, he would had lodged a complaint anyway!

:jap:

[KKvampire]

Pathetic, Who occupied the airports, "Fairies in Yellow shirts" ????

[asiawatcher]

Good to see justice prevails - in any 'civilised' country any attempt to seize an airport would have resulted in swift reprisal and summary shootings. PAD have become a non-entity and like the red shirts - have little chance of obtaining votes. It all just appears their ridiculous continuing protests are for members 'belief' only. Get a few in jail and then the political upheaval may subside a bit.

[landofthefree]

Pathetic, Who occupied the airports, "Fairies in Yellow shirts" ????

Yes but you can be sure they won't be punished for their crimes as they either are, or at least, have the support of the rich, the elite and most importantly the establishment.

This is Thailand where Governments are routinely removed by the elite if the elite don't like them. Expect the same to happen if Pheua Thai win the next general election.

[IanPrince99]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

[whybother]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

They don't have a right to stop people going about their daily lives.

[jayjay0]

Pathetic, Who occupied the airports, "Fairies in Yellow shirts" ????

Yes but you can be sure they won't be punished for their crimes as they either are, or at least, have the support of the rich, the elite and most importantly the establishment.

This is Thailand where Governments are routinely removed by the elite if the elite don't like them. Expect the same to happen if Pheua Thai win the next general election.

"

That makes no sense. If the Pheua Thai win the next election there will be a new Government. It has nothing to do with the ruling elite. If Abhist party wins the election it will be the same government. It has nothing to do with the ruling elite.

You are confusing Yellow shirt demands with reality. They wanted to have 70% of the representatives appointed. (the ruling elite) and 30% elected. It did not happen. The so called ruling elite will change according to which party wins the election.

If the Pheua Thai was to win the election it would be a nightmare for Thailand. There ruling elite funded terrorism.

Edited February 25, 2011 by jayjay0

[Thai at Heart]

These muppets have been above the law for too long. Do not let them continue to get away with their continued illegal activities.

Peaceful protest does not include taking over public buildings, pure and simple.

[jdinasia]

Good to see justice prevails - in any 'civilised' country any attempt to seize an airport would have resulted in swift reprisal and summary shootings. PAD have become a non-entity and like the red shirts - have little chance of obtaining votes. It all just appears their ridiculous continuing protests are for members 'belief' only. Get a few in jail and then the political upheaval may subside a bit.

84* were jailed in December for the TV channel incident.

(number is from memory)

There are multiple issues involved that make a few of Chamlong's complaints relevant. They marched on Suwannapoom and the AOT chief there panicked and closed it prematurely. Wether he was right or wrong in doing so is questionable. The BoD of AoT blamed the guy on the ground (the Swampy airport chief) publicly.

Should there be charges more serious than trespassing for this? I think so, but I think it will be limited to the few that went to the control tower.

Please remember folks .... that cases go to trial when they go to trial. PAD members have already been convicted and are serving sentences even though the first riot by the reds was months and months before this.

[oldsailor35]

Pathetic, Who occupied the airports, "Fairies in Yellow shirts" ????

Are you stupid or blind. It was Thaksin of course

[oldsailor35]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

You should have been there ! They disrupted travellers from around the world. Brought Thailands largest and most important airport to a standstill by blockading its entrances, and caused all normal passage of international aircraft and passengers to be shut down. Surely this seige of Suvarnabumi was an act of terrorism. More so than a few opposition protesters. I ask you, where were the Army whilst all this was going on.

[oldsailor35]

Pathetic, Who occupied the airports, "Fairies in Yellow shirts" ????

Yes but you can be sure they won't be punished for their crimes as they either are, or at least, have the support of the rich, the elite and most importantly the establishment.

This is Thailand where Governments are routinely removed by the elite if the elite don't like them. Expect the same to happen if Pheua Thai win the next general election.

"

That makes no sense. If the Pheua Thai win the next election there will be a new Government. It has nothing to do with the ruling elite. If Abhist party wins the election it will be the same government. It has nothing to do with the ruling elite.

You are confusing Yellow shirt demands with reality. They wanted to have 70% of the representatives appointed. (the ruling elite) and 30% elected. It did not happen. The so called ruling elite will change according to which party wins the election.

If the Pheua Thai was to win the election it would be a nightmare for Thailand. There ruling elite funded terrorism.

Whilst Thaksin was in power, Thailand was a prosperous growing nation, living standards were growing, now look at the mess it is in.

[jdinasia]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

You should have been there ! They disrupted travellers from around the world. Brought Thailands largest and most important airport to a standstill by blockading its entrances, and caused all normal passage of international aircraft and passengers to be shut down. Surely this seige of Suvarnabumi was an act of terrorism. More so than a few opposition protesters. I ask you, where were the Army whilst all this was going on.

Hyperbole at its finest. To be an act of terror you must intend to terrify people. The FACT that the AoT blames its own staff and not the PAD (and does so publicly) should guide some of our more extreme members around to thinking a little more clearly.

No terror was instilled here at all ... I do however think they are and should be liable for civil damages and BIG ones at that. Loss of income to Thai (TG) was about 500 million baht. Then again I think the reds should be liable for damages for their mess too.

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Yes, mess caused by Thaksin as well as global economics, rampant corruptoin accross the board and reds and yellows causing troubles. What is your point? And no, when Thaksin was in power things were not rosy for Thailand. Remember the 2500 so-called drug dealers who were killed? Remember what happened to press freedom? Do you even remember what it was like to live here then when the Cult of Thaksin ruled the roost?

[Macmundi]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

They had right to peaceful protest, but no right in obstructing people's lives. Once they take the airport hostage or the business district hostage not allowing people to make a living or going home to their family, that accounts to terrorism. Cripling Thailand's economy and creating havoc to the nation is also regarded as treason. All of which is punishable by death. There are other ways to voice your dissatisfaction with the government. Peaceful protests are effective. The reason why those protests from the yellows and reds are failures is because they are NOT peaceful.:jap:

[NCFC]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

When they eventually left the airport the yellow shirt guards left behind a stash of home made weapons and bombs. They also left behind the corpse of one of their own members. Seems a nice bunch to party with?

And at government house the clearup bill cost millions of dollars. How did the building get trashed in a non-violent protest?

Edited February 25, 2011 by NCFC

[NCFC]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

You should have been there ! They disrupted travellers from around the world. Brought Thailands largest and most important airport to a standstill by blockading its entrances, and caused all normal passage of international aircraft and passengers to be shut down. Surely this seige of Suvarnabumi was an act of terrorism. More so than a few opposition protesters. I ask you, where were the Army whilst all this was going on.

Hyperbole at its finest. To be an act of terror you must intend to terrify people. The FACT that the AoT blames its own staff and not the PAD (and does so publicly) should guide some of our more extreme members around to thinking a little more clearly.

No terror was instilled here at all ... I do however think they are and should be liable for civil damages and BIG ones at that. Loss of income to Thai (TG) was about 500 million baht. Then again I think the reds should be liable for damages for their mess too.

Do you believe that by setting out to occupy an airport it wouldn't terrify the innocent travellers caught up in this protest? Given the history of airport terror attacks around the world, I'm sure many of the travellers would have been concerned for their life should the army have turned up and a shootout had taken place. That makes it an act of terror. We know in hindsight that it didn't happen but they wouldn't have known the outcome at the time.

What the AoT staff would have known at the time is that the yellow shirts had done huge amounts of damage and vandalism to Government House prior to their arrival at the airport. Would the staff be advised to stand aside and let the yellow shirts commit the same destruction at the airport and then make the decision to close the ariport (which might have been difficult and dangerous had communications equipment been put out of action), or do you think the more prudent course of action would be to close the airport and lockdown vital areas as much as possible?

Perhaps those critizing the AoT staff were doing so from the comfort of a very safe office. Given what information was available at the time, I would say the AoT staff behaved very properly.

Edited February 25, 2011 by NCFC

[jdinasia]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

When they eventually left the airport the yellow shirt guards left behind a stash of home made weapons and bombs. They also left behind the corpse of one of their own members. Seems a nice bunch to party with?

And at government house the clearup bill cost millions of dollars. How did the building get trashed in a non-violent protest?

Amazing .... Who paid for the cleanup at government house? and who was tossing grenades at the PAD in government house? and who attacked the PAD at government house prompting the Sept 2008 SoE?

I would be interested in seeing these

"bombs" left behind at the airport .. can you cite that?

The corpse? Wasn't there a body found at Don Muang? Who killed the person?

[tw25rw]

Whilst Thaksin was in power, Thailand was a prosperous growing nation, living standards were growing, now look at the mess it is in.

When he was in power, the global economy was strong. He was a lucky PM, not a capable one.

[jdinasia]

Do you believe that by setting out to occupy an airport it wouldn't terrify the innocent travellers caught up in this protest? Given the history of airport terror attacks around the world, I'm sure many of the travellers would have been concerned for their life should the army have turned up and a shootout had taken place. That makes it an act of terror. We know in hindsight that it didn't happen but they wouldn't have known the outcome at the time.

What the AoT staff would have known at the time is that the yellow shirts had done huge amounts of damage and vandalism to Government House prior to their arrival at the airport. Would the staff be advised to stand aside and let the yellow shirts commit the same destruction at the airport and then make the decision to close the ariport (which might have been difficult and dangerous had communications equipment been put out of action), or do you think the more prudent course of action would be to close the airport and lockdown vital areas as much as possible?

Perhaps those critizing the AoT staff were doing so from the comfort of a very safe office. Given what information was available at the time, I would say the AoT staff behaved very properly.

Again you are stating things that just aren't true. "setting out to occupy an airport" was not the reported aim of the PAD. They were setting out to meet Somchai (the PM) not to occupy the airport. Your thoughts on what constitutes terror or what might have happened are not a justification for a charge of terrorism.

The AoT Board of Directors knew that doing the Thai thing of going out and meeting with the people would have yielded different results, their man on the ground failed and failed miserably to do his job.

"Vital Areas" were not locked down. The PAD had full run of the place and were even given access to the control tower (I believe that the people that went to the control tower should be charged with major crimes.) The airport was able to open almost immediately upon them leaving and no petty theft was reported even from the King Power people.

Your cries about Government house are off base as well. (Different place and time) .... Perhaps what you should be complaining about is how did Sae Daeng's grenadiers attack the PAD at GH and more particularly at the airport.

[jdinasia]

The airport protest was not violence. The airport was not looted nor burn down. Hence PAD has the right to a peaceful protest. By law.

They had right to peaceful protest, but no right in obstructing people's lives. Once they take the airport hostage or the business district hostage not allowing people to make a living or going home to their family, that accounts to terrorism. Cripling Thailand's economy and creating havoc to the nation is also regarded as treason. All of which is punishable by death. There are other ways to voice your dissatisfaction with the government. Peaceful protests are effective. The reason why those protests from the yellows and reds are failures is because they are NOT peaceful.:jap:

Actually --- the airport and Rachprasong both equal civil disobedience (breaking the law i a peaceful manner.) The reds however when screaming to burn BKK down does constitute terroristic threats and with the follow through, acts of incitement to terrorism and acts of terrorism.

[NCFC]

Do you believe that by setting out to occupy an airport it wouldn't terrify the innocent travellers caught up in this protest? Given the history of airport terror attacks around the world, I'm sure many of the travellers would have been concerned for their life should the army have turned up and a shootout had taken place. That makes it an act of terror. We know in hindsight that it didn't happen but they wouldn't have known the outcome at the time.

What the AoT staff would have known at the time is that the yellow shirts had done huge amounts of damage and vandalism to Government House prior to their arrival at the airport. Would the staff be advised to stand aside and let the yellow shirts commit the same destruction at the airport and then make the decision to close the ariport (which might have been difficult and dangerous had communications equipment been put out of action), or do you think the more prudent course of action would be to close the airport and lockdown vital areas as much as possible?

Perhaps those critizing the AoT staff were doing so from the comfort of a very safe office. Given what information was available at the time, I would say the AoT staff behaved very properly.

Again you are stating things that just aren't true. "setting out to occupy an airport" was not the reported aim of the PAD. They were setting out to meet Somchai (the PM) not to occupy the airport. Your thoughts on what constitutes terror or what might have happened are not a justification for a charge of terrorism.

The AoT Board of Directors knew that doing the Thai thing of going out and meeting with the people would have yielded different results, their man on the ground failed and failed miserably to do his job.

"Vital Areas" were not locked down. The PAD had full run of the place and were even given access to the control tower (I believe that the people that went to the control tower should be charged with major crimes.) The airport was able to open almost immediately upon them leaving and no petty theft was reported even from the King Power people.

Your cries about Government house are off base as well. (Different place and time) .... Perhaps what you should be complaining about is how did Sae Daeng's grenadiers attack the PAD at GH and more particularly at the airport.

Well we will have to let the court decide what constitutes a terrorist activity and what is an act of civil disobediency. But if it were me I would be hard-pressed to believe that a mob had set out to the airport with the intention of greeting the prime minister on his return to the country and then by some strange force of fate ended up unintentionally occupying the place. I hope the court sees the occupation of the airport was their main purpose, despite what they may have said to the media, and that they intended to create terror in the minds and hearts of the innocent travellers. I mention the trashing of the Governemnt house by the same yellow shirts in order to but the airport siege in context of what the yellow shirts were up to at the time. I expect the courts will want to put the airport occupation into the context of the time and will agree that this was an act of treason and not merely a peaceful protest.

[jayboy]

Again you are stating things that just aren't true. "setting out to occupy an airport" was not the reported aim of the PAD. They were setting out to meet Somchai (the PM) not to occupy the airport. Your thoughts on what constitutes terror or what might have happened are not a justification for a charge of terrorism.

The AoT Board of Directors knew that doing the Thai thing of going out and meeting with the people would have yielded different results, their man on the ground failed and failed miserably to do his job.

"Vital Areas" were not locked down. The PAD had full run of the place and were even given access to the control tower (I believe that the people that went to the control tower should be charged with major crimes.) The airport was able to open almost immediately upon them leaving and no petty theft was reported even from the King Power people.

So in your Alice in Wonderland world it was the AOT that should be punished not the peaceful PAD crowd that only had the intention of greeting Khun Somchai.Once they were there they decided to stick around for a bit and finally departed after giving the airport a good needed tidy up.

No matter that your ridiculous account bears no relation to what happened according to neutral observers.The slander you make against the AOT has been widely used by PAD fanatics (though at least you do not repeat the lie that the closure was orchestrated by Thaksin) and is incontestably wrong.The AOT had the duty to close the airport down one the unruly mob was on the premises.World airport safety experts have confirmed this.

You have made some shameful posts but I think this is one of the most disgraceful.You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.

Edited February 25, 2011 by jayboy

[Buchholz]

These muppets have been above the law for too long. Do not let them continue to get away with their continued illegal activities.

Speaking of too long, how about the Red Muppets who have not had to face up to their violence from July 2007 (a year and half BEFORE the airport).

Do let them continue to get away with their continual illegal activities.

[landofthefree]

Pathetic, Who occupied the airports, "Fairies in Yellow shirts" ????

Yes but you can be sure they won't be punished for their crimes as they either are, or at least, have the support of the rich, the elite and most importantly the establishment.

This is Thailand where Governments are routinely removed by the elite if the elite don't like them. Expect the same to happen if Pheua Thai win the next general election.

"

That makes no sense. If the Pheua Thai win the next election there will be a new Government. It has nothing to do with the ruling elite. If Abhist party wins the election it will be the same government. It has nothing to do with the ruling elite.

You are confusing Yellow shirt demands with reality. They wanted to have 70% of the representatives appointed. (the ruling elite) and 30% elected. It did not happen. The so called ruling elite will change according to which party wins the election.

If the Pheua Thai was to win the election it would be a nightmare for Thailand. There ruling elite funded terrorism.

The elite routinely remove elected Governments in Thailand via Coup D'Etats there have been 18 since 1932

/

[rubl]

Pathetic, Who occupied the airports, "Fairies in Yellow shirts" ????

Yes but you can be sure they won't be punished for their crimes as they either are, or at least, have the support of the rich, the elite and most importantly the establishment.

This is Thailand where Governments are routinely removed by the elite if the elite don't like them. Expect the same to happen if Pheua Thai win the next general election.

"

That makes no sense. If the Pheua Thai win the next election there will be a new Government. It has nothing to do with the ruling elite. If Abhist party wins the election it will be the same government. It has nothing to do with the ruling elite.

You are confusing Yellow shirt demands with reality. They wanted to have 70% of the representatives appointed. (the ruling elite) and 30% elected. It did not happen. The so called ruling elite will change according to which party wins the election.

If the Pheua Thai was to win the election it would be a nightmare for Thailand. There ruling elite funded terrorism.

The elite routinely remove elected Governments in Thailand via Coup D'Etats there have been 18 since 1932

At least the October 2006 coup was against a self-appointed care-taker rather than an elected government. IMHO as all of the stuff here