Thai Army Chief Supports Crowd Control Law

[webfact]

Army Chief Supports Crowd Control Law

The army chief expresses his support for a crowd control law, given its necessity in dealing with the current protest situation.

Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said the passage of the crowd control bill is necessary to cope with the various rallies in the country.

Prayuth said crowd control will be initially handled by police and if the protest situation turns unruly, the Internal Security Act or Emergency Decree will be imposed.

The decree authorizes soldiers to take control of the situation.

Prayudh reiterated soldiers have exercised their restraint in dealing with the recent protest situation.

He added he has no policy to negotiate with those who violate the law.

The general said military units involved in the dispersal of last year's red-shirt protests have already prepared information, particularly that which involved the arson attack on Central World shopping mall, for their defense during the Opposition's no-confidence debate which will discuss the military action against the protesters.

Prayuth insisted the arson was not the work of soldiers as alleged by the opposition bloc and their entry into the store was aimed at putting out the fire.

He went on to say some of the firearms missing from Thanarat Army Camp in Prachuap Khiri Khan have already been recovered.

He said security at the camp has already been tightened.

Prayuth also said an investigation has been launched against those possibly involved in the theft.

He acknowledged the incident could stem from the need for some soldiers to make extra income.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-08

[Cnxforever]

First of all what does the army chief have to do with crowd control??

The police and only the police should be in charge of crowd control - except of course in countries ruled by dictators the army has always been used in "controlling" the people. The passing of laws is a political process in which the army chief should neither have a say nor a public opinion - what he thinks in private is his problem.

He still insists that the army entered the department store to put out the fire - with what? Their hands? Rifles?? The pictures and video show clearly they carry no firefighting equipment!

There is photographic and video evidence that they where in there before the fire started - there excuse when presented with the evidence was back then - "they where in there because they where guarding the place" - well if arsonists made it past the people guarding the entrances and the inside of the store - then it looks to me they where pretty useless in doing their job as guards!

Then he goes on and says some of the stolen fire arms have been recovered and security been tightened - not a word about how this can happen over and over again - not a word about responsibility or accountability - the last statement though is beyond believe - so the army chief understands that his people could have the need to steal and sell war weapons to have extra income ?? I am speechless now!

Well a countries leaders - and the people they appoint to certain positions are the reflection of its peoples moral values, inteligence and determination to hold them accountable - do the maths - there is not much hope here!

Edited March 8, 2011 by Cnxforever

[Buchholz]

First of all what does the army chief have to do with crowd control??

The police and only the police should be in charge of crowd control - except of course

when they don't do their job they are in charge of, thus necessitating the need for the Army to step in and do it for them.

[asiawatcher]

First of all what does the army chief have to do with crowd control??

The police and only the police should be in charge of crowd control - except of course in countries ruled by dictators the army has always been used in "controlling" the people. The passing of laws is a political process in which the army chief should neither have a say nor a public opinion - what he thinks in private is his problem.

He still insists that the army entered the department store to put out the fire - with what? Their hands? Rifles?? The pictures and video show clearly they carry no firefighting equipment!

There is photographic and video evidence that they where in there before the fire started - there excuse when presented with the evidence was back then - "they where in there because they where guarding the place" - well if arsonists made it past the people guarding the entrances and the inside of the store - then it looks to me they where pretty useless in doing their job as guards!

Then he goes on and says some of the stolen fire arms have been recovered and security been tightened - not a word about how this can happen over and over again - not a word about responsibility or accountability - the last statement though is beyond believe - so the army chief understands that his people could have the need to steal and sell war weapons to have extra income ?? I am speechless now!

Well a countries leaders - and the people they appoint to certain positions are the reflection of its peoples moral values, inteligence and determination to hold them accountable - do the maths - there is not much hope here!

Looking at Thailand with rose coloured glasses is not really appropriate. But as per your last paragraph - the airport is till open and some good deals on one-way tickets. With all its glitches - and I for one love to dig at the system - I still would not trade Thailand for the west under any circumstances - warts and all.

[sungod]

First of all what does the army chief have to do with crowd control??

The police and only the police should be in charge of crowd control - except of course in countries ruled by dictators the army has always been used in "controlling" the people. The passing of laws is a political process in which the army chief should neither have a say nor a public opinion - what he thinks in private is his problem.

He still insists that the army entered the department store to put out the fire - with what? Their hands? Rifles?? The pictures and video show clearly they carry no firefighting equipment!

There is photographic and video evidence that they where in there before the fire started - there excuse when presented with the evidence was back then - "they where in there because they where guarding the place" - well if arsonists made it past the people guarding the entrances and the inside of the store - then it looks to me they where pretty useless in doing their job as guards!

Then he goes on and says some of the stolen fire arms have been recovered and security been tightened - not a word about how this can happen over and over again - not a word about responsibility or accountability - the last statement though is beyond believe - so the army chief understands that his people could have the need to steal and sell war weapons to have extra income ?? I am speechless now!

Well a countries leaders - and the people they appoint to certain positions are the reflection of its peoples moral values, inteligence and determination to hold them accountable - do the maths - there is not much hope here!

And what about the other parts of bangkok that were burned down/vandalised, was that the army too?

[Losangels]

First of all what does the army chief have to do with crowd control??

The police and only the police should be in charge of crowd control - except of course in countries ruled by dictators the army has always been used in "controlling" the people. The passing of laws is a political process in which the army chief should neither have a say nor a public opinion - what he thinks in private is his problem.

He still insists that the army entered the department store to put out the fire - with what? Their hands? Rifles?? The pictures and video show clearly they carry no firefighting equipment!

There is photographic and video evidence that they where in there before the fire started - there excuse when presented with the evidence was back then - "they where in there because they where guarding the place" - well if arsonists made it past the people guarding the entrances and the inside of the store - then it looks to me they where pretty useless in doing their job as guards!

Then he goes on and says some of the stolen fire arms have been recovered and security been tightened - not a word about how this can happen over and over again - not a word about responsibility or accountability - the last statement though is beyond believe - so the army chief understands that his people could have the need to steal and sell war weapons to have extra income ?? I am speechless now!

Well a countries leaders - and the people they appoint to certain positions are the reflection of its peoples moral values, inteligence and determination to hold them accountable - do the maths - there is not much hope here!

Mostly agree with what was said.

The army chief is under the command of the Prime Minister not vice versa.

[whybother]

First of all what does the army chief have to do with crowd control??

The police and only the police should be in charge of crowd control - except of course in countries ruled by dictators the army has always been used in "controlling" the people. The passing of laws is a political process in which the army chief should neither have a say nor a public opinion - what he thinks in private is his problem.

In the west, the police are trained for crowd control and have special armed teams to deal with situations as they arise. In Thailand, that is not the case, so the army are used.

He still insists that the army entered the department store to put out the fire - with what? Their hands? Rifles?? The pictures and video show clearly they carry no firefighting equipment!

There is photographic and video evidence that they where in there before the fire started - there excuse when presented with the evidence was back then - "they where in there because they where guarding the place" - well if arsonists made it past the people guarding the entrances and the inside of the store - then it looks to me they where pretty useless in doing their job as guards!

Where is this photographic and video evidence?

The only photos I have seen were of people leaving (with no army in sight) and then of army in there well after the fires were put out.

Is this evidence in the public domain?

[truethailand]

Prayuth said crowd control will be initially handled by police and if the protest situation turns unruly, the Internal Security Act or Emergency Decree will be imposed.

I hope its clearly defined at what point control is lost and who decides it is lost

That may well depend on the colour of the cloth... Under the proposed rules would a country crippled by an airport takeover be deemed as out of control (view previous about colour of cloth)

[pogal]

Who'd have thought!......