Thai Parliament Wreath-Layer Denies Paid For Protest

[webfact]

Parliament wreath-layer denies paid for protest

By The Nation

A university graduate who angered red shirts by placing a wreath in front of Parliament to protest House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranont's alleged bias in favour of coalition MPs insisted yesterday that he acted out of his own conscience, and was not hired by anyone to do so.

Yuthapoom Tanleng, a public administration graduate from Rajabhat Thon Buri University, said he knew Democrat MP Watchara Phetthong, but had not travelled to Parliament in Watchara's car, as had been reported.

He said that on Thursday a friend gave him a lift to the nearby Royal Plaza, from where he took a taxi to Parliament.

"I know Watchara, but I am not so close to him that I could ask for a ride in his car," Yuthapoom said.

Yuthapoom said he felt sorry that Watchara's black Jeep had been van?dalised by red-shirt supporters of the Pheu Thai Party while it was parked outside the Parliament com?pound on Thursday.

The air had been let out of the car's tyres, and abusive messages written in the dust on the body of the vehicle. A sticker calling for the amendment of the lese majeste law was plastered over a Democrat Party sticker on the vehicle's rear window.

A group of angry red shirts man?handled Yuthapoom and a friend after the two placed the wreath in front of Parliament on Thursday.

Yuthapoom said he would not file a complaint with police, although he claims he was physically assaulted.

"They have the right to gather in support of the government. But they also have to respect the law. I don't want this incident to happen again," he said.

Black jeep

Watchara yesterday called a press conference outside the Dusit Zoo, which is not far from Parliament. He displayed his vandalised black Jeep, which was still where it had been parked since Thursday.

The Democrat MP said he was acquainted with Yuthapoom and the other man who was manhandled by the government supporters. However, he denied hiring them to place the wreath to protest against Somsak.

He said his car might have been targeted because the red shirts suspected it had been used to take Yuthapoom and his friend to Parliament.

Assoc Professor Lakkhana Banpakan, rector of Rajabhat Thon Buri University, said yesterday that Yuthapoom graduated from the university last year, but that his friend, identified as Arthit Poonsiri, was not on the university's enrolment records.

She said the two men had the right to express their political views as citizens of a democratic country.

In a related development, Ramet Rattanachaweng, a member of the Democrat Party's working group on legal affairs, said yesterday that the car of chief party adviser Chuan Leekpai was also attacked on Wednesday night while he was inside.

Chuan was leaving Parliament in his car after the collapse of a parliamentary meeting on government policies due to a lack of quorum when a group of red shirts who had gathered at the compound's gate tried to surround his vehicle. One of them struck its flag mast. Chuan escaped injury, Ramet said.

The vehicle's interior light was on at the time, as Chuan was reading inside the car.

"The red shirts love Thaksin Shinawatra as much as they love life. We also feel the same thing for Chuan, but we respect the law," he said. "The prime minister and the red-shirt leaders should tell us how long this disregard of the law will continue."

Chuan yesterday confirmed the incident, but declined to answer further questions on the matter.

-- The Nation 2011-08-27

[haveaniceday]

Em, En?lish is go?ing well in Tha?land I see.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/08/27/national/Parliament-wreath-layer-denies-paid-for-protest-30163794.html

[KhunBJ]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

[Buchholz]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

And assaulted by thugs paid to stifle any opposition...

.

[nurofiend]

"A sticker calling for the amendment of the lese majeste law was plastered over a Democrat Party sticker on the vehicle's rear window."

seems strange to me that an 'ordinary joe' red shirt supporter would have this high on their priorities....

[Bakseedaa]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

Please explain how you know this..? or is it more hot-air..?

[metisdead]

Posts containing copyrighted photos have been removed.

22) Not to post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles).

[monkfish]

Yuthapoom Tanleng, a public administration graduate from Rajabhat Thon Buri University, said he knew Democrat MP Watchara Phetthong, but had not travelled to Parliament in Watchara's car, as had been reported.

As Mr Yuthapoom has already Graduated in "Public Administration" did he get a job yet?

What happened to the second student?

Yes I am 100% sure it's a pure pure pure coincidence that he was talking to MP Watchara just before the event.

[Buchholz]

"A sticker calling for the amendment of the lese majeste law was plastered over a Democrat Party sticker on the vehicle's rear window."

seems strange to me that an 'ordinary joe' red shirt supporter would have this high on their priorities....

Googling reveals many Ordinary Joe Red Shirts have it as a high priority.

It'll be interesting to see if they take their Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm to task for his vow of cracking down on websites through the "War Room" he is setting up.

[billd766]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

I am sure that you have irrefutable proof of this and will present it as evidence to the police.

Of course the person concerned absolutely denies that he was paid and of course he was there so he ought to know.

[geriatrickid]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

And assaulted by thugs paid to stifle any opposition...

.

Had those people not been there, the wreath layers who are now admitting that there was no Democratic Student Group would not have been caught and gullible guppies and instigators would have gone on about students being distressed. These middle aged men should not have been posing as students and trying to con the public.

There should be an investigation of these people to determine who aided and abetted their attempt to foment disorder.

[Deez]

Big deal, he laid a wreathe to protest. At least he didnt brn down Central or fire some grenades.

[OzMick]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

And assaulted by thugs paid to stifle any opposition...

.

Had those people not been there, the wreath layers who are now admitting that there was no Democratic Student Group would not have been caught and gullible guppies and instigators would have gone on about students being distressed. These middle aged men should not have been posing as students and trying to con the public.

There should be an investigation of these people to determine who aided and abetted their attempt to foment disorder.

While they are at that, they might ask the red-shirts "protecting" parliament what they are doing for income.

[rubl]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

And assaulted by thugs paid to stifle any opposition....

Had those people not been there, the wreath layers who are now admitting that there was no Democratic Student Group would not have been caught and gullible guppies and instigators would have gone on about students being distressed. These middle aged men should not have been posing as students and trying to con the public.

There should be an investigation of these people to determine who aided and abetted their attempt to foment disorder.

Please remind me which UDD and other red-shirt leaders are middle aged former students who still indulge in the occasionally protest and bonfire?

[KhunBJ]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

Please explain how you know this..? or is it more hot-air..?

The hot air ... I leave to you...you are happy to share that anytime

[KhunBJ]

Of course he was paid to stir up sentiments .....

And assaulted by thugs paid to stifle any opposition...

.

Haha...yes politics keeps people at work..good isn't it ?

[lannarebirth]

I doubt very much if this guy was paid to place a protest wreath, but what if he was? So what! It's a lawful activity that is constitutionally protected. Beating people up for exercising there constitutional rights is another thing altogether. I hope the assailants were arrested, but somehow I doubt they were.

[metisdead]

A troll post and replies to it have been removed.

[backtonormal]

Big deal, he laid a wreathe to protest. At least he didnt brn down Central or fire some grenades.

Who did burn down central and throw some grenades. Its all speculation,

[whybother]

Who did burn down central and throw some grenades. Its all speculation,

There's clear evidence of red shirts assisting in the burning of CWT, and a number of red shirts admitting to throwing grenades. As to other peoples involvement, that's all speculation.

[animatic]

It amazes me the purported farangs here so gladly willing to support or even extol double standards when their friends are back in power, but screamed blood murder when they were not. ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC.