Red Shirts Block Abhisit From Seminar

[Lite Beer]

POLITICAL RALLY

Red shirts block Abhisit from seminar

Pimnara Pradubwit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Democrat leader urges police chief to uphold law and order

The Opposition has demanded the Yingluck government strictly enforce the law after Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was blocked from joining a political seminar in Samut Prakan yesterday by more than 100 red shirts.

Abhisit was due to officially open a seminar organised by the party entitled "Assemblies join forces to design Thailand".

Before he could arrive, a rally of about 70 red shirts led by Chanu Chaiya, an executive at community radio 101.25, plus Wuthipong Kotthammakhun and Pathum Thani leader Sornrak Malaithong, was organised in front of the Taiwan Association of Thailand where the seminar was to be held.

They held placards insulting Abhisit, saying he should be expelled.

The former PM's car could not enter as the rally blocked the entrance to the association, forcing his driver to circle around three or four times to find other entrances. Abhisit decided to return to the Democrat Party headquarters, and then join a rally in Uthai Thani.

Bang Poo Police station and 200 anti-riot police kept security during the red shirt rally and there was no reports of clashes.

After the Samut Prakan road blockade, Abhisit said the party would have to discuss law enforcement and safety measures with the new National Police chief Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew.

Abhisit said he decided not to join the seminar as security officials believed the incident could turn violent. He said the red shirts had no right to block him from carrying out his duty.

"The party must talk to Gen Adul over how police can issue measures to keep law and order, so that we can have a democratic society and political parties can fully carry out activities. The Election Commission has not taken any action even though the party needs support from that agency,'' he said.

Abhisit dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's comments that the red shirts' action was normal political activity, saying instigated turmoil violated others' rights.

"It is not the case because they do not just express their opinions but are prone to commit violence. It is not fair because Democrat supporters have never created riots at any political function of the Pheu Thai Party or government,'' he said.

Democrat Nakhon Si Thammarat MP Thepthai Senpong accused the red shirts of violating the Constitution and accused the Pheu Thai Party of supporting the act as party members dismissed the offence as merely as an act of democratic colour.

He said if the government did not rein in the red shirts, and allowed them to intimidate the courts, commit constitutional offences and refused to enforce law, it would be impossible for the country to achieve reconciliation.

He accused the government of providing special privileges to Yoswarit Chuklom, a red shirt leader sent back to jail after the Criminal Court revoked his bail on Wednesday.

-- The Nation 2012-08-26

[FOODLOVER]

"Abhisit dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's comments that the red shirts' action was normal political activity, saying instigated turmoil violated others' rights".

Any comment from their leader, Yingluck?

[Thai at Heart]

200 coppers and they cant sort this out

[Rob8891]

Bad timing on Abhisit's part.... he must have turned up when all 200 riot police were on their tea break.

[dru2]

How very democratic!

[asiawatcher]

More sterling displays by the Kwai Daeng towards reconcilliation.

[jonclark]

What is it with Thai police they are just beyond useless. They have no will or inclination to do anything which resembles hard work. Perhaps if they actually did a decent days work they may have a case for a pay rise.

Without wanting to get sidetracked, but the police share a fair slice of responsibility for the whole red shirt riots as they were proven to be bias, unwilling and just plain scared to deal with the civil disorder that the red shirts caused. I remember they ran away crying because it was too dangerous. As a result the army was called in. A fact often overlooked

Edited August 26, 2012 by jonclark

[RickBradford]

Bully-boy behaviour is all that the knuckle-draggers of the Red Shirt movement know.

Collectively, they remind me of a spoilt three-year-old -- if they don't get what they want, they smash something and blame somebody else.

Edited August 26, 2012 by RickBradford

[tominbkk]

If the reds don't want to play by the rules then the police shouldn't have to play by the rules as well. Rubber bullets and tear gas, and lots of it, please!!!

[GentlemanJim]

A taste of things to come in a one party state modeled on Cambodia.

[Reasonableman]

The government and the police are powerless, apparently. Heard that before...

[Bluespunk]

Ah the sweet, sweet scent of PT's inclusive and lawful democracy.  

[chainarong]

Right of passage and freedom of speech (Depending on what you want to talk about ) are the right in every free democracy, when i see something like this happening , I don't hold much hope for Thailand.

[birdpooguava]

Mark thought it was oh so clever for the yellows to block PT MPs out of parliament last month and now he's crying like a baby because it's happened to him. Can't have it both ways.

[Ricardo]

A taste of things to come in a one party state modeled on Cambodia.

Didn't take long, for Hun-Sen's 'eternal friend', to take his revenge for Los Angeles, did it ?

Prime Minister Yingluck will immediately leap to the defense of democratic-freedom, by remaining strangely silent on the issue, and going shopping for more blinkers, while DPM-Chalerm will be tasked to do nothing about it within 90-days.

RA will put on a Red T-Shirt for five minutes, and condemn the seminar as a blatant coup-attempt, by the evil mass-murderer whose democratic-freedom should be stripped-away for life, and also all future lives. (Invoice $mega-bucks to follow).

Sundry Red-Shirt leaders, or at least those not in jail, will condemn the Dems' attempts to discuss freedom or reconciliation as totally unjust attempts to deny their right, to send elderly-relatives to violent-protests, and thus get rich at the taxpayers' expense.

More senior PTP-politicians will describe the bombing in the South as 'normal expressions of political activity', and take the opportunity of the headlines being on other things, to boost exports of domestic tigers to China.

Thus does Red Democracy advance, towards the Brave New World where everyone in full-time employment might someday earn a 300B minimum-wage, if PTP win the next election & Thaksin is given a full-amnesty for life, for any & all crimes pas/yet-to-be-committed ! Yay !

[LuckyLew]

Amazing how 200 anti riot police cannot clear out 100 red shirts clad people

What is the purpose of the police and the anti riot police in Thailand?

[philw]

A small demo of about 100 persons, outnumbered 2 : 1 by the police and AV turns away.

He must have something very heavy on his conscience if he is that concerned.

"...........Abhisit decided to return to the Democrat Party headquarters, and then join a rally in Uthai Thani.

Bang Poo Police station and 200 anti-riot police kept security during the red shirt rally and there was no reports of clashes."

Rather sad that he seems to be afraid of the electorate.

[Moruya]

What exactly are they wanting Abhisit expelled from?

[ttelise]

Haha, yellows do this to Thaksin in US and you sing praises. Double standards all around and they are all equly bad including Abhisit.

[Insight]

Haha, yellows do this to Thaksin in US and you sing praises. Double standards all around and they are all equly bad including Abhisit.

The former PM's car could not enter as the rally blocked the entrance to the association, forcing his driver to circle around three or four times to find other entrances

Were the protesters blocking Thaksin? How many attempts did Thaksin make to enter the building.

The comparison is a tad pathetic, IMO.

[OzMick]

The usual knee-jerk "What about the yellow shirts?" response still fails to recognise that the Democrats are NOT the PAD/yellowshirts. They are quite separate political entities that at one time shared the political goal of ridding the country of its most corrupt PM.

[birdpooguava]

The usual knee-jerk "What about the yellow shirts?" response still fails to recognise that the Democrats are NOT the PAD/yellowshirts. They are quite separate political entities that at one time shared the political goal of ridding the country of its most corrupt PM.

Is that why a large # of Dem MPs attended the yellow shirts blockade of parliament rally.

[MikeOboe57]

A small demo of about 100 persons, outnumbered 2 : 1 by the police and AV turns away.

He must have something very heavy on his conscience if he is that concerned.

"...........Abhisit decided to return to the Democrat Party headquarters, and then join a rally in Uthai Thani.

Bang Poo Police station and 200 anti-riot police kept security during the red shirt rally and there was no reports of clashes."

Rather sad that he seems to be afraid of the electorate.

They weren't outnumbered, they were backed up. And Abhisit correctly assumed that the police would remain passive if the situation got out of hand, as they did in 2010 at the illegal red guard checkpoints in Bangkok.

But let's not forget that your beloved Führer Thaksin chickened out of a similar situation during his propaganda tour of the US although there was no violent mob awaiting him but merely law abiding citizens. Very telling that Thaksin is afraid of these people.

[Mosha]

Haha, yellows do this to Thaksin in US and you sing praises. Double standards all around and they are all equly bad including Abhisit.

How can you compare a tourist getting hassled with what a legitimate political leader went through? Tourists get hassled here on a daily basis.

[Noistar]

What is it with Thai police they are just beyond useless. They have no will or inclination to do anything which resembles hard work. Perhaps if they actually did a decent days work they may have a case for a pay rise.

Without wanting to get sidetracked, but the police share a fair slice of responsibility for the whole red shirt riots as they were proven to be bias, unwilling and just plain scared to deal with the civil disorder that the red shirts caused. I remember they ran away crying because it was too dangerous. As a result the army was called in. A fact often overlooked

They can't even 'organise' the rush hour traffic

[GentlemanJim]

Mark thought it was oh so clever for the yellows to block PT MPs out of parliament last month and now he's crying like a baby because it's happened to him. Can't have it both ways.

The yellows did not block MPs out of parliament, get your facts straight, and it is exactly your tit for tat mentality that inhibits you from seeing right from wrong as far as the democratic governance of this nation goes.

A small demo of about 100 persons, outnumbered 2 : 1 by the police and AV turns away.

He must have something very heavy on his conscience if he is that concerned.

"...........Abhisit decided to return to the Democrat Party headquarters, and then join a rally in Uthai Thani.

Bang Poo Police station and 200 anti-riot police kept security during the red shirt rally and there was no reports of clashes."

Rather sad that he seems to be afraid of the electorate.

Perhaps he has good reason to be, after all the last time his motorcade was anywhere near a group of reds, they attacked his car with him inside.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/421711-pm-abhisit-recounts-his-ordeal-under-rioting-reds/page__hl__+red%20+shirts%20+attack%20+abhisit%20+car#entry4059752

Haha, yellows do this to Thaksin in US and you sing praises. Double standards all around and they are all equly bad including Abhisit.

Yellows were not permitted to interfere with any traffic or people in the USA. They were stood well away. Thaksins car even pulled up outside the event completely unhindered and waited there for several minutes. Only afer being told there was a handful of people to listen to him did he decide to leave the venue and blame the yellows. His movements during the protest and the arrival at the venue are all documented on youtube.

[Noistar]

Haha, yellows do this to Thaksin in US and you sing praises. Double standards all around and they are all equly bad including Abhisit.

Are you baiting?

If Thaksin was forced several times to circle the venue and remained unable to, the US law-enforcement would step in. Part of democracy I suppose. Don't blink or you'll miss the chance that Thailand had but lost.

Thaksin bottled.

Abhisit saw the potential for violence (as exhibited in the past), so took a non-prevocational approach.

Ms Yingluck? Sorry, she's too tired

[Moruya]

Haha, yellows do this to Thaksin in US and you sing praises. Double standards all around and they are all equly bad including Abhisit.

Abhisit is the leader of the opposition attempting to follow a democratic process. Thaksin is a criminal on the run therefore you are not making a fair comparison.

The yellow shirts are not the democrats.

There is a huge difference is police forces too. The LA boys did a professional job. The Thai police, headed by Thaksin's brother in law, were their usual one sided, useless selves.

[OzMick]

The usual knee-jerk "What about the yellow shirts?" response still fails to recognise that the Democrats are NOT the PAD/yellowshirts. They are quite separate political entities that at one time shared the political goal of ridding the country of its most corrupt PM.

Is that why a large # of Dem MPs attended the yellow shirts blockade of parliament rally.

In a democracy, ANYBODY is free to attend political rallies to hear what people have to say. It doesn't make you a supporter or a member of the party. Also in a democracy, political parties and their leaders are free to campaign and speak without harassment, unless of course it is a red democracy where opposing views are not tolerated.

A large number of black shirts attended the 2010 rally, does that them members of PTP in your opinion?

[philw]

A small demo of about 100 persons, outnumbered 2 : 1 by the police and AV turns away.

He must have something very heavy on his conscience if he is that concerned.

"...........Abhisit decided to return to the Democrat Party headquarters, and then join a rally in Uthai Thani.

Bang Poo Police station and 200 anti-riot police kept security during the red shirt rally and there was no reports of clashes."

Rather sad that he seems to be afraid of the electorate.

They weren't outnumbered, they were backed up. And Abhisit correctly assumed that the police would remain passive if the situation got out of hand, as they did in 2010 at the illegal red guard checkpoints in Bangkok.

But let's not forget that your beloved Führer Thaksin chickened out of a similar situation during his propaganda tour of the US although there was no violent mob awaiting him but merely law abiding citizens. Very telling that Thaksin is afraid of these people.

".........your beloved Führer Thaksin........"

Ho Ho Ho.....

Wrong again, as usual.