Thai Police Fire Tear Gas At Political Protest

[webfact]

Thai police fire tear gas at political rally

BANGKOK, Nov 24, 2012 (AFP) - Thai police on Saturday used tear gas at an anti-government protest in the capital Bangkok, the scene of several outbreaks of violent unrest in recent years.

Police fired 10 tear gas canisters at a group of demonstrators who removed barbed wire and barriers blocking their route past a UN building close to the main protest site, police said.

"So far tear gas was used in one area because protesters did not comply with the rules," said national police spokesman Major General Piya Uthayo. "No casualties were reported."

Thousands of police have been deployed for the rally at the Royal Plaza which is organised by the royalist group Pitak Siam, which opposes Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government.

The authorities expect tens of thousands of people to attend the demonstration, the first major street protest against Yingluck's 16-month-old administration.

Police estimated that about 10,000 protesters were gathered by about 9:00 am.

The government has invoked a special security law, the Internal Security Act, in three districts of the capital to cope with possible unrest.

Yingluck on Thursday voiced fears the protesters aimed to use violence and to "overthrow an elected government and democratic rule", in a televised address to the nation.

Politically turbulent Thailand has been rocked by a series of sometimes violent rival street protests in recent years, although an uneasy calm has returned after national elections in 2011.

Two months of mass opposition protests in 2010 by "Red Shirt" supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra sparked a deadly military crackdown that left about 90 people dead and nearly 1,900 wounded.

Thaksin's sister Yingluck is now prime minister after his political allies won a landslide election victory last year.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-11-24

[Songhua]

.... and here we go.

[Fozfromoz]

.... and here we go.

Yep going to be a long day methinks.

[looping]

It will be interesting to compare how this govt deals with protests vs how Abhisit dealt with the 2010 shindig.

[smedly]

One thing I am certain of today - not to believe any news reports from the Authorities

From the OP - Blocking their way to what ? the protest site ?

Is this what this disgraceful government is going to do, block protesters from reaching the site and inflame the situation, I thought this would have been peaceful today but now I think the tactic is for the police to stir the trouble - coming from Charlerm it sounds about right

[mrtoad]

Interesting that The BIB are pro active. Don't doubt that the fake upholders of democracy will crush this protest, by any means possible, can't have people speaking out against The DL and his puppet government.

[webfact]

Police fire tear gas at protesters

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police on Saturday fired tear gas at protesters gathering at Makawan Rangsan Bridge at about 9am.

Police claimed that some protesters wanted to break barricades to join other protesters already inside, so the police had to fire the tear gas to stop the attempt.

-- The Nation 2012-11- 24

[ridkun]

Sometimes I don't know if I'm too stupid to understand this government's actions, or the government's stupidity is just beyond my imagination.

[theslime]

One thing I am certain of today - not to believe any news reports from the Authorities

From the OP - Blocking their way to what ? the protest site ?

Is this what this disgraceful government is going to do, block protesters from reaching the site and inflame the situation, I thought this would have been peaceful today but now I think the tactic is for the police to stir the trouble - coming from Charlerm it sounds about right

Me thinks your blog is inflamatory. Dream on.

[Pimay1]

Police fired 10 tear gas canisters at a group of demonstrators who removed barbed wire and barriers blocking their way near a UN building, said police spokesman Major General Prawut Thawornsiri.

I wonder if these are the Chinese tear gas canisters that contain shrapnel.

[smedly]

Interesting that The BIB are pro active. Don't doubt that the fake upholders of democracy will crush this protest, by any means possible, can't have people speaking out against The DL and his puppet government.

yes but unfortunately that is totally the wrong way to handle this situation, if this continues it will degrade rapidly into a huge civil disorder mess, these people have the right to protest they are doing nothing wrong, if they are not allowed to exercise their rights that is very dangerous

Edited November 24, 2012 by smedly

[Pimay1]

Interesting that The BIB are pro active. Don't doubt that the fake upholders of democracy will crush this protest, by any means possible, can't have people speaking out against The DL and his puppet government.

yes but unfortunately that is totally the wrong way to handle this situation, if this continues it will degrade rapidly into a huge civil disorder mess, these people have the right to protest they are doing nothing wrong, if they are not allowed to exorcise their rights that is very dangerous

Just wait until the Esaan Rambo and his idiots join the fray. Only two hours away I believe it was said.

[DP25]

What a change in behavior from the police in 2010. When it was the red shirts 'protesting', they allowed them to bring in weapons, fuel, bombs, and tires every day for weeks. They were allowed to set up barricades, build fortifications, and plant explosives in nearby building, all without interference from the police. Here they are shooting tear gas the first hour of the protest.

[scorecard]

.... and here we go.

Yep going to be a long day methinks.

Two points:

1. Ten tear gas cannisters way way overboard and in reality did the incident warrant any tear gas at all?

2. The best thing the peak group could do is hold their rally trying hard to not inflame or upset the police. And I have no doubt the willing police (red sympathizers) will have no hesitation to react quickly and strongly. Best to go out of your way to protest but not give the police cause to quickly react.

[webfact]

Pitak Siam leader to decide in three hours whether to continue rally

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Pitak Siam leader Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit said he would wait three more hours before evaluating the situation whether to continue the rally following a scuffle between police and protesters.

He urged more people to join the rally and he would ask the demonstrators in three hours whether the protest should continue.

He claimed that he learned that police would suppress the protesters at noon and he called on troops to come out to protect the demonstrators.

-- The Nation 2012-11- 24

[LuckyLew]

Interesting that The BIB are pro active. Don't doubt that the fake upholders of democracy will crush this protest, by any means possible, can't have people speaking out against The DL and his puppet government.

yes but unfortunately that is totally the wrong way to handle this situation, if this continues it will degrade rapidly into a huge civil disorder mess, these people have the right to protest they are doing nothing wrong, if they are not allowed to exercise their rights that is very dangerous

I hope you do not think that the BIB have any clue on how to handle this situation

All the know how to do is say "Roy baht" and stick their hand out

The again the cold medicine drinker has probably told them what to do and how to do it

A little bit of trouble makes for good reading and good news.

The Gov't can then blame everything on protestors and say they handled everything prefectly

[zydeco]

.... and here we go.

Yep going to be a long day methinks.

Not a crisis yet. The only way we will ever know that things are turning catastrophic is when TAT issues a statement explaining how events are not expected to impact tourism.

[animatic]

.... and here we go.

Yep going to be a long day methinks.

The gov. have set the stage for a show down and a smack down.

Nicely coinciding with the original start of the Censure Debate.

They are determined to make it go bad, in a controlled way

as an excuse to not let a PAD style presence on the ground

become a focus for others to rally to.

No doubt agent provacateurs have been mixed in to do things like;

"removed barbed wire and barriers blocking their way"

Clearly a teargassing offense moving barriers. <Irony.

This has increasingly looked like a government setup of the protestors

to prevent anything bigger, a 'nip it in the bud' appearing strategy,

and to create the 'appearance of Emergency Situation';

to stop protests,

to stop Censure Debate

to lock in greater powers and public control for the Thaksin clan cabinet

Add to this the: Allegations of :

Attempted Thaksin assasignation in Myanmarr

Attempted kidnapping of Yingluck

'Foiled coup attempt last spring...'

( for which not one conspirator has publicly been perp-walked or even mentioned)

All things Thaksin did not successfully do in 2006.

And must do now to meet the control game plan.

This is theater folks where people get hurt to help the narrative move ahead,

just as it happened in 2008, pawns get used to make the liege lords plans advance.

One main reason they are going so far so early is the Pitak Siam leader is an Retired Army General.

That is another reason the ISOC made a Shinawatra Clan police leader as front man.

They are clearly scared to death that the army will back their former general at some point

if push comes to shove and they feel there is public backing, as shown by the public arrival

at the rally site, so they to want to shut it down ASAP.

That old China/English Curse " May you live in interesting times." plays out once again.

Edited November 24, 2012 by animatic

[Songhua]

What a change in behavior from the police in 2010. When it was the red shirts 'protesting', they allowed them to bring in weapons, fuel, bombs, and tires every day for weeks. They were allowed to set up barricades, build fortifications, and plant explosives in nearby building, all without interference from the police. Here they are shooting tear gas the first hour of the protest.

Firing tear gas at protestors attempting to remove a BARBED WIRE barrier in order to join the apparantly permitted number of protestors at nine in the morning leaves no doubt how thinly the line has been drawn. Who knows what the standing orders might be to alleviate any 'worse' breach.

The latest article here says that it is planned to suppress the protest at noon. How can it possibly be known yet whether it will need suppressing?

Edited November 24, 2012 by Songhua

[Rich teacher]

The protesters removed police barriers and then tried to drive a truck, converted to a mobile stage, through a line of police in an attempt to get to an area which had been declared out of bounds.

[jcw]

Looks like they are thinking the best defense is to attack.

Notice the Red Neck Scarfs on these Police.

Click to enlarge.

Edited November 24, 2012 by jcw

[Rich teacher]

Looks like they are thinking the best defense is to attack.

Notice the Red Neck Scarfs on these Police.

Click to enlarge.

Yeah and another group has yellow scarfs, another blue, another green. Ignorance is bliss.

[h90]

.... and here we go.

Yep going to be a long day methinks.

Two points:

1. Ten tear gas cannisters way way overboard and in reality did the incident warrant any tear gas at all?

2. The best thing the peak group could do is hold their rally trying hard to not inflame or upset the police. And I have no doubt the willing police (red sympathizers) will have no hesitation to react quickly and strongly. Best to go out of your way to protest but not give the police cause to quickly react.

Yes but if they sit there peaceful (or somewhere else where the police decide to block them), they can sit there the next 100 years trying not to provoke the police and nothing will happen (beside a M79 from time to time).

Actually I don't know how to peacefully force the government out. I also don't know how to forcefully force them out.

Recall when the PAD took over government house and 2 airports it did not impress the government....they just wanted to move to Chang Mai.

[jonclark]

The problem with instigating violence is it always attracts those who want a fight. As the old saying goes, if you go looking for trouble, trouble will find you. Looks like the police have orders to start trouble

[chainarong]

Has Yingluck realized they're not as popular as she thought or is she rather fancifull and full of crap, indicating that a few protesters at this early stage can over throw her government.

[Bluespunk]

Sometimes I don't know if I'm too stupid to understand this government's actions, or the government's stupidity is just beyond my imagination.

Option 2

[Chrisswe]

That's good , stop this jealous people's who want to put Thailand 25 year's back in time !!!

Edited November 24, 2012 by Scott
formatting

[KinM]

Police fire tear gas at protesters

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police on Saturday fired tear gas at protesters gathering at Makawan Rangsan Bridge at about 9am.

Police claimed that some protesters wanted to break barricades to join other protesters already inside, so the police had to fire the tear gas to stop the attempt.

-- The Nation 2012-11- 24

What.

I don't even understand how hypocritical this government can get. Someone should make an infogram detailing the red protest and response compared to this protest and the response. Less than 24 hours, and moving something is not a precedent for tear gas to be fired. Invading a major district by force, and piling up barricades and burning tires, however, is a different situation.

Edited November 24, 2012 by KinM

[culicine]

One thing I am certain of today - not to believe any news reports from the Authorities

From the OP - Blocking their way to what ? the protest site ?

Is this what this disgraceful government is going to do, block protesters from reaching the site and inflame the situation, I thought this would have been peaceful today but now I think the tactic is for the police to stir the trouble - coming from Charlerm it sounds about right

It seems the NO GO area basically surrounds the protest site? So how on earth can they reach the site? This is surely inflaming the situation, as you state? The govt simply does not want the protest to proceed; stupidly thinking protesters will pack up and go home.

[Bluespunk]

The protesters removed police barriers and then tried to drive a truck, converted to a mobile stage, through a line of police in an attempt to get to an area which had been declared out of bounds.

Wonder who gave them that idea……