Thai Police Fire Tear Gas At Political Protest

[fstarbkk]

I've just heard that 120 have been arrested at Makassan bridge?! and the police say some were armed with guns and knives.

I don't know if this has yet been reported here.

So it seems their intentions were to seize the bridge?

Peaceful demonstration I think NOT.

The police say...? Would that be the police lead by the chief who was hand-picked and personally decorated by the Dear Leader? Consider your source!

Edited November 24, 2012 by fstarbkk

[phuturatica]

I'm about 5 mins from the protest as I live right near and it all seems pretty peaceful to me.

[wealth]

If Boonlert calls it off means trouble's just starting. This could spray all over the city and country

This is a very serious setting, all set for violence also by the govt.

[Pimay1]

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.

So...you would prefer today's police to allow the importation of "weapons, fuel, bombs"? That would be equality of sorts, I guess. Not much progress though.

Now, now, all of us except you know the meaning of this post. And I expect if you have half a brain you know it also. Ok I will give you the benifit of the doubt that you have no idea what double standards mean. Of course if you are a red apologist then end of story.

[coma]

It seems the police didn't give warning before firing tear gas at the protestors...maybe if warning was given the need to use tear gas could have been avoided?

Untrue, police chief said they were warned over loud speakers for up to 1 hour before they used gas. the gas was used when protesters tried to drive a truck through a police line

You believe the Thai police on their word?

The short version ? NO!

[DocN]

Another useful map clearly showing the roadblocks

http://pic.twitter.com/PZhwLDMq

I am a bit lost, because I miss the usual 7eleven- icons....but it seems to me, that there are plenty of unblocked roads there...just not around the Government House.

So what is the big deal about going in from that side, instead of breaking down barriers?

[coma]

I'm about 5 mins from the protest as I live right near and it all seems pretty peaceful to me.

Make sure you have you handycam ready to rock. If/ when it gets messy you could make a quick $$$ for the footage.

[me313]

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.

If you are correct, at least one person has said something ringing of truth. In any clearly demarcated protest area, when protesters go out-of-bounds the police are duty-bound to react. By reacting, they incite anti-government sentiments. Could these actions of prompting police to respond help anti-government nay-sayers who sneer and make such comments as those I have read on this comment site? Is it a failure of the police to thwart protestors who run wild and cause havoc? Some of the comments say that the protestors are peaceful and the police are over-reacting. Where is the truth?

[rixalex]

If they don't like Yingluck, they need to wait until next election and not storm the streets.

Expect to hear a lot of this sort of advice in the next few days coming from the direction of those who in 2010 either participated in or fully supported not waiting until the next election but rather storming the streets. Utter hypocrisy.

The difference is that the current PM has a mandate to govern. In case you forgot, she won a decisive victory. The public was given a choice of parties, electing one of them in sufficient numbers determined the PM. Mr. Abhisit lost that election.

The problem here is you wish to pick and chose when it is ok to not wait for elections and storm the streets, and when it isn't ok. And the problem with that is everyone can have a different opinion on what constitutes reasonable grounds for not waiting and storming and what doesn't. You might think for example that Abhisit's lack of a mandate provided reasonable grounds, whilst others might think that Yingluck being instructed on how to run the country by someone not only banned from politics, but on the run from crime, also provides reasonable grounds. It's subjective.

With that being the case, you either must respect democratic process and abide by it at all times, or you don't respect it and abide by, and in doing so, accept that you lose the right to demand anyone else respect it or abide by it either.

The reds didn't respect or abide by democratic process in 2010, but now demand that others do. To repeat, complete and utter hypocrisy.

Edited November 24, 2012 by rixalex

[McMagus]

I don't know what is more hilarious ... Thai politics or reading so many hyper- holier-than-thou-from-both-sides posts here.... get over it guys .. it's not even your <Snip!> country....

Edited November 24, 2012 by metisdead

[geriatrickid]

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

I wish 65 million people would demonstrate, Yingluck's just a clone of Thaksin and everybody knows it.

Time for this country to wake up. Bring back Abhisit, please.

Please Yingluck, step down.--

Abhisit can come back any time. All he has to do is win a mandate in an election, something he has yet to accomplish.

[webfact]

[ttelise]

If they don't like Yingluck, they need to wait until next election and not storm the streets.

Expect to hear a lot of this sort of advice in the next few days coming from the direction of those who in 2010 either participated in or fully supported not waiting until the next election but rather storming the streets. Utter hypocrisy.

The difference is that the current PM has a mandate to govern. In case you forgot, she won a decisive victory. The public was given a choice of parties, electing one of them in sufficient numbers determined the PM. Mr. Abhisit lost that election.

Exactly, I don't see how that is such a difficult concept to grasp.

Candidly, the real issue is much simpler. This childish pattern or cycle of over throwing those in power just because you want some one else has to stop or be broken. Otherwise, you'll have Reds doing the same thing and the cycle will continue until perhaps it escalates into a civil war.

Time to grow up and be the better man.

[jcw]

Police say a TV cameraman was arrested for violating people's rights with filming of turmoil. source

This is the most outrageous Police statement, almost as bad as the Tourism minister who Yinluck did not reprimand for indicating that if a lady eats a meal with a man that meas he can have sex with her, in his rape case.

[Docno]

Why have so few entrances????? This will just drag out the protest and cause more clashes.

Answer : to provoke the protesters

Rubbish... the government has much more to gain by managing the protests well (ensuring weapons are not brought into the protest area, etc.) than by provoking the protesters. Under such fluid and uncertain circumstances, the police need to manage in-flows and people movement which means limiting access points. This is by no means an unusual technique among police services. Look at how protests are dealt with around IMF and World Bank summits...

Why do they need to manage inflows? If they've got enough police to block an entrance, surely they've got enough police to manage the people coming in.

You're more likely to be able to properly manage a few entrances than many entrances. Limiting and managing entry points is not denying people the right to protest....it's simply a basic part of crowd control in volatile situations. Again, just look at how various high-profile international summits are managed .... designated protest zones, green zones, etc.

[rijb]

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.

It's called free and fair elections. It's called waiting your turn and submitting yourself to the will of the people through a democratic process.

It's NOT about calling for a coup and a 5 year freeze on democratic rule, as Gen Boonlert has done as head of Pitak Siam...

Free and fair elections? The elections were incredibly expensive since so many votes had to be paid for, and that fact automatically eliminates the conception of fair. How do I KNOW this as a fact? Because my relatives were handed the cash directly into their hand. It happened. Get over it. It was NOT a free nor a fair election and if you think otherwise, then you need to go out more among the people to see what is really going on.''

Who gets paid more? The voters or the protestors (on either side) ?

[jcw]

Is that razor wire or barbed wire?

A bit over board for a protest where nothing has happened, it is not like they have taken a city hostage and burnt it down

--snip--

Edited November 24, 2012 by george
Mention of royalty removed.

[h90]

I'm about 5 mins from the protest as I live right near and it all seems pretty peaceful to me.

Could you please post if you see something happening? It is so difficult to get first hand news without propaganda.

[geriatrickid]

The problem here is you wish to pick and chose when it is ok to not wait for elections and storm the streets, and when it is ok. And the problem with that is everyone can have a different opinion on what constitutes reasonable grounds for not waiting and storming and what doesn't. You might think for example that Abhisit's lack of a mandate provided reasonable grounds, whilst others might think that Yingluck being instructed on how to run the country by someone not only banned from politics, but on the run from crime, also provides reasonable grounds. It's subjective.

With that being the case, you either must respect democratic process and abide by it at all times, or you don't respect it and abide by, and in doing so, accept that you lose the right to demand anyone else respect it or abide by it either.

The reds didn't respect or abide by democratic process in 2010, but now demand that others do. To repeat, complete and utter hypocrisy.

The premise of your argument is that the appointment of Abhisit as PM was the result of a fair election. As you may recall, the military was heavily inolved in providing the conditions that allowed Abhisit to cobble together some support from factions to ascend to his coveted PM position. Once his military protectors were forced to withdraw and the people of Thailand allowed to vote, Abhisit was rejected by the electorate.

The issue today is what is for all intents and purposes a politically motivated attempt to attack a democratically elected government.

In any case, put aside the reds vs. yellows vs. the polka dots politics for a minute. Why oh why, do these protests always sem to reach a head right before peak tourist season.

[DocN]

I don't know what is more hilarious ... Thai politics or reading so many hyper- holier-than-thou-from-both-sides posts here.... get over it guys .. it's not even your <Snip!> country....

I live here, work here and pay taxes here...so it might not be my <Snip!> country, but it is my <Snip!> home!

Edited November 24, 2012 by metisdead

[MrSlatersParrot]

I've just heard that 120 have been arrested at Makassan bridge?! and the police say some were armed with guns and knives.

I don't know if this has yet been reported here.

So it seems their intentions were to seize the bridge?

Peaceful demonstration I think NOT.

The police say...? Would that be the police lead by the chief who was hand-picked and personally decorated by the Dear Leader? Consider your source!

Look at my post #90

The Nation 132 arrested

[rijb]

I don't know what is more hilarious ... Thai politics or reading so many hyper- holier-than-thou-from-both-sides posts here.... get over it guys .. it's not even your <Snip!> country....

I live here, work here and pay taxes here...so it might not be my <Snip!> country, but it is my <Snip!> home!

Unless you're a citizen, you're just hired help.

Edited November 24, 2012 by metisdead

[Nickymaster]

I'm about 5 mins from the protest as I live right near and it all seems pretty peaceful to me.

Could you please post if you see something happening? It is so difficult to get first hand news without propaganda.

Just be careful, I heard the poilice will take away your recording equipment.

[farang000999]

anyone have the video of them driving the truck into the crowd of police?

[geriatrickid]

Who gets paid more? The voters or the protestors (on either side) ?

Perhaps a better question is, who loses more, the tourist sector or the investment sector trying to encourage investment in Thailand?

These protests are not helping the economy.

[rixalex]

get over it guys .. it's not even your <Snip!> country....

Let me ask you a question McMagus:

If you were in your home country and you met a Thai person who had been living in your country for twenty years, working there (legally), and married with a native of your country and with kids, and the Thai person, speaking in your home language, expressed to you an opinion about local politics, would you laugh in that person's face and tell them that it wasn't their <Snip!> country?

Edited November 24, 2012 by metisdead

[Theoutsider]

thanks

[krisb]

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

Usually cutting your way through a barbed wire fence is a bad idea that wont end well.

[MrSlatersParrot]

The problem here is you wish to pick and chose when it is ok to not wait for elections and storm the streets, and when it is ok. And the problem with that is everyone can have a different opinion on what constitutes reasonable grounds for not waiting and storming and what doesn't. You might think for example that Abhisit's lack of a mandate provided reasonable grounds, whilst others might think that Yingluck being instructed on how to run the country by someone not only banned from politics, but on the run from crime, also provides reasonable grounds. It's subjective.

With that being the case, you either must respect democratic process and abide by it at all times, or you don't respect it and abide by, and in doing so, accept that you lose the right to demand anyone else respect it or abide by it either.

The reds didn't respect or abide by democratic process in 2010, but now demand that others do. To repeat, complete and utter hypocrisy.

The premise of your argument is that the appointment of Abhisit as PM was the result of a fair election. As you may recall, the military was heavily inolved in providing the conditions that allowed Abhisit to cobble together some support from factions to ascend to his coveted PM position. Once his military protectors were forced to withdraw and the people of Thailand allowed to vote, Abhisit was rejected by the electorate.

The issue today is what is for all intents and purposes a politically motivated attempt to attack a democratically elected government.

In any case, put aside the reds vs. yellows vs. the polka dots politics for a minute. Why oh why, do these protests always sem to reach a head right before peak tourist season.

and from the word go they are aggressive. mindless.

Compare and contrast the redshirts back in March 2010.

150,000 people gathered and no trouble.

The usual suspects are out again in force.

The last time when the reds and yellos clashed ther'es pictures of this "yellow shirt" he calmly walks up to the redshirt truck with the sound system and produces a retracting screwdriver and breaks the glass and just melts away.

So he came with it deliberately.

Standard kit for car thieves.

Does anyone remember the "photo of the year"competition presided over by Abhisit. The PAD guard/part-time freelance photographer dragging the redshirt woman by her hair.

The camera was photoshopped out. The incident claimed to have happened 5 km away and that he was a disgruntled resident but in fact he was a pad thug who had a blog detailing his hits on the reds.

Swiftly removed from internet once discovered but was caught in cache.

Hired guns.

No political axe to grind

[tonbridgebrit]

Yes, Geriatric Kid !! A lot of us foreigners love to harp on about democracy whilst blasting YingLuk. These people tend to forget that it was YingLuk's party that won the democratic election. Abhisit's party represents a minority group of people in Thailand, that's why they've never won an election in living memory, and indeed, they probably never will !!!