Mass Phuket Protest Demands Deputy Pm Plodprasop Step Down

[webfact]

Mass Phuket protest demands Deputy PM step down
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Ahead of the white-mask protest set for Sunday, hundreds of members of the “We Preserve Phuket Club” stormed Phuket Provincial Hall this morning demanding that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra relieve Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi of his position after he issued a thinly veiled threat to the people of Phuket concerning the cancelled International Convention and Exhibition Center project.

“The protest today is not about politics. It is all about Phuket people being underestimated by one of Thailand’s deputy prime ministers, Plodprasop Suraswadi,” said Phuket Democrat MP Raywat Areerob.

“I am here today as Phuket’s voice to protect our honor. We are here to present the will of the people, but here to do so in peace. We will not commit violence, there will be no burnings,” MP Raywat said. “Plodprasop’s statement is inciting disharmony in the country and intending to divide Thai people apart.”

The non-violent protesters led by MP Raywat, We Preserve Phuket Club President Boonsupaa Tanthai and Provincial Council member Manoo Kiewkram had gathered to present a letter to Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut to be passed up the ranks to PM Yingluck asking that Deputy PM Plodprasop be removed from his position.

“It is not about Pheu Thai or the Democrat Party. We are here because we cannot accept this form of politics anymore – the government is not being sincere in dealing with us,” Mr Manoo said.

“We need a government that will move Thailand forward, not just look after the members of their own party.

“We need a government that is fair – Phuket earns a lot of money for the entire nation, but the Phuket ICEC project was cancelled, and for Plodprasop to say such things is a total disgrace,” Mr Manoo said.

We Preserve Phuket Club members stepped into the spotlight after Deputy PM Plodprasop made his threat against the island last Sunday. Since then, video clips of the speech have gone viral, inciting protests across the nation.

“Phuket is next on the list for a convention hall [international Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC)] after we finish the one here,” Deputy PM Plodprasop said in Chiang Mai.

“But I will not allow it to be built. We might build it if Phuket people vote for the Pheu Thai party, but if they don’t, that building project is not going anywhere,” he said.

Deputy PM Plodprasop’s statement left members of the We Preserve Phuket Club in disbelief.

“He said that the ICEC project was cancelled and he dared anyone who had a problem with it to step into the ring. He also said that he would only bring the center to Phuket if the people of Phuket voted for the Pheu Thai party – he said he was not in the ‘mood’ to build the ICEC in Phuket,” Mr Boonsupaa said.

“Is this the kind of statement a government administrator is supposed to make? Is he mature enough to be a Deputy PM?” Mr Boonsupaa asked.

Mr Boonsupaa cited the vast amount of revenue generated by Phuket for the Kingdom annually, pointing out that the government needed to support the province to allow it to continue to improve its revenue flow and drive the country’s economy.

“The cancellation of the ICEC in Phuket represents a great deal of lost potential income for residents and revenue for the country,” Mr Boonsupaa said.

We Preserve Phuket Club’s letter of protest was warmly received by Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa, in Gov Maitri’s absence.

“Thank you all for coming out to demonstrate your love of Phuket and Thailand. Please know that the letter will be passed on to the Ministry of the Interior – I promise PM Yingluck will receive it,” V/Gov Sommai said. “However, I cannot promise that we will be able to bring back the ICEC project.”

“Please be calm and we will proceed cautiously. We will not create any further disharmony in our country,” she said.

After leaving Phuket Provincial Hall the group of hundreds marched to the Phuket Revenue Office and submitted a letter to them, stating that they must work for the people, not an unjust government.

“They are supposed to look after us, because we are the ones who are paying taxes. Our taxes should be used for the highest benefit of all people who pay them, not just a single group,” Mr Boonsupaa said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Mass-Phuket-protest-demands-Deputy-PM-step-down-21268.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-06-07

[webfact]

700 join Phuket protest against Deputy PM
Naraporn Tuarob


MP Rewat Areerob gestures to the protesters.

PHUKET: -- More than 700 Phuket people gathered this morning (June 7) at Saphan Hin before marching to Provincial Hall to deliver a letter to Governor Maitree Intusut, demanding the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi for remarks he made at a Pheu Thai rally in Chiang Mai last weekend.

In that speech, Mr Plodprasop appeared to say that if Phuket people wanted things from the Pheu Thai government, they should vote for Pheu Thai parliamentary candidates.

The boisterous marchers were led by local Democrat Party MP Rewat Areerob and potential parliamentary candidate Boonsuppa Thanthai, President of the Rak Phuket Group, who both stressed the demonstration was spontaneous.

“People who came to the demonstration today didn’t come because any of us brought them, but because they are fed up with the way Deputy PM Plodprasop verbally abused Phuket,” said Mr Rewat.

He added, “How can you say such a thing when your title is Deputy PM? It’s most inappropriate. Phuket generates tax income for the country of almost B200 billion a year so today we are demanding transparency in how our taxes are used.”

During the march, speakers standing in a pick-up truck asked why there was such a rush by the government to alter the Constitution when more fundamental problems such as the rising prices of eggs, cooking oil, fuel and other consumer products, as well as soaring corruption.

On reaching Provincial Hall the demonstrators – surrounding a cheap chipboard coffin marked with a skull and crossbones and labelled “Plodprasop Suraswadi, passed on from this world June 7, 2013” – discovered that Gov Maitree was not in his office; he was on a visit to Trang Province.

Instead, Vice-Governor Sommai Preechasilpa received the protest letter and said she would pass it on to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The letter, in part, stated, “Deputy PM Plodprasop must be expelled from the Cabinet because his speech was ravaging to Phuket people’s hearts and it showed that he lacks maturity. Phuket contributes B188 trillion a year to the country’s economy, so the government should use [the taxes from that] to enhance the potential of Phuket.

“It is a fact that former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva approved the budget for the Convention Centre in Chiang Mai and it was completed while he was in office – unlike what Mr Plodprasop said. Yet the Convention Centre that Phuket was supposed to have was cancelled by Yingluck’s Cabinet.”

From Provincial Hall, the marchers went on to the nearby Revenue Department, with Mr Rewat exhorting them, “Today, show them that we are a non-violent protest.” With Mr Plodprasop’s contentious words being played through loudspeakers non-stop, the crowd cheered and chanted, “Get out Plodprasop.”

At the Revenue Department, Mr Rewat declared, “Phuket must pay taxes – it’s not that we won’t, but we have to know that tax from us is used in a transparent way.

“For a long time Phuket has had very little back from the Government. Once the taxes are in the hands of government, we want to know how it is decided what taxes will come to us in the form of budgets,” Mr Rewat said.

Phuket City Police Superintendent Col Sermpan Sirikong said, “Today the protest went well. There was no violence, and police officers cooperated with the protest organisers from the start to ensure that as few non-protesters as possible were irritated by the march.

“This is people’s right under the constitution; you can [protest publicly] as long as you don’t harm other people.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/700-join-phuket-protest-against-deputy-pm-40005.php


-- Phuket News 2013-06-07

[waza]

people power

[JetsetBkk]

"Phuket is next on the list for a convention hall [international Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC)] after we finish the one here," Deputy PM Plodprasop said in Chiang Mai.

"But I will not allow it to be built. We might build it if Phuket people vote for the Pheu Thai party, but if they dont, that building project is not going anywhere," he said.

If that is what he said, has he not broken a law? Surely, this cannot be legal?

If I were a Phuket Thai I would want him hung up by his you-know-whats. Assuming he has any.

[borisloosebrain]

Way to go, Phuket people , showing others how to demonstrate peacefully with a coherent understandable message.

Plodprasop should never have been a Minister to start with - his track record is <deleted>. His attitude is <deleted> and ....well actually I suppose that means he is amply qualified for a government post.

[webfact]

UPDATE:
Push for Plodprasop's sacking
Yongyos Preuksarak
The Nation
Phuket


About 1,000 protesters in Phuket rally against Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi following his speech to the red shirts in Chiang Mai last week.

Protesters slam minister over his speech to red shirts in Chiang Mai

PHUKET: -- Some 1,000 Phuket residents yesterday held a rally to demand the removal of Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi over his remark that the government would not build a conference centre in the island province.

The protesters accused Plodprasop of trying to intimidate them into voting for the Pheu Thai Party, hence they demanded that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra fire him immediately.

The protesters, led by Boonsuppa Tantai, chairman of the Phuket Conservation Club, and Rewat Areerob, Democrat MP for Phuket, gathered at Saphan Hin Park at 10am.

The protesters carried placards with messages attacking Plodprasop. One placard said: "Plodprasop, don't look down on Phuket residents too much," and another read: "Plodprasop, don't look down on Phuket residents as buffaloes."

The protesters then travelled on 300 motorcycles and in 50 vehicles past several roads to rally in front of Phuket Provincial Hall and submit a letter to the Phuket governor. The letter, demanding Plodprasop's ousting, was submitted to Phuket deputy governor Sommai Preechasilp.

At the rally in front of the provincial hall, Boonsuppa said Phuket people were angry over Plodprasop's speech at the Chiang Mai stadium on June 2. Plodprasop reportedly told the red shirts gathering in the stadium that the Pheu Thai government had built an international conference centre for the people of Chiang Mai who voted for the Pheu Thai. He said the government would not build an international conference centre in Phuket because the people of that province did not appreciate Pheu Thai and did not vote for the party.

Boonsuppa said the people of Phuket were infuriated by the speech and accused Plodprasop of looking down on them.

The speech also incited rifts in society and was proof of discrimination by the government.

It was also an intimidation of the people, telling them to vote for Pheu Thai in exchange for development investment, Boonsuppa said.

Rewat told the rally that he had joined the demonstration not for political reasons, but because of Plodprasop's Chiang Mai speech.

He said the speech had caused dismay among the people of Phuket, hence the government must remove Plodprasop from the Cabinet immediately.

Rewat said Phuket generated revenue of Bt180 billion for the government in taxes each year, so the government should fund development in the province.

The deputy governor said the provincial administration would request investment for the construction of an international conference centre but the final decision would depend on the government.

The demonstrators then moved to the Phuket Revenue Office to demand that the office safeguard the taxes paid by Phuket residents.

Kanya Warahakij, the chief revenue officer for the province, said she would forward the protesters' demands to the Revenue Department and the Finance Ministry.


-- The Nation 2013-06-08

[drdoom6996]

people power

I hope the PTP actually gets a taste of People Power.

[SICHONSTEVE]

I'm not sure that he will get promotion in the next reshuffle!!

Talking about political suicide. Shame he didn't find out the facts abouts about the convention centre in Chiang Mai being approved by Abhisit and finished in his time in office as it makes his foolhardy words even more damaging to Pheu Thai.

A beauiful and classic own goal methinks!!.

[tragickingdom]

Mass protests of the yellow shirt, multi color shirts, white masks, and soon to be purple masks clad in Badman uniform are normally turning out to be unable tos end more than a few thousand jokers on the street.

[billd766]

Mass protests of the yellow shirt, multi color shirts, white masks, and soon to be purple masks clad in Badman uniform are normally turning out to be unable tos end more than a few thousand jokers on the street.

None of them are violent or end up with buildings being burnt or people being killed though.

Odd that, isn't it?

[iancnx]

So has the dear chap made any comment or indeed an apology. Resignation seems the honourable course..... The PM should demand it....... But she won't will she?

[Baerboxer]

So has the dear chap made any comment or indeed an apology. Resignation seems the honourable course..... The PM should demand it....... But she won't will she?

Nope she won't. Only big brother can decide that.

Plod is simply revealing what a lot of people already think - PTP makes decision based on nepotism, cronyism and looking after their own. His intolerance of any form of protest or criticism displays their usual arrogance which is associated with all who think they have the right to tell others to do as we say, not as we do,

[winstonc]

i lived in phuket for 3 years ,wasnt a fan but they sure do earn money for this corrupt party in power,if he stays,then well that says it all,i bet even the educated in ptp were cringing when he opened his mouth,,put a couple of extra points on there ratings ,,,get in there ploppy,,,

Edited June 8, 2013 by winstonc

[SICHONSTEVE]

i lived in phuket for 3 years ,wasnt a fan but they sure do earn money for this corrupt party in power,if he stays,then well that says it all,i bet even the educated in ptp were cringing when he opened his mouth,,put a couple of extra points on there ratings ,,,get in there ploppy,,,

They have some that are educated????

[huanga]

"Seamless" working relationship with Bangkok and now the "seamless" working relationship with Phuket.

How can it be torn at the "seam"? PTP asks????