Thai opposition protesters storm foreign ministry

[webfact]

Thai opposition protesters storm foreign ministry

BANGKOK, November 25, 2013 (AFP) - Hundreds of Thai opposition protesters on Monday forced their way into the foreign ministry compound in Bangkok, occupying a second major government building, a ministry spokesman said.

The move came hours after demonstrators stormed the finance ministry in a dramatic escalation of their efforts to topple embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"Several hundred protesters broke down the gate and entered the compound of the foreign ministry," said the spokesman, Sek Wannamethee.

"There were many civil servants working there at the time and they (the protesters) asked them to leave and not to return to work tomorrow."

The demonstrators were occupying the foreign ministry compound but did not enter the buildings, he said.

The mass protests against Yingluck and her brother, ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, are the biggest since 2010 when the kingdom was rocked by its worst political bloodshed in decades with more than 90 civilians killed.

The turmoil has raised fears of a fresh bout of street violence in a country that has been convulsed by several episodes of political unrest since royalist generals overthrew Thaksin in a coup in 2006.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-11-25

[spirit47]

Take care my paper, please...

[ramrod711]

This is a mistake, they are going to give the police an excuse to take action. The protests should remain non violent, i doubt that this was sanctioned by Suthep.

[DocN]

Welcome to the Muppet Show!

[khwaibah]

This is a mistake, they are going to give the police an excuse to take action. The protests should remain non violent, i doubt that this was sanctioned by Suthep.

I guess you have not read this.. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684261-suthep-urges-people-to-seize-government-offices/

[moe666]

How is occupying buildings and there adjacent grounds violent. Now if they destroy property or harm people that is violence.

[Thai at Heart]

Interesting ploy. As long as they don't burn anything down, or attack anyone, why not?

Interesting to see if the civil servants go back to work. Suthep should start appealing to the civil service to walk out. Can't do much governing without the gophers to run around for you.

[bifftastic]

This mob really need a name change, maybe something like 'The people's alliance for democracy unless we don't like the policies, then we'll stamp our feet and scream and scream and scream until we're sick '

That might be a bit long winded, maybe just 'the privileged few against people who don't know that we should be in charge all the time'

Still too long.....'Voting's for chumps, we should be in charge...just because we say so'

When an elected government is incompetent, and their policies are failing, damaging the economy, changing things to the detriment of society, vote for the opposition IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

That is the only way that the supporters of that government will be able to accept the fact that they had their turn and were not popular enough to secure a further term in office. It is the ONLY WAY to be able to claim the right to govern.

Unless, of course, the pretence of democracy is discarded altogether and the government is appointed by a minority.

In which case, insurrection and subversion should be expected.

If they actually won an election, they might have more credibility.

[Loles]

When would they like to occupy the "Bangkok Hilton". Those is a very suitable place for them, and the other idiot mob too.

[SamMunich]

(Quote:)

When an elected government is incompetent, and their policies are failing, damaging the economy, changing things to the detriment of society, vote for the opposition IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

...

If they actually won an election, they might have more credibility.

-----------(end quote)-------------------------------------

Now can we please, PLEASE stop with this nonsense about democratic elections in Thailand? That is sheer propaganda!

There are no democratic elections around here, not in Thailand, nor in Cambodia or any other of the countries around here. That is, unless you count vote-buying as an accepted part, or bullying people into voting for a certain candidate, "or else..." as an part of a democratic election.

The amount of elected members of any council, parliament etc. is in direct relation to the amount of money spent during the election. Period.

And beyond that: How democratic can be an election, if the constitution, on which the election is based, is not democratic? In Thailand you must have a university degree in order to stand for election to parliament. How democratic is that? That excludes farmers, trade-unionist and lots of NGO people, beside all the "normal" people, who can't afford to study...

So please folks, stop lamenting about the democratic elections in Thailand,

SamM.

[surangw]

they want go get in the headlines in the western media, take over the airport again.

[waza]

Thai opposition protesters storm foreign ministry

Panic thy name is Yingluck

Edited November 25, 2013 by waza

[Ron19]

What on earth are these people trying to do to their own country.Have some common sense and call it of before you destroy it.

[JoeThePoster]

There were many civil servants working....

Of all the nights, these protestors decide to storm the ministry on a blue moon!

[whybother]

What on earth are these people trying to do to their own country.Have some common sense and call it of before you destroy it.

At least they're not burning it down.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BillyBobThai]

Yingluk looks light sge is crying in that pic. Lady is having a bad day, if only I could be in Singapore shopping.

[alfalfa19]

Yingluk looks light sge is crying in that pic. Lady is having a bad day, if only I could be in Singapore shopping.

I agree, she looks terrible. I think she is in way over her head. I almost pity her. The coming days are going to bring Yingluck a lot of heartache, I believe.

[wade72]

they want go get in the headlines in the western media, take over the airport again.

Don't put that thought in anyones head.... was stuck in Manila for a week and a half last time they did that.

Not that I dislike Manila but was only suppose to be a 2 day trip for a meeting.... not 10 days, a $2,000 phone bill (due to doing business on roaming) and a return trip from hell via Manila - KL - Utapao to get home.

[Ron19]

What on earth are these people trying to do to their own country.Have some common sense and call it of before you destroy it.

At least they're not burning it down.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What on earth has that got to do with my post.

[Showbags]

[chappie1207]

I went with my Thai girlfriend and a few of her friends to Democracy Monument last night and the atmosphere was extremely peaceful and very friendly. There were street stalls selling whistles and clappers, face painting and free food / drink which I was also invited to try. I never felt I was in any danger but the complete opposite. This is not to say the violence will not start but just thought I would pass on a real update of what it was like.

[ratcatcher]

What on earth are these people trying to do to their own country.Have some common sense and call it of before you destroy it.

At least they're not burning it down.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What on earth has that got to do with my post.

Have you considered what Thaksin and PTP have done to their own country?

Millions of tons of unsaleable rice in storage costing millions of baht every day just to sit there and now unable to pay the farmers that grew it.

A plan to put every Thai in debt for generations with ill conceived ideas for High Speed Trains, a massive water control budget with no direction, massive corruption at all levels and you ask that question?.

[aussieinthailand]

What on earth are these people trying to do to their own country.Have some common sense and call it of before you destroy it.

At least they're not burning it down.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

That's because they don't know how to use a box of matches, to many moving parts, only their hi-so gold and diamond encrusted lighters,

[Butcherbird]

This mob really need a name change, maybe something like 'The people's alliance for democracy unless we don't like the policies, then we'll stamp our feet and scream and scream and scream until we're sick '

That might be a bit long winded, maybe just 'the privileged few against people who don't know that we should be in charge all the time'

Still too long.....'Voting's for chumps, we should be in charge...just because we say so'

When an elected government is incompetent, and their policies are failing, damaging the economy, changing things to the detriment of society, vote for the opposition IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

That is the only way that the supporters of that government will be able to accept the fact that they had their turn and were not popular enough to secure a further term in office. It is the ONLY WAY to be able to claim the right to govern.

Unless, of course, the pretence of democracy is discarded altogether and the government is appointed by a minority.

In which case, insurrection and subversion should be expected.

If they actually won an election, they might have more credibility.

I would agree that the correct option is to vote out an incompetent government at the next election, however lets remember that this government was not democratically voted in, in the first place.....to have done that they would have participated in fair and free elections that did not involve vote rigging, financial inducements and various forms of intimidation. If they came to power at the ballot box with fair and free elections as citizens of western countries are familiar with, then the correct democratic response is to wait to vote them out again. But if you are of the belief that the same result will apply at the next election due to exactly the same processes as last time, then I can understand why a large sector of the Thai population feel strongly that it is time to show this government the door. Other parties who may have better policies that could have changed the course of politics in this country will not get a look in if PT continue to believe that it is acceptable practice to manipulate elections. Vote buying must cease altogether so that politics focuses on policies and not powerful people and families who treat various parts of this country as their own personal fiefdoms.

[jimbeam1]

they want go get in the headlines in the western media, take over the airport again.

Already onn BBC World News

Jb1

[Ron19]

What on earth are these people trying to do to their own country.Have some common sense and call it of before you destroy it.

At least they're not burning it down.

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

What on earth has that got to do with my post.

Have you considered what Thaksin and PTP have done to their own country?

Millions of tons of unsaleable rice in storage costing millions of baht every day just to sit there and now unable to pay the farmers that grew it.

A plan to put every Thai in debt for generations with ill conceived ideas for High Speed Trains, a massive water control budget with no direction, massive corruption at all levels and you ask that question?.

Please read my original post again and notice that I have not mentioned either side of the equasion.I am well aware that there are faults on both sides but also understand that what is happening now is not the right way to go about solving the problems as they are.The current situation is another step backward towards

the anarchy of the past where innocent people have been killed or injured.Also please note that corruption has been rampant in past governments of the country.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Ron19

[dominique355]

How is occupying buildings and there adjacent grounds violent. Now if they destroy property or harm people that is violence.

Hello! Occupying a building is using physical force to force people out and prevent them from entering when it is their legal right to stay (and work) there, to enter or to go about.

This is physical violence and follows the same pattern as we have seen time and again by the Yellow Shirts, the Red Shirts and all the other brainless followers of demagogues. It must stop! They loose or have lost all credibility now.

[Richard Hall]

... i doubt that this was sanctioned by Suthep.

Suthep?

The names and faces are interchangeable but anything else same, same but not different. The big ego striving for power by all means. You know one you know them all.

The more it keeps on going the more it occurs to me that Seh Daeng has reincarnated but just in a different colour. Anarchism appears to be immortal also it loves to disguise itself as democracy.

[VegasVic]

... i doubt that this was sanctioned by Suthep.

Suthep?

The names and faces are interchangeable but anything else same, same but not different. The big ego striving for power by all means. You know one you know them all.

The more it keeps on going the more it occurs to me that Seh Daeng has reincarnated but just in a different colour. Anarchism appears to be immortal also it loves to disguise itself as democracy. alt=blink.png width=20 height=20>

"Anarchisim appears to be immortal, also it loves to disguise itself as democracy" Very true, we are finding this out in the U.S.A. right now, although it seems that more and more people are realizing that the emperor has no cloths each and every day

[pookiki]

I support 'civil disobedience' as a legitimate form of dissent. In the instance of occupying the Budget Office, the Foreign Ministry, or the Public Relations Department, I do not see it as a violent act as long as their is not an attempt to intimidate the civil servants who work there or interfere with their duties. But I seriously doubt that the actions of the protesters will remain that constrained. I fear that these acts will escalate. I saw on the news this morning that there were protestors at Don Mueang already. If there is an attempt to close the airports, again, it is a matter of national security.