Thai govt asks the world to condemn protesters

[webfact]

Govt Asks The World To Condemn Protesters

By Khaosod Online

Suthep Thaugsuban

BANGKOK: -- The Minister of Foreign Affairs said he has submitted letters to various foreign governments, reassuring them that the anti-government protests are not legitimate democratic movements against the government.

Mr. Surapong Tovijakchaikul, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister, told reporters among the recipients of the letters are the United Nations headquarters in New York City, the UN Office of High Commissioner of Human Rights in Geneva, and members of the United Nations Security Council such as the United States, Russia, and Britain.

The letter explains that the ongoing campaign to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is an illegal and disruptive conspiracy hatched by factions hostile to democratic regime in the country. The letter also reportedly cites the incidents of anti-government protesters occupying important governmental buildings and asked every nation in the world to condemn the movements, according to Mr. Surapong.

Led by former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban, the protesters have seized yesterday the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a part of their campaign to pressure the government in resigning. Today, the protesters have additionally seized the compound of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Mr. Surapong said he was meeting with foreign dignitaries at a conference in Bahrain when the news broke that his office has been taken over by the protesters. "Naturally, representatives of many nations have inquired me about the situation in Thailand, " Mr. Surapong said, "I have told them that the protest is illegal, because it has been escalated into a threat to national security, and it is not in accordance with democracy".

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 23 nations have issued warnings to their citizens about their travels to Thailand, following the turbulent days of protests and the Thai government′s decision to impose the Internal Security Act (ISA) over the entire city of Bangkok.

The 23 nations are the US, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia, Israel, Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore, the statement reads.

The extension of the ISA was announced on a live televised broadcast by Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra. Originally imposed only in the governmental district in Bangkok to prevent the protesters from reaching the compound of Government House and House of Parliament, the law was extended to cover not only entire Bangkok but also its neighbouring province of Nonthaburi, while the district of Bang Phli in Samut Prakarn province and the district of Lad Lumkaew woudl also be affected.

One of Bangkok′s two airports is located in Bang Phli; the decision to include the district hints at the officials′ fear that the anti-government protesters might end up repeating the tactics they had employed in 2008, when they occupied Don Mueang Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport, dealing devastating blows to the country′s export and tourism sectors.

Nonthaburi′s Lad Lumkaew is also home to the Redshirts-operated Thai Khom TV station, which the government obviously feared might become an easy target of the anti-government protesters.

In her announce, Ms. Yingluck insists that the invocation of ISA will provide safety and security to the people.

The Prime Minister also voiced her concern regarding the occupation of the Ministry of Finance, in which the protesters severed off water supplies and electricity power to the Ministry′s main buildings, stating that the incident presents threats to people’s lives and properties.

However, she stressed that there will be no use of force against the demonstrators and that the government is willing to listen to all side regardless of their political colours to retain peace and the unity of Thai people. She also vowed that the government will transparently enforce the rule of law in the hope to defuse the situation in timely manner.

Ms. Yingluck also used the broadcast to send her regards to the anti-government groups, stating that they should use parliamentary procedures to voice their political discourses and embrace the rule of laws within the system of democracy under a constitutional monarchy.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE5UUTJNemM1TlE9PQ==

-- KHAOSOD English 2013-11-27

[webfact]

POLITICS
Surapong tells UN, govts of protest chaos
The Nation

Statement from Foreign Ministry says national security badly affected

BANGKOK: -- Diplomatic letters have been sent to the United Nations and its Security Council as well as national governments explaining the political situation in Thailand, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said yesterday.

"I was in Bahrain for the Asia Cooperation Dialogue meeting when the political situation turned chaotic. Many countries asked me about the incidents. I informed them that the protest was against the law and badly affected our national security," he told Parliament.

The protest, which has seen ministries stormed, was illegal, undemocratic and a threat to national security, he said.

He also sent notes on the current political situation to the foreign diplomatic corps in Thailand, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the ministers of the

five Security Council permanent members - the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France and Russia.

He also asked those countries and organisations to condemn the illegal protests.

So far, 22 countries have issued travel advisories to their citizens to avoid visiting protest sites.

The rallies have hurt the tourism business and the income of the country, Surapong said.

Hundreds of protesters agreed to leave the Foreign Ministry, which they had been occupying since Monday evening. They made no clear demand but wanted the ministry to cease operating during their seizure. The ministry did not close down but instructed staff to work from outside. All officials are to return to work at the ministry today.

The ministry filed a complaint at Phya Thai Police Station against the protesters for allegedly damaging state property by breaking down a gate near Sri Ayutthaya Road, deputy permanent secretary Kiattikhun Chartprasert said.

Protest leader Nitithorn Lamlua said the demonstrators left the ministry after their mission to petition foreign countries to break off relations with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government was completed.

Permanent secretary Sihasak Phuangketkeow briefed diplomatic representatives on the political situation after the Internal Security Act was extended to more areas.

The US and Britain have issued statements of concern.

"Violence and the seizure of public or private property are not acceptable means of resolving political differences," the US State Department said.

And Hugo Swire, minister of state for the British Foreign Office, said: "As a friend of Thailand, the UK urges all sides to adhere to their commitment to the values of democracy and rule of law in the interests of Thailand's peace and stability."


-- The Nation 2013-11-27

[EricBerg]

Please tell them they are bad...

Lil sis at her best.

[mrtoad]

Democrat them Bad Man, him no like my brother you. Tell them no good people, no lib Thailand. Thank you three times, Ka.

[davehowden]

"And Hugo Swire, minister of state for the British Foreign Office, said: "As a friend of Thailand, the UK urges all sides to adhere to their commitment to the values of democracy and rule of law in the interests of Thailand's peace and stability."

[Thai at Heart]

"And Hugo Swire, minister of state for the British Foreign Office, said: "As a friend of Thailand, the UK urges all sides to adhere to their commitment to the values of democracy and rule of law in the interests of Thailand's peace and stability."

Now that's diplomacy. Saying something that means nothing at all.

[Thai at Heart]

You think he wrote a letter telling these countries it was "chaos" in Thailand?

[AbuBacon]

Thai government should ask the Vietnamese how to deal with this madness. Answer.... Go for the leaders. End of story

Sent from my Lenovo A516 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Thait Spot]

Suthep must be shaking in his boots

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[notmyself]

Sorry Thailand, you are not my Father.

[noitom]

The Thai government is asking foreign nation leadership to side with the government and that the peaceful protesters are wrong. The Thai PM is saying let me splain' something here in case you haven't read 6 out of 8 news stories in the last four years have been about Mr. Thaksin did this, and he did that and he met with them and Skyped in. Now the peaceful protesters want to end this tyranny and the Thai leader is asking foreign leaders to examine this based on her explanation.

[slapout]

The Foreign Minister needs to accept that the playground bully attitude/actions of this government are known to the rest of the world, inspite of his asseration that he represents a democratic nation. I suspect he will receive the following, if he gets any response at all. 'we have no dog in you governments fight'

[Ricardo]

The DPM/FM appears to be another convert, to the PTP's 'white-lie' doctrine, when he tells foreign-governments that the anti-government protests aren't legitimate democratic movements against his government.

Or is telling the opposite of the truth merely normal diplomacy ?

[Tatsujin]

Wow, that's a first, Thai's actually asking another country for help ... they must be REALLY worried ...

[mrtoad]

The DPM/FM appears to be another convert, to the PTP's 'white-lie' doctrine, when he tells foreign-governments that the anti-government protests aren't legitimate democratic movements against his government.

Or is telling the opposite of the truth merely normal diplomacy ?

I thinking he is promoting the Sinawatras version of Thainess.

[JRSoul]

This should cause a bit of mirth around the globe.

BTW a poster asked the extent of the ISA in another thread a few days ago, and I jokingly posted that it was growing exponentially and expected to reach Bang Sue overnight and Chumpon by the end of the week. While the timing may have been a little out............

I have also posted elsewhere that the ISA may become a permanent feature of this government for however long (or short) it lasts. You don't have to be Nostradamus around here.

[winstonc]

bet the other countries just yawned .at the letter.another embarrasing event.someone save them from their collective stupidity.

[JRSoul]

Will this finally end the claim that farangs shouldn't comment on Thai politics?

[Thai at Heart]

bet the other countries just yawned .at the letter.another embarrasing event.someone save them from their collective stupidity.

They just copy and pasted the British response and emailed it back.

[dru2]

The DPM/FM appears to be another convert, to the PTP's 'white-lie' doctrine, when he tells foreign-governments that the anti-government protests aren't legitimate democratic movements against his government.

Or is telling the opposite of the truth merely normal diplomacy ?

I thinking he is promoting the Sinawatras version of Thainess.

Well that's more Sino- Than Thai-...

[sscsamui]

How about telling the world the truth about the present government and all the BS they has been doing.

[selftaopath]

Democracy? Rule of Law? Thailand?

OK now I'm really confused.

[Yunla]

Thai govt asks the world to condemn protesters.

The World stopped caring about the Thaksin red/yellow problem after we finished mourning the 100~ tragic and unnecessary deaths in 2010. The World expected the election of PTP, described as a party that cared about agrarian workers, to finally bring equality for the people in the North and for poor people allover Thailand. The World expected PTP to bring an end to the decades of dragging an anchor chained to our collective leg, the anchor we called Thaksin, and to move forward with progressive policies designed to improve equality and working conditions for all, and by doing so to create a new harmony.

The PTP election came and went, and the World watched as PTP relentlessly pushed Thaksin to the forefront of the political agenda again and again, old wounds were reopened, money was made from recent tragic events, the poor & uneducated stayed that way, the past became the future. The chance to start afresh with harmony and equality, and to put distance between the troubles of the last decades, was forgotten. The World watched in dismay and sadness for a year or so, then predicted more red/yellow problems on the horizon. PTP had a popular 'first female PM' who had a lot of popular support globally and described as a "new dawn for women in Asia", if she had actually just left the Thaksin thing in the past where it belongs, and got on with doing her actual PM Job, the World would have cheered and there wouldn't be massprotests now either.

So today the World just shrugs. "You shot yourself in the foot again? That's too bad. Stop calling me."

Edited November 27, 2013 by Yunla

[Thaddeus]

Has she requested the UN to write a stern letter yet?

[ballpoint]

Don't worry. When Thaksin is president of the world, any leader that didn't immediately respond will be amongst the first against the wall.

[bigbamboo]

The fact that they feel the need to try and convince foreign governments and international institutions what they are more than capable of assessing for themselves is the mark of an unstable administration.

[CraigSchuler]

Illegal? as in how she was elected?

[affen02]

What a lot of childish rubbish in here. The fact is that the present government is democratically elected like it or not. The rumors about big brother running the country, is what it is, just rumors, where is the proof. Occupation of government offices would be illegal in any country i should think. Allegations of corruption and populist politics is nothing new, and Mr.Suthep and his cronies should take a close look in the mirror instead of creating hell for their country. Anyway, i thought this man and his former boss was up for charges of murder after ordering the police and army out for a full out deadly attack on demonstrators in 2010. He lost his power in a democratic election, and would probably loose again in new election This carnage is his only way to get back into power, and he knows it. Sad that this thing is allowed to go on.

[jacko45k]

"And Hugo Swire, minister of state for the British Foreign Office, said: "As a friend of Thailand, the UK urges all sides to adhere to their commitment to the values of democracy and rule of law in the interests of Thailand's peace and stability."

Now that's diplomacy. Saying something that means nothing at all.

Trying to achieve amnesty for someone already convicted and a fugitive from justice wasn't a very democratic move.

Mind you, hardly unheard of in say the USA, started with Washington and nice if you are related to a president!

[ratcatcher]

What a lot of childish rubbish in here. The fact is that the present government is democratically elected like it or not. The rumors about big brother running the country, is what it is, just rumors, where is the proof. Occupation of government offices would be illegal in any country i should think. Allegations of corruption and populist politics is nothing new, and Mr.Suthep and his cronies should take a close look in the mirror instead of creating hell for their country. Anyway, i thought this man and his former boss was up for charges of murder after ordering the police and army out for a full out deadly attack on demonstrators in 2010. He lost his power in a democratic election, and would probably loose again in new election This carnage is his only way to get back into power, and he knows it. Sad that this thing is allowed to go on.

"The rumors about big brother running the country, is what it is, just rumors, where is the proof. "

Thaksin's egomaniac drive prevents him from retiring gracefully. "My sister is my clone" "I am Yingluck's caddie" etc etc.

Try not to be too naive, please.

Edited November 27, 2013 by ratcatcher