Thai protesters break into army headquarters

[geronimo]

The guy in the blue shirt in the pic does not look to THAI to me. the army will not budge with a few hundred people. they will need to see a hell of a lot more to be convinced to COUP which will destroy thailand as a tourist haven for a long while.

This is not easy for the army as they p[robably like me, can see no side is good for this country.

"The guy in the blue shirt in the pic does not look to THAI to me."

What the hell is that supposed to mean. Do you have a prototype picture of a Thai? Specifications?

What does a Cambodian look like?

And I doubt that the army "probably likes you".

It's amazing the difference a comma can make!!!

[draftvader]

Who was on guard duty? Fiddle Dee and Fiddle Dum?

Most probably, the guard, the boss of the guard and the boss of the boss of the guard sees the demonstrators as much more legit than the government.

And most probably he had the order for no violence. So by being very carefully that no fragile elderly woman is hurt in the struggle they got overrun.

"Fragile Elderly Woman"? You need to queue for more buses

I know breakfast buffet.....young male martial art specialists are hopeless outmatched......

Wrong discipline....that's the sprint team!

[webfact]

Anti-Thaksin demonstrators break into Army HQ



BANGKOK: -- Hundreds of demonstrators led by the Network of Students and People for Thailand Reform broke into the headquarters of the Army on Rajdamnern Nok Avenue with no resistance from guarding soldiers.

The demonstrators have been holding out in front of the headquarters of the army since yesterday, leaving only a lane for vehicles to go inside.

The Army chief, Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, and four other top brass were not in the HQ. They have switched to the headquarters of the First Army Division a few days ago and set up a temporary headquarter there.

The army chief has earlier advised all his soldiers not to use force but adopt utmost tolerance in dealing with the demonstrators, saying the Army is siding with the people.

Demonstrators told reporters their forced entry to the HQ was intended merely to ask soldiers to be on their side.

They pledged to leave the headquarters after they gave flowers to senior soldiers late this afternoon.

(Photo courtesy of Pat_ThaiPBS)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/anti-thaksin-demonstrators-break-army-hq-2/

-- Thai PBS 2013-11-29

[kimamey]

The guards didn't notice the large crowd advancing on the gate.

Probably not much they could do against that many people.

The government are in a difficult position. They are the elected government but when they were stupid enough to push through an amnesty bill that only really differed from one that the Dems would probably have agreed with because it would cover Thaksin they went too far.

For the most part theses demonstrations have been relatively peaceful. There are calls to overthrow the government although these seem to be mainly directed at the Shinawatra family. There haven't as far as I know been any calls to burn Bangkok or suggestions that if the protesters kill anyone it's justified. There aren't lots of pictures of barricades petrol bombs or grenades. As much as I dislike Suthep he's leading from the front so there isn't the perception of the protests being controlled from outside the country.

The army could stop the protesters but there's the risk of deaths or serious injury which after all the complaints about 2010 would be very difficult for them.

[Robby nz]

The army chief has earlier advised all his soldiers not to use force but adopt utmost tolerance in dealing with the demonstrators, saying the Army is siding with the people.

Read that again reds, and again till you have it firmly in your minds.

[AllanB]

What are a couple of untrained 5ft tall guards supposed to do against ten thousand unarmed people, shoot some? The last time they did that you guys criticised them.

Civil unrest is an awkward situation to deal with and these protesters know it.

Thaksin was kicked out for two reasons, he gave money to the poor rice farmers, which the rich hate and he got rid of many of the drug dealers, which upset their rich bosses.

Whatever you do don't upset the rich and powerful.

Edited November 29, 2013 by AllanB

[Jingthing]

Water cannon time. Capsicum in the water with persuade them to leave. The army HQ.

Are you having a laugh? This is Thailand. Capsicum in water -- AROY!

[Ricardo]

So a vast army cannot create a perimeter around it's commander centre in times of unrest .

I had to imagine the guards on duty at the gate were something like dear Baldrick.

br.jpg

The peaceful protesters had a 'cunning plan' ... and said they'd come to join-up, perhaps ?

Time for a caption-competition ?

"I say, old chap, can I have a look at your shooty-bang gun ? Oh dear, the bullets appear to have fallen out, somewhere on the grass, let me help you search for them !"

"Have you seen my mate Somchai, can I have a quick shufty, to see whether he's on-duty today?"

"I'm looking for some fish-sauce, to put on my rice lunch, can I go ask in the cook-house ?"

"We're here to make sure, that none of those naughty anti-government protesters, are hiding behind invisible-trees on the lawn, their camouflage is really good !"

"We're hunting khaki-coloured elephants, amongst your tanks !"

[Rob8891]

What are a couple of untrained 5ft tall guards supposed to do against ten thousand unarmed people, shoot some? The last time they did that you guys criticised them.

Civil unrest is an awkward situation to deal with and these protesters know it.

Thaksin was kicked out for two reasons, he gave money to the poor rice farmers, which the rich hate and he got rid of many of the drug dealers, which upset their rich bosses.

Whatever you do don't upset the rich and powerful.

Read the article properly, so that you might be able to avoid exaggeration....

Hundreds of demonstrators led by the Network of Students and People for Thailand Reform broke into the headquarters of the Army on Rajdamnern Nok Avenue with no resistance from guarding soldiers.

..........and not, as you suggest "then thousand (unarmed) people".

As for avoiding upsetting the rich and powerful, it might be appropriate to include Thaksin in there, as there is plenty of evidence floating around to suggest that quite a lot of people learned that the hard way.

[aussieinthailand]

explosive stuff.......The Army is No Go.

They went.....dragging the army in a stand.

Stupid and a sign of lost struggle.

Ummmm think that through.

Any group but the Students ....

The Army has yet to take a stand.

Nothing appears lost at this point.

That this particular group decided to "picnic" on the front grounds of the Army HQ may simply be making a statement .....

So just how many government offices, ministry offices, police HQ's and now Army HQ's cutting power and water to buildings these people can break into before you accept that this is not civil disobedience and just a grab at power for the few without regard the peoples vote? protestor numbers have been estimated at 180,000, and falling sharply, but will probably have a final push on the weekend before winding up for a few weeks

[lostmebike]

Don't panic!

[beautifulthailand99]

I fear tragedy and lighting the blue touch paper are not far off - everyone will suffer. You just don't do that - not to the army without severe repercussions.It is now a mob and should be dealt with accordingly.

[johnlandy]

Who was on guard duty? Fiddle Dee and Fiddle Dum?

God help the realm if it were ever invaded "again"

We saw how good they were at the onset of WW11 and they went on to declare war on the US and Britain.

What a pitiful excuse for a military

[wirat69]

Maybe it was that the protesters were hungry and wanted some watermelon??

[ratcatcher]

Maybe it was that the protesters were hungry and wanted some watermelon??

The watermelons are at the police headquarters, or at least they were the last time we had this entertainment.

Maybe they've ripened at army HQ.

[Traveller45]

This is a coup d'etat in the making. Mrs. Sinawatra should step down, not as an admission of guilt, but simply because a large part of her people don't support her anymore. That is democracy. Then a caretaker government and new elections ASAP

[Thailand]

These idiots have broken so many laws now it will be easy to prosecute them if anyone of the services, police army, whomever has the balls to act and put an end to this ridiculous situation.

I guess it will be the airports again soon,they got away with it before.

[BobfromNYC]

"Two anti-government supporters suffered minor injuries. They might have been hit with a wooden stick," said provincial police commander Major General Smithi Mukdasanit.

I think someone knows more about what they were hit with than one claims!

[daoyai]

You know, I dare say that in most countries in the world, if a crowd breaks into the Army HQ, the response from the Army/government is to start cracking heads. These protesters are just beginning for it. They are completely out of control now.

That nonconfrontational attitude is what makes this country what it is..... there is no need for "cracked heads" as the demonstration in this case is symbolic and they are not there to damage anything,,, based on the the photo and story.

[Arkady]

Maybe it was that the protesters were hungry and wanted some watermelon??

The watermelons are at the police headquarters, or at least they were the last time we had this entertainment.

Maybe they've ripened at army HQ.

It's an interesting point what level of support PT and the reds now enjoy there. I would think it unchanged at Police HQ. One of Suthep's proposed reforms involves decentralisation of the police force under elected provincial governors. They will certainly see that or even a smidgeon of reform of the out of control police behemoth as a huge threat. However, the general public, including the red support base, hate the police and would love to see reform. Army HQ had been coming round to Yingluck as a practical survival policy and Prem and others of similar military stature no longer out there saying anything anti-Thaksin publicly, as they did in 2005. However, there is clearly a big swing against the govt amongst civil servants in general who are repulsed by the govt's actions. That is bound to be reflected in the officer corps too and act as a counterweight to the recent swing towards Yingluck.

[kirk0233]

Suthep will not negotiate with Yingluck because her govermnet is so undemocratic with Thaksin in charge; yet he wants to install an unelected "people's council" instead? Throw them all in barrels of boiling oil like they did the "communists" (ie non-royalists) in the 70s. Neither side seems concerned with democracy or the fate of the people.

[gemguy]

I do not claim to be an expert about Thai politics as I do not follow Thai politics closely rather I am aware of what is going on to a limited degree.

So correct me if I am wrong.

For all the years that I have been following Thai politics I have noticed that the Old Guard, the "supposed" loyalist to the Monarchy, ( the yellow shirts and their supporters ) have pulled off far more outrageous and outright criminal shenanigans far more so than what the opposition parties to the old gaurd have ever pulled off or capable of pulling off.

I mean, if there was a list, for the record, of all the low down, scum bag political antics, minor and major, perpetrated by any of the political parties existing in Thailand I believe the Yellow Shirts and their political cronies and loyal brain washed supporters, are, without a doubt the masters of lies and deceit and overall poilitical maneuvering and political trouble making far more so than any other political party in Thailand.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Some of the low down and bold political moves they have conducted recently and right now, while having done so in the past is plain criminal and totally self serving.

I do not see how so many people can actually support them when they have, for the record, more than several times bullied their way into political power and continue to bully about to keep themselves in power.

Watching them maneuvering and manipulating the political landscape to suit their agressive agenda, once again, is somewhat disturbing, to say the least.

Meantime I am not a fan of the Red Shirts either but I do not see near as much political bullying going on with the Red Shirts or other political parties.

[kirk0233]

 

I do not claim to be an expert about Thai politics as I do not follow Thai politics closely rather I am aware of what is going on to a limited degree.

So correct me if I am wrong.

For all the years that I have been following Thai politics I have noticed that the Old Guard, the "supposed" loyalist to the Monarchy, ( the yellow shirts and their supporters ) have pulled off far more outrageous and outright criminal shenanigans far more so than what the opposition parties to the old gaurd have ever pulled off or capable of pulling off.

I mean, if there was a list, for the record, of all the low down, scum bag political antics, minor and major, perpetrated by any of the political parties existing in Thailand I believe the Yellow Shirts and their political cronies and loyal brain washed supporters, are, without a doubt the masters of lies and deceit and overall poilitical maneuvering and political trouble making far more so than any other political party in Thailand.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Some of the low down and bold political moves they have conducted recently and right now, while having done so in the past is plain criminal and totally self serving.

I do not see how so many people can actually support them when they have, for the record, more than several times bullied their way into political power and continue to bully about to keep themselves in power.

Watching them maneuvering and manipulating the political landscape to suit their agressive agenda, once again, is somewhat disturbing, to say the least.

Meantime I am not a fan of the Red Shirts either but I do not see near as much political bullying going on with the Red Shirts or other political parties.

 

You are completely correct

[Chao Lao Beach]

Video of the Soldiers just standing looking n here and they walked and drove trucks through the gate !!!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-29/an-thailand-friday/5126026

ABC News Australia

[gbswales]

Seriously they are demanding an end to an elected democracy because they do not like the governement that was elected?

Elections may be flawed but they are better by far than no elections at all if this request was acceeded to then 6 months down the line there would be another revolution demanding the ousting of an unelected body and the introduction of democractic elections. This mob will never accept that the vote of an illiterate peasant farmer in rural Thailand is equal to that of a business man in Bangkok - they are wrong - it is. It is also quite possible that a majority of people in Thailand (Bangkok is not Thailand) would vote for whicherver party is allied to the Thaksin camp. Instead of rioting they should question why this is and campaign to see more wealth moved from the capital to the rest of the country

[silent]

So a vast army cannot create a perimeter around it's commander centre in times of unrest .

What better place to entertain and contain.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed.

[warriorbangkok]

I think the protesters are running out of ideas now. If they really want to topple the Thaksin regime, then they should launch a carefully planned and devastating cyber attack.

[silent]

Video of the Soldiers just standing looking n here and they walked and drove trucks through the gate !!!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-29/an-thailand-friday/5126026

ABC News Australia

Hell of a lot better than watching this again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uHRmcI0P_M

[KOZMO]

Muat have been sgt, Schultz, I see nothing!!!! lol