Thailand Live Saturday 30 Nov 2013

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RT@tulsathit: Jatuporn on red stage: We're being attacked. Police are coming to help.

RT@tulsathit: Jatuporn: Guns were fired at police.

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RT@veen_NT: Deputy army spokesman said Yingluck asked "unarmed" army troops to help maintain order at certain spots tomorrow. via @can_nw

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RT‏@FaiSuluck: Shouting and booing still in front of stadium. Red shirts said theyll set up defense line against whistles pic.twitter.com/jLjlvNaVpB

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RT@RichardBarrow: 8:50pm Thai media reporting at least one injury in shooting incident in Ramkhamhaeng. Details still sketchy #Bangkok

RT@tulsathit: Shooting incidents were mentioned on both anti- and pro-govt stages, blaming each other. via @veen_NT

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RT@Saksith: Still conflicting reports of source of loud bangs at Ramkamhaeng. Gunshots or fireworks? Still not much has been confirmed.

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RT@tulsathit: Things aren't looking good. In fact, confrontation between ppl sharing Thai blood is scarily real.

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RT@RichardBarrow: I guess this is the picture that will now go around the world of the violence in #Bangkok tonight (Pic @nationphoto) pic.twitter.com/Pl1ZNTj8dA

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RT@Juarawee: RT @Wootthinan: 20.50PM reporter said 3 university students shot, one at back, leg, arm. All hospitalised.

RT@aleursic: 21:06 Another wounded student (white shirt, flag necklace) passed in front of my eyes, carried on a scooter

RT@tulsathit: ASTV is reporting gunshots were fired at students.

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RT@Bangkok_Simon: My driver just left Ramkamhaeng with daughter, says several students shot by "reds dressed in police uniform"! Does that sound possible?

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RT@Ryn_writes: "Police are shooting citizens" - words from Ramkhamhaeng students >> @kittinunn: 21.14 มีเสียงจากนักศึกษารามคำแหงว่า "ตำรวจยิงประชาชน"”

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RT@veen_NT: Sulak Sivaraksa is on stage #ASTV

RT@tulsathit: Sor Sivalaksa: Yingluck and her govt have lost legitimacy.

RT@tulsathit: Sor Sivalaksa: Yingluck's claim about "majority" is form, not substance. She must ask Thaksin to "be good for once"

RT@tulsathit: Sor Sivalaksa: If Thaksin's supporters know the truth, they'll know how much contempt Thaksin really has for them.

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RT@Aim_NT: Many people got shot at the back of Ramkhamhaeng University while in the front earlier was anti-red shirt protest today.- NNA

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RT@veen_NT: Free TV in Thailand will tell you -- everything is okay! Let's enjoy the show. #rant

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RT@Tulip_Oum: The kid got shot in the back at Ramkumhang. He insist the cop standing next to red shirts fire the shot.-@tigerx456 pic.twitter.com/UbzNwxEJnq

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RT@veen_NT: Apimuk Silapachai, Ram's student leader, interviewed on ASTV said that men in plain clothes sprayed bullets inside the university.

RT@veen_NT: Apimuk told ASTV that Ramkhamheang students have asked pokice at Huamark station to send some officers but no police have arrived.

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RT@bangkokpundit: Photo of injury to student who was shot this evening “@SpringNews_TV: นักศึกษาม.รามถูกกระสุนปืนได้รับบาดเจ็บ pic.twitter.com/FdUHujx3if”

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RT@isAMare: Suthep reasoned why protesters had to seize CAT telecom& TOT bcoz to prevent govt working on internet bit.ly/18tYs96

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RT@CoconutsBangkok: Freelance photographer hit in the head in front of Ramkhamhaeng U. Camera, cellphone seized. via @JJ_Sathon pic.twitter.com/LpMzZCToUX”

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RT@Tulip_Oum: Sutep calls for #WhistleBlower demonstrators at 9:19AM tomorrow, to rally to various govt establishments.-@Nattha_ThaiPBS

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RT@veen_NT: 9.34pm Arisman: if Suthep-led protest doesn't stop, he will take the reds to stop them. via @Chu_SpringNews pic.twitter.com/7pXh523nh1

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RT@RichardBarrow: 10pm RT @aleursic: Students urging everybody to take cover under expressway, as 2-3 grenades were launched by Red shirts a few minutes ago

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RT@CoconutsBangkok: Alleged Ramkhamhaeng gunman captured on tape by Ch7 via @bbberrynet #Bangkok #Thailand #COCOBKK pic.twitter.com/AHTejW9bGU

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RT@ChadapornLin: JS100 reporting 11 injured from Ramkamhaeng area (10 Thais and 1 Cambodian); no fatalities yet

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RT@wayne_hay: Hospital says 1 dead from gunshot. 3 injured. #Thailand

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RT@RichardBarrow: 10:40pm - RT @karmanomad: Running gunfights outside Rajamangala stadium gate 4 #Bangkok I heard 3 shots over phone

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RT@Juarawee: FYI: What ignited Ramkamhaeng students to go against Reds was report of Reds vandalising their uni. symbol, 'Por Khun'

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RT@RichardBarrow: RT @jaiguinness: #Bangkok in chaos and f@&k all on any Thai tv news channels. Except stupid soaps. No surprise.

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Thai political protests turn violent, one dead

by Thanaporn PROMYAMYAI

BANGKOK, November 30, 2013 (AFP) - Mass opposition protests aimed at overthrowing Thailand's embattled prime minister turned violent on Saturday with one person shot dead and several wounded as the government called on the army to protect key state buildings.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/685638-thai-political-protests-turn-violent-one-dead/

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2.40am Military officers arrive at Govt house "@poohtnn24: 02.40 ทหารเข้้าประจำการทำเนียบรัฐบาล (ธนีนาถ #TNN24) http://pic.twitter.com/dA8MvgVIG1”

2:55am Soldiers being deployed at Government House - RT @poohtnn24: ทหารเข้าประจำการทำเนียบรัฐบาล http://pic.twitter.com/bxD5fkWrVw #Bangkok

[george]

Thailand protests:

At least one killed by gunfire at clashes in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- At least one person has been killed and three wounded by gunfire after clashes broke out between rival protesters in the Thai capital Bangkok.

People heading to a pro-government rally were attacked by students, and later shots were fired.

Saturday is the seventh day of protests aiming to unseat the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Protesters claim her government is controlled by her brother, exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

He was ousted in a coup following protests in 2006 and now lives in self-imposed exile overseas.

He is one of the most polarising figures in Thai politics - he remains popular with many rural voters, while his opponents tend to be urban and middle class voters.

On Saturday, what had been largely peaceful demonstrations turned violent outside a stadium where a pro-government rally has been confined during this week to avoid clashes with the anti-government protests moving around the city, the BBC's Jonathan Head reports from Bangkok.

A group of students attacked vehicles bringing government supporters to the stadium - windows were smashed, and some minor injuries reported.

Later, shots were fired, but it is not clear yet by whom.

Police have called for military backup to reinforce security in the city.

National police spokesman Piya Utayo said on Thai television that some 2,730 military personnel from the army, navy and air force will be deployed, AFP reports.

The government has been reluctant to risk deploying the military, which ousted Ms. Yingluck's brother in a coup seven years ago, but may no longer have a choice, our correspondent reports.

Tension is now rising in Bangkok as the anti-government movement prepares for what it calls a "people's revolt" - a mass occupation of government buildings all over Bangkok.

There is a high risk of greater violence if more supporters of Ms Yingluck - whose party enjoys strong backing outside Bangkok - try to come to the capital, our correspondent adds.

'Protect democracy'
On Friday Ms Yingluck ruled out early elections, telling the BBC that the country was not calm enough for polls.

She repeated her call for negotiations to resolve the crisis.

Demonstrators have been surrounding and occupying official buildings this week in an attempt to disrupt the government.

On Friday at least 1,000 protesters forced their way into the army headquarters compound, but did not enter any buildings.

During the demonstrations, which had been largely peaceful until Saturday, participants have cut the electricity supply to the national police headquarters and forced the evacuation of Thailand's top crime-fighting agency.

Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra told Jonathan Head: "We need to protect democracy"
Ms Yingluck has invoked special powers allowing curfews and road closures, and police have also ordered the arrest of protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban - but so far no move has been made to detain him.

The country is facing its largest protests since 2010, when thousands of "red-shirt" Thaksin supporters occupied key parts of the capital. More than 90 people, mostly civilian protesters, died over the course of the two-month sit-in.

The proposed passage of a controversial political amnesty bill, which critics said would have facilitated the return of Thaksin without having to serve jail, reignited simmering political tensions.

The Senate rejected the bill, which sought to cover offences committed during the upheaval after Thaksin was removed from office.

Ms Yingluck said she accepted the vote and would not resubmit the legislation.

-- BBC 2013-12-01