Thai protest leader meets PM, refuses to back down -

BANGKOK, December 1, 2013 (AFP) - The leader of mass opposition protests in Thailand said Sunday he had held crisis talks with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, but vowed to continue his fight to topple the government.

"I told Yingluck that this is the only and last time I see her until power is handed over to the people," Suthep Thaugsuban said in a televised speech.

"I told her the only solution is to hand over power to the people. There will be no bargaining and it must be finished in two days."

The meeting, which was held in secret in the presence of the army, navy and air force commanders, followed an eruption of violence in the Thai capital.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters trying to storm the government headquarters Sunday.

The street rallies, aimed at replacing Yingluck's government with an unelected "people's council", are the biggest since mass pro-Thaksin protests in Bangkok three years ago left dozens dead in a military crackdown.

"We will not be satisfied with house dissolution or new elections," Suthep said.

He said Yingluck did not give an answer to the demands.

Violence broke out late Saturday in the area around a suburban stadium where tens of thousands of pro-government "Red Shirts" had gathered in support of Yingluck, who has faced weeks of street protests.

Four people were killed and 57 wounded, according to Bangkok's Erawan emergency centre, although the circumstances were unclear.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-12-01

Doesn't leave alot of room for negotiation does it

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But it will give Yingluck an opportunity to spend time with her dear brother in the sunny emirates.

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by ratcatcher

Not interested in new elections speaks volumes about his real interest in democracy.

Can anyone reconcille the idea of an unelected "people's council" and returning power to the people? Because I don´t see how that is supposed to work.

Dear Mr. Suthep...why meet anyone, when all you have to offer is "my way or the highway"?

After all, you are dealing with an elected government...oh right...that pesky thing with democracy, you despise so much!

Unfortunately except for "she refused" -which is to be expected- there is nothing in here about what was actually spoken about.

Waste of time, completely!

Thais aren't famous for their strategic negotiation.

Just look at how they can't work out phraer viharn

The people behind Suthep.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1369801/thai-protest-leader-suthep-son-elite-axe-grind

Why do people always say the government was elected? They PAID for there votes…. That is Not democratic. That is Corruption…and that is what the Yingluck Government is.

Why do people always say the government was elected? They PAID for there votes…. That is Not democratic. That is Corruption…and that is what the Yingluck Government  is.

You are living in fantasy land if you don't believe every single political party in Thailand doesn't engage in paying for votes.

Can anyone reconcille the idea of an unelected "people's council" and returning power to the people? Because I don´t see how that is supposed to work.

Beats me. He didn't even ask her to stand down. What does he figure on doing having two different heads of government.

From the report on Air Asia News he was pretty airy fairy in the meeting. Why he dosen't ask for her to disband the house and call for a new election beats me. There would be a chance of the Democrats winning it and at the worst it would weaken the PTPredshirt grip on Thailand's throat.

One might say a win win situation. Both outcomes would be far better than what we have now.

"I told Yingluck that this is the only and last time I see her until power is handed over to the people,"

"The People", in this case not including the four dead people who died for this "cause". Who sounds like were probably students / young protesters ie. kids pretty much. And for what? Power handed over? How? Why? To who? Is the abstract concept of "power" worth even a grazed knee on a young person, much less their whole future life erased. For nothing. Nothing has been achieved. The massprotest large number of people on the street, for a day, was an achievement and a powerful statement. Everything since then has been tragic, stupid, pointless.

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by Yunla

Why do people always say the government was elected? They PAID for there votes…. That is Not democratic. That is Corruption…and that is what the Yingluck Government is.

...and every other Thai- politician since...well...forever!

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by DocN

Next Thursday is bracing for a huge day for Thailand.There will be millions of yellow shirts being worn out in Bangkok, (not necessarily the yellow shirt mob as such)..... if one is "touched" there lays a problem for the authorities and how do they tell the difference between mob and people respectfully showing respect celebrating on such a day.

People will be in a position to "choose", Yinluck or "The Country" if out on the 5th.

It really is sad to see people dieing, regardless of who they barrack for.

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by Chao Lao Beach

Return the power to people. To what people? This is a the question. Suthep knows they will lose the elections again. To what people then?

The people behind Suthep.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1369801/thai-protest-leader-suthep-son-elite-axe-grind

Did you read the article.

do you know any thing about it.

I suspect the answer in both cases is no

Part of the article

The people behind these protests are the same people behind the 2006 coup

there was no coup in 2006 as there was no government to throw out. So much for the article and not one name mentioned.

He said Yingluck did not give an answer to the demands.

If that isn't a surprise .

She probably wasn't given the option to phone a relative.

Suthep is insane.

Yingluck gave him a chance. One more.

Now it is time to get rid of the criminal, violent and deadly nuisances he and his yellow thugs have created.

Yingluck and her democratically elected government can be praised for being so accommodating with such criminals.

Suthep is just trying to destroy the whole democracy. His blind followers should be condemned for supporting such a madness. The Dems will be remembered for having encouraged citizens to turn into criminals. All this because of their appetite for the power that they can't obtain through free elections.

Yingluck is far better at the helm of the government that such an extremist.

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At this point it's clear 10,000% that he just need the power for himself (maybe if he told "the elite" instead "the people" would have been honest, but the elite is not the one on the street...).

Yingluck is far better at the helm of the government that such an extremist.

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Yingluck has never been at the helm of this government.

Why do people always say the government was elected? They PAID for there votes…. That is Not democratic. That is Corruption…and that is what the Yingluck Government is.

You are living in fantasy land if you don't believe every single political party in Thailand doesn't engage in paying for votes.

One party appears to pay more than the others......

Thailand is rotten to the core, stuck in the feudal/patronage system, and there´s no way out of this.

Money, power, Ammart, pride and face - divide this beautiful country, and the people know nothing of democracy as in the west, it´s like "democrazy" instead!

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by wilailuk

One party appears to pay more than the others......

Bs... Do you have any proof?

And in any case: both sides are a complete ruin for this country, and you still take sides?

Yingluck and Suthep are two different sides of the same disgrace.

Why do people always say the government was elected? They PAID for there votes…. That is Not democratic. That is Corruption…and that is what the Yingluck Government is.

I am sick of hearing people repeat this nonsense.

My girlfriend and dozens of other people in my neighborhood NEVER received a single baht for their vote.

In the contrary, they spend a lot of money to go to the votes.

On the other hand, the democrat candidate offered a free ride in a brandnew Toyota minibus and a free meal to everybody that wanted to vote for him.

Stop with that partizan propaganda please.

"I told Yingluck that this is the only and last time I see her until power is handed over to the people,"

"The People", in this case not including the four dead people who died for this "cause". Who sounds like were probably students / young protesters ie. kids pretty much. And for what? Power handed over? How? Why? To who? Is the abstract concept of "power" worth even a grazed knee on a young person, much less their whole future life erased. For nothing. Nothing has been achieved. The massprotest large number of people on the street, for a day, was an achievement and a powerful statement. Everything since then has been tragic, stupid, pointless.

Yes you have some very good points but you are a little bit confused.

Nothing has been achieved. The massprotest large number of people on the street, for a day, was an achievement and a powerful statement

You can't have it both ways.

It was a great achievement to finally cut through the thick bone in the head of the golfing clone to get to her brain that the people were not happy with her, If she stay's or go's makes no difference we will have a government aware that the public is no longer going to put up with in your face corruption you are stupid and I am smart there fore what I say go's no argument.

Interesting with the head of her three military arms there she has a warrant out for his arrest why did she not just have him carted off to jail?

Interesting with the head of her three military arms there she has a warrant out for his arrest why did she not just have him carted off to jail?

And give a hot start to the chaos?

At least she is showing she want to have negotiations, Suthep knows better...

Suthep is insane.

Yingluck gave him a chance. One more.

Now it is time to get rid of the criminal, violent and deadly nuisances he and his yellow thugs have created.

Yingluck and her democratically elected government can be praised for being so accommodating with such criminals.

Suthep is just trying to destroy the whole democracy. His blind followers should be condemned for supporting such a madness. The Dems will be remembered for having encouraged citizens to turn into criminals. All this because of their appetite for the power that they can't obtain through free elections.

Yingluck is far better at the helm of the government that such an extremist.

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Suthep is insane. the pot calling the kettle black.

"We will not be satisfied with house dissolution or new elections," Suthep said.

Sounds to me like this guy really wants a dictatorship.

To make it crystal clear this is what he really said :

"I told Yingluck that this is the only and last time I see her until power is handed over to me and my friends"

"I told her the only solution is to hand over power to me and my friends. There will be no bargaining and it must be finished in two days because after 2 days i will not be able to continue this undemocratic joke."

"We will not be satisfied with house dissolution or new elections because we will lose again"

He said Yingluck did not give an answer to the demands, looked at me and laughed as well as the whole army brass there. He asked to not tweet the true speech on twitter

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by aaacorp

Why do people always say the government was elected? They PAID for there votes…. That is Not democratic. That is Corruption…and that is what the Yingluck Government is.

Yes there are handouts from all political parties to the electorate and it varies in amounts depending on how much influence you wield in your community but the way I see it is that the peoples votes were not bought but rather the people sold their vote to the highest bidders. It's an opportunist market.

You don't see many published manifestos distributed to the population before a national election here do you?

It really would be breath of fresh air if every Thai national of voting age could weigh up the pros and cons of all political nominees before arriving at a polling station and casting their vote based on well informed choice rather than tradition and greed.