Troops called in to rescue students at Bangkok's Ramkhamhaeng Uni

[webfact]

Troops called in to rescue students at 'Ram'
The Nation



Thousands of students stranded at university after gunmen fire on campus

BANGKOK: -- Several thousand students stranded in Ramkhamhaeng University (RU) after it came under attack by unknown gunmen yesterday were escorted off the campus in Bang Kapi district by troops a few hours later.

Earlier in the day, gunshots were heard as the death and injury toll from clashes between protesting students and red shirts rose. Three people were reported dead and 58 others injured. Many victims sustained gunshot wounds.

The Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) cancelled its gathering at the Rajamangala National Stadium near the campus yesterday morning in the wake of casualties on both sides.

It remained unclear who was responsible for the shootings.

A double-decker bus was set alight yesterday afternoon in front of the stadium. An inspection later revealed a body inside in the bus.

RU president Wutisak Lapcharoensap confirmed that, as of press time, the situation at the campus had eased and gunshots were not being heard anymore.

"The stranded students have been evacuated." Soldiers remained on guard at the campus to protect its property, he said.

While he thanked soldiers for extending help, he criticised police for not stepping in at the time of crisis. Wutisak said he tried to seek assistance from police earlier.

According to RU students, they initially rallied against the amnesty bill. Then one day, a red-shirt guard slapped a demonstrating female student in the face and got engaged in a heated dispute. Later, they found someone had destroyed the image of King Ramkhamhaeng, the emblem of RU, and suspected the red shirts were responsible.

As a result, tension between the red shirts and RU students escalated to violence on Saturday night.

Yesterday, soldiers handed out bullet-proof vests to students during the evacuation.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) dispatched 10 buses to the campus to help with the evacuation.

RU will suspend its classes and all activities till tomorrow (Dec 3).

Prof Somkid Lertpaitoon, who heads the Council of University Presidents of Thailand (CUPT), lamented that Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang showed up on the red-shirt stage on Saturday without trying to stop the unfolding violence.

Somkid is also the rector of Thammasat University (TU).

He said out of concern for TU staff and students' safety, TU will close all their campuses today.

Somkid said he would ask the CUPT to consider the suspension of all classes from December 5 to 10.

CUPT has 27 higher-education institutes as its members.

As of press time yesterday, at least 10 universities including Chulalongkorn and Mahidol decided to close today.
'Hotbed of activism'

Established in 1971, Ramkhamhaeng University (RU) has significantly raised Thais' access to higher education. Everyone is welcome. Applicants do not need to sit any entrance exam. For normal programmes, tuition fees are also relatively low.

To poor families, RU offers them a bright hope.

Students are not required to attend classes, for as long as they can pass exams. So, many students can work and attend RU programmes at the same time.

RU graduates have contributed to the country's development in various fields during the past several decades.

RU is considered a hotbed of student activism. Many of its former student leaders have come to play a key role in Thailand's politics. Among them is a red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan.

-- The Nation 2013-12-02

[webfact]

Drama at Ramkhamhaeng University, as it happened
The Nation



Saturday November 30 8pm: Protesters at Ramkhamhaeng University close the university's rear gates where police were positioned for security purposes. Two gunshots are heard and a Cambodian construction worker, Bun Rattana, 29, is hit by a "stray" bullet. Protesters stream out of the university grounds en mass, leading to a confrontation with police.

8.30pm: Police say Ramkhamhaeng Soi 24 is closed to traffic.

9pm: More than 300 red-shirt protesters in Rajamangala Stadium clash with anti-government protesters at the university. 300 anti-riot police are called in to keep the two sides apart.

10.22pm: Government-runs twitter @ThaiKhuFah and posts: "The Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) wishes to clarify that police were not responsible for the shooting at Ramkhamhaeng University. Police investigations have discovered the shooting was related to a local brawl. Police patrolling the area are unarmed.''

11pm: Pol Maj Gen Anucha Romayanant, deputy spokesman for CAPO, announces that one man was killed and five others were injured in the shooting. Throughout the night and during the morning, explosions are heard around the university.

8.05am: Red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan announces a complete dispersal of protesters at Rajamangala Stadium, claiming four-red shirt protesters had been shot dead.

8.20am: Ramkhamhaeng University Rector Assoc Prof Wuthisak Lapcharoensap says that at around 6am, students were woken by the sound of shooting and explosions. A number of students were seriously injured, but he was unable to confirm the number. Wuthisak says 2,000 students are stranded and should be evacuated as soon as possible.

10.20am: CAPO deputy director Pol Gen Worapong Chiewpreecha says police cannot access the university because the situation is not under control. He says police are trying to arrange BMA buses to get protesters out of the university.

10.30am: Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit claims the shootings are the work of an ill-intentioned third party wanting to stir up trouble.

12.00am: Erawan centre reports two dead and 45 injured in the shooting attack on the university.

1pm: Ramkhamhaeng University announces that it will close temporarily until December 3 and suspends all classes, exams and other activities.

2.20pm: Gen Songwit Nunpakdee leads a company of soldiers from the 11th Infantry Regiment King's Guard to take control of the university area.

2.45pm: Students and protesters are moved out of the campus in eight university buses to a shelter at a Rama 9 temple, before being sent home.

3.50pm: A bus is set on fire in front of Ramkhamhaeng University


-- The Nation 2013-12-02

[robblok]

Not really hard to imagine who were responsible, the reds of course. Wonder if the posters here who defend the red and come down hard on the protestors see that again the reds are the thugs. Though even i must say im dissapointed at the way how some of the anti government protestors act. But at least they are not shooting people.

The government must step down and call for new elections even if the PTP wins they will be severely weakend. It would be much harder for them to seek total dominance without checks and balances and bring dear leader back.

I dont mind them in charge if they were checked and their corruption at least halted a bit.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[plachon]

RU may offer a hope to poor families for its low fees and open door policy, but the author seems to forget it also offers hope to rich families with dull kids, who despite the virtual "no fail" policy, still feel it necessary to cheat in their exams. One Nong Oak, for example.

[Prbkk]

No-one wants to see students held hostage on campus or killed. However the Rector might reflect on the planning undertaken by the 'university' , knowing that both proximity to the rally and the propensity for violence of a dangerous minority of feral RU thugs, would raise the risk level for anyone on campus at the time. One can see this minority in the clips of the attacks on taxis and buses. Such behaviour comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with RU

[whybother]

No-one wants to see students held hostage on campus or killed. However the Rector might reflect on the planning undertaken by the 'university' , knowing that both proximity to the rally and the propensity for violence of a dangerous minority of feral RU thugs, would raise the risk level for anyone on campus at the time. One can see this minority in the clips of the attacks on taxis and buses. Such behaviour comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with RU

One might also reflect on the planning of the pro-government protesters, setting up shop next door to a university.

[diehard60]

Not really hard to imagine who were responsible, the reds of course. Wonder if the posters here who defend the red and come down hard on the protestors see that again the reds are the thugs. Though even i must say im dissapointed at the way how some of the anti government protestors act. But at least they are not shooting people.

The government must step down and call for new elections even if the PTP wins they will be severely weakend. It would be much harder for them to seek total dominance without checks and balances and bring dear leader back.

I dont mind them in charge if they were checked and their corruption at least halted a bit.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Got to ask you a question. Who gave the order to open fire and kill people three years ago? What government does not suport the poor people in Thailand? If you can answer those questions you might understand Thai people in the rural areas.

[gabruce]

Not really hard to imagine who were responsible, the reds of course. Wonder if the posters here who defend the red and come down hard on the protestors see that again the reds are the thugs. Though even i must say im dissapointed at the way how some of the anti government protestors act. But at least they are not shooting people.

The government must step down and call for new elections even if the PTP wins they will be severely weakend. It would be much harder for them to seek total dominance without checks and balances and bring dear leader back.

I dont mind them in charge if they were checked and their corruption at least halted a bit.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Got to ask you a question. Who gave the order to open fire and kill people three years ago? What government does not suport the poor people in Thailand? If you can answer those questions you might understand Thai people in the rural areas.

Is this a trick question. The prevailing wisdom seems to be that it was Thaksin and the Red Shirts.

[SaamBaht]

the university students should take full responsibility for provoking the red shirts. it's too bad those details were left out of the story

[Just1Voice]

Not really hard to imagine who were responsible, the reds of course. Wonder if the posters here who defend the red and come down hard on the protestors see that again the reds are the thugs. Though even i must say im dissapointed at the way how some of the anti government protestors act. But at least they are not shooting people.

The government must step down and call for new elections even if the PTP wins they will be severely weakend. It would be much harder for them to seek total dominance without checks and balances and bring dear leader back.

I dont mind them in charge if they were checked and their corruption at least halted a bit.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

You can "imagine" all you want, but do you have any actual proof that it was Reds who did the shooting? Or is this merely "anti-Red" speculation?

[SaamBaht]

if the anti-government protesters were red shirts their leader would have already been assassinated like last time...the government is Quick to gun down those representing the poor but not those representing the top...

[Mampara]

They said that in response to the demonstrators, that they would teach them a lesson and bring in The Red's from upcountry to combat the situation. Many readers warned about the consequences of bringing in the Red's, but the warnings went unheeded. Our Mr X also phoned and INSTRUCTED somebody to bring in a few thousand from upcountry, thus contradicting the story that Mr X was actually running the government. Mrs X also instructed her voters to ABSTAIN from any violence Just look at the consequence's of this scenario, Murders, physical assaults, to both women and children, burnings, and looting. It seems that the people that were brought in from upcountry were actually hand picked because of their violent backgrounds. One cannot believe that people would stoop so low when counteracting an opposition force. The instigators of this action should be convicted and charge with murder.

[Mampara]

the university students should take full responsibility for provoking the red shirts. it's too bad those details were left out of the story

The red's should of had the common sense that they were dealing with children, and respond appropriately.

[whybother]

Isn't it the job of the police to go in and make the area safe?

Sent from my phone ...

[AsterixThai]

Gentiles farmers Northeast scrolling peacefully in Bangkok.

Photo "Le Monde"

[noitom]

A body was found on the burned bus which was "set a light" by some group either students, saboteurs, protesters or some other.

[Prbkk]

one clip of the taxi incident ( taxi said to be taking a red shirt supporter to the rally). terrifying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pFEMkltMhM

[Emptyset]

the university students should take full responsibility for provoking the red shirts. it's too bad those details were left out of the story

I think both sides should take responsibility because even if the students attacked red shirts initially, the red shirt response made things far worse. But then, you've already got an uncontrollable situation on your hands at that point. As you say though, The Nation's obviously decided to ignore everything than came before the first gun shots. Leaving out crucial details to suit your political view is almost as bad as completely fabricating things. It's almost as if they've decided to resort to what's little more than propaganda.

I also wonder how they think Chaturon could've quelled the violence. I doubt an appeal for peace from the stage would've done much to help. According to a journalist on the scene, it wasn't reds from the stadium that students were fighting, but those from the local area who attacked them from behind (though I believe there were skirmishes with a few from the stadium when red shirts sent some out initially to try to defend themselves).

[lostmebike]

one clip of the taxi incident ( taxi said to be taking a red shirt supporter to the rally). terrifying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pFEMkltMhM

Watched the clip and got to agree with you, not a pleasant ordeal indeed.

But why are the 'educated middles classes' now bullying the bullies? Can't they see their cause is diminishing by copying the behaviour of the people they wish to oust???

Edited December 2, 2013 by lostmebike

[Emptyset]

A body was found on the burned bus which was "set a light" by some group either students, saboteurs, protesters or some other.

Driver has complained about that here: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Bus-driver-files-complaint-30221117.html

The bus happens to be the same type as one that mysterious armed men emerged from. Whether it's the same one or whether there were so many of these buses in the vicinity that it's more likely a coincidence, I'm still not sure of.

There's a video of the incident, taken perhaps just after they set it alight. You can't really make out much or tell one way or another who's responsible for the burning, but there were reports of an 'unknown force' moving into the area mid-afternoon.

[SaamBaht]

the university students should take full responsibility for provoking the red shirts. it's too bad those details were left out of the story

The red's should of had the common sense that they were dealing with children, and respond appropriately.

Yeah, I guess men and woman of legal age are still considered children in Thailand. Thanks for the reminder.

[chainarong]

Not really hard to imagine who were responsible, the reds of course. Wonder if the posters here who defend the red and come down hard on the protestors see that again the reds are the thugs. Though even i must say im dissapointed at the way how some of the anti government protestors act. But at least they are not shooting people.

The government must step down and call for new elections even if the PTP wins they will be severely weakend. It would be much harder for them to seek total dominance without checks and balances and bring dear leader back.

I dont mind them in charge if they were checked and their corruption at least halted a bit.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Got to ask you a question. Who gave the order to open fire and kill people three years ago? What government does not suport the poor people in Thailand? If you can answer those questions you might understand Thai people in the rural areas.

Is this a trick question. The prevailing wisdom seems to be that it was Thaksin and the Red Shirts.

The prevailing wisdom might not be correct, just a thought.

[Emptyset]

Gentiles farmers Northeast scrolling peacefully in Bangkok.

Photo "Le Monde"

Since you've sadly decided to go down this route, let's make this very clear. This is what students were doing to red shirts before the reds later responded themselves:

[gemini81]

Not really hard to imagine who were responsible, the reds of course. Wonder if the posters here who defend the red and come down hard on the protestors see that again the reds are the thugs. Though even i must say im dissapointed at the way how some of the anti government protestors act. But at least they are not shooting people.

The government must step down and call for new elections even if the PTP wins they will be severely weakend. It would be much harder for them to seek total dominance without checks and balances and bring dear leader back.

I dont mind them in charge if they were checked and their corruption at least halted a bit.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Got to ask you a question. Who gave the order to open fire and kill people three years ago? What government does not suport the poor people in Thailand? If you can answer those questions you might understand Thai people in the rural areas.

Thaksin had Seh Daeng popped, and payed mobs to get injured and killed to play martyr. Common knowledge, and very obvious. PTP are the most corrupt, inept and unqualified set of politicians the world has ever known. Also the biggest joke internaionally as well.

[mmushr00m]

A lot of southerners attend RU. Add the stereotype of them being hot blooded and its not really surprising that clashes happened.

[Bluespunk]

the university students should take full responsibility for provoking the red shirts. it's too bad those details were left out of the story

they were left out because they don't exist

[AleG]

A body was found on the burned bus which was "set a light" by some group either students, saboteurs, protesters or some other.

Driver has complained about that here: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Bus-driver-files-complaint-30221117.html

The bus happens to be the same type as one that mysterious armed men emerged from. Whether it's the same one or whether there were so many of these buses in the vicinity that it's more likely a coincidence, I'm still not sure of.

There's a video of the incident, taken perhaps just after they set it alight. You can't really make out much or tell one way or another who's responsible for the burning, but there were reports of an 'unknown force' moving into the area mid-afternoon.

The bus happens to be the same type as one that mysterious armed men emerged from

"The driver said he brought 25 red-shirts from Kamphaengphet to the stadium."

Not much mystery there, it should be fairly simple to identify the shooter now.... provided the police are inclined to do so.

[Tycoon]

RU may offer a hope to poor families for its low fees and open door policy, but the author seems to forget it also offers hope to rich families with dull kids, who despite the virtual "no fail" policy, still feel it necessary to cheat in their exams. One Nong Oak, for example.

Completely of track and untrue.

You attended Uni here ? No I bet not

[jpeg]

one clip of the taxi incident ( taxi said to be taking a red shirt supporter to the rally). terrifying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pFEMkltMhM

Eerily reminiscent of the reds attacking AV in Pattaya.

[Local Drunk]

Gentiles farmers Northeast scrolling peacefully in Bangkok.

Photo "Le Monde"

Since you've sadly decided to go down this route, let's make this very clear. This is what students were doing to red shirts before the reds later responded themselves:

Empty, do you think those are really students in the upper pic? Look at it closely. Now the real students, whom I'll refer to as children perhaps did attack the buses, but what you seem to imply is that a 'tit for tat" measure is ok. That's the sort of thinking that lead to this escalation and the Red Shirts being at the stadium in the first place.