Thai Govt insists on work as usual, punishment for protest leaders

[webfact]

Govt insists on work as usual, punishment for protest leaders
By English News



BANGKOK, Dec 2 – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra held an urgent Cabinet meeting last night and instructed all agencies to seriously enforce the laws to urgently resolve the political crisis.

She chaired the meeting via a teleconference with Cabinet members who gathered at the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), specially set up to handle the political disputes.

Appearing on television after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok said civil servants would report to work as usual today, disregarding a call for civil servants to go on strike on Monday by anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary general of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee.

Pol Gen Pracha was flanked by other senior Cabinet members including Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana.

He said Mr Suthep has been on the authorities’ wanted list after an arrest warrant was issued for him for instigating unrest and intruding into government buildings.

He said the YIngluck government has never rejected the Constitution Court’s ruling against a bill on the Senate composition as alleged by Mr Suhtep or anti-government protesters.

“It was a political party, not the government, which denounced the Constitution Court’s judgement. The amnesty bill was also a legislatures’ initiative, not the government. The legislative and administrative branches are separate,” he said.

He said Mr Suthep did not have the constitutional right to order television stations to stop covering news of the government, and concentrating only the protesters.

Pol Gen Pracha said the protesters’ seizures of government buildings and TV stations were not done by peaceful means but they had forced open concrete barriers and hurled 'pingpong' bombs into ranks of security personnel.

Mr Suthep’s use of force to remove the government’s administrative power is a violation of Article 113 of the Criminal Code, liable to death or life imprisonment, he said.

He warned people against leaving their residences between 10pm and 5am for their own safety and to avoid becoming the tool of a third party.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Surapong said he will meet with foreign diplomats this afternoon to brief and clarify the political situation in light of statements by the US and UK objecting to protesters’ seizures of government property.

Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittiratt said the political dispute will affect Thailand’s economy particularly in the fourth quarter of the year which is a prime money-making period for Thailand’s exports and tourism.

Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep said the authorities have sufficient evidence and witnesses to take legal action against Mr Suthep, adding that other core leaders and accomplices will be subject to legal action together with the former Democrat MP. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-12-02

[Thaddeus]

She chaired the meeting via a teleconference with Cabinet members who gathered at the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), specially set up to handle the political disputes

She has truly mastered how to use Skype.

I wonder how many unnamed other were in this conference call.

(lack of plural was intentional)

Edited December 2, 2013 by Thaddeus

[PeterSmiles]

She chaired the meeting via a teleconference with Cabinet members who gathered at the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), specially set up to handle the political disputes

Someone overheard the teleconference and noticed if she had a unusual soar throat by any chance .

Edited December 2, 2013 by PeterSmiles

[billd766]

What a bunch of sad and miserable looking people they are.

[tomross46]

It is good to see that the government will punish the Red Shirt protest leaders from the 2010 riots. When will Natawut be arrested?

[Thaddeus]

What a bunch of sad and miserable looking people they are.

Perhaps not looking forward to the gravy train being derailed.

Should have put more effort in to making sure that the tracks could support the whole train before speeding it up.

[connda]

"Business as usual" defined: Corruption, damned corruption, and outright criminal acts.

Now, throw those pesky protesters in the hoosegow and toss away the key. Lmfao

Edited December 2, 2013 by connda

[TVGerry]

Why a lying piece of crap! Thaksin and his cronies have blurred the lines between the legislative and the administrative branches of the government. To say they're both seperate is an outright lie we've come to expect from this PTP government.

[Robby nz]

I see that she (they) have replaced the head of CAPO.

Wonder if this just a normal thing like a cabinet reshuffle or was Pracha deemed to be to soft or possibly he was looking for an escape route.

Yingluck appoints Suraong as new CAPO chief

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has appointed Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul to replace Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnog as the chief of the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order.

Pracha made the announcement that he was replaced by Surapong as CAPO chief at a press conference at 11:36 am.

Can imagine the Skype conversation.

Please brother let me go I don't want to be part of this anymore.

No you must stay I must get back and claim the country that is rightfully mine.

[connda]

Why a lying piece of crap! Thaksin and his cronies have blurred the lines between the legislative and the administrative branches of the government. To say they're both seperate is an outright lie we've come to expect from this PTP government.

Wait until they blur the lines between administrative, legislative, judicial, and their corporate sponsors; then they'll have truly achieved 'developed country, first-world, status. Lol

Edited December 2, 2013 by connda

[Nickymaster]

What a bunch of sad and miserable looking people they are.

I was thinking the same. So sad that Thailand is "managed" by these controversial, corrupt and lying politicians. I just can't believe that anybody would put these people in charge of a country with the best intentions in mind. They are chosen because they can serve the Shins very well. That's all there is too it IMO.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Nickymaster

[h90]

What a bunch of sad and miserable looking people they are.

I was thinking the same. So sad that Thailand is "managed" by these controversial, corrupt and lying politicians. I just can't believe that anybody would put these people in charge of a country with the best intentions in mind. They are chosen because they can serve the Shins very well. That's all there is too it IMO.

Come on...they don't manage Thailand...for this they have Skype.

[Local Drunk]

Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul

Thaksin's cousin

[ezzra]

Yes, punish everyone, why not, someone in a while later, going to ask/declare AMANSTY

to one and all, reconciliations and reset.. the never ending game of Thai politics...

[aussiesteve63]

Sad and miserable describes most of the TVF posters, get a life you people

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[winstonc]

suphep is on our wanted list,but being seriously retarded and utterly devoid of any savvy whatsoever we forgot to arrest him at the meeting,..run a country these clowns couldnt run a bath...

[Baerboxer]

Pretty desperate when you try to push the blame onto those rogues in your own political party, your own MPs and deny anything to do with the government.

I bet they were all deeply shocked when these roguish MP's amended the amnesty bill, and those naughty speakers didn't allow the opposition time to speak against the senate reform bill, and cheated the opposition out of the right to vote on the loan bill by advising the wrong time.

You can't blame the PM/DM and her handpicked best for the job cabinet. They're only the government.

Maybe the PM/DM's time would've been better spent actually attending parliament?

Does anyone believe that the government and all PTP MPs are not under very tight control?

I expect the PM/DM will be punishing all those who contravened parliamentary procedures and all those who refused to accept the rule of law.

Arrests warrants will be enforced - Suthep will be arrested, But then so must the fugitive in Dubai.

PTP insist on using the threat of law against any opponents but refuse to accept its rule themselves. How very democratic.

[rubl]

"Police Gen. Pracha said the YIngluck government has never rejected the Constitution Court’s ruling against a bill on the Senate composition as alleged by Mr Suhtep or anti-government protesters.

“It was a political party, not the government, which denounced the Constitution Court’s judgement. The amnesty bill was also a legislatures’ initiative, not the government. The legislative and administrative branches are separate,” he said.

So it's all the fault of the Pheu Thai party, not the government. Pushing through a modified to 'blanket amnesty' bill is also not the work of the government and PM Yingluck didn't ask people to wait wearing the PM hat, but as Pheu Thai party list MP #1 ?

BTW didn't Pheu Thai just flipflop a bit on this as well?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/685310-pheu-thai-reverses-its-stand-on-constitutional-court/

[BudRight]

I guess this means justice for Thaksin.

[smileydude]

Wow, the whole comic lineup in one photo op.

We have from left to right: Mr. Richest declared assets minister-because-my-wife-is-loaded, Mr. Toadface I-cannot-speak-any-english foreign minister, Mr. Crookidest ex-chief of police turned minister, the infamous Mr. Floodprasop, and Mr. White-Lies himself.

I'd wager a bet that the amount of hot gas and manure coming from this group could provide enough bio-fuel to run the entire nation for years to come.

Edited December 2, 2013 by smileydude

[falangadang]

"He said Mr Suthep has been on the authorities’ wanted list after an arrest warrant was issued for him for instigating unrest and intruding into government buildings."

So what's the problem with performing the arrest,.... can't they find him,... or they can't get an armed contingent close enough to arrest him and take him into custody?

Surely if he's being so visible at various govt buildings (including being sat in front of a TV camera at TV stations) it shouldn't be too hard to spot and nab him?

[binjalin]

stand tall as most of Thailand is aghast at this attempted coup by the de-elected DPM

[HUAHIN62]

Wait for your hero Suthep to close down TV and expand the LM laws to include himself. What the heck will all the bored foreigners in Thailand do when this happens ? Play musical chairs in their favorite bar or start to write love letters to their bar girls ? There is a saying better/rather the devil you know ...... I know Thaksin's flaws and I know democracy's flaws, do you know the people that will be included in Sutheps peoples forum, who will select the forum, will he only include his people and leave out 65% of the people, do you know how they will govern the country without elections, what is Sutheps views on press freedom and freedom of speech. I say rather an imperfect democracy than Suthep's heaven.

[SABloke]

"He said Mr Suthep has been on the authorities’ wanted list after an arrest warrant was issued for him for instigating unrest and intruding into government buildings."

So what's the problem with performing the arrest,.... can't they find him,... or they can't get an armed contingent close enough to arrest him and take him into custody?

Surely if he's being so visible at various govt buildings (including being sat in front of a TV camera at TV stations) it shouldn't be too hard to spot and nab him?

And don't forget that he me in person with the PM - could've nabbed him then IF they wanted to

[binjalin]

Wait for your hero Suthep to close down TV and expand the LM laws to include himself. What the heck will all the bored foreigners in Thailand do when this happens ? Play musical chairs in their favorite bar or start to write love letters to their bar girls ? There is a saying better/rather the devil you know ...... I know Thaksin's flaws and I know democracy's flaws, do you know the people that will be included in Sutheps peoples forum, who will select the forum, will he only include his people and leave out 65% of the people, do you know how they will govern the country without elections, what is Sutheps views on press freedom and freedom of speech. I say rather an imperfect democracy than Suthep's heaven.

I was seriously told by an educated Thai last week that she supported the demo because "most Thais are not educated enough to vote" I told her if that was the benchmark most of the modern world would have no democracy

Suthep will lead this country to ruin if allowed to and his pet Abhisit gains NO credibility by not 'standing tall' and denouncing it even hinting he may lead it

shame on the first for being disillusion and the second on being a shameless opportunist who will, no doubt, distance himself if the demos fail and join if they succeed

Thailand needs a true and good leader but he/she is nowhere to be found right now but Suthep is no alternative

[falangadang]

Wait for your hero Suthep to close down TV and expand the LM laws to include himself. What the heck will all the bored foreigners in Thailand do when this happens ? Play musical chairs in their favorite bar or start to write love letters to their bar girls ? There is a saying better/rather the devil you know ...... I know Thaksin's flaws and I know democracy's flaws, do you know the people that will be included in Sutheps peoples forum, who will select the forum, will he only include his people and leave out 65% of the people, do you know how they will govern the country without elections, what is Sutheps views on press freedom and freedom of speech. I say rather an imperfect democracy than Suthep's heaven.

I was seriously told by an educated Thai last week that she supported the demo because "most Thais are not educated enough to vote" I told her if that was the benchmark most of the modern world would have no democracy

Suthep will lead this country to ruin if allowed to and his pet Abhisit gains NO credibility by not 'standing tall' and denouncing it even hinting he may lead it

shame on the first for being disillusion and the second on being a shameless opportunist who will, no doubt, distance himself if the demos fail and join if they succeed

Thailand needs a true and good leader but he/she is nowhere to be found right now but Suthep is no alternative

IMHO,.. if Abhisit truly values democracy and has any intention of keeping his democratic party image intact then he needs to publicly denounce Suthep's actions IMMEDIATELY.

If he did that, not only would he be showing respect for true democracy but also would be showing true leadership for which he would stand to gain from no matter what the outcome of this fiasco ends up being.

I can't see this ending well for Suthep, in which case Abhisit would be playing a wise political card IMHO by distancing himself from Suthep now!

The problem is that whilst Mark is a decent guy overall with a solid education and great ambassordial qualities, he lacks any strategic political determination and that's one thing that strips him of any real opportunity to lead this country in any kind of powerful or meaningful way!

I don't like TS and his regime either but Suthep looks like a very precarious (wild card) alternative.

Something in between TS/PTP, Suthep, Abhisit would be good,.... Could we please have a truly benevolent dictator walk up to the strikers plate please?

[ratcatcher]

Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul

Thaksin's cousin

Moving from Tweedle Dee to Tweedle Dumb.

[bunuel]

Precisely.

No matter how much they hate the current democratically elected government, they

cannot just replace it on a whim through extra parliamentary shennanigans.

Opposition needs to grow up and try to win the next elections.

That is the way the game is played. All this other nonsense makes Thailand

look like an Asian Banana Republic in the eyes of tthe world, and anyone

who thinks otherwise is living in a state of denial.

Suggest Democrats find new leadsrship or change their name. This crew has made fools of themselves!

Wait for your hero Suthep to close down TV and expand the LM laws to include himself. What the heck will all the bored foreigners in Thailand do when this happens ? Play musical chairs in their favorite bar or start to write love letters to their bar girls ? There is a saying better/rather the devil you know ...... I know Thaksin's flaws and I know democracy's flaws, do you know the people that will be included in Sutheps peoples forum, who will select the forum, will he only include his people and leave out 65% of the people, do you know how they will govern the country without elections, what is Sutheps views on press freedom and freedom of speech. I say rather an imperfect democracy than Suthep's heaven.

[bunuel]

Some light at the end of the tunnel, but major damage has already been done

to Thailand's international image. The responsibility for this damage must be

placed squarely on the shoulders of the political leaders of the opposition

who masterminded this attempted putsch.

No matter how much they hate the current democratically elected government, they

cannot just replace it on a whim through extra parliamentary shennanigans.

Opposition needs to grow up and try to win the next elections.

That is the way the game is played. All this other nonsense makes Thailand

look like an Asian Banana Republic in the eyes of tthe world, and anyone

who thinks otherwise is living in a state of denial.

To start, recommend Democrats either change their nane or , better, replace current

leadership with people who are interested in Democracy as it is practised on the rest

of the planet.

[diehard60]

It is good to see that the government will punish the Red Shirt protest leaders from the 2010 riots. When will Natawut be arrested?

Well for your information they were arrested and some went to jail even if it was only a shorrt time. The question is when will your friend suthep be arrested for murder when he orderd the military to open fire on people?