Bangkok: Anti-government protesters declare victory

[Senechal]

This is all well and good... but ultimately the police are a small part of the equation. The question is the military. And that question is still up in the air.

[webfact]

Protesters enter Thai government HQ unopposed: AFP

BANGKOK, December 3, 2013 (AFP) - Hundreds of Thai opposition protesters entered the government headquarters unopposed Tuesday, after police said they would offer no resistance to the demonstrators who have vowed to topple the prime minister.

Authorities have lifted barriers to allow demonstrators into the compound "in order to reduce tensions between protesters and the police", Krisana Pattanacharoen, a police official, said in a televised address.

An AFP reporter at the scene described a carnival atmosphere, as protesters poured into the compound blowing whistles, sitting on the manicured lawns and posing for pictures, as tensions eased sharply in the capital after two days of unrest.

Some 20 police and soldiers were visible at the door of one of the buildings within the headquarters, in a dramatic reduction of security for the symbolic seat of government power.

The move comes after police announced they would no longer protect the building, which they had defended with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon on Monday.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-12-03

[mgjackson69]

Congrats on your victory Khun Suthep, you have walked in to police HQ and gotten yourself and your idiot followers surrounded, genius.

There will be some wonderful Suthep jokes going the rounds, there must be quite a few already, anyone?

Keep up

 

He didn't "walk in" and his followers are at no risk. 

 

They also entered the grounds of Gov. House, and left unmolested (except Chuwit tho tried to be funny and got pelted by empty - or mostly empty eater bottles!)

Chuwit supplies the rent-a-thugs. With so many of them about, I wonder if one can get a motorbike taxi in Bangkok today.

Sent from my Xoom using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jackrich]

This is all well and good... but ultimately the police are a small part of the equation. The question is the military. And that question is still up in the air.

The military has already said they won't get involved. In a democratic country, the military should not be used to resolve internal political conflicts. The military is here to protect the country from foreign forces. I'm glad to see the Thai military growing up and taking a step in the right direction under PM Yingluck.

[aaacorp]

RT@veen_NT : Suthep: My only ultimate goal is to make Thailand free of capitalism dictatorship.

He clearly lost his marbles.... hope the pro ones here does not have any company here....

I do not think I have to worry about my business here since I will not be a PM. You may have to worry though

Worry for what? Are you one of those who think being against suthep makes me a pro thaksin... but if you re happy to have an appointed council made of ultra nationalists over your business then go on....

[JHenry]

Nobody understands what the Victory actually means. But they made a deal. We got it.

[Old Man River]

So declration of victory ? Wait for the next election where i predict that the democrats will lose again .

This is far from over.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Zolt]

Suthep seems to believe the only 'capitalists' in Thailand are the Shinawatra family. He and the Democrats are backed by some of Thailand's wealthiest people & biggest businesses, I rather suspect he isn't proposing to eliminate them. The 'capitalist dictatorship' thing is also something Sondhi used to bang on about, as if he himself isn't a capitalist.

This^^, I'm pretty sure the dems have more financial backup than just the one washed-out billionaire. Also just spending a ton of money on election day does not guarantee you getting votes. Otherwise Puea Pandin and Bhum Jai Thai would be much larger players in the current political landscape instead of the non-entities they are today.

[lostmebike]

"Victory is ours after the long fights and protests," Sathit Wongnongtoey said from the stage

Victory over what? The police barricades?

I thought the aim was to kick out YL's government?

[transam]

Nobody understands what the Victory actually means. But they made a deal. We got it.

[CyberDemon]

"Victory is ours after the long fights and protests," Sathit Wongnongtoey said from the stage

Victory over what? The police barricades?

I thought the aim was to kick out YL's government?

These are a series of battles and victories.

The main war is not won, that is what Suthep says and it will continue until it is won.

No need for people to keep thinking that Dec 5th changes anything. They will continue their protests and they will pay their respects from where they are.

[kimamey]

why are the cops so useless?

I think this may have been a good move by the government although I did think they might wait until the king's birthday to see if it broke the momentum. Maybe they didn't want to risk the possibility of violence continuing on Thursday. Continuing violence doesn't help anyone. It would be good if the moderate ones on both sides could work something out but I don't think there is enough trust in anything involving the Shinawatras. Even if they stepped back there would always be the suspicion that Thaksin was still in control and the family benefiting. I would think that Suthep might have move away as well as he seemed to get a bit out of control after a good start in holding peaceful demonstrations.

[Rhys]

So this is half time... what is the entertainment, who dances, who wows, and who sings?

[jdinasia]

This is all well and good... but ultimately the police are a small part of the equation. The question is the military. And that question is still up in the air.

The military has already said they won't get involved. In a democratic country, the military should not be used to resolve internal political conflicts. The military is here to protect the country from foreign forces. I'm glad to see the Thai military growing up and taking a step in the right direction under PM Yingluck.

Jack ----- ummmm #smh, have you not paid any attention to the news? The military is fully involved. They have been from the beginning. Warning the government not to use force, organizing the meetings between YL and Suthep, brokering deals ...

They will keep that level of involvement until they do not.

On a separate note, the Criminal Court has told the police (and the gov't) that dropping leaflets with the arrest warrant details for Suthep is illegal. That is only for the officers and people involved. Somebody's head is gonna roll for that one and if it leads high up the tree .......

[aaacorp]

He was scared to start tomorrow with the potential of no victory in sight, after having declared Wednesday the "final day of victory". So he declared victory today, Tuesday, and that way has prevented loss of face. He's a genius, after all.

Go read the speech bonehead. He hasn't declared victory and never did. That was all speculation of the media.

Nothing has changed, nothing, the protests still live and it won't finish until there is a coup..... got it?

Suthep, you have my full backing... Finish the job!

What coup? By the army? It seems for now the army is quite reluctant to get into this. Number of protesters dropped sharply since last week and the government seems to avoid pretty well what suthep wants : violence...

[jackrich]

He was scared to start tomorrow with the potential of no victory in sight, after having declared Wednesday the "final day of victory". So he declared victory today, Tuesday, and that way has prevented loss of face. He's a genius, after all.

Go read the speech bonehead. He hasn't declared victory and never did. That was all speculation of the media.

Nothing has changed, nothing, the protests still live and it won't finish until there is a coup..... got it?

Suthep, you have my full backing... Finish the job!

Really? He used the word "victory" himself. Go read the speech again. I did.

[CyberDemon]

Suthep: They've run out of tear gas, and bare hands have seized control of metropolitan police bureau.

Suthep: It's not a full victory. The fight must go on. We still can't go home now.

Suthep: Our goal is total eradication of Thaksin system, and tha goal remains unchanged.

Suthep: A new election now will only see more of vote-buying. They will buy their way back to power.

Suthep: House dissolution means nothing for us.

Suthep: We have invested so much of our energy and will and it must not go to waste. We must fight all the way

Suthep: Although Yingluck would resign, if Somchai or Yaowapha becomes PM, the same loop goes round and round.

Suthep: I have cleared my room at the Democrat Party. It's bye-bye forever. My place is here with you.

Suthep: We must be patient. Coup will take only 3 hours. This way of battle requires time, because we've only hearts and bare hands.

Suthep: My only ultimate goal is to make Thailand free of capitalism dictatorship.

Suthep: We can celebrate, but we can't get carried away. The Thaksin system is still very much there.

Suthep: If u see police climbing down ropes from helicopters like in the movies don't look up long, look at me in case they pull me away.

Suthep: They showed pics of me getting injections and said I was done. I'm never done till we get complete victory.

Suthep: I will stay with you here. In the evening, we will move out front. Thank you. (ENDS)

[jackrich]

This is all well and good... but ultimately the police are a small part of the equation. The question is the military. And that question is still up in the air.

The military has already said they won't get involved. In a democratic country, the military should not be used to resolve internal political conflicts. The military is here to protect the country from foreign forces. I'm glad to see the Thai military growing up and taking a step in the right direction under PM Yingluck.

Jack ----- ummmm #smh, have you not paid any attention to the news? The military is fully involved. They have been from the beginning. Warning the government not to use force, organizing the meetings between YL and Suthep, brokering deals ...

They will keep that level of involvement until they do not.

On a separate note, the Criminal Court has told the police (and the gov't) that dropping leaflets with the arrest warrant details for Suthep is illegal. That is only for the officers and people involved. Somebody's head is gonna roll for that one and if it leads high up the tree .......

You're saying it's illegal for the police to drop leaflets with the arrest warrant, yet you say that it's only for the "officers" involved. What "officers" are you talking about exactly?

[jdinasia]

So this is half time... what is the entertainment, who dances, who wows, and who sings?

The parade of colors (military review in hua Hin) is part of the entertainment ... Suthep and others being seen pushing brooms to clean up tmw will be fun! and EVERYbody will be singing. I am glad I am in the countryside this week and not at the condo near RamaIX park! Traffic gets insane there!

[jackrich]

Suthep: They've run out of tear gas, and bare hands have seized control of metropolitan police bureau.

Suthep: It's not a full victory. The fight must go on. We still can't go home now.

Suthep: Our goal is total eradication of Thaksin system, and tha goal remains unchanged.

Suthep: A new election now will only see more of vote-buying. They will buy their way back to power.

Suthep: House dissolution means nothing for us.

Suthep: We have invested so much of our energy and will and it must not go to waste. We must fight all the way

Suthep: Although Yingluck would resign, if Somchai or Yaowapha becomes PM, the same loop goes round and round.

Suthep: I have cleared my room at the Democrat Party. It's bye-bye forever. My place is here with you.

Suthep: We must be patient. Coup will take only 3 hours. This way of battle requires time, because we've only hearts and bare hands.

Suthep: My only ultimate goal is to make Thailand free of capitalism dictatorship.

Suthep: We can celebrate, but we can't get carried away. The Thaksin system is still very much there.

Suthep: If u see police climbing down ropes from helicopters like in the movies don't look up long, look at me in case they pull me away.

Suthep: They showed pics of me getting injections and said I was done. I'm never done till we get complete victory.

Suthep: I will stay with you here. In the evening, we will move out front. Thank you. (ENDS)

Good boy. Now go back and read what he said at approximately 12pm. He declared victory himself, then backtracked 2 hours later. It's not my fault that your employer backtracks, you know?

[jdinasia]

Good boy. Now go back and read what he said at approximately 12pm. He declared victory himself, then backtracked 2 hours later. It's not my fault that your employer backtracks, you know?

Jack ... My Thai is fairly decent. I am only assuming you are unaware that Thai is mostly missing articles....

Today was a victory ... is far from claiming the fight is over which Suthep clearly did not. If you are going to use semantics as a discussion point, please label them as such. Then do the proper thing and look at the discussion to make your judgments from and not cherrypick one line as reported by others.....

[icare999]

Congrats on your victory Khun Suthep, you have walked in to police HQ and gotten yourself and your idiot followers surrounded, genius.

There will be some wonderful Suthep jokes going the rounds, there must be quite a few already, anyone?

Keep up

He didn't "walk in" and his followers are at no risk.

They also entered the grounds of Gov. House, and left unmolested (except Chuwit tho tried to be funny and got pelted by empty - or mostly empty eater bottles!)

Sorry,Lost the plot rolling around laughing.

But it's almost even better than a Black Adder episode,the guy actually thinks he has won!

no he's said he's won a victory but fight still goes on. He makes it clear he has not won the war and it continues.

However forcing a government to give up police HQ and government house and rest is amazing and means Taksin realises he can't win at moment. Thats why he withdrew his red thugs. The government had no choice but to give n as gracefully as they could for moment or face prospect of having to shoot the protestors. I think the army made it clear they would not support the government if it came to it and so Taksin was left with police who as we all know are totally useless when faced with some force against them.

A great day to see Taksin and his clan and cronies get a bloody nose but they are not defeated and this is only a lull in wider battle. Interesting to note its army it seems who will protect police HQ and not police whatever one wants to make of it.

IMO the most likely thing that happened is army did not want to get to involved but told the government if they did not back down they would have no choice. Hopefully with a lll talk of Taksin having bought the army the army are still there to if really needed save Thailand from a Taksin dictatorship. In all my 30 years here they have only stopped in to save the day and then always some time later withdrawn so elections could take place.

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts and replies have been removed.

[pisico]

The end of the YS days in government are numbered.

When the Reds went back to their homes she lost the only leverage she had.

Her motherly instinct made her take the softer position in the face of the protest. That and the looming threat from the same camp that removed her brother.

Who and why her brother TS was removed?

The same party that this time around decided to be "neutral".

The ones with the power call the shots. The ones with the power in present time can also control and change the past history.

Rewrites are as common in this land as the coups. 19 since 1938.

A new Constitution will be drafted by the lawyers appointed by the People's Council.

Disturbing rhetoric and choice of words. Sounds like a page from the Red Book of Mao Tse Tung. Totalitarianism?

I hope, for our collective sake, to be wrong.

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts and replies have been removed. Another post of an off topic nature has been removed as well.

[Samaaw]

Flowers??

Reminds me of someone else - "they want bread? give them cake"

Oh well when whoever eventually does get the victory - it will be peaceful for another 3 yrs or so till the next episode !!

[winstonc]

This is all well and good... but ultimately the police are a small part of the equation. The question is the military. And that question is still up in the air.

The military has already said they won't get involved. In a democratic country, the military should not be used to resolve internal political conflicts. The military is here to protect the country from foreign forces. I'm glad to see the Thai military growing up and taking a step in the right direction under PM Yingluck.

Jack ----- ummmm #smh, have you not paid any attention to the news? The military is fully involved. They have been from the beginning. Warning the government not to use force, organizing the meetings between YL and Suthep, brokering deals ...

They will keep that level of involvement until they do not.

On a separate note, the Criminal Court has told the police (and the gov't) that dropping leaflets with the arrest warrant details for Suthep is illegal. That is only for the officers and people involved. Somebody's head is gonna roll for that one and if it leads high up the tree .......

You're saying it's illegal for the police to drop leaflets with the arrest warrant, yet you say that it's only for the "officers" involved. What "officers" are you talking about exactly?

as you say lad re-read the criminal court said its illegal ..i wondered where you were fab4

[John71]

It's getting close to the weekend and the police want it off.

[webfact]

EU praises Thai govt on handling current political turmoil



BANGKOK, 3 November 2013 (NNT) - The European Union has come out to express the block's concerns over the current political turmoil in Thailand.

The EU delegation in Thailand issued a statement on December 2nd stating the EU was strongly committed to the principles of democratic governance, the rule of law and freedom of expression. The statement also said that it was saddened to see the loss of life and the escalation of violence of the previously peaceful demonstrations during the past weekend.

It also said that it was very concerned to see the siege of public office buildings, television broadcasting stations, and intimidation of the media by the demonstration groups.

The statement also praised what it called the restrained and proportionate response. The EU said it hoped to see all parties finding a peaceful solution and moving forward within the democratic and constitutional framework of Thailand.

-- NNT 2013-12-03

[andyww]

Nobody understands what the Victory actually means. But they made a deal. We got it.

Its very simple. Victory in Thai means "didnt lose face". Thats all.