After truce to honour the King, political battle set to resume today

[webfact]

After truce to honour the King, political battle set to resume today
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Confrontation between the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and protesters led by veteran politician Suthep Thaugsuban appeared set to resume today, as support for both sides was being mobilised yesterday.

After a truce reached in respect of His Majesty the King for the royal birthday yesterday, both sides were preparing for a resumption of their confrontation.

More protesters from the provinces, particularly from the South, will travel to Bangkok today to take part in the street demonstrations, according to some protest supporters. Also, red-shirt supporters will hold a pro-government rally in Ayutthaya next week, according to a red-shirt leader.

The government's Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) convened yesterday afternoon to assess the situation and prepare for coping with renewed demonstrations, Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said.

Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who is now in charge of the CAPO, called the meeting, which was also attended by Charupong, Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnog, Defence Ministry permanent secretary General Nipat Thonglek, and national police chief Pol General Adul Sangsingkaew.

Nipat said before the meeting that the situation remained fluid as the protesters planned to continue with their street rallies. "We have to prepare for the new moves," he said.

In Phuket, local protest leader Amnuay Kumban said that while a parallel rally would be resumed in the island province, a "considerably large number" of new protesters would be joining the anti-government demonstration in Bangkok. He said that from today, volunteers would be asked to sign up for the Bangkok protest.

More protesters are also expected to arrive from other southern provinces, such as Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla, according to local leaders and sympathisers. They will mainly travel by train and bus to the capital.

In Songkhla, security guards have been trained to provide safety for the protesters in Bangkok, according to Chalee Noppawong, director of a local radio station who has raised funds for protesters from the province. He said that from today, new protesters would begin travelling to Bangkok, mostly by bus.

Meanwhile, red shirts planned a mass rally in Ayutthaya next Tuesday to defend the government and Parliament, Pheu Thai MP and red-shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn said yesterday.

He said the red shirts would express their stand that they would fight to the end to defend the government and Parliament from being toppled by Suthep.

Weng said he expected that tens of thousands of red shirts would join the demonstration after their leaders decided not to rally in Bangkok to avoid confrontation with the anti-government side.

He said Suthep was following in the footsteps of Sondhi Limthongkul, a former leader of the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy. Weng warned Suthep against attempting to seize Suvarnabhumi Airport as Sondhi did when he led protesters to demonstrate against the People Power government.

Weng said Suthep was running out of moves for his political game and he should not resort to an airport seizure as part of his plan to beat the government, which he would announce today.

Weng added that Suthep could not cite the events of October 14, 1973, to invoke Article 7 of the Constitution to seek a royally granted prime minister. Weng said the situation was different because in 1973, the dictatorial government declared a self-coup before seeking a royally appointed PM.

-- The Nation 2013-12-06

[tominbkk]

Welcome to another day of nobody knows <deleted> is going to happen!

[Bluespunk]

Welcome to another day of nobody knows <deleted> is going to happen!

Certainly no one on either side knows <deleted> respect means.

[aussiesteve63]

Didn't the King ask everybody to go to work today and let the politicians work it out.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[JoeThePoster]

he should not resort to an airport seizure as part of his plan to beat the government

A symbolic gesture like seizing the Makkasan Airport Link station should suffice.

[Tokay]

Didn't the King ask everybody to go to work today and let the politicians work it out.

Yes, but they only listen to stuff like that when it's convenient.

[ratcatcher]

Didn't the King ask everybody to go to work today and let the politicians work it out.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It'll probably turn into a nice long weekend with next Tuesday being a holiday as well.

Lots of time for the politicians to play games.

[notmyself]

Police crackdown today I imagine.

[Ricardo]

Police crackdown today I imagine.

But the PM/DM and FM have assured the world, that there won't be any force used against the anti-government protesters, so expect more rubber-bullets/water-canon/tear-gas then ?

[ratcatcher]

Police crackdown today I imagine.

Crackdown on what?:

Illegal casinos, illegal lottery, prostitution, driving without license, disobeying the road traffic act, alcohol sales by mom and pop shops during restricted hours, illegal street side bars, parking in traffic lanes?

Oh, after that they may have time to meet the protesters they shook hands with a few days ago.

Bring it on.

Edited December 6, 2013 by ratcatcher

[Somtamnication]

Quite typical. Respect HMTK one day, then disrespect him the day after.

[UncleJ]

Police crackdown today I imagine.

That's what they hope for. Get a bunch of people killed will help their cause.

Yingluck not taking the bait, letting the sore losers run rampant.

[Nibbles48]

Meanwhile, red shirts planned a mass rally in Ayutthaya next Tuesday to defend the government and Parliament, Pheu Thai MP and red-shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn said yesterday.

He said the red shirts would express their stand that they would fight to the end to defend the government and Parliament from being toppled by Suthep.

Weng said he expected that tens of thousands of red shirts would join the demonstration after their leaders decided not to rally in Bangkok to avoid confrontation with the anti-government side.

Since when has it been legal for a government MP to announce a protest rally?

I thought Suthep and a few Dem MPs needed to resign to do that.

Here we are with Weng clearly in office making a protest announcement, I suppose that means that this time the taxpayer is footing the bribe money.

I also wonder how many are being paid that extra bonus to travel a little farther south wearing black shirts and sneaking off buses in the dark to possibly create mayhem between the other protesters and the police.

I wonder......

[Maggusoil]

It seems almost inevitable that we are entering into coup territory.

The problems facing the government of Thailand and the divisions in it are not going to disappear and there appears to be no

real solutions available. When and if, this blows over, it seems obvious that the problem will be only

delayed before it appears again. With more force.

Pray for a miracle .. .

[DeeMockMark]

Meanwhile, red shirts planned a mass rally in Ayutthaya next Tuesday to defend the government and Parliament, Pheu Thai MP and red-shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn said yesterday.

He said the red shirts would express their stand that they would fight to the end to defend the government and Parliament from being toppled by Suthep.

Weng said he expected that tens of thousands of red shirts would join the demonstration after their leaders decided not to rally in Bangkok to avoid confrontation with the anti-government side.

Since when has it been legal for a government MP to announce a protest rally?

I thought Suthep and a few Dem MPs needed to resign to do that.

Here we are with Weng clearly in office making a protest announcement, I suppose that means that this time the taxpayer is footing the bribe money.

I also wonder how many are being paid that extra bonus to travel a little farther south wearing black shirts and sneaking off buses in the dark to possibly create mayhem between the other protesters and the police.

I wonder......

Is it a "protest rally" or "a support the legally elected government rally? "

The way democracy works is you vote the bums out of office. I think the protesters can declare victory that the amnesty bill is squashed. But to try to take down the government regardless of Thaksin's supposed influence..... Is going too far. Yingluck and the gang are playing this right. Diffuse the protests by not being confrontational. The "protestors" will have to up the ante or go home.

[DeeMockMark]

It seems almost inevitable that we are entering into coup territory.

The problems facing the government of Thailand and the divisions in it are not going to disappear and there appears to be no

real solutions available. When and if, this blows over, it seems obvious that the problem will be only

delayed before it appears again. With more force.

Pray for a miracle .. .

Lets pray they don't create another amnesty bill and let this one die. Thaksin's supposed influence is the linchpin to this unrest. There are always divisions. But with political mirrors and smokescreen and dissimulation and the typical politicians bag of tricks you can keep it down to a low roar. I think what the protests proves is Thaksin is still toxic. I think Yingluck misjudged the Anti-Thaksin sentiment. But I think she got the message and no miracle is needed yet.

[h90]

Didn't the King ask everybody to go to work today and let the politicians work it out.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

As usually both sides will twist the words....

[lostmebike]

And then what?

Tomorrow another famous victory when the protesters cross the road?

Edited December 6, 2013 by lostmebike

[anon210]

he should not resort to an airport seizure as part of his plan to beat the government

A symbolic gesture like seizing the Makkasan Airport Link station should suffice.

Or entering the airport, occupying for a couple hours, then going back out!

[DGIE]

protesters back to work on the road. I want to know if those closed government offices are now open for employees to work

[slipperylobster]

Welcome to another day of nobody knows <deleted> is going to happen!

Good point.

Never mind all the ads about "Amazing Thailand" ....

Lets change them to read "Thailand...the Land of <deleted> "

[EyesWideOpen]

Quite typical. Respect HMTK one day, then disrespect him the day after.

Exactly right, in essence true lip service. There was a very poignant photo of the KIng last week

on facebook. It showed him watching a TV monitor with the demonstrations, with a very sad

look on his face......

[EyesWideOpen]

Welcome to another day of nobody knows <deleted> is going to happen!

Good point.

Never mind all the ads about "Amazing Thailand" ....

Lets change them to read "Thailand...the Land of <deleted> "

That is an excellent point. The word amazing is one of something that is hard to believe, with a sort

of implied connotation of something good. <deleted> is far closer to what happens in Thailand.....

[DGIE]

Pheu Thai MP and red-shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn is right warning Suthep not to seize Suvarnabhumi airport.

Thailand will suffer much if Suthep will seize Suvarnabhumi airport. Just like before, the government paid all stranded

airline passengers.

[rogerdee123]

Welcome to another day of nobody knows <deleted> is going to happen!

Good point.

Never mind all the ads about "Amazing Thailand" ....

Lets change them to read "Thailand...the Land of <deleted> "

Yes a more appropriate slogan .... "<deleted> Thailand" ... "WTFT" ... a good song title for Carabao

[slipperylobster]

Welcome to another day of nobody knows <deleted> is going to happen!

Good point.

Never mind all the ads about "Amazing Thailand" ....

Lets change them to read "Thailand...the Land of <deleted> "

Yes a more appropriate slogan .... "<deleted> Thailand" ... "WTFT" ... a good song title for Carabao

Song like "YMCA" but 'WTFT" with the hand and arm signals ending with a gesture like scratching the head...

[slipperylobster]

Hub of <deleted>'S

[bunuel]

Nelson Mandela,the greatest political leader of the late 20th century, passed away last night at the age of 95 in South Africa. Mr. Mandela, or Madiba as he was known, devoted hia to transforming the fascist apartheid system of South Africa into the functioninf democracy it is today. A great believer in peaceful conflict resolution even after 27 years in jail, he managed to guide his country away from a racial bloodbath and towards a diverse and prosperous demcracy - a feat which won him a well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize. The entire world now mourns this great man and let us hope the Thai political leadership heeds his message of oeaceful conflict resolution and reconciliation based on "one man, one vote." RIP, Madiba:)

[Baerboxer]

Nelson Mandela,the greatest political leader of the late 20th century, passed away last night at the age of 95 in South Africa. Mr. Mandela, or Madiba as he was known, devoted hia to transforming the fascist apartheid system of South Africa into the functioninf democracy it is today. A great believer in peaceful conflict resolution even after 27 years in jail, he managed to guide his country away from a racial bloodbath and towards a diverse and prosperous demcracy - a feat which won him a well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize. The entire world now mourns this great man and let us hope the Thai political leadership heeds his message of oeaceful conflict resolution and reconciliation based on "one man, one vote." RIP, Madiba:)

I agree that Mandela was an exceptional, clever and immensely decent human being. No thoughts of revenge, no thoughts of corruption or allowing some of his allies to create a gravy train. A rare man who could inspire trust and affection from just about everyone.

He won the Noble Peace Prize, with De Klerk. Mandela, speaking in the dock at his trial in the 60"s, said he was against white domination. But, he also said very importantly he was equally against black domination.

He new all sides have to be involved and committed to a peaceful solution based on democracy. equality and everyone have opportunity.

Unfortunately the politicians here don't seem to have his personal qualities or share his believes and vision. Almost opposite in fact.

[webfact]

Tense Thailand braces for new protests
by Anusak KONGLANG

BANGKOK, December 6, 2013 (AFP) - Thai opposition protesters were preparing Friday to relaunch their campaign to overthrow the government after a temporary truce in the strife-hit capital for the birthday of the country's revered king.

Despite a call by the ailing monarch for "stability and security" in his birthday speech, the demonstrators have vowed to step up their rallies after the lull in tensions, which follows violence that left five people dead and more than 200 injured.

Protesters have no immediate plans for action on Friday and will await an "important speech" in the evening from their leader Suthep Thaugsuban about their next move, said Akanat Promphan, a spokesman for the demonstrators.

The kingdom remains on edge following several days of street clashes between police using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against rock-throwing demonstrators seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and curb the political influence of her brother Thaksin.

With fresh unrest looming, Yingluck has cancelled two planned trips overseas next week to Russia and to the opening ceremony of the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar, her office said.

The protesters, a mix of royalists, middle class and other Thaksin opponents -- sometimes numbering in their tens of thousands -- want to suspend the country's democracy in favour of an unelected "people's council".

Suthep, a former deputy premier who now faces an arrest warrant for insurrection, has pledged to rid Thailand of what he calls the "Thaksin regime".

Demonstrators and police in Bangkok have observed a temporary truce since Wednesday for the 86th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is treated as a near-deity by many Thais.

Any political action or violence during the public holiday would have been seen as a serious sign of disrespect.

The government on Tuesday abruptly ordered police to avoid confrontation with protesters, briefly allowing them into the police and government headquarters in a surprise move that sharply reduced tensions in the capital.

But demonstrators have refused to end their occupation of the finance ministry and a key government complex on the outskirts of Bangkok.

One of the protesters' own security guards suffered a gunshot wound to his hand on Thursday outside the finance ministry -- an attack denounced by the rally organisers as an act of intimidation.

Police however said his attackers could be motorcycle racing gangs angered by checkpoints set up by the demonstrators near the ministry.

"I don't think it's related to politics," said Colonel Sunthorn Kongklam, superintendent of the nearby Bang Sue police station.

Thailand has been periodically rocked by sometimes bloody unrest since Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago.

He went into exile in 2008 to avoid jail for a corruption conviction which he says was politically motivated, but critics say he still controls his sister behind the scenes.

Thailand's political conflict broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite backed by the military against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin.

The recent protests were triggered by an amnesty bill, since abandoned by Yingluck's ruling party, which opponents feared would have cleared the way for his return.

They are the biggest and deadliest street demonstrations since 2010, when dozens of people were killed in a crackdown on mass pro-Thaksin rallies in Bangkok.

The king did not specifically mention the recent unrest at a formal ceremony Thursday attended by dignitaries, including the embattled premier, but he said the country "has been peaceful for a long time because everybody worked together".

"Every Thai should be aware of this and should perform their role for the benefit of the country, which is the stability and security of the country," he said in the speech broadcast on all television channels.

But Satit Wongnongtauy, a leading figure in the anti-government rallies, told supporters on Thursday that after the anniversary had passed "we will carry on", with protests expected to intensify over the weekend.

While numbers have fallen sharply since an estimated 180,000 people joined an opposition rally on November 24, demonstrators have besieged or stormed high profile buildings in what some observers believe is an attempt to provoke a military coup.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-12-06