Suthep sets December 9 as D-Day

[Lite Beer]

POLITICS
Suthep sets December 9 as D-Day

BANGKOK: -- Anti-government rally leader Suthep Thaugsuban on Friday night set December 9 as the D-Day for people's fighting against Thaksin Regime and Yingluck Government.

Suthep who is accused of sedition said that in the morning he will lead the protesters to the Government House. However he said the protesters will not force into the Government House with the intention to occupy it. The march from every really site will start at 9.39am.

He called for people from everywhere to leave their offices or houses and join the demonstrations to show their needs to uproot Thaksin Regime as well as corrupt and illegitimate government of Yingluck Shinawatra.

He reiterated that once he leaves the rally site of Govrnment Complex for the Government House, he will not go back. "I will accept the results of the December 9 battle. If we don’t win, I will turn myself in to face the charge," he told the cheering crowds.

He also warned people of heavy traffic that day because of the march by protesters from the rally sites


-- The Nation 2013-12-06

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Thai protest leader calls for last chance protest
by Apilaporn VECHAKIJ

BANGKOK, December 6, 2013 (AFP) - The leader of mass opposition protests that have shaken the Thai capital called Friday for a last-ditch effort to topple the government, vowing to surrender to the authorities if the action fails.

With turnout dwindling after more than a month of rolling rallies, the former deputy premier spearheading the movement gave the first indication that he might concede defeat unless enough people join the protest on Monday, describing it as "judgment day".

"If the people do not come out, I will surrender to go to jail. I will not fight anymore," Suthep Thaugsuban said in a speech to supporters. "Live or die, lose or win -- we will know on Monday December 9."

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.

Yingluck 's office said she had cancelled two planned trips overseas next week to Russia and to the opening ceremony of the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar to monitor the unrest, which has left five people dead and more than 200 injured in Bangkok.

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.

Suthep told supporters to rest for the rest of the weekend and to take to the streets again on Monday to march on the government headquarters.

The government on Tuesday abruptly ordered police to avoid confrontation with protesters, briefly allowing them into the police and Government House 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.

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.

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.

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.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-12-07

[PeterSmiles]

I can only pray he will win, but he sounds to be walking on his lasts legs.

[jdinasia]

It was a long and painful speech to follow.

As much as people want to say about his protest we have not heard for calls for violence from the stage. He has promised that he will not return to the rally sites. It ends Monday.

[Neilly]

The march from every really site will start at 9.39am.

It really will start at 9:39am...Thai time

[Jingthing]

What's the next one? E day?

[lemoncake]

Do not buy it!

Something is on the back burner, PTP calling in urgent meeting, Suthep setting a day, military helping protesters,CAPO blaming BMA.Thaksin lawyer speaking, police going somewhat quite

I think something will happened, other than PTP stepping aside.

[newcomer71]

Let's pray everything will be solved without violence and will be really over on Monday, even if IMHO, if protest won't be successful, Suthep won't turn himself in, so will be not over.

[TVGerry]

Well with Tuesday being a holiday, I guess those aren't trying to bring down this corrupt government are going to have a long weekend.

This is it. All or nothing. I hope Suthep is victorious. Time to send all the Shinawatras back to Dubai!

[Tony121]

Is there anyone on here who can think of a good solution to this ?

[Jingthing]

Is there anyone on here who can think of a good solution to this ?

I think nobody on the planet could. Stuff will happen but it won't have much to do with good.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Jingthing

[Prbkk]

A good solution would be one in which Thailand is not sent back into the dark ages .

[EvilDrSomkid]

I am so sick of reading the crap English twitter feed on the news thread. Its just endless drivel. The people this, the people that. Beating of dead horses to oblivion. Just lame crap.

All this rehashing of what the PTP has done and not done is not doing any good at all. There is nothing democratic about the so-called peoples coup, or whatever he chooses to call it.

The PDRC (what a joke) demands the PM to resign and dissolve parliament, the next states that this is not enough. Says that his million (yeah, right) have more legitimacy that the 15 mil that voted for PTP. Does he really expect people to believe the PTP bought every single vote?

And now, another ultimatum? Who is he kidding? Desperately trying to install himself as the new (unelected) big man in charge. Nothing will change. It will still be money politics, corruption will be just as rife.

Thanks and good night Thailand.

[Jingthing]

A good solution would be one in which Thailand is not sent back into the dark ages .

I was setting the bar a tad higher to imagine something GOOD.

[goldmonky]

Let's pray everything will be solved without violence and will be really over on Monday, even if IMHO, if protest won't be successful, Suthep won't turn himself in, so will be not over.

Does this guy Suthep have something up his sleeve ??? If not I think he is treading on very thin ice.he has made his point .

Now he should be searching for evidence to back up all his accusations.

running round with a big gun is useless without ammo...

[Emptyset]

It was a long and painful speech to follow.

As much as people want to say about his protest we have not heard for calls for violence from the stage. He has promised that he will not return to the rally sites. It ends Monday.

If it's just going to end after a peaceful march, why did he also say this?

Sanitsuda Ekachai ‏@sanitsuda 1h

Suthep: But if the number of people is not big enough, there will be people getting hurt or die.

I hope you're right, but I don't see it. He's also claimed several times already that day x would be the day of victory.

[jackrich]

Suthep is like one of those "End of the World" church leaders. Whenever the date of the end of the world has passed, they will set a new date.

Does anyone know where I can book Suthep for my kid's birthday party?

[Prbkk]

Yingluck has offered to resign. Surely that is good enough for a start. This guy keeps demanding more and more: "total extermination". I don't believe this govt has done anything wrong in the way it has handled this situation. Sure, the amnesty bill was badly managed but insufficient grounds to be demanding that the clock to wound back to suit these uber nationalists

[backtonormal]

Another false dawn...like all the others. Why does he not create a political party and run at the next election

[Jingthing]

Suthep is like one of those "End of the World" church leaders. Whenever the date of the end of the world has passed, they will set a new date.

Does anyone know where I can book Suthep for my kid's birthday party?

Some truth there but the core of his message about Thaksin also has some truth.

[lemoncake]

Yingluck has offered to resign. Surely that is good enough for a start. This guy keeps demanding more and more: "total extermination". I don't believe this govt has done anything wrong in the way it has handled this situation. Sure, the amnesty bill was badly managed but insufficient grounds to be demanding that the clock to wound back to suit these uber nationalists

She has not.

She has been flip flopping daily for the past week

[EvilDrSomkid]

Another false dawn...like all the others. Why does he not create a political party and run at the next election

Because he knows he is not going to win. And that pisses him off to no end.

My biggest issue with this protest movement is that they do not respect the people that voted for PTP.

As much as I despise what PTP is, this does not authorize Suthep to set himself up as the savior.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Sheryl
profanity removed by Moderator

[sjaak327]

Actually she did offer to resign, dissolve the house and call for new elections. The problem is that Suthep seems to believe that the constitution doesn't apply to him, he wanted his people's council. Of course now Yingluck's offer is off the table.

Perfect logical and understandable.

[EvilDrSomkid]

Suthep is like one of those "End of the World" church leaders. Whenever the date of the end of the world has passed, they will set a new date.

Does anyone know where I can book Suthep for my kid's birthday party?

Some truth there but the core of his message about Thaksin also has some truth.

Yes, but everybody knows the message by now.

[newcomer71]

Is there anyone on here who can think of a good solution to this ?

As I wrote already in another thread some days ago, the best solution is:

1) Out of the games ALL politicians that ruined this country. The Shin clan, Suthep and same specie...

2) A person above all (neutral and who loves His country), who will install a government formed by technical eminent and neutral personalities.

They must been out from the previous government, if possible young (not teenager huh - lol) and passionate minds, with open mind and open to foreign influences (of course positive ones!), not connected to the Elite and to the influential politicians.

3) Delete corruption, reform democracy, army, police and stress on law enforcement. Reform the disastrous education system. I'd start from here.

Leave this government work for 4 years, after that new elections could be called, but all the old crap politics/elite class must be excluded from that call.

I think this could be a solution, but in Thailand I'm afraid it's pure utopia.

[Tokay]

It was a long and painful speech to follow.

As much as people want to say about his protest we have not heard for calls for violence from the stage. He has promised that he will not return to the rally sites. It ends Monday.

It all ends Monday, unless it all doesn't end Monday. In which case, it will end on another date, again.

This guy is a hoot.

[jdinasia]

It was a long and painful speech to follow.

As much as people want to say about his protest we have not heard for calls for violence from the stage. He has promised that he will not return to the rally sites. It ends Monday.

If it's just going to end after a peaceful march, why did he also say this?

Sanitsuda Ekachai ‏@sanitsuda 1h

Suthep: But if the number of people is not big enough, there will be people getting hurt or die.

I hope you're right, but I don't see it. He's also claimed several times already that day x would be the day of victory.

I'd have to go back and listen again if I have it cached, but he was rambling on and off about the consequences of fighting more or as explained later ending with a major march to Gov House ... I think there he was referring to continuing to struggle on as opposed to the Dec 9th solution.

Note he implied, but the wording was a bit weasley* (nods to rowling^) that the 9th was THE end but I think the direct translation would have been "we will make our last march on the 9th, if it fails I will turn myself in. I will not return to the rally point" a week or 23 at Gov House? I do not see that as an option for him either.

I think he beleives if he can get a million+ people surrounding Gov't house, he can demand concessions, if they are not met .... how will 1M+ people react?

Remember at the same time he is wanting every provincial hall to be the site of a rally too. (Where I live there won't be much of one, people will just head to BKK- + Nakhon Nayok is a military proince)

[Mackie]

Is there anyone on here who can think of a good solution to this ?

The biggest crook of all comes back home and does the time. Considering his crimes against all Thais and Thailand two years in prison is nothing. He would probably spend time in his private cell. After that a clean slate. A fresh start for everyone in Thailand.

[Echo Tango]

Is there anyone on here who can think of a good solution to this ?

"Nuke the entire site from orbit......it’s the only way to be sure!"

Ellen Ripley

[Tokay]

Another false dawn...like all the others. Why does he not create a political party and run at the next election

Because he and those who follow him do not believe in democracy. Mob rule is the name of the game here. Always has been, always will be. And by "mob rule" I mean either by force or by baht.

[EvilDrSomkid]

Is there anyone on here who can think of a good solution to this ?

The biggest crook of all comes back home and does the time. Considering his crimes against all Thais and Thailand two years in prison is nothing. He would probably spend time in his private cell. After that a clean slate. A fresh start for everyone in Thailand.

That would have worked a year ago. Not anymore. More's the pity.