Thai police to rebuild barricades after protest warnings

[webfact]

Thai police to rebuild barricades after protest warnings

BANGKOK, December 7, 2013 (AFP) - Thai authorities said Saturday they would rebuild barricades around key state buildings in Bangkok after opposition protesters called for a final push to topple the government.

The kingdom remains tense following several days of street clashes between police and demonstrators seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and curb the political influence of her brother Thaksin.

After the clashes, during which riot police used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against stone-throwing demonstrators, the government ordered police to ease tensions by taking down barriers around key buildings including Government House.

But the barricades are set to be rebuilt ahead of a threat by anti-government protest leaders to turn Monday into "judgement day" for their efforts to overthrow the government.

"Police will erect barricades -- especially around Government House and Parliament," said Paradorn Pattnatabut, chief of the National Security Council.

Although the protests are "losing momentum" he said thousands of police would still be deployed on Monday.

"I am confident that there will be no violent incidents on Monday," he said, expressing hope the five week stand-off could still be resolved through negotiation.

Firebrand protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, who faces an arrest warrant for insurrection, on Friday issued a rallying cry for a final push to overthrow the government.

Vowing to surrender to authorities unless enough people show up for Monday's rallies he said protesters would target the government's headquarters.

Suthep has repeatedly set deadlines for his movement, but protests have continued.

"If people turn out in their millions (on Monday) it's sure that things will change," Akanat Promphan, Suthep's step-son and spokesman for the opposition protesters, told reporters Saturday.

He said he was concerned there could be "violent clashes and loss of life".

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.

His sister's government has been shaken by weeks of rallies by protesters, a mix of royalists, middle class and other Thaksin opponents, attempting to unseat her and suspend the country's democracy in favour of an unelected "People's Council".

The unrest has left five people dead and more than 200 injured in Bangkok.

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.

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.

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.

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.


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

[Bluespunk]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Bluespunk

[Robby nz]

Bloody idiots don't they realize it was their barricades that caused all the violence last time.

Open the gates and let them all sit around outside, talk to the leaders who will (unlike the reds) be in front and come to an agreement that the leaders can go inside the buildings if they wish to look around provided they don't disturb of destroy anything and the rest of the people are kept outside.

These buildings don't belong to the Govt they are public buildings that belong to the people.

Oh yes, and why do we have to have the same copy and paste with every thing that comes out of AFP

[Robby nz]

Almost forgot.

The cops have been given 10 million B to buy more stronger teargas.

They have to arrange something to so they can use it to make it look like all the money has been well spent.

How much teargas can 10 million buy?

Suppose it depends how many hands it has to go through before it gets to a supplier.

[jomtienjinx2013]

First we have the Foreign Minister saying the time for negotiations is over and now we have the Chief of Nation Security Council saying he hopes the problems can be resolved by negotiations. So which is it? Time to make up your mind or maybe phone a friiend (In Dubai !)

[Lingba]

...and the King, on his birthday, made a speech asking for everyone to peacefully come together and work as one...

so much for that....

[binjalin]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

hum that is the truth

[tominbkk]

I've heard from the Thai rumor mill that govt. defenses will be ramped up. Much more serious weaponry to be deployed. Let's see.

[Bluespunk]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

hum that is the truth

Really, I thought thaksin was out of office at time, at least legally due to a corrupt election campaign. Had not court rulings annulled the election? Was there a TRT govt in place at the time? please tell me where i'm wrong.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Bluespunk

[JRSoul]

I've heard from the Thai rumor mill that govt. defenses will be ramped up. Much more serious weaponry to be deployed. Let's see.

Claymores might work, if they can find someone smart enough to understand "this side towards enemy".

[EricBerg]

Nothing will change. The missunderstood fugitive will remain in control. The two trillion will be borrowed. Thailand will be paying debts on it for decades. Much of the money will go to the bad guy's clan. Thailand will suffer.

Only the army can kick out the bad lot, so rebuilding can start. But the say they won't.

[Bluespunk]

Nothing will change. The missunderstood fugitive will remain in control. The two trillion will be borrowed. Thailand will be paying debts on it for decades. Much of the money will go to the bad guy's clan. Thailand will suffer.

Only the army can kick out the bad lot, so rebuilding can start. But the say they won't.

I don't think the army wants to take over anymore. The last time was too much like hard work for them, military rule, it's just not any fun these days.

[binjalin]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

hum that is the truth

Really, I thought thaksin was out of office at time, at least legally due to a corrupt election campaign. Had not court rulings annulled the election? Was there a TRT govt in place at the time? please tell me where i'm wrong.

without going over old ground of course he was deposed by "royalist generals"

you don't think they were "royalist"?

or you don't think they were "generals"?

or you are the only on in Thailand who thinks it was not a "coup"?

or it wasn't "seven years ago"?

or Thaksin was/is not a "billionaire"?

Edited December 7, 2013 by binjalin

[Bluespunk]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

hum that is the truth

Really, I thought thaksin was out of office at time, at least legally due to a corrupt election campaign. Had not court rulings annulled the election? Was there a TRT govt in place at the time? please tell me where i'm wrong.

without going over old ground of course he was deposed by "royalist generals"

you don't think they were "royalist"?

or you don't think they were "generals"?

or you are the only on in Thailand who thinks it was not a "coup"?

or it wasn't "seven years ago"?

or Thaksin was/is not a "billionaire"?

Nope I agree with all that, I just don't think you can be deposed if you are not in power.

[binjalin]

Nope I agree with all that, I just don't think you can be deposed if you are not in power.

hmmm he was but we are veering way off topic for this thread

[Bluespunk]

Nope I agree with all that, I just don't think you can be deposed if you are not in power.

hmmm he was but we are veering way off topic for this thread

I disagree and agree.

[FangFerang]

"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."

Well. he is the greatest living King on Earth. Can anyone deny this? No. The west has legends of Arthur, and Thailand is blessed with the real deal. I must admit I am jealous. No leader in my country cares about my people like HRM cares about His people.

Happy birthday, wonderful Servant of the Buddha.

Long live the King!

May your children heed your sound advice.

[FangFerang]

The protesters have already come and gone at Government House. Now what? Another 'victory'? Another rant? Another what?

[FangFerang]

Suthep knows that lots of people will come out--and so he his lying again...48 hours to leave...blah blah blah.

He will step down, and then be appointed to a position--watch it happen.

Edited December 7, 2013 by FangFerang

[TerraPosse]

Suthep knows that lots of people will come out--and so he his lying again...48 hours to leave...blah blah blah.

He will step down, and then be appointed to a position--watch it happen.

Inmates representative in cell block H, perhaps?

[DekDaeng]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

hum that is the truth

Well at least half. Or nearly.

[Bakseeda]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

Thaksin, a police sergeant, married a billionaire-ess, turned premier... turned on the run convict... turned and fled...

[Baerboxer]

Nope I agree with all that, I just don't think you can be deposed if you are not in power.

hmmm he was but we are veering way off topic for this thread

Indeed going a little off topic. But the AFP, and one or two other foreign media insist on stating over and over again that Thaksin was overthrown in a coup.

He wasn't. He had resigned as PM and left. After a couple of weeks he returned, without seeking appropriate authority, and appointed himself caretaker PM. He seemed unwilling to relinquish this position and was removed by the army in a peaceful operation.

Now we have the RTP seemingly going to enforce the law, as dictated by government, this time. Whereas in 2010 they were nowhere to be seen. Enforcement of the law seems very selective - but again something ignored by the AFP. Their reporting does read as sympathetic to one side, and they could hardly be called investigative.

The best accounts I read or seen about what is happening in Thailand and the precursors to this are from Al Jazeera.

[bkkfaranguy]

"Thailand has been periodically rocked by bloddy violence since Thaskin was dispossed of"

<deleted>, do they not remember Balck May in 1992, when the military backed by the same BKK Elites shot and murdered 50+, of coarse the 50+ number was what the mdiea reported it was rummered to be over 1000.

[tigermonkey]

Nope I agree with all that, I just don't think you can be deposed if you are not in power.

hmmm he was but we are veering way off topic for this thread

Indeed going a little off topic. But the AFP, and one or two other foreign media insist on stating over and over again that Thaksin was overthrown in a coup.

He wasn't. He had resigned as PM and left. After a couple of weeks he returned, without seeking appropriate authority, and appointed himself caretaker PM. He seemed unwilling to relinquish this position and was removed by the army in a peaceful operation.

Now we have the RTP seemingly going to enforce the law, as dictated by government, this time. Whereas in 2010 they were nowhere to be seen. Enforcement of the law seems very selective - but again something ignored by the AFP. Their reporting does read as sympathetic to one side, and they could hardly be called investigative.

The best accounts I read or seen about what is happening in Thailand and the precursors to this are from Al Jazeera.

Sorry but none of the reporting is even close to being unbiased or accurate, and Al Jazeera is certainlty no exception. On Tuesday they were reporting "the twelfth day of protests against the amnesty bill ". Another reporter also referred to Bangkok as being "40 times larger than the next biggest city in Thailand" ( which means 40 times the size of Chiang Mai at 1.1 million ?}and saying that because of this that nothing of significance occurs elsewhere in Thailand. Another reporter had referred to Yingluck being "from the Buddhist north" and Suthep from the "Muslim south". I really gave up when the news anchor asked the on-scene reporter, after the protesters were allowed into Police HQ., " How massive a victory is this for Mr. Suthep? "

Take all with a grain of salt!

[Bpuumike]

...and the King, on his birthday, made a speech asking for everyone to peacefully come together and work as one...

so much for that....

Great disrespect indeed.

[tingtongteesood]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

I think they may well know the truth but choose to ignore it for some reason....

[newcomer71]

"Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago."

The truth may be out there, but no one's sharing it with AFP.

I think they may well know the truth but choose to ignore it for some reason....

Lol that's becoming funny. And what could be the reason in your opinion?

Maybe Thaksin corrupted AFP!!!

Better joke and smile because maybe tomorrow will be a sad day for Thailand, or another mai pen rai day... Who knows...