Anti-Thaksin demonstrators to protest at US Embassy in Bangkok

[david555]

Security at US embassy tightened on reports of oncoming protest

BANGKOK, 16 December 2013 (NNT) - Security measures have been tightened around the US embassy in Bangkok after anti-government demonstrators announced plans to march to the embassy.

Police have dispatched forces to guard the embassy after the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (NSPRT) said on Saturday night it would protest and possibly seize the US embassy in protest of Washington's support for Thailand's caretaker government.

Thai authorities made known that the embassy ground cannot be occupied as it enjoys full extraterritorial status and is not sovereign territory of Thailand.

Following the governments reform forum on Sunday, police cannot verify whether the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) will further hold rallies against the setting up of the general election in February. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban earlier withdrew from the forum hours after agreeing to participate in the meeting.

-- NNT 2013-12-16

Seize the USA embassy? where do they find these nut jobs.

rent a mob from Surat Thani

I wonder if violence is used what Police/ Army go do ..... because of the diplomatic status .... difficult to let the thugs do like with goverment house & others ....

[kkerry]

If anyone decided to storm the US Embassy then I'm sure a couple of strategic drone strikes near Democracy Monument would soon bring them to their senses...

[kimamey]

When all else has failed it is 'normal' for angry people to go to the US embassy. I would have expected nothing less from this lot. Very foolish of Mr Abhisit to have opened that door in the first place.He should be replaced by someone new. He has failed miserably in efforts to take any ground off PTP.

I don't think this has anything to do with Abhisit. I must admit I'm getting confused by all these different groups.

It would be good if he distanced himself from the more extreme factions but then maybe he has and I haven't read about it yet.

[kimamey]

Security at US embassy tightened on reports of oncoming protest

BANGKOK, 16 December 2013 (NNT) - Security measures have been tightened around the US embassy in Bangkok after anti-government demonstrators announced plans to march to the embassy.

Police have dispatched forces to guard the embassy after the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (NSPRT) said on Saturday night it would protest and possibly seize the US embassy in protest of Washington's support for Thailand's caretaker government.

Thai authorities made known that the embassy ground cannot be occupied as it enjoys full extraterritorial status and is not sovereign territory of Thailand.

Following the governments reform forum on Sunday, police cannot verify whether the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) will further hold rallies against the setting up of the general election in February. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban earlier withdrew from the forum hours after agreeing to participate in the meeting.

-- NNT 2013-12-16

Seize the USA embassy? where do they find these nut jobs.

Thailand

[Bender]

i guess their next move will to declare war against the rest of the world...

[Thai at Heart]

One of my friends was in the early protests, and withdrew after things started getting 'wanky' (a term I really don't understand, unless it's a hybrid of 'whacky' and 'wanke_r'). She told me that the threatening group of embassy invaders was told to stand down in no uncertain terms by the faction paying for this monkey show of a demonstration. Basically they said that protesting was fine and good. But seizing the US embassy is a can of worms no one wants opened here. Good. I hope the foriegners stay out of it, and the protestors stop looking for yet another demonic moving target to villify as the base cause of their inability to win an election.

Sadly, the protestors are supported by the western powers to get rid of corruption, but the current method leaves much to be desired. No matter what shirt or dress an insurrection wears, it is still an insurrection. If it walks like a coup, and quacks like a coup, it's a coup.

The demonstrators have quite a few loose cannons who love being on stage, it seems.

The Nation reported a poll that showed that 79% of Thais want reforms.

OK -- do it. Stop expecting the rest of the world to either ignore it or take sides.

The westerners are supporting this to get rid of corruption.

Now that is probably the funniest explanation for what's going on. I can believe that westerners would like a less sino centric bunch in power. But do you really think that Suthep bunch are any less corrupt than Thaksin?

I think its possible that the westerners would like their corrupt crew in versus Thaksin corrupt bunch. But the odds they ae funding this to reduce corruption is Virtually zero

[Bpuumike]

"Hey Buddy, don't take it so personally. We interfere in everyone's internal affairs!

And by the way, we've got your number."

Ha, ha.

And records of your phone calls, copies of your emails...

[MB1]

The whole thing is turning into a farse. The truth is there isn't anyone worth voting for in Thailand, they are all as useless as each other, If you had the vote would you even vote for any of them if you weren't being paid to?

Me thinks someone needs to set up a version of The Monster Raving Loony Party, can't be any worse than some of the ones that have been in power over recent years, now who's capable of being Lord Screaming Such......

[englishoak]

I wondered how long it would be before it got back to lets blame the outsiders.... bunch of xenophobic idiots.

[MAJIC]

The U.S. government expresses support for democratic elections. Makes the blood boil!

I have to say Jing it's not about Democratic Elections,the USA has already weighed up the current situation ,and seems to have come to the conclusion,that their best bet is to maintain their base in Asia (Thailand in particular) and to back the current PTP Thaksin Regime.Which sadly the present likelihood of rooting out the Thaksin Regime/Dynasty is some way off yet. Thailand and America are batting for different teams,as should be expected. Hopefully I will be wrong! and we may yet see an unexpected turn of events! I will not be holding my breath though!

[LomSak27]

that their best bet is to maintain their base in Asia (Thailand in particular) and to back the current PTP Thaksin Regime

What Base, what bilge are you posting today? If Bush and Obama do not like Thaksin, and Abhisit, then how do you even pull a conspiracy theory out of this? If the US is going to have any base in asia it will be in the PI and or Pacific islands territories. Not that this hasn't stated, oh a couple hundred times.

[MAJIC]

The whole thing is turning into a farse. The truth is there isn't anyone worth voting for in Thailand, they are all as useless as each other, If you had the vote would you even vote for any of them if you weren't being paid to?

Me thinks someone needs to set up a version of The Monster Raving Loony Party, can't be any worse than some of the ones that have been in power over recent years, now who's capable of being Lord Screaming Such......

now who's capable of being Lord Screaming Such

Do you really think we need another Screaming Lord Sutch. He was in effect a joke, a Paraday of himself,if my memory serves me well,I don't remember him achieving much more than a few hundred votes,at any one election. And probably lost his deposit more than once,in a couple of decades,Some might disagree with me, but not only was he a mediocre pop singer,(a one hit wonder at best) he never could raise a laugh as a wannabe Politician! unfortunately in his haste to ridicule the Politicians of the day,unbeknown to him he was actually dragging his fellow working class compratriots into the arena of ridicule by the establishment! and they loved to see him making a prat of himself,and raising them in comparison up to levels,they didn't deserve.

[MaxLee]

What does the USA have to do with Thailand's political struggles?? They have their own debt FED problems.

Did I miss something?

[Loptr]

"Hey Buddy, don't take it so personally. We interfere in everyone's internal affairs!

And by the way, we've got your number."

That buzzing sound isn't in your head, it's the drone circling overhead waiting for a clean shot.

[Prbkk]

I wondered how long it would be before it got back to lets blame the outsiders.... bunch of xenophobic idiots.

Yes, agree that xenophobia is part of this. In a letter in yesterday's Bangkok Post, one of the protesters wrote "..at the rally on Saturday night, amid loud applause, accused the international community of meddling in Thailand's internal affairs. It singled out the US government for aligning with its corporate oil interests in wanting to develop the gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand and trying to establish a military base in Thailand"

" This is quid pro quo for dealing with Thaksin...., in return for pushing the election to be held on schedule. The speaker, together with hundreds of thousands of supporters, threaten to march on and occupy the US embassy...."

" it would be wise for the US government and others to put commercial interests aside and allow Thailand to pursue its political differences free of foreign interference"

The same issue of the BP reported on the selection of the leader of a provincial branch of the People's Committee. He has three suggestions for reform, the first of them ..." People in every province must have activities to sing the national anthem .."

Xenophobia and ultra nationalism....key planks in the de-democratisation agenda on offer by mr Suthep and those funding him

[captspectre]

"Hey Buddy, don't take it so personally. We interfere in everyone's internal affairs!

And by the way, we've got your number."

what do they hope to prove by demonstrating at the U.S. Embassy? idiots don't even know where to demonstrate, and big bamboo, get my number to numb nuts!

[ggold]

The whole thing is turning into a farse. The truth is there isn't anyone worth voting for in Thailand, they are all as useless as each other, If you had the vote would you even vote for any of them if you weren't being paid to?

Me thinks someone needs to set up a version of The Monster Raving Loony Party, can't be any worse than some of the ones that have been in power over recent years, now who's capable of being Lord Screaming Such......

could be Lord screaming Suthep!

[ntg187]

Every US Embassy around the world has a station of roughly 100-200 US Marines for internal and external security and a full armory. The embassy houses members of the State Department who in general are average folks who are clerical employees dealing in filing visa paperwork in addition to station heads of alphabet organizations like the CIA.

It is the responsibility of the sovereign nation to provide security of the embassy - that is international law - and as an invited country to, in theory, strengthen government ties and keep communication channels open, it makes perfect sense that the Thai Govt / Police / Military would protect any embassy from seizure non-exclusive of the US.

The US historically has not been interested in the political turmoil of friendly/neutral nations as regardless of which political party controls Thailand, they will remain as a US Ally - so there is little to no incentive to become involved other than to make blanket non-descript, non-binding statements to the effect of 'we urge the people to use their best judgement in finding a desired resolution'.

What I think is funny that all you guys are saying that if the US Embassy is overrun they advise Americans to leave the country. Do you really think a mob of people who just trashed a US Embassy is going to differentiate between your Australian white skin, European white skin, Russian white skin, Canadian white skin, and American white skin? A mob has no rational thought process - and you had better believe that your white skin makes you look as American as I look in my white skin. So don't just advise Americans to watch out for their safety - watch out for your own as well please.

[JeffreyWitty]

Why demonstrate at the US Embassy ????? They should be demonstrating at the United Arab Emirates Embassy demanding the deportation of a convicted criminal to serve his time in a Thai prison .........

ANSWER:

Because its all BULLS**T. The whole scenario. The whole farce of their "movement". All BULLS**T.

[tx22cb]

The U.S. government expresses support for democratic elections. Makes the blood boil!

I have to say Jing it's not about Democratic Elections,the USA has already weighed up the current situation ,and seems to have come to the conclusion,that their best bet is to maintain their base in Asia (Thailand in particular) and to back the current PTP Thaksin Regime.Which sadly the present likelihood of rooting out the Thaksin Regime/Dynasty is some way off yet. Thailand and America are batting for different teams,as should be expected. Hopefully I will be wrong! and we may yet see an unexpected turn of events! I will not be holding my breath though!

Nonsense - what evidence is there that the USA will "back the current PTP Thaksin Regime"?

The US should not favour any party - the US will merely support democratic process and rule of law.

As for "rooting out the Thaksin Regime/Dynasty", that is easily achieved if the Thais elect the Democrats on 2 Feb. Democracy is not rocket science, 100 countries use this system.

"Thailand and America are batting for different teams" - I don't believe that America is battling for any team. Please leave our government out of your local politics.

[MAJIC]

that their best bet is to maintain their base in Asia (Thailand in particular) and to back the current PTP Thaksin Regime

What Base, what bilge are you posting today? If Bush and Obama do not like Thaksin, and Abhisit, then how do you even pull a conspiracy theory out of this? If the US is going to have any base in asia it will be in the PI and or Pacific islands territories. Not that this hasn't stated, oh a couple hundred times.

Who is claiming conspiracy theories? The facts are America and Thailand have had a close relationship since,and including the Vietnam war.In which they used Thai Air Bases, and seem to continue to cement that relationship at every opportunity (which was my point) if you didn't know that,then I suggest you read some Thai/American Political History!

[Wintergreen]

It is not about being in TREND. A democracy will uphold a country's constitution. When the government does not uphold a clause in the constitution and seeks to change it to to white wash its corruption activities, it is going against the constitution. That is not a democracy.

[LomSak27]

Who is claiming conspiracy theories? The facts are America and Thailand have had a close relationship since,and including the Vietnam war.In which they used Thai Air Bases, and seem to continue to cement that relationship at every opportunity (which was my point) if you didn't know that,then I suggest you read some Thai/American Political History!

My uncle put bombs on THUDS at Udorn Thani. In the 1980s I happened to be working in Thailand with two people whose fathers flew out of Thailand and both shot down . If you any questions on this period, feel free to message.

You seem to have missed 9/11 – in Thailand. Thaksin fell all over himself seconding the Chinese proposal that the UN conduct an inquiry of the trade center attack.. If he was a smart guy he would have expressed heartfelt condolences to the US first and then a couple days later did some China brown nosing. Thaksins a rube (but aint they all) . Bush jr and crew were not impressed. Actually they were downright pissed. It also was the start of the 21 st century US Thai relationship. Thaksin showed in true flaming colors what the new relationship was built on; MONEY. Sy Hersh and other have documented their dislike, (books on 9/11 and the “wars on terror”). Money was the lever used to use Thailand as one of a handful of rendition points in their war. Thailand has always proved popular for RR US soldiers to this day, with a war on no way they were go to stop that or cobra gold.

Also when they coup came and where as Thaksin – Yes in New York. Thanks Thailand! That made a lot of people UN-Happy in DC

You noticed that Obama on his first Asia trip avoided Thailand, on his second he stopped in but was in transit to Myanmar. Thailand is no longer a big US ally. In case you haven’t got out of the Vietnam War era, that ended in 1973 (Thailand) 40 years ago.

What all this means is the US has no intention of having “Bases” in Thailand. The general view of Thailand in both Republican and Democratic administrations is an ally in name only. If you want something you have to pay and do not expect anything more from them.

Cement relationships? Get out your checkbook. Thailand has not been popular in Washington for over 10 years. The US however is somewhat diplomatic and does not come out and say it.

[binjalin]

let them try and seize the embassy and the Yanks show them how to defend one