STR leaders chased by unknown group
The Nation

Tensions rise as protest chiefs return to rally site for safety

BANGKOK: -- The atmosphere at the anti-government rally site near Government House became very tense yesterday after protest leaders said they were chased by a group of men on Sunday night.

Nitithorn Lamlua, adviser to the Students' and People's Network for Thailand's Reform (STR), said that when he and fellow protest leader Uthai Yodmanee were returning home from the rally site, several cars followed and cut in front of their vehicle on Phitsanulok Road.

He also said that someone inside a car pointed a gun at them while they were waiting for the lights to change at Urupong Intersection. After that, he decided to jump the red light and drive back to the rally stage.

Nitithorn said he suspected the men were trying to abduct them, adding that he did not believe it was the police chasing to arrest them. Both he and Uthai are wanted on criminal charges for breaking into the Foreign Ministry and for rallying in front of the US Embassy.

Meanwhile, Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tarit Pengdith denied police had dispatched a team to arrest Nitithorn, though he confirmed that STR core leader Pichai Chaimongkol had been arrested on Sunday night.

Tarit said the DSI had decided to take up Pichai's case as a special case and would call on the court not to grant him bail today. However, STR lawyer Puangthip Bunsanong said she would post a Bt75,000 bail for his release.

Separately, People's Democratic Reform Committee secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban led protesters in a big clean-up operation at the rally site at Democracy Monument ahead of New Year's celebrations.

Somsak Kosaisuk, a PDRC leader, also led a team of foreign academics on human rights to inspect and witness the rally.

Narong Apikulwanit, director of the forward medical operations centre, said that from Thursday to yesterday, 167 people had been injured, 23 of whom were still in hospital, and three had been killed. Of those still undergoing treatment, nine are police officers and 14 civilians.

Five had been injured in an explosion at the Makkhawan-Rangsan Bridge on Sunday and one was still being treated for eye injuries, he said.


-- The Nation 2013-12-31

Same old tragic song: When things get nasty they soon run out of controle. Let's hope the death toll will not rise.

Nithitorn Lamlua was the PAD lawyer in 2009 when the police had pressed charges against Chamlong Srimuang, Sondhi Limthongkul, Pipop Thongchai, Somsak Kosaisuk, Somkiat Pongpaiboon, Suriyasai Katasila, Chaiwat Sinsuwong, Amorn Amornrattananont and Terdpum Jaidee accusing them of committing an offence with the intent to change the regime, racketeering and inciting unrest.

Suthep's PAD's People's Democatic Reform Committee!

One group of criminals chases another group of criminals about sums it up.

Getting a little paranoid??

"Someone inside a car pointed a gun at them"

It was just Somchai making sure that his gun was loaded before going to the local karaoke-bar for an evening out with his friends!!

All part of Thainess!!

Phuangthip Bunsanong, now STR lawyer, was a PAD lawyer in the conspiracy case in connection with the seizures of two Bangkok airports in 2008.

Anchalee Paireerak, another PAD key figure of the past on the stages and leading the demonstration to the house of Yingluck.

Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang of the Dharma Army of the Santi Asoke sect walking among the protestors....a Dharma Army and the 2006 protests: "society is divided into two - Thaksin and the people. We have to choose a side, and we choose the people".

The old PAD'ers trying it for the umpteenth time, this is our People's Democratic Reform Committee of the glorious leader Suthep!

if anybody wanted to shoot or arrest them, they would be dead or arrested already. More likely just to scare them or the whole story just made up for newspaper headlines

And the fascist ASTV media group is trying to pin the blame on Cambodian workers and even Cambodian policemen in Thailand.

It is clear that the "Hitler/Mussolini" strategies have been studied thoroughly by the only democratic movement that want a dictator in place.

HaHaHaHa, the police deny trying to arrest them. Not like they have outstanding arrest warrants or anything.