Bangkok 'shutdown': Protest leader Suthep details January 13 strategy

webfact · January 3, 2014

POLITICS
Protest leader Suthep details January 13 strategy
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban on Thursday detailed the plan on January 13 when the anti-government protesters will shut down the capital to put pressure on Yingluck government.

Suthep, secretary genral of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), said that he took the stage at Rajadamnoen tonight to explain the plan to prevent further mudslinging on the protesters by the government and red shirts supporters.

He called the mass rally on January 13 the civil disobedience to show to the world community of Yingluck government’s failure to administer the country and that Thai people will no longer resist its corruptions and abuse of power.

"I do not want Thailand to become a failed state. Our mass rally will on the contrary demonstrate that Yingluck government which is under Thaksin Regime corrupted and did nothing to serve people and the country," he said to the cheering crowds.

Yingluck government and her cabinet members had resisted demands by millions of people who joined the mass rallies held on December 9 and 22 last year.

He said that on that day, people will take to the streets and they are free to set up their own stage at intersections to air their criticism on the Yingluck government.

Former and present students of Chulalongkorn University will be responsible for stage at Pathumwan intersection, while businessmen of Silom to set up stage at Suan Lumpini Park and alumni of National Institute of Development Administration to be responsible for stage at Asoke.

Those of Kasetsart University will set up stage at Lardprao intersection while former Thammasat University Seri Wongmontha, stars and artists to be speakers at stage at Ratchaprasong.

"All roads will be taken by people and become walking streets as people will show their power and their rejection of the Yingluck government and Thaksin Regime."

Reiterating that the protesters will cut electrity and tap water of government offices, Suthep said however the measures will not be done on people’s houses. All public transportations such as buses, skytrains, subways and airplanes will not be affected and all roads will have a spare lane for ambulances and other emergency matters. He said govrnment vehicles however will not be allowed to use the spare lane.

He added television stations that allowed the government side to air the lies against the protesters should find the way to improve their broadcast. "Many TV stations hosted programmes for academicians who supported the government to air their biased opinions against the protests. If they want to be neutral, the academicians from our side should be allowed to join the programme also," Suthep said.

-- The Nation 2014-01-03

CelticBhoy · January 3, 2014

I think we should take the rest of the year off.

There's not a lot going to get done round here.

soi41 · January 3, 2014

Am I the only one, who finds the madmans nonsense rhetoric mantras a little boring??

potters · January 3, 2014

So Bangkok gets shutdown.

Businesses have to close.

People cant get to work or will be intimidated trying to.

Businesses will go bankrupt

People will lose there jobs

Ordinary folk will accumulate more debt

Cant pay the rent cant pay for food etc.

Loans wont get repaid

Homes get foreclosed

Cars repossessed

Crime will go up as the police will be preoccupied

The list goes on

Are the people really thinking about the consequences of this?

NO as they wont think past today.

Sad that they can be manipulated so easily

JHenry · January 3, 2014

Please, get those tanks on the roads. Enough is enough.

haroldc · January 3, 2014

People are definitely thinking of the consequences and thinking past today -- that's EXACTLY why so many people think that this is necessary. Do you have children who are Thai citizens? I do, four to be exact. If you do, do you want them to grow up and live in a country run by a kleptocracy? I don't.

rikkie · January 3, 2014

my idea the same just get this guy in to jail can nobody see he is a second Hitler only educated people understand the real meaning of democracy

oldthaihand99 · January 3, 2014

Then simple solution: detail proposed reforms & have a national vote on them.

Make them law.

Then hold elections.

happysanook · January 3, 2014

Yeah, you'd rather have it run by an unelected 'people's council'. Words can't express how dumb.

jacko45k · January 3, 2014

'Boring' would not be my evaluation.

Insane, narrow minded bigoted and for a moment I was thinking of some banana republic leaders.

smoochy · January 3, 2014

Is Suthep going to reimburse us when the kids' school is closed AGAIN? I'm growing tired of this dance and hope it ends quickly.

webfact · January 3, 2014

Protest leader: Bangkok shutdown not limited to Jan 13
By English News

BANGKOK, Jan 3 – Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has vowed that anti-government protesters will continue paralysing Thailand’s capital, starting from the January 13 city shutdown until the caretaker government resigns.

In his speech at Democracy Monument last night, he said stages will be set up at all major intersections and Bangkok streets will become promenades.

“Government officials won’t be able to commute to work as we’ll seize the entire city. We’ll cut off electricity and water supplies at government properties and residences of Cabinet members including the prime minister,” he said.

“People’s residences will be unaffected. The underground, Skytrain and buses will operate as usual. We’ll open at least one lane on every street for buses and ambulances.”

He said different groups of protesters will be in charge of setting up stages at different locations including the Silom business community at Lumpini Park, Chulalongkorn University at Pathumwan, National Institute of Development Administration at Asoke intersection, Kasetsart University staff and Northeastern people at Lad Prao intersection and Dr Seri Wongmontha at Ratchprasong.

Outside Bangkok, members of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) will work closely with the private sector in staging protests in their respective provinces, he said.

Mr Suthep said Thai people do not abhor police but “we cannot tolerate bad people in police uniforms and we look forward to reforming the police administrative structure for fairness to junior policemen.”

He said some people have tried to negotiate with protest leaders but “we are not interested in any negotiation since our objective is not election but national reform.”

The former Democrat MP complimented National Police Commander Adul Saengsingkaew for admitting that the men in black who fired on protesters from the rooftop of the Labour Ministry, adjacent to the Thai-Japanese stadium, were police officers.

On December 23, anti-government protesters tried to break into the stadium to disrupt the registration of election candidates, organised by the Election Commission.

Several protesters and policemen were killed and injured in the clashes during which a group of armed men, dressed in black, shot from the rooftop onto protesters.

The Centre for Administration of Peace and Order earlier said the men in black were protesters, not police, while Metropolitan Police Commander Kamronwit Thoopkrachang said the gunmen on rooftop were third parties.

Mr Suthep urged the national police chief to disclose the identities of the persons who assigned the men in black to the rooftop.(MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-01-03

blabth · January 3, 2014

If they would show this whole story as a soap opera everybody would most probably say that this is the worst script ever, but here it is Reality. The country is spit in two groups with nearly each site same percentage. In this way you will never get it all the way as one side want it. It would be the ideal situation for a working democracy strong government with a strong opposition. Where all decision will be reflected in the next election. What is Thailand making out of it, a situation which can be only accepted by one side, this will go on for ever. The reds will not accept whatever happens next as their elected government will be taken away and so on.

It is a shame that the oldest party in Thailand with the name which should indicate their program is not following democratic pattern.

Nobody will be able to rule a country against the masses, sorry S also you have to learn that may be the hard way.

jackh · January 3, 2014

Small price to pay in order to rid Thailand of the Thaksin mafia!

I say Good luck to them all!

oldthaihand99 · January 3, 2014

"He said some people have tried to negotiate with protest leaders but “we are not interested in any negotiation since our objective is not election but national reform.” "

Then why not end these silly anti economic protests & spell out these reforms.

Then have a national vote on them & make them law.

Then have an election.

Totally peaceful no more cutting off buildings electricty or deaths.

This is the democratic way. It's real "people power", not Suthep power.

alant · January 3, 2014

A Kleptocracy, totally lost there, what is it?

I am a visitor in this country and I can not effect what is happening nor do I understand it. The fact that I would not like my own home country to change from a democracy to a one party state led by a dictator is the only reasoning I can use to form an opinion but that is only an opinion of a guest of the people of Thailand who must make their own mind up.

MaxLee · January 3, 2014

PSSSSSSST Don't shut down the internet,...

chooka · January 3, 2014

Yea and replace him with a raving lunatic who wants to take rights away from the people, have the country for himself and rule with an iron fist, he wants to model Thailand on Nth Korea. I think Thailand is better off the way it is and not with the madman Suthep ruling.

Jasun · January 3, 2014

"All roads will be taken by people and become walking streets"

Add a few bars, some scantily clad ladies, and he might be on to something.

mortiboy · January 3, 2014

"I do not want Thailand to become a failed state."

Well, he's doing his best to do just that!

keemapoot · January 3, 2014

I don't think the plan has ever been to have Suthep rule. I think the plan was to have him be the muscle, do all the heavy lifting, take all the flak and be the fall guy for any negative repurcusions, and then re-instate Abhisit as the smooth-talking leader. Of course Suthep will be prominent in the new administration though (post-coup).

saakura · January 3, 2014

Yes. And make Abhisit the PM. End of the show.

Toscano · January 3, 2014

haroldc

You are very naive to think that these protests will change anything . Suthep is as much a part of the kleptocracy you see in Thailand as Thaksin ,

Yingluck , Abhisit , or anybody else you like to name . Suthep is acting in his own interest and that of elite and very wealthy financial supporters .

Why ever do you think he hasn't been taken off the streets and imprisoned long before now . Suthep is a Humbug , leading people on to think he's going to

reform the country get rid of corruption , he's as much a part of it as those he accuses . This is a campaign by elite to reverse politics in Thailand ,

regain the control of government again to their benefit , ensure that rich pickings are pocketed by them and not squandered to the benefit of ordinary

people . In Thailand you have to go with the flow , accept things as they are , your children will grow up to part of the Kleptocracy .

8OA8 · January 3, 2014

Sorry that you are going to experience such an inconvenience

chooka · January 3, 2014

I have Thai kids and there is no way I would like to see them ruled by this raving bloody lunatic Suthep. At the moment they have freedom but this will all be stripped away from them when this madman and his nutcase followers take over the country.

Zolt · January 3, 2014

What he doesn't say is which roads exactly will be blocked. I would expect it will still be centered around government complex on Chaengwattana, and all the ministries and government house around Rajadamnoen. I'd be surprised if they try anything around Sukhumvit or the business district.

Baerboxer · January 3, 2014

Just try using Google and Wikipedia!

Kleptocracy, alternatively cleptocracy or kleptarchy, (from Greek: κλέπτης - kleptēs, "thief"^[1] and κράτος - kratos, "power, rule",^[2] hence "rule by thieves") is a form of political and government corruption where the government exists to increase the personal wealth and political power of its officials and the ruling class at the expense of the wider population, often with pretense of honest service. This type of government corruption is often achieved by the embezzlement of state funds

The above sums up the activities of the various Thaksin proxy party incarnations as well as many of the other governments that have held power in Thailand. Thaksin wants to change Thailand into a one party state, politically dominated and led by his family. The "old" money feudal HiSo families are bitterly opposed to his taking over and hogging the trough. They fear real democracy too, because they don't have the numbers to win, having restricted wealth to the few extended families and cronies.

Do not confuse democracy in your country with what is referred to as democracy here. We have a corrupt election system, supported by an ineffective and often corrupt legal system. Everything is based on money and the ability to pay, bribe and enrich.

The possible light at the end of the tunnel is that a large number of Thais are realizing they don't have to choose the lesser of 2 evils - they can and hopefully will change the entire social, political and legal structure. Anything less will result in more of the same - whichever wannabee despot is in charge,

thailandpeter2 · January 3, 2014

you forgot one thing, important to us expats working and living here:

foreigners will not beable to renew visas and work permits in time. so, what will the authorities do? waive them for the time being? having everybody apply anew later, with applying penalities for overstaying or arresting and deporting foreigners who worked temporarily without valis work permits (as they threatened to do in phuket, when the employment office was shut down for 2-3 days)?

ok well, the usual thai attitude would be 'we don't care' buty foreigners do have an important stake in the thai economy too...

but as you wrote: people do not think very far - the same they did not think when accepting the various election promises of the PT party, which mostly turned out to be disastrous...

thailandpeter2 · January 3, 2014

you will, too... just don't blame anybody else for your loss of income, traffic jams, the bad economy, etc. later on, ok?

DLock · January 3, 2014

Given the contextt of Thaksin...I assume this is irony.

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