Suthep: We Won't Shut Down Airports
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK: -- PCAD leader Suthep Thaugsuban has insisted that he will not order the seizure of Bangkok's two airports and other main public transport hubs during the "shutdown" of Bangkok.

The People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) has threatened to occupy 7 major intersections in Bangkok on 13 January to "shutdown" the capital city until Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra resigns from her caretaker position and scrap the general election on 2 February.

There are fears that the PCAD protesters will storm Bangkok′s Don Mueng Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport during the "shutdown", as anti-government protesters did in 2008, causing massive mayhem and economic damages.

But Mr. Suthep said on a rally stage at Ratchadamnoen Avenue yesterday that the PCAD only aims to occupy Bangkok′s 7 intersections to pressure the government. There will be no occupation of airports, train stations, docks, or any other transport hub in Bangkok, Mr. Suthep promised.

The PCAD leader also vowed to leave financial institutions alone, including the Stock Exchange of Thailand, the Bank of Thailand, and any other commercial bank in Bangkok.

However, it is reported that the residence of Mr. Jarupong Rueangsuwan, Acting Minister of Interior, will be one of the destination the protesters planned to "visit" en route.

Mr. Suthep also expressed his firm belief that there will be no less than "400,000" Bangkokians who live on Thonburi side of the capital city to join the marches to shutdown Bangkok next Monday.

He urged his supporters to respect the Constitution and carefully follow his instructions during the shutdown operation to promote the cause of the "Great Mass of the People".

"We will not be tempted into anger, even though the other is recruiting people to wage war on us," Mr. Suthep told the crowd, "If we can do this, I guarantee you, we will win fair and clean. And the world will record this".

He added, "If [the security forces] try to hurt us, just sit down and pray".

In his speech the PCAD leader later sarcastically thanked Mr. Tharit Pengdith, Chief of the Division of Special Investigation (DSI), for freezing the bank account of PCAD′s "Ratchadamnoen Kitchen". After the anti-government protesters heard about the incident, Mr. Suthep claimed, many of them showed their sympathy by donating large sum of money for the PCAD.

He then invited his supporters from Pak-Panang district, in Nakhon Sri Thammarat province, and from Phra Pradaeng district, Samutprakarn province to join the "final battle" on Monday.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE9UTTFOVFEwT0E9PQ==


-- Khaosod English 2014-01-11

400,000....so we can expect about 10% of that.

Yes Suthep that may be the plan but can you be sure that all some of your followers won't decide that it might be a good idea ?

With a large crowd on the street protesting and hyping themselves up / being hyped up it doesn't take much for plans and reason to go out the window.

It will take just one spark for mob mentallity to take over.

Suthep: We won't shut down airports

Thank you 3 times.

"He then invited his supporters to join the "final battle" on Monday."

You can see the pigs flying all over the sky........

400,000....so we can expect about 10% of that.

Agree. Last time the spin doctors tried to turn the real number ( 75000 or so) into 6 million...even producing some seriously delusional/deceitful youtube material to try to con the rest of the world. AP, AFP, reuters, BBC, ABC, SBS, Deutche Welle, CNN, not fooled. Not even Fox. Maybe Michael Yon believes it

Airport in krabi springs up

Airport in krabi springs up

Indeed....and in any case, they don't have to physically close the airports...so many tourists have cancelled, at least to bangkok, that their aim of hurting the economy is working. Pity the working poor who need tourist money to survive .

Good for the poor in Vietnam, Cambodia, laos, Indonesia...the tourists will be going there instead

400,000....so we can expect about 10% of that.

Agree. Last time the spin doctors tried to turn the real number ( 75000 or so) into 6 million...even producing some seriously delusional/deceitful youtube material to try to con the rest of the world. AP, AFP, reuters, BBC, ABC, SBS, Deutche Welle, CNN, not fooled. Not even Fox. Maybe Michael Yon believes it

Could you share links to any of your cited sources that said 75,000?

Who is Michael Yon ?

Again some of our beloved TV contributors show their failure to read an article without jumping to the wrong conclusion. Suthep stated that 400,000 protesters from the Thonburi side of Bangkok would join on Monday, in addition to the protesters that will gather from the rest of Bangkok, the south and elsewhere in Thailand.

I agree that there will probably be exaggerated figures claimed on Monday, but at least read the article as it has been written.

I am flying home to CM via DMK on Tuesday. My Thai wife said that if I do not listen to or read the news, then I will have nothing to worry about.

K. Suthep,

Why don't you and the other children go back to your homes and play in your sandboxes. We'll make sure you have the biggest and the best to suit your perceived importance. You can come back to Bangkok when you grow up and can work within a democracy.

K. Suthep,

Why don't you and the other children go back to your homes and play in your sandboxes. We'll make sure you have the biggest and the best to suit your perceived importance. You can come back to Bangkok when you grow up and can work within a democracy.

Sending the other spoiled brat to his sandbox in Dubai didnt help much

Quote: "If we can do this, I guarantee you, we will win fair and clean. And the world will record this". last week he didn't care what the World thought, I guess now he understand's the World thinks he's a mental case?

400,000....so we can expect about 10% of that.

Agree. Last time the spin doctors tried to turn the real number ( 75000 or so) into 6 million...even producing some seriously delusional/deceitful youtube material to try to con the rest of the world. AP, AFP, reuters, BBC, ABC, SBS, Deutche Welle, CNN, not fooled. Not even Fox. Maybe Michael Yon believes it

Our great and dear leader, Secretary General of the "People" Council never ever claim 6 million people.

The number of Bangkok people turn up was only 5.8 millions.

And that is just on the street.

In theory, only 10% supporters came to any protesters.

90% of the silence power are occupied with something else.

This Suthep is looking more and more like a fascist demagogue every day. Resorting to increasingly ridiculous statements and claims, threatening anyone who criticizes his glorious fight to achieve total dictatorship.

Some quotes from informed media:

“What we are witnessing is a desperate last-ditch battle by Thailand’s old feudal elite to hang on to their ancient power and privilege and prevent the county moving forward into the 21st century,” said MacGregor Marshall. “It is an impossible, quixotic struggle, and they are losing — hence their desperation, which makes them dangerous. The country is maturing, and the struggles we are seeing are the growing pains of an emerging democracy.”

link: http://thediplomat.com/2014/01/thailand-on-the-brink/?allpages=yes

and from the SCMP:

"People don't want him to be prime minister," said Chuchai Anunmana, a 43-year-old dentist who was demonstrating outside the national police headquarters. "He is just the figurehead of the protests and because of that, people are following him."

Nor can Suthep count on the support of all his former colleagues in the Democrat Party, with some prominent figures openly questioning his plan for a "people's assembly".

The current deputy leader of the Democrats, Korn Chatikavanij, said last week he did not understand what Suthep's people's government would really be like. That prompted Suthep to warn Korn publicly not to criticise the CMD again or he would "experience trouble in his life".

link: http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1369801/thai-protest-leader-suthep-son-elite-axe-grind

Once again, the fight for control of Thailand is fought by proxies and a blinded mob.

Good. Better still don't close down anything, and let those trying to make a living to get on with it.

A lot of people have thrown the word "fascist" around lately. It seems to me that opposing the return of a rich, corrupt ex-PM through shady parliamentary procedures and nepotism does not necessarily make you a "fascist".

I suggest that those labeling the current anti-government protest movement as "fascist" have a close look at the tactics and beliefs of the governing party and its red shirt supporters.

Suthep may be calling for his supporters to "shut down" Bangkok. At least he is not calling for them to "BURN down" Bangkok like the red shirt leader did a few years ago.

Go on, shut down the airports. Do it. Suthep is bottling it. Shut down the airports.

Wow! The anti-government/fascist yellow shirt are real morons. They don't have a clue about democracy, but sure know how to shoot themselves in the foot. Why is this gangster Suthep allowed to continue walking free?!

Yep> Atleast not the first few days, but wait until later. Just he and the yellows shirts did before. It is coming and dont think they have not thought about it.

A lot of people have thrown the word "fascist" around lately. It seems to me that opposing the return of a rich, corrupt ex-PM through shady parliamentary procedures and nepotism does not necessarily make you a "fascist".

I suggest that those labeling the current anti-government protest movement as "fascist" have a close look at the tactics and beliefs of the governing party and its red shirt supporters.

Suthep may be calling for his supporters to "shut down" Bangkok. At least he is not calling for them to "BURN down" Bangkok like the red shirt leader did a few years ago.

I think if you check you might find out that it was one the anti protester people back then that did that.

- I will stop when the amnesty bill is dropped.

- I will stop when Yingluck resigns.

- It will all be over this Monday, this Wednesday, this Friday, this Monday, etc.

- I didn't give orders to fire on red shirts with live ammunition.

- We won't occupy the airports.

The problem with all the above is ....nobody believes a liar.

Don't believe a word of Suthep.

His behavior is irrational.

He will do anything to get power.

If he does not get that power soon he is finished.

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

yet

Again some of our beloved TV contributors show their failure to read an article without jumping to the wrong conclusion. Suthep stated that 400,000 protesters from the Thonburi side of Bangkok would join on Monday, in addition to the protesters that will gather from the rest of Bangkok, the south and elsewhere in Thailand.

I agree that there will probably be exaggerated figures claimed on Monday, but at least read the article as it has been written.

Total claimed by Suthep will between 12 and 21 million people (all honest, well behaved, educated and peaceful).

The best part is that many farangs on this forum will firmly believe it

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

" He added, "If [the security forces] try to hurt us, just sit down and pray". "

It is in the reform movement's interests to conduct this as a peaceful walk and demonstration, and Suthep knows that. He knows that this movement will only succeed if it is being perceived as peaceful both at home and abroad. So there is great credibility to what he says and what he urges. The only way the Yingluck administration wins is if they are confronting a violent protest, because they have the whole might of the administration behind them. With that in mind, Suthep's strategy to confront the anticipated assault from the police is to sit down and pray. That was Gandhi's strategy - and it worked. It is not to say, incidentally, that Suthep is Gandhi, or any one of us, for that matter. We should be so lucky. It is to say that the concept of peaceful disobedience can - and has - succeeded. Let us all sit down and pray for reform through peace. Let us pray for the Thai people on the streets and their safety.

Wow! The anti-government/fascist yellow shirt are real morons. They don't have a clue about democracy, but sure know how to shoot themselves in the foot. Why is this gangster Suthep allowed to continue walking free?!

"Why is this gangster Suthep allowed to continue walking free?! "

It's quite simple really. This is Thailand and he and the other "gangsters", and we all know who they are, can walk free because nobody will dare arrest them.