Police to not carry weapons during Jan 13 protests

[thailiketoo]

But, de-arming an armed police force is crazy. De-arm the military in combat next ?

I believe there are countries where the police don't carry guns. Can't imagine it myself but I have heard tell...

Edited January 12, 2014 by thailiketoo

[longtom]

Police to not carry weapons during Jan 13 protests

Must be the influence of Chalerms peaceful hand, the one pacified by refusing to cut off his own head.

[les Dennis]

How do these protesters get all this time off of work?

[geriatrickid]

PT got 30% which was the highest percentage but still way off the 51% needed to make a majority. Unfortunately Thaksin has control over a number of smaller parties too that joined with PT to make a coalition of crooks....

What? PTP received 44.3% of the valid votes cast. Where do you get 30%?

The smaller parties announced prior to the election that they would align with the political party that would form the government based upon seats won.

The decision of the smaller parties had nothing to do with Thaksin. Had the Democrats managed to draw more than 32.3%, the 3 parties you referenced would have joined with the Democrats. You do realize that 6 of the other smaller parties did not announce before hand what they would do.

[geriatrickid]

How do these protesters get all this time off of work?

They come from the businesses of some of the Bangkok backers and are "encouraged" to attend.

Others are not gainfully employed or are independent business people and the relatives of those with a vested interest.

And a large number have been transported from the Suthep political strongholds south of Bangkok.

It's easy to recruit when 37% of the workforce is employed in the service sector and 49% in agriculture related work. Underemployed and low paid people are always open to making a few extra baht.

There will definitely be people there who agree with Suthep and who do not need encouragement, but they will by no means account for the majority of participants.

The professional and skilled workers of Bangkok are mostly avoiding this protest. Some of them recognize the futility, others can't be bothered and others are going to be working as making a baht is more important.

Isn't it amazing what one can do when one doesn't have to contend with a unionized workforce, where the union might object to workers being intimidated into going to protest sites?

[15Peter20]

Report on RichardBarrow's twitter account saying a protest guard was shot in the head by....a protester!?

Goes to show that in a country where anyone with money can get weapons, such shootings can occur as a result of local arguments not just political or ideological differences. If the report is true I hope the incident doesn't fuel the debate on red/yellow or Thaksin/Suthep or Democracy/Dictatorship when really it could have been just a couple of drunks forgetting themselves.

[Cricketnut]

Everyone shouts "Democracy", well these people have a legal, democratic and constitutional right to express their displeasure with the government that is driving their country to the edge of bankruptcy. All the people who scream about Suthep should take note of how things turned out in 2010, Arisman, Jatuporn, Nattawhut and company all got rich for their part in a display that was much worse than what we are seeing now. Democracy brings responsibility, it is a promise from the people we trust with our votes to carry out their duties for the good of the country, not for some runaway. With the farmers not being paid for the rice, the government passing bills in the middle of the night, nobody can assert that these people have earned the public trust.

The present government was voted in by the majority of Thai voters - that is Democracy. Yes they are a bunch of thieving corrupt besterds, whose only reason for getting into politics was to line there own pockets And Suthep was and is no different.

I would be delighted and so so happy for my adopted country if Suthep and his followers actually did achieve a total reform of the political system, but come on! Suthep's only agenda here is to rejoin feeding trough.

And if the majority of Thais want Thaksin & his policies back - well that's good reward for their own stupidity.

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no they were not voted in in a democratically way....and don't forget they were already twice dissolved for cheating.

And even if they were voted in, this does not allow to them to make changes to the constitution that damages Democracy.

Both International moderators and Thai said they were voted in democratically in the last elections... Look it up. Oh and the Dems and Suthep are as clean as a whistle

[Thait Spot]

Anyway, this is all as backards innit? I mean, the police are a major minus-point of this great nation and they have guns by default shooting up the place when they feel like it. Now, at a time when they really need them, they go out half-cocked.

Wrong, they are assured this is a peaceful demonstration, so they will not 'really need them'..........unless the demonstrators run out of control.....over to you Suthep.....ball...your court....

Looking at the continued cowardly attacks on the protest and the ineffectiveness of the police force in policing, the PDRC should probably have their own armed guards.

Ball in Yingluck's court methinks.

If the police and the government have details of 3rd party attacks as they claim to have, then publish and act or be dammed

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[slapout]

The PM assures safety of the citizens, then to publically announce the police will not have any firearms while the are brought in by the thousands to protect and serve.??? I wonder if the caretaker government is trying to instigate a real slug-fest, or if they are just clueless as to what approach/action/inaction to take next. The academics and legal beagles have countered the government nonsense, that they cannot do this or that due to fear of its legality. They have been caught out so many times during their bumbling attempt to govern Thailand, that they have lost all crediability.

I think there are a lot more government people afflicted with the memory/reasoning problems than the MP's who voted multiple times with various voting cards. Instead of legal action against this group of losers, a requirement for a mental health exam, may be more in order. A PM communicating with the country via facebook, a cabinet whose members are now where to be found, several hundred mps under investigation on various charges, and this bunch is calling for an immediate election so as to retain power. I have doubts the term demoracy as applied to Thailand will ever fit the defination subscribed to by the rest of the world,. I just hope the innocents stay safe during, what appears to be a failure of the governmental system

[Mosha]

I wonder if the no guns decision is because there will be police from north and south? It'll stop them taking potshots at each other if one lot opens fire on the people from the others area area.