POLITICS
Police team given task of arresting Suthep
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- National Police Chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew has appointed a team to have People's Democratic Reform Committee secretary general Suthep Thaugsuban arrested.

Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who is head of the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order, called a meeting of top officials from concerned agencies at the Defence Ministry's Permanent Secretary Office, with Adul joining the meeting via videoconferencing.

Surapong also asked Adul for a progress report as well as information about Suthep's whereabouts last night and the latest on the protest situation.

Adul told the meeting that he had assigned a police team to arrest Suthep.

The highest number of protesters on Wednesday was 23,000, with only 7,000 left yesterday as many from the South have returned home, police claim. Adul said 40 guards were protecting Suthep and he would report about the protest leader's arrest at a closed-door meeting without media presence.


-- The Nation 2014-01-17

It's time to call in the bounty hunters.

Well hopefully by the end of the day this lunatic will be behind bars. Bail shouldn't be an option.

Only 23,000 protestors out of 6 million left, geez people are really waking up to him.

is it just me, or is the whole shutdown thing more of a joke? Not sure though if they'll get Suthep arrested after so many failures of trying to do so.

As I posted yesterday, I don't see any point in making a concerted effort to arrest Suthep at this point as it could very well serve as a 'flash' point to incite violence. Enough of that going around at the moment as it is. The government should have been pro-active in preventing the extent of the shut down from the outset. Now that the genie is out of the bottle, so to speak, what is to be served by arresting Suthep? He will be charged and released on bail as was another protest leader. Form over substance if you ask me. The BMA and any future government in Thailand must come up with reasonable guidelines for protests, such as permissible locations, security arrangements, limits on disruptions to traffic, hours for rally activity, noise levels, and the ability to identify situations that clearly impede on the public safety and the ability of people to earn their livelihood. In addition, there must be clear consequences in line with internationally accepted standards if protestors go beyond the guidelines. As it stands now, everything is ad hoc. I totally support the right of people to protest and to petition the government to address their grievances. However, the rights of everyone in society must be respected and balanced. Respect is the key for resolving this impasse in political ideals. There was an interesting statement by Jonathan Head at the FCCT last night about the current situation in Thailand. He said that he understood that democracy involves more than elections. However, democracy cannot be 'less than elections'.

Well hopefully by the end of the day this lunatic will be behind bars. Bail shouldn't be an option.

Only 23,000 protestors out of 6 million left, geez people are really waking up to him.

Not really following all the news are you? Just talk like your avatar looks.

is it just me, or is the whole shutdown thing more of a joke? Not sure though if they'll get Suthep arrested after so many failures of trying to do so.

I wouldn't say it was a joke. The numbers are still there, it is not a call on the masses, it's a shutdown and needs minimal people, so they go about their lives as normal. It ain't fun standing out in the BKK sun all day.

CAPO always play the figures right down and the red farang cling onto CAPO's every last word. They are the JOKE.

This weekend will see a huge boost in numbers, and by next week the rice farmers will be in town probably. If it is status quo by Monday, this is going to get stepped up. Most protests start like this, they slowly morph into something a bit more radical, and then it tends to spiral out of control.

But they won't ever leave and Suthep will never get arrested, it is all just lip service, they know that would spark something rather unpleasant, and the government will not be on the good end of it. The aeronautical radio will deffo get seized and that will be all flights grounded.

Personally, I hope they just hurry up and get to the end game already. No point postponing the inevitable.

Last night Channel News Asia reported the government had ' urged ' the police to arrest Suthep and a couple of weeks ago the National Police Chief ' urged ' his men to do their job over an issue I can't recall.

What's wrong with words like " instruct ', " direct ', ' order ' etc or is there a fear of violating human rights by being too forceful ?

Of course parents being urged to look after their children takes a bit of beating.

Amazing Thailand indeed.

Well hopefully by the end of the day this lunatic will be behind bars. Bail shouldn't be an option.

Only 23,000 protestors out of 6 million left, geez people are really waking up to him.

Not really following all the news are you? Just talk like your avatar looks.

I didn't make up this story, The news says a police team has been given the task of arresting him not me. Attack Thai visa for posting the story and not me.

I was referring to the decreasing number of protesters, apart from whoever is affiliated with whatever side, the recent photographs didn't show as many protesters as last month. Will this result in a shutdown of the shutdown?

What a farcical approach to arresting him. Heck, a few weeks ago he was in a meeting with both police and military. No arrest!!

is it just me, or is the whole shutdown thing more of a joke? Not sure though if they'll get Suthep arrested after so many failures of trying to do so.

I wouldn't say it was a joke. The numbers are still there, it is not a call on the masses, it's a shutdown and needs minimal people, so they go about their lives as normal. It ain't fun standing out in the BKK sun all day.

CAPO always play the figures right down and the red farang cling onto CAPO's every last word. They are the JOKE.

This weekend will see a huge boost in numbers, and by next week the rice farmers will be in town probably. If it is status quo by Monday, this is going to get stepped up. Most protests start like this, they slowly morph into something a bit more radical, and then it tends to spiral out of control.

But they won't ever leave and Suthep will never get arrested, it is all just lip service, they know that would spark something rather unpleasant, and the government will not be on the good end of it. The aeronautical radio will deffo get seized and that will be all flights grounded.

Personally, I hope they just hurry up and get to the end game already. No point postponing the inevitable.

I agree entirely.

I cannot comprehend what is going through their minds, considering arresting Suthep at this stage. Any attempt to do so will result in considerable violence at the time of the attempted arrest, and, if they were successful, an exponential increase in the lengths to which the protesters will be prepared to go (your observation on grounding all flights is very valid).

That said, the one thing that is a constant with the RTP is the lack of any backbone. If they decide to take on the 40 guards, and all of those who are also prepared to protect Suthep, I can envisage the BiB backing down after receiving a bloody nose ... or escalating the crisis through the unauthorised use of firearms...!!

It just doesn't make sense for them to even try, knowing that the courts will disregard the protestations of CAPO and the DSI and release Suthep on bail.

One just wonders who they will target for arrest next week when the farmers come to town?! I personally see that as the end game for the Shin clan.

A laughable situation. So he gets arrested and then the Thai press makes him the headline story in 5-6 pieces everyday like they did with Thaksin and maintain his visibility. Then YL will get reelected again on February 2 and the Thai press will keep carping on her and Thaksin again until the Thai press engenders a new conflict.

It's time to call in the bounty hunters.

or maybe the Aussie or British SAS, game over!

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Some diehards have crossed the threshold into la-la land with their Great Kreskin predictions of the resurrection of the rapidly expiring shutdown.

If they really wanted to arrest him they would have done that already. But maybe this time. We will see.

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I think if they arrest him the mood might get slightly more violent at the protest sites.

I think the government should leave him well alone for the time being. They should be focusing more on the highlighted corruption charges in the media today surround their little rice pledging scheme.

Well hopefully by the end of the day this lunatic will be behind bars. Bail shouldn't be an option.

Only 23,000 protestors out of 6 million left, geez people are really waking up to him.

23,000 is the "middle class" supporting Suthep.

The rest were the yellow thugs trucked from the south

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I think if they arrest him the mood might get slightly more violent at the protest sites.

I think the government should leave him well alone for the time being. They should be focusing more on the highlighted corruption charges in the media today surround their little rice pledging scheme.

I doubt that the red shirts will go on a rampage if he is arrested and many on here say that Suthep supporters are a peaceful lot and do not use violence, all the violence so far has been by redshirts.

is it just me, or is the whole shutdown thing more of a joke? Not sure though if they'll get Suthep arrested after so many failures of trying to do so.

I wouldn't say it was a joke. The numbers are still there, it is not a call on the masses, it's a shutdown and needs minimal people, so they go about their lives as normal. It ain't fun standing out in the BKK sun all day.

CAPO always play the figures right down and the red farang cling onto CAPO's every last word. They are the JOKE.

This weekend will see a huge boost in numbers, and by next week the rice farmers will be in town probably. If it is status quo by Monday, this is going to get stepped up. Most protests start like this, they slowly morph into something a bit more radical, and then it tends to spiral out of control.

But they won't ever leave and Suthep will never get arrested, it is all just lip service, they know that would spark something rather unpleasant, and the government will not be on the good end of it. The aeronautical radio will deffo get seized and that will be all flights grounded.

Personally, I hope they just hurry up and get to the end game already. No point postponing the inevitable.

thats true he will never be arrested....but if he becomes a liability to his bosses who pull the strings he might end up like Sondhi and they will try to get rid of him - he knows too much!

He still has hope though - they are even too stupid to carry out an assassination as the Sondhi case shows!

Just more contrived rhetoric from a government who with monotonous regularity talk a far better game than the have the intellect or intelligence to play. Thaksin's Muppet's with an atrocious script crafted by the educated goons of the PTP.

Do you remember - "Burn bangkok"!! "If they come for you send them to me"!! "Go to every hall in every province and burn the town hall"? They couldnt arrest him - he still walking around - why Suthep different!!? Oh - because red shirt dont like him?

This would be the same approach to arresting Kamnan Poh or Wattana Asavahame or a whole host of other well-connected people with either outstanding convictions who have not surrendered or other oustanding arrest warrants on them.

Way too much hassle. Not worth it. Ok, give up.

Mr. Suthep was itching for a fight. But it takes two to have a boxing match. When that did not materialize, his balloon deflated. It must suck to be Mr. Suthep at this moment. All that bluster - exciting as it may have sounded in the beginning now looks silly. He was allowed to express every sentiment he had - even those sentiments that he should NOT have voiced out. He has been out maneuvered. He seems to have hanged himself. Abhisit - on the other hand will get of scot-free. I wonder if Mr. Suthep is feeling more and more isolated. With 40 body guards around him when he does is daily walk, Mr. Suthep must feel invincible. For how long?

his whereabouts? try watching tv?

a) Bad,bad,bad, really bad idea!

Don't turn him into some kind of "martyr"!

b ) Bad,bad,bad, really bad idea!

He has back-up, you don't want to mess with!

No, I don't think it would be good to make a martyr out of Mr. Suthep.

Or does Mr. Suthep really have dreams of following the footsteps of General Khattiya Sawasdipol (AKA Sae Daeng)? Dream on!

Possibly by now the Special Unit is already on the way...

Well hopefully by the end of the day this lunatic will be behind bars. Bail shouldn't be an option.

Only 23,000 protestors out of 6 million left, geez people are really waking up to him.

well your lunatic friend is still to sh*t scare to even show his face here at least someone is trying to get rid of this crooked government

I think if they arrest him the mood might get slightly more violent at the protest sites.

I think the government should leave him well alone for the time being. They should be focusing more on the highlighted corruption charges in the media today surround their little rice pledging scheme.

I doubt that the red shirts will go on a rampage if he is arrested and many on here say that Suthep supporters are a peaceful lot and do not use violence, all the violence so far has been by redshirts.

I foresee lots of joy and happiness when Suthep will be arrested.

People all over the country will dance, party, smile, hug each other, organize concerts, light candles, ...

It will be a new start for Thailand, a peaceful and stable time, with Yingluck reelected by a landslide, with all the projects to bring Thailand to the modern world, such as the high speed train, going forward, and the economy booming again.

I look forward to it

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