Weapons found inside deserted building room: Bomb attack against Suthep's procession

[DMG333]

I would not be surprised if Suthep was behind this attack. Only he has to gain anything from it. His protests are not achieving anything and he's running out of options. He needs violence to erupt in order to force the army to intervene with a coup. That's his only way out and he'll do everything to make it happen.

If the protests are not achieving anything, why are you complaining about them blocking roads? They must be achieving something if people are getting angry about them and threatening to attack them.

You are absolutely right. But is their goal to achieve something politically? Or to make people angry and spark violence? If to achieve something politically, they are obviously failing as we've seen by the dropping numbers of protesters every day. As for making people angry, they are definitely winning on that front. So the question is, will they achieve their political goals or start a civil war?

Haven't you been reading the news? Their aim is to get Yingluck to step down. They plan to disrupt the government until she does.

We could sense the infecund consummation.

[citizen33]

Yes, I was looking for a bounce off the road, because I thought something might have hit the pick-up from the road and then bounced a second time to the point of the explosion. I could not see any first bounce. It looks to me like there is a downward movement near the window before something rises up again (compatible with an object wrapped in a rag being thrown and the rag rising up). I don't want to jump to a definite conclusion and it would be very interesting to see an expert analysis of the video carried out.

I do not understand the argument that the movement near the window could be debris from a grenade because any grenade had not exploded at that point. I think we still need to confirm the nature of the explosive device.

Look at the feet of the guy with the flag next to the car. At about 12 seconds, you can see something at his feet just before the guy in dark clothing walks across in front of him. Then there is something coming up that hits the car and then drops back down. Then the explosion occurs.

Yes, having rewound the video a few more times I think you are correct; nothing was thrown from the window. I still think a proper analysis of the video by experts would be worthwhile.

[Fat Haggis]

Wouldn't you stop if something hit your car? It's normal reaction. The bomb hits the car, bounces off, explodes.

M26 hand grenade, maximum thrown range around 30m, it takes about 5 seconds to explode. Let's say the attacker threw it from around 15-20 metres, maybe a second or a little bit more to reach the truck, another 3 seconds to explode. So it's possible. Nothing unusual.

Entirely plausable, however..given the number of people around the vicinity of the vehicle, there would have been more chance of the "device" hitting a protestor before hitting the car, but nobody reacts till the device explodes.

If something hits your car, you tend to get out and check the damage first, I'd like to see an interview with the driver, as tragic as it is that someone lost their life, he's a key witness, as he could have been the potential target?? Shock can and invarioubly does make people do crazy things, which would explain him running off perhaps?

even something as small as a grenade at that distance would be picked up "dropping" into the crowd, how many times do you notice small birds (feathered kind) flit in and out of frames??

[whybother]

Wouldn't you stop if something hit your car? It's normal reaction. The bomb hits the car, bounces off, explodes.

M26 hand grenade, maximum thrown range around 30m, it takes about 5 seconds to explode. Let's say the attacker threw it from around 15-20 metres, maybe a second or a little bit more to reach the truck, another 3 seconds to explode. So it's possible. Nothing unusual.

Entirely plausable, however..given the number of people around the vicinity of the vehicle, there would have been more chance of the "device" hitting a protestor before hitting the car, but nobody reacts till the device explodes.

If something hits your car, you tend to get out and check the damage first, I'd like to see an interview with the driver, as tragic as it is that someone lost their life, he's a key witness, as he could have been the potential target?? Shock can and invarioubly does make people do crazy things, which would explain him running off perhaps?

even something as small as a grenade at that distance would be picked up "dropping" into the crowd, how many times do you notice small birds (feathered kind) flit in and out of frames??

There was about 1 second between when something hit the window of the car and when the explosion occurred. Not really enough time to get out and have a look for damage.

If you throw a tennis ball into a crowd that isn't expecting it, most of them won't even know it was there.

If you look at the feet of the guy with the flag next to the car, you can see something at his feet a couple of seconds before the explosion.

You would see birds flit in and out when it's a good quality recording.

[allan michaud]

No hand grenade pin?

May be an intelligence unit in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I belive the pin was found outside , they showed a foto of one earlier today

It is described as a "bomb pin" in an above article.

[gerry1011]

Here is my take so far:

They arrange a room in an empty building before hand, propping it up with lots of evidence. They then change the march route to walk past this place. When the car is just outside the building, the driver stops, then proceeds to wipe of the fingerprints of the grenade with a towel before he launches it outside. He then ducks, and immediately after the explosion runs straight in to the empty building look for the perpetrators (even though it would have been impossible for him to know where the grenade was launched from).

You may be right.

It is obvious that Suthep needs violence to keep his ailing protests going on.

Only him and the Dems can benefit from violence.

Today the BP reports two more of Suthep's "guards" caught with knives, guns and giant firecrackers... They said to "protect themselves".

It will come to light that all these "attacks" we conveniently planned by the yellow thugs themselves...

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Bkk Cruiser]

I posted the intial clip I saw on a Thai social media forum.. with the comment about the arm coming out of the window... but frame by frame it looks more like the corner of a flag being waved by the person facing backwards.. but the behaviour of the driver is really strange and his actions are not consistent with what you would expect. see the action between seconds 29 - 32 two people reach down and both pick up something from (near) where the grenade exploded... they ignore the people hurt around them. One in the black clothes is in the same dress as the driver (came from the same place the driver ran to) and the the guy in the white baseball hat was seen walking diagonally away from the spot where the grenade exploded to the left and the view of him is then hidden behind a pole ..that pole was the same place where he was joined by the driver after the bast..it seems that both met up immediately the explosion and walked casually next to each other over to the spot where the grenade exploded bent down together (picking something up??) and exited together... strange behaviour from protestors to ignore dozens of injured people and disappear together. Probably perfectly normal after an explosion with so many of their colleagues injured and requiring triage... I have a hypothesis that these two knew each other... it is not a conspiracy theory.. I would very much like for this hypothesis to be proven wrong... has anyone interviewed the driver yet?

[Nowhereman60]

Here's you peaceful protesters. Or should I say southern thugs.

RT@Thai_Talk: Nang Sue police charged PDRC guards found w/ large fireworks, machete, rifle ammos (for violating ISA).pic.twitter.com/UQiV6m250f v @dekdue_03

[englishoak]

Here's you peaceful protesters. Or should I say southern thugs.

RT@Thai_Talk: Nang Sue police charged PDRC guards found w/ large fireworks, machete, rifle ammos (for violating ISA).pic.twitter.com/UQiV6m250f v @dekdue_03

Ok for personal protection I can forgive a machete here and maybe a handgun but, rifle ammo ??? thats not a self defence item as a rule here and as for large fireworks ?? the kind that go bang very loudly ? what person has that for self defence ? almost as bad as saying a grenade is for self defense

[diceq]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M26_grenade

The M26 was developed as a result of the studies on the Mk 2. Unlike its previous counterpart, its M204A1 fuse^[3] creates no tell-tale smoke or sparks when ignited and its powder train is almost silent while it burns down

In any case Whyboter explanation that it may be debris from the grenade hitting the window before bouncing off and falling next to the pick-up seems very likely. Only an idiot would identify that puff of smoke as a cloth being used to clean fingerprints.

The quote you posted says it does not create smoke. But in either case, looks like we were both wrong. As someone said earlier, it looks like it's a flag waived from the outside. That is the most plausible explanation so far in my opinion.

[AleG]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M26_grenade

The M26 was developed as a result of the studies on the Mk 2. Unlike its previous counterpart, its M204A1 fuse^[3] creates no tell-tale smoke or sparks when ignited and its powder train is almost silent while it burns down

In any case Whyboter explanation that it may be debris from the grenade hitting the window before bouncing off and falling next to the pick-up seems very likely. Only an idiot would identify that puff of smoke as a cloth being used to clean fingerprints.

The quote you posted says it does not create smoke. But in either case, looks like we were both wrong. As someone said earlier, it looks like it's a flag waived from the outside. That is the most plausible explanation so far in my opinion.

Have you problems reading? it says Unlike its previous counterpart, its M204A1 fuse^[3] creates no tell-tale smoke or sparks, that means the previous model did create smoke.

whyboter posted this link, clearly showing a grenade leaving a trail of smoke behind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo3p-VzmV08

[AleG]

I posted the intial clip I saw on a Thai social media forum.. with the comment about the arm coming out of the window... but frame by frame it looks more like the corner of a flag being waved by the person facing backwards.. but the behaviour of the driver is really strange and his actions are not consistent with what you would expect. see the action between seconds 29 - 32 two people reach down and both pick up something from (near) where the grenade exploded... they ignore the people hurt around them. One in the black clothes is in the same dress as the driver (came from the same place the driver ran to) and the the guy in the white baseball hat was seen walking diagonally away from the spot where the grenade exploded to the left and the view of him is then hidden behind a pole ..that pole was the same place where he was joined by the driver after the bast..it seems that both met up immediately the explosion and walked casually next to each other over to the spot where the grenade exploded bent down together (picking something up??) and exited together... strange behaviour from protestors to ignore dozens of injured people and disappear together. Probably perfectly normal after an explosion with so many of their colleagues injured and requiring triage... I have a hypothesis that these two knew each other... it is not a conspiracy theory.. I would very much like for this hypothesis to be proven wrong... has anyone interviewed the driver yet?

The driver of the pick-up is suspicious because he exited the vehicle through the drivers door. Right.

The guy in a baseball hat, the one that seems to be the best positioned to actually see the grenade landing, seems to seek cover, that's suspicious?

What do your think it's more likely the two men stopping are doing:

A ) Picking up a piece of shrapnel left from the grenade explosion, because...?

B )Helping the injured man with a light blue shirt crawling on the ground.

The driver is reported to have been injured in the explosion.

Edited January 19, 2014 by AleG

[inutil]

It's just stunning what you guys come up with in all your blindness. It would be amusing if the situation in Thailand is not so tragic mainly because of narrow minded people like you. So I'm called fascist only because I don't want any more Thais to die, I don't want Thai tax payer money to be wasted on the election in February which is bound to fail no matter what the outcome, I want politicians to be accountable for, representative, responsible for, and transparent about their actions and dodgy deals, I want nepotism out of Thai politics, once an for all, above all I want both parties to sit down and schedule the election for second part of May 2014 or later which will definitely ensure that the amnesty bill is dead and buried. Do not give me that line that the election cannot be delayed because of Thai constitution. It can be done legally. All it takes is good will to compromise.

Eh we're blind? Did you not watch the video? Who's blind here?

No, you're called a fascist because you support these yellow shirts who want to replace the democratic government with an unelected council. You say you want politicians to be held accountable, but how will they be that with an unelected council? At least in a democracy the people can vote them out if they want to. But I know those are just excuses because you don't have the balls to admit what you really think.

More abject nonsense from you. I watched the video few times and didn't see anything unusual. What are you talking about? Overactive imagination?

You might consider a professional help. Seeing things is usually a sign that there is a medical problem.

I specifically said that I prefer the election in second part of May 2014 or later. The best way to solve the current political crisis and save Thai lives. Apart from seeing things you seem to be misinterpreting and putting words into other people mouths. Pay more attention. By the way, in my humble opinion, the other guy was only paying you a compliment, that wasn't a name calling.

Rightyo, lets have at this then. What would you accept as pre-conditions for an election to take place legitimately? And how should those pre-conditions be brought about assuming you disagree with the current situation (since this election is clearly not going to qualify for you)?

As a couple of follow up questions:

Do we ban PTP? On what grounds?

Do we change the boundaries and the weight of voting? On what grounds?

If you cannot change those circumstances, how do you plan to bring the democrats back to the table?

If you force those changes through the 'people's council' or a similar body (stuffed to the brim with dem/suthep supporters/financiers), how do you plan on bringing the red shirt supporters (no doubt under a different name yet again after PTP gets banned (for winning elections)) to the table to agree to these changes?

And if you cant get them to agree, how do you plan on policing them when they invariably storm bangkok in 2 years time to demand new, free, fair, and LEGITIMATE elections?

If all that is a bit much:

How are you planning on breaking this cycle? Through democratic means (so what you going to concede to bring the reds in) or through force and oppression of the North East and their supporters?

Id be honestly curious if anyone has figured out how to square this circle yet to be honest. I genuinely doubt they have.

[gerry1011]

Now it turn out that the "weapons" found by Suthep's "guards" were... BB guns !

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[AleG]

Now it turn out that the "weapons" found by Suthep's "guards" were... BB guns !

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So "they" planted fake guns to prove there's an armed third hand attacking them?

I was going to ask if you think that as a believable scenario but... never mind.

[diceq]

Have you problems reading? it says Unlike its previous counterpart, its M204A1 fuse^[3] creates no tell-tale smoke or sparks, that means the previous model did create smoke.

whyboter posted this link, clearly showing a grenade leaving a trail of smoke behind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo3p-VzmV08

No, I don't have trouble reading. I thought it was that type of grenade that was used in the attack. But it wasn't. It was a RGD-5. So the the question should be if that model creates smoke before exploding. Not that it matters because I think it's pretty obvious that it's not smoke you see in the video, but a flag.

[Moruya]

It's just stunning what you guys come up with in all your blindness. It would be amusing if the situation in Thailand is not so tragic mainly because of narrow minded people like you. So I'm called fascist only because I don't want any more Thais to die, I don't want Thai tax payer money to be wasted on the election in February which is bound to fail no matter what the outcome, I want politicians to be accountable for, representative, responsible for, and transparent about their actions and dodgy deals, I want nepotism out of Thai politics, once an for all, above all I want both parties to sit down and schedule the election for second part of May 2014 or later which will definitely ensure that the amnesty bill is dead and buried. Do not give me that line that the election cannot be delayed because of Thai constitution. It can be done legally. All it takes is good will to compromise.

Eh we're blind? Did you not watch the video? Who's blind here?

No, you're called a fascist because you support these yellow shirts who want to replace the democratic government with an unelected council. You say you want politicians to be held accountable, but how will they be that with an unelected council? At least in a democracy the people can vote them out if they want to. But I know those are just excuses because you don't have the balls to admit what you really think.

More abject nonsense from you. I watched the video few times and didn't see anything unusual. What are you talking about? Overactive imagination?

You might consider a professional help. Seeing things is usually a sign that there is a medical problem.

I specifically said that I prefer the election in second part of May 2014 or later. The best way to solve the current political crisis and save Thai lives. Apart from seeing things you seem to be misinterpreting and putting words into other people mouths. Pay more attention. By the way, in my humble opinion, the other guy was only paying you a compliment, that wasn't a name calling.

Rightyo, lets have at this then. What would you accept as pre-conditions for an election to take place legitimately? And how should those pre-conditions be brought about assuming you disagree with the current situation (since this election is clearly not going to qualify for you)?

As a couple of follow up questions:

Do we ban PTP? On what grounds?

Do we change the boundaries and the weight of voting? On what grounds?

If you cannot change those circumstances, how do you plan to bring the democrats back to the table?

If you force those changes through the 'people's council' or a similar body (stuffed to the brim with dem/suthep supporters/financiers), how do you plan on bringing the red shirt supporters (no doubt under a different name yet again after PTP gets banned (for winning elections)) to the table to agree to these changes?

And if you cant get them to agree, how do you plan on policing them when they invariably storm bangkok in 2 years time to demand new, free, fair, and LEGITIMATE elections?

If all that is a bit much:

How are you planning on breaking this cycle? Through democratic means (so what you going to concede to bring the reds in) or through force and oppression of the North East and their supporters?

Id be honestly curious if anyone has figured out how to square this circle yet to be honest. I genuinely doubt they have.

I would be inclined to leave the prosecution aspects of what happened to the channels through which they are going and to look at how better to deal with cheating in the house.

It clearly doesn't work when a majority in the house just votes for their own side in a censure debate and something needs to take its place to suspend legislation until an independent review has taken place.

Conflicts of interest also need to be dealt with. The amnesty debate was an absolute disgrace.

That the rice scheme has got to where it is is a major failing of the Thai processes.

The gerrymandering of the flood relief hearings is another poke in the eye to democracy

The 2.2 trillion baht loan is an insult to fiscal discipline

Nepotism is another and includes all parties

In short these types of event need procedures that the government should adhere to and in the event of them breaking the rules, suspend the legislation and have a body with teeth sort it out and anyone guilty made an example of

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[AleG]

Have you problems reading? it says Unlike its previous counterpart, its M204A1 fuse^[3] creates no tell-tale smoke or sparks, that means the previous model did create smoke.

whyboter posted this link, clearly showing a grenade leaving a trail of smoke behind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo3p-VzmV08

No, I don't have trouble reading. I thought it was that type of grenade that was used in the attack. But it wasn't. It was a RGD-5. So the the question should be if that model creates smoke before exploding. Not that it matters because I think it's pretty obvious that it's not smoke you see in the video, but a flag.

The grenade in that video is an RGD-5.

[inutil]

stuff

I would be inclined to leave the prosecution aspects of what happened to the channels through which they are going and to look at how better to deal with cheating in the house.

It clearly doesn't work when a majority in the house just votes for their own side in a censure debate and something needs to take its place to suspend legislation until an independent review has taken place.

Conflicts of interest also need to be dealt with. The amnesty debate was an absolute disgrace.

That the rice scheme has got to where it is is a major failing of the Thai processes.

The gerrymandering of the flood relief hearings is another poke in the eye to democracy

The 2.2 trillion baht loan is an insult to fiscal discipline

Nepotism is another and includes all parties

In short these types of event need procedures that the government should adhere to and in the event of them breaking the rules, suspend the legislation and have a body with teeth sort it out and anyone guilty made an example of

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You havent said anything wild and unfair. Its a certain starting point for a negotiation. But it brings nothing for those supporting PTP doesnt it. It seems to suggest that all of Thailands ills, all corruption and all the problems of thailand come from the reds. But lets be honest here, they just happen to be the party of political power and can make these deals.

So lets unveil the elephant in the room.

The reds will win any election carried out. Not just now, but also for the foreseeable future given that the dems have allied themselves with an anti-democratic... spirit in the Thai people. One which many Thai people will rightly feel has one ultimate goal: to shut the reds and their supporters out of the corridors of legal/political power (as well as backroom and financial power). Now you may suggest this is ludicrous, but you cannot deny that this will be the interpretation. The democratss will have lost a great deal of neutral and moderate support from this once it dies down. And lets not of course forget, that through their own decisions at the height of the anti-government fervour they cut themselves out of the next government absolutely. It will take a great deal of work to reposition themselves as a trustworthy party of democracy to anyone who might be considered a neutral or swing voter in any election they may participate in. In addition, a power vacuum in the south is coming, and this will split their vote should this parliament survive for any period of time.

You do not need to be clairvoyant to see that not only will this lock them out of the North and east (areas they MUST make in-roads within to claim to represent the people of Thailand), it will destroy their representation through the extra list system (PR), and their vote will be split. This all but guarantees that PTP will coast to victory. It also takes away their remit to argue they have the power base to force negotiation and extract concessions. Which of course will increase the impetus for violence and civil disobedience as their single means for 'change'

Which of course brings us back to the elephant in the room.

The reds WILL come to power by democratic means (assuming there are no attempts to change the weight of the regions). So how will you bring in your anti-corruption laws exclusively focusing on the reds when they have the seat of power? What will bring them to the negotiating table? Another coup? Boundary changes? Electoral changes giving more weight to democratic constituencies and voters over the mass in the North and East?

So what will then bring them to accept this coup or these changes as anything other than the confirmation of their suspicions that the old order are locking them out of power and closing down the single most effective avenue for their voice and interests to be heard? Why should they accept this and why would this not be the catalyst for an absolute disaster in Thailand (or at best, yet another government kicked out of office by a peoples revolution and the return of red power to bangkok (and the exact same situation in 4 years time)?

The cycle then, continues. So where is the compromise, where is the negotiation that will break this deadlock and allow for these changes you desire to occur. The reds hold electoral power. They wont lose. And if you take it away by force, theyll just return to the streets to demand it back again. So is only fatalism left? Small release valve changes of government every two years or so following a street protest? Maybe a good old fashioned civil war to decide the issue once and for all... or is there still a chance for democracy, compromise, and negotiation to sort this out? Far from answering the questions, im afraid you simply restated the problem.

Edited January 19, 2014 by inutil

[Bkk Cruiser]

stuff

I would be inclined to leave the prosecution aspects of what happened to the channels through which they are going and to look at how better to deal with cheating in the house.

It clearly doesn't work when a majority in the house just votes for their own side in a censure debate and something needs to take its place to suspend legislation until an independent review has taken place.

Conflicts of interest also need to be dealt with. The amnesty debate was an absolute disgrace.

That the rice scheme has got to where it is is a major failing of the Thai processes.

The gerrymandering of the flood relief hearings is another poke in the eye to democracy

The 2.2 trillion baht loan is an insult to fiscal discipline

Nepotism is another and includes all parties

In short these types of event need procedures that the government should adhere to and in the event of them breaking the rules, suspend the legislation and have a body with teeth sort it out and anyone guilty made an example of

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You havent said anything wild and unfair. Its a certain starting point for a negotiation. But it brings nothing for those supporting PTP doesnt it. It seems to suggest that all of Thailands ills, all corruption and all the problems of thailand come from the reds. But lets be honest here, they just happen to be the party of political power and can make these deals.

So lets unveil the elephant in the room.

The reds will win any election carried out. Not just now, but also for the foreseeable future given that the dems have allied themselves with an anti-democratic... spirit in the Thai people. One which many Thai people will rightly feel has one ultimate goal: to shut the reds and their supporters out of the corridors of legal/political power (as well as backroom and financial power). Now you may suggest this is ludicrous, but you cannot deny that this will be the interpretation. The democratss will have lost a great deal of neutral and moderate support from this once it dies down. And lets not of course forget, that through their own decisions at the height of the anti-government fervour they cut themselves out of the next government absolutely. It will take a great deal of work to reposition themselves as a trustworthy party of democracy to anyone who might be considered a neutral or swing voter in any election they may participate in. In addition, a power vacuum in the south is coming, and this will split their vote should this parliament survive for any period of time.

You do not need to be clairvoyant to see that not only will this lock them out of the North and east (areas they MUST make in-roads within to claim to represent the people of Thailand), it will destroy their representation through the extra list system (PR), and their vote will be split. This all but guarantees that PTP will coast to victory. It also takes away their remit to argue they have the power base to force negotiation and extract concessions. Which of course will increase the impetus for violence and civil disobedience as their single means for 'change'

Which of course brings us back to the elephant in the room.

The reds WILL come to power by democratic means (assuming there are no attempts to change the weight of the regions). So how will you bring in your anti-corruption laws exclusively focusing on the reds when they have the seat of power? What will bring them to the negotiating table? Another coup? Boundary changes? Electoral changes giving more weight to democratic constituencies and voters over the mass in the North and East?

So what will then bring them to accept this coup or these changes as anything other than the confirmation of their suspicions that the old order are locking them out of power and closing down the single most effective avenue for their voice and interests to be heard? Why should they accept this and why would this not be the catalyst for an absolute disaster in Thailand (or at best, yet another government kicked out of office by a peoples revolution and the return of red power to bangkok (and the exact same situation in 4 years time)?

The cycle then, continues. So where is the compromise, where is the negotiation that will break this deadlock and allow for these changes you desire to occur. The reds hold electoral power. They wont lose. And if you take it away by force, theyll just return to the streets to demand it back again. So is only fatalism left? Small release valve changes of government every two years or so following a street protest? Maybe a good old fashioned civil war to decide the issue once and for all... or is there still a chance for democracy, compromise, and negotiation to sort this out? Far from answering the questions, im afraid you simply restated the problem.

Inutil.. you make a good point about not changing the weight of the electoral influence of the reds should an election be deferred.. I can think of one good example but it kind'a works the other way....

Yingluck dissolved parliament on the 26Dec after seeking Royal consent to conduct new elections on 2Feb... thereby putting into place a process that the EC is obliged to follow (but quite openlyhas been seeking ways to avoid). What the EC then did without any subsequent public announcement could be regarded as subterfuge... namely between 26Dec and 1Dec (the date cant be confirmed as there was no announcement) they made it compulsory for those people residing outside their normal place of residence to be eligible to vote they had to pre-register for a postal vote prior to 2January (it seems the notice was made with only one day's notice..but this is even difficult to find written) otherwise the only place they can cast their vote on 2Feb is in their home village - (requiring them to return to their villages for one day). The EC announced the only time window that people could register for postal votes was 2January.. the day where a majority of people from the NE were returning to Bangkok after New Years break and would not have been able to either hear the of the cutoff announcement made on 1Jan (it was never made publicly) or in practice making it impossible to register for their postal vote in person. But it certainly seems to me that it would be in the best interest for Reds / PTP / YL to support a deferral of the election date and then for them to ensure that a fair and timely postal vote registration window is open for the majority of provincial voters who reside in Bangkok. Now that would certainly change the weight of voting power.

I am doing my best to interpret these statements from the Thai language Pantip forums - so if I am not factually accurate or even presenting an overly biased view please can someone update or correct me.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Bkk Cruiser