Protesters demand prompt and fair probe by police

[Lite Beer]

Protesters demand prompt and fair probe by police
The Sunday Nation

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, leading another mass march yesterday, weeps after he learned that one protester has died from injuries inflicted in Friday

BANGKOK: -- Protest leaders yesterday demanded that police conduct a fair and speedy investigation into Friday's grenade attack.

Satit Wongnongtaey, a senior Democrat Party member and leader of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), denied that the PDRC staged a bomb attack on its own protesters, which led to one death and 40 people being injured.

He said a video clip purportedly showing a grenade being thrown from a pickup truck belonging to a protester was not reliable and tantamount to an attempt to slander the PDRC.

Satit said that on closer perusal one could see that the grenade was thrown from an abandoned building on Banthad Thong Road. Satit also said the PDRC did not abruptly change course to march on that route, as accused by some. The route was part of plans from the beginning.

Satit warned that police should be protecters of civilians, not killers.

Former Democrat MP Kowit Tharana, meanwhile, denied owning the pickup truck shown in the video. He said although his name was printed on the truck, it belonged to his aide, who was also injured in the attack, so it made no sense that his aide would be the one who carried out the attack as no one wants to be a suicide bomber.

Kowit said the bomb was thrown from a building and people on the back of the pickup truck were lucky as the grenade appeared to have hit a power line on a pole before hitting the ground.

PDRC protesters led by Chumpol Julsai went to the national police headquarters yesterday and submitted a letter to deputy police chief Pol Lt-General Amnart Anart-ngam, demanding a speedy and fair investigation into the blast on Friday.

Chumpol said the PDRC was happy to have police ensuring safety of protesters but they must be in uniform.

Amnart, meanwhile, said the police were speeding the investigation to the best of their ability and expressed satisfaction that nothing untoward happened yesterday.

PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban led another march yesterday along Phetchaburi Road and Rama IV Road amid heavy security and many well-wishers along the way. Only journalists were allowed to be close to Suthep.

Suthep said there was nothing he and the PDRC could have done to prevent what happened on Friday and guards were sent to Banthad Thong Road in advance, as they knew some buildings were not occupied.

"We have to go on with our fight because what we are doing is for our country," Suthep told reporters, although he added the movement was on "full alert".

Meanwhile, Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut accused the government of killing protesters and wanting to shutdown the Kingdom. He said the party would write a letter to the United Nations and other international organisations to complain about the matter, and the letters would probably be signed by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

In a related development, Narathiwat police chief Pol Maj-General Pattanawut Angkhanawin insisted yesterday that a red cap that Bangkok police found along with weapons at an abandoned building following the Banthat Thong bombing against anti-government protesters did not belong to the Narathiwat police as claimed.

The cap, which carried the words "Assault Unit" in Thai, was shown on social media, which led to claims that it belonged to a police officer who had undergone assault unit training in Narathiwat. Pattanawut told a press conference the cap certainly wasn't from local police because the province didn't send any police to join the crowd control mission in Bangkok, officially or secretly. He said the cap also carried a different font and symbol from those used by Narathiwat police.

He urged all sides not to bring police from the South into the political protest, as insurgents may want to use such claims to create disunity in the region.

-- The Nation 2014-01-19

[airconsult]

And the car stopped for no reason at all....

EDIT - whether your ordered it or not is not the question - it's certainly in the traditional sondhi plan of "what to do when your support is waning"

Edited January 18, 2014 by airconsult

[jackrich]

I would like to see Suthep explain the video where it appears like the driver of thr pickup truck throws something out of the window and that something explodes a second later. Prior to that, the pickup truck also stops even though everyone else in the group, both walking and driving, are still moving.

Thr video has gone viral among Thais and is is causing huge discussions and disbelief. I think Suthep better come out and explain it, before Thais draw their obviois own conclusions.

[edwinchester]

Looking at the video it certainly appears that something is thrown from the pickup and then explodes.

Somebody has some explaining to do at the very least.

[Tatsujin]

And the car stopped for no reason at all....

EDIT - whether your ordered it or not is not the question - it's certainly in the traditional sondhi plan of "what to do when your support is waning"

Well, take a look at the guy that is immediately in front of the trucks right headlight (as we look at it, the left if you were in the vehicle), he clearly puts up his hand to stop the vehicle for some reason, but it looks very casual. That's the reason it stopped, the guy indicated it should.

[Tatsujin]

Not sure what you guys are seeing as something "thrown" from the truck, if you're referring to the "flash" of something near the truck just before the explosion, it's the flag the guy is waving around.

[jackrich]

Nope, no flag. The flag guy walks away a few seconds before and then something is thrown out of the pickup truck.

This video will be the downfall of Suthep.

[Emptyset]

I would like to see Suthep explain the video where it appears like the driver of thr pickup truck throws something out of the window and that something explodes a second later. Prior to that, the pickup truck also stops even though everyone else in the group, both walking and driving, are still moving.

Thr video has gone viral among Thais and is is causing huge discussions and disbelief. I think Suthep better come out and explain it, before Thais draw their obviois own conclusions.

Look again:

You can see that the movement that looks like something being thrown is actually just the flag moving. I'm not saying it isn't a set-up but having the truck driver throw the grenade would be a pretty dumb way to do it anyway, especially if you'd changed the route so that you were going past some empty shophouses which would be ideal to throw a grenade from.

I don't think we'll ever know for sure either way.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Emptyset

[Curt1591]

What it is, is the driver was a red shirt spy. When the guy signaled for the truck to stop, assuming he had been found out, the spy panicked, lobbed a grenade to create a diversion and clear a path, then he is clearly seen running from the truck.

Yes, that's it!

[Tatsujin]

Nope, no flag. The flag guy walks away a few seconds before and then something is thrown out of the pickup truck.

This video will be the downfall of Suthep.

You need glasses. Watch the guy waving the flag on the left, follow the arc of it as it moves towards the truck just before the explosion. It's a flag, nothing more.

[EricBerg]

"Protest leaders yesterday demanded that police conduct a fair and speedy investigation into Friday's grenade attack."

Police fair and speedy??????????? Thought they still had to do that reform thing? Surely that's not done alread?

[jaltsc]

"Protest leaders yesterday demanded that police conduct a fair and speedy investigation..."

I suppose there is a first time for everything .

[Curt1591]

"Protest leaders yesterday demanded that police conduct a fair and speedy investigation into Friday's grenade attack."

Should be a piece of cake. The protesters and army have already gathered all the evidence for them!

Edited January 19, 2014 by Curt1591

[LomSak27]

Somebody has some splaining to do ......

Satit Wongnongtaey, a senior Democrat Party member and leader of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), denied that the PDRC staged a bomb attack on its own protesters, which led to one death and 40 people being injured. He said a video clip purportedly showing a grenade being thrown from a pickup truck belonging to a protester was not reliable and tantamount to an attempt to slander the PDRC.

Why stop now, why not go all the way ... this has to be the work of the man in Dubai who used Cambodian Wizards he met in Helsinki to take over the mind of a dem supporter and have them toss a grenade.

Cause if it isn't the PDRC are TOAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[icommunity]

Either the protesters staged it or guerilla warfare started.

Send from my Mobile

[LomSak27]

Police are seeking two men, one believed to be an aide of a former Democrat MP, seen in a video clip of the grenade explosion that killed one protester and injured scores of others in the rally at Banthat...

Uh oh! 'an aide of a former democrat MP' its just keeps getting worse

[MikeOboe57]

Nope, no flag. The flag guy walks away a few seconds before and then something is thrown out of the pickup truck.

This video will be the downfall of Suthep.

You need glasses. Watch the guy waving the flag on the left, follow the arc of it as it moves towards the truck just before the explosion. It's a flag, nothing more.

Too late. The 1/17 truthers are already out in full force.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[englishoak]

Police are seeking two men, one believed to be an aide of a former Democrat MP, seen in a video clip of the grenade explosion that killed one protester and injured scores of others in the rally at Banthat...

Uh oh! 'an aide of a former democrat MP' its just keeps getting worse

Former Democrat MP Kowit Tharana, meanwhile, denied owning the pickup truck shown in the video. He said although his name was printed on the truck, it belonged to his aide, who was also injured in the attack.

Shouldnt be too hard to track down even for the RTP

[wirat69]

I would like to see Suthep explain the video where it appears like the driver of thr pickup truck throws something out of the window and that something explodes a second later. Prior to that, the pickup truck also stops even though everyone else in the group, both walking and driving, are still moving.

Thr video has gone viral among Thais and is is causing huge discussions and disbelief. I think Suthep better come out and explain it, before Thais draw their obviois own conclusions.

ummmm "He said a video clip purportedly showing a grenade being thrown from a pickup truck belonging to a protester was not reliable and tantamount to an attempt to slander the PDRC.

Satit said that on closer perusal one could see that the grenade was thrown from an abandoned building on Banthad Thong Road. "

?Time to get your rich jack to an optometrist??

[jaidam]

Cases such as this highlight the dangers of having a criminal fugitive appoint the metropolitan chief of police. Kind of like expecting Boss Hogg to catch his own bootleggers. A farcical situation that serves as a reminder of exactly why urgent reform is needed before any thought is given to an election.

[chooka]

I would like to see Suthep explain the video where it appears like the driver of thr pickup truck throws something out of the window and that something explodes a second later. Prior to that, the pickup truck also stops even though everyone else in the group, both walking and driving, are still moving.

Thr video has gone viral among Thais and is is causing huge discussions and disbelief. I think Suthep better come out and explain it, before Thais draw their obviois own conclusions.

It's a tactic by Suthep. He is itching so bad for confrontation and will sacrifice a few of his own to try and blame it on the other side. The only reason he is crying is because his support is dwindling and his little circus is slowly sinking down the sewer.

[Tatsujin]

Nope, no flag. The flag guy walks away a few seconds before and then something is thrown out of the pickup truck.

This video will be the downfall of Suthep.

You need glasses. Watch the guy waving the flag on the left, follow the arc of it as it moves towards the truck just before the explosion. It's a flag, nothing more.

Too late. The 1/17 truthers are already out in full force.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Jeez, I know some of you guys here are blinkered to the truth, but seriously . . . lol

[Emptyset]

Police are seeking two men, one believed to be an aide of a former Democrat MP, seen in a video clip of the grenade explosion that killed one protester and injured scores of others in the rally at Banthat...

Uh oh! 'an aide of a former democrat MP' its just keeps getting worse

Watch the video I posted a few times. I'm pretty close to certain nothing was thrown from the truck. And even if it looked like there was, nobody could be that dumb, surely? There are a few things that raise questions, as I've said before. But not the above videos. They did appear to change the planned route and police didn't necessarily know about the route change. The person that tossed the grenade from the shophouse surely must have known the route they were going to take... how?

Then there's the thing about three people in camoflauge being spotted in the empty house. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything. I doubt the military would actually wear camoflauge for such a job. Then the BB guns found, was it intended to look (to amateurs like myself) like a real weapons cache? Also the fact that police weren't allowed in to investigate at first - but I suppose that could be explained by the lack of trust. Military were there first, handling and moving things around, like the grenade spoon. And one of the first military officers on the scene was apparently a notoriously anti-red Colonel.

Doubt there's any chance of a proper investigation now, if there ever was.

[chooka]

Either the protesters staged it or guerilla warfare started. Send from my Mobile

They have accused the police of doing it.

[JRSoul]

And the car stopped for no reason at all....

EDIT - whether your ordered it or not is not the question - it's certainly in the traditional sondhi plan of "what to do when your support is waning"

Actually what you are saying is that the pickup stopped so a grenade could be dropped and exploded alongside it, but not by the driver. So why did the driver stop; to be closer to an explosive and shrapnel device with a killing range of more than 5 metres?

The question could be asked of the alleged thrower in the back. Why would he wait until the pickup stopped?

Was this pre-arranged by the 2 of them? Are we looking at not one but 2 homicidal maniacs with a death wish? Or is it more likely that it was thrown/dropped by someone at what seems a safe range?

[Tatsujin]

Now they are claiming as fact that it was a guy in a white hat that walked past the truck, dropped the grenade and hid behind a pole, NOT thrown from the back of the truck.

Come on guys, get your conspiracy theories correct please, it's confusing.

[redsox44]

Truth sucks doesn't it Supreme Leader.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ManopY]

Thai Police can be very efficient!

Robbery cases solved in a few days, sex cases, murder cases... same!

BUT!

From the beginning of this protest (more than 80 days ago), more than 30 events happened (some peoples died, many where injured, a lot of ping pong bombs...) BUT the Police did NOT SOLVE ANY of those cases!!! => WHY!!!

[moonao]

LOL at Sutheps crocodile tears. This is the same guy indicted for the murder of 90+ protesters a few years ago. He wants his coup, he wants chaos, he wants rivers of blood.

[kingalfred]

Perhaps the mob should let the police do their jobs in other respects,such as keeping the streets clear for public access ,but maybe these goons dont believe thats"fair"

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited January 19, 2014 by kingalfred