Thailand Live Monday 20 Jan 2014

[webfact]

Western region farmers to block Rama 2 highway
in Business

BANGKOK: -- Farmers from Ratchaburi, Phetburi, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Kanchanaburi, and Samut Sakhon will block the Rama 2 highway today to step up their protests to oust the caretaker government.

They planned to blockage the Wang Manao intersection in Ratchauri province which is the major highway linking the central region with the southern region.

Their leaders said that they no longer have confidence in the caretaker government which repeatedly telling lies about rice payments. They will block the Rama 2 highway today to paralyze communications to the South.

Farmers said they knew that a caretaker government could not do what it promised and now they wanted the new government which could come to resolve their problems.

Meanwhile a farmer leader Prasit Boonchoei said farmers are asking the Lawyers Association of Thailand to file legal action against caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, in her capacity as the chairperson of the National Rice Policy Committee, on fraud charge for taking their rice but refusing to pay them for over four months now.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/western-region-farmers-block-rama-2-highway/


-- Thai PBS 2014-01-20

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Car registration work is being affected by anti-govt protest, as land transport dept is near Lat Phrao rally stage. - @ktnews

[webfact]

Thaworn leads protesters from Victory Monument to shut down Govt Savings Bank HQ; Ratchaprasong protesters go to Govt Lottery Office in Nonthaburi /MCOT

[webfact]

Abhisit asks Army chief for more troops to safeguard protesters



BANGKOK: -- Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva this morning urged Army commander-in-chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha to deploy more soldiers to safeguard anti-government protesters following the increase of violent armed attacks at protest sites.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697911-abhisit-asks-army-chief-for-more-troops-to-safeguard-protesters/

[webfact]

RT @BPbreakingnews: 10.39am: Motorcyclists fired shots at anti-government protest guards on Chaeng Wattana road early Monday morning.

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Prayuth's getting good at making you frown one day and feel relieved an another. He's ruled out coup in latest statement.

[webfact]

URGENT -- Magnitude-6.3 quake strikes New Zealand, tremors felt in Wellington

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697910-urgent-magnitude-63-quake-strikes-new-zealand-tremors-felt-in-wellington/

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Prayuth: Soldiers know their duty and the rules and will not break them. Don't believe the rumours.

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Prayuth, in latest statement, gave hints on his thoughts on emergency decree, though, saying "2010 remains our bitter experience".

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: RT @Tulip_Oum: 10.47AM at GSB HQ.- @Phop_NTV: http://t.co/zUY4S5q9wt

[webfact]

Nine-inch Nicky intrudes onto Asoke stage, curses protestors
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- A 90’s popstar turned soft porn actor nicknamed “Nine-inch Nicky” steamed up the Asoke PRDC protest site yesterday, when he intruded on stage and stole the microphone off a protest leader.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697914-nine-inch-nicky-intrudes-onto-asoke-stage-curses-protestors/

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Coup myth: when it happens, yr denial becomes a lie, but as long as it still doesn't happen, yr denial always remains suspect.

[webfact]

Five soldiers in Narathiwat teacher protection unit wounded in bomb ambush /MCOT

[webfact]

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

[webfact]

Police said they know the identity of attacker in yesterday’s explosions

BANGKOK: -- The police said today that they now know the identity of the man who hurled two hand grenades at anti-government protests at the Victory Monument yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697881-second-grenade-attack-rocks-bangkok/page-4?p=7317304#entry7317304

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: In Uttaradit, protesting farmers insisted their grievances are not political and have nothing to do with PDRC.

RT @tulsathit: Protests by unpaid farmers in the rice pledging scheme are intensifying this week.

[webfact]

RT @veen_NT: GSB Trade Union joins the anti-govt protest - RT@Phop_NTV http://t.co/MAaZTTmFLi

[webfact]

Caretaker PM working Defence Ministry, evaluating protest; Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives staff wear black to protest rice pledging scheme /MCOT

[webfact]

Deputy National Police Chief reveals more evidence in recent bomb attacks



BANGKOK, 20 January 2014 (NNT) — Deputy National Police Chief Police General Worapong Chewprecha revealed the police have uncovered useful evidence regarding the bombing incidents on Banthat Thong Road and at the Victory Monument.

Police General Worapong disclosed that a bomb’s striker lever was found on Banthat Thong Road after police were finally able to enter the area and conduct a detail search of the premises.

As for the bombing at Victory Monument, the Deputy National Police Chief thanked the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) for allowing officials to enter the protest site to gather more evidence.

In regard to identities of the bomb attackers, more investigations are still being carried out to determine who the culprits were. In the meantime, police are working in cooperation with the protest core-leaders to ensure safety and set up more checkpoints around the demonstration parameters.


-- NNT 2014-01-20

[webfact]

People across nation encouraged to show support to Feb 2 election



BANGKOK, 20 January 2014 (NNT) – People in several provinces have come out to light candles in their gesture of support to the general election, which has been set for February 2, 2014.

In Phitsanulok, a number of people, dressed in white, showed up at the central train station in Muang District to light candles. The action was to show their stance to protect the country’s democracy as they called for the general election to go ahead on February 2nd as planned. The people also expressed their strong disagreement with the idea of military coup.

Meanwhile, youngsters in Khon Kaen Province, also dressed in white, released white balloons to call for peace and democracy in the country.

As for Chiang Rai, a number of people traveled to a military camp in give flowers, as a moral support to the soldiers, while urging the latter not to stage a coup d’etat.

In Tak Province, a group of people gathered in front of the Municipality Office of Nakhon Mae Sot City, holding up signs and banners, and voicing support for the election. They also called on all Thais to show up on Feb 2 and exercise their rights.

In the meantime, a group of businesspersons in Bangkok lit candles at Benjasiri Park to ask all sides to refrain from using violence and restore peace in the capital.


-- NNT 2014-01-20

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: The rally stage at Democracy Monument is not there any more & so the Khao San Road area is a lot safer now #Bangkok http://t.co/GQfAzdfHvK

[webfact]

EU calls for international probe into Cambodian election



BANGKOK: -- In the strongest international reaction to the contested result of July’s national election yet, the European Parliament passed a resolution on Thursday calling on Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government to conduct an independent, internationally led investigation of the election and the killing of five garment factory protesters earlier this month, The Cambodia Daily reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697944-eu-calls-for-international-probe-into-cambodian-election/

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Unpaid farmers blocking Uttaradit-Phitsanulok Rd. RT @supee_nnanorth: Photo by Boonpim Baiya. #nna http://t.co/1xGzROAQ0g

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Arrest warrants for Victory Monument bomb suspects could be imminent. via @Nattha_ThaiPBS

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Police say Victory Monument bomb suspects might have "mixed" with protesters b4 attack. via @Nattha_ThaiPBS

[webfact]

RT @tulsathit: Compared with last Monday, this looks more like it. RT @freyaminnie: @js100radio Central Rama 3 part of expressway. http://t.co/xvWMGjL8ue

[webfact]

Thaksin corruption claims stoke Thai protest outrage
by Aidan JONES

BANGKOK, January 20, 2014 (AFP) - Corruption allegations against former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra are at the centre of an anti-government campaign by protesters who say that while graft is endemic his billionaire family overstepped the mark.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697947-thaksin-corruption-claims-stoke-thai-protest-outrage/

[webfact]

Army chief hits back at red-shirt leaders, telling them to stop framing military
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha Monday hit back at the red-shirt leaders, saying they should stop trying to frame the military and should take responsibility for damages done in red-shirt protests in 2010.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697949-army-chief-hits-back-at-red-shirt-leaders-telling-them-to-stop-framing-military/

[webfact]

Phuket protesters force govt TV station to close
Prapaporn Jitmaneeyaphan


Protesters besiege the offices of the president of Rajabhat Phuket University.

PHUKET:-- Following the grenade attacks in Bangkok on Friday and Sunday (January 17 and 19) that killed a Phuket man and injured dozens of other anti-government protestors, their counterparts in Phuket are today pumping up the pressure on local government institutions.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697961-phuket-protesters-force-govt-tv-station-to-close/

[webfact]

RT @Tulip_Oum: 12:50PM PDRC leaves GSB after bank confirm no plan to let Govt loan to pay for Rice Price Pledging Scheme.-@Phop_NTV http://t.co/JN9cL0T2TO