Army, police on full alert for Sunday’s election

[webfact]

Army, police on full alert for Sunday’s election
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 31 – Thailand’s Army will be on full alert countrywide, but particularly in Bangkok, to provide safety and prevent possible clashes among opposing factions when Thai people go to the polls Sunday.

Wintai Suvaree, army deputy spokesman, said Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered deployment of army forces near polling stations and sporadic patrols on tollways as requested by the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

“Army personnel will be assigned to many locations in the capital. We cannot deploy permanent forces on tollways but the army chief has ordered additional security measures on tall buildings and higher ground,” he said.

Meanwhile, caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who is concurrently director of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), petitioned the Civil Court this morning against the PDRC bid for a court ruling to revoke the government-imposed Emergency Decree.

The Civil Court is scheduled to announce this afternoon whether the state of emergency, declared by the caretaker government on Jan 22, will be nullified following a petition by PDRC core leader Thaworn Senneam.

Mr Chalerm said the government will handle the situation the same whether the Emergency Decree is in force or not, for it has never contemplated dispersing rallies.

“If the court revokes the Emergency Decree, it is up to the prime minister on who will take charge of the CMPO. I plead the premier to allow me to continue the job as I’m ready to work,” he said.

Mr Chalerm was appointed director of the CMPO which was immediately set up after the Emergency Decree was invoked.

He said protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban and the PDRC must be held responsible for violence in the South in light of a report that PDRC members seized the postal office in Hat Yai to blockade the transfer of ballots to polling stations.

He threatened to arrest Mr Suthep after the Sunday’s elections and called on people not to block polling stations, or they would be liable to imprisonment for disrupting the elections.

Police have been instructed to be on full alert to prevent clashes between PDRC protesters and voters who go to the polls on Sunday, he said. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-01-31

[ShannonT]

It's time the army and police crack down on the protesters. Enough is enough. In any civilized country around the world they would have been treated much tougher much sooner. You cannot keep disrupting a country and other people's rights.

[Noi657]

Of course you can... This is Thailand!

[ChrisY1]

If only the cops would do their job.....but...the truth is that they don't know how to police.....period!!

[Curt1591]

It is more likely the army will clash with the police, than with the protesters!

[Scamper]

Suthep's imminent arrest from Chalerm has been a phenomenon dating back to November. If Chalerm really wanted to see him, why didn't he accompany the CAPO delegation's meeting with Suthep this afternoon ?

[Somtamnication]

Yep, full alert. One is pointing the gun to the other. Sunday will be a fun day for all. Already bought my beer.

[Patje]

And all looking the other way !!!

[thesetat2013]

If only the cops would do their job.....but...the truth is that they don't know how to police.....period!!

The cops did do their job on Feb 2. They raided all the bars at Nana for kickback money in the places that someone was drinking alcohol. What more can you expect from them?

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[blaze]

If only the cops would do their job.....but...the truth is that they don't know how to police.....period!!

The police are holding back at the direction of the gov't.

The gov't is well aware that the first baton on head will bring on a coup.

Remember that the army are out to protect the prostesters-- from who?

I am no lover of the Thai police- but they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

[blaze]

Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered deployment of army forces near polling stations and sporadic patrols on tollways as requested by the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

This tells you all you need to know.

The army is taking requests- if not orders - from a group formenting illegal regime change. (if not all out civil war).

Regardless of political sympathy, this should frighten everyone here.

This is the rule of law that Suthep wants to see inaugurated in Thailand- where the army remains a law unto itself?

Edited January 31, 2014 by blaze

[BlueNoseCodger]

Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha other statement was this one:

Prayuth says he has no special power to act for Suthep. The phrase speaks volumes if you understand Thailand.

It means there's no special backing for Suthep, and the Election Decree stands (i.e. 2nd February elections). So anything General Prayuth is doing he's doing to help Suthep on his own, likewise the rest of them.

Edited January 31, 2014 by BlueNoseCodger

[smoochy]

I still enjoy the lack of traffic around the protest zones. I hope they keep it up the rest of the year.

[lostmebike]

If only the cops would do their job.....but...the truth is that they don't know how to police.....period!!

Cos it's too much hard work for them.

If there's no financial gain involved, they just aint interested.

[blaze]

If only the cops would do their job.....but...the truth is that they don't know how to police.....period!!

Cos it's too much hard work for them.

If there's no financial gain involved, they just aint interested.

ON this occasion- that what you say is not true. There are other reasons for the police inaction.

But it is true that with all this, the police are less trusted than ever, the army seen as rogue, the courts and agencies as abritrary at best-- democracy surrendered to the mob--

- these are the markings of a failed state.

Without trust in central institutions, no state can survive- welcome to the jungle.

Edited January 31, 2014 by blaze

[jollyman]

We have a saying in Mongolia, "give a man enough string and he will soon hang himself up by his balls" soon YOU IS TOAST mr sethup

[thaisaregrt]

If only the cops would do their job.....but...the truth is that they don't know how to police.....period!!

The police are holding back at the direction of the gov't.

The gov't is well aware that the first baton on head will bring on a coup.

Remember that the army are out to protect the prostesters-- from who?

I am no lover of the Thai police- but they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

actually they are just damned all the time. As for being trustworthy, wasnt it a policeman that shot the protesters the other day and had to be subdued, yeh, real trustworthy for red sympathizers and ptp scum

[blaze]

If only the cops would do their job.....but...the truth is that they don't know how to police.....period!!

The police are holding back at the direction of the gov't.

The gov't is well aware that the first baton on head will bring on a coup.

Remember that the army are out to protect the prostesters-- from who?

I am no lover of the Thai police- but they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

actually they are just damned all the time. As for being trustworthy, wasnt it a policeman that shot the protesters the other day and had to be subdued, yeh, real trustworthy for red sympathizers and ptp scum

Wouldn't be at all surprised- Compare that to the Ukraine- to Egypt- you would prefer the police to bring in the iron boot?

If a policeman shot a protester in cold blood- then I will be the first to demand he be charged with murder.

And --"ptp scum'-- ?

The people who vote PTP with its promise (however poorly thought out and incompetently delivere) to empower the poor are scum? Deluded, maybe- but-- scum?

Yeah- the profile of the Suthep loving farang just became a bit more apparent.

Edited January 31, 2014 by blaze

[chadintheusa]

Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered deployment of army forces near polling stations and sporadic patrols on tollways as requested by the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

This tells you all you need to know.

The army is taking requests- if not orders - from a group formenting illegal regime change. (if not all out civil war).

Regardless of political sympathy, this should frighten everyone here.

This is the rule of law that Suthep wants to see inaugurated in Thailand- where the army remains a law unto itself?

Where have you been? The army has always acted on its own and overthrown the government whenever it pleased. If the government is taking orders from a convicted criminal and pilfering the country's wealth instead of working for the benefit of the people maybe it should be changed. They haven't even taken care of their own supporters and have left farmers unpaid for months, long before the election was called. In Thailand the law has never been applied equally. Many segments of society are above the law or can buy justice. If you think that the PM represents the people, and the army works under the PM and everyone is equally under the law then you don't have a clue about Thailand. The army is in place because there is no confidence in the police since they are in the pocket of Thaksin. They have never intervened to stop the protesters from being attacked and have been caught shooting protesters.

[harada]

It's time the army and police crack down on the protesters. Enough is enough. In any civilized country around the world they would have been treated much tougher much sooner. You cannot keep disrupting a country and other people's rights.

The end is nigh.

[BuddyPinkham]

Chalerm is just a big old BLOW-HARD that wants to keep his POWER as the PEACE OFFICER! He is really a wing-nut!

[DGIE]

Chalerm threatened to arrest Mr Suthep after the Sunday’s elections and called on people not to block polling stations, or they would be liable to imprisonment for disrupting the elections.

Why not today, Saturday, so that Suthep cannot lead the protesters anymore in blocking polling stations tomorrow?