Shots, blasts as protest rivals clash on Thai election eve

[Lite Beer]

Shots, blasts as protest rivals clash on Thai election eve

by William DAVIES

BANGKOK, February 1, 2014 (AFP) - Violence erupted in Bangkok on Saturday, the eve of tense Thai elections, with explosions and heavy gunfire breaking out in clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters, according to an AFP journalist.

Bystanders, security personnel and journalists raced to take cover in a north Bangkok shopping mall after a man pulled an assault rifle from a bag and began spraying bullets during a stand-off between government supporters and scores of opposition demonstrators, an AFP reporter at the scene said.

The firing went on for at least one hour.

Emergency workers said several people have been injured in the fighting, which broke out as anti-government groups laid siege to a ballot box distribution centre in the Thai capital.

"One victim was apparently shot in the chest and was hospitalised," an official from the city's Erawan emergency centre said, adding that two others had also been taken to hospital.

Tensions are high in the capital ahead of controversial elections on Sunday, which opposition demonstrators have vowed to block as they seek to prevent the likely re-election of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Bangkok has been rocked by weeks of sometimes bloody rallies by a loose coalition opposed to Yingluck and the enduring influence of her brother Thaksin Shinawatra -- a former premier ousted by the military in 2006.

The unrest is the latest round of political instability to hit Thailand since royalist generals ousted Thaksin seven years ago, unleashing a cycle of occasionally-violent street protests.

Saturday's clashes happened after demonstrators blocking ballot boxes from being delivered from the Lak Si district office in northern Bangkok -- one of 50 in the capital -- were confronted by a group of some 200 government supporters, some armed with sticks and metal bars.

At least two explosions were heard in the area, which police attributed to Molotov cocktails, before the firing began.

The AFP reporter said there were volleys of heavy gunfire in the area at one point.

At least 10 people have been killed and hundreds injured in clashes, grenade attacks and drive-by shootings since the opposition rallies began three months ago.

Observers are predicting a chaotic election after advance voting was blocked in several parts of the capital last Sunday.

Around 130,000 police are set to protect 93,000 polling stations across the country.

Authorities said protesters were also blocking ballot boxes being delivered to polling stations across southern Thailand.

Opposition protesters -- mainly the Bangkok middle classes and southerners, backed by factions in the elite -- are demanding Yingluck's elected government step down to make way for an unelected "people's council" that would oversee loosely defined reforms to tackle corruption and alleged vote-buying.

"The government is corrupt. If we let the vote go on then they will come back, so we should not hold the election," said opposition protester Sirames, who gave only one name, at the Lak Si office before violence broke out.

The backdrop to the protests is a years-long political struggle pitting the kingdom's royalist establishment -- backed by the courts and the military -- against Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-politician.

Yingluck is likely to win Sunday's poll, helped by strong support in Thaksin's north and northeastern heartlands.

But uncertainty hangs over the results, with unrest threatening polling and several constituencies without a candidate.

Some 440,000 people prevented from casting ballots last week are due to vote on February 23.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-02-01

[Costas2008]

Where is the Police and the Army?

[londonthai]

early night just only started. On the pics looks like several dead/motionless.

ps molotov cocktails don't exlode

Edited February 1, 2014 by londonthai

[wonder6281]

Dear 'O' Dear and tomorrow is the actual day of the election!!!!

[draftvader]

Might have to re-think my shopping trip to Foodland tomorrow :/ Not the nicest thing to happen anywhere, let alone in your back-yard!

[Thait Spot]

Trouble maker red shirt ko tee up to his usual stuff

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[millwall_fan]

I fear its going to be a long night, followed by an even longer day tomorrow.

[Guest]

It might become one long and violent night.

Sometimes I wish they could put these most violent people from both sides inside of sports stadium and close the doors.

Source: https://twitter.com/wutthipun_tnn24/status/429558721325195265/photo/1

[coma]

Short footage from mobile of the incident. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxmrOFKNyXg

Edited February 1, 2014 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[BuddyPinkham]

a man pulled an assault rifle from a bag and began spraying bullets WHY DON"T THEY JUST SAY IT AS IT IS! RED SHIRTS opened fire!

[draftvader]

It might become one long and violent night.

Sometimes I wish they could put these most violent people from both sides inside of sports stadium and close the doors.

Source: https://twitter.com/wutthipun_tnn24/status/429558721325195265/photo/1

It took much longer than any of us thought it would. I guess now is the long drawn out sadness leading to the moral higher ground....but for who?

[BuddyPinkham]

Where is the Police and the Army?

in hiding!

[nottocus]

Amazing Thailand…it starts with the people.

[Red Snake]

Why didn't the soldiers come earlier in the day to remove the protesters and stop this from happening in the first place. This idea to wait until shots are fired isn't a good policy to stop violence.

[taony]

Haven't seen anything on Thai TV at all about this, even the stations that have news programs on now. I have true, so I don't get them all, but its shameful. TNN is going on and on about preparations for the election. Showing people putting up boxes for ballots all over the country. Nice.

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: VIDEO: Gunfire & explosions in #Bangkok on the eve of national elections - RT @go6tv: คลิปปะทะ แยกหลักสี่ youtube.com/watch?v=_wVmQA… #Thailand

[Thait Spot]

Why didn't the soldiers come earlier in the day to remove the protesters and stop this from happening in the first place. This idea to wait until shots are fire isn't a good policy to stop violence.

This is the job of the police......

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[casualbiker]

Why didn't the soldiers come earlier in the day to remove the protesters and stop this from happening in the first place. This idea to wait until shots are fire isn't a good policy to stop violence.

Because according to some Pro government supporters on TV it is Yinglucks plan to have the anti government protesters intimidated so much that they retaliate. Hence ensuring world support for her "Democratic "government.....

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[pipkins]

This going to keep the mob well pinned back. See how many polling stations they shut down now they know they going to be defended.

respect the vote PDRC thats all anybody wanted.

Sad, but as the army have protected the miniscule mob from the police, people finally had enough. Just a few hotheads today and lets hope thats an end to it. That was a random mob on the red side trying to get the idiots to release the ballot papers. The ones that PDRC were promising would be ok... "we categorically state we will not block the election" how many lies now from the stage.

Koh Tee just called press conference. He is a dangersous mad man, as is Suthep. Get used to them both.

Koh Tee quote last week "I too am not interested in any more elections, it is time to start killing them"

Need the middle educated thais to stand up and leave the extremists at both ends. But, won't happen so now we have 2 mad men on stages every night.

Educated. this is going to take 2 generations before anybody can call themselves that who is involved with this (on both sides) and then, they are going to need courage to stand up and stand apart from the Elites on one side and the radical left from the North.

Now many cower in the middle and hope they can be safe then it all dies down. Needed more to stand up months ago when it started and say they wanted no truck with either extreme. But , the blowing whistles was just too much fun to resist wasn't it.

[casualbiker]

RT@RichardBarrow: VIDEO: Gunfire & explosions in #Bangkok on the eve of national elections - RT @go6tv: คลิปปะทะ แยกหลักสี่ youtube.com/watch?v=_wVmQA… #Thailand

Any idea WHY they were beating the car?

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[draftvader]

RT@RichardBarrow: VIDEO: Gunfire & explosions in #Bangkok on the eve of national elections - RT @go6tv: คลิปปะทะ แยกหลักสี่ youtube.com/watch?v=_wVmQA… #Thailand

Any idea WHY they were beating the car?

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

That was my thought too. Please can somebody on here translate what was being shouted. Many thanks.

[kurtgruen]

Haven't seen anything on Thai TV at all about this, even the stations that have news programs on now. I have true, so I don't get them all, but its shameful. TNN is going on and on about preparations for the election. Showing people putting up boxes for ballots all over the country. Nice.

They were showing it on Bluesky TV

[binjalin]

take away people's basic human rights and you can expect a backlash

most of the world fights FOR elections - and Thailand fights to STOP them

[sam sen]

RT@RichardBarrow: VIDEO: Gunfire & explosions in #Bangkok on the eve of national elections - RT @go6tv: คลิปปะทะ แยกหลักสี่ youtube.com/watch?v=_wVmQA… #Thailand

there's a policeman right there and an army security checkpoint 10 meters away and they do nothing - so much for protecting the people. what a joke.

[Yunla]

I pray for the safety of all voters and protestors tomorrow and beyond. I hope that those injured are able to receive medical care quickly, and recover from their injuries swiftly and comfortably. I hope that the situation returns to normal soon, so that small local businesspeople can make a living, and visitors can come to this great city without trepidation.

[TruthBKK]

For the record. This is to confirm that the red shirts have total police impunity.

I bet the taxi driver does not get investigated for blocking the car in while the mob attempted to murder the occupants, this was probably just a simple road user trying to get through.

Note the police walking right next to a red shirt holding a pistol?

Notice the thug in the video at 0.44 min throwing an explosive into the back of the car with the same policeman standing no more than 5 M away?

I hope the army study this footage and decide that enough is enough and pick up their weapons and retaliate.

[casualbiker]

take away people's basic human rights and you can expect a backlash

most of the world fights FOR elections - and Thailand fights to STOP them

They are fighting for reform .. nobody other than pro-government support have said no election .. Suthep said reform then elections in 12-18 months.

I could ask. Why is Yingluck clinging to the PM's seat when she could step down for the good of the country?

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[pipkins]

Quite clearly here you can see the PDRC guy has a gun hidden in a bag.... So peaceful arn't they.

We been saying for weeks, there is a group of armed masked men marching with Suthep and there to protect him and the mob. Video of the day this and had a great outing on Twitter as well. Which means Reauters, AFP, BBC. All seen Sutheps peacuful protesters not obstructing polls.

Make is so much harder for the army to coup now. This video speaks a million words about this disgusting spectacle of a mob let loose in Bangkok by the Elites in order to get at their prize. Which is also out in the open now.

Edited February 1, 2014 by pipkins

[zydeco]

I pray for the safety of all voters and protestors tomorrow and beyond. I hope that those injured are able to receive medical care quickly, and recover from their injuries swiftly and comfortably. I hope that the situation returns to normal soon, so that small local businesspeople can make a living, and visitors can come to this great city without trepidation.

My guess is that train has already left the station, unfortunately.

[draftvader]

RT@RichardBarrow: VIDEO: Gunfire & explosions in #Bangkok on the eve of national elections - RT @go6tv: คลิปปะทะ แยกหลักสี่ youtube.com/watch?v=_wVmQA… #Thailand

there's a policeman right there and an army security checkpoint 10 meters away and they do nothing - so much for protecting the people. what a joke.

I pass through that checkpoint twice a week after doing the shopping. They only come out of the box every couple of weeks to collect tea-money.