Shots, blasts as protest rivals clash on Thai election eve

[jaideecm]

Being an American and a veteran I would give my life for the right to vote. If anyone or group tried to stop me from voting I would lay down my life and fight for my right to vote. My hats off to the supporters of those who support the right to vote. If Police or my didn't protect my right to vote I would go after those who want to stop the election and democracy. It doesn't mater who wins or loses the election but my freedom and right to vote. Suthep and his violent supporters should be arrested and held accountable for blocking democracy and the right for people to vote.

[skorchio]

This puts Thailand up there with yer average African election ......

[ShannonT]

What Thailand needs to resolve this conflict is a REFERENDUM, which is not blocked by anyone and internationally observed.

Let people decide if they want reforms or not. If they want reforms, make it happen with BOTH sides participating, then hold elections afterwards.

If the people do not want reforms, hold elections and get this over with.

It's the only way out. Anything else will lead to a civil war.

[allan michaud]

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.

That was my thought, the soldiers didn't seem to even take any notice. I also do not understand what we are seeing. Did someone in the car do something or were they attacked for no apparent reason by idiots who had no idea where the shots came from? Towards the end people were looking up at the overpass, so I have a feeling the cars occupants did nothing. Can anyone explain <deleted> is going on?

[casualbiker]

Take a look at this video at this 15 second mark, is that badge on the front of his car grill (left of center on the front grill)?

a lot of information will be gathered from these videos, also look at at the 44 second mark you can see an explosive device thrown in the back of the car

And if you look to the right of the scene at 55 seconds there is a guy in a camouflage jacket looking up with a revolver in his right hand..................

oh yes. and the other guy in the army trousers. and the guy in the camo cap and blue jacket running around hitting the car .... wow.. put them all together and its almost an Army uniform..

Thanks for confirming that the RED shirt supporters were carrying guns as well...

It was good actually seeing a policeman do his job.. and the others who stopped more carnage . well done.

[philw]

A couple of observations...

1. The photos of the car with the army hat etc is either convenient or the car owner is incredibly daft at disguise? I will believe it only if they find his golf clubs in the back. Poor time for humour i know...sorry

2. Someone mentioned khemer language being spoken? Which team are they from although i probably know.

3. After last weeks murder and previous nightly events, it appears that team protesters have had enough of being 'protected'

4. A long night tonight and even longer day tomorrow no doubt

5. When the Brit embassy issues statements to the effect of stay indoors, take it seriously. They have a sad habit of being correct.

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

1. The hat/badge photo is supposed to be from the car, the reg matches, but you need a second confirmation. I can see the badge on the front, if they can find a good photo of that.

2. Not Khmer, he's just trolling, it's central accent Thai near the car.

3. No, they were always armed, it's not new. Recall they even had an armed Navy guard at one point.

4. I don't think there will be much else.

5. I will be voting tomorrow, democracy is worth a little risk. I'm not expecting any problems.

Mega like Khun BNC and agree and hope you are right.

I am sure Thailand will see her way through these problems and become better and stronger because of them.

A few years is a short time in the history of a nation.

We can all learn.

[lostinsurin]

Where is the Police and the Army?

They are waiting for you to lead them.

PS. where are!!!! not is!

Edited February 1, 2014 by lostinsurin

[ShannonT]

Take a look at this video at this 15 second mark, is that badge on the front of his car grill (left of center on the front grill)?

a lot of information will be gathered from these videos, also look at at the 44 second mark you can see an explosive device thrown in the back of the car

And if you look to the right of the scene at 55 seconds there is a guy in a camouflage jacket looking up with a revolver in his right hand..................

oh yes. and the other guy in the army trousers. and the guy in the camo cap and blue jacket running around hitting the car .... wow.. put them all together and its almost an Army uniform..

Thanks for confirming that the RED shirt supporters were carrying guns as well...

It was good actually seeing a policeman do his job.. and the others who stopped more carnage . well done.

Red shirt supporters with whistles around their neck?

[pipkins]

Not Nation pic but as it is Reuters, some of us feel it could be genuine, unless the photographer is a thaksinisa on the dubai payroll. Quite clearly the PDRC are a paramilitary operation.

Come on Army. In US or Europe the army Would, 100% of shot all of them who did not immediately surrender. Thai Army Mai Pen Rai - we all the same Suthep gang.

That gun he's firing is a Tavor assault rifle, which just happens to be the new assault rifle of the Royal Thai Army.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMI_Tavor_TAR-21

Oh dear. That is bad news for the coup. Can't wait for the spin on this one. No wonder the army boss looks so damned happy tonight.

So, the Thai army bought this tavor and now somebody on PDRC side, with army protecting them, is firing one in the streets of Bangkok in order to stop voters from voting. Hmmm what will obama et al make of that.

Its an asault rifle that is really going to take some explaining away by the army

Here is a pic of the peaceful machine that PDRC saw fit to unleash on Bangkok. there were at least two as the one everybody was desdribing as looking as if the butt had been sawn off was also one of these.

Edited February 1, 2014 by pipkins

[seajae]

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.

*Video deleted*

yes, how dare they start to protect themselves when the police stand by and let the red shirts use machine guns on them, totally disgusting, why cant they just stand there and let the red shirts shoot them without retaliating. Notice there was no violence till the red shirts showed up again, the abc has a video of the redshirt blockade with their molotov cocktails already set up waiting. This is what reds are good at, killing people that have a different thought to them, they are scum as are any who support them.

I Support Them. If you and your previous generations would have been be foooled with promises and false perspectives for Decades......you would step up the plate too. The seeds for this conflict have been planted long before Thaksin came into power. It is not about the T era. It is about a failed society with Bangkokian elite, greed, jealousy, and trying to get grip back on power by shutting down a metropole. Who can invent such crazy plan???

as has been stated by others in here the reds are simply communists and this is the same sh*t that has happened in other communist countries. Thida is a communist and simply wants to see this country overrun by them, they are doing it by trying to start a war between the poor and the not so poor which has started to backfire as they stopped paying the poor. They do not want a united country they want a communist set up with the reds at the top of the pecking order and the poor as their personal slaves. Any red is the same and you may take that anyway you please, I dislike the yellows just as much but I will back the people of Thailand against any corrupt individuals that simply want whats best for them and the reds/thaksin/ptp are at the head of the list with the yellows fighting to get there as well. This is about all of the thai people, not just what the red dogs want or suthep, what the people want is an end to the corruption that the ptp/shina's are pushing on them. If you are unable to see past the bias of the reds/yellows to the truth then you are just as bad.

[wonder6281]

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!

cos its not ,its unhappy thais who cant work or vote because of sutheps rats who has robbed them of their basic right s

Well that a good reason to start shooting while wearing ski masks!

[Old Man River]

Not Nation pic but as it is Reuters, some of us feel it could be genuine, unless the photographer is a thaksinisa on the dubai payroll. Quite clearly the PDRC are a paramilitary operation.

Come on Army. In US or Europe the army Would, 100% of shot all of them who did not immediately surrender. Thai Army Mai Pen Rai - we all the same Suthep gang.

It is being said on twitter that the police and army use the same equipment. I wouldn't know, but you are the expert. Are they police or army or others? PIpkins, what do you think?

I still think it sad that those who are paid to keep people safe from harm and protect those who just want to publicly give their opinion a week before an election can be shot from two directions, in broad daylight, reported publicly on You Tube for all to see, with no response from the police. We're those in adjoining buildings interviewed? Are there any leads?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[ripstanley]

I did not read all postings.

I watched the ABC news on Australian network at 1930, Their reporter spoke via telephone and state that he and his crew were caught in this firefight. He said that both protesters and the redshirts were in a gun battle after the redshirts approached the protesters. The interesting comment was that he stated that the police and the army who were present did not intervene, They sat and watched the firefight. He also said that the explosions sounded like very large firecrackers.

The ABC website also has a report. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-01/an-bangkok-tense-on-eve-of-thailand-election/5232840

[aveabeeror2]

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.

You have just about covered everything,what about the RIPs for the dead?

[KillingTime]

nevertheless you can't hide the truth: Taksin is a new dictator, manipulating poor masses and abusing universal suffrage

"one person one vote" is the main misconception of Western society, which destroys Thailand now...

Actually Taksin is the leader that Thai politics deserve.

[BlueNoseCodger]

Where is the Police and the Army?

Some are moonlighting as gunmen or security guards. Others are doing nothing.

Can't say for certain, but it seems that the Army post shown in the YouTube video above with the explosions and beating on the car was an Army MEDICAL unit, as opposed to the Army guys with guns. Perhaps that's why they didn't wade into the fracas.

Also, note that in the report above by MCOT, which isn't usually a mouthpiece for the protesters, it says the explosives reportedly were thrown INTO the crowd of anti-government protesters -- which has tended to be the pattern in such attacks up until now.

But I'm sure, as the police said, Mr. "Peaceful Red Shirt" Ko Tee wasn't involved.

What's the basis for your medical unit claim? I see none.

[ShannonT]

as has been stated by others in here the reds are simply communists and this is the same sh*t that has happened in other communist countries. Thida is a communist and simply wants to see this country overrun by them, they are doing it by trying to start a war between the poor and the not so poor which has started to backfire as they stopped paying the poor. They do not want a united country they want a communist set up with the reds at the top of the pecking order and the poor as their personal slaves. Any red is the same and you may take that anyway you please, I dislike the yellows just as much but I will back the people of Thailand against any corrupt individuals that simply want whats best for them and the reds/thaksin/ptp are at the head of the list with the yellows fighting to get there as well. This is about all of the thai people, not just what the red dogs want or suthep, what the people want is an end to the corruption that the ptp/shina's are pushing on them. If you are unable to see past the bias of the reds/yellows to the truth then you are just as bad.

Reds are communists?

Then how do you explain Suthep protesters and guards wearing communist hats in almost every photo?

Add the "Secretary General of the PDRC" and the "People's Council" in there.

Who's the communist now?

Edited February 1, 2014 by ShannonT

[BlueNoseCodger]

Very rough translation:

Woman: Beware beware of the middle road they have a bomb,

Man: is a bag its a bag ('tungpui', like a rice sack)

Woman: Beware they see we photo it, that's it, the guy carry the bag

Woman: They throw from that bag, that the one they carry, it look like he put the gun in the bag

[boom] [boom] that's right [boom] you see that

it shoot it

from that bag

[boom] ayyy!

they shoot from the bag

Edited February 1, 2014 by BlueNoseCodger

[philw]

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.

*Video deleted*

yes, how dare they start to protect themselves when the police stand by and let the red shirts use machine guns on them, totally disgusting, why cant they just stand there and let the red shirts shoot them without retaliating. Notice there was no violence till the red shirts showed up again, the abc has a video of the redshirt blockade with their molotov cocktails already set up waiting. This is what reds are good at, killing people that have a different thought to them, they are scum as are any who support them.

I Support Them. If you and your previous generations would have been be foooled with promises and false perspectives for Decades......you would step up the plate too. The seeds for this conflict have been planted long before Thaksin came into power. It is not about the T era. It is about a failed society with Bangkokian elite, greed, jealousy, and trying to get grip back on power by shutting down a metropole. Who can invent such crazy plan???

as has been stated by others in here the reds are simply communists and this is the same sh*t that has happened in other communist countries. Thida is a communist and simply wants to see this country overrun by them, they are doing it by trying to start a war between the poor and the not so poor which has started to backfire as they stopped paying the poor. They do not want a united country they want a communist set up with the reds at the top of the pecking order and the poor as their personal slaves. Any red is the same and you may take that anyway you please, I dislike the yellows just as much but I will back the people of Thailand against any corrupt individuals that simply want whats best for them and the reds/thaksin/ptp are at the head of the list with the yellows fighting to get there as well. This is about all of the thai people, not just what the red dogs want or suthep, what the people want is an end to the corruption that the ptp/shina's are pushing on them. If you are unable to see past the bias of the reds/yellows to the truth then you are just as bad.

Er.......What's wrong with being a communist ??

There are quite a few in the world and most behave very well.

[Blue88]

.... as I left the apartment in Lak Si a few minutes before this incident kicked-off, many of the police appeared to be relaxing in a nearby open-air restaurant. Within jogging distance of the shootings, but an awful lot closer to local businesses who might ignore the alcohol sales ban and incur a 'penalty payment'. Now, 9:00pm Saturday evening, it's all quiet out there. Food Land was open when I walked passed an hour ago, but aside from 3 TV Vans and a few Taxi-Bikes, IT Square is deserted. Neighbours are saying 4 deaths, but I have no idea how accurate that is. Tomorrow's another day, but I can't see it being any more peaceful.

[pipkins]

Good news is they are homing in on one of the riflemen. Been taking pics of themselves. Name not far away now.

How many thousands of the followers will now regret those selfies. they best hope Suthep has something up his sleeve to get the coup on quick or there are going to be thousands of knocks on thousands of doors... Then we'll see the police in action.

But for now, they have to let this garbage run wild. Step in, and its Coup time. 10 years they now have, and you can take pics of facebook, but they are easily copied!! and I know how they do it. 10 years dreading every knock on the door. Now why ever did I go with Suthep.

So, remove all those incriminating pics from facebook. But the DSI know screen dumps and have them all copied already... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_screen

Big group of hard men. Hard men, hard time, hard floor when they are in prison

Edited February 1, 2014 by pipkins

[DGIE]

Where is the Police and the Army?

They will be deployed tomorrow. Today is still Saturday

[casualbiker]

Not Nation pic but as it is Reuters, some of us feel it could be genuine, unless the photographer is a thaksinisa on the dubai payroll. Quite clearly the PDRC are a paramilitary operation.

Come on Army. In US or Europe the army Would, 100% of shot all of them who did not immediately surrender. Thai Army Mai Pen Rai - we all the same Suthep gang.

That gun he's firing is a Tavor assault rifle, which just happens to be the new assault rifle of the Royal Thai Army.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMI_Tavor_TAR-21

you seem to be correct:

but the army have had them since 2010..

"

Military: arms seized by reds missing

Olan Lertrattanadamrongkul

The Nation October 9, 2012 1:00 am

Among the Army's weapons confiscated by red-shirt protesters in April 2010, only one M-16 rifle has been returned to the military, the rest are still missing, Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkam-nerd said in testimony yesterday.

The missing weapons included 25 Tavor rifles, four M-16 rifles and 39 shotguns, he said in testimony before the House of Representative's sub-committee on political development and mass communication.

The weapons belonging to the Army were confiscated by red protesters during the bloody protest in April 2010. They were displayed on the red-shirts' stage at Rajdamnern Avenue on the day, he said.

Deputy Transportation Minister Chatt Kuldiloke, who was at the protest, said he saw a number of war weapons seized by the protesters and shown on the stage, but all of the weapons had been returned to the police.

"I would have helped to find them," he told the sub-committee chaired by the opposition Democrat's MP Watchara Petthong. Chat said the authorities employed excessive force to handle the situation, using armoured vehicles and other heavy war equipment to crack down on the protesters. "

They could have gone on to the open market, or it could well be an Army or ex army unit.. time will tell.

[NoshowJones]

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.

Gees, maybe I'm colour blind, but the man holding the gun is not wearing a red shirt.

[ChrisY1]

The protest movement has lost its last shred of decency and legitimacy. They have been exposed as the dangerous terrorists they truly are

It reinforces the statements that there are not really any "good" people nowadays in Thailand....especially not in politics and now it seems , not in everyday life either.

An professor (retired now) mentioned some time ago to me, that the last of the good people died in the war with Burma...the ones that ran away, the cowards, are the forefathers of todays population.....maybe he was right.

[CIHUAHUA]

OMG get it together people this is a country not a ball game.

[kurtgruen]

holy cow, this forum is getting crazy. Enough spin doctoring already!

[Credo]

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.

*Video deleted*

yes, how dare they start to protect themselves when the police stand by and let the red shirts use machine guns on them, totally disgusting, why cant they just stand there and let the red shirts shoot them without retaliating. Notice there was no violence till the red shirts showed up again, the abc has a video of the redshirt blockade with their molotov cocktails already set up waiting. This is what reds are good at, killing people that have a different thought to them, they are scum as are any who support them.

I Support Them. If you and your previous generations would have been be foooled with promises and false perspectives for Decades......you would step up the plate too. The seeds for this conflict have been planted long before Thaksin came into power. It is not about the T era. It is about a failed society with Bangkokian elite, greed, jealousy, and trying to get grip back on power by shutting down a metropole. Who can invent such crazy plan???

as has been stated by others in here the reds are simply communists and this is the same sh*t that has happened in other communist countries. Thida is a communist and simply wants to see this country overrun by them, they are doing it by trying to start a war between the poor and the not so poor which has started to backfire as they stopped paying the poor. They do not want a united country they want a communist set up with the reds at the top of the pecking order and the poor as their personal slaves. Any red is the same and you may take that anyway you please, I dislike the yellows just as much but I will back the people of Thailand against any corrupt individuals that simply want whats best for them and the reds/thaksin/ptp are at the head of the list with the yellows fighting to get there as well. This is about all of the thai people, not just what the red dogs want or suthep, what the people want is an end to the corruption that the ptp/shina's are pushing on them. If you are unable to see past the bias of the reds/yellows to the truth then you are just as bad.

Thida may be a communist, but I don't think Thaksin or the rest of his clan are communists and they are the ones who are the politicians with the control.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

What's the basis for your medical unit claim? I see none.

MCOT news report, post #35, in this thread:

Six were initially reported wounded - four men and two woman. One reporter who was wounded was identified as Jirawat Sukhanon, from Daily News newspaper. He was slightly hurt on his nose and mouth and was later sent to Vibhavadi Hospital.

Another man was sent for treatment at a nearby Army Field Medical tent.

If you look closely at the YouTube video of the shooting early in this thread, it shows a wounded guy being taken to an Army post of some kind, and there's a big white banner outside that, although the camera doesn't quite clearly show it, appears to have medical ensignia. Also, I don't see any of the Army guys at that station carrying weapons.

Here's a clip from the YouTube video where the wounded guy was taken with the Army guys standing around. It clearly appears to show a medical ensignia on the white banner out front.

Edited February 1, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[RBOP]

Not Nation pic but as it is Reuters, some of us feel it could be genuine, unless the photographer is a thaksinisa on the dubai payroll. Quite clearly the PDRC are a paramilitary operation.

Come on Army. In US or Europe the army Would, 100% of shot all of them who did not immediately surrender. Thai Army Mai Pen Rai - we all the same Suthep gang.

That gun he's firing is a Tavor assault rifle, which just happens to be the new assault rifle of the Royal Thai Army.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMI_Tavor_TAR-21

Oh dear. That is bad news for the coup. Can't wait for the spin on this one. No wonder the army boss looks so damned happy tonight.

So, the Thai army bought this tavor and now somebody on PDRC side, with army protecting them, is firing one in the streets of Bangkok in order to stop voters from voting. Hmmm what will obama et al make of that.

Its an asault rifle that is really going to take some explaining away by the army

Here is a pic of the peaceful machine that PDRC saw fit to unleash on Bangkok. there were at least two as the one everybody was desdribing as looking as if the butt had been sawn off was also one of these.

I disagree. The Travor doesn't make such a big flash. The sound from a Travor higher pitch than the low solid boom from the video. I think its a shot gun.