Rival groups clash at Lak Si

[Lite Beer]

ELECTION EVE
Rival groups clash at Lak Si
The Sunday Nation:

A group of men supporting today

BANGKOK: -- Many seek shelter in mall after gunshots near district office; soldiers intervene to restore peace

Violence continued yesterday in the face of anti-government rallies with shots fired at Bangkok's Lak Si intersection, which saw at least four people wounded by gunshots and three slightly injured by giant firecrackers.

Police and army officers, meanwhile, were looking to set up 60 additional checkpoints until tomorrow. Some 34 checkpoints have already been set up.

Police also plan to send 88 rapid-response units to join the Army in beefing up security in the 50 districts in Bangkok, plus six districts in Nonthaburi, Lat Lum Kaew in Pathum Thani and Bang Phli in Samut Prakan, according to police deputy spokesman Pol Maj-General Anucha Rommayanant.

At least seven people were injured in clashes between red shirts and protesters led by the People's Democratic Reform Committee outside the Lak Si district office yesterday afternoon.

The confrontation occurred after Luangpu Puttha Issara, a monk who has headed the rally at Chaeng Wattana, led protesters to surround the district office to prevent the transport of ballots and ballot boxes to polling stations.

While the PDRC protesters were rallying, hardline red-shirt leader Wutthipong Kachatham, or Ko Tee, led some 200 red shirts to confront the protesters. Nation Channel reported that sounds of explosions were heard four times while the two sides were about 800 metres from each other - believed to be giant firecrackers. A car was also reportedly smashed amid the chaos.

At around 4pm, two firecracker explosions were heard under an overpass at the Lak Si intersection and three people were slightly injured, including Jirawat Sukanon, a Daily News reporter, who suffered wounds to his mouth and nose.

Up to 40 gunshots and several giant firecracker explosions were then heard. It was later reported that at least one person was wounded by a gunshot in front of the nearby IT Square Mall, which shut shortly after.

PDRC protesters at the Lat Phrao intersection sent men to rescue fellow protesters at the district office compound.

As gunshots continued to be fired in the Lak Si intersection area, some 30 bystanders were caught up on a nearby pedestrian bridge and barged through the mall's doors to seek refuge inside the building.

Bystanders, security personnel and journalists raced to take cover in the mall after a man pulled out an assault rifle from a bag and began spraying bullets during a stand-off between government supporters and scores of opposition demonstrators, an Agence France-Presse 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.

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 5.30pm Colonel Songwit Noonpakdee, commander of the 11th Infantry Regiment (King's Guard) went to observe the situation at the Lak Si intersection. He ordered soldiers to go to the back of Chaeng Wattana soi 10, where the Lak Si district office is, to prevent more people being mobi-lised. Meanwhile, troops tried to help people trapped in the area to get out.

At the same time, Nation Channel reported that another gunfight had erupted at the Lak Si intersection. At around 5.40pm, PDRC leader Somchai Issara urged supporters to retreat from there so that soldiers could clear the area in front of the mall.

As a precaution, the State Railway of Thailand at 5.15pm announced the closure of services at Laksi and Don Muang to ensure passengers' safety.

Earlier in the morning, a 10-wheel truck belonging to the PDRC blocking the Lak Si district office was shot up with 7-9 bullets, but there were no reports of injuries. There was another shooting at 2am, along with a giant firecrackers hurled at protesters camping at the Lat Phrao intersection, but no one was injured.

Protest guards said a sedan passed by the rally site before multiple gunshots were heard, so they alerted soldiers manning a nearby checkpoint to investigate. It was initially suspected that an ill-intentioned person had thrown the firecrackers to intimidate the protesters.



Problems aplenty

Eligible voters: nationwide: 48,774,915 Bangkok: 4,363,115

Constituencies: nationwide: 375 Bangkok 33, Central (26 provinces) 97, North (16 provinces) 66, Northeast (20 provinces) 126, South (14 provinces) 53

Election units: nationwide: 93,305 Bangkok 6,671

Problems related to the election:

_ Ballot cards in the South could not be delivered.

_ Election equipment was blockaded at district offices in Bangkok.

_ Election units face blockades.

_ Possibility of clashes

_ The election cannot be done in one day nationwide (no constituency MP candidate in 28 constituencies in eight provinces in the South, only one candidate in 16 constituencies in nine provinces, advance voting was blocked and must be postponed till February 23)

_ Vote results for both constituency and party-list MPs cannot be announced until the election is completed.

-- The Nation 2014-02-02

[kikoman]

The picture on the front page of the BP .showed the famous men in black firing a rifle hidden in a sack, and IDed by the article as an Anti-government protesters. So much for the peaceful protest, they were ordered by Suthep a few days ago to used "every means" necessary to stop the election!

Cheers

Edited February 1, 2014 by kikoman

[plachon]

What's up with the Nation's photo caption writer: "A group of men supporting today"?

Is this some form of traditional greeting for election-goers I am not familiar with and they are just showing their hearty support?

The mystery deepens when one reads in the same report, "A car was also reportedly smashed within the chaos".

So the photo and the article maybe totally unconnected and the ancient Thai greeting illustrated in the picture, only reportedly happened, but might in fact have just been a group of Morris dancers looking for a may pole.

[bkkjames]

What's up with the Nation's photo caption writer: "A group of men supporting today"?

Is this some form of traditional greeting for election-goers I am not familiar with and they are just showing their hearty support?

The mystery deepens when one reads in the same report, "A car was also reportedly smashed within the chaos".

So the photo and the article maybe totally unconnected and the ancient Thai greeting illustrated in the picture, only reportedly happened, but might in fact have just been a group of Morris dancers looking for a may pole.

you seem surprised by this. I need to use Google translate from English to English when attempting to comprehend what is being written..

[focus27]

Every act of confrontation has generated the maximum possible media coverage for the minimum amount of violence. These are the tactics of terrorism, not of genuine protest. Look at the difference between what is happening in Kiev compared to Bangkok. With so many hired guns, false flags, costume changes and colour swaps, can the public really keep up with who is who? The mendacious media keep banging their own propagandist drums, leaving little room for a genuine way forward - little room for genuine open discussion.

As has often been commented upon, democracy is not just about voting - it is also about discussion. When the mass of Thai people realize that this election has robbed many of them - all of them! - of their voice, will they demand to be heard? How much truth can this country take? We shall see.

(Indeed, how much truth can any country take? But that's another discussion.)

[focus27]

What's up with the Nation's photo caption writer: "A group of men supporting today"?

Is this some form of traditional greeting for election-goers I am not familiar with and they are just showing their hearty support?

The mystery deepens when one reads in the same report, "A car was also reportedly smashed within the chaos".

So the photo and the article maybe totally unconnected and the ancient Thai greeting illustrated in the picture, only reportedly happened, but might in fact have just been a group of Morris dancers looking for a may pole.

you seem surprised by this. I need to use Google translate from English to English when attempting to comprehend what is being written..

:-) I guess the Yellow Nation owners feel it is beneath them to hire a native English speaker. The mangled language is only glaring to a native. On the upside, their attempts at obfuscation are childishly obvious. That image caption being a nice example.

[englishoak]

God I hate the Nation and its crappy attempt at under reporting details on important stories and printing crappy detail about the stories that mean diddly squat. Pitiful news from a pitiful paper, the guy used the gun IN the bag for a start...whats wrong with this paper ? the army affiliation or vehicle, go read the BP or a dozen other papers that have some substance.

i have a serious question, why are we subjected to this crappy outlet as the main media written day in day out ??? sponsorship perchance ?

[Cricketnut]

Watch the video again NATION the man did not pull the rifle from the bag and nor did the military standing less then 10 metres away even try to stop him. Oh and did anyone notice the shooters stance and grip on the M 16? He was even using a damn spotter to help him, trained? Indeed.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Emptyset]

Watch the video again NATION the man did not pull the rifle from the bag and nor did the military standing less then 10 metres away even try to stop him. Oh and did anyone notice the shooters stance and grip on the M 16? He was even using a dam_n spotter to help him, trained? Indeed.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I don't think you can really blame the military that were there - or the police for that matter. They were unarmed as far as I know. The EC could've requested that the military to take the ballots out though, as it's less likely that protesters would've tried to stop them (whereas they obviously weren't letting police through).

[Cricketnut]

Watch the video again NATION the man did not pull the rifle from the bag and nor did the military standing less then 10 metres away even try to stop him. Oh and did anyone notice the shooters stance and grip on the M 16? He was even using a dam_n spotter to help him, trained? Indeed.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I don't think you can really blame the military that were there - or the police for that matter. They were unarmed as far as I know. The EC could've requested that the military to take the ballots out though, as it's less likely that protesters would've tried to stop them (whereas they obviously weren't letting police through).

This is a point, though the military and police are there for a purpose. No use having them there if they cannot keep the peace.... Just pull them all out one could say as they are not helping.

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[Fryslan boppe]

"soldiers intervene to restore peace"

Anti-UDD/RS/PTP mantra....Aggrandize the military, denigrate the police.

Social media is full of discussions and video's alleging military types being amongst the coup-mongers, aiding and abetting...But as surreptitious as possible. Much of the weaponry creating this mayhem and those handling them, are very obvious military types, according to the narrative.

So when one reads the above quote of angelic and peace-inspired military types, there is obviously a disconnect somewhere.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Fryslan boppe

[james24]

The article said that a monk lead them to the area, just wondering is this monk quite well known, has he a reputation for being confrontational or did things just get out of control while he was there...?

[tezzainoz]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

[steven100]

Is anyone looking to buy a cheap Toyota camry ... I know where there's one for sale

[Fryslan boppe]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

"Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote"

Denigrating the majority Thai electorate. I wonder if he/she would do that in their own country.

The fact there is only 1 party to vote for, is not the concern of the PTP....It ought to be for the DP... For the unelectable DP to think they can invalidate a vote with their anti-democratic truculence, is an 'illusion of grandeur"....Their objectives will not be achieved that way.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Fryslan boppe

[LivinLOS]

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

You said it yourself.. Its a choice between democracy or dictatorship !!

Theres plenty of options, theres splinter parties, theres a no vote, and the only reason theres not a democract vote is they are boycotting and assisting this madness !!

But the act of voting today is precisely that, a statement that dictatorship will not be tolerated.

[Suriya4]

The is the biggest stun pull by Thaksin just before the election.

Men: Men in black.

Weapon: Tavor seized from the army in 2010.

The terrorists are part-time actors, put up a show, to make Suthep and the Monk look bad, so people will go out to vote for Thaksin today.

[fab4]

The article said that a monk lead them to the area, just wondering is this monk quite well known, has he a reputation for being confrontational or did things just get out of control while he was there...?

Put it this way, if you want to get a clearer picture of the events at Laksi yesterday I wouldn't rely solely on the account in the OP. There are still other sources of news, which is one of the joys of a democracy in Thailand.

[harryfrompattaya]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

So you do not believe in voting I bet you love Joe Stalin

[zydeco]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

So you do not believe in voting I bet you love Joe Stalin

Earth to Harry: there were elections in the Soviet Union and in the Soviet Union under Stalin, where, I believe, it was actually a legal requirement to vote. This is why voting does not equal democracy.

[harryfrompattaya]

The is the biggest stun pull by Thaksin just before the election.

Men: Men in black.

Weapon: Tavor seized from the army in 2010.

The terrorists are part-time actors, put up a show, to make Suthep and the Monk look bad, so people will go out to vote for Thaksin today.

Maybe George Bush is behind this How about the Rothschild's Did you ever meet Thaksin I doubt it.

But my wife's niece was a maid for a Rothchild's and they control everything

[LivinLOS]

The is the biggest stun pull by Thaksin just before the election.

Men: Men in black.

Weapon: Tavor seized from the army in 2010.

The terrorists are part-time actors, put up a show, to make Suthep and the Monk look bad, so people will go out to vote for Thaksin today.

So then why are the yellow crowd not opposing this then ??

Just wild fantasy speculation now the side you have choosen to hang your banner on is shown to be exactly the same power mad thugs that so many has said they are,. Dont be a sore loser, just recognise what is happening, this isnt about human rights, corruption, reform, the good of the people.. Its about one lot who want power cant get it via the ballot box, so they are trying to get it another way and 'reform' the system so they have more power.

[Confuscious]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

Only 1 party?

You must be way out of your mind.

There are 53 parties to vote for.

If Suthep or the Yellows are not in the list it is THEIR PROBLEM because they did not want to come up.

If Suthep or the Yellows want to have all the power, then it would be easier and legal to obtain this trough votes and not be causing all this actions that disrupt the life of many people.

.

[Mr Yim]

I suspect that if Suthep himself stood up and shot at pro government protestors, there would be some on here who would say it was red shirts, men in black etc impersonating him. There are some posters who need to sit back and take stock of the situation. I am pleased no one was killed in yesterdays shootings, and hope no one gets hurt today.

[Confuscious]

When Suthep needs to take a fallen monk who is more corrupt than anyone in the history of Thailand as his ally, it speaks a lot of his fight to stop corruption .....

[Rimbuman]

The picture on the front page of the BP .showed the famous men in black firing a rifle hidden in a sack, and IDed by the article as an Anti-government protesters. So much for the peaceful protest, they were ordered by Suthep a few days ago to used "every means" necessary to stop the election!

Cheers

Your sashimi must have been off

[firestar]

The is the biggest stun pull by Thaksin just before the election.

Men: Men in black.

Weapon: Tavor seized from the army in 2010.

The terrorists are part-time actors, put up a show, to make Suthep and the Monk look bad, so people will go out to vote for Thaksin today.

Come on...and fake gun wounds too? surely you are trolling

[SOTIRIOS]

...when armed pro-government gangs....attack unarmed anti-government civilians ....this is NOT 'a clash'....this is 'hooliganism'....

[firestar]

...when armed pro-government gangs....attack unarmed anti-government civilians ....this is NOT 'a clash'....this is 'hooliganism'....

Unarmed anti-government civilians?!? you haven't been following the news have you...

Both identified as PDRC armed guards, plenty pictures more, and videos, if you bother browsing the other threads.

[pipkins]

Meanwhile - 4 more dead in Pattani overnight, proving once more the army cannot control squat. Are Suthep and his followers really sure they could rule thailand through the Thai Army?

They sat and did nothing yesterday and I can only hope that their do nothing approach will scare some of Sutheps more moderate support to the middle ground.

Maybe even some on the Reds side will come to the middle as they are not getting the numbers either.