Gunshots at Lak Si intersection came from anti-govt side, Bangkok police say

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Gunshots at Lak Si intersection came from anti-govt side, police say
The Nation

ARREST WARRANTS TO BE SOUGHT TODAY BASED ON MEDIA IMAGES, SPOKESMAN SAYS

BANGKOK: -- GUNFIRE during a confrontation between anti- and pro-government crowds on Saturday around a ballot-storage site near the Lak Si intersection in northern Bangkok came from the anti-government side, a police spokesman said yesterday.

Asked about the identities and political affiliation of several men seen carrying weapons in photos distributed widely online, Pol Maj-General Adul Narongsak said the shots were fired by people associated with the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

Arrest warrants would be sought today for a number of people who faces can be clearly seen, and who are shown carrying weapons, in photos, he said.

The encounter saw six people shot. One was critically wounded and faces potential paralysis. No official trajectory reports or crime scene investigations have been made to determine the direction of bullets that hit the victims. But Adul said the cartridges found were in an area where PDRC supporters gathered - and bullet marks were found in the IT Square building where the pro-election crowd converged.

Media footage and photos available show activities entirely on the PDRC supporters' side, following the crowd's movement from the Lat Phrao intersection along Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road to blockade the ballot-storage facility inside the Lak Si district office.

Media footage showed many men among the crowd emerging carrying firearms. Several were seen shooting in the images, but the direction of the shots is hard to ascertain.

No available media reports described which of the two crowds opened fire first, and Adul did not give details at a police press conference yesterday.

The commander of the police Office of Forensic Science, Pol Lt-General Khamrob Panyakaew, said the 25 cartridges and bullets found were of five calibre sizes - 9mm and 11mm handgun bullets, shotgun shell discs, and .30 vintage M1-Carbine and .223 assault rifle munitions. Further crime-scene investigating would be carried out, he added.

A number of policemen gave statements about their role in separating the pro-government crowd, which converged near IT Mall building, from the PDRC members. Adul said there were around 70 pro-government supporters about 50 metres from the intersection. Some 200 PDRC supporters arrived at about 4.30pm, with three pickup trucks and a six-wheel truck on which leaders were speaking through loudspeakers.

There were two loud bangs and ensuing gunfire, said Adul. Police coordinated with a team of soldiers guarding the intersection, asking them to convince PDRC leaders to move away. They did so and retreated to the Lat Phrao intersection rally site in the next hour. The situation then returned to normal, Adul added.

A much-discussed incident involved a two-man firing team among PDRC supporters firing in an unknown direction, with the shooter wearing a black hood and the spotter wearing a hood in a lighter shade. Adul said the weapon fired by the shooter, contained in a large plastic bag, was likely an Army service Tavor rifle, which fires .223 calibre munitions.

"The bag would have retained all used cartridges, leaving nothing for us to collect, and the shooter fired the weapon in a military-trained manner," Adul said. No verification could be made now as to whether the weapon was issued on a lawful order, but several weapons are government-issue and may be used through other channels, said Adul.


-- The Nation 2014-02-03

[londonthai]

There are no pics of shooters on voters side. They were carrying stiks and assoulted a military officer in privet car, who throw firecracker into the crowd.

The prdc guards carried high powered military grade semiauthomatic guns, believed to be 'rented' from the military, thats why army insists in sunday statement, that there are witnesses seeing voters being armed.

Shooting lasted for almost one hour, with a major railway line and 2 motorways closed for safety. There was no responce from soldiers and cops, who chose to hide away. Even, if they were unarmed, as per orders, there should be an armed rapid movement unit to deal with situations like this. No any arrest was made and the victims had to wait a long time for medics.

The lack of mobile armed unit and medics is a major overseeing or rather a deliberate abandoning of duty by officials, likely to be scared of the military and escalating the incident.

In effect the election in the whole discrict was cancelled, likely to be postponed.

The shooting took place in a close proximity to the international airport, affecting passangers

Edited February 3, 2014 by londonthai

[whybother]

There are no pics of shooters on voters side. They were carrying stiks and assoulted a military officer in privet car, who throw firecracker into the crowd.

The prdc guards carried high powered military grade semiauthomatic guns, believed to be 'rented' from the military, thats why army insists in sunday statement, that there are witnesses seeing voters being armed.

Shooting lasted for almost one hour, with a major railway line and 2 motorways closed for safety. There was no responce from soldiers and cops, who chose to hide away. Even, if they were unarmed, as per orders, there should be an armed rapid movement unit to deal with situations like this. No any arrest was made and the victims had to wait a long time for medics.

Adul said no media reports stated who opened fire first, so he is admitting that both sides WERE firing.

Sent from my phone ...

[noitom]

Compelling photo.

[Yunla]

Both sides have armed radical wings. The problem is that the leaders of both sides have stacked up the firewood for this bonfire, by their criminal schemes while in power and by not negotiating afterwards. These street goons are just lighting the firewood that the leaders have piled up for years. Some people need very little encouragement to resort to violence, a smart politician will play a careful political game to avoid those radical people from having any encouragement at all. Weapons replace words, so leaders should always hold onto the medium of debate and consensus-forming dialogue with all sides, to avoid the situation degenerating into the weapons stage.

[tominbkk]

Since when are we supposed to be trusting or believing anything the police have to say?

[Emptyset]

There are no pics of shooters on voters side. They were carrying stiks and assoulted a military officer in privet car, who throw firecracker into the crowd.

The prdc guards carried high powered military grade semiauthomatic guns, believed to be 'rented' from the military, thats why army insists in sunday statement, that there are witnesses seeing voters being armed.

Shooting lasted for almost one hour, with a major railway line and 2 motorways closed for safety. There was no responce from soldiers and cops, who chose to hide away. Even, if they were unarmed, as per orders, there should be an armed rapid movement unit to deal with situations like this. No any arrest was made and the victims had to wait a long time for medics.

Adul said no media reports stated who opened fire first, so he is admitting that both sides WERE firing.

Sent from my phone ...

There's also this AFP video of a red with handgun, wearing the black hat. But seems there were fewer shooters on the red side - probably a few with handguns. Could be two, three, four, who knows how many - Nostitz said on the BBC interview he saw one red firing with a gun but they were very much outgunned by the PDRC.

Pretty sure this one is from the red side, too:

Florian Witulski ‏@vaitor Feb 1

Pic: Police & Military were right next to several shooters this evening, no intervention -

Could be the same guy as in the video - in the black hat. Also couple of police had their guns pulled and aimed towards the PDRC, so perhaps they were shooting too.

[Suriya4]

There are no pics of shooters on voters side. They were carrying stiks and assoulted a military officer in privet car, who throw firecracker into the crowd.

The prdc guards carried high powered military grade semiauthomatic guns, believed to be 'rented' from the military, thats why army insists in sunday statement, that there are witnesses seeing voters being armed.

Shooting lasted for almost one hour, with a railway line and 2 motorways closed for safety. There was no responce from soldiers and cops, who chose to hide away.

So I suppose as you know everything that happened we can expect to see you testifying in a court room?

I hope you understand the penalty for perjury in Thailand?

Let's just hope for your sake the defense does not issue this picture from the video of the military car assault.

To quote the witness....

There are no pics of shooters on voters side. They were carrying stiks and assoulted a military officer in privet car, who throw firecracker.

This is enough to have ALL your testimony thrown out as unreliable and expose you as a crazy red shirt farang with the same sort of imagination as Chalerm.

So, where can I buy some cheap ear medicine???

Try a bit harder next time, because my interpretation of your post, is that you are completely blinded by loyalty to Thaksin via pressure from your red shirt wife's family.

In your very first post on the forum, after just registering, you know everything about my and my wifes political views and our family affiliations. You are a first class troll. Why bother?

Look to me like a plain cloth police doing his job, keeping a look of of potential danger.

Notice he point the gun downward, proof that he is well trained police officer. Thug always point the gun outward.

[Suriya4]

There are no pics of shooters on voters side. They were carrying stiks and assoulted a military officer in privet car, who throw firecracker into the crowd.

The prdc guards carried high powered military grade semiauthomatic guns, believed to be 'rented' from the military, thats why army insists in sunday statement, that there are witnesses seeing voters being armed.

Shooting lasted for almost one hour, with a major railway line and 2 motorways closed for safety. There was no responce from soldiers and cops, who chose to hide away. Even, if they were unarmed, as per orders, there should be an armed rapid movement unit to deal with situations like this. No any arrest was made and the victims had to wait a long time for medics.

Adul said no media reports stated who opened fire first, so he is admitting that both sides WERE firing.

Sent from my phone ...

There's also this AFP video of a red with handgun, wearing the black hat. But seems there were fewer shooters on the red side - probably a few with handguns. Could be two, three, four, who knows how many - Nostitz said on the BBC interview he saw one red firing with a gun but they were very much outgunned by the PDRC.

Pretty sure this one is from the red side, too:

Florian Witulski ‏@vaitor Feb 1

Pic: Police & Military were right next to several shooters this evening, no intervention -

Could be the same guy as in the video - in the black hat. Also couple of police had their guns pulled and aimed towards the PDRC, so perhaps they were shooting too.

Police have gun? Where?

I only see a police holding up a black photo to record movie for his facebook.

[whybother]

Look to me like a plain cloth police doing his job, keeping a look of of potential danger.

Notice he point the gun downward, proof that he is well trained police officer. Thug always point the gun outward.

[diehard60]

Yea know suthep has friends in the military who provided him with weapons. he wants blood in the streets and he will not stop untill he has it and many more people are dea from it.

[diehard60]

Since when are we supposed to be trusting or believing anything the police have to say?

Well who else are you going to believe? Suthep???? The news media????

Edited February 3, 2014 by diehard60

[Emptyset]

There's also this AFP video of a red with handgun, wearing the black hat. But seems there were fewer shooters on the red side - probably a few with handguns. Could be two, three, four, who knows how many - Nostitz said on the BBC interview he saw one red firing with a gun but they were very much outgunned by the PDRC.

Pretty sure this one is from the red side, too:

Florian Witulski ‏@vaitor Feb 1

Pic: Police & Military were right next to several shooters this evening, no intervention -

Could be the same guy as in the video - in the black hat. Also couple of police had their guns pulled and aimed towards the PDRC, so perhaps they were shooting too.

Police have gun? Where?

I only see a police holding up a black photo to record movie for his facebook.

It's in the video I linked. They don't fire any shots but have guns trained, I assume, towards the PDRC position.

[Old Man River]

Since when are we supposed to be trusting or believing anything the police have to say?

My old friend Nick said he couldn't really tell, then proceeded to blame the protestors. He has written books so knows his market. The Army hasn't written books and warned the police not to jump to conclusions. As it pertains to Suthin's murder, the police, apparently, aren't coming up with anything.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Halion]

This is the usual smoke and mirrors people have come to expect from both the Thai police and their self styled forensic wing.

I was there and the shooting did not start from the protesters side.Furthermore the effective accurate range of a hand gun is around 40 meters , There is always some rhetoric from these idiots that the way they throw grenades or fire weapons indicates military training and this is pure speculative cynicism. They say that they had collected no spent casing from the 5.56 automatic weapons as they claim the shooter was using a Tavor and catching the ejected shells in a plastic bag. so if this is true then where did the 223 (5.56) shell casings come from.

During all of this altercation there were police within close proximity of the shooters with the automatic weapons and yet the did absolutely nothing but sit and hide.

[stickyrice2000]

Bangkok is turning into a war zone. Whoever is filing the lawsuit against the government about the emergency decree should take a closer look now. This is the reason.

[mikemac]

Yea know suthep has friends in the military who provided him with weapons. he wants blood in the streets and he will not stop untill he has it and many more people are dea from it.

Reminds me of someone else who did the same thing in 2010 at the expense of over 90 people. History does repeat itself it appears.

[love1012]

Compelling photo.

where?

[SOTIRIOS]

......and the people murdered to date...what of the photos and footage.....

...and any arrests....???

......we have eyewitness reports of mercenaries crossing over to Thailand from Cambodia....AN ACT OF TREASON...

..and nothing has been done about that either......

[londonthai]

Yea know suthep has friends in the military who provided him with weapons. he wants blood in the streets and he will not stop untill he has it and many more people are dea from it.

Reminds me of someone else who did the same thing in 2010 at the expense of over 90 people. History does repeat itself it appears.

It's the very same person, mr suthep. He still has his friends in the military, that'swhy he can still walk streets. Together with his party pal, mr aphisit, the are charged with murder for 2010

[londonthai]

..we have eyewitness reports of mercenaries crossing over to Thailand from Cambodia....AN ACT OF TREASON...

..and nothing has been done about that either......

No, they were just pork stories from the suthep's nephew in the seal marines about vans full of 80 special force cambodians. That was after 2 seal marines were cought fully armed with guns with silencers as protesters guards. For over a month now nobody seen those foreigners, despite wide media coverage and search for them.

There are just jingoistic stories, to stirr up nationalists and ultraroyalists against elections and give cover up for heavily armed guards from protesters shooting at voters

Edited February 3, 2014 by londonthai

[Suriya4]

Yea know suthep has friends in the military who provided him with weapons. he wants blood in the streets and he will not stop untill he has it and many more people are dea from it.

Reminds me of someone else who did the same thing in 2010 at the expense of over 90 people. History does repeat itself it appears.

It's the very same person, mr suthep. He still has his friends in the military, that'swhy he can still walk streets. Together with his party pal, mr aphisit, the are charged with murder for 2010

I don't recall having "Pop Corn" in 2010.

[gemini81]

..we have eyewitness reports of mercenaries crossing over to Thailand from Cambodia....AN ACT OF TREASON...

..and nothing has been done about that either......

No, they were just pork stories from the suthep's nephew in the seal marines about vans full of 80 special force cambodians. That was after 2 seal marines were cought fully armed with guns with silencers as protesters guards. For over a month now nobody seen those foreigners, despite wide media coverage and search for them.

There are just jingoistic stories, to stirr up nationalists and ultraroyalists against elections and give cover up for heavily armed guards from protesters shooting at voters

Reminds me of the 'pork pie stories' in which police never see anything nor can find relating to the violent attacks of the side they support.

Hired arms & men in black as evident in the past & the dirty gangster business of Thaksin remove all doubts that he hires thugs to stir up trouble, in similar fashion to al queda as hired arms going in.

[Suriya4]

..we have eyewitness reports of mercenaries crossing over to Thailand from Cambodia....AN ACT OF TREASON...

..and nothing has been done about that either......

No, they were just pork stories from the suthep's nephew in the seal marines about vans full of 80 special force cambodians. That was after 2 seal marines were cought fully armed with guns with silencers as protesters guards. For over a month now nobody seen those foreigners, despite wide media coverage and search for them.

There are just jingoistic stories, to stirr up nationalists and ultraroyalists against elections and give cover up for heavily armed guards from protesters shooting at voters

Reminds me of the 'pork pie stories' in which police never see anything nor can find relating to the violent attacks of the side they support.

Hired arms & men in black as evident in the past & the dirty gangster business of Thaksin remove all doubts that he hires thugs to stir up trouble, in similar fashion to al queda as hired arms going in.

In similar fashion, to Suthep as hires "Pop Corn" man.

(left: Feb 2014 LakSi, Right: May 2010 Rama 4, same person?)

Edited February 3, 2014 by Suriya4

[phosphorescent]

..we have eyewitness reports of mercenaries crossing over to Thailand from Cambodia....AN ACT OF TREASON...

..and nothing has been done about that either......

No, they were just pork stories from the suthep's nephew in the seal marines about vans full of 80 special force cambodians. That was after 2 seal marines were cought fully armed with guns with silencers as protesters guards. For over a month now nobody seen those foreigners, despite wide media coverage and search for them.

There are just jingoistic stories, to stirr up nationalists and ultraroyalists against elections and give cover up for heavily armed guards from protesters shooting at voters

Reminds me of the 'pork pie stories' in which police never see anything nor can find relating to the violent attacks of the side they support.

Hired arms & men in black as evident in the past & the dirty gangster business of Thaksin remove all doubts that he hires thugs to stir up trouble, in similar fashion to al queda as hired arms going in.

In similar fashion, to Suthep as hires "Pop Corn" man.

(left: Feb 2014 LakSi, Right: May 2010 Rama 4, same person?)

amy.jpg

Unless he's ambidextrous, it's not the same guy. Earlobes also look different.

[NoshowJones]

Since when are we supposed to be trusting or believing anything the police have to say?

I think I would believe the police before any politician.

[tragickingdom]

Worse the shooters were army men. That was why an incompetent General Winthai immediately warned the police not to reveal the outcome of their investigation.

[tingtongteesood]

The policeman quoted has his head wedged so far up Taksin's rear end it is hard to tell where one ends and the other starts. Of course he will accuse the protestors of everything possible to please his master. Would very much like to see the pictures from the other side of the incident, there must be some CCTV somewhere too or someone who posted photos they took online. Waiting to see them before any judgement can be passed on who did what. The footage and photos thus far are inconclusive. I wwill blame whichever side can be PROVEN to have taken the first shot, and I mean real evidence, not just hearsay...

[tingtongteesood]

Yea know suthep has friends in the military who provided him with weapons. he wants blood in the streets and he will not stop untill he has it and many more people are dea from it.

Why do you keep repeating the same bullshit endlessly ?

You are so damn desperate for violence.

WHY ???

[samuidave]

Since when are we supposed to be trusting or believing anything the police have to say?

I think I would believe the police before any politician.

Why do you feel at all compelled to believe either?

I suspect it is because of your obedience training in public school.