Thai Police in position to retake Bangkok rally sites

[Mirkwood]

Police given up on Changwattana Road.

They have gone

[louse1953]

just take away all aspects of comfort and the protest will die out

lock toilets

dismantle the big karaoke stage during the day when its empty

stop people making shops in the protest areas by not letting them in with their stock

confiscate tents and sleeping bags during the day so there is no place to sleep except outside on concrete

deny access to food and drink vendors so they will have nothing to eat or drink by blocking the roads inwards

see how long it lasts when peolpe are cold ,tired ,sore and hungry and thirsty ......they will leave one by one without

the police having to use violence on them

They are going to clear govt. buildings,not protest sites.Anyway protests would only pop up somewhere else,this is unstoppable.As we all know some Thais can be very stubborn at times,wrong or right.

[casualbiker]

Sutheps days are numbered, tic toc tic toc tic toc

I heard that so many times...and even before with Sondhi and the PAD......Still people want to get rid of Thaksin.

And every time these protests (Pitak Siam/ V for Thailand/ PAD /PDRC) run out of steam.

It's a real minority interest group that are obsessed about Thaksin.

Fortunately due to the low numbers of protesters left, the clearing of these sites seems to be peaceful and without any major incidents so far.

Whether that remains the case we'll just have to wait and see.

Where is Suthep while all this is going on?

In a bunker somewhere?

I am sure his many loyal supporters are eagerly awaiting yet another declaration that victory is imminent.

Suthep is having breakfast in the presidential suit of his 5 star hotel paid for by his supporters. To many police downstairs for him to go out.

As Shannon would say : Really! Where is your proof??

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tomyummer]

Police given up on Changwattana Road.

They have gone

You mean the police left without clearing the barricades? Too much resistance?

[louse1953]

It is a shame they weren't as active in 2010.

What an inane comment. Abhisit and Suthep ordered the army in who declared live fire zones, shot scores of people dead and drove into the rally sites with tanks. What are the police supposed to do in such a situation?

This happened after 9 months of police inaction and took the side of their paymaster.

[draftvader]

Police given up on Changwattana Road.

They have gone

You mean the police left without clearing the barricades? Too much resistance?

I find it hard to believe that there was too much resistance. There has been little evidence of their more than a handful of protestors at the site for the past 2 weeks. I ride through it 2-3 times a week and have seen only guards, vendors and motorsai riders.

[chooka]

Police given up on Changwattana Road.

They have gone

You mean the police left without clearing the barricades? Too much resistance?

I find it hard to believe that there was too much resistance. There has been little evidence of their more than a handful of protestors at the site for the past 2 weeks. I ride through it 2-3 times a week and have seen only guards, vendors and motorsai riders.

The fat lady has left the building and Suthep defeated and humiliated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAW6D21ICdg&feature=player_detailpage

Edited February 14, 2014 by chooka

[whybother]

The first stage of the war on the shutdown of Bangkok has begun.

Yes, you reds do like your violence, don't you?

Seems a rather odd statement to make given the different approaches for clearing the city centre in 2010 and now.The former if you recall involved the army shooting innocent victims.The latter involves internationally praised patience and restraint.

The former involved armed authorities being used against armed protesters. If armed protesters turn up here, armed authorities will also come out, and unarmed protesters will probably be the victims.

Sent from my phone ...

[Sheryl]

Police given up on Changwattana Road.

They have gone

You mean the police left without clearing the barricades? Too much resistance?

In an emotionally charged and tense situation like this it is best to stick to the facts and avoid statements based on inference as that can unintentionally start false rumors.

Presumably the poster has observed that police are, at least for now, no longer evident on Chaengwattana.

Anything more than that is likely to be speculation. Let's try to keep factual reports limited to what we ourselves have seen/heard.

[speedtripler]

just take away all aspects of comfort and the protest will die out

lock toilets

dismantle the big karaoke stage during the day when its empty

stop people making shops in the protest areas by not letting them in with their stock

confiscate tents and sleeping bags during the day so there is no place to sleep except outside on concrete

deny access to food and drink vendors so they will have nothing to eat or drink by blocking the roads inwards

see how long it lasts when peolpe are cold ,tired ,sore and hungry and thirsty ......they will leave one by one without

the police having to use violence on them

They are going to clear govt. buildings,not protest sites.Anyway protests would only pop up somewhere else,this is unstoppable.As we all know some Thais can be very stubborn at times,wrong or right.

confiscate the tents daily .......every policeman who sees a tent should impound it

they will soon run out of money if they have to buy new tents everyday ..........

[webfact]

Police retreat from Chaeng Wattana, Misakawan- Makkhawan rally sites

BANGKOK: -- Police retreated completely from Chaeng Wattana and Misakawan- Makkhawan rally sites at 11.40am Friday.

They stepped back after a sound of explosion was heard near Mkkhawan bridge at 11:10 am. It was believed that a giant firecracker exploded, injuring a female protester and a reporter of Siam Rath.


-- The Nation 2014-02-14

[djjamie]

Quote

What do you mean 'shut down the capital city? I've been able to go anywhere I want. I've also been reading for days from government supporters on this forum that there are only 40 people at each stage and there are only 7 stages at most. The court has already ruled the protests are legal and only a propagandist would claim they are not peaceful. Abhisit let Thaksin's paid army barricade the entire CBD with tires and fire M80 grenades at Skytrain stations, invade a hospital, and on and on before declaring the people had suffered enough when he had already acquiesced to early elections. All the protesters demand had been met and still they stayed. 18 words; you really don't have much of an argument do you?

Kikoman's response

In case you have not notices this is 2014, you yellows keep referring to 2010 that has not a thing to do with the present situation, also if you have not noticed Yingluck is the PM not Thaksin or anyone else, If you have valid complains of her action as PM those are the only one any court can rule on legally.

You would need to petition the fairyland court in Disney World to get a ruling on your baseless fairy tales.

Cheers

That is correct. yingluck is the PM and this needs to be reiterated. I completely agree with you for a change.

Though I can't wait to see if Thaksin brings the PM back to BKK tomorrow or he will keep her up North until this has all blown over. And if he brings her back to Bangkok what will he make her say?

Cheers

Edited February 14, 2014 by djjamie

[JRSoul]

confiscate the tents daily .......every policeman who sees a tent should impound it

they will soon run out of money if they have to buy new tents everyday ..........

Do you really think that filthy rich Bangkok elite amart hi-so can't afford a new tent every day, or even a hotel room?

PS - Should I have included fascist?

Edited February 14, 2014 by JRSoul

[brucegoniners]

It's about time. They could do this for years and nothing will change. Let's get back to normal!

[elzach]

This is not how the Bangkok police will do it: South Korean Riot Police Training

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFSVh1mmiw

That's great!

BUT, put any Asian police (Korean, Thai, any, even Chinese) in front of European anarchists for examples (I'm thinking specifically Mediterranean) and they'll get their butts kicked.

Asians demonstrate primarily only for their pocketbooks, not for any ideas or just for the sake of demonstrating...so they don't like to risk life and limb.

[speedtripler]

confiscate the tents daily .......every policeman who sees a tent should impound it

they will soon run out of money if they have to buy new tents everyday ..........

Do you really think that filthy rich Bangkok elite amart hi-so can't afford a new tent every day, or even a hotel room?

PS - Should I have included fascist?

I dont think you have seen the people living in these tents - they most certaintly dont look like " bangkoks elite "

ps- should i have included " deluded " or " out of touch with reality " ?

[jamstock]

It is a shame they weren't as active in 2010.

In 2010 there were a lot more protesters to deal with. I was at Asok last night at 10.30pm and it was dead. Maybe 150 people there. It should therefore be a relatively easy operation

[Sunderland]

Another silly news day in Thailand. Even a gathering of Tolkien, JK Rowling and Walt Disney couldn't come up with the fantasy that is played out in Bangkok every day by the courts, protesters, security forces and those supposedly governing the country. Laughable.

[webfact]

Police launch multi-pronged raids on anti-govt rally sites
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Feb 14 – Tempers flared at several anti-government rally sites in Thailand’s capital beginning early today as Thai police launched multi-pronged operations to retake occupied areas from anti-government protesters.

Police and demonstrators were in close confrontation risk-prone Chaeng Wattana Road where revered monk Phra Buddha Issara has been leading the protest to shut down Government Complex for almost a month.

Demonstrators sat on the road, blocking the entrance to Chaeng Wattna Soi 14, chanting Buddhist prayers on this Buddhist holy day as police, brought in mainly from nearby Ayutthaya province, formed a shield wall a few metres away on the opposite side of the road.

Shortly after dawn, Phra Buddha Isara led a group of Buddhist monks to receive alms from people, many of whom were dressed in white to mark the religious Makha Bucha day today amid reports since last night that police would storm the rally site.

Phra Buddha Issara calmed the protesters and reiterated non-violence in response to possible police force. Tyres were piled up on both sides of Chaeng Wattana Road to protect demonstrators.

On Rajdamnoen Avenue near Government House which has been occupied by protesters of the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (NSPRT) for the last three months, Metropolitan Police Commander Kamronwit Thoopkrachang led 20 companies of police to Miksakawan and Makkawan intersections near one of the entrances to Government House to retake the area.

Police demolished the protesters’ shelters, tents and obstruction materials before penetrating the area without any clash or violence. Protesters had earlier collected their belongings and departed the scene.

Police said they found home-made grenades, urea-mixed fertilizer, iron pellets, and other bomb-making components as well as the mildly-narcotic kratom (mitragynine) leaves.

Police said the protesters had violated the Emergency Decree – an offence liable to two years prison and a maximum fine of Bt40,000.

Protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) who had sealed off the Interior Ministry for several months had been on alert overnight following a warning of a police raid early this morning.

The protesters vowed to continue keeping control of the area and said they believed PDRC members from Pathumwan rally site would move to the Interior Ministry as reinforcements.

The protesters were been on special alert since last night as supporters from other rally sites flowed in following repeated announcements on Bluesky Channel. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-02-14

[jayboy]

The first stage of the war on the shutdown of Bangkok has begun.

Yes, you reds do like your violence, don't you?

Seems a rather odd statement to make given the different approaches for clearing the city centre in 2010 and now.The former if you recall involved the army shooting innocent victims.The latter involves internationally praised patience and restraint.

The former involved armed authorities being used against armed protesters. If armed protesters turn up here, armed authorities will also come out, and unarmed protesters will probably be the victims.

Sent from my phone ...

Armed protesters have already showed up.As to 2010 I prefer to rely on neutral bodies like HRW.Most protesters then were unarmed but certainly there was violence on both sides-though there has never been a satisfactory account of the MIB.But it is beyond doubt that the majority of victims were innocent victims shot by the army - under the direction of Abhisit and Suthep That's why they face murder charges in contrast to the international praise for Yingluck's forebearance.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jcisco]

Police start reclaim areas from Democracy Monument from protesters

BANGKOK: -- Police in full gear on Saturday started reclaiming areas near the Victory Monument through Makawan Rangsan Bridge which is used as rally site of anti-government protesters, Nation Channel reported.

They removed sacks of sands set up as barriers near the bridge.

However the attempt faced no resistance from the protesters whose numbers are small. The areas were controlled by Student and People Network for Thailand’s Reform and Dharma Army.

-- The Nation 2014-02-14

<deleted> Is this from the future, is not today Friday??

It is just another example of how the Nation is not a source of reliable information. The author does not know what day it is, which begs, how in touch with reality are they.

Edited February 14, 2014 by jcisco

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

..."We will re-take wherever we can and arrest protest leaders," he said. "It's not a crackdown on the protests -- it's enforcement of the law over the protest sites."

He said there was illegal assembly and possession of weapons at the sites....

And when someone dies will they get the same treatment for

the same actions as Abhisit and Suthep are getting for the EXACT SAME REASONING.

Charged with murder for 'clearing out an illegal rally'?

Only difference is police vs army doing the cleaning out.

Hypocrisy 101.

It's OK when you do what your enemy did, because you believe you are better people.

It's OK to charge your enemy for a crime for doing what you are doing because you are in charge now.

EXACT SAME REASONING?

You seems to forget the main differences.

Mark/Suthep's Army declare "Life Firing Zone" and did shoot people with M16 & Tavor (proven), and use APC.

Yingluck police clear the place un-armed. Not even baton. Confirm: "Not even baton".

You seem to forget the first people killed in 2010 were the soldiers that were killed by the reds including a high ranking Colonel. Your selective memory must be very convenient for you.

[MobileContent]

Let's hope they clear Asoke Road first and then please the thugs in front of Central World.

This has nothing to do with peaceful demonstrations by shutting down and taking over streets and I am tired of always hearing that the Red's did it as well in 2010.

[xminator]

This is not how the Bangkok police will do it: South Korean Riot Police Training

Wow. That's coordination!

It would not be coordinated in South Korea either once the demonstrators start using pistols and giant firecrackers.

[focus27]

Let's see how the day pans out, but so far this looks to be staged.

The Suthepistas have as much as they could have expected but cannot lose face by just going home. Given that their allies in the south can disrupt any future election, Bangkok itself is no longer necessary and even Suthep's friends want to go back to making money. Bangkok was important at first as a focus for maximum disruption and propaganda but the urgency has gone out of it as the battle has moved to the courts. Let the people get back to work and let the caretaker government get back to avoiding the approaching train crash.

This doesn't mean that everybody on the ground is privy to this part of the play, but reports of movements very early this morning mean that some had been forewarned. What we're left with is this afternoon's 'surprise'.

[xminator]

The Army needs to come in to protect peaceful protesters against the evil arm of fascist Thaksin regime!

Let's liberate Thailand from the fascist Red Shirts!

And no more rice subsidy please.

A waste of my tax money.

Just how much tax did you pay last year? Tax receipt or it did not happen...

[xminator]

More weapons uncovered as the Thai police FINALLY clear out the sites of the "peaceful protester" thug mob:

https://twitter.com/joe_black317/status/434165622251859968

Plainly, you have not been watching Thai news. The peaceful protesters are peaceful, not like the Red bomb throwing Arsonists thugs.Try going back over related stories on TV, and you will see, that where ever you got your information from is arse about face.

How many bomb throwing arsonists where there when the red convoi roamed Bangkok. The day where Suthep could not stop them and lost face to the world. The day when they declared the emergency decree. And between there and the first shootings by army? None. The history is here on Thaivisa, and it was not a news source siding with the red demonstrators. In 2010 the red protests where just as peaceful, forget that, more peaceful since they did not occupy anything but streets. It was when a too eager leader went into a public building that things escalated. There was nothing even close to the laksi-shootout before troops started their crackdown.

Not that I think you will ever wrap your head around facts. The Shining Suthep is your god afterall.

[Hecate]

It is a shame they weren't as active in 2010.

That's all water under the bridge now.It's time to start fresh and learn from past mistakes.

[casualbiker]

The Army needs to come in to protect peaceful protesters against the evil arm of fascist Thaksin regime!

Let's liberate Thailand from the fascist Red Shirts!

And no more rice subsidy please.

A waste of my tax money.

Just how much tax did you pay last year? Tax receipt or it did not happen...

Are you trying to claim that no Expat here on TV pays Thai tax?

Get real!

Many of us have jobs and pay income tax.

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Larry001]

About time. Any Democratically elected Govt around the world (as this one is), would have taken control weeks ago from thugs holding a country to ransom. Whether you like it or not this Govt was elected. Suthep nd his colleagues do not want an election because they know they cannot win. Simple as that. Mind you the only protestors left are those being paid.