Bomb explosions and gunfire rock PDRC’s Silom rally site

[webfact]

Bomb explosions and gunfire rock PDRC’s Silom rally site



BANGKOK: -- The rally site of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) at Silom was rocked by bomb and gun attack throughout the night leaving five people slightly injured.

The injured who included two PDRC guards were admitted to Chulalongkorn hospital for primary treatment and later discharged.

PDRC guards said the explosion started from about 1.00 a.m. and ended before dawn today.

Throughout almost four hours of tension, bomb explosions and gunshot fires were heard sporadically around the protected area of security guards while protesters inside were not hurt.

Almost 20 explosions were counted by guards from midnight to 4.00 a.m. today coupled with gunshots.

Security guards reported seeing a pickup truck dropping armed men at two locations near the vicinity of the protected areas at Saladaeng and Henri Dunant road. Shortly afterwards gunshots were heard near

Saladaeng intersection and explosions were heard near the Chulalongkorn hospital on the Henri Dunant road.

The bomb and gun attack prompted security guards to step up maximum security checks on all people entering Silom road to work this morning. They also expanded the protection area wider to ensure full protection for people joining the protest rally today.

Protection area was expanded from Saladaeng intersection to Soi Taniya which is beneath BTS Saladaeng sky train station.

Security guards also prohibited entry into the Lumphini park for exercise this morning after gunshots were heard near Gate 4 of the park and near the Thai-Belgian bridge at 4.10 a.m. today.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/bomb-explosions-gunfire-rock-pdrcs-silom-rally-site/


-- Thai PBS 2014-02-25

[TVGerry]

20 explosions? My personal opinion is that it looks like the targeting of someone's business has made someone really mad.

And where are the police again? Months of constant bombings and they're still nowhere close to catching the culprit. I guess seeing how a policeman can go on stage and cheer the deaths at Trat, the police don't really want to catch these people do they? Face it, if this continues and the so called police don't do their jobs, the army might have to.

Edited February 25, 2014 by TVGerry

[Artisi]

"PDRC guards said the explosion started from about 1.00 a.m. and ended before dawn today."

"Almost 20 explosions were counted by guards from midnight to 4.00 a.m. today coupled with gunshots."

So where were the even on-the-ball police force while all this was happening?

Oh, sorry after hours how silly of me.

[WilliamCave]

So almost 4 hours of gun fire and explosions , where were the police in all this and the military?

Seem to be non existing when the demonstrators are attacked .

[gemini81]

Bad news. Better to avoid the area altogether; though this is hard for those of us who have to conduct business around these key areas. If their opposition weren't hellbent on violence, at least we could get through an otherwise peaceful demonstration.

Thai news also stated the devices appeared to have been planted from outside the site. ** Hope the posts of how this was done by PDRC don't ensue. One can see the obvious connection between the escalation of more numerous attacks corresponding with the clear intentions of recent red rallies and leaders.

Also, they attempted to hit them democrat headquarters too on Setthasiri Rd... pretty frickin' obvious who is doing this....

OK Army: PTP and police are both useless and this will con't. Time to step in, toss them out and restart.

Edited February 25, 2014 by gemini81

[seajae]

so much for the police doing their job, yl is full of sh*t and we all know that there is no way in hell the police will help arrest any red shirt scum as it will derail the ptp completely to have their "red army" directly shown to be murdering innocent people. Yl, chalerm and the rest of the ptp scum are simply letting the reds terrorize anyone that doesnt agree with them, they dont care about the country, only their personal bank accounts.

[animatic]

Police can't or won't clear out the protestors?

Send in the red dogs of war, ready to kill for their misshapen views of democracy.

[Valentine]

Who knows who is responsible...this could quite easily be a 'statement' from the private sector. Unsurprising that the police are able to do little....a combination of constraints by the courts and the bashing/interrogation they get from the buddhist monk, very difficult for them to function effectively

You have got to be joking. Normal laws are still in place & should be enforced. Shootings & bombings don't just come under emergency decree rules.

[Bocking]

I didn't see any mention in the news about gunfire and explosions at Chaeng Wattana last night ... but it certainly wasn't firecrackers that woke me up

[gemini81]

Who knows who is responsible...this could quite easily be a 'statement' from the private sector. Unsurprising that the police are able to do little....a combination of constraints by the courts and the bashing/interrogation they get from the buddhist monk, very difficult for them to function effectively

You know darn well who is doing it.

Steer it around to monks 'bashing and interrogating' when demonstrators and the whole CBD is under red violence???

Pathetic and disgraceful your poor arguments are reduced to deflected, broken shards of absolute rubbish.

Edited February 25, 2014 by gemini81

[ManopY]

The explosions and gunfire was on for nearly 4 hrs!!! => Where is the police???

Ha yes, Police officers in Thailand are Security Officers!

So they have to take care of Secure places!

Where it is not Secure, they can not go!!!

[MrJohnson]

Very quiet around Silom this morning. The PRDC guards don't exactly inspire confidence. Personally I object to being 'screened' by these self-appointed guards but I'm not sure what the alternative is. I had to have a chuckle as I left work yesterday and walked up to the MRT. At the 'check point' they have an entry/exit lane - people were just walking in and out wherever they wanted to and the guards appeared powerless to stop them. Maybe this afternoon in might be a little more rigorous.

[kurtgruen]

Well, on one hand, you have a police, red shirt leader cheering about protesters getting killed, along with his followers, who listened to him, cheering and clapping....then you have several hours of gun attacks and explosions, with no police presence (at least not to stop it)...to me, it is obvious, that this is done by Pro-Government groups or the Government themselves.

Combine that with the violent rhetoric, that has been coming from some of Yingluck's henchmen and the fact, that she is looking at fruit, in Saraburi, rather than visiting Trat, after the terrorist attacks, I think you have your answers.

[sam sen]

20 explosions? My personal opinion is that it looks like the targeting of someone's business has made someone really mad.

And where are the police again? Months of constant bombings and they're still nowhere close to catching the culprit. I guess seeing how a policeman can go on stage and cheer the deaths at Trat, the police don't really want to catch these people do they? Face it, if this continues and the so called police don't do their jobs, the army might have to.

they'll be out for the photo op this morning looking all concerned and serious.

[TVGerry]

No, the police are NOT able to do their duty. The city has been taken over by a small number of lawless armed thugs ( aka PDRC guards) and the courts have given them the right to continue with impunty

Oh yes blame the courts and the PRDC for the police being ineffectual! Them being such an elite force all year round except during the protests now, I guess they can't investigate any crimes at this moment. Let's go rob something! And the fools can blame the protests again!

[LuckyLew]

Yingluck Chalerm Jutaporn Thida and the Thai Police all with more and more blood on their hands. It is as if they want Bangkok and Thailand to descend into a full blown civil war. All in the name of one A Hole desert coward

[Local Drunk]

It's the police that are in bed with the Shins. Someone needs to change the sheets, they reek.

[Stradavarius37]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

No, the police are NOT able to do their duty. The city has been taken over by a small number of lawless armed thugs ( aka PDRC guards) and the courts have given them the right to continue with impunty

It must be nice living in your simple worldview, Simple Jack.

[thesetat2013]

Who knows who is responsible...this could quite easily be a 'statement' from the private sector. Unsurprising that the police are able to do little....a combination of constraints by the courts and the bashing/interrogation they get from the buddhist monk, very difficult for them to function effectively

The police were not ordered to stop doing their job. The CMPO was. The police still have the power to make arrests. Shoot armed attackers. Make checkpoints and ensure security. But i am thinking that the police were ordered to stay away. This and that maybe the police dont want to do this kind of work without profit.

4 hours of bombing and gunfire is outlandish. No excuse for the local police not to intervene on the protesters behalf.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited February 25, 2014 by thesetat2013

[RockyBeerbelly]

No, the police are NOT able to do their duty. The city has been taken over by a small number of lawless armed thugs ( aka PDRC guards) and the courts have given them the right to continue with impunty

The Thai police is always useless, and at the moment are too occupied cheering the murdering of Thai children. You must be a proud man/woman prbkk, to support these kind of lawless thugs.

[AleG]

No, the police are NOT able to do their duty. The city has been taken over by a small number of lawless armed thugs ( aka PDRC guards) and the courts have given them the right to continue with impunty

Let me give you two quotes.

From Thailand Live thread:

Five wounded in late night shooting, bombing near PDRC rally site at Lumpini Park; police inspecting scene this morning /MCOT

From the Forum Rules:

15) Not to use ThaiVisa.com to post any material which is knowingly or can be reasonably construed as false

Capisce?

[Yunla]

I pray for a swift comfortable recovery for the poor injured people, and also for the extremists on both sides to start showing some long overdue restraint, wisdom and compassion. It is never too late to join the civilised majority. I would urge them to do this before even one more person is so much as bruised.

[craigt3365]

From another thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706833-cmpos-wings-clipped-by-civil-courts-ruling/

CMPO yesterday adjusted its assignment of police personnel keeping public order in the capital and assigned 2,000 more police officers to provide safety for the public, said Mr Tarit.

[WhizBang]

Who knows who is responsible...this could quite easily be a 'statement' from the private sector. Unsurprising that the police are able to do little....a combination of constraints by the courts and the bashing/interrogation they get from the buddhist monk, very difficult for them to function effectively

Yeah, right. Since the sudden escalation of violence has occured since the PDRC started targeting Shin businesses, it would seem pretty obvious where the orders are coming from. The ONLY thing Thaksin and his PTP sycophants understand is money. Hit them in the wallet and they get real angry.

As for the police and the courts, the courts NEVER said the police cannot arrest attackers, or, in fact, actually do their jobs. The police are just a useless bunch of corrupt individuals, who also happen to be mainly red. So, no, they will not even try to stop the reds from attacking.

As for being 'a statement from the private sector', really? Is that the best you can do to defend your beloved red terrorists?

[Scamper]

Are these the attacks that Chalerm and the CMPO assured would be under control ? Just checking, because this time they haven't even bothered to release a statement. And it is still at least a day before police show up for the photo opts, and another day or two still before they decide to send their forensic teams out. But no matter, they'll have their spin and conclusions on it up and running before any of that takes place. In the meantime, the attacks continue, because there is clearly nothing to stop them, least of all an administration that has no vested interest in them stopping.

[Macrohistory]

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Who knows who is responsible...this could quite easily be a 'statement' from the private sector. Unsurprising that the police are able to do little....a combination of constraints by the courts and the bashing/interrogation they get from the buddhist monk, very difficult for them to function effectively

A statement from the private sector?! I would accuse you of "just joking" but I know you would never joke about ongoing indiscriminate attacks leading to the death and dismemberment of innocent people, including children. But if you're not just joking, I find the logic of your speculation unfathomable, because since when have private sectors anywhere encouraged violent disorder and mayhem? Businesses require order, predictability, and the rule of law, implemented justly.

You know perfectly well who the mastermind of these attacks is. And yet you persist in trying to divert attention and muddy the waters even as people are being killed and maimed. I would have a hard time playing such a frankly deceitful and unconscionable role myself; I simply couldn't pull it off. And I suspect most people would find it just as difficult as I would.

[webfact]

Two wounded in gun, bomb attacks at PDRC rally site
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Feb 25 - Two people were slightly wounded in a shooting and bombing attack at the protesters security guard post near Lumpini Park early Tuesday, while elsewhere, an M79 grenade was fired near Democrat Party headquarters.

A series of shooting and bombing sounds were heard outside the Lumpini Park protest site of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) from 1am until 4am.

Two people were reportedly slightly wounded from the attacks.

On Monday night, at around 7.30pm, an M79 grenade fell at a house, 15 metres from the Democrat Party headquarters on Setthasiri Soi 2 in Samsen area.

Three cars were damaged from the explosion, but no injuries were reported.

It was believed that the M79 grenade was intended for the Democrat Party headquarters.

Thaworn Senneam, a PDRC co-leader, said he believed the attacks could have been an intimidation attempt from the government, urging caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as well as Chalerm Yubamrung, chief of the Center for Maintaining of Peace and Order (CMPO), and Police Chief Pol Gen Adul Sangsingkaew to take responsibility for the latest violence against protesters and speed up tracking the gunmen.

He asked international agencies to help ensure safety for the protesters, saying he did not trust the government's security measures.

Mr Thaworn said the protesters are heading to rally at several locations including businesses believed to have close links with the Shinawatra family, M-Link company building, the Public Works and Excise Departments with an aim to pressure the caretaker premier to resign.

The protesters plan to march to National Police headquarters on Wednesday to demand the progress of several cases involving violence against PDRC protesters. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-02-25

[MaxLee]

Battlefield Bangkok,... this is just the beginning...

[Chang_paarp]

Was this what Chalerm meant when he said he "had some plans" for the protesters?

[gemini81]

Was this what Chalerm meant when he said he "had some plans" for the protesters?

Indeed; along with the war drums. What benefits expats have defending and denying it all despite endless evidence, we'll never know.