Pleas led to rally site closures

[Lite Beer]

Pleas led to rally site closures
The Sunday Nation

Protesters pack their belongings at the Ratchaprasong protest site yesterday as the People

BANGKOK: -- Govt offices and Shinawatra firms will still be targeted despite move to single site at Lumpini Park

A major reason for the anti-government movement's surprise announcement to merge three downtown protest sites into one at Lumpini Park is believed to be the severe impact felt by smaller businesses at key intersections being occupied by protesters.

Protesters have been camped at the intersections for almost two months as part of their "Bangkok shutdown" rally.

A highly-placed source within the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee said many other factors were also behind the relocation.

PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban abruptly announced the decision to vacate the intersections on Friday night.

"There have been complaints to the PDRC every day about the [business] impact from the setting up of PDRC stages at the Pathumwan, Ratchaprasong, Asoke and Silom areas," said the source, who asked not to be named.

"The big businesses who are affected can endure it but the small businesses cannot handle it because rents have not been reduced. They can't sell goods.

"The PDRC thought of removing the stages at Ratchaprasong and Asoke, but could not reach a conclusion [prior to Suthep's announcement].

"The hardship faced by private businesses is the main reason for removing the rally stages. There's also the security issue. Having many rally stages makes it difficult to ensure safety. It would be easier to ensure security if we merged the rally sites into one at Lumpini Park. Another reason is there are fewer people. Also, it's a matter of cost."

The source insisted, however, that the PDRC will continue to pressure the government by shutting down government offices and pressing businesses owned by the Shinawatra clan while reducing the impact on the business sector in general.

"In the past, the [caretaker Yingluck Shinawatra] government suffered, but the shutdown has severely caused hardship to the private sector, so we need to adjust the strategy," the source said.

The PRDC would continue to push for negotiations with the government although the dispute was very complex as it involved many issues, including charges against Yingluck and Shinawatra businesses, the source added.

PDRC co-leader Withaya Kaewparadai, who is in charge of the protest site at Silom, inspected the area and nearby Lumpini Park yesterday.

He said the transfer of protest camps to Lumpini Park would start today. Additional accommodation for up to 10,000 protesters would be made available at the park, Withaya said, adding the campsite would be divided into different zones and registration would be required in order to ensure security.

Roads around the park, including Rama IV, Ratchaprasong and Sala Daeng, would be opened to traffic in order to alleviate the impact on Bangkokians but the overpass for cars at Sala Daeng would be closed at night to ensure security.

The source said Army officers would set up checkpoints in outer areas of the park to beef up security.

The government's Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order thanked the PDRC for closing down the protest sites. The CMPO plans to set up a working group to help protest-affected smaller businesses recover.

Tarit Pengdith, a key member of the CMPO, said measures would include low-interest loans, assistance in negotiating rental fees with landlords, deferment of loan payments from government banks. He urged red-shirt protesters camping at the National Anti-Corruption Commission not to block roads.

Phra Buddha Issara, a Buddhist monk and anti-government protest leader, said he respected Suthep's decision but his group would continue to camp on Chaeng Wattana Road.

Pheu Thai Party deputy spokesman Anusorn Iamsaard said there were four reasons behind Suthep's decision: the number of protesters had dwindled, with less than 100 protesters sleeping at some sites and the PDRC's big supporters were cutting funding.

Anusorn also said protesters were bored and victory seemed remote while pressure from the international community was being felt.

-- The Nation 2014-03-02

[ponchi]

this is the lie.

we move to lumpini park because is more safe for the people !!

we have the more people every day now and have to protect for the safety !!

[Dr Bruce]

How will the thug gaurds survive now that they cannot extort money from all of the traders who have set up in the protests sites?

[Dr Bruce]

this is the lie.

we move to lumpini park because is more safe for the people !!

we have the more people every day now and have to protect for the safety !!

You really are going too far this morning, you used to add alittle humour to the forum, but now it is getting silly.

Posts like this one do not help us believe that you are who you say you are.

[noitom]

Looks like Suthep and his "men" have sold out on their principle. It's clearly a sell out and rationalization. A typical Thai sell out. They have achieved nothing.

[SoilSpoil]

How will the thug gaurds survive now that they cannot extort money from all of the traders who have set up in the protests sites?

What are thug gaurds? Are that those killed animals from Kui Buri National Park? And where did you get the extortion facts? Imaginary friends I guess.

Suthep made a wise decision to slow down a bit.His role is nearly over.It's time for the other players: the courts, the farmers and the reds!

Suthep postponed the election and therefor killed the Amnesty Bill, exposed the rice scam and got Yingluck in a Chiang Mai corner!

The courts, if unbiased, will do the rest of the shaving and the reds being aggressive as in their nature will put the final nail in the coffin of the Shin crew!

[SoilSpoil]

Looks like Suthep and his "men" have sold out on their principle. It's clearly a sell out and rationalization. A typical Thai sell out. They have achieved nothing.

They actually achieved all of their goals, you just haven't realized it yet!

[lostinsurin]

"A highly-placed source within the anti-government"

Reads like a football transfer rumor.

"hardship faced by private businesses"

So just compensate them and carry on this great revolution, BS.

[mca]

They can't sell goods.

Hmm....whose fault would that be then.

[lostinsurin]

"They actually achieved all of their goals, you just haven't realized it yet!"

The living in denial brigade are waking up to defend their leader!!!

[northernjohn]

Looks like Suthep and his "men" have sold out on their principle. It's clearly a sell out and rationalization. A typical Thai sell out. They have achieved nothing.

If they have achieved nothing why are the red shirts talking about a separate nation?

Why are they talking about raising an army of 600,000?

Sounds more to me like they have put the fear of Got into Thaksin and he is a Buddhist.

[lostinsurin]

And that's a good picture of a family moving their work place.

[Thailand]

Nothing to do with that there are not enough supporters left and running out of funds then?

They certainly did not care for disruption of lives/businesses big or small in Bangkok for the past weeks.

[northernjohn]

Now if only Yingluck would listen to the people.

[lostinsurin]

Looks like Suthep and his "men" have sold out on their principle. It's clearly a sell out and rationalization. A typical Thai sell out. They have achieved nothing.

If they have achieved nothing why are the red shirts talking about a separate nation?

Why are they talking about raising an army of 600,000?

Sounds more to me like they have put the fear of Got into Thaksin and he is a Buddhist.

Good morning,

I think it is to let the army and courts know which way it could all go.

[chrisinth]

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

Quote

this is the lie.

we move to lumpini park because is more safe for the people !!

we have the more people every day now and have to protect for the safety !!

I had thought for a moment there that the PDRC were starting to use a bit of sense to free the burden on the businesses they have stopped trading during the protest.

Short lived, as all it took was a comment from a supposed supporter of the PDRC to broadcast that they are in fact telling lies.

Sometimes glad that I am just a stupid falang.....................

[SoilSpoil]

Nothing to do with that there are not enough supporters left and running out of funds then?

They certainly did not care for disruption of lives/businesses big or small in Bangkok for the past weeks.

They cared more than those who they oppose cared for the rice business in Thailand, which is on its knees as you must realize by now.

Thailand's backbone, the rice industry is on its knees and to be taken over by big (foreign) corporations.

Edited March 2, 2014 by SoilSpoil

[northernjohn]

"They actually achieved all of their goals, you just haven't realized it yet!"

The living in denial brigade are waking up to defend their leader!!!

Not exactly

Some are they are trying to raise an army of 600,000

While others want to quit and run . Set up a new nation.

[chrisinth]

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

Quote

Quote

How will the thug gaurds survive now that they cannot extort money from all of the traders who have set up in the protests sites?

What are thug gaurds? Are that those killed animals from Kui Buri National Park? And where did you get the extortion facts? Imaginary friends I guess.

Suthep made a wise decision to slow down a bit.His role is nearly over.It's time for the other players: the courts, the farmers and the reds!

Suthep postponed the election and therefor killed the Amnesty Bill, exposed the rice scam and got Yingluck in a Chiang Mai corner!

The courts, if unbiased, will do the rest of the shaving and the reds being aggressive as in their nature will put the final nail in the coffin of the Shin crew!

AFAIK Suthep didn't postpone an election, he illegally stopped people's rights to cast their democratic votes. There is a difference.

But now another question, if the anti-government movement ever achieve their target and get rid of "the Shin crew", who will be the next target? Who will organize the next protests? What difference in the long term will these protests make?

Every void in politics, whether it is Thailand or anywhere else in the world, has to be filled. Out with one, in with another, Nothing changes except for the scheme.

[Thailand]

"They actually achieved all of their goals, you just haven't realized it yet!"

The living in denial brigade are waking up to defend their leader!!!

Not exactly

Some are they are trying to raise an army of 600,000

While others want to quit and run . Set up a new nation.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707576-red-shirt-leader-thida-rules-out-separating-thailand/

[kikoman]

Now if only Yingluck would listen to the people.

The government are not followers of the ammart like Suthep is, Suthep is clearly following orders that told him back off.

Just at the same time the army started to act to calm down the situation in the country, the split in the ranks of the military is a red flag that the power that be in the military have allowed the situation to deteriorate to the point of no return to normalcy in the country, The talks of separation in the country, the training of an defence force in the north, all red flags!

Suthep has no chance of forcing PM Yingluck to resign, much less of having an appointed peoples counsel (that only a minority supports), his following has dropped dramatically.

All signs point to Suthep has ceased to be a factor in change, but was serving and forcing the calls for division of and in Thailand!

He ceased to be seen as part of a solution and was causing a great part of the problem!

Only my personal opinion!

Cheers

[Fryslan boppe]

"The source said Army officers would set up checkpoints in outer areas of the park to beef up security"

Some ongoing misdirection by the anti-UDD/PTP/RS media, in support of anti-democratic forces, exposing their unelectable Elitist roots.

To suggest the military is 'Beefing up security" is again whitewashing their supportive participation in these protests. This factoid is behind their demonization of the police, in order to aggrandize their friends in the military.

That said, I keep noticing the stubborn efforts for the media to continually characterizing these protests as being anti-Govt....When it is obvious to everyone not similarly agenized, these are anti-democratic, anti-electoral and anti-parliamentary people.

I guess it feels uncomfortable even for the anti-democratic forces to be seen as anti-democratic....Then I suppose that would be considered a small positive....If they are ashamed of their own stance, it may cause some to distance themselves from the extremists who are driving this thing.

Although I am sure they will be gleeful supporters of the Elitist-rooted independent agencies and judiciary, who will carry on the good fight that the weakened street protesters set up for them.

[mrtoad]

Morning Ferwert

[seajae]

this is the lie.

we move to lumpini park because is more safe for the people !!

we have the more people every day now and have to protect for the safety !!

you do the protesters a great dis-service promoting yellow shirts. I dislike the reds and I also dislike the yellows, this is true with a lot of/most people in Thailand. The protesters are not yellows but ordinary everyday thais that want corruption ended, trying to push yellow propaganda destroys everything they have worked for. I hope there are no more bombs etc and that they are safer, only time will tell.

[geriatrickid]

this is the lie.

we move to lumpini park because is more safe for the people !!

we have the more people every day now and have to protect for the safety !!

More people every day who reject Suthep and all the evil he represents.

[geriatrickid]

Now if only Yingluck would listen to the people.

She is. It's called an election. The will of the people will be expressed at the ballot box.

[rreddin]

Looks like Suthep and his "men" have sold out on their principle. It's clearly a sell out and rationalization. A typical Thai sell out. They have achieved nothing.

If they have achieved nothing why are the red shirts talking about a separate nation?

Why are they talking about raising an army of 600,000?

Sounds more to me like they have put the fear of Got into Thaksin and he is a Buddhist.

You are grasping at straws informed by your political predjudices. Il Duce has been told to stop his street protests by his puppet masters. They do not care about the small business owner. They are playing in a very high stakes winner takes all game. Suthep is not a player in that game, he is just a pawn and his side show has become couter-productive.

If you had been paying attention to what the UDD leadership is saying, you will have heard that cessation is not their aim. True, some local redshirt groups in the former Lanna Kingdom have expressed the desire for that region to become an independent domocratic republic, but that is nothing more than a dream. There is no popular support for it. The vast majority of people who oppose Suthep's, ever changing, demands have no desire to break up the country. Nor do they want it to become a republic.

As I said, there is a high stakes winner takes all game being played out in which politicians of all parties are being used as pawns. The threat of raising an army nearly twice the size of the Royal Thai Army is a bluff in that game and a warning to the military to stay out of it.

edited to correct typo

Edited March 2, 2014 by rreddin

[tomyummer]

The vendors from the various sites are signing a petition in protest of closing the sites. They claim they will lose their rights of making a living and are planning to sue both sides of the conflict.

Just kidding of course but for a sad reason that's what first came to mind.

[MrJohnson]

this is the lie.

we move to lumpini park because is more safe for the people !!

we have the more people every day now and have to protect for the safety !!

Can I come and camp outside your house please. Can I pee in the gutter outside your house. Can I invite my friends over each night and stay up late and make a lot of no use. Can I also get some stall holders to come over and leave trash all over the road outside your house. Could I invite some octogenarians over to sing karaoke during the day time. And finally, can I invite over some people dressed in black who look like they just escaped from prison yo act as security guards and demand to inspect people's bags as they go yo and from their homes? No? I thought so. Good riddance to the mob. Good luck at the ballot box.

[Lite Beer]

PDRC vows to continue pressuring PM, announces plan to lift road blockades

BANGKOK, 2 March 2014 (NNT) – The People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) will not give up attempts to close down businesses relating to Shinawatra family; however, it will call off the operation to paralyze the capital.

PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban announced that the anti-government protesters would keep on pressuring Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra until she decided to step down. He pledged to continue besieging government offices and businesses of the Shinawatra family.

Mr. Suthep however decided that the PDRC would call off rallies around Bangkok and would move to Lumpini Park where all anti-government activities would be held.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul expressed his thankfulness to the PDRC leader for his plan to open roads, saying if possible, the protests should end soon as the current conflict has done enough damage to the country as a whole.

Mr. Surapong also mentioned about the extension of Emergency Decree. He said the situation would have to be assessed before any decisions can be made, while expressing personal belief that the best way out of the 8-year political stalemate is through negotiations.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told members of the media that she was open to negotiations with Mr. Suthep as long as the process complied with the constitution.

-- NNT 2014-03-02