Udon Thani redshirt leader Kwanchai released from hospital

[webfact]

Udon Thani UDD Leader Released From Hospital
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK: -- Local Redshirts leader Kwanchai Praipana is back at his home in Udon Thani province for the first time since he was severely wounded in an assassination attempt.

Mr. Kwanchai of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) was admitted to hospital in late January after a group of assailants shot him in his residence. He was said to have recovered steadily ever since, and has returned to his residence today at around 09.00 amid heavy security escort.

Speaking at his home in Mueang district, Mr. Kwanchai said he underwent the final surgery on 7 March and has been transported back to Udon Thani on 11 March. He added that the doctors have mended his leg's nerval system and inserted a metal supporter into his shoulder.

Nevertheless, he still needs to see the doctors for stitches removal and physical therapy later, Mr. Kwanchai said.

Mr. Kwanchai estimated that he has recovered by "70-80%", as he can now use his legs and arms normally, but he still needs companions to support his balance whenever he needs to walk. The Redshirts leader said he has been informed by the doctors that they would remove the metal supporter inside his shoulder 6 months from now.

A group of security guards, handpicked by Mr. Kwanchai, were seen patrolling the house.

Mr. Kwanchai also stated that he would not get involved in any politcal activity in coming weeks, as his wife is running for the Senator seat in the province.

The police have arrested a group of Royal Thai Army officers in connection to his assassination attempt. They have been released after an interrogation session, and vowed to contest the charges in courts.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1394803296&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2014-03-15

[NongKhaiKid]

I live in Udon Thani and on two occasions saw him strutting around town reveling in the attention being given him. The first time I had no idea who he was but was sitting in an open air restaurant and the owner's wife put me right. She had red shirt sympathies herself but her description of Kwanchai was less than complimentary as she described him as a ' bad man ' although it transpired she actually meant ' dangerous '. She also made it clear that the red shirt love for him wasn't universal by any stretch.

i suppose now he will his injuries to bolster his reputation as a local hero and his assertion of not getting involved in politics during the senate election needs a barrel of salt if his reputation is anything to go by.

[chainarong]

Welcome home Leader Kwanchai , hope you recover from your injuries, however having said that , you do realise that in a properly governed Democratic country, these attacks on supporters on any side do not happen , everybody respects each others views , just like I respect yours today Kwanchai, good luck for the future.

[PepperMe]

Mr. Kwanchai also stated that he would not get involved in any politcal activity in coming weeks, as his wife is running for the Senator seat in the province.

But as soon as she is voted into the senate (as a result of massive voter intimidation) The I am free to get publicly involved again with my very own red puppet in the senate who will vote every time in the interests of the UDD red shirt political movement.

Lol..... This is why there should NEVER be a fully elected senate..... just for all you silly red idiots out there.

In fact there shouldn't even be a 50% elected senate.... In Thailand anyone elected is a joke.

[Pimay1]

If this bunch of guys in the photo of the OP are his body guards he is in deep dodo. They remind me of my ex brother-in-law and his friends that got drunk every Saturday night and went out tearing down road signs and turning over out houses.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Pimay1

[mikemac]

If this bunch of guys in the photo of the OP are his body guards he is in deep dodo. They remind me of my ex brother-in-law and his friends that got drunk every Saturday night and went out tearing down road signs and turning over out houses.

These red dudes would take the road signs out with RPG's and burn the outhouses to the ground.

[mikemac]

I live in Udon Thani and on two occasions saw him strutting around town reveling in the attention being given him. The first time I had no idea who he was but was sitting in an open air restaurant and the owner's wife put me right. She had red shirt sympathies herself but her description of Kwanchai was less than complimentary as she described him as a ' bad man ' although it transpired she actually meant ' dangerous '. She also made it clear that the red shirt love for him wasn't universal by any stretch.

i suppose now he will his injuries to bolster his reputation as a local hero and his assertion of not getting involved in politics during the senate election needs a barrel of salt if his reputation is anything to go by.

@ NKK - My experiences living in Chiang Mai for most of the last 5 years is that most of the people you meet with "red shirt sympathies" are generally too scared not to seemingly support them, afraid of recriminations. But I have noticed in the last year or so more and more people are speaking out and openly stating their dislike for these paid thugs.

Soon they will be treated like the vermin they are and chased out of CM. Hope for your sake they don't make Udon their new rat's nest.

[colin2]

Welcome home Leader Kwanchai , hope you recover from your injuries, however having said that , you do realise that in a properly governed Democratic country, these attacks on supporters on any side do not happen , everybody respects each others views , just like I respect yours today Kwanchai, good luck for the future.

So where in the world is there a Properly Governed Democratic Country ? The whole pond is communist !. If it was not, then you would not need a passport and visa !.

[Pimay1]

Welcome home Leader Kwanchai , hope you recover from your injuries, however having said that , you do realise that in a properly governed Democratic country, these attacks on supporters on any side do not happen , everybody respects each others views , just like I respect yours today Kwanchai, good luck for the future.

So where in the world is there a Properly Governed Democratic Country ? The whole pond is communist !. If it was not, then you would not need a passport and visa !.

colin2 I don't understand your statements in bold font above. Can you please explain what you mean?

[winstonc]

aaah the hero returns (not too quietly)..seems to have lost weight ...proof read for mh..

[Robby nz]

Just spent the best part of a week in Udon, travelled around a fair bit in song tau's and never saw a red shirt or red flag.

Now I know where they all were, gathered around their hero Kwanchai.

[Bangmod]

Welcome home Leader Kwanchai , hope you recover from your injuries, however having said that , you do realise that in a properly governed Democratic country, these attacks on supporters on any side do not happen , everybody respects each others views , just like I respect yours today Kwanchai, good luck for the future.

Welcome home?????

The let him go from thje hospital, but his home should be prison.

[seajae]

what a load of sh*t, after claiming life threatening injuries(a shoulder and a leg ) he was able to vote in feb and now all this crap. Just looking at this lot I doubt their is a working brain cell between them, really shows the reds up as the pathetic drop kicks they really are so you then have to wonder how much more stupid their supporters are. To think that his wife thinks she can now ride the reds coat tails into the senate, no brains, no experience at anything other than being a yes woman(I use that term very loosely here), I can see why thais are so ashamed of the reds in general due to the embarrasment they bring the country.

[rametindallas]

I am so glad he didn't die. Now he can live to see the end of the Thaksin regime and, when the paymaster finally gives up, the end of his paid faction the UDD. If bully boys like Kwanchai weren't such a force in the North and Northeast, leaders from those regions could, and hopefully would, spring up to take up the causes of the rural people of the N and NE instead of being paid lackeys of Thaksin. Unfortunately, Thaksin funds the UDD to be the only only choice for representation in those regions and, as other posters have noted, keep the populace repressed and intimidated so there is no competition. I had thought that when Thaksin was ousted in 2006 that maybe some of those in the N and NE, that he had inspired to be proud citizens, would step up and form a grass-roots organization that represented the rural people. I thought wrong, because Thaksin is incapable of taking his ill-gotten gains and moving on and letting the next generation have a turn at governing/stealing. A megalomaniac with billions of dollars in a country like Thailand and rural people don't stand a chance of actually having representation of their wants and needs; they are just pawns in the hands of a ruthless, greedy, power hungry, would-be dictator. (ironic he calls his bully boys United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship when he has been quoted as saying, "Democracy is not my goal")

[NongKhaiKid]

Just spent the best part of a week in Udon, travelled around a fair bit in song tau's and never saw a red shirt or red flag.

Now I know where they all were, gathered around their hero Kwanchai.

My home area is very red but in recent times you would never know if just passing through.

All the previous overt redness has gone and at the last election there was no obvious sign that an election was ongoing.

I have no idea whether people are slowly changing their minds or if it's just over confidence so no need to advertise the obvious.

[whybother]

Those doctors must be brilliant. Nerve reconstruction in his leg. Pins in his shoulder. A final operation just a week ago. And he can walk out of hospital?? Just standing there would be difficult if he'd had all those injuries.

[kuthow]

Did the hospital's cleaning lady apply the dressing on his leg?