Redshirt community radio station under heavy arm attack

[webfact]

Redshirt community radio station under heavy arm attack



BANGKOK: -- The newly-established community radio station of the redshirt supporters of the caretaker government came under heavy attack by gunmen wielding assault rifles before dawn today.

Security guards at the station on the Mae Sot-Tak road in Tak province returned fire with the assailants. In a 10-minute exchange of gunfire, the attackers escaped in darkness.

There was no report of casualties on both sides but the office of the redshirt community radio was riddled with AK 47 bullets.

The community radio station broadcast on 90.50 MHz frequency and called itself “Radio Community for Mae Sot People”.

The radio station was open by Ko Tee or Wuthipong Kochathammakun, a hardcore redshirt leader in Pathum Thani who earlier on the eve of the February 2 election, led about 200 redshirt supporters to try to take over the Laksi district office where anti-government protesters led by Luang Poo Buddha-issara was occupying to blockade voting.

An armed skirmish broke out at Lak Si and in this incident the “Popcorn” gunmen surfaced to help repulse Ko Tee’s armed men out.

Mae Sot police said Thursday morning that the attack on the radio station happened at about 4.00a.m. The station is close to the Mae Sot bus terminal and is located inside a private property.

Ko Tee was invited to open the community radio early this week amid strong opposition by residents and anti-government protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Council. A protest rally was earlier held in front of the station but nothing happened.

Mae Sot police inspecting the station today said they found the station was riddled with assault rifle bullets on the roof, ceiling, loudspeakers, antenna and a pickup truck which was modified as a campaign vehicle with the picture of Ko Tee displaying on the side body of the truck.

The banner carried the picture of Ko Tee at the truck was riddled with several bullet holes.

A security guard inside the station told police that he heard a series of gunshots and he managed to grab a gun to shoot back.

In a brief 10-minute gunfight, he said he was sure one of the assailants was shot and injured as he heard them shouting to each other.

The radio station will be a trial of live broadcast Friday and will be officially open on April 5 with invited redshirt leaders from various parts of the country coming in a motor caravan to take part

Mae Sot redshirt leader Chartchai Uahangkoonkachorn said that the attack last night would not deter the radio station from operation.

Neighbors told police that they thought the attackers intended on the life of Ko Tee as they sprayed bullets into both the house where they believed Ko Tee was staying, and the pickup truck.

They said that when Ko Tee came to Mae Sot, he always stayed at the house which belongs to his close aide.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/redshirt-community-radio-station-heavy-arm-attack/

-- Thai PBS 2014-03-27

[RubbaJohnny]

Sots Law

[Pikeybkk]

must have been those unarmed and non confrontational pdrc guys....

[TVGerry]

Well most of the security guards here are glorified doormen. Glad to see red shirt security guards are special and are armed. And actually have the skill to actually shoot back and say they hit someone. But red shirts themselves aren't armed because they're peaceful.

Edited March 27, 2014 by TVGerry

[robblok]

Crazy i condemn this violence by the anti government protesters though it must be noted that there was a gunfight.. that means the other party was armed too. Hotheads on both sides should not grab arms and shoot.

[dickyknee]

must have been those unarmed and non confrontational pdrc guys....

with the peaceful unarmed redshirts returning fire.

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[WAERTH]

With this one and the attack in Chiang Mai recently and other attacks tit for tat ..... might I suggest that the civil war has already started

[Bkungbank]

In any democratic countries we able to practice freedom of speech but to provocation of hated are not under democratic. A radio station have rights to relay correct information to the listeners but not divide the people and this country..

[givenall]

Sots Law

I think they forgot to pay the Cambodian they heired

[Bluespunk]

must have been those unarmed and non confrontational pdrc guys....

Evidence?

[Yunla]

These are gang shootings, at a gang radio station. Because the redshirts are a gang and not a political movement. Even their party PTP are not really political. They've been in power for years and haven't engaged in anything resembling politics, the PM has ticked the minimum required number of boxes and avoided everything else. I feel sad to see these shootings, but sad in the same way I feel when I see gangsters shoot eachother over drugs or whatever. Its just more gang crime.The big lie here is that this is political, and that PTP are political - they are not, they're just gang members.

[kurtgruen]

10 minute gun fight and none of the red guards got hurt....probably just a propaganda stunt, before their opening - they did it themselves to draw attention to an opening which otherwise not many people would pay attention to anymore.

[sweatalot]

must have been those unarmed and non confrontational pdrc guys....

no, it's of course the usual trick of the red shirts, to blame the PDRC.

They did it themselves. That's why Ko Tee was not in the building.

Maybe he shot himself - he needs some training for his plans.

[Artisi]

A fair bet all a publicity stunt, attacked by their own people to garner support for the new community radio station. Proof - a 10 minute gun fight with AK47's and no causalities - come on now enough fire power for a proper all out war.

[kurtgruen]

must have been those unarmed and non confrontational pdrc guys....

Sounds more like a publicity stunt by the reds to promote an otherwise boring event of opening a radio station for their gang. (I haven't heard about it since this event, so the publicity stunt is working)

[seajae]

once again the reds try to pull off a staged publicity campaign to garner support as they know they are falling all over the country. How do you have a 10 minute arms fight with ak47's etc and no one is injured(claimed but no blood?), this is just too far fetched and like the hotel window shooting was done by their own men. One has to wonder if the weapons they were using were registered and why they were carrying them especially as they are saying that securtiy guards are not supposed to be armed but then as the reds and police are one in the same what can we expect.

[dickyknee]

A fair bet all a publicity stunt, attacked by their own people to garner support for the new community radio station. Proof - a 10 minute gun fight with AK47's and no causalities - come on now enough fire power for a proper all out war.

interesting, the group Ko Tee had been provoking have M16s.

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[Local Drunk]

An "interesting" take on the Lak Si incident.................

Please explain. If you haven't been shot or had a gun fired or pointed at you in anger... You should be quiet about it. It's a bad thing and not something to be taken lightly or to serve a certain political position. Do try to remember that it's never the leaders who die but rather the people that follow the misguided politics of both sides of the coin.

I'd really hate to read (as much as I disagree with your opinions) that you were caught in the crossfire and ...

[Local Drunk]

A fair bet all a publicity stunt, attacked by their own people to garner support for the new community radio station. Proof - a 10 minute gun fight with AK47's and no causalities - come on now enough fire power for a proper all out war.

The thing is... there are more than a few us us here that wouldn't have missed a target. I don't say that lightly or with any ill intent towards anyone on any side.

This is getting very very serious.

[LomSak27]

Strange - Not Reported by

The Nation

One has to ask why?

[Nickymaster]

I am sure the police will catch somebody. They always do when one of theirs is the victim.

[Gunna]

once again the reds try to pull off a staged publicity campaign to garner support as they know they are falling all over the country. How do you have a 10 minute arms fight with ak47's etc and no one is injured(claimed but no blood?), this is just too far fetched and like the hotel window shooting was done by their own men. One has to wonder if the weapons they were using were registered and why they were carrying them especially as they are saying that securtiy guards are not supposed to be armed but then as the reds and police are one in the same what can we expect.

A bit like a Hollywood movie when the hero runs through a hail of machine gun fire and emerges the other side unscathed, ie not reality.

[maxme]

must have been those unarmed and non confrontational pdrc guys....

Sounds more like a publicity stunt by the reds to promote an otherwise boring event of opening a radio station for their gang. (I haven't heard about it since this event, so the publicity stunt is working)

And where is your evidence? It isn't rocket science that both sides have their ugly sides and frankly we would be better without both of them but it is what it is and no matter how you like to paint the world you live in, it would only be retouching.

Are there any sane and objective people left in this forum... Jeez.

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Edited March 27, 2014 by maxme

[Bluespunk]

must have been those unarmed and non confrontational pdrc guys....

Sounds more like a publicity stunt by the reds to promote an otherwise boring event of opening a radio station for their gang. (I haven't heard about it since this event, so the publicity stunt is working)

And where is your evidence? It isn't rocket science that both sides have their ugly sides and frankly we would be better without both of them but it is what it is and no matter how you like to paint the world you live in, it would only be retouching.

Are there any sane and objective people left in this forum... Jeez.

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I think kurtgruen was being sarcastic, in response to the claims by some every time a pdrc site or member is attacked that they are publicity stunts. Of course I could be wrong.

[maxme]

must have been those unarmed and non confrontational pdrc guys....

Sounds more like a publicity stunt by the reds to promote an otherwise boring event of opening a radio station for their gang. (I haven't heard about it since this event, so the publicity stunt is working)

And where is your evidence? It isn't rocket science that both sides have their ugly sides and frankly we would be better without both of them but it is what it is and no matter how you like to paint the world you live in, it would only be retouching.

Are there any sane and objective people left in this forum... Jeez.

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I think kurtgruen was being sarcastic, in response to the claims by some every time a pdrc site or member is attacked that they are publicity stunts. Of course I could be wrong.

My family and I were affected by the protests and I would hardly call them peaceful although there were many protesters that professed against violence. The thing is since the one who instigated this debacle is equally if not even more corrupt than the ones he fights against, it's safe to say the purpose of this crusade has become corrupted and the message obsolete.

Having lived in Issan, I have seen first hand how men up there lose control and hurt everyone in their path because things didn't turn out as they expected. Being poor is no excuse, there are a lot of poor people around the world who still have their dignity and humility intact.

That said, living part time in the south, I have witnessed the same barbaric behavior I did up in the north-east and these folks are not as poor as their counterparts.

So who's to blame for this kind of uncivilized behavior if both sides act the same? Well essentially it all comes down to Thai culture itself. That's what needs to be reformed. Thais won't be able to move foward until that has happened.

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Edited March 27, 2014 by maxme

[Fat Haggis]

Real life combat isn't like the TV or Call of Duty games, 10 minutes firefight, sure very plausible that no casualties received on any side, especially at Dawn, where low light conditions, and other factors thrown in, add to that both sides hunkered down and firing like the Beirut Salute, it's more probable than possible.

I've been in a lot longer firefights where we expended literally thousands of rounds in the general direction of the bad guys.. No hits claimed.. very hard to shoot someone who's shooting at you, and you're behind cover.. and so are they.

[ramrod711]

Hmmm, just trying to decide who I sympathize with, Ko Tee the terrorist or the monk who was beaten and kicked, think i'll go with the monk.

[skorchio]

No mention of the weapons which were used in defence, were these weapons legal? Was possession of these weapons, by the people who used them, legal? Are all redhsirt radio stations carrying arms? Is that legal? Why are they all armed?

[Cricketnut]

In any democratic countries we able to practice freedom of speech but to provocation of hated are not under democratic. A radio station have rights to relay correct information to the listeners but not divide the people and this country..

Tell that to the Tea Party in the US. Last time I knew Suthep could say what ever he wants... Why can't the red shirt radio station based in Mae Sot? Tis still a free country is it not? Otherwise arrest Suthep, but no he doesn't have the guts to even turn himself in like Abhisit.

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[bigbamboo]

Another gunfight where no one hits anything. Either it's another put up job or Thais are just crap shots.

They're more dangerous when they get their whistles out.