Two killed, 21 wounded in attack on Thai protest camp: officials

[webfact]

Two killed, 21 wounded in attack on Thai protest camp: officials

BANGKOK, May 15, 2014 (AFP) - Two people were killed and 21 were wounded in an attack early Thursday on an anti-government protest camp in Bangkok, medical officials and police told AFP, taking the death toll during six months of rallies to 27.

"Two people were killed and 21 were wounded," the city's Erawan Emergency Centre said on its website, in a toll later confirmed by police.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-05-15

---------------

Two Thai protesters dead, 21 wounded in gun and grenade attack

BANGKOK, May 15, 2014 (AFP) - Two anti-government protesters were killed and 21 were wounded in a gun and grenade attack early Thursday in Bangkok, medical officials and police told AFP, stoking fears of wider political violence in the crisis-hit kingdom.

Police said two M79 grenades were launched into a protest site at the city's Democracy Monument -- a stone's throw from the city's famed backpacker zone -- and were followed by gunshots.

"The first victim was a protester who was sleeping at Democracy Monument, while the second victim was a protest guard who died from gunshots," Police Major Wallop Prathummuang told AFP.

In a statement on its website, the city's Erawan Emergency Centre said two people were killed and 21 wounded in the attack, which took place at 3am (2000 GMT Wednesday).

There were no immediate reports of the identity of the gunmen, but both pro- and anti-government supporters are known to have armed hardliners.

The deaths take the toll from six months of protests aimed at toppling the government to 27, with hundreds of others wounded in gun and grenade attacks linked to rallies.

Fears have intensified that the nation's political deadlock could spiral into street clashes since the ousting of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra by the nation's Constitutional Court last week.

Her "Red Shirt" supporters have been holding a rally in a Bangkok suburb and have vowed to defend the government, which has limped on despite her removal from office, along with nine cabinet members over an abuse of power case.

They want new elections slated for July 20 to find a path through the crisis, which has festered since last year.

Anti-government protesters refuse to join elections and say the ruling Puea Thai party administration lacks the legitimacy to govern.

They are calling on the Thai Senate to invoke a clause in the kingdom's constitution to remove the government and appoint a new premier.

It is unclear what legal basis their move draws on.

Red Shirt leaders have warned of the threat of civil war if their government is dumped and a new prime minister is appointed.

Anti-government protesters have moved to the area immediately around Government House in the city's historic quarter -- a few hundred yards from the site of Thursday's attack.

They are protected by several layers of concrete barriers and sand bags, while scores of protest guards patrol the area.

Protest leaders now occupy a wing of the state building, holding press conferences as they bid to show the government lacks authority to rule.

Thailand has been cleaved apart by political divisions since 2006 when Yingluck's older brother Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup.

Thaksin, a billionaire former telecoms tycoon, is reviled by the Bangkok elite and royalist southerners who accuse him of driving rampant corruption, cronyism and of being a threat to the revered monarchy.

But he draws devotion among the kingdom's north and northeastern rural poor, who say he is the first Thai leader to uplift their situation with populist policies and increasing political power.

Thaksin-led or aligned parties have won every election since 2001, but have also seen four premiers removed by coups or court rulings.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-05-15

[EricBerg]

The shinas are losing their grip. The red government is gradually being kicked out. The big bad guy in Dubai is not a good loser. He will try to cause destruction and havoc as revenge for sending off his puppet government. Last time there were bombs a bullets and burning buildings. He will try the same this time.

[srsv1238]

Better take samples of the bomb residue and run it against all samples of past attacks, including the large stash of bomb making material found in Lumpini Park. We need to find the culprits before more people get hurt.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[chooka]

It will definitely get worse

[Robby nz]

Once again Chalerms predictions come true.

Just as well he is protecting the reds or they could also suffer casualties.

The DSI will no doubt leap into action and find the culprits just as quickly as the have done after all the previous attacks.

RIP the dead and hope for a quick recovery for the injured.

[Scarpolo]

is there an ETF traded on the NYSE, to short the SET?

[EnzoRippo]

Smelling civil war.

When the judges are just puppets and the police not allowed to make its job => only violence remains.

[Dr Bruce]

RIP to te victims.

It will continue to get worse over the next few months until we have elections.

[angiud]

A post inciting violence a an answer have been deleted

[Thait Spot]

Smelling civil war.

When the judges are just puppets and the police not allowed to make its job => only violence remains.

Explain your police remark.

The rest is just cretinous

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Dr Bruce]

Smelling civil war.

When the judges are just puppets and the police not allowed to make its job => only violence remains.

Explain your police remark.

The rest is just cretinous

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I think he may be reffering to the fact that every time the police arrest one of the leaders of the insurrection, the courts just release them the next day.

Or he could be refferring to the areas of the Capital City where the police cannot go because of the armed guards that surround the few protesters.

If you think that stating that there is a possibility of civil was is cretinous, then you need to look to yourself.

[englishoak]

Sad. RIIP

[leggo]

Agreed!

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[TimCM]

Sadly, the language of intolerance and hatred from both sides will encourage those without morals to act this way. This is just the tip of a very ugly iceberg to come

[kratiam]

Smelling civil war.

When the judges are just puppets and the police not allowed to make its job => only violence remains.

Based on what........................utter garbage!

[webfact]

Two killed, 22 others injured in grenade, gun attack at Democracy Monument

BANGKOK: -- Two met were fatally shot and 22 others were injured when assailants on a pick-up truck fired an M79 grenade at anti-government protesters and fired at guards of the People's Democratic Reform Committee early Thursday, Manager Online reported.

The assailants on a white pick-up truck fired an M79 grenade at the demonstrators near the Democracy Monument at 2:50 am and sped their truck to the Kokwua Intersection. Their opened fire at the guards there with M16 assault rifles.

Manager Online said 24 were injured in the shooting. Ten of them were rushed to Hua Chiew Hospital and 14 others to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Central Hospital.

Narayos Chanphet, 21, and Somkhuan Nuankhanai, 51, died at a hospital.

-- The Nation 2014-05-15

[issanaus]

Elections are one step further away, civil war is one step closer

Another terrorist attack in support of a political party

Lets see if the party that is "still in control" comes out and condemns this attack and uses its resources to find out who pulled the triggers and who is behind the attack.

No holding my breath

RIP to the deceased and democratic principles

[BSJ]

Lets not talk about civil war. Such a thing is bad news for the people in the country who are both citizen's and expats....but at least the expats can leave.

[Tokay]

A post inciting violence a an answer have been deleted

I am not disputing your mod position on that post, however, I think most people will agree that violence is going to happen one way or another, and the sooner they get it over with, the better. The country is not going to heal until after all hell has broken loose and they are left to pick up the pieces and burn the bodies of the dead. It's happened all over the world, still happens today, and is going to happen here.

The country is too divided and the hatred for each other is too great. Then add power thirsty elites, corruption, and "face" to the mix, and you have a recipe for disaster.

No one wants it, but it is unavoidable at this point. Though, I hope this is one of those times where I can come back later and admit I was totally wrong.

[Tokay]

Lets not talk about civil war.... but at least the expats can leave.

It won't hurt to have a back up plan in place in the event it all goes tits up and you live in a hot zone. Those things do happen, and it happens fast. History has taught us that.

[Dr Bruce]

Lets not talk about civil war. Such a thing is bad news for the people in the country who are both citizen's and expats....but at least the expats can leave.

Many people from both sides of the divide are talking about it as a real possibility. Unless one side or the other step back from the brink............

[casualbiker]

The only one interested in violence right now is the gangster Suthep and he has no scruples of arranging this attack on his own people to further his cause while he is still trying to provoke a coup with violent attacks on his own people.

The other side would gain nothing with such an attack.

Stupid comments! This is Thailand.

People will fight each other over minor slights or loss of face!

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[issanaus]

Lets not talk about civil war. Such a thing is bad news for the people in the country who are both citizen's and expats....but at least the expats can leave.

Many people from both sides of the divide are talking about it as a real possibility. Unless one side or the other step back from the brink............

Both sides need to step back - not just one side

[Scarpolo]

Lets not talk about civil war. Such a thing is bad news for the people in the country who are both citizen's and expats....but at least the expats can leave.

Many people from both sides of the divide are talking about it as a real possibility. Unless one side or the other step back from the brink............

Both sides need to step back - not just one side

there is always someone who is ready willing and able to profit on the misery of others,

motives are not an easy thing to pin down, or on, but rest assured,

someone wants this to escalate, and, it may be much bigger than what appears on the just the surface

keep in mind,

Thailand and China are collaborating on a canal,

Vietnam is protesting China oil rigs,

this may in fact be MUCH bigger than Sutep, Yinglunk, reds, yellows, blacks, blues,

there may be a plan to completely devastate Thailand,

I moved there in Sept. last year, but moved out of a very comfortable situation because I saw this coming, and didnt want to accidentally die there

[ILOOKFORWORK]

The shinas are losing their grip. The red government is gradually being kicked out. The big bad guy in Dubai is not a good loser. He will try to cause destruction and havoc as revenge for sending off his puppet government. Last time there were bombs a bullets and burning buildings. He will try the same this time.

You're lost. Most inside sources link attacks to PDRC hired hands. Most evidence suggests the same. If you can read Thai, you will be able to understand it better.

[NeverSure]

A good question is - where do these guys get the M16's??? They are sold by the US to the Thai military and should never see civilian hands.

In the US, some states allow the ownership of them but a good one will cost at least $25,000 Link because few were ever registered to civilians. On top of that, they eat so much ammo The rate of fire is at least 600 rounds per minute, or $450 per minute for the fun of - what?

The better alternative for the civilian is the AR-15 which is like an M16 but semi-auto, requiring a separate trigger pull for each bullet rather than going off like a machine gun when the trigger is pulled.

In all my life, even being a gun enthusiast and competitor, I've seen just 2 M16's in private hands. One was for rent at a firing range where under close supervision someone could blow a few hundred dollars on ammo in addition to the gun rental fee.

Yet they seem to be all over Thailand, as does the 5.56 NATO ammo for them.

[Stradavarius37]

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

Smelling civil war.
When the judges are just puppets and the police not allowed to make its job => only violence remains.

Explain your police remark.

The rest is just cretinous

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I see nothing overly "Cretinous" about the comments. I don't particularly agree with them, but they are not over the top. Your comments however, seem to be mean spirited and "Cretinous", to coin a phrase...

[Robby nz]

The only one interested in violence right now is the gangster Suthep and he has no scruples of arranging this attack on his own people to further his cause while he is still trying to provoke a coup with violent attacks on his own people.

The other side would gain nothing with such an attack.

What a piece of stupidity.

The violence is against the protesters by others.

The only one, as I have said many times , that (thinks he) can benefit from a coup is your hero Thaksin he can then say his legally elected Govt was once again overthrown by the military, international sympathy.

The armed reds will then come out and give him the civil war he so dearly wants.

Revenge, then after the country is devastated he will return the hero and peace maker to unite the people make them prosperous and the country will be so grateful they will make him president for life.

What dreams that man must have, right now he is having a nightmare for PT is finished.

If you really believe what you have posted then please explain how a coup and the reds coming out against it could possibly benefit Suthep.

[geriatrickid]

Smelling civil war.

When the judges are just puppets and the police not allowed to make its job => only violence remains.

Explain your police remark.

The rest is just cretinous

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The military high command told the police not to take forceful action against the PDRC protestors.

It started back in November when multiple statements were made.

For example;

Explaining how a crowd of unarmed civilians was able to break through the main gate into the army compound, Gen. Prayuth said: “The army did not want to use any force and we didn’t view the protesters as enemies or opponents. They are actually Thais who have different political opinions.”

Thanyarat Doksone And Jocelyn Gecker, Associated Press | November 29, 2013

The police have been complaining that they are not allowed to take effective action. Remember the protest by the police in December when one of their officers was murdered?

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thai police staged a protest Monday to show their frustration after weeks of dealing with aggressive and often violent anti-government demonstrators, with officers saying that the order for them to show restraint has left them vulnerable and humiliated.

About 500 police with family and friends gathered in a public square near the main protest camp in Bangkok, four days after a policeman was shot dead in a pitched battle with demonstrators who were trying to stop candidates from registering for February elections. Most police are allowed to carry only batons and riot shields, while selected officers are equipped with tear gas canisters and guns to fire rubber bullets. Orders to show restraint have resulted in police several times being trapped by demonstrators and forced to bargain for their release.

The Associated Press Published Monday, December 30, 2013 8:49AM

[gabruce]

The shinas are losing their grip. The red government is gradually being kicked out. The big bad guy in Dubai is not a good loser. He will try to cause destruction and havoc as revenge for sending off his puppet government. Last time there were bombs a bullets and burning buildings. He will try the same this time.

You're lost. Most inside sources link attacks to PDRC hired hands. Most evidence suggests the same. If you can read Thai, you will be able to understand it better.

I presume from your posting that you can read thai. Your claim is that the thai media is mostly saying that the PDRC is attacking and killing themselves and that the english thai media is not carrying any of the thai language stuff. Who are the insiders? Chalerm? Provide some details or let us know you are just making it up. It's a serious accusation. I also wonder why the protestors are staying if it's obvious in the thai media that the PDRC are attacking themselves.