Last groups of protesters get marching orders

[Lite Beer]

PROTESTERS
Last groups of protesters get marching orders
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The last groups of protesters from both sides of the political divide left their rally sites yesterday, as police and soldiers were sent to dismantle their barricades, bunkers and makeshift camps.

Protesters were transported on military buses to the Southern Bus Terminus and the Hua Lamphong Railway Station.

The operation began at about 5.30am on Rajdamnoen Avenue, where the protest sites of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee and the Student and People Network for Thailand's Reform were located.

More than 200 policemen and soldiers, helped by cleaners and street sweepers from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, cleared and cleaned the sites near Government House.

Two military trucks and an excavator were also used in the operation.

Barbed-wire fences and piles of tyres were removed, as the last group of anti-government protesters were packing their belongings at the protest site near Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge.

A number of weapons were discovered by soldiers searching the protest site, including a tear-gas launcher, teargas canisters, imitation shotguns, bulletproof vests, and teargas masks. The objects were handed over to police.

Roads around the three protest sites remained closed to traffic yesterday, with the roads to be reopened once the authorities were sure the sites were safe. Officers from bomb disposal units scanned the sites for possible explosives.

There were no reports of injuries or deaths at the rally site of the pro-government red shirts on Aksa Road after soldiers dispersed their demonstration on Thursday evening, according to Dr Kongdej Leethochavalit, a senior public health official in Nakhon Pathom where ousted government supporters had gathered.

There was only little resistance to the military, with sporadic gunshots reported.

In a related development, seven home-made bombs were found inside a men's toilet at a petrol station on Lan Luang Road yesterday morning. The bombs were wrapped in black tape and hidden inside a garbage bin.

-- The Nation 2014-05-24

[KhunG]

Lite Beer: thanks for the rapid-fire updates!

Edited May 23, 2014 by KhunG

[Roadman]

Well done Army and Police together. Long overdue to remove these undemocratic groups especially when barricades and barbed wire are being erected...protests my back side. The most pleasing thing with this coup and also at the coup announcements has been the joint presence of Armed forces and Police together. Long may that team approach continue and herald in the removal of the Shinawatra influence over the police. The judiciary should be pleased to see the Police also getting involved and who knows it might actually lead to the Police supporting the judiciary in their findings as per what occurs in the top democracies of the world . Pleasing little first steps for the long term installation of the democratic process in a country that has seen its fledgling democratic process continually abused and none so more as since 2001 with the intimidation of the judiciary by Thaksins thugs which started all this.

[ding]

I gotta hand it to Thai people, they show up for drill (the ones NOT getting paid anyway).

[noitom]

No political protest allowed in Thailand.

[diehard60]

and these are all peaceful protesters, but sitheup's and the monk's thugs all had weapons and were found. Why do they need weapns - only to do more killing like suthep and that NON MONK love doing.

[belg]

so only 200 people were needed , why is the police never doing their job in the first place ? too tired ? to hot ? not paid enough ? no incentive for them ?

[oneday]

Now this is very good news.

[UKCanuk]

I don't know if this is allowed, but I'll try. This news was also floating around the political circles in London yesterday:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-24/former-thailand-pm-to-establish-government-in-exile-lawyer/5475648

Sonny has also apparently decamped to Hampshire.

[UKCanuk]

I don't know if this is allowed, but I'll try. This news was also floating around the political circles in London yesterday:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-24/former-thailand-pm-to-establish-government-in-exile-lawyer/5475648

Sonny has also apparently decamped to Hampshire.

Sorry, should have posted the reference for the last line:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/taking-refuge-in-5star-hampshire-hotel-the-thai-crown-prince-and-his-retinue-of-30-9423659.html