2010 Political Protesters ordered to return all wartime weapons by July 30th: Thailand

[webfact]

2010 Political Protesters ordered to return all wartime weapons by July 30th

BANGKOK, 11 July 2014 (NNT) - The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has made two public announcements ordering the Royal Thai Police to enforce more stringent measures against gambling and those in possession of war weapons during the 2010 political protests.

Under its 93th announcement, the NCPO has ordered that all illegal slot machines seized by police are to be turned over to the state, including those seized prior to the May 22nd coup.

The only exception to this case is if the slot machine owner can present credible evidence within 30 days after seizure that the machines were legally approved. Should they fail to do this, they would be subject to punishment under the Criminal Court.

Meanwhile, the NCPO has also released its 94th announcement aiming at members of the red-shirt group who engaged in the 2010 political protests.

Possessors of firearms, bulletproof vests, and munitions are to return all these illegal items to the Army to avoid criminal prosecution.

Anybody who refuses to give up these weapons will be subjected to legal action. The deadline for returning all these items is set for July 30th.

-- NNT 2014-07-11

[Robby nz]

Shouldn't they have already turned their weapons in before the previous deadline like everyone else ?

But I suppose they are special, heck some of them even got to be MP's or were given cabinet posts.

[Chang_paarp]

Looks like some folk missed the last memo and deadline. I guess we can look forward to more cardboard boxes on the side of the road as the deadline approaches.

Interesting that this memo specifically mentions the red mob. Whilst far from blameless they were not the only players.

[Redhawk]

Since when bulletproof vest falls under the gun law and citizens are not free to posses? Owners and in possession of registered guns and ammo? What is about the people at all possess illegal weapons especailly citizens in holding of weapons who fall under the act of weapons of war?

[djjamie]

Another example of the Junta giving preferential treatment to the red shirts with a "special" deadline.

Previously this treatment extended to TRT ex ministers in cabinet line up, but no DEM's and more PDRC arrests than RS arrests under martial law.

This also highlights the bias of the police force as the DEM's could not demand that the terrorist weapons be handed in as the police force was biased towards thaksin ergo the red shirt terrorists. Then when the PTP got into power….well they are not going to ask the people that brought them to power to hand in the weapons.

Even though you are portraying a view that you are giving preferential treatment to the RS's I applaud you for demanding these weapons back. The DEM's were powerless to do it, the PTP would not do it. You are doing it.

[bangrak]

'2010 Political Protesters': What?! This is dead wrong! Where the hell does this qualification come from? The 'man' behind it all will enjoy this one a lot, 'his' 2010 insurrection downgraded to political protest, what's a relief... But this seems to be a common 'trait' in the LoS, when one witnesses no media nor official dares to use the word 'terrorism' for what is happening daily in the deep South, nor even insurrection... Probably thainess, no loss of face is top priority... Made me quite mad when I arrived here to hear the old residents using the worst colonialist adjectives to qualify the 'locals', but, for quite some time already, I had to admit that there is, alas, a fair chunk of truth in that. Oh, it are not the people basically, but the system which has been, and still is, imposed on them, also explaining why the level of education is, IMO willfully, kept so low. Isn't the local art of Thai puppetry all about light and shadows...

[Mudcrab]

What are 'wartime weapons'? Another neologism? Logically, it'd mean those are weapons which can only be used in time of war. In the same logic, not in 2009 and 2010, not in 2013/2014, not in the last 10years in the deep South, then... I guess it's rather only one more fine example showing the disastrous quality of teaching here, when you have the opportunity, watch how foreign languages, like English, are thaught, up to the highest level, and it will make you mad as hell (well, as a linguist, that's the effect it had on me).

''I"ll make it easier for you, Forget the neologism. They are looking for guns and weapons that could be used in a warlike manner. Basically anything that can shoot people.

[rametindallas]

What are 'wartime weapons'? Another neologism? Logically, it'd mean those are weapons which can only be used in time of war. In the same logic, not in 2009 and 2010, not in 2013/2014, not in the last 10years in the deep South, then... I guess it's rather only one more fine example showing the disastrous quality of teaching here, when you have the opportunity, watch how foreign languages, like English, are thaught, up to the highest level, and it will make you mad as hell (well, as a linguist, that's the effect it had on me).

There were 6,000 M-16 assault rifles stolen from an army depot in 2010. The civilian versions of this rifle does not allow three-shot bursts or fully automatic firing. Those that do are considered war weapons and are illegal, except by special permit, in almost all countries. There were weapons displayed on the Red Shirt stage, after weapons were taken from the army at Kok Wua intersection in April of 2010, that are also 'war weapons'. The army didn't get them back.

Try not to be too critical of the OP as most reporters (Thai or otherwise) are not very familiar with military terminology/weaponry, and there is also the problem of translation to English to consider. You are correct that the teaching of English leaves a lot to be desired and that it shows in Thai-based English language publications. If you get too tied up in semantics, you'll miss the point of the story. The story is: 'Possessors of firearms, bulletproof vests, and munitions are to return all these illegal items to the Army to avoid criminal prosecution. Anybody who refuses to give up these weapons will be subjected to legal action. The deadline for returning all these items is set for July 30th. Som nam na (you've been warned) The army wants their stuff back.'

p.s. you didn't put a space between '10' and 'years', your last sentence was 'run-on', and you misspelled 'taught'. As a self-proclaimed linguist, maybe you should know better.

As far a 'mad as hell' goes, I'm happy you have this forum where you can 'vent'. Please, read this article: Even Small Amounts of Anger Could Cause Heart Attacks or Strokes http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/even-small-amounts-of-anger-could-cause-heart-attacks-or-strokes/

[Chris Lawrence]

Looks like some folk missed the last memo and deadline. I guess we can look forward to more cardboard boxes on the side of the road as the deadline approaches.

Interesting that this memo specifically mentions the red mob. Whilst far from blameless they were not the only players.

How could you get permission to have a slot machine? and if you have it you can keep it? What if Ms T signed my permission note, is her signature still valid?

[Emster23]

I wonder what thoughts are going through heads of international news reporters, as they often have bulletproof vests on in war zones.... I would not call those vests "weapons of war" definition of weapon: "a thing designed or used for inflicting bodily harm or physical damage." Can't seem to recall ever seeing someone beaten with a bulletproof vest.

[The Deerhunter]

Since when bulletproof vest falls under the gun law and citizens are not free to posses? Owners and in possession of registered guns and ammo? What is about the people at all possess illegal weapons especailly citizens in holding of weapons who fall under the act of weapons of war?

Bulletproof vests are illegal in a number of countries. Not sure what the rest of the post was trying to say.

P.S. Anyway, the red supporters/apologists on TVF are going to be very please with this. They have been harping on for months about turning the clock back & getting tough on the ones who were causing death & mayhem.in the 2010 riots.

Not sure if this is quite what they had in mind, though, but it all looks good to me. Did it once? Still got the weapons? Can do it again.

[metisdead]

Grammar police posts and replies have been removed.

[sae57]

'2010 Political Protesters': What?! This is dead wrong! Where the hell does this qualification come from? The 'man' behind it all will enjoy this one a lot, 'his' 2010 insurrection downgraded to political protest, what's a relief... But this seems to be a common 'trait' in the LoS, when one witnesses no media nor official dares to use the word 'terrorism' for what is happening daily in the deep South, nor even insurrection... Probably thainess, no loss of face is top priority... Made me quite mad when I arrived here to hear the old residents using the worst colonialist adjectives to qualify the 'locals', but, for quite some time already, I had to admit that there is, alas, a fair chunk of truth in that. Oh, it are not the people basically, but the system which has been, and still is, imposed on them, also explaining why the level of education is, IMO willfully, kept so low. Isn't the local art of Thai puppetry all about light and shadows...

You need to make allowances for translation difficulties. The journalists often simply don't know the right words--it's not (necessarily) that they misunderstand or misconstrue the situation, but that their English sucks. Badly.

As for the South it is, as I think you are suggesting, the remains of the old colony of Pattani and much of the violence down there is continuing resistance to the colonial oppressor (as they see it). But the situation is so very confused that, even being good at English, one doesn't always know what to call it. BTW we all know that Thailand was never colonized. What we don't fully realize is that it was a colonial power...

S

[fab4]

What are 'wartime weapons'? Another neologism? Logically, it'd mean those are weapons which can only be used in time of war. In the same logic, not in 2009 and 2010, not in 2013/2014, not in the last 10years in the deep South, then... I guess it's rather only one more fine example showing the disastrous quality of teaching here, when you have the opportunity, watch how foreign languages, like English, are thaught, up to the highest level, and it will make you mad as hell (well, as a linguist, that's the effect it had on me).

There were 6,000 M-16 assault rifles stolen from an army depot in 2010. The civilian versions of this rifle does not allow three-shot bursts or fully automatic firing. Those that do are considered war weapons and are illegal, except by special permit, in almost all countries. There were weapons displayed on the Red Shirt stage, after weapons were taken from the army at Kok Wua intersection in April of 2010, that are also 'war weapons'. The army didn't get them back.

Try not to be too critical of the OP as most reporters (Thai or otherwise) are not very familiar with military terminology/weaponry, and there is also the problem of translation to English to consider. You are correct that the teaching of English leaves a lot to be desired and that it shows in Thai-based English language publications. If you get too tied up in semantics, you'll miss the point of the story. The story is: 'Possessors of firearms, bulletproof vests, and munitions are to return all these illegal items to the Army to avoid criminal prosecution. Anybody who refuses to give up these weapons will be subjected to legal action. The deadline for returning all these items is set for July 30th. Som nam na (you've been warned) The army wants their stuff back.'

p.s. you didn't put a space between '10' and 'years', your last sentence was 'run-on', and you misspelled 'taught'. As a self-proclaimed linguist, maybe you should know better.

As far a 'mad as hell' goes, I'm happy you have this forum where you can 'vent'. Please, read this article: Even Small Amounts of Anger Could Cause Heart Attacks or Strokes http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/even-small-amounts-of-anger-could-cause-heart-attacks-or-strokes/

"There were 6,000 M-16 assault rifles stolen from an army depot in 2010."

No they were not! The "6000 M-16 rifles" only appeared in one media outlet - Thai Visa News. It just shows how rumours/misinformation become facts for some people, if they read about it in Thai Visa.

Here's what really happened, as has been explained many times before, but apparently hasn't sunk in:

Thai Visa News reported on the 7th March 2010

"Informed sources claim about 6,000 assault rifles and a large amount of explosives were taken from Engineering Regiment 401, part of the Fourth Army Region, in Phatthalung Province, and the theft was only discovered on Tuesday". (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/345203-6000-guns-and-explosives-stolen-from-thai-army-barracks/#entry3393709)

This actually turned out to be 3000 rounds of ammunition and 20 grenades and speculation was being made about an inside job (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/345203-6000-guns-and-explosives-stolen-from-thai-army-barracks/page-4#entry3394043)

Then eventually it turned out that there wasn't a break in, no rifles were stolen, but the ammunition and grenades had been stolen over a period of time by army soldiers......... (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Weapons-theft-in-Phatthalung-not-a-break-in-but-an-30124269.html)

Of course this was a purely coincidental announcement and had nothing whatsover to do with the planned rally due to be held by the UDD a few days later. ( Pretext for checkpoints and stoking fear: http://asiancorrespondent.com/29668/pretext-for-checkpoints-and-stoking-fear/ )

[rubl]

In the mean time the NCPO shows a certain bias by being lenient and give those with war weapons another deadline to return them.

Some weapons shown seem to be leftover from more than a century ago and even homemade, but there's lots of stuff which is modern and deadly. Getting rid of this may mean that when in future we get valid anti-government protests again the protesters will not turned violent or be targeted by violent cowards in the night.