Yingluck supporters ‘blocked at every turn’

[webfact]

Yingluck supporters ‘blocked at every turn’

By KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN, 
SEKSANTI KANLAYANAWISUT, 
KAWINTRA JAISEU 

 

File photo

 

RED-SHIRT LEADER SAYS RESIDENTS IN ‘TARGET VILLAGES’ BEING PRESSURED TO STAY HOME, WARNS REPRESSION COULD BACKFIRE

BANGKOK: -- AUTHORITIES have employed different measures to block supporters of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra from appearing at the Supreme Court on Friday to hear the reading of the verdict in the negligence case against her, a key red-shirt leader said yesterday.

 

Thida Thavornseth, a leading opposition figure and former chairwoman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said strict scrutiny and restrictions were being applied to Yingluck’s supporters “all the way” – when they are at home, on the road to Bangkok and even after arriving at the court.

 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday asked members of the public if they would allow unrest to occur after the verdicts on Friday, which will be read in separate cases against Yingluck and officials from her government.

 

“If the Thai people all over the country find it acceptable for unrest to happen again, I will not stand in the way,” he said.

 

Prayut added that it would be the responsibility of all people, including members of the media, to set the future course for Thailand and to make sure that the country moved forward peacefully.

 

The prime minister was responding to a reporter’s question whether his government had planned any measures “in case of an emergency” after the court’s verdict.

 

Prayut was speaking at the Suranaree University of Technology in Nakhon Ratchasima after chairing a mobile Cabinet meeting.

 

Thida yesterday claimed officials from the defence and interior ministries had been deployed to suppress red-shirt activists in the provinces from travelling to the Supreme Court for the Yingluck case verdict.

 

“Activists literally in all areas are being visited and are receiving phone calls from authorities who ask them not to make any moves. People who wish to go to the court must travel on their own,” she said. “But it doesn’t end there. All the public transport – be it passenger vans or shuttle buses – have been made unavailable for people who want to rent them for trips to Chaeng Wattana [where the court is located].”

 

Although she said she thought people in the provinces would not travel to Bangkok until today or tomorrow, Thida added that she was confident there would be checkpoints conducting searches along the way as an attempt to stop people from travelling.

 

She added that she expected measures against Yingluck supporters outside the court as well, and what concerned her the most was the limited area at the court provided for red-shirt supporters. “Only 1,500 square metres will be provided for the crowd. I’m not sure it will be sufficient. And if by accident the crowd oversteps the area into the street, will they get arrested?” Thida asked. She added that she expected at least 10,000 people to turn up, and such a large number could not be accommodated in the space provided.

 

All the measures showed that the government was overreacting, which would ultimately raise the political temperature unnecessarily, the UDD leader warned.

 

People had been provoked and were tempted to show their support for Yingluck, especially when the government told them not to, Thida said, adding that if the government thought that its treatment of Yingluck was proper, authorities should not be afraid of anything.

 

Other red-shirt leaders and Pheu Thai Party politicians in the Northeast said yesterday they would travel to Bangkok individually to offer moral support to Yingluck. However, they denied organising free trips to the capital for the purpose.

 

Former Pheu Thai MP Thanik Maseepitak yesterday said there were many Yingluck sympathisers, although he did not think many people would travel all the way to Bangkok.

 

He claimed that military officers had recently visited “target villages” in the Northeast and told local community leaders to make sure residents did not travel to Bangkok at this time.

 

In response to concerns about possible violence, the politician said such incidents could happen after the reading of the verdict but he did not think it would be instigated by red-shirt supporters.

 

“A third party may start violence and blame it on the red shirts. The hardcore red shirts now have no potential to carry out violence,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, security checkpoints manned by police and military officers as well as administrative officials are being set up starting today on the Friendship Highway in Northeastern provinces.

 

A security source in Khon Kaen said that given recent “conversations” with red-shirt leaders in the Northeast, authorities’ latest estimate put the number of Yingluck supporters who would arrive at the court on Friday at a little more than 1,000.

 

In a related development, Supreme Court officials said yesterday that all communication devices would be banned in the courtroom during Friday’s reading of the verdict.

 

Yingluck will attend the court’s verdict reading on Friday, her lawyer Norrawit Larlaeng said yesterday. “She is well prepared, whatever the verdict will be,” he said, adding that her legal team has also been ready for “every possibility”.

 

The former prime minister has been in good spirits due to the strong moral support from many people, the lawyer said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30324612

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-23

[Thechook]

Being harassed in their homes, on the phone, troops in their streets, public transport stopped, road blocks and if they step on a Bangkok footpath they will be arrested.  Definately squashing human rights, bringing the country together and restoring happiness.  Definately indicates that the military junta have made their verdict of guilty.  

[tracker1]

He always likes to ask the people which I find commendable only problem is his opinion rules ! “If the Thai people all over the country find it acceptable for unrest to happen again, I will not stand in the way,” he said, and who or what will be the cause of unrest ?

[steven100]

Good measures being implemented.  Everyone knows they just want to cause trouble so nip it in the bud before they get a chance.

I believe it's better to control the red shirts than allow violence.

[colinneil]

3 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Good measures being implemented.  Everyone knows they just want to cause trouble so nip it in the bud before they get a chance.

I believe it's better to control the red shirts than allow violence.

Do you actually believe what you have posted?

If the answer is yes, i feel sorry for you.

[steven100]

7 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Good measures being implemented.  Everyone knows they just want to cause trouble so nip it in the bud before they get a chance.

I believe it's better to control the red shirts than allow violence.

As I said ....  why allow the violence to commence ?  why not control it so it doesn't have the chance to start ?    common sense if you ask me.

[Thechook]

5 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Good measures being implemented.  Everyone knows they just want to cause trouble so nip it in the bud before they get a chance.

I believe it's better to control the red shirts than allow violence.

What about the every day people, why should they have the boot of the junta ground into their face and treated like pure scum when the Bangkok people are awarded freedoms and can go about their business.  Not everyone outside of Bangkok are reds and when over 95% of the entire population support and admire prayuth and the junta why treat them like garbage.

[darksidedog]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

if the government thought that its treatment of Yingluck was proper, authorities should not be afraid of anything.

And that's the crux of the matter really. The heavy handed manner in which this is being dealt with is simply raising suspicions that Yingluck is about to get shafted.

[Cadbury]

59 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Do you actually believe what you have posted?

If the answer is yes, i feel sorry for you.

Poor steven100 is beyond pity. He is in love with Prayut Chan-o-cha and everything totalitarian he stands for. The brave military General and his head nodding subordinate officers are running scared of just one woman. 

[hansnl]

1 hour ago, tracker1 said:

He always likes to ask the people which I find commendable only problem is his opinion rules ! “If the Thai people all over the country find it acceptable for unrest to happen again, I will not stand in the way,” he said, and who or what will be the cause of unrest ?

The redshirt leaders.

[steven100]

3 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Poor steven100 is beyond pity. He is in love with Prayut Chan-o-cha and everything totalitarian he stands for. The brave military General and his head nodding subordinate officers are running scared of just one woman. 

lol ....  not in love ....  just prefer a controlled government instead of the previous road blockages, airport closures, mayhem, insecurity, protests, fighting and general lawlessness.   I just consider it better as it is ....  don't you ? or you prefer the way it was ?

[colinneil]

2 minutes ago, steven100 said:

lol ....  not in love ....  just prefer a controlled government instead of the previous road blockages, airport closures, mayhem, insecurity, protests, fighting and general lawlessness.   I just consider it better as it is ....  don't you ? or you prefer the way it was ?

I think you forgot your medication this morning.

[robblok]

44 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

And that's the crux of the matter really. The heavy handed manner in which this is being dealt with is simply raising suspicions that Yingluck is about to get shafted.

I guess you missed 2011 and 2014. The violent history of the redshirts is well known. The government just does not want violence but also does not want to have the judges pressured by the protesters. I really don't get it that people think there is no risk here by allowing a large group of them in the capital. This has the potential to go totally wrong with violence, and its better to prevent it. YL just gets what is coming to her the judges will decide if she was negligent (I feel there is sufficient proof to say there is, not going any meeting, ignoring all warnings even from the World bank, huge corruption in the scheme including rice from other countries and fake G2G deals and then saying there is no corruption after a short investigation)

 

 

[Cadbury]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“If the Thai people all over the country find it acceptable for unrest to happen again, I will not stand in the way”. Says Prayut

These mobile cabinet meetings are turning into the equivalent of the wandering minstrels show with the PM declaring himself as jokester and all-round funny man. I think he was just joking when he made the above statement.

[canuckamuck]

 He is antagonizing the people he wants to remain calm.

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Do you actually believe what you have posted?

If the answer is yes, i feel sorry for you.

where do all those poor people get the money from to travel to Bangkok, don't work for the time being, and pay for their stay too?

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“If the Thai people all over the country find it acceptable for unrest to happen again, I will not stand in the way,” he said.

 

Prayut added that it would be the responsibility of all people, including members of the media, to set the future course for Thailand and to make sure that the country moved forward peacefully.

strange, i thought that was the role of government

[johng]

where do all those poor people get the money from to travel to Bangkok, don't work for the time being, and pay for their stay too?

The government gave (is giving) 1000 baht for train travel to the poorest 15 million or so, so maybe they used that....and sleep for free at a local temple ..just a couple of hundred baht for food.

[Cadbury]

13 minutes ago, steven100 said:

lol ....  not in love ....  just prefer a controlled government instead of the previous road blockages, airport closures, mayhem, insecurity, protests, fighting and general lawlessness.   I just consider it better as it is ....  don't you ? or you prefer the way it was ?

You forgot to tell me to leave if I don't like it. You haven't repeated that to me for at least three weeks now.

Re your question......"or you prefer the way it was ?" 

Actually Steven I prefer it the way it isn't at the moment with a megalomaniac running the country. Sorry if that hurts your precious feelings.

Edited August 23, 2017 by Cadbury

[binjalin]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

As I said ....  why allow the violence to commence ?  why not control it so it doesn't have the chance to start ?    common sense if you ask me.

No one asked you. 

[impulse]

37 minutes ago, robblok said:

I guess you missed 2011 and 2014. The violent history of the redshirts is well known. The government just does not want violence but also does not want to have the judges pressured by the protesters. I really don't get it that people think there is no risk here by allowing a large group of them in the capital. This has the potential to go totally wrong with violence, and its better to prevent it. YL just gets what is coming to her the judges will decide if she was negligent (I feel there is sufficient proof to say there is, not going any meeting, ignoring all warnings even from the World bank, huge corruption in the scheme including rice from other countries and fake G2G deals and then saying there is no corruption after a short investigation)

 

In a country governed by the rule of law, the judges would be deciding if she was negligent.

 

In a country like Thailand, the judges are deciding how to insure that their benefactors' rooting at the money trough isn't inconvenienced.  Using her to set an example for anyone that may try to follow.

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by impulse

[Cadbury]

24 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

 He is antagonizing the people he wants to remain calm.

You put that very politely.

In a much blunter fashion I might have put a slightly different slant on it. He is deliberately trying to stir up trouble with the people to provoke them into reacting and thus give him the opportunity to stomp all over them with his big military boots; just to show them who is boss.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

In a country governed by the rule of law, the judges would be deciding if she was negligent.

 

In a country like Thailand, the judges are deciding how to insure that their benefactors' rooting at the money trough isn't inconvenienced.  Using her to set an example. 

 

That is a matter of opinion, as i said in my post, i feel there is enough for a guilty verdict. We will see. 

[Ricardo]

33 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

These mobile cabinet meetings are turning into the equivalent of the wandering minstrels show with the PM declaring himself as jokester and all-round funny man. I think he was just joking when he made the above statement.

 

I feel quite nostaligic, this story reminds me of a former-PM who took his motorbike-gang (aka Cabinet) on-tour in Isaaan, doling out B1,000-notes to the poor as he went.

 

24 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

You forgot to tell me to leave if I don't like it. You haven't repeated that to me for at least three weeks now.

Re your question......"or you prefer the way it was ?" 

Actually Steven I prefer it the way it isn't at the moment with a megalomaniac running the country. Sorry if that hurts your precious feelings.

"with a megalomaniac running the country"

 

I tend to agree, it seems to be something that just happens naturally to Thai PMs, after a few years in-office. They start talking about ruling (sic) for 20-years, and making all the decisions themselves, and even believing it.  Later on they become born-again democrats !

[LannaGuy]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

That is a matter of opinion, as i said in my post, i feel there is enough for a guilty verdict. We will see. 

Are the Judges part of the ruling elite?  is the Pope a Catholic?  

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

That is a matter of opinion, as i said in my post, i feel there is enough for a guilty verdict. We will see. 

 

I'm not passing any judgment on her guilt or innocence.

 

Just her odds of getting a fair trial based solely on guilt or innocence.

 

[Juan B Tong]

It will be a good time to take a long weekend away from Bangers.

[yellowboat]

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

As I said ....  why allow the violence to commence ?  why not control it so it doesn't have the chance to start ?    common sense if you ask me.

Common harassment, poor governance, quashing free speech if you ask most people.  Common sense would stipulate that if you keep kicking a dog, it will bite you.  You keep fueling the hate of your fellow Thai,  and you could reap something you truly regret one day.  If people have not done anything wrong, you do not harass them .  Let me support a Thai they believe in, or are you and junta filled with too much hate to do that ?

[Dave67]

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

Do you actually believe what you have posted?

If the answer is yes, i feel sorry for you.

Likes Trump as well

[Dave67]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

where do all those poor people get the money from to travel to Bangkok, don't work for the time being, and pay for their stay too?

Where does the Junta get their money from, no different to paid soldiers