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Isa Imposed In Parts Of Bangkok From Nov 22-30


Flashermac

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The cabinet has decided to impose the Internal Security Act (ISA) in three districts of Bangkok from today until Nov 30, as proposed by the National Security Council (NSC), Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said on Thursday.

 

Mr Chalerm was speaking after a special cabinet meeting of nine ministers assigned to handle the weekend anti-government demonstration by the Pitak Siam group of Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit.

 

Those present were Mr Chalerm, Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Surasawadi, Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana, PM's Office Minister Varathep Rattanakorn, Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat, Deputy Transport Minister Prin Suwanatat and Justice Minister Pracha Promnok.

 

The cabinet meeting followed a meeting of the NSC, which resolved to proposed the use of the ISA.

 

Mr Chalerm said the ISA was effective from today until Nov 30 in Dusit, Phra Nakhon and Pomprap Sattruphai districts.

 

Mr Varathep said the ISA might be lifted before Nov 30 if the rally is orderly and peaceful.

 

The special cabinet's decision to invoke the ISA was based on intelligence reports by security agencies which indicated that the Pitak Siam rally might put the people's lives and property in danger.

 

Use of the ISA is one of the preventive measures, he said.

 

Mr Varathep believed this would not affect neither Thai and foreign businessmen nor investor confidence, because the law was intended to maintain law and order and would be effective in only three districts, none of them an important economic zone.

 

The government has reinforced security authorities in Bangkok to prepare for the demonstration on Saturday at the Royal Plaza.

 

Police and border patrol police from other provinces have been moving into the capital for this mission. :shocked:

 

They included more than 1,700 crowd control police from eight lower northeastern provinces who were despatched from the Region 3 Provincial Police training centre in Nakhon Ratchasima on Thursday morning heading for Bangkok.

 

The police were being transported in a convoy of vans, and were accompanied by 180 vehicles for use in detaining suspects.

 

The national police chief claimed there is a plan to take Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra hostage, and that this is one reason for imposing the ISA in three districts of Bangkok. :ph34r:

 

Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew said security agencies reported receiving information there could be attempts to raid government premises and that there was a plan to take Prime Minister Yingluck hostage. :rotl:

 

He said a large turnout is expected at the Pitak Siam rally on the weekend and using the ISA would help security forces contain the protesters.

 

The police chief warned that the authorities will not allow any raids on or seizure of government property. Police would distribute flyers and place no entry signs near these places to inform people who attend the anti-government demonstration they are "no go" areas.

 

Police have set up road checkpoints in many provinces to deter Bangkok to join in the protest. :shakehead

 

Charnnarong Poonviriyaprasit, a member of the self-styled People's Council in the North, said pick-up trucks and other vehicles suspected of transporting people to the demonstration were being ordered to stop for inspection in Lampang and Phayao provinces. :nono:

 

The yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy in Phayao said about 300 members will join the Pitak Siam rally, some of them having already left for the capital.

 

The families of red-shirt victims who died during the government crackdown two years ago urged army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha not to support the rally, and not to allow soldiers to join in the demonstration.

 

About 50 students also gathered at army headquarters in Bangkok, declaring their opposition to any attempt to stage a military coup and in opposition to Pitak Siam.

 

http://www.bangkokpo...v-22-30/page-2/

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I play comedy in the Thai group of Doo Dokraedone. Tonight we played comedy in Petchabun province.

 

On the way back there were 10!!! police roadblocks between Petchabun and Saraburi and 2 more between Saraburi and Bangkok. We were stopped 3 times.

 

These police roadblocks have been installed by the Shinawatra family regime to stop people from joining the rally in Bangkok today.

 

What has a government done wrong if it has to take these kind of measures?

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Well, as of 9:15 am on Saturday, the Police have already deployed tear gas against protesters at Makkewan Bridge. I would say that this suggests that they are already in the process of losing their ability to suppress the voice of the opposition via peaceful (civilized) means. I suspect that today may become a more serious bit of Thai history than we have been expecting - and not in a happy way.

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Apparently police threw tear gas at people trying to join the protest. Reports say the protestors are not allowed to bring food or drinks with them.

 

True democracy = 53 checkpoints along the major highways to Bangkok , 9 roads around the rally side closed and 20,000 police and soldiers :hmmm:

 

post-98-0-72605100-1353726230_thumb.jpg

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Hi,

 

Seeing that this gov is very well used to staging demonstrations they know exactly what not to allow to prevent these people from doing exactly what they did a few years back.

 

Wanna bet that if - God forbid - violence breaks out it will be the fault of the demonstrators?

 

Sanuk!

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"Not allowed to bring drink with them" - given Thailand's climate, that is rather a limiting factor.

 

It appears to me that the PT Government is coming across as very heavy-handed and thuggish in how it is dealing with this first real organized political demonstration against its policies. I suppose that - given the choice - it is better to be criticized, than to be tipped out of power. But - this government behavior will not look very good to anyone except die-hard reds.

 

My guess is that todays demonstrations are intended to be Step 2 in a three-step plan - with Step 1 having beeen the small Pitak Siam protest a few weeks ago. That was an early "shake out" event. Today's demonstration is a major rehearsal, and a probe of government responsie protocols. And - if Pitak Siam is "lucky" - the government will commit some atrocious move that will serve as a rallying cry for Step 3 to come.

 

The real "main event" is somewhere out ahead - December or January.

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