13,000 Troops Deployed in Bangkok ahead of Electoral Law Ruling

[Fidel]

1 DAY TO GO

Bangkok on high alert for violence

 

13,000 soldiers, police to be deployed in areas considered to be flashpoints; Democrats, TRT deny mobilising supporters

 

 

Security will be tightened in areas likely to be flashpoints for violence ahead of tomorrow's landmark rulings of the Constitution Tribunal on the electoral fraud cases against the country's two largest political parties.

 

 

A 13,000-strong combined force of police and soldiers will be deployed to maintain order and prevent violence, Council for National Security chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said. He was speaking after a meeting of officials in preparation for judgement day.

 

 

There has been concern that supporters of the rival parties are likely to gather in great numbers in the capital and could cause trouble if they find the rulings disappointing.

 

 

From this afternoon, police will seal off the Constitution Tribunal building and search its compound to ensure no explosive devices have been planted, Police Lt-General Adisorn Nonsee, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, said.

 

 

He said the police would also secure nearby bridges tomorrow, when the tribunal is scheduled to read its verdicts on the separate cases against the Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties, as well as three smaller political parties.

 

 

Police will work with military officers and city officials to prevent any violent incidents, Police General Vichien Pojphosri, a senior police commander in charge of security, said.

 

 

Hundreds of police officers will be stationed at Sanam Luang and the Royal Plaza, where Thai Rak Thai supporters are expected to gather, and at the headquarters of both the Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties.

 

 

Authorities have been on alert after receiving intelligence that party supporters from the provinces are travelling to the capital. However, the Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties have dismissed reports that they are mobilising their supporters.

 

 

Thai Rak Thai's caretaker leader Chaturon Chaisang yesterday accused the junta of spreading rumours to paint a bad image of the "old power clique" of which the party was a part.

 

 

The use of a backup military force, comprising another 43 companies from Bangkok-based Army units, if needed, would be "decisive" and "lawful", Army commander General Sonthi said yesterday.

 

 

Sonthi said he gave direct orders during yesterday's meeting with unit commanders that all soldiers participating in all security operations "must be unarmed" and would not be positioned in areas involving direct confrontations with protesters.

 

 

The 13,000-strong force comprises soldiers from 29 companies, Bangkok-based policemen and municipal policemen. Its main duty is to guard against possible violent incidents between supporters of Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties, or anti-junta activists and the soldiers themselves.

 

 

Police will concentrate their efforts on curbing anti-junta movements that could be supported by taxi motorcyclists and taxi drivers.

 

 

A police intelligence report warned that the groups, referred to as "mobs in red shirts", might operate across the capital to create disorder if the verdicts dissolve any of the parties, or both.

 

 

Bangkok police chief Pol Lt-General Adisorn Nonsee said all 88 police stations had been observing the group's ongoing movements and their expected activities in the next few days.

 

 

Checkpoints will be set up on major city streets to intercept their vehicles or make arrests in case the group members showed signs of disobedience.

 

 

Elephants will also be barred from entering Bangkok at this time.

 

 

A bomb threat was received on telephone at the Thai Rak Thai Party's former headquarters on New Phetchaburi Road yesterday morning.

 

 

The caller said explosives would be set off but did not specify at which TRT office the attack would take place.

 

 

The official who received the call at 10am then telephoned the party's new headquarters at Navasorn Building on Rama 3 Road. Security officials and two sniffer dogs were called in to search the building but found nothing suspicious.

 

 

Meanwhile, Chaturon has called a meeting of party members to ensure there are no disturbances tomorrow when the Constitution Tribunal rules on the party's possible dissolution.

 

 

Chaturon is worried that if there is any disorder following the ruling, or if ill-intentioned people disguise themselves as Thai Rak Thai Party supporters and create disturbances, the Council for National Security may blame the party for any turmoil.

 

 

The party plans to send a few members to hear the verdict but Chaturon has instructed all other party members and supporters not to go to the tribunal but to hear the verdict at the party's headquarters.

 

 

TRT has also asked the police to deploy 200 officers at its headquarters tomorrow to maintain security.

 

 

Areas where trouble could possibly erupt

 

 

Sanam Luang: Tomorrow, when the Saturday People Against Dictatorship plans an anti-coup rally. Popular Jatukam Ramathep amulets will be given away to gatherers.

 

 

The Royal Plaza: Thursday, when PTV plans a rally at a nearby location.

 

 

Headquarters of the two main parties involved: the Democrats, off Rama VI Road, and Thai Rak Thai at the Navasorn Building on Rama III Road.

 

 

Checkpoints will be set up at Pok Klao, Pin Klao and Krung Thon bridges

 

 

and on all roads connecting to them. These bridges and certain sections

 

 

of the roads will be closed if the protest becomes too large.

 

 

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

 

 

Places to avoid

 

 

Areas with heavy police presence

 

 

l Within the Constitution Court compound on Chakra Phet Road, where only 500 people will be permitted inside.

 

 

l Around the compound, where 900 policemen and a back-up force

 

 

comprising an unspecified number of soldiers and municipal police will be

 

 

on duty. Only 3,000 supporters of both parties and onlookers will be allowed near the compound

 

 

Source

[Flashermac]

Main worry is that TRT will pay ... uhh I mean organise ... demonstrators could get a bit violent. I doubt the Democrats would do much other than protest.

 

[YimSiam]

Flashermac,

 

I think the real fear is a bit harder to pinpoint, and reflects deep-seated collective historico-cultural memories of Burmese armies sacking and pillaging Thai capitols, and then leaving the generals from those regimes to count their dead and lick their wounds -- one finds the indication of this tucked quietly in the quoted article, here:

 

Elephants will also be barred from entering Bangkok at this time.

 

 

Bummer, I was planning to bring my elephants down from Surin for their annual flu shots...

 

YimSiam

[Gadfly]

...or what if provocateurs of unknown origin start inciting violence? Some may be thinking that this would justify the use of force against demonstrators, which, in turn, would justify the current government remaining in power.

 

As matters stand now, the proposed constitution stands a good chance of being rejected. On the other hand, if it is accepted, and there are elections early next year, TRT, or its proxies, stand a good chance of being re-elected. Presumably neither option is attractive to those who currently hold the reigns of power. A stall tactic might look very attractive right now.

 

I havenâ??t been here through any prior rounds of coups (this is my first), but I have read the play book (history). As I recall, Act 2 is where it tends to get very nasty.

 

No idea what will happen, but I suspect that if anything does happen, it wonâ??t happen in Pattaya. Hence, my long weekend begins tomorrow even if Pattaya will quiet on Thursday.

 

[Flashermac]

The "nasty" coups usually happened at a time when a lot of people were extremely pissed off. I don't think it has reached that pointed here yet.

 

But deliberate outside incitement to violence is always a possibility. (Be a good time for the Patani seperatists to try to stir things up and make it look like someone else had done it.)

 

 

[MaiLuk]

I thought the troop surge was in Baghdad not bangkok. Bush would be proud if he watched the news.

[Flashermac]

News in the Thai papers is that police stopped a "large number" of pickups, vans, buses etc heading to Bangkok from Khorat full of Thaksin supporters. The cops asked, "Where do you think you are going?" The upcountry folks said Bangkok. The cops replied, "Oh, no you're not." Reportedly, they found rather large amounts of cash in suitcase with them too.

 

Haven't seen that mentioned in the English language press.