PAD protests...

[Mentors]

PAD won't open road for royal cremation

 

Digging in their heels and refusing to budge, determined anti-government protesters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said they would not open the Makkhawan Rangsun Bridge on Bangkok's Ratchadamnern Nok Avenue which His Majesty the King and other royal family members would use to attend the royal cremation of the monarch's sister, the late Princess Galyani Vadhana, citing security of the demonstrators.

 

Pol. Maj-Gen. Panu Kerdlarppol, deputy chief of Bangkok's Metropolitan Police responsible for traffic affairs, said he was informed by PAD representative Samdin Lertbutr that the Peoples' Alliance had decided not to open Makkhawan Bridge for the free flow of traffic because the PAD core leaders feared that the PAD members would be at risk of attack.

 

Ratchadamnern Nok Avenue was to be used by royal family members as routes heading to Sanam Luang for the royal funeral ceremony scheduled during November 14-19.

 

The anti-government protesters have blocked the roads and set up a stage at Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge for the anti-government rally in May before moving to seize Government House in late August in disapproval of the six-party coalition government led by the People Power Party.

 

Considered by the PAD protest alliance as the thinly-disguised nominee party of the court-disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party of fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, some PPP members appear to be working to pave the way for Mr Thaksin's return to Thailand -- without going to prison.

 

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) initially rallied against the then Thaksin government and successive related issues, now focused on stopping the planned amendment of the Constitution.

 

The police general said the PAD protesters cited concerns over the safety of their demonstrators as there were untoward incidents which recently occurred, especially bomb attacks against its volunteer guards.

 

The PAD also said it was difficult to remove the considerable volume of tyres, a number of buses and barbed wire used as blockades and to protect the protesters.

 

Gen Panu said the Metropolitan Police would ask the Bureau of the Royal Household to adjust the routes to facilitate the royal family during the royal funeral ceremonies.

 

Meanwhile, retired Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, a PAD core leader, said the People' Alliance could not unblock the road for the traffic even though it had earlier said that they were ready to open way for the traffic for the important ceremony.

 

He said the PAD was forced to block the road as its members were attacked and they were under threat of attack recently.

 

If traffic was open, the protesters would be at risk of being attacked, he said, adding that the police had prepared optional routes for the royal family to attend the ceremony. (TNA)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=131888

[Flashermac]

THE NATION

8 Nov 2008

 

PAD losing its Bangkok support

 

 

Almost half of Bangkok's residents believe the government is paying far too little attention to the defusing of the political crisis, according to an Abac Poll released yesterday.

 

The survey also showed a substantial number of respondents had changed their feelings towards the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), from supporting or opposing it to neutral.

 

The opinion poll of 2,487 respondents was conducted in the Thai capital and surrounding areas from Saturday to Thursday.

 

Noppadon Kannika, poll director, said the government received 4.4 points out of 10 for its efforts to reconcile with the PAD-led opposition movement.

 

Over 48 per cent said the government had made little or no attempt to create reconciliation, 15.5 per cent said the government's attempt had been moderate, while 36 per cent said the government had done much towards reconciliation.

 

However, the poll showed that support for PAD had dropped from 47.7 per cent in the previous survey to just 26.3 per cent, while those against the PAD also dropped - from 42.9 per cent to 29.6 per cent.

 

Noppadon said many respondents had returned to a neutral stance before the PAD and government clash on October 7. The results could be a signal to the government not to force a confrontation in which people supporting each side tend to use violence, so that everyone loses.

 

Asked about a solution to political conflict, 46.6 per cent of respondents suggested national unity, and 37.8 per cent put their hope in the justice system. The remaining 15.6 per cent agreed with other solutions such as House dissolution, a national government, or a halt to demonstrations and allowing the government to work.

 

Noppadon said parties seeking a solution should express their views clearly and ask for the people's support. If this was done without thought of personal gain or the group's profit, people could gain moral support from the positive side of politics.

 

 

[Mentors]

Army throws Top Brass to Advise PAD on Security: Imply Dangerous Days Ahead

 

As military advise PAD on security, Thailand now enters real dangerous waters.

http://thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/army-throws-top-brass-to-advise-pad-on-security-imply-dangerous-days-ahead/

[Mentors]

PAD threatens to escalate, claims Thaksin lost political war

 

(BangkokPost.com) - The anti-government Peopleâ??s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will protest even more if the parliament pushes forward the constitutional amendments, PAD spokesman Panthep Puapongpa said on Tuesday.

 

In response to ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatraâ??s warning to fight back his political opponents, Mr Panthep said Mr Thaksin has lost the political war and his subsequent movements would cause further damage to the government.

 

He claimed that Mr Thaksin divorced Khunying Potjaman so Khunying Potjaman can become more involved in Thai politics while protecting their remaining assets. He also believed Mr Thaksinâ??s political movements in foreign countries were becoming less justified.

 

On the video clip featuring a man resembling PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul who escorted a woman, Mr Panthep said it is still unclear whether the man in the clip was Mr Sondhi. He said Mr Sondhi does not hold any political position, and it would not be illegitimate for PAD leaders to lead a normal life.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=132116

[Mentors]

PAD to organise mass rally on Sunday to counter latest attack on protesters

 

In response the latest attack on anti-government protesters, People's Alliance for Democracy will organise a mass rally on Sunday and will march to show their anger over the government and police's violence on them.

PAD's co-leader Sonthi Limthongkul said in a press conference on Thursday that the latest attack which killed one protester and injured many others clearly showed that the government joined hands with police to block the protesters' rights of peaceful :alert: protests.

 

Sonthi encouraged people to join the mass rally which will start at 2pm on Sunday and they will move the protest out of the Government House. However Sonthi did not say where the protest will go.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30088915

 

[Mentors]

100 protesters reach Don Muang

 

At 1:10 pm, about 100 protesters arrived at the temporary government seat at the Don Muang Airport to protest.

Once the protesters arrived, Cabinet members left the area.

The protesters were those rallying at the Finance Ministry earlier in the day.

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30089236

[Mentors]

Protesters let Plodprasop easily escape Don Muang besieging

 

Apparently not knowing Plodprasop Suraswadi, an advisor to the prime minister, protesters let him walk past them and escape their besieging of the Don Muang temporary government seat Monday afternoon.

 

Plodprasop took off his suit and walked down the temporary Government House building to the car park. He walked past the protesters at the canteen and smiled at them.

 

The protesters shook their hand clappers to greet him and he walked past them to the car park.

 

By 1:30 pm, the protesters blocked the U-turn bridge to the Don Muang Airport.

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30089247

[Torneyboy]

Looks like it ...sadly

[Mentors]

Looks like it ...sadly

 

they can do everything what they want.

 

[Mentors]

PAD guards seize public buses to use in rally

 

(BangkokPost.com) - A number of public buses belonging to the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) had been seized by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to aid the group in moving protesters between rally points in the capital.

 

BMTA Director Pinate Puapatanakul said buses running in route numbers 3, 53, 56 and 515 were seized. Policemen were able to facilitate the return of a route 53 bus so far.

 

Police from Nanglerng station apprehended six PAD guards close to the Royal Thai Survey Department road intersection after the latter seized the bus. The bus's fare collector said the guards had stepped on board and told the driver to stop the bus, before chasing out all the passengers and taking the vehicle's control. Police intercepted the bus, firing into and bursting the front tires to immobilise it. The six men were found with improvised firearms, ammunition and metal rods.

 

The BMTA had ordered changes in bus routing on several routes to avoid the PAD's rally points. BMTA executives told its traffic planning division to monitor the rally around the clock so changes to bus routing and response to any other problems could be made swiftly.

http://www.thai360.com/fbb/newpost.php?fid/10/tid/529600/pid/741191/type/reply/