Seh Daeng reported wounded

[Fidel]

One foreign journalist reported shot (condition unknown), one Thai photographer also shot, in the leg. Army moving in from Pratunam side.

 

BTS to shut down entirely from 4pm.

[Fidel]

Reporter shot in clashes

 

BANGKOK - A FOREIGN journalist was shot on Friday during clashes between Thai anti-government protesters and troops in central Bangkok, a Reuters witness said, but his condition was unknown.

 

The journalist, whose identity and nationality were unknown, was standing between troops and protesters when he was shot.

 

He had been holding a video camera. Blood was seen streaming from his hand when he was carried away by protesters. -- REUTERS

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_526530.html

[KimDidMeGood]

Unverifiable rumor says Seh Daeng dead now.

[Flashermac]

Analysis from STRATFOR:

 

 

The Thai government ordered security forces on May 13 to increase the pressure on protesters, who have held demonstrations in Bangkok since mid-March. Security has sealed off the main rally point of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) or Red Shirts, deploying armored cars to cut off access to the Rajaprasong intersection area where the protests are based, and telling nearby businesses and embassies to close for the day. A military spokesman said the use of live ammunition at checkpoints has been approved.

 

Meanwhile, explosions and gunfire were reported on the southern side of the Silom Road rally point, where the leading military tactician of the Red Shirts, Khattiya Sawasdipol or “Seh Daeng,†was shot in the head and sent to Chulalongkorn Hospital.

 

The increased pressure comes one day after the government withdrew an offer to hold early elections in November to appease the protesters, essentially saying that the Red Shirts gave no clear answer, did not end their protest by the deadline, and continued to make new demands.

 

The Red Shirts, for their part, already suffered from a fragmented leadership after their failed uprising in April 2009, and have become more divided over the course of the latest bout of protests due to the government’s recent conciliatory gestures. Some Red Shirt leaders wanted to accept early elections in November, while others (including Seh Daeng) insisted on continuing the protest as long as possible or until the government collapsed.

 

Moreover, the Red Shirts have become estranged from the main opposition party in parliament, the Puea Thai Party, which is a natural ally against the ruling Democrat Party. Puea Thai preferred to accept the early elections in hopes of making electoral gains, and wants the protests to end before the government can gain a decisive victory.

 

Now the government and military are signaling that time is up for the Red Shirts. Surrounding the primary rally points, the government has said protesters will be allowed to leave the site but not to enter  and STRATFOR sources say there are reports of protesters fleeing after the violence in Silom district on May 13. One Red Shirt leader was said the security crackdown will come in the night of May 13 or the following morning. More indicative of an impending security operation to flush out the protesters, STRATFOR sources in Bangkok say large numbers of riot police have been staged near the site but not yet deployed.

 

While the Thai government has increased the pressure, it will not necessarily start the operation immediately. First, though the government has patiently built up its case to use force in dispersing the Red Shirts and the “terrorists†within their ranks, it is still wary of the political ramifications of launching a sanguinary operation that would cause public sympathy to go to those hurt or killed in the clampdown  and creating political martyrs is the Red Shirts’ only purpose for initiating a fight they cannot win. The Red Shirts have already shown that they are willing to fight, and while they have limited capabilities (a few guns plus grenades and makeshift weapons), they have proved difficult to subdue and have humiliated security forces before, such as in the April 10 clash.

 

Moreover, those sympathetic forces  or agent provocateurs  not holed up in the main rally site will likely attempt provocations in different places in Bangkok to divide the security forces’ attention.

 

Still, the government has the upper hand and is ready to put an end to the protest and restore order in Bangkok. It may simply delay a short while to allow more protesters to vacate the rally points willingly, before it initiates a forceful attempt to conclude the latest prolonged round (but by no means the last) of Thai instability.

 

 

http://www.stratfor.com

 

[Pom Michael]

Well, the hospital did hold a news conference this morning and without trying to do a direct translation - basically would have said - he is already brain dead.

 

That was the bottom line early this morning - so physically dead by now could be true.

 

And the government has no way to withhold the information Cav! Come for some tacos and beer - the cold has shrunk your Tin Foil hat so much it seems!

[cavanami]

...and I'm not paranoid just because everyone is against me

[BelgianBoy]

Well, the hospital did hold a news conference this morning and without trying to do a direct translation - basically would have said - he is already brain dead.

with all respect, the guy was brain dead since many weeks !

[shygye]

Those cheering the assassination attempt, should consider this may unleash a wave of assassinations.

[Old Hippie]

Exactly.

[Hardy641]

Well I don't mind if the next will the behind the scene puppet master Thaksin Shinawatra himself.

 

It has been Seh Daeng saying that he only takes orders from Thaksin and Thaksin told him to not accept the roadmap but to fight on. Leading to split in the red shirt leadership.

 

Thaksin's cheap peace and reconciliation call today is nothing else than propaganda for the western press and only shows his true hypocrite nature and false character.

 

Seh Daeng was a mad man and terrorist but at least he got courage and fought in the first row. Thaksin however celebrates in an undisclosed location, probably some 5 star resort, sipping champagne while his misguided foot soldiers fight and die for his cause. Disgusting. Actually he is now even worse to die like Seh Daeng did.