What IS The Latest News On Red Shirts

[chuckwoww]

Starting to resemble Tiananmen Square more all the time. Of course the protesters there were mostly middle class students but it was the violent element (a busload of conscripts was attacked) that sparked the army off.

 

I'm just talking about the progression...not the motivation. I won't be surprised to see a few buildings on fire before this over.

[Flashermac]

Put an end to this rebellion

 

 

Opinion by Voranai Vanijaka

 

 

 

I'm not in a popularity contest. I'm not a two-faced diplomat playing it safe and trying to please everyone. So let me say it loud and clear: It's a rebellion, so put an end to it - with swiftness, severity and certainty.

 

The military coup in 2006 wrongly overthrew the then democratically elected prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. That was no democracy.

 

The coup council handed the power back to the people in 2007. The People Power Party (PPP) won the following election. That was democracy.

 

The PPP was banned by the Constitution Court for electoral irregularities and the parliament - the democratically elected representatives of Thailand - voted the Democrats into power. That was democracy.

 

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) argue against the Democrat-led coalition government's legitimacy and protest for the government to step down and call a general election.

 

That was democracy.

 

[color:red]And the UDD had won.[/color]

 

[color:red]The goals of the UDD from the very start: They wanted a House dissolution. They will have one in September. They wanted a general election. They will have one on Nov 14. All within seven months and PM Abhisit Vejjajiva's term actually ends in January 2012, a year and a half from now.

 

They should be dancing in the streets, celebrating victory. Then we can all go to the voting booth in November. Peace and democracy. But no.[/color]

 

[color:blue]The truth has revealed itself. The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship is simply using democracy as a front in the interests of dictatorship.[/color]

 

[color:red]Refusing the peaceful compromise, forsaking the democratic process, continuing to harm the country for the interests of one man, Thaksin Shinawatra, fighting against security forces of the rightful democratic government of Thailand - that's an uprising, it's a rebellion.[/color]

 

[color:red]It's criminal. That is not democracy.[/color]

 

If you disagree with me and think the UDD is in the right, then let me simplify it: The next time you're pulled over by the law in a traffic stop, you should just burn tyres, shoot slingshots at the cop and call him a dictator.

 

Anyone with an arrest warrant? No need to surrender. Barricade and fortify your home, fire slingshots and fire-crackers and call the law tyrannical.

 

Buy a lifetime membership to the Association of Anarchists. You don't belong in a civilisation.

 

[color:blue]The UDD leaders agreed to the prime minister's terms. But instead, Thaksin Shinawatra ordered Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol to step on the brake. Because in his mind, he's screaming: "What about me!" "What do I get out of this entire peace and democracy shenanigans!"[/color]

 

Here's Thaksin's dilemma. Peace and the democratic process don't guarantee his return to power. Someone in Montenegro is kicking and screaming on the floor: "Me! Me! Me! What about me!"

 

Accepting the compromise is a loss of face and may even make PM Abhisit look good in the eyes of the people, for biting the bullet and extending his hand. Thaksin Shinawatra can no longer rely on the voting booths. He can no longer rely on the democratic process.

 

The UDD has used democracy as a tool - manipulated and exploited it to return Thaksin to power. Now that they are no longer confident that the democratic process will serve their interests, the UDD has transformed itself from a democratic movement into an uprising, a rebellion, a criminal organisation.

 

It's worth repeating: They wanted a House dissolution. They have one in September. They wanted a general election. They have one on Nov 14. That's democracy. Instead, they flushed democracy down the toilet.

 

So there's no negotiation other than the complete and total capitulation by the government to the UDD's every will and every whim. It's a total victory that will embarrass the government in the eyes of the Kingdom and of the world and may possibly bury the Democrat party. That's the game.

 

To Thaksin and the UDD, returning Thaksin to power is worth the 50-odd lives already lost. And that figure is bound to rise. More than 1,000 have been injured and that figure will rise. The billions of baht in economic damage. And that figure will rise.

 

It's an uprising. It's a rebellion. It's criminal.

 

The UDD is screaming: "Now! Now! Now! Prime Minister resign now!" Thaksin Shinawatra is crying: "Me! Me! Me! I want my power back!" That's not democracy. That's a child that needs to be put across the lap for a good spanking.

 

Let me repeat it again: They wanted democracy. They had democracy. We can all go to the voting booth on Nov 14. But they flushed democracy down the toilet and chose instead, a rebellion.

 

And when there's a rebellion, the government must put down the rebellion. Otherwise, we have anarchy. The law must be swift, severe and certain - any student of criminology can tell you that.

 

I've watched television and read newspapers all this weekend. Most so-called intellectuals, academics and media talk about reconciliation. Well, that's easy and safe - using a thousand flowery words without saying anything worthwhile.

 

We reap what we sow. Again, I'm not in a popularity contest. I'm not a two-faced diplomat playing it safe and trying to please everyone. So let me say it loud and clear - it's a rebellion. To preserve civilisation, the government must put down the rebellion - swift, severe and certain.

 

UDD members have lost their lives. This is unfortunate. It should never have happened. They should all be in our prayers and their families should be assisted in any way possible. But they've died in a rebellion against the rightful, democratic government of Thailand.

 

The security forces that have lost their lives. This is unfortunate. It should never have happened. They should all be in our prayers and their families should be assisted in any way possible.

 

Journalists and other innocent bystanders have lost their lives. This is unfortunate. It should never have happened. They should all be in our prayers and their families should be assisted in any way possible.

 

It didn't have to come to this. It shouldn't have come to this. But here we are on the brink of anarchy because of the pride, greed and vengefulness of one man, and of the indecisiveness, uncertainty and lack of leadership of another.

 

Let me repeat: We reap what we sow. It's a rebellion. Put an end to it, swift, severe and certain. Or step down and let the rebels take over. The longer this crisis drags on, the closer we are and the deeper we will be in a state of anarchy.

 

 

 

Voranai is finally pissed off.

[Flashermac]

Thai Red Cross asks for blood donations

 

 

10:58pm

 

 

The Thai Red Cross Society has set up mobile units around the capital where people can donate blood to help those in need, Dr Soisa-ang Pikulsod of the Thai Red Cross said on Saturday.

 

Dr Soisa-ang said there are 3,000 units of blood in the stock, but that would not last long if political crisis continues.

 

The Thai Red Cross Society is situated very close to the red-shirts' rally site.

 

The Erawan emergency centre reported at night that 22 people have been killed and 172 wounded in clashes between troops and protesters over the past two days.

 

The Thai Red Cross Society has sent teams to department stores including The Mall Ramkhamhaeng, The Mall Bang Kae and Future Park Rangsit to collect blood from public to help those wounded from the clashes, she said.

 

 

 

Rink

 

 

 

 

[Flashermac]

Gunman opens fire on PAD office

 

 

12:00pm

 

 

AYUTTHAYA : A gunman opened fire at the People's Alliance for Democracy's (PAD) headquarters in Uthai district early yesterday, the second attack on the offices in a month.

 

No one was injured in the incident.

 

District police said the gunman, who drove a pick-up truck, fired six shots at the ground floor of the Viriyah Insurance building, where the PAD office is located, about 3.20am.

 

The shooting shattered a window and damaged furniture.

 

A surveillance camera captured footage of the shooting. It showed a man driving a Toyota Mighty X pull up near the building before firing shots from his vehicle.

 

Police said spent shells from an 11mm pistol were found near the office building.

 

Kalyanee Juprang, leader of the PAD in Ayutthaya, said she was certain the shooting was the work of her political enemies.

 

She said it was the second attack on her office in a month. On the evening of May 2, a man opened fire on the office, causing damage to the building.

 

She said the office had organised many public gatherings of PAD supporters and the movement was gaining popularity.

 

Mrs Kalyanee said she had led campaigns against the red shirt protesters in the province, including a pro-government demonstration outside the province's administration centre at the end of last month.

 

Mrs Kalyanee said she began receiving threats over the phone from her political rivals after the rally.

 

She said she initially thought the first attack was the work of teenage hooligans in the area, but yesterday's shooting convinced her the two incidents were likely connected and perpetrated by her political opponents.

 

Uthai district deputy police chief Pol Lt Col Theerayuth Thongsari said an investigation was underway to establish the motive behind the attacks.

 

 

Rink

[Flashermac]

Peace hopes lost in a sea of confusion

 

 

12:00pm

 

 

The first reaction of some people upon hearing the news that Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol had been critically wounded in an obvious assassination attempt on Thursday night was "live by the sword, die by the sword". After a moment's reflection, however, the wrongness of the act should be clear to all, regardless of which side of the political fence they sit.

 

[color:red]Maj Gen Khattiya probably should have been court-martialled for insubordination for his role as self-proclaimed red shirt military strategist; his fate should not have been decided by an assassin.[/color]

 

[color:blue]The incident is a stark reminder of how far Thailand still has to go to make the rule of law a reality.[/color]

 

At first glance it would seem that the government is the prime suspect, as it had only a few days before singled out "Seh Daeng" as the one behind the red shirts' "terrorist" wing. The government vehemently denies being behind the shooting.

 

Second on the list of suspects are unknown members of the armed forces who may see Seh Daeng as responsible for the shooting of army Colonel Romklao Thuwatham and other army officers during the April 10 violence.

 

A third possibility is that someone within the red shirts' camp ordered the assassination, possibly to make Seh Daeng a martyr. Unless and until someone with inside information steps forward, the general public may never know the truth.

 

This is only the latest in a string of events which make it extremely difficult to get a clear handle on the steadily escalating political crisis.

 

The overwhelming majority of Thais want peace at this time and to move on to the next phase of national reconciliation. This is what the road map proposed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajjiva was meant to bring about, and it had wide support.

 

But the peace plan was strangled before it had a chance to take on a life of its own because of conditions that were placed on it from both sides. Foremost of these was the demand that the red shirt leaders must be charged with terrorism relating to the April 10 violence.

 

The government's decision to charge red shirt leaders with terrorism meant that they were probably looking at jail time when they called off the rally and thus made it more likely they would prolong it. This was reinforced by indications they might not be given bail.

 

The red shirts made a counter-demand, which also sprang from the April 10 violence, that government leaders, in particular Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, be charged with the murder of protesters.

 

Giving the principals the benefit of a doubt, perhaps the conditions were set to assure supporters that their leaders were not going to get soft in any future negotiations, and not to doom any chance for peace. However that may be, the very predictable result was that the peace process began to unravel very quickly, leaving the prime minister with no real option but to finally take measures to disperse the protesters.

 

While red shirt leaders individually or collectively are clearly guilty of breaking laws, charging the lot of them with terrorism is unreasonable, in the first place because bringing charges against anyone for such a serious offence before a thorough investigation is carried out is contrary to the rule of law.

 

The same goes for charging Mr Suthep without a proper investigation for murder, something which would look to be nearly impossible to prove.

 

When peace is eventually restored it would be a big mistake to tie the reconciliation process to such matters which might never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

 

Since the shooting of Maj Gen Khattiya on Thursday night Bangkok has descended into what yesterday's Bangkok Post called a "WAR ZONE".

 

Thailand deserves much better than this.

 

It may be never be known for certain who was behind the shooting of soldiers which apparently precipitated the chaos on April 10, or who ordered the shooting of Maj Gen Khattiya which began this latest round, but whoever it was, it is sure their aim is not a Thailand which is at peace and under the rule of law.

 

The Thai people can't fight these shadowy figures directly if they can't see them. What they can do to fight them is to stop the violence in the streets and work for national reconciliation.

 

After peace is restored Mr Abhisit's road map is a good place to begin again, but there should be no conditions attached.

 

 

 

Rink

[Flashermac]

Stickman at Soi Cowboy

 

 

[Flashermac]

Death toll from clashes at 24

9:22 AM

 

 

 

The death toll over the past two days of clashes between the troops and red-shirt protesters has risen to 24, Erawan emergency centre said on Sunday.

 

According to the centre, 198 people have been wounded in the clashes; 14 of them are still receiving medical treatment in intensive care units at hospitals in Bangkok.

 

 

 

BP

[Coss]

Stickman at Soi Cowboy

 

 

Good reporting.

[Old Hippie]

Great photos!

[drogon]

Yep great photos by Stickman.

 

Wow, on one photo (the picture of a soldier standing guard close to Bully's pub (between suk soi 2 and soi 4) -> the soldier carries a Tavor TAR-21 assault rifle...

Damn, this weapon is to be the standard weapon of the IDF (Israel) and some Thai soldiers already deployed it in BKK.

Nice (also is shown on some other photos)

 

Makes me think these are 'elite' units deployed in the lower Suk area -> more loyal/better trained

units usually receive the best kit first...