Bombs discovered ahead of PAD rally

[Coss]

 

Arrest of five men for allegedly possessing war weapons, bombs [color:red]shrouded in secrecy[/color].

 

Home-made bombs were allegedly found late yesterday afternoon near Government House, as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was bracing himself for what was promised to be a relentless campaign against his regime by former allies. Whether this was a bad omen, an orchestrated event, or sheer luck is not yet known.

 

Sondhi Limthongkul, Chamlong Srimuang and Makkhawan Bridge were all names that used to be associated with Thaksin Shinawatra's downfall. But, starting today, their combined powers will be tested against Abhisit, whose handling of Thai-Cambodian border conflicts have alienated him from them.

 

The arrests of five men, allegedly with war weapons and home-made bombs, were [color:red]shrouded in secrecy[/color], which triggered wild speculation.

 

Manager website claimed the five were red shirts. But some sceptics said that since the bomb scare would discourage people from joining the yellow shirts' anti-government rally, the whole incident might have been "staged" for government benefit.

 

Others went even further, claiming the incident was a ploy to "save the yellow shirts' faces", as their rally would not attract many people anyway.

 

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Assawin Kwanmuang said a 38-year-old taxi motorcyclist was arrested first with home-made explosives with timing devices. Thawatchai Iam-nak, who was captured near the Missagawan intersection, allegedly planned to plant the explosives near the yellow shirts' rally site near Government House.

 

The explosives had a radius of destruction of 10 metres. Assawin said interrogation of Thawatchai led police to four other suspects, who were arrested with RPG rounds and and M79 grenades.

 

Assawin confirmed the arrests only after reporters scrambled to verify information about "bomb retrieval at the PAD rally site". Initial responses from senior police officials were ambiguous, with some flatly denying the story.

 

Prime Minister Abhisit only said he had been informed and asked reporters to seek updates from the police. It was too early to interpret his brief statement that "some people still don't want peace to occur" as containing any new clue about the election date.

 

The People's Alliance for Democracy reiterated its three tough demands yesterday. At a press conference in response to Abhisit's Sunday night TV address, the yellow shirts threatened a protracted rally until he cancels a Memorandum of Understanding with Cambodia over territorial disputes, pulls Thailand out of the World Heritage Committee to boycott any decision on Preah Vihear Temple, and pushes back Cambodian presence on Thai territory.

 

"This is not a campaign to overthrow the government, unlike what we did against previous (pro-Thaksin) governments," said Pipop Thongchai, a PAD high-ranking member. "But we won't stop until the demands are met."

 

Some 24 companies of police or about 3,600 officers will be deployed to keep security around Government House and Parliament. National police chief Wichean Potephosree said four companies would guard Government House and two others would protect Parliament, where crucial charter change proposals will be debated today.

 

The police forces would be reinforced by some troops in what will be one of the biggest security alerts in months. However, Wichean said the government would not declare a state of emergency or enforce the Internal Security Act. "We, however, will not allow protesters to seize government establishments," he said.

 

[color:red]The five suspects arrested yesterday were identified as Thawatchai Iam-nark, 38; Dorn Mata, 42; Nopphakhun Sriwongmongkhol, 60; Wiwat Watthanasakulyim, 60, and Manas Ranrat, 52.

 

The items found were three Rocket-Propelled Grenades; one RPG launcher; three sets of auxiliary boosters; four detonators, two 20-mm rounds or practice bullets, 31 M-79 grenades, four of which are armour-piercing type and 27 anti-personnel; 23 AK-47 bullets; 115 M-16 bullets; 35 rounds of M-60 machine gun bullets; 117 carbine bullets, and a green Isuzu pickup truck, with Bor Thor Thahan 4330 - Lampang licence plate.[/color]

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Not very secret really...

[Flashermac]

 

Police thwart protest bomb bid

 

 

 

Police have seized two homemade bombs and other ammunition from a group who reportedly confessed to having been hired to sabotage the People's Alliance for Democracy rally planned for today.

 

The discovery came as the PAD prepared to join two other pressure groups in a protest aimed at forcing the government to take a tougher stance in its dealings with Cambodia on border issues.

 

Police spotted a man behaving suspiciously at Misakawan intersection on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue about 5pm yesterday.

 

They said a search found he had two homemade explosives in his possession. One was designed to be detonated by a mobile phone signal, while the other was connected to a clock and set to go off at 7.45pm.

 

The man, later identified as Tawatchai Iamnak, 37, reportedly confessed to being hired to plant the bombs at Chamai Maruchet Bridge, near Government House, where the Santi Asoke Buddhist sect is staging a rally.

 

Police used a watergun to destroy the bombs' circuits.

 

Questioning of Mr Tawatchai led to the arrest of four other suspects at a house on Soi Rama II 28, where police found a number of rocket-propelled grenades and more ammunition, including about 30 bullets. One of the suspects reportedly confessed to being hired to stir up unrest at the PAD rally and to bomb Government House.

 

The arms seizure took place as demonstrators from the provinces started to arrive in Bangkok to join today's rally at Makkhawan Bridge on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue.

 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the authorities had been informed of the attack attempt but he did not know who was behind the suspects.

 

The planned rally will see the PAD join forces with the Santi Asoke sect - also known as the Dhamma Army - and the Thai Patriots Network.

 

The situation has been further complicated by a planned demonstration today by the June 24 Group, which is allied to the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship. Its members plan to gather at the nearby Democracy Monument to protest against the PAD's interference in foreign relations.

 

The PAD has chosen Makkhawan Bridge to set up a stage, while the Santi Asoke sect and the Thai Patriots Network are encamped at Chamai Maruchet Bridge on nearby Phitsanulok Road.

 

The three groups share the primary demand of the revocation of a year 2000 memorandum of understanding signed by Thailand and Cambodia governing their border disagreements.

 

The PAD also wants the government to drive Cambodian troops from disputed areas on the border and to cancel Thailand's membership of the Unesco World Heritage Committee.

 

Mr Abhisit said yesterday he would not bow to the demands. Such actions would only have adverse effects and might lead to war.

 

The prime minister also pointed out that Thailand's withdrawal from the World Heritage Committee would mean it would no longer be able to oppose Cambodia's management plan for the heritage-listed Preah Vihear temple on the border.

 

Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang, a key PAD leader, insisted yesterday the alliance would continue its rally until the group's demands were met.

 

He said PAD supporters would not storm Government House as part of the protest and the group was not seeking to oust the government. Its main aim was to protect and defend the country's territorial integrity.

 

"Although we are not confident of victory, we are at least performing our duty as Thais," Maj Gen Chamlong said.

 

The PAD leader denied rumours of a rift with Santi Asoke leader Samana Photirak.

 

He said they were in frequent contact by telephone and the PAD and Santi Asoke would work closely together during the rally.

 

Sunthorn Rakrong, a Thai Patriots Network coordinator, said his group would not join the PAD rally at Makkhawan Bridge. It would hold a separate rally at Chamai Maruchet Bridge.

 

Mr Sunthorn said the network was not in conflict with the PAD. They might have different tactics, but they share a common goal.

 

Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Jakthip Chaijinda said 20 units made up of about 2,000 officers had been assigned to monitor the protests.

 

Sixteen units will be deployed at Makkhawan Bridge and four units at Government House.

 

 

 

Bangkok Post

 

[waerth]

Going to be crowded there today!