Gaybutton Posted November 23, 2008 Posted November 23, 2008 The time of this posting is 8:30am. If anything major does happen today, I'll post the information when it becomes available. The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Political Upheaval Feared Today By The Nation on Sunday Published on November 23, 2008 The fate of the country hangs in the balance today in the face of another political upheaval that could lead to a bloodbath after the People's Alliance for Democracy vowed to launch an all-out effort to bring down the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and prevent charter amendment by laying siege to Parliament today in its "biggest and final" rally yet. The PAD announced its plan to move its protest from Government House to Parliament at a press conference yesterday after a three-hour meeting of its five core leaders at Ban Phra Arthit. Meanwhile, appointed Senator Ruangkrai Leekijwattana said Parlia-ment had put the Constitution amendment draft presented by Dr Weng Tochirakarn, a leader of the pro-government Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship, at the top of its agenda to be discussed from tomorrow despite House Speaker Chai Chidchob insisting last week that this wouldn't be so. He said the draft included clauses reducing the power of privy councillors, removing some independent agencies, whitewashing parties facing dissolution and giving amnesty to 111 former Thai Rak Thai Party executives. PAD leader Maj-General Chamlong Srimuang yesterday showed members of the press that Constitution amendment had been marked urgent on Parliament's agenda for today. Pipop Thongchai said the PAD intended to stop Parliament working in support of the Somchai government. He said both Parliament and the government had lost any mandate to run the country because they refused to take responsibility for the bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters on October 7. He accused the government of continuing to use violence through a series of deadly bomb attacks to deter people from joining the PAD protest. "If the people are afraid, the government will be able to prevent peaceful protests in the long run, and we will not be able to protect our country and the monarchy,'' he said. Sondhi Limthongkul said the latest bomb attack early yesterday that killed one person showed that the government was using undisciplined military officers to do its dirty work. "This is pressuring a peaceful gathering to use weapons in self-defence. Thai society will see a bloodbath. It is sad that military officers and police have taken part in this,'' he said. The five leaders refused to reveal how they planned to break into the Parliament compound. Chamlong insisted that the PAD must move on Parliament to ensure there was no charter amendment even after reporters told him that House Speaker Chai Chidchob had guaranteed that charter amendment would not be on the House agenda. Quote
Gaybutton Posted November 23, 2008 Author Posted November 23, 2008 The following appears in THE NATION: _____ COUNTRY ON THE BRINK AGAIN "Last battle" begins today By The Political desk The Nation Published on November 24, 2008 Anti-government protesters are planning the biggest rally today in a final showdown with the government, this time going for a people's revolution to topple the Somchai administration. "The protesters under the People's Alliance for Democracy would not totally bank on the military to come to their side in toppling the Somchai government but would rather launch their own version of the people's revolution," said a political observer. This time they have learnt the lesson. In the people's revolution, the protesters will be attempting to woo public support so that they achieve a critical mass of more than 100,000 people to seize the capital. Spreading out in different rallies, they will lay siege on Parliament, surround the temporary office of the Somchai Cabinet at Don Muang and take control of other key communication sites. "By doing so, the anti-government protesters are about to launch a coup in the capital similarly to military coups of the past. The difference is that they do not carry weapons or have guns and tanks like the military," said the political observer. But to succeed, the military must also guard their security against the police forces. The doctors and academics plan to render support to the PAD today. The state enterprise workers also plan to launch a nation-wide work stoppage. On October 7, 2008 when the police shot tear gas into the protesters killing one person and injuring more than 400 people, the protesters waited desperately for the military to come to their side to no avail. Now they plan to stage a revolution of their own, either with military or without military support. Maleerat Kaewka, a spokesman of the PAD, told the crowd to hang on until Wednesday when the people's war would be finished by then. Others sense that bloodshed is hanging in the air as the anti-government protesters gear up their final war and the pro-government supporters are preparing a counter-attack. "I believe that the situation will reach a breaking point next week. The temperature is now reaching a boiling point. It is just a moment away before a bloodshed happens and military coup will finish it up," said Rangsan Pathumwan, a lecturer at Chiang Mai University. "They are now breaking into adversary groups. Some would like to please the Big Boss (Thaksin) and are ready to launch a clash." Phromsak Saengpho, a leader of the pro-government and Red Shirt supporters in Chiang Mai, also speculated that a military coup might be imminent. He said if a military coup were to happen over the next two to three days, Gen Anupong Paochinda, the army chief, would not have anything to do with it but it would rather be the work of the military from the upcountry joining with the Bangkok military. "I don't believe that Gen Anupong would take part in the coup. He is afraid that if he does that he might not have the ground to stand on," he said. He said the probability of a military coup has increased, with the military summoning leaders of the red shirt protesters in Chiang Mai into the Kavila Military Command to urge them not to join in the rally. Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is now attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Peru. He won't be back in Bangkok until Wednesday. Yesterday protesters began to fortify their position in the Government House, numbering 50,000 people. The atmosphere looked like a festival as the protesters prepare to go for war. Suriyasai Katasila, one of the leaders of the PAD, said the protesters will march to Parliament at seven o'clock tomorrow's morning and avoid marching at night. The protesters have been attacked several times by small bombs and grenades, including a blast Thursday that killed one person and wounded 29. Before leaving for Peru, PM Somchai signed a series of document to maintain internal security. One of the documents appoints Gen Anupong to head a committee, which is in charge of monitoring and maintaining security and law and order in Bangkok. Army spokesman Col. Sansern Khaewkamnerd said police would be responsible for keeping the situation under control, but that 2,000 soldiers would be on standby in case police ask for help. Police said 2,400 police would be stationed outside Parliament, which is about half a mile (1 kilometre) from the occupied prime minister's compound, Government House. Quote
Gaybutton Posted November 24, 2008 Author Posted November 24, 2008 The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Crunch Day Tens of thousands of protesters surrounded parliament on a tense Monday morning, threatening to block a scheduled joint House-Senate meeting and vowing to topple the government by Wednesday. Core leader Sondhi Limthongkul of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) personally launched the march at 6am from Government House. By 8am (0100 GMT) on Monday, an estimated 20,000 protestors had surrounded parliament, effectively besieging it. Sondhi called it the PAD's "final battle". It climaxes a six-month campaign which began on May 25 and has featured protests 24 hours a day. Besides parliament, the PAD targetted other key sites for protests on Monday - Police headquarters and the main office of coalition partner Chart Thai party among them. Awaiting the march were hundreds of police manning steel barricades outside the Bangkok parliament building, with fire trucks parked nearby. Across town at the Suan Kaew temple in Nonthaburi, members and backers of the pro-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship heard equally strong speeches in defence of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and against the yellow-shirted PAD. Crunch Day is Monday, when many fear that three events could coincide: *Tens of thousands of PAD protesters will try once again to besiege parliament and confront police whose duty is to secure a scheduled joint meeting of the House and Senate. *Hundreds or thousands of UDD supporters will ignore pleas from their leaders and civil figures to confront the PAD in the name of keeping parliament open. *Members of parliament will force a showdown by insisting on getting into the House, setting up a violent confrontation involving all three sides. On Oct 7, a showdown between PAD protesters and police armed with tear gas ended in tragedy when one demonstrator was killed and several were maimed. A second PAD member was also killed, apparently by his own bombs. From the Apec summit in Peru on Sunday, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat urged restraint - but also warned the PAD that any attempt to block parliament would automatically be breaking the law. Senior UDD leader Jatuporn Promphan told his supporters to stay away from parliament. Otherwise, he said, the UDD would be blamed for any violence. Prominent abbot Phra Phayom Galayano, who banned even a phone call to the rally by Thaksin, said he gave permission to the UDD to use his famous Wat Suan Kaew on condition they remain peaceful. As usual, PAD leaders were uncompromising, and made no promises to remain non-violent. Maj-Gen Chamlong said he does not even trust parliament to stick to its stated agenda on Monday. The PAD claims the government might try to use the meeting to secretly amend the constitution in favour of Thaksin. The government would be responsible for any violence, he said. Quote
PattayaMale Posted November 24, 2008 Posted November 24, 2008 I have read for months that there would be violence in Bangkok. But each day passes and no such thing happens (except for one very tragic day). If it were not for the Bangkok Post or the Nation Newspaper and some posting on the message boards I would have no idea anything was going on since I live in Pattaya. The floods that are happening in the North and South are probably more of a problem for many Thais. The weather in Pattaya has been just wonderful for this time of year the last few weeks. Those on their way here should find a good vacation. Quote
Gaybutton Posted November 24, 2008 Author Posted November 24, 2008 I have read for months that there would be violence in Bangkok. But each day passes and no such thing happens (except for one very tragic day). Are you sure you're reading the same news media as I am? I keep reading about grenades being thrown at the PAD protesters and people being killed and wounded, and this has been going on almost daily lately. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted November 24, 2008 Posted November 24, 2008 Are you sure you're reading the same news media as I am? I keep reading about grenades being thrown at the PAD protesters and people being killed and wounded, and this has been going on almost daily lately. How many grenade have been thrown? How many people have been killed? Quote
Gaybutton Posted November 25, 2008 Author Posted November 25, 2008 How many grenade have been thrown? How many people have been killed? Sorry, I didn't keep score. But even as recently as a few hours ago there are reports that shots were fired. Quote
