Protests in Pattaya Escalate into Armed Violence - Summit Meeting Cancelled

Gaybutton · April 11, 2009

It's finally happened. Political violence has erupted in Pattaya. I'm sorry to see it come to this, but I'm not surprised. What nobody knows at this point is how much of an escalation there will be or whether any kind of retaliation will occur in Bangkok or other cities. Not exactly a good day to head for the beach in Pattaya today!

The following appears in THE NATION:

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Summit Postponed Following Clash in Pattaya

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Natiton

Pattaya

The summit of Asean leaders with dialogue partners has been postponed from 9 am Saturday following a clash of red-shirted and blue-shirted people outside the meeting venue.

The postponement was announced live on TV by the acting government spokesman, Panithan Watanayagorn.

"The government is investigating the incident," Panithan told an urgent press conference.

He said he expected that related meetings could be postponed accordingly.

"We also concern the safety of the leaders and the people including the protesters. We are working hard to control the situation," Panithan said.

The spokesman of the Foreign ministry, Tharit Charungvat, said all delegates are not the targets of the protesters. "The protesters want to humiliate the government," he said.

At 8:40 am, the red-shirted protesters armed with giant firecrackers, Molotov cocktails, sling shots and batons, battled with local people who formed a line to protect the venue of Asean +6 and Asean + 3 summits. A few people were injured.

The outnumbered blue-shirted local people was scattered and ran for cover when the red-shirted people attacked them.

Several explosion sounds of firecrackers were heard and the red-shirted people were seen as firing slingshots with bolts at the blue-shirted people who tried formed a line in front of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel.

The red-shirted people formed a line and kept advancing until the two sides stood confronting less than one metre apart and the clash broke out.

The red-shirted protesters were seen carrying Molotov cocktails but none had been thrown at the other side yet.

Terrified local residents closed their houses and many were seen weeping with fear.

On Friday, the red-shirted leaders in Bangkok recruited the protesters to be deployed to Pattaya to fight against the blue-shirted ones.

About 10,000 red-shirted protesters arrived at Pattaya in over 500 taxis, 20 buses and some six-wheel trucks, motorcycles and private cars.

They reached the Phet Trakul Road where a group of red-shirted people was demonstrating at about 11:50 pm.

At 7 am, about 100 red-shirted protesters and 30 taxis blocked the exit of Dusit Thani Pattaya Hotel to try to prevent the Chinese prime minister, Japanese prime minister and South Korean president to leave for a summit with Asean leaders.

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The following appears in the BANGKOK POST:

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Protests Prompt Asean Summit Closure

More Red Shirts on Way for Summit's Second Day

By: POST REPORTERS and AFP

The foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea canceled a meeting at the Asian summit in Pattaya on Saturday after Thai red-shirt protesters blockaded their hotel, officials said.

Hundreds of demonstrators calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva prevented the Japanese minister's car from entering the venue in the beach resort of Pattaya, reporters said.

The meeting, which was set to discuss North Korea's recent rocket launch and economic issues, was delayed after the ministers had waited for an hour, officials from the Chinese and Japanese delegations said.

News of the key Asian nations' decision to withdraw from the summit comes after Thai protesters laid siege to the gathering of Asian leaders on Friday, clashing with security forces and forcing their struggle to oust the prime minister into the international spotlight.

Mr. Abhisit had earlier vowed that the summit, which had been focused on finding ways to fight the global financial crisis, would go ahead. It has already been postponed and relocated several times because of Thailand's political turmoil.

"We will ensure that the meeting will proceed smoothly," he told a press conference. "I would like to reiterate that we can provide security."

But red-shirted protesters of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) breached several security cordons and ultimately scuttled Saturday's summit start.

Gaybutton · April 11, 2009

This just in - from THE NATION:

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2 Red-Shirted Protesters Injured in Pattaya Clash

Pattaya - Two red-shirted protesters were injured during their battle with the blue-shirted demonstrators in front of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel Saturday morning.

At 9:34 am, the two sides sent representatives to negotiate and agreed to keep a distance between the two groups of demonstrators to avoid more clashes.

The Nation

April 11, 2009

There was an editorial in one of the English papers the other day bemoaning the fact that Thailand never learns from its past. Initially I had considerable respect for the Abhisit government when it took office. Yet this demonstraion was 'red flagged' a long time ago and the government had plenty of time put in place a strategy to ensure protesters were kept well away from the Conference centre. End result? Protestors not only breach the defences, they force cancellation of some meetings and Thailand's political woes are top headlines in the world's media yet again. The damage to this country - added to the shenanigans last year - is incalculable.

Watching this utter farce unfold, I can't stop humming Pete Seeger's classic "Where have all the flowers gone?" You'll remember its final line: "When will they ever learn?"

Gaybutton · April 11, 2009

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST:

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Govt Asks Asian Leaders to Stay

Published: 11/04/2009 at 11:16 AM

The government has asked delegations from China, Japan and South Korea not to walk away from the Asean regional meetings following the violent clashes between protesters in Pattaya.

A team of government spokesmen led by Panithan Wattayakorn held an emergency press conference on Saturday morning after meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summits and related summits were postponed.

The clashes between the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters and blue-shirted People Love Pattaya supporters would not affect security during the regional meetings, Mr. Panithan said.

But the summits would have to be rescheduled. The government would announce when they would resume.

The spokesman said officials had asked delegates from China, Japan and South Korea not to leave the meetings, but admitted it would take time to bring the situation under control.

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Would someone please explain to me why they don't simply move the summit elsewhere? If the Prime Minister was helicoptered in, then they can helicopter the delegates out. All they have to do is move the meetings to a military base or even the grounds of the U-Tapao airport, where the protesters can't get at them. It seems to me that it wouldn't take much effort to move the whole thing to an area that can be totally secured.

Can you imagine the repercussions any of these people to attack one of the foreign heads of state, especially if it is a successful attack?

In my opinion, if anyone ever writes a book about planning and security, then what's going on in Thailand should be the lead story in the chapter entitled, "Don't Let This Happen to You."

April 11, 2009

I understand Abhisit's desire to keep things under control and to keep things peaceful, but it seems they have gotten out of control. I think it is time for some serious riot management, maybe tear gas to disperse the crowd of protesters.

April 11, 2009

should be the lead story in the chapter entitled, "Don't Let This Happen to You."

or "Don't Let THis Happen to You Again, and Again, and AGAIN!!

April 11, 2009

think it is time for some serious riot management, maybe tear gas to disperse the crowd of protesters.

As I said earlier, all this was red-flagged a long time ago. The time for serious riot management planning was then - not now, when it is all too late. This is one reason why Abhisit and his government have totally failed in my estimation. The embarrassment to the country - to say nothing of the further damage to tourism and the economy - is very serious. Heads have to roll. I believe Abhisit has to resign now. (And I have been one of his supporters).

Would someone please explain to me why they don't simply move the summit elsewhere?

Think for a moment what this would entail. Each delegation probably has 50 or more people in it. If you move during Songkran, where do you find a different hotel for each delegation with 50 rooms/suites? How do you do major security sweeps of these hotels without upsetting the guests already there? How do you clear guests out of rooms to ensure the delegations have complete floors? How do you make access roads secure?. Where do you find a Conference venue that has no weddings or other kind of receptions already booked in to it? etc. etc.

That sort of detailed planning takes weeks, if not months.

Gaybutton · April 11, 2009

That sort of detailed planning takes weeks, if not months.

I don't think so. I think contingency plans could be made quite rapidly and I don't think finding a hotel would even be necessary. A military base could be used and emergency arrangements could be made quickly. At the moment, based on my interpretation of the news reports, the very safety of the foreign dignitaries is at peril. You may, of course, be right in light of the fact that the authorities seem to be helpless to do very much.

In any case, it would be difficult to dispute that despite the warnings that something like this could happen, no serious contingency plans were ever made and nothing proactive was properly planned to deal with this kind of situation. Apparently the Red Shirt leaders intend to try to push the government until there is no choice left but to resort to force to put a stop to this, and I think that's exactly what they want. I don't think the Thai government ever expected the Red Shirts to physically attack the Asean summit.

In my opinion, it's a no-win situation for the Thai government. The Thai government must already have lost a hell of a lot of prestige over this. If they don't do something substantial to end this, then Thailand will have descended into sheer anarchy. If they do resort to force, then I believe they are playing right into the hands of the trap set by the Red Shirt leadership.

The end result, if nothing else, will be to even further cripple the already devastated tourist industry. It will be very interesting to see what effect, if any, this all will have on the exchange rates next week.

April 11, 2009

I don't think so. I think contingency plans could be made quite rapidly and I don't think finding a hotel would even be necessary.

With all respect, that's just not true. Anyone who has ever dealt with trips overseas by top government officials will know that the security aspects take many days of planning and many more of execution. Plus the delegations just will not stay in the same hotel/venue - for the very obvious reason of security. That's fact!

Gaybutton · April 11, 2009

With all respect, that's just not true.

Perhaps not. Then the next question is why were no viable contingency plans ever put into place? I would have thought contingency plans would be made even if there were no protests at all. Oh well, so much for my way of thinking . . .

By the way, as I write this I'm suddenly hearing several helicopters overhead.

I'm also surprised that none of the embassies have issued travel warnings or 'stay away from protest area' warnings.

April 11, 2009

I'm also surprised that none of the embassies have issued travel warnings or 'stay away from protest area' warnings

In much of the world, this is the official Easter holiday week-end. So civil servants left their posts (probably early) on Thursday afternoon. I doubt if there will be a cheep out of any embassy until Tuesday.

April 11, 2009

Please stay safe all.

STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN RESORT CITY

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Pattaya

The summit of Asean leaders with dialogue partners has been cancelled and state of emergency declared in Pattaya after a clash of red-shirted and blue-shirted people outside the meeting venue and a subsequent invasion of the

The government has announced a decision has been made to postpone the summit to a later date, in effect cancelling it.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in Pattaya and Chon Buri, partly to facilitate the departure of Asean VIP guests. He told a press conference Asean leaders and their dialogue partners understand the need to postpone the summit and support government action regarding Saturday's incidents.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban will be in charge of enforcing the state of emergency measures in Chon Buri and Pattaya. Saturday's turmoil will send Pattaya reeling economically. The resort city had hoped to reap the benefits of the Songkran festival but now has to cope with mounting tour and hotel cancellations.

The state of emergency law imposes tough restrictions on public gathering and dissemination of information. Authorities are given added power to search residents and venues and restrict travels.

Hundreds of protesters broke through a glass and poured into a Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel building where reporters stayed. The section is about 100 metres apart from a hotel section where summit leaders are supposed to meet.

This made the meeting impossible after the government earlier only announced a minor postponement of schedules.

The cancellation has also been announced by acting government spokesman Panithan Watanayagorn, who had earlier said it was only a delay, not cancellation.

Few protesters suffered minor injuries in a clash in Pattaya Saturday morning when the Asean summit with dialogue partners was about to begin.

"The government is investigating the incident," Panithan told an urgent press conference.

At 8:40 am, the red-shirted protesters armed with giant firecrackers, Molotov cocktails, sling shots and batons, battled with local people who formed a line to protect the venue of Asean +6 and Asean + 3 summits.

Government officials denied the blue shirted men, who confronted the red-shirted protesters and clashed with them, were state-sponsored.

Spokesman Panithan rejected the connection with the blue shirted men saying they are simply ordinary people who wanted to see the summit proceed smoothly. They showed up to prevent the red shirted protesters from disrupting the summit, he said.

The government was investigating the presence of the blue shirted men and they could be arrested if committed anything illegal, he said.

"We were also concerned about the safety of the leaders and the people including the protesters. We are working hard to control the situation," Panithan said.

The Foreign Ministry's spokesman Tharit Charungvat, said all delegates are not the targets of the protesters. "The protesters want to humiliate the government," he said.

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and red-shirted leaders have indicated that they would consider cancellation of the summit a victory for the red-shirted campaign. They claim the Abhisit Vejjajiva government was not legitimate because it was set up following "unfair" court rulings against the former pro-Thaksin ruling party and a military-dictated defection of some formerly pro-Thaksin MPs.

The red shirted protesters under the umbrella of the Democratic Alliance Against Democracy (DAAD) demanded Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and some members of the Privy Council to step down. They claimed the blue shirt men hurt them.

Reporters saw the outnumbered blue-shirted local people was scattered and ran for cover when the red-shirted people attacked them.